I pull up to the studio and walk inside, finding Miguel hitting the bag in the back.
“Congrats are in order I heard,” Miguel says undoing his gloves.
“Thanks man,” I say pulling him in for a hug.
We slap backs and he studys me.
“She's still not forgiving you, huh?”
“Why would she? Pictures are pictures, right?”
“Well, I'm on your side man. I see the way you look at her. No way that's the look of someone that would fuck it all up for a piece of ass,” Miguel says shaking his head.
“Well good because I have a favor. I can't remember that night and I know for a fact I had only two drinks. I mean I'm close to 300 pounds, there's no way it should have hit me that hard. I...I think someone fucked with me. Can you try and help me figure this out? I'll tell you everything I remember, who I was with, where I was, the times, anything I can.”
“Sure thing man. We'll see what we can do. Head back to my office and write everything down. Let me make some phone calls. I'll meet you back there.”
“Thanks Miguel, I really appreciate this.”
“Of course. We'll get to the bottom of it.”
I feel lighter as I walk back to Miguel's office and write down every recollection I have from that night.
----
I ring the bell to Lacey's house, remembering not so long ago how I would reach under the mat and take the key before she officially gave me one, barrel into her house and take what I wanted, whenever I wanted.
The door opens and she answers in a messy bun, a white t shirt and pajama shorts. My dick already hard and my heart in my throat.
“Hey,” she says smiling.
“Hi. Wasn't sure what you were in the mood for so took a guess and picked up pizza. Meat lovers and five cheese.“
She nods and opens the door wider as I walk through.
“Thank you for this, you don't have to keep feedin’ me, ya know. I am capable of gettin’ myself food.”
I turn but her expression isn't hostile, it’s soft.
“You're carrying my baby and I need to make sure the both of you are taken care of. I know you have the whole inside your womb thing covered, I can't help much with that, but I can help with the outside stuff.”
She studys me again and this time her expression is curious.
“Here, sit, let me plate these. Want one of each?” I ask walking into the kitchen.
“Sure,” she calls back.
I take out two plates, smiling that they're in the same spot. Not that she would move plates in the last three weeks just to spite me, although she probably would because she is still a little shit.
I smile at the memory of my old Lacey, the one that sparred with me head to head, before that stupid bet, before her mother, before the story about my infidelity broke her.
“You get lost? This baby is hungry, Hulk,” I hear her say from the other room.
I shake my head wondering if I heard her right. Not Nico, not Nicholas...Hulk. God, I hope she's coming around. It's a good sign and I'll take it.
“Sorry, Blondie. Had to make sure the meat was good. Not as good as other meat you've had, but it'll do,” I say smirking.
She rolls her eyes and then her small smile falls.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-”
“It's fine,” she says cutting me off. “I just...forgot for a second. It felt normal I…”
She trails off and takes a bite of her pizza and the moment is over.
We sit side by side but our heads and hearts miles apart, taking bites of our pizza, neither one of us sure how to proceed.
“So-”
“I”
We both laugh interrupting each other and I nod for her to go first.
“So therapy is different, huh?” she says.
“I think it will be good for us. Working through some of our issues together-”
“For the baby,” she interrupts.
“Yeah...for the baby.”
We sit in silence again and I see her worrying her lip.
“Talk to me, Lace. Tell me what to do, how to act because I have no fucking idea.”
“I don't either,” she snaps. “I...we should be at the baby store, picking out gifts the baby probably won't even need. Trying to assemble a crib together but saying screw it and fuck on the floor instead. We should be picking out baby names and planning a shower and…I don't like this, Nico. I hate this,” she says quietly, her voice shattering my heart.
“I hate this so much, Lacey. If I...I have Miguel looking into that night. I swear to you I...I don't know what happened.”
I drop my head back to the back of the couch and exhale. Maybe I did just drink too much. I don't fucking know. I wouldn't dream of hurting Lacey, but maybe drunk Nico didn't give a fuck. I'm so confused and hurt and I just wish I had a damn time machine.
“Can I stay with you tonight, Blondie? Not in our bed just...here. I want to hold you on the couch and then I'll carry you into bed just...let me hold you tonight. Let me put my hand on your belly. Please.”
My voice is desperate, and I should be embarrassed for acting like such a whiny dick but I'm not. I'm going back to Miami soon and I need to hold her because I know in a week she will change so much.
“Okay,” she answers softly.
