by Nikki Ash
She thinks for a second, but before she answers, a boy says, “I’ll fight her.”
I raise one brow up wondering why the hell this kid wants to fight Bella. He looks older than her but not yet a teenager. I turn to Caleb and he answers my unspoken thoughts.
“Hey, Marco! This is Bentley. Bentley, this is Marco. He’s part of the kids MMA program.”
“What’s up, kid? Why you wanna fight Bella?” I ask out of curiosity.
“Because she’s good,” Marco says with a shrug. “And she has a better chance of beating me than you two. Plus nobody else wants to fight her because she’s a girl.”
I look over at Bella and she nods. “If she’s okay with it, I am. How old are you?”
Marco puffs out his chest, and I hold back my laughter. “I’m eleven, almost twelve.
“Where are your parents?” I ask, looking around and not seeing anyone but the usual guys working out.
“Umm… well…” Marco looks suddenly nervous and Caleb jumps in.
“Marco’s mom works a lot, so Marco comes by after school to practice on days we don’t have class. His mom hasn’t been by to sign him up yet, but we’re letting it slide for now. My only rule is he has to head home before six, so he isn’t walking home in the dark. Right, Marco?”
The kid nods, and I look him up and down with this new knowledge. He’s wearing old as fuck shoes that look a size too small. His shirt is definitely old, and based on the brand, it’s definitely a hand-me down. His hair looks like it hasn’t been cut in a while. He’s skinny, like he eats but definitely not more than necessary. This kid isn’t taken care of and my heart breaks for him.
Until I had a kid of my own I never even thought about other kids. I can’t imagine Faith not being taken care of. Her having to walk home by herself, or me not even knowing where she is. I need to remember to talk to Caleb later about this kid. Maybe there’s something more I can do to help.
For the first time, I see how amazing Cooper and Liz are for starting this program. If it weren’t for them where would Marco be right now? Out running the streets? Fuck, how many kids are out on the streets because they have nowhere else to go?
I notice a couple other kids and teenagers make their way over to watch the fight. Everybody knows Bella since she practically lives at the gym with her parents.
“All right, looks like we have ourselves a match up,” I say, shaking all the thoughts from my head. I’ll talk to Caleb later, but I don’t want to embarrass the kid by talking about him in front of other people.
Bella puts on her headgear and Caleb gives Marco one to borrow. I stand in the middle of the ring and give them the rules.
“Okay, guys…” Bella clears her throat and glares at me. “And girls,” I add, holding back from laughing.
She nods her head once, and I force my laughter down.
“No groin attacks, no knees to the head on a grounded opponent, no head butts, no eye gouging, and no biting. Keep it clean. Got it?”
Both of them say okay and I move out of the way so they can begin. Bella goes straight for Marco and throws a punch to his stomach. He’s taller than her so she goes for the area where she can reach. It isn’t a hard punch, but he doesn’t see it coming and stumbles back with laughter in his eyes.
We all have to respect the girl. She might be the youngest and tiniest one here, but she isn’t playing. She knows what she wants and she’s going for it. She’s determined to earn the respect.
Marco nods in a way that says, okay, game on, and I’m suddenly nervous. The kid isn’t big, but he’s bigger than Bella and could definitely hurt her if he tried.
He throws a punch straight to her face and she ducks and then kicks him. All the guys are now chanting Bella’s name and it spurs her on. I pull out my phone and record her to send to her dad. I know he’ll get a kick out of this.
After a few minutes of sparring, Marco gets inside and grabs Bella by her shoulders. I can see he’s going to bring her down, but instead of just dropping her, he holds on to her, does a foot sweep, and almost helps her fall so she doesn’t get hurt. I definitely have respect for this kid. Bella is huffing and puffing, but I know she isn’t hurt. It’s obvious Marco is a good kid.
Bella wrestles under him and then picks her lower body off the floor to try to push him off her. It’s a damn good move, and if she was his size it would probably work, but her tiny body isn’t strong enough and he closes her in, grabbing her arm to make her tap out.
