Undisputed

by Aimee Nicole Walker

  The fact that I worried more about Macio finding my dead body than dying was proof of how much I loved him. I didn’t dare close my eyes and imagine how broken he’d be because I wouldn’t give Rupert the satisfaction of knowing that his poisoned arrow struck its target.

  “My mouth is what captured Macio’s attention and set me apart from the others, including you.” I stood up taller. “I might die today, but I won’t die unloved. I will go to my grave knowing Macio placed his love for me above his career and money.”

  Rupert laughed hysterically. “I give it a month at the most before he moves on from you. There are so many asses to fuck in the world. You’ll be nothing more than a distant memory - a regretted one at that for ruining his career.”

  As much as it hurt me to think of Macio with someone else, I’d never want him to live without love in his life and revert to emotionless sex. He deserved so much more than that. “Maybe so, but it won’t be your ass he chooses.”

  “Don’t be so sure, you arrogant bastard. I was so close once before. I felt his lips against mine and felt him start to harden beneath my hand. Only some misplaced loyalty to you stopped him. If you’re dead…”

  Caesar must have heard the raised voices, because he began barking viciously and scratching at the back door. It startled Rupert so much, he pulled the trigger and fired a shot. Luckily for me, his arm had jerked slightly in the same direction that his head turned and the bullet hit the cabinet behind me and not me. My eardrums felt like they were going to bust from the noise of the gun blast, the splintered wood from the cabinet, and the shattered glasses from the dishes inside them.

  It also spurred me into action. I charged at Rupert, who looked shocked that he’d fired the gun, which was odd because why else had he come? I lowered my shoulder and rammed him in the chest hard enough to knock him on his ass. I heard the sound of the gun hitting the floor but didn’t stop running or even looking over my shoulder to see where it landed. I had only one chance to escape him. I sprinted for the front door, hoping I could reach it before Rupert recovered his gun because he would have a clean shot at me.

  “Stop, Aiden!” Rupert screamed, as if I was stupid enough to fall for that. “I’m going to fucking kill you. Macio won’t even recognize you when I’m through with you.”

  Macio’s house had always seemed large to me, but never more so than in that moment when it felt like I ran and ran, but never got closer to the door. Finally, as if someone turned off the slow-motion feature, I was within a few feet of the door and had hope that I would make it. I’m going to make it, Macio. As if I had conjured him up, the door opened and Macio stepped through it. The smile fell off his face when he saw the fear etched on mine.

  “Gooooo!” I waved my arm and repeated for him to go.

  Macio looked around me to see what the fuck was going on and his eyes widened in fear. I knew then that Rupert had found the gun and was aiming at me. I wanted to be brave so Macio would remember me that way and not as a terrified man who was ready to cry because he wasn’t ready to leave him. At least I’d leave this world with Macio being the last person I saw, not that bastard Rupert. I love you. I couldn’t be sure if I just thought the words to myself or said them out loud.

  Macio lunged at me, grabbed both of my biceps in his strong hands, then turned his body to try and knock me out of the way. I heard the loud bang of the gun go off, followed by Macio grunting in pain in my ear. We crashed into the wall hard enough to knock the paintings off it, then fell on top of the decorative table by the door. It wasn’t strong enough to support our combined weight, so the table, all the decorations on it, and both of us went crashing to the floor.

  I felt shards of ceramic and glass piercing my shirt and stabbing into my skin seconds before my head hit the marble tiled floor hard enough to knock me unconscious. I wasn’t sure how long I was out, but it couldn’t have been too long because I heard sirens in the distance. I looked into Macio’s concerned eyes and was so grateful to be alive.

  “Not a dream,” I said, trying to convince myself. “You’re real.”

  “As a heart attack, baby.” It reminded me of the conversation we had when we first got back together.

  I wanted to laugh, but my head hurt too badly. I became aware of excruciating pain in my side and upper thigh, then forgot about it when I noticed Macio’s injury. He had removed his shirt and wrapped it around his upper arm to staunch the blood flow, but it wasn’t working.

