Tied - Part Four (The Tied Series) (7 page)

Cribs. Furniture. Clothes. Toys. Years and years and years of those things.
I was going to be sick.

“Oh, honey, you’ll be fine,” Charlotte said, laughing at my expression. “You aren’t alone, okay?”

I took a deep breath. “Okay. Yeah. Thanks. Really.” They crushed me between them in a hug, just as the DJ cut off the music.

“Good afternoon, friends and family! We have a surprise performance for you folks,” he said into the microphone. “Little Amber Lockett here, future superstar, will be singing for us. She’s accompanied by her ‘BFF,’ Katherine Riley.”

The family all applauded as Amber stepped in front of the DJ’s tent, Katherine remaining just a step behind her. Had they been planning this?

I recognized the music as the song began to play - it was the same one that Amber sang at her talent show. The very show I’d had to miss because my leg was completely wrapped in a cast. The same night that I’d drunk myself into a rage and nearly drove Katherine away for good.

I was glad I’d get to see Amber perform it, now. I still felt a little bad that I hadn’t been able to make it, and I knew for a fact that Josh still felt guilty for working that evening as well.

Everyone fell silent as they began to sing. Amber took the lead, her voice high and sweet, while Katherine softly provided the harmony.

Watching Katherine and my niece sing together, I didn’t know how I felt. Warm and fuzzy, stupidly fucking happy? Katherine smiled and nodded down at Amber whenever she looked back for reassurance. The sound of their voices blending was as pretty as anything I’d ever listened to. But watching them together - watching Katherine encouraging Amber, smiling proudly down at the girl - it was like looking at an eerily possible vision of the future.

And it wasn’t so scary.

In fact, it was kind of nice.

Was it wrong of me to feel a little bit excited? I wondered if Katherine was. We hadn’t talked about it - I’d been spooked by the baby subject up until that point, and I knew she was going light on the conversations for my sake.
Am I crazy?

I didn’t hear Josh come up behind me, and I jumped when he squeezed my shoulder. “See? It isn’t all bad,” he said. “It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.”

“Yeah. I’m starting to get it, I think.”

“Do you think you two will get married?”

If had a drink I would have spit it out right then. “Damn, dude, one thing at a time!”

He laughed. “Just get used to the question, then. You know Mom and Dad will be asking it.”

I looked back up at Katherine. Did I want to get married? Would she?

It was getting to be too much. How the fuck had this happened? In the span of a year I’d gone from a carefree fighter to a man considering marriage and about to have a baby. It seemed like it all happened so fast and sometimes it felt really fucking overwhelming. Like right then.

But I loved her. That much I knew.

And I hadn’t thought about revenge once all day.

Grinning to myself, I imagined how I’d reward her for that when we got home. Very thoroughly. And more than once.

CHAPTER 8

“Can I say it yet?”

“No. No.”

I couldn’t let her love me until I’d purged myself of the poison that invaded my heart every day. Not until I was free of Rabbit, free of my revenge - she could never love a man like that. She shouldn’t.

But I could let her ride me, I could let her use my body to find her pleasure - and for my own enjoyment. I could let her body say the things that I wasn’t worthy of hearing yet -
I love you, I want you, I need you
.

Soon
.

My fingers dug into her hips as she writhed atop my pelvis, grinding herself down on me, enveloping my cock in that wonderful heat.

“I can’t double-impregnate you, can I?” I asked.

The ecstatic look on her face morphed into one of wry humor. “Pretty unlikely,” she said.

“Good.” I flipped us over together and pounded into her until her nails dug into my back and her thighs trembled and her voice sang my name. I reached down between us and stroked her clit until I could feel her coming, feel her body seizing and shuddering - and only then did I let myself go.

“Amazing,” I said, kissing her as my heartbeat slowed. “Fucking beautiful.” We rolled onto our sides and watched sunrise through my window. It was Monday morning. She’d have to go to work - and then she’d spend the night at
his
place.

There was no talking her out of it. If I pushed the issue I just ended up sounding like a jealous asshole - and maybe I was, just a little. I didn’t see what was so wrong with that. I loved her and I wanted her around, and instead she spent her evenings with him.

“Stay,” I said for what felt like the tenth or twelfth time that weekend. “Stay here with me. It’s not permanent. Mallet and Tony will come through.”

“And if they don’t? If they can’t?”

“I’ve got a brother that might be able to help.” First I’d have to swallow my pride and ask. But for her, for us, I’d do it.
Though I might wait until the last minute.

“I want to,” she whispered. That was progress.

“Are Mal and Alexa the only reason you’re hesitating?” I asked. She bit her lip. “You promised you’d talk to me.”
Instead of him
, I wanted to add.

“We’ve had bad luck in the this apartment,” she said. “Bad memories.” That was very true, and they were all my damn fault. Me and my mouth. She went on, “And I’m worried about you. Scared for you, actually.”

“Why’s that?”

“I know that you’re still angry about the attack. Hell, you should be, and I am, too. But I’m afraid of what you’re going to do about it.” She looked away. “I’m afraid of what could happen. And I’m not sure I want to be around for it.”

I tensed.
Well, you wanted her to be honest
. My fears were right - revenge could tear us apart.
I have to end this quickly. Like, now. Today. Fucking yesterday.

