by Nikki Ash
When her moans get louder and her pussy clenches tight around my cock, I know she’s close. I pick up the pace, pounding deeper and harder. Seconds later, Ashley’s eyes roll back and her lids close briefly. The vision alone has me coming right behind her.
We both stand there for a minute, me still inside her, both of us catching our breath. Then I lean down and give her a kiss on her shoulder. She gives me a small smile that always makes my heart rate pick up.
This woman is my missing puzzle piece and I’m so damn blessed to get to spend the rest of our lives, putting our puzzle together.
* * *
“Kaden, can you go out back and tell all the kids to wash up for dinner. And please tell Tristan not to walk through the house with mud all over his boots again.” Ashley’s in the kitchen cooking dinner and Hayley is sitting on the counter talking to her while she cooks. Kayla and Bentley are bringing dishes out to the picnic tables, and Cooper and Liz are somewhere around here.
“Sure thing.” I walk out back to see Emma and Tristan washing down their four wheelers with the help of Nathan, Liz and Cooper’s son, and Chloe and Faith, Bentley and Kayla’s two little girls. The rain came through yesterday, which means today was the perfect day to go mudding.
I look for Morgan and see her, Lilly, and Mackenzie sitting in the grass gossiping just like mini versions of their moms.
Lilly is Liz and Coopers seven-year-old daughter. Liz found out shortly after Ashley gave birth to the twins that she was pregnant. After cussing Cooper out for knocking her up once again, she got excited that she and Ashley would have kids less than a year apart. Lilly, Morgan, and Mackenzie are all inseparable.
“Hey dad, can you bring us to Lilly’s house when you drop off Tristan?”
“No way! We aren’t babysitting you guys. You can hang out here with the rest of the circus. We have actual studying to do.”
“Your brother needs to study for his finals. He only has three years left before he goes off to college. He needs to keep his grades up.”
“Dad, can we go to the gym tomorrow?” Emma yells.
“Sure.”
“Ugh! I don’t want to go to the gym. You know I hate it there, and so does Lilly and Mackenzie. It’s smelly and gross.” Morgan crosses her arms over her chest pouting adorably like a mini-version of Ashley.
“You don’t have to go. So, stop pouting and go wash up for dinner.”
“Damn, I’m hungry,” Caleb says, looking up from his phone.
“Everything okay?” I ask him, sitting down.
“Yeah, I’m just worried about Marco. I get he needs to find his place in the world, but can’t he find it while training at Cooper’s gym?”
“The training facility in San Diego is a good one, and he’ll be staying with people he knows. He’ll be fine,” Cooper says, sitting next to his wife.
“After his last win, he thinks he’s rolling in the dough. He doesn’t understand how quickly that paycheck will run out,” Caleb says.
“Then he’ll learn,” I point out.
We all sit at the table and start scooping up the food. Ashley is an amazing cook.
“Mom, Dad said I can go to the gym with him tomorrow.” Emma shovels piles of food onto her plate then starts digging in. While both girls look like mini-versions of Ashley, Emma without a doubt has my personality and love of fighting. She is always begging to go to the gym with Tristan and me.
“Okay, sweetie.” I give my wife a wink and she rewards me with a smile in return.
I look around the table at my wife, our three kids, and our friends that are more like family, and thank God once again for the people in my life. I will never understand how, that horrible night, Ashley, Tristan, and our babies weren’t taken from me, but I stopped questioning how this world works a long time ago. I’ve learned to count each and every blessing and to be thankful for each day we’re given. To love those around you like it’s your last day, and never take a single moment for granted. To this day, Ashley swears it was Gabrielle and Gabe who saved us and, although, I sometimes give her a hard time about it, I would love to believe that was the case.
The End!
Curious about Giovanni’s story? Click to purchase Bordello.
Fighting series: book five
by
Fighting ‘round the Christmas Tree
Copyright © 2017 Nikki Ash
All rights reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Cover design: Jersey Girl Designs
Cover photograph: Depositphotos
Dedication
To my mom, who always made sure every Christmas was filled with love and laughter and family.
Cooper
“No, Elsa! Stay away from the damn tree.” For the millionth time since we got this damn dog I’m shooing her away from the Christmas tree. The Christmas tree that Liz insists we put up every year the day before Thanksgiving so we can decorate it on Thanksgiving. The Christmas tree she says she needs to look at during the month of December because it’s so pretty and is filled with so many memories. The same Christmas tree that never has a single damn present under it because every year we leave the day after the kids get out of school for winter break and head to Breckenridge for two weeks to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends. The Christmas tree she makes me take down before we leave, so it doesn’t die while we’re away because God forbid the poor tree be brown and dead when we return home. Are you doing the math, here? Yep! That means this damn Christmas tree is up for two damn weeks! During which time, I spend countless hours yelling at the goddamn dog to stay away from the goddamn tree.
“Cooper, honey. Can you please stop yelling at the poor dog? You know she’s getting older. She’s just trying to find a comfy spot to lie down.” Are you listening to this crap? The dog has been rolling around under the tree, knocking the ornaments off the branches since the first Christmas we got her. At least she’ll be staying at the dog daycare while we’re away this year.
