Winning Her Love (16 page)

“I am. I’ve had so much fun.”

“That’s good.” He sounded more awake now. “Where are you? I’m getting dressed to come and get you.”

Lana looked around her and tried to remember the club’s name. It was club number three. The one that stayed open the latest. They shouldn’t have been let in as they were already too drunk, but their boobs had got them in with the bouncer. “Kickers, bys the water. We ares out the fronts.”

“Stay there. That’s not far from our house. I’m about five minutes away. How many are with you?”

Lana counted a couple of times before she finally said, “Six.”

“I’m calling a friend, Matt or Bob, and they’ll help. I’m going to park and come to you. See you soon.”

“Aha, sees ya. Loves ya.”

“Love you too.”

She hung up and turned to everyone. “Chad’s fives away.”

Rebecca swayed and nodded. “Cools, no ones answered when I calleded.”

Steph shook on her feet as she stared at her broken phone. “I’d broke my phone. Wes all won’t fit in Chad’s though.”

Lana’s head felt so light, her body swayed. “He’s bringing a friend to helps.”

They stood waiting for Chad, swaying on the spot and chatting about stuff they did tonight when a couple of guys came over to them. She thought she recognized them as some of the men she’d turned down in the club. A hand came around her shoulder and even drunk Lana felt her skin crawl. She stumbled and moved away from the guy.

“Hey, babe, we got a lift picking us up. Do you want a lift?” The guy next to her would be okay looking if he didn’t look so disheveled and reek of smoke and alcohol.

“No. Wes have a lifts. My boyfriend is comings.”

“Oh, come on, babe. He mustn’t be very good if he lets you out looking like this.”

Lana stumbled back, cringing as the guy touched her breasts. Steph stumbled toward them as Vanessa and Mary battled men of their own. “Leave her alone.” Steph got right up in the guy’s face.

Lana looked around for the bouncers who were at the taxi rank and two were at the doors talking. Her mind filled with fog. She slipped off her shoes, knowing she couldn’t walk to the bouncer with her high heels. Squinting her eyes, Lana took a step toward the bouncers, but a hard grip on her arm stopped her.

“No, babe, stay. Come with me.”

Getting scared, she started fighting and hoped the bouncers would come over and help.

* * * *

This late at night Chad had gotten a car park straightaway. He knew Matt wouldn’t be too far behind him so he went to go get his Lana and wait for Matt. But the sight that greeted him when he found her had him fuming and his blood boiling. Lana and his sister were fighting a guy who held Lana. Another two guys were in a fight with bouncers and Lana and Steph’s other friends.

He ran to Lana and ripped the man off her. He reeked of alcohol and smoke. “Want to tell me what the fuck you’re doing to my girlfriend?”

The guy looked up at him, shocked. “I thought she was lying. I mean, what guy would let her go out looking like that?”

Chad counted to three slowly to control his temper and stop himself from beating the crap out of the man in front of him. He didn’t look at Lana because he knew he wouldn’t like what she was wearing, but even if she wasn’t with him, she had a right to wear whatever she wanted and not get shit for it by this idiot. “Look, fuckwit, be quiet and I’ll let you walk away. I’m going to put you down, and then I’m taking my girlfriend and her friends home.”

The guy’s eyes widened and Chad groaned as a light in his eyes grew bright. “You’re Chad Douglas.”

Chad let go of him and backed away. He didn’t need trouble, and usually when he got recognized it went one of two ways—the guy forgot about what happened and was happy to meet him, or the guy wanted to fight so he could get money out of him or just say that he’d fought with Chad Douglas. “Look man, I just want to get my girlfriend and go.”

The guy poked his chest. “You lost me a thousand bucks last year when you helped take out the Dingos.”

Chad groaned, because he knew this wasn’t going to end well. He could feel Lana at his back and knew his sister would be close too. He couldn’t get into a fight with this guy. “Sorry you lost money, but you shouldn’t have bet against me.” Scanning the now gathered crowd, he looked for Matt, hoping he’d arrived.

Matt barreled through the crowd and Chad relaxed. Matt reached his side, grinning at him, and winked. “Lana, Steph, I’ve come to help.”