They both get up and I expect Bella to cry. She’s five years old. I wouldn’t blame her. But she surprises me when she throws her headgear off pissed as shit.
“Damn it. I’m never going to be big enough to beat anyone.” Did my sweet innocent little Bella just curse?
I lock eyes with Caleb and he barks out a laugh. “Clearly she’s been hanging out at the gym too long,” he says, shaking his head.
“Hey, bite size!” I call out. She looks over at me and glares. “Get your little behind over here and shake hands. You can be pissed, but you don’t get to be a poor sport.” Yeah, I know. I didn’t say shit about the cursing, but c’mon… She’s in a gym filled with guys. I can discuss the cursing with her later, away from everyone.
She sighs and walks over to Marco, putting her hand out. “Good fight,” she says under her breath.
“You did good, Bella. Don’t worry, one day you’ll be bigger and you’ll definitely kick ass,” Marco says to her.
“Thanks,” Bella says back, smiling a little.
Everybody congratulates them both on a good fight and then Bella and I gather our stuff to head out. As we’re driving out of the parking lot I see Marco walking down the street. I pull up next to him and slow down.
“Need a ride, kid?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good, but thanks.”
I should probably force it, but something tells me this kid is used to being on his own, and I don’t want to make him uncomfortable.
“All right, see you later.” I drive away and send up a small prayer that he makes it home safe, and another one saying thanks for keeping Faith and Bella safe.
Bella and I get back to the apartment, and shortly after, the pizza arrives. Bella tells Kayla all about her fight and then we all lounge out on the couches to watch a movie. Only Bella would go from trying to beat the shit out of a kid, to watching Beauty and the Beast. I hope Faith is just like her.
Twenty
Kayla
I’m currently sitting in Liz and Cooper’s living room giving baby Nathan kisses all over his face. They named him Nathan Liam Cooper. Nathan is Liz’s favorite character from One Tree Hill and Liam is Cooper’s real name. How she convinced him to name his child after a guy she used to crush on I’ll never know. Actually, I do. Cooper is the same way with Liz as Bentley is with me. They would give us the world if they could.
Speaking of Bentley, we still aren’t together. Remember when I said I wanted to tell him I want to give us a real chance in a romantic way? Well, apparently finding time for romance with an infant is easier said than done, and I still haven’t told him. Also, since the night he went down on me and didn’t get anything in return, he has been acting super weird. Every night when I try to return the favor he makes up some excuse as to why we can’t do anything.
Hayley comes walking in the door to join us.
“I’m bored.” She pouts and plops onto the couch, taking Nathan from me.
“Don’t look at me,” Liz says. “I just had a baby. I’m not moving from this couch.”
“Kayla, come out with me, please,” Hayley begs while cooing at Nathan.
“Where to?” I ask.
“We could go to the club Caleb works at,” Hayley says slyly, and I know where she’s going with this. I’ll totally go along with this. I don’t really want to go out, but I’m happy to be Hayley’s wing woman.
“Okay, I’m down. Text Ashley to see if she wants to join.”
“Join who, where?” Bentley asks, walking in
holding a sleeping Faith in his arms.
“We’re going to go to a club tonight. Want to go?”
“Are you sure you are up for that?” Cooper chimes in, looking at Liz.
“Oh no, we aren’t going. Those two crazies are going. I’m staying right here in my comfy pajamas,” Liz says with a laugh.
“I’ll go,” Bentley says. “My parents would love to watch Faith.”
“Okay, Ashley is good to go and Kaden is joining as well,” Hayley adds, looking up from her phone.
We spend the rest of the afternoon sipping coffee and cuddling with our babies while the guys go to the gym to work out. Once it starts getting late Hayley heads home to get changed, as do Bentley and I.
After we drop Faith off with Bentley’s parents, we head to the club on the strip Caleb works at. He’s actually off tonight but is still joining us. Since he works there, he’s able to get us in as VIP. I have to admit that I’m looking and feeling good. For just having a baby not too long ago I’m rocking this dress. Sure, it’s a couple sizes bigger than my pre-pregnancy ones, but I’m still rocking the shit out of it. Of course Ashley and Hayley look hot as hell.