I lay down on the couch and she lays next to me, her body facing mine, her head on my chest. She pushes her leg in between mine and burrows into my body like a fluffy bed at the end of the day. I rest my hand on her belly and exhale, the weight lifting just a little.
“Would you have married me?” she asks after a few minutes of silence.
“What?” I ask confused.
“If you...if that story of you never surfaced and we were still together. Would you have married me because I was pregnant?”
“Lacey, if that story didn't surface, I would have married you even if you weren't pregnant. I love you so fucking much and have wanted you to be my wife for a long, long time.”
I hear her sniffle against my chest and grit my teeth.
“I shouldn't have...asked you that I...that just made it worse,” she sobs into my chest.
“Blondie, I...I would still marry you if you'd have me. You know that.”
“I can't, Nico. I want to forgive you so badly, but I can't.”
I run my hands through her hair as she cries, and I can't do a fucking thing about it. I hate myself for going out that night. I should've just stayed home and none of this would have happened.
I continue to massage her head and her cries get quieter and soon they stop, her heavy breathing the only thing I hear.
I don't want to move, I don't want her to move. I want her to sleep on me like this all night. I don't know if I'll get her vulnerable like this again and it may make me a bastard, but I leave her. I don’t wake her to bring her to bed but in the morning, I wake up by myself.
Chapter 4
Lacey
“Craig, you know as well as I do that I ain’t fuckin’ around. That event requires permits and if y’all aren’t gonna supply them to us, then I’ll change the venue,” I snap into the phone.
“Lacey, there is no way we can get those before next weekend, it would be impossible,” he says quickly.
“That’s why I called your office over two months ago to remind you, Craig! Who the fuck is your secretary, because they need to be fired. If I have to call in a favor to get these permits, so help me God, I will change venues so damn fast-”
“Okay, okay. I’ll see what I can do. Don’t cancel, we’ll figure it out.”
“You’re damn right you will. This ain’t our mistake, Craig. Fix it. You have a day before I switch.”
I rip the headset off my head and let out a frustrated groan. Dealing with this shit on a daily basis is frustrating, but doing it pregnant should be illegal, for everyone else’s sake. I swear someone is gonna get cut one of these days.
“Do I ever come into your office when you’re not yellin�
�� at someone?” asks my mama from the doorway.
I smile and nod for her to sit as I remember a time not too long ago where this exact scenario happened. The day my whole life changed.
---
Three years ago...February
“I don't agree, Adam. Y'all need this event outside of Miami and you'd be a fuckin’ idiot not to accept it.”
“With all due respect, Lacey, I really don't like being talked to like that.”
“With all due respect, Adam, I don't give a shit. I'll give you some respect when I start gettin’ some. I worked my ass off for this event, so if you wanna bail then grow some balls and tell me so I can hand it off to another team that will actually make the playoffs this year.”
I click off my headset and tap my pen on the desk.
“Ya know if you weren't pullin’ numbers like you've been pullin’ this year, that conversation would worry me”
I turn around and smile at my mama in the doorway with her arms folded.
“I give him two minutes. If not, you know I got Philly on the back burner. Adam is an indecisive little prick and he needs this kick in his- ah speak of the devil. That was a minute and a half by the way,” I smirk.
I click on my headset and pace in front of my desk.
“Lacey Turner, Double Play Sports,” I answer.
“It's me,” says Adam's frantic voice.
“I don't have time for games, who is-”
“Adam. It's Adam from Miami.”
His voice is panicked, and I smile, giving the thumbs up to my mama. She smiles, shaking her head and sits at the chair in front of my desk.
“Adam, what can I do for you? I have Philly on the other line I really can't-”
“We'll do it,” he interrupts. “We'll do the event. I can get 30% of the team there.”
“Adam, you know we don't host any events with less than half the team in attendance. I'm really not in the mood for this shit, enjoy your day.”
“Wait, we can do 40%, I really can't go higher than that.”
“Make it 60% and it's yours,” I say my voice hard.
“But you just said 50%.”
“And you tried to dick me over with 30%. 60% Adam, take it or I'm hangin’ up with you and offerin’ it to Philly.”
“Okay, okay 60% of the team. Send everything over to the offices and we'll sign it.”
I smile sitting on the corner of my desk and click off the headset.
“You're obnoxious sometimes, you know that?” my mama laughs steepling her hands in her lap.
I shrug and smile walking to my chair and leaning back, my heels on my desk.
“I'm makin’ us money Mama and got 60% of the Miami Stingrays to attend the Second Chances Olympics.”