The guy grabbed his arm and Chad shook him off, his anger rising. The man came at him, but Matt grabbed him this time. “I wouldn’t. Chad has been very nice from what I saw. That won’t last.”

“Oh yeah?” The jerk staggered as he came for Chad.

This time Chad let his temper out. His fist connected with the guy’s face, and the man stumbled and fell to the ground.

Chad grabbed Lana, his sister, and Rebecca, pulling them away before he did more to the idiot getting off the ground and yelling at them. He pointed to Mary, Vanessa, and Haley who were huddling with a bouncer. “Come on, girls, let’s get out of here.”

They all nodded eagerly.

Matt hadn’t parked far from him. Chad was eager to leave. He knew that what had happened tonight would be in the paper, and if he was lucky that would be the only place. Chad was actually quite proud of himself, usually he would have fought the drunken guy, but with Lana and his sister around he wanted them to stay safe.

The girls stumbled and swayed as they walked. They all looked thoroughly smashed. He hoped they’d had a good night before what just happened. He had a feeling that tomorrow some, if not all of the women, wouldn’t be feeling so crash hot. Haley tripped and giggled as she fell to the ground. The girls laughed, and Matt helped her up. She gave a loud sigh and snuggled into Matt. The girls all chuckled hysterically, the confrontation before forgotten.

Lana swayed and gripped his sister as they came to his car. Opening his door, he helped his sister and Rebecca up into the car then helped Lana in. Chad went around to the driver’s side and saw Matt helping the three girls he had into his own SUV. Locking his car, he walked over to Matt and gave him the two addresses he remembered from dropping Steph and Lana off before at their friends.

“Thanks for the help,” Chad said.

Matt nodded. “No problem. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

He went back to the car, unlocked it, and got in to find the girls giggling and squealing. Chad had a feeling this car ride was going to feel like a very long one.

Chapter 8

Lana groaned as she forced one of her eyes open only to close it and clutch her head on a moan. Every part of her body ached, and not the good ache she usually got from being in Chad’s bed. “I’m dying,” she heard herself croak out.

An ear-piercing loud chuckle sounded from beside her. “Not dying. Just a big hungover. Did you have fun last night?”

“Mmm, stop screaming at me.”

“Angel, I’m whispering.”

She cracked her eye open as she stared in the direction the voice came from. “I had fun. Sorry for calling you so late.”

Chad was sitting up in bed next to her, reading the paper. He put it down and stroked her cheek. “I’m glad you did call. It was a lot safer.”

“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“I’ll always come for you.” He got out of bed. “I’m going to go get you some water and some Panadol.”

“I knew there was a reason why I loved you.”

Chad chuckled and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

Lana spent most of the day in bed. Chad went to pick up Olivia, and when she heard him pull in she got up and laid on the sofa, waiting for them to come inside.

“Mummy, I saw Mickey and Minnie, plus all the princesses.”

Lana braced herself for impact as Olivia threw herself at her. “You are so lucky.”

“Yeah, Grandma got me this teddy and some ears.” Olivia shoved both items in her face.

“Wow, your grandma spoils you.”

“Yeah. I tolded Daddy all abouts Disney. I’ll tells you now.”

Smiling, she cuddled her daughter and listened to her talk.

* * * *

As Lana bathed Olivia Chad watched the news. He had hoped what happened with Lana last night wouldn’t make the news, but he should have known better.

“Chad Douglas walks away from fight.”

He sat surprised as he listened.

“Chad Douglas has been known to get into brawls. But early Sunday morning he picked up girlfriend Lana Cage, his sister, and their friends from popular club Kickers, and as you can see from the footage, he walked away from a fight. Chad did hit the man who held onto Miss Cage, but otherwise he and team player Matt Grag walked away while the man yelled obscenities.”

The footage was from someone’s phone, but it showed everything.

The presenter glanced at the other. “I like that his priority was to get the woman home safely. What do you think of this new side of Chad?”

“I think it’s nice to know where his priorities are. It’s good to see a man walk away from a fight. We are doing a phone in vote below, asking you, the viewers, what you think.”

Chad turned off the TV, he didn’t need to hear any more. He was proud of himself that he’d walked away from that wanker. He turned to see Lana with Olivia wrapped in a towel on her hip.