  “You came back,” I said.

  “I forgot my phone in the bedroom. It’s a good thing I came back when I did or I would’ve lost you.” The tenderness in Macio’s voice was almost enough to make me forget the situation we were in.

  I sat up suddenly, then clutched my stomach when it pitched and rolled, threatening to spill its contents all over the bloody floor. I got extremely lightheaded and began to sway as blackness threatened to pull me back under. I needed to stay awake. What if we were still in danger?

  “Rupert?” I asked, more like slurred. The sirens got louder as our help got closer.

  “Ran like the fucking coward he is,” Macio growled. “He’s not going to get very far.”

  “You’re bleeding really badly, Macio,” I pointed out.

  “It’s just flesh and muscle. I’m going to be okay,” he tried to assure me. I was having a hard time focusing on him because there were suddenly three of him and none of them would stay still long enough. “You have some nasty cuts and you banged your head really hard, but you’re going to be okay too. I love you, baby.”

  “You’re so fucking sexy,” I told him. “All three of you.” Another wave of nausea hit me and I couldn’t hold my contents inside me the second time. Later, I would be mortified that I vomited in front of Macio or worried that he saw me as weak, but right then I was too miserable to care.

  The cops and EMTs arrived on the scene and separated the two of us to get us ready for transport. Macio insisted that he was fine to walk, even after the blood loss, and insisted on riding on the same ambulance as me. He held my hand and spoke to me and, although I couldn’t hear the words he was saying over the loud sirens, I knew whatever he said was beautiful and full of emotion.

  I could feel the edges of oblivion creeping up on me and knew I was about to lose consciousness again. It seemed like the harder I fought to stay awake, the heavier my body got and the dimmer my vision became.

  “Don’t fight it, baby. I’ll still be here,” Macio told me.

  The next time I opened my eyes, it was Barry sitting beside me and not Macio. I assumed the worst when I took in Barry’s tired, stressed expression and body language. I tried to sit up, but Barry reached over and laid a calm hand over my chest and gently pressed me back down against the bed.

  “Relax, kid,” he said gently. “Macio is fine. He’s out of surgery and resting in his room next door. The bullet missed bone, but it tore through muscles and ligaments. He’s looking at months of physical therapy to get the strength back in his arm.”

  I reached for the covers, prepared to throw them off so I could go find my man. “He needs me.”

  “He does need you, and that’s why you have to stay here and rest. Aiden, do you trust me?” I did, although I didn’t know him well. I always had the impression that he had Macio’s best interests at heart, which I could never say about Rupert. I nodded, then regretted the action immediately because of the pain the movement caused. Rupert reached over and patted my hand where it rested on the bedrail. “I’ll make sure you two get moved into the same room. Okay?”

  It would have to do because I was too sick to be going anywhere. “Thank you, Barry.”

  “No problem. Now that I know you’re okay, I’m going to go check on Macio, then see about moving you guys in as roomies for the night.” He pinned me with a serious look, then said, “As long as you both promise to stay in your separate beds and actually do what the nurses tell you.”

  I had to think hard about it for a few seconds because being in the same r
oom with Macio and not sharing the same bed felt like torture, but he would need his rest. “Okay,” I promised, maybe with a slight bit of petulance in my tone.

  The next time I woke up, my guy was in a hospital bed parked next to mine. He smiled weakly at me and I thought to myself that he had never looked more beautiful than he did right then. He was banged up and in pain, but he was alive. I wanted so badly to go to him, to run my fingers through his hair and kiss his face, but I had made a promise to Barry and I would keep it.

  “How long we in for?” I asked him.

  “We’re both going home tomorrow,” Macio said. “Barry made sure that all signs of Rupert will be gone.”

  “Have they found him?” The thought of his crazy ass waiting for us to return made me sicker than I already felt. As gimpy as Macio and I were right then, it would’ve been like shooting fish in a barrel.

  “Fuck yeah, they did. He won’t be able to hurt anyone ever again,” Macio told me.