I had no comforting reply to offer so I pulled her close and sighed into her hair. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked softly.

“No.” I kissed the top of her head. “I’ll just get angry. And I don’t want to be angry while you’re here. I want to enjoy this.”

“But I want to know what you’re thinking.”

“We’ll talk about it later,” I promised.

Thankfully, after a quiet pause, she changed the subject. “I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow after work. I want you to come. If you want to.”

“Yes, of course!” I squeezed her. “I want to come to all of them from now on.”

“Good,” she said, snuggling against me, “Maybe it’ll be a little less scary if you’re there.”

I could have remained like that all morning, tangled with her in my sheets while the rest of the world got up and began their mornings, but she had to face the day, too. Her buzzing alarm reminded her of that.

“Gotta get ready for work!” she said brightly.

That was one positive about working the night shift. I didn’t have to get out of bed in the morning. I could lazily watch her get dressed without moving a damn muscle. Well, except for one.

“Don’t get any ideas, dirty man,” she said, flicking my thigh with a playful grin. “Time’s up. Not all of us work vampire hours.”

I grabbed her anyway. If she wasn’t going to move in, then I wasn’t going to miss a single chance to take her. Especially not while she was naked in front of me.

I suspected she knew this. It was why she set her alarm so early. She knew I wasn’t going to let her leave so easily.

Dammit, if I had my way, she’d never leave.

○●○●○●○●○

I received an email from Whitney later that afternoon. She implored me once again to take the money, to cash the check.

It was galling. I could feel myself weakening on the subject. Her charity had been unwanted and unwelcome. Hell, it was downright embarrassing - having my picture up on the internet, begging for money, with my whole sob story in all its exaggerated glory. She’d painted Katherine to be a villain - an unforgivable offense.

But the money wasn’t from her. It was from fans and other fighters.

I was still contemplating sending her a reply when Mallet arrived home. “You’re back early,” I said.

“I promised Tony I’d help pack up some of Dad’s things,” he said. Then, “A grand a month is the best compromise Tony and I could come up with on rent. Can you guys swing it?”

“Yeah,” I said. The donations suddenly seemed ten times more tempting, but we could just about swing that. And for a two bedroom, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that we’d find a better deal. “Are you sure? That’s low for the size of the place. You could get more renting it out to a stranger.”

“Yeah, but we’d have to fix the place up first, which ain’t cheap. You’re getting it as-is.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

“Tony’s drafting up some half-assed lease,” he said with a tired wave of his hand, “We’ll talk details later.”

“I’m sorry it’s happening this way, for what it’s worth,” I said. He looked tired, and frustrated. I knew he didn’t exactly love dealing with his brother on a good day.

“Yeah. Thanks.” He nodded toward the laptop. “What are you up to?”

“More emails from Whitney and the girls,” I said, clicking on one of the links she’d included. It led me to a video of Braddock’s most recent fight. There he was in Philadelphia, at a professional match. He was getting paid to be there. He and the three good luck girls with him wore sponsored tank tops. Goddammit, he was getting everything,
everything
I’d wanted.

Mallet thumped my shoulder. “Take the fucking money. You’re at least going to need to replace the rug in that apartment before you let any kid in there.”

“That fucking money,” I grumbled. Onscreen, the girls climbed out of the ring and Braddock’s match began. I slammed the computer shut.

“Don’t overthink it,” Mal said, “The people who donated wanted you to have it, so take it. It’s the polite thing to do.”

“Would you?”

“Now? No. If I was having a baby?” He spread his arms. “Pride goes out the fucking window. You grasp at everything you can get to take care of that kid.”

He was right, damn him. The thought of sticking that seven grand in the bank - it actually gave me a little relief. A little hope. Unfamiliar feelings. But between that little windfall and the apartment, the future didn’t seem so bleak and scary.

And the excitement that had begun building inside me at the barbecue grew even bigger.
We’re going to live together. We’re going to make this work. And maybe, just fucking maybe, we’re going to be happy.

Whitney’s number was still in my phone.

“Call her,” Mal said, reading the conflict on my face, “Like a bandaid. Cash that check and don’t look back.”

“I hate it when you’re right,” I grumbled.

“You’d think you’d be used to it by now,” he said, grinning broadly. At least my grumbling had cheered him up. “And Lockett? This weekend. Surly and I are ready.”

“Thank fucking God!” I nearly dropped my phone. “I’ve got end this shit.”

“Agreed,” Mal said. “But seriously. Let it end there. We’ll beat him up good and then you’ve got to let it go.”

“Oh, I know,” I said, cracking my knuckles. “Believe me. It’s fucking eating me alive. But this will be it.”

“Okay. Saturday morning, man. Go straight there after work, Surly and I will meet you.”

“Perfect.”

Suddenly, calling Whitney didn’t seem so onerous. Not now that all the puzzle pieces were fitting together.
Cash the check. Take my revenge. And never think about it again
. It was almost going too well. But I didn’t linger on that thought. I didn’t want to jinx myself.
It’s all falling into place. Don’t question it. And don’t look back.

CHAPTER 9

It was just the briefest moment of panic. But sometimes the shortest moments can be the ones that scar you the most.