Bentley invited a few of the other guys aside from our usual group so there’s a bunch of women I don’t know and some I don’t really care to know. We’re hanging out in the VIP area chatting with everyone, and every so often a woman approaches Bentley asking him to dance, but so far he has said no.
“Let’s play a game!” Hayley’s drunken ass shouts over the music.
“A game? What are we, five?” Kaden asks, laughing.
Ashley smacks him in the chest. I’ll have to ask Ashley later if anything has happened with them yet.
“What game?” I ask.
“Hmm… Let’s play truth or dare.” Clearly the alcohol has gotten to her head but what the hell.
Ashley chimes in, “I want to play!”
A bunch of other people chilling with us say they’re down to play as well. Give a bunch of grown adults alcohol and it’s like we’re teenagers all over again.
“I’ll go first,” I say because if you can’t beat ’em you might as well join ’em.
“Caleb, truth or dare?” He glares at me and I laugh. I mean, c’mon, the guy holds his secrets in like Fort Knox.
“Dare.” Dammit, I was hoping to ask him something. I look over at Hayley and it hits me.
“I dare you to kiss Hayley.” She’s now glaring at me and I take a shot and crack up. I think I’m going to like this game.
“You don’t have to…” she begins to say, but before she can get the sentence out, Caleb has his mouth on hers, and holy shit! The guy looks like he can kiss. There is some definite tongue action going on there while his fingers are in her hair holding her face to his. He’s clearly into this kiss, and he’s most definitely. Not. Gay. Everybody hoots and hollers and cheers them on.
The kiss ends and Hayley looks like she’s going to pass out. I give her a small wink and she winks back. Girls have to have each other’s backs.
“Okay, Caleb. Since you did the dare, it’s your turn,” Ashley says.
Caleb looks around and then says to one of the groupie girls I don’t know, “Samantha, truth or dare?”
She giggles and says, “Truth.”
“Okay. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?
She, of course, giggles as she says, “Umm… probably the time I had a threesome in the bathroom at the club.”
Her friends all laugh and I throw up a little in my mouth. Please tell me I never acted like that, at least not that bad.
After they’re done laughing, she looks to her friend sitting next to her and asks, “Truth or dare?”
“Dare,” her ditzy friend says.
“I dare you to kiss Bentley.” Is this bitch for real?
Hayley jumps in, “No daring couples to do sexual stuff with other people. That shit isn’t cool.”
The ditzy bitch says, “Yeah, but Bentley is single, right?” Fuckin’ A, I’m about to cut a bitch! But I’m not about to let my anger show. I’m too mature to play these silly games.
Everybody turns to me. “Bentley can kiss whoever he wants,” I say flatly. “Anyway, I’m going downstairs to dance.” I walk away without looking back. I might be great at hiding my feelings, but I’m not about to watch him make out with someone else. Why did I put off telling him how I feel? Will I ever get this shit right?
I get downstairs and go to the center of the dance floor. I’m dancing for a few minutes when hands grip my waist. I swivel around to tell the person to back the fuck off when I see it’s Bentley.
“Enjoy your kiss?” I sneer. Okay, I guess I’m not as mature as I thought.
“I don’t know. I’ll tell you in a minute.” And then his mouth devours mine—tasting me, coaxing my tongue to duel with his. He tastes sweet like the liquor he was drinking mixed with something all his own. I wrap my arms around his neck and his hands move to my ass, grabbing it and pulling me closer. All too soon the kiss ends, leaving me breathless.
“I would say I enjoyed it very much.” He winks and then walks off the dance floor.
Damn that man! I seriously need to tell him I want more.
We go back up to the booths where everyone is sitting and I notice the girls from earlier are all gone. When I glance over at Hayley, she laughs and walks over to me. Whispering into my ear, she says, “After you walked away, Bentley made it clear to anybody in hearing range that he’s taken, and ended the game before he walked away to find you. The girls all got bored and left.”