  I released a relieved breath and smiled at my guy. I held up my hand and gestured to our surroundings, then said, “This isn’t my idea of a sleepover, baby.”

  “Mine either, but it’s just for a night and then we’ll be back to sharing a bed again.”

  I could handle one more night. In the grand scheme of things, it was no big deal at all. At least he was still beside me and neither one of us were gravely wounded.

  “Unless you want to come over here and snuggle against my good side,” Macio said invitingly.

  “I promised I’d be good,” I told Macio.

  “Not going to happen,” Barry said, walking into the room. He had a blanket and a pillow tucked under his arms and wore a scowl on his face. It was obvious he didn’t trust us and had intended to set up a night watch. “I decided not to take any chances where you two are concerned.” He pointed his finger at both of us. “Besides, both of your families are coming tomorrow and you’ll need your rest to deal with them.”

  Macio and I both groaned. So much for some peaceful cuddling while we recuperated.

  The media circus that rolled into our world after the incident with Rupert trying to kill the love of my life was one for the record books. Aiden and I had reporters shoving microphones in our faces the moment we left the hospital. They were waiting for us at our home, all hoping to catch whatever juicy details they could, simply to sensationalize our lives. Neither Aiden nor I gave them much, because it was our private lives, our business. One of the headlines read: “MMA Gay Love Triangle” as if that was even close to the fact. There was no love on my part for Rupert in that way. I really hated how the media had a knack for twisting facts to make fiction. On the brighter side of the scandal, at least Lisa, Rupert’s wife was made aware of her husband’s antics. Last I’d heard, she was filing for divorce. Good for her.

  As for the media circus, the only rag we gave the truth to was Ringside. I already had the best reporter who wrote his stories with integrity living right with me, just the way I wanted it. That was also one of their highest selling issues, because everyone wanted the inside scoop on what happened that day Rupert broke into my home in hopes of killing my sexy lover. As if I’d ever choose him after the fact. Crazy ass bastard. As for me, it wasn’t all rainbows. Because of my injury, I had been on the mend and trying to get back into fighting shape. I had to forfeit my championship belt because I wasn’t physically fit to defend it at the time.

  That didn’t seem to bother the assholes who fought for it as if they actually earned it. Jacob Kirsey was now the reigning champ, but he wouldn’t be for long. I was in the best shape of my life now, and my stamina game was on point. I wore Aiden’s ass out on a daily basis. God, I loved him! I couldn’t even begin to describe how happy I was now. He was totally supportive of me while I was healing from my injury. He took care of me every step of the way. Aiden gave me encouragement when I had to relinquish my title, which was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

  It was one thing to lose it in a fight to a more skilled opponent. It was another to have to give it up without any fight at all. But my baby didn’t let me wallow in pity, not self or otherwise. I finally knew what it felt like to have a soulmate, because that was who Aiden was to me. The other half of my heart, the part of me that breathed life into my lungs and pumped blood into my veins. I never wanted to ever be parted from him again.

  “I think you’ve worked out enough for the night,” Aiden said as he entered my home gym.

  I slowed down my treadmill to a walking pace and turned down the music as he approached my machine. “Hey baby, what’s for dinner?”

  “Roast, veggies, and scalloped potatoes, the meal for a champ,” he said with a smile.

  Just thinking about that meal made my stomach growl. Aiden was a champ in his own right in the kitchen. I had to be careful of my weight. While I was on the mend, I’d picked up a few unnecessary pounds eating his delicious cooking. Of course, I’d worked it off in time to cut weight to qualify for the upcoming championship bout to reclaim my title.

  Aiden smiled. “Sure. I’ll fix the table.”

  “Sounds mouthwatering, can’t wait to eat. Just give me five minutes, babe,” I said.

  “Okay.” He turned, giving me a sweet view of that ass of his I was damn sure going to plow tonight. I loved watching him walk away.