Lana came over to him and kissed him. “Thank you for last night. I’m sorry I got you on TV. I hope you don’t get in trouble.”

Olivia put her arms up, and he took her from Lana, cuddling her. “No, it’s okay. I’m glad you called me. I’d rather know you’re safe than not.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you. I know how badly you wanted to beat that guy up.”

He kissed Olivia on the forehead and leaned down, brushing his lips over Lana’s. “You are more important to me. You and Olivia are my world.”

“I love you, and Olivia and I are so lucky to have you.” Lana hugged him. Together they walked to Olivia’s room and got her ready for bed.

* * * *

His manager had loved the press coverage he’d gotten over the fight. The last week had been crazy with interviews and talk shows. He was even asked to do a drunk driving ad asking people to make sure they had a plan B if they drank. The league liked the positive light he’d shone on them.

Lana made it with Olivia to a couple of his away games. He loved having them around. Chad was ready to take his relationship with Lana further. He wanted it all. He wanted her to have his last name. He wanted the certificate that said they were man and wife.

He had a weekend coming up that he was free, and he intended to do something special and ask Lana if she would marry him. When he told Lana he had a free weekend she’d told him she was going to a work course and his parents were looking after Olivia. He’d been annoyed she hadn’t asked him to look after their daughter.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I do. It’s just that you’ve never had Olivia all on your own. She is a bit of a handful.”

“She is my daughter. I’m sure I can handle her for the weekend. Anyway, if worst comes to worst, I can call my mother.”

He had to do a bit more niggling, but she finally gave in. So Lana had left him with their daughter. Tomorrow afternoon he was taking Olivia shopping with him to help pick out something very special for Lana. He was then going to get her to help him get everything ready for when Lana got home on Sunday.

The next morning when he’d gone into practice, Lockie had taken Olivia. She adored Lockie, and Chad had been surprised when his brother offered to take her. Usually his parents took Olivia on Saturday, but his brother had wanted time with his niece, or so he said.

Chad now sat waiting for them to get home. It wasn’t long before he heard Olivia giggling. Lockie strolled through his house and he swung Olivia around in his arms. He threw her high and she laughed as he caught her.

“What the hell are you doing, Lockie?”

“Ew, Daddy said a bad word.”

Snatching his daughter from his brother’s paws, he glared at him.

Lockie chuckled. “Yes. Daddy did. He’s naughty.”

Chad growled and hugged Olivia. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

She bounced in his arms. “Uncle Locks tooks me to the shops. He says I’m good. I gots him lots of pretty girls’ numbers.”

Chad groaned. “You used my daughter to help pick up women? You better hope Lana doesn’t find out you did that.”

Lockie grinned. “My niece is just so cute. She’s a babe magnet.”

Moaning, he shook his head. “Go, Lockie. Don’t use Olivia again.”

Lockie chuckled and left.

Chad looked at his daughter and smiled. She was super cute.

* * * *

Lana had given Chad instructions, but he was so sure he could do this he left them behind. He was exhausted. He had no idea how Lana had done this by herself. He’d taken Olivia to the shops and now regretted it, because she was running around crazy and it was after nine o’clock. Olivia had been great helping him choose what he needed for Lana’s surprise, but the other two hours they were shopping he found it hard to say no to her. So he bought her an ice cream, chocolate, and later an icy red drink along with potato chips and candy.

He’d been chasing her around the house the last couple of hours. He had tried to bathe her but she was wild. He didn’t want to call Lana, because he knew she would worry and try to come home. He should be able to look after his own child. He thought about calling his mother, but decided to wait a little while longer in hopes Olivia would settle down. When she squealed and threw herself on him, tackling him, he caved and dialed his mum.

“Help. Olivia won’t stop running around going crazy. She is still full of energy and her bedtime was three hours ago.”

His mother chuckled. “Well, hello to you too, son. What have you done today? What have you fed her?”

Chad gave her a shortcut version of what they’d done, but didn’t leave out anything she ate.

“My God, Chad, no wonder she’s on a sugar high. You basically just have to wait it out. Try a glass of warm milk and a story in bed.”

Following his mother’s instructions, he prayed it worked, otherwise he’d be the one to fall asleep.

By the third book Olivia was asleep and Chad trudged to bed himself, exhausted and grateful for Lana.