“That was for the Olympics event?” my mama asks sitting up.
“Yes ma'am. You can thank me by addin’ another couple vacation days to my contract,” I wink.
“Lacey Lee Turner. You little, sassy savage. I swear you were meant to be my stepdaughter. I've never been so proud,” she says pretending to cry.
I laugh and shake my head hearing my phone buzz on my desk.
Bella: Damon is my new patient. I might kill your mama, or kiss her. We're hangin’ out tonight. You're comin’, he's bringing his brother. I know he's not your type, but help a girl out.
I look up at my mama and tsk.
“Meddlin’ Mama?” I say as I type out a reply.
“I don't know what you're referrin’ to?”
“Damon Johnson is Bella's new patient, huh? I can smell a set up from a mile away.”
“Yeah, yeah well I didn't know they hooked up last week. I kinda feel bad about that part, but maybe it'll go somewhere, who knows?” she shrugs.
“Don't you go and get ideas about me,” I say pointing a finger at her.
She lifts her hands in defense and stands laughing.
“One day, Lacey Lee, one day. I ain't gonna meddle, but the big guy up there is gonna find someone for you that'll knock that stubborn ass right off her high horse.”
I scoff and cross my arms.
“Not happenin’, Mama. Unless Thor and Hulk had a baby, I aint hitchin’ myself to anyone's wagon.”
“You're nuts, ya know that?” my mama laughs leaving my office.
Lacey: Thank God. I don't even care who he is. I've been so busy with work, it's been a couple months. Mama needs a snack.
Bella: It has been rather quiet in the apartment lately, thought you've just been “eatin’ out”.
Lacey: Can you not try to get on my sexual innuendo level? That sounded very different than how you meant it.
Bella: Oh shut up! Am I waitin’ for you?
Lacey: I'll meet you at home. Meetin’ at 4.
Bella: All work and no play. Where did my cousin Lacey go?
Lacey: Shut it. I'm gonna play tonight. Later hussy.
----
“Where’d ya go?” my mama's voice says breaking me out of my memory.
“I...nothin’ just thinkin’.”
“How’s therapy goin’?” she asks softly.
“It’s...goin’. We only had one session. We have one more before he heads back to Miami for the week.”
“Did y’all talk about that? What’s gonna happen when the baby comes? Him travelin’ and all that.”
“No, we haven’t. We’re just takin’ it day by day,” I say quietly.
“Well you know I’m here if you need me, baby, just checkin’ on ya. You should come to Tucker’s game tonight, get some fresh air, see the boys.”
She gets up from her seat and walks over to hug me.
“Maybe I will. Thanks, Mama.”
I hug her back and watch her leave the room as I lean back in my chair, putting my hands over my small belly.
“What are we gonna do about this, baby Hulk?”
I know it’s probably still too early to feel it kick but it would be awesome right now. A sign that everything is going to be okay. I woke up this morning on top of Nico and it felt so right. My body is so torn.
I want him but I don’t want to love him. I want to believe him but at the same time I can’t get that picture out of my head. The topless woman in a skimpy lace thong sitting on his lap, his hands on her hips, his head leaned back against the booth of the club in pure bliss. I can’t erase that image.
------
After heading to grab some dinner, I drive to the field and walk over to the bleachers next to my mama and Harrison.
“Hi sissy,” Harrison says hugging me.
“What's up, buddy? I've missed you!”
“Look whos coachin’ today? He's gonna take us for ice cream after,” Harrison says excitedly pointing to the field.
I smile following his finger and then my stomach drops.
“Mama, if this is some kinda set up…”
“It’s not,” she says quickly. “He volunteered a few months back before...well before everything. I thought he was gonna back out.”
“I could have told you there'd be no way in hell he would have, he knows how much those boys look forward to this. Dammit.”
I look out onto the field again and ignore my heart pounding at the sight of Nico's big ass squatting at home plate, instructing one of the boys on the team. I ignore my belly flipping at his smile when the little boy takes a practice swing. I really ignore my core heating when he looks over towards us and winks at me.
The game passes in a blur as I try and focus on anything except Nico. Impossible when Tucker runs up to us and hugs me, asking me if I want to go for ice cream with them.
“Sorry, Savannah. I should have asked you first. My car is probably not the safest, I can meet you guys there. My treat,” he says looking between me and my mama.
“I uh...actually have to run to the office for something. Lace, can you take the boys in your car?”
“Please sissy?” Harrison begs.
Walk Off (Double Play Series Book 5) Page 4