  As for my career, it had been a long road getting back to championship status. I had to have two bouts and win even before I could challenge the current champ-a term I used loosely. He never won it from me, so he was no champ in my eyes. Of course, my fans supported me as I climbed that ladder and the promotion played up my comeback because it sold tickets and pay-per-views like never before. I still had to deal with some levels of homophobia, but it wasn’t slowing me down.

  Fact was, people wanted to see my fight. My ring prowess was more important to a good majority of fans than my bed prowess. Of course, I was sure a lot of my fans were interested in both. I’d received a lot of fan mail from my gay fans, many with nude photos as if to turn me on and away from Aiden. That was never going to happen, but I did appreciate the loyalty and support. I knew because I had such a strong fan following, it helped secure my place in my MMA promotion. To this day, I was still the only out and proud MMA fighter. Hopefully, one day, more fighters would find the courage to come out also.

  As for my upcoming fight against Kirsey, my promotion was hyping it up as the fight of the century in MMA history. They were really eating up all of the publicity I’d been receiving from coming out and being a hero for saving the life of my lover. It was all so dramatized, and actually broke the old ticket sales record my first comeback bout made.

  I turned off the treadmill, toweled the sweat off my body, and made my way to the dining room to chow down with my man. As I walked through my home, I took notice of the things that were changed since Aiden had moved in. He never did like my décor, so now our home had his special touch everywhere, especially in the bedroom, patio, den, and living room. All of the places he loved to lounge and work. So, there was a lot of softer colors and more artwork here and there. I liked the changes and it made the place feel more like it was our home, which was good, because it was.

  Aiden was pouring two glasses of wine when I entered and I walked over to him, grabbing his waist and pulling him to me as I kissed the nape of his neck. “Hey there, sexy.”

  Aiden chuckled and turned his head to face me; that was when I kissed him full on, tongue and all. I swear, I couldn’t get enough of him in any capacity. I didn’t know how long we stood there kissing. At one point, Aiden turned in my arms and we were in full make-out mode.

  Finally, my stomach put an end to our passionate display and reminded me of why we were in the dining room. Reluctantly, I pulled away with a peck. “I’m starving.”

  “Good, because I cooked my ass off,” Aiden said when I released him.

  I checked out his ass while he walked to his chair. “Naw, that pretty thing is still intact.”

  He laughed
and pointed to a chair. “Sit.”

  I did as I was told and he served me my plate. Everything looked as good as it smelled, and I ate to the last drop, savoring every bite. “Damn, baby, you know you can cook.”

  “I have my mom to thank for that. She always felt it was important for her children to know how to take care of themselves,” Aiden said as he finished his meal.

  “I love your mom.” She was the greatest woman, really. She welcomed me into her family with open arms. In fact, the only person who hadn’t accepted my new life was my father, which was no surprise, but I wasn’t about to let him rain on my parade. Either he’d come around or he could go to hell. My brother, his wife, and kids loved me and Aiden, and were happy that we had found each other. That was all that really mattered to me.

  After dinner, I made good on my word to put Aiden’s ass to work. I had him huffing, puffing, moaning, and groaning in ecstasy from the wall to the bed, and as soon as we busted our nuts, he was down for the count. I looked at him in my arms, so sweet and sexy. So perfect for me. I kissed his forehead, then pressed mine to his and drifted off to sleep.

  “Hey, kid, are you ready to go out there and kick some ass?” Barry asked me as I was getting my hands wrapped up. Aiden was in my dressing room too, along with the official.

  I nodded. “Fuck yeah, I’m ready to get back what is mine,” I said. My body was fully charged with pent-up energy I couldn’t wait to release inside the octagon. I hadn’t had sex in a week in preparation for this fight, and as soon as it was over, I was going to ravage Aiden’s ass, especially since he’d been taunting me with that hot body of his for the past three days.

  He’d come out of the shower, dripping wet and posing right in front of me while he toweled off, making sure I was watching his every move. One time, I got weak and walked over to him and he put on the brakes, talking about, “You have to be at your peak for your fight in two days, so no hanky-panky.” Then he laughed and slapped his ass as he walked away. Oh yeah, I was going to bang his walls down the first chance I got.