Twenty-One
Bentley
I’m watching Hayley and Kayla whisper over in the booth and all I can think about is the kiss we shared. I seriously walk around with a hard-on ninety percent of the time I’m around Kayla. She looks amazing tonight in that navy blue off the shoulder dress she’s wearing. You wouldn’t even be able to tell she recently gave birth. Her body isn’t the same as it was before she got pregnant. She definitely has curves, but every curve on this woman is sexy. Her thicker body reminds me every day that she carried our baby in her.
I can feel her giving in soon. I just need to hold out a little while longer and I’ll have her.
Kaden orders a bottle of tequila and has the waitress bring over salt and limes to go with it. Before we know it, we’re all downing shots.
“Remember the last time I took a shot off you?” Kayla whispers into my ear right before licking the salt off my neck she just placed there.
“Yeah, I think so,” I say slowly. It’s hard to concentrate with her mouth on my body.
“Mmm… it’s the night we created Faith. If you want, I can give you a repeat performance.” She waggles her eyebrows then tips her head back to take the shot.
I laugh at her brazen remarks. “As much as I enjoyed that night, you aren’t cleared to do anything of that nature yet.” I give her a kiss on the tip of her nose and wink, and then walk away once again. Damn, I love having the last word.
Twenty-Two
Kayla
I’ve been back to work for a few days and I would be lying if I said all is well. First of all, I’m missing my little girl like crazy. I know she’s safe with Bentley, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m wishing it was me home with her. I love my job, but I also love being home with Faith.
Second of all, Bentley is still totally playing hard to get. I need to get him alone so I can make sure he still wants to be with me and tell him I want more than what our current arrangement is.
I call Hayley to see if she would be willing to watch Faith. Normally I would call Liz, but after I saw Caleb kiss Hayley I think maybe forcing them into a room together might be a good idea.
I hit the Bluetooth button to call Hayley and she answers on the first ring.
“Hey, chica! How’s it going?” Her voice fills my vehicle.
“What the hell are you so chipper about?”
She cracks up laughing and says, “Nothing really. Just got in a
nd I’m watching Caleb without a shirt on working out.”
“Jeez, you have it so bad. I just left work. I must have just missed you. I have a favor to ask you.”
“Okay?” she says, drawing out the word.
“Can you and Caleb watch Faith for us for the night? Bentley’s birthday is coming up and I was thinking I could take him out for the night.”
I hear Hayley’s laughter coming through the speaker. “ You mean you are going to try to seduce his ass.”
“No!” I yell way too loudly.
“Oh my God, Kayla. You know he isn’t going to sleep with you until you agree to really be with him.” I want to tell her I’m planning to be with him but again, I want to tell Bentley first. The guy has spent months begging me to be with him. He deserves to be the first one I have this conversation with.
“Can you just watch her please? It will give you an entire night with Caleb.” The line goes quiet, and I know I have her.
“Okay, I’ll be there tomorrow night. But you need to let Caleb know we’re babysitting together. I swear he doesn’t even know I exist. Other than that one kiss from the dare he hasn’t even acknowledged me.”
“He does know you exist. I think he’s just weird about women. I couldn’t believe he even kissed you. I’ve never seen him kiss any woman, but damn, it was hot. Don’t worry. I’ll let him know. Come over tomorrow at four o’clock. Caleb doesn’t work at the club on Wednesdays.”
She says okay and we hang up. I call up the Mirage Las Vegas and make reservations for tomorrow night. I should tell Bentley what we’re doing but decide it’ll be a birthday surprise since his birthday is this week. Then I stop by Agent Provocateur to pick up some much needed lingerie. I want the night to be amazing.
I get home to find dinner on the table and the apartment quiet.
“Hello? Anybody home?”
Bentley walks down the hall in nothing but sweatpants, which are hanging low, showing off his sexy as hell body. My insides tighten, and if it were possible, I would totally have a lady boner. He just smirks and puts a finger to his lips to shush me.