“Okay, babe. I need to run to the gym. With Mason winning his fight a few weeks ago, the women have been stalking the gym to check him out and take pictures, and I need to check on a few things before we leave for Colorado.”
Mason Street joined my gym a little over two years ago. He was eighteen—broke and lost—living on the streets, but a damn good fighter, and with Kaden’s guidance he’s soaring to the top, fast. The kid is making a name for himself. A few months after he started training, Ashley found out he was sleeping on benches in various parks and insisted he move in with them.
I walk out of the living room and find Liz standing in the foyer sifting through the mail she must have brought in. Dressed in an off-the-shoulder cream colored sweater, dark skinny jeans, and those fluffy expensive boots she loves, my wife of almost fourteen years still makes casual look sexy as fuck. Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist and give her bare shoulder a kiss.
“I thought you were leaving.” She giggles as I trail wet kisses up the side of her neck, ending at her ear. She tilts her head to the side to give me access and I growl into her ear, making her laugh harder. I will never get enough of this woman.
“I was leaving… until I saw your sexy ass in those tight—” My words are cut off when I see the envelope she’s holding in her hand. “What’s that?” Reluctantly peeling myself off her, I go to grab the envelope from out of her hands
, but she turns around quickly, preventing me from getting it. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Cooper, calm down. You knew this was a possibility.” She uses her mom voice on me and I know I’m about to be pissed.
“No, I’m pretty sure I knew my answer was no. … let me rephrase… Hell. No. Let me see it.”
“Not until you calm down.” She quirks her brow at me, and normally it would stop me in my tracks and make me rethink whatever it is I’m about to do, but right now I’m on a damn mission, and no look is going to deter me.
“Liz, let me see the damn envelope.” Before I can grab it from her, there’s a crashing sound from the living room. Damn dog! “Just great! Elsa! Get away from the tree!” I bark out. “How many more days until we take this damn tree down?”
“Real nice, Cooper.” Liz glares at me. “Why don’t we just call you the Grinch?” She huffs, throwing her arms in the air and stomping out of the room. Fabulous! I should have just focused on getting her undressed.
“Was that a crashing sound I heard?” Nathan, our twelve-year-old son, comes out of the kitchen with a sandwich in one hand and a glass of milk in the other.
“Yeah, the dog is rolling under the tree again. God knows how many ornaments are broken this time.” I watch him shove the sandwich into his mouth, crumbs falling to the floor. “And hey, how about grabbing a plate instead leaving a trail of breadcrumbs behind you.”
Nathan rolls his eyes in typical pre-teen fashion. “Dad, the dog does this every year. Are you really pissed over a couple broken ornaments?” Nathan walks back into the kitchen and grabs a plate. “Happy now?” He sits at the island and continues eating his sandwich.
“Very, and how about you watch your mouth. Did you see your mom come through here?” I could have sworn she came this way.
“Yeah, she threw the mail on the counter and kept going. She didn’t look very happy. What’d you do this time?” He laughs, and if I was a tad bit less mature, I’d accidentally spill his milk all over him.
Snatching up the mail, I search for the envelope, but it’s not there. She must have taken it with her. “Who said I did anything? And why is it always my fault when your mom is upset?”
“Probably because you’re usually the person to upset her,” Bella chimes in. She’s dressed in her workout clothes with a Cooper’s Fight Club hoodie on. She swings the fridge door open and grabs a bottle of water and an apple, then sits down at the breakfast bar next to her brother. It’s hard to believe my little princess is going to be graduating from high school in a few short months. It feels like yesterday I was running into her at the grocery store. I would give anything for time to stop. Hell, maybe if it could even just slow down, that would be great.
“Dad, are you okay?” Bella looks at me like I’m going crazy.
“Yeah, Princess, I’m okay.” My voice breaks from the heavy emotions I’m suddenly feeling. Without giving it a second thought, I’m wrapping my arms around my daughter and hugging her tight.
“Dad, seriously, what’s wrong?”
“Can’t a dad hug his little girl?” And never let her go…
“You can hug me, Daddy!” Lilly, our youngest at ten years old, comes barreling into the kitchen attaching herself to my side.
“Thank you, Lil.” I pick her up, making her long legs dangle off the ground and give her a bear hug, squeezing her tight until she starts squealing. “Daddy! You’re going to squeeze all the love outta me, silly!” These kids need to stop growing up.
I set her down and turn toward Bella. “Hey Bella, I was thinking this trip to Breckenridge, you and I can spend some time together.”
“What’s going on, Dad?” She looks at me accusingly as she takes a bite of her apple and pulls her cell phone out of the front of her hoodie.
“Nothing. Can’t a dad want to spend time with his eldest child?”
She looks up from her phone and gives me a look that says she thinks I’ve lost my mind. “He can… I’m sure we’ll spend plenty of time together. I need to get going to the gym.”
“I’m heading there now if you want to ride together.”
Bella opens her mouth but closes it, her eyes squinting at something over my shoulder. Turning around, I spot Liz shaking her head. Damn, I guess it’s going to be like that.
“Really? Okay, I guess we’re going to have this conversation right here.”
“What conversation?” Nathan asks with his mouth full of food. Now he’s chowing down on some cookies. Damn kid never stops eating.
“I need to get to the gym,” Bella says, taking another bite of her apple.
“I’ll have a conversation, Daddy,” Lilly croons sweetly.
“I need to get back to the rec center. I’m meeting Ashley over there to go over a couple things before we all leave for the week.” Liz grabs her purse from the counter, attempting to calmly run away.
Running to the doorway, I block the exit. “Hold up.” Pointing to the bar stools, I demand, “Everyone sit. Now.”
Looking at me like I’ve lost my mind, everyone sits on a bar stool. I come around to Liz and grab her purse. “Cooper! Give me my purse!” she shrieks.
Ignoring her, I take the large white envelope out, then open it up.
Dear Isabella Cooper,
It is a great pleasure to offer you admission to the University of California for the upcoming fall semester…
The letter goes on to state she will be receiving a full academic scholarship and the deadline for her to accept or decline. “No.” I throw the letter on the kitchen island. “My answer is no.”
“Cooper, don’t do this,” Liz warns.
“What is that?” Bella questions. She gets up and comes around the breakfast bar, picking up the offensive piece of paper. After a few seconds, she gasps. “Oh. My. God! Omigod! Oh my God! I was accepted! Mom, did you see this?” She turns the stupid letter around to show Liz, then after looking at it again, she starts jumping up and down. “I can’t believe this! I have to call Tristan and see if he was accepted.” She runs over to her mom and hugs her, then grabbing her phone, goes to call her best friend.
“Stop it right there.” She turns back around in the doorway. “Didn’t you hear me? My answer is no. You aren’t going.” Bella’s head tilts slightly to the side, her hands going to her hips, and in that moment, she looks more like her scary-as-fuck aunt Kayla than her sweet mother. I blame Kayla for her attitude. It was those first four years before I was aware I had a daughter when Kayla helped raise Bella. The woman ruined her for life.
“Seriously?” she says, venom in her voice.
“You aren’t going,” I insist.
“Cooper.” Liz puts her hand on my chest.
“You can’t be serious. I didn’t even want to go to college. I wanted to fight. But you said I have to go. You said the only way you would support my fighting career is if I go to college. So, I applied to the college I want to go to and I got in just like you wanted, and now you’re going to tell me I can’t go?”
“I didn’t say you can’t go to college. I’m just saying you can’t go to college in California… or in any other state for that matter.” I shrug. “There are plenty of great universities right here in Nevada. Your mother went to one.”
“I’m not going to argue with you, Dad. You’re being ridiculous. I’m going to the gym.” Bella turns her back on me and a few seconds later the front door slams.
“Okay… well that was fun. Mom, can you take me over to the rec center with you? My friend, Colton, is going to meet me there,” Nathan says while chewing on a granola bar.
“Have you finished packing for the trip yet? We’re leaving Tuesday morning first thing,” Liz reminds him.
“All packed,” he assures her.
I’m still staring at the front door while everyone goes about their business like my precious daughter didn’t just tell me she’s about to move away from me to go to college in another state. My world feels like it’s caving in and my family is acting lik
e nothing is wrong. Am I the only sane one here?
“Okay. C’mon, Lilly. You can come hang out there with us. I’m only going to be there for a couple hours,” Liz says to Lilly. Then she comes over and gives me a chaste kiss on my cheek. “I love you, Coop, but you need to think long and hard about the way you’re acting. You’re only going to push her away.”
They file out, the front door closing once again, and I’m left in the kitchen alone. I can’t lose my baby girl. I’ve only had her in my life for fourteen years. I didn’t get her for the first four years, and I need that time to make up for it. My mind starts reeling, my heart racing. She’s going to graduate and move to another state. She’s going to go to college and meet new people and forget about me and her home. What if she doesn’t return? What if she decides to live in California permanently? I can’t lose my princess. It feels like I just got her.
Crash!
Motherfucking goddamned dog! “No, Elsa!”
Liz
I’m working on some paperwork for accounts receivable at the rec center. It’s a huge sports complex that provides kids and teens with a safe place to be active after school and on the weekends as well as during the summer. The only time it’s closed is for winter break. The center has areas for all different types of sports, such as an area for mixed-martial-arts, an indoor basketball court, an outdoor tennis court, and racquetball courts, as well as a soccer field. There’s also a huge trampoline area, and an area for Xbox360 and Wii, which only get used for sports and dancing related games, and only on rainy days. There’s also an Olympic-sized pool for swim lessons with two different level diving boards, and we’re currently working on opening an area for gymnastics and dance. Lilly loves to do hip-hop dance.
When Cooper, Caleb, Bentley, and Kaden joined forces to create this place, I thought they were in over their heads. Four men with too much money on their hands was my initial thought. Their idea stemmed from Marco running the streets when he was younger, and their hearts were in the right place, but I wasn’t sure if they could pull it off.
