Brock: The Hottest Guys You'll Love to Love (Best of the Bad Boys Book 2)

by Jessie Cooke

  “It’s okay. About ten years ago, my father did something unforgiveable. The problem for him was that it was also illegal. Somehow your father found out about that and he was making threats to expose my father,” I told Ian.

  “There’s more though, right?” Cassie asked. She could always read me so well. When we were kids I could lie straight to my mother’s face and she had no clue. I’ve never been able to lie to Cassie without her knowing it. “You don’t have to tell us what it is, honey…but I do get the feeling that he’s threatening you too. I know there’s no love lost between you and your dad, so that wouldn’t be such a big threat…unless it will hurt you too.”

  “You’re right. If Nolan went to the press or the police or whoever with what he has on my father, it would have a pretty profound effect on me as well. I…” Brock’s phone started ringing and I saw his eyebrow go up when he looked at the face. “Go take it, babe. I’m okay.”

  “I’ll be right back.” He kissed me on the cheek and left the room to take his call.

  “Anyways, if Nolan goes to the press I will deal with that. I just thought you should know, Ian…I don’t think he plans to stop until he breaks you guys up. I’m sorry.”

  For the first time since this whole mess started, Ian looked at me with softness in his eyes. “Don’t be sorry, Lizzie. Our father is an incredible ass. He promises us that he’ll try and be supportive and then he sneaks around and does what he wants to behind our backs. It’s always been that way.”

  “I’m sorry for you,” I told him. “I know what it’s like to have a father more interested in his own wants and needs than he is in yours.” I looked over at Jacob. He was staring at a spot on the wall and he looked like the top of his head was about to blow off.

  He suddenly reached down and grabbed the envelope off the table. Cassie’s eyes were wide. “Jacob, what are you going to do?”

  “Put a stop to him once and for all,” he said.

  “I’ll go with you, Jake.” Jacob turned on his brother and he suddenly looked like the fearsome lion I’ve seen so many times in the ring.

  “And do what, Ian? You’re the one that told him you weren’t going to take his crap any longer but you still work for him and the first thing you did when you found out that Lizzie was carrying Lance’s baby was have Dad’s attorneys draw up that ridiculous contract. You can’t have both worlds, Ian. You need to decide if you want to be under his thumb forever or if you’re going to be a man and walk away.”

  Ian looked at Lance and Lance said, “He wanted to blackmail her into terminating her pregnancy. How much more despicable can a person get?”

  “I’ve never denied he was despicable,” Ian said. He looked at his brother and said, “You know why I don’t cut him off…for the same reason you still haven’t completely stopped taking his calls. He’s our father…our only family.”

  “That’s not true,” Lance said. “You have me. Jake has Cassie. We all have Brock and now Lizzie and soon…our baby. We’re your family.” I could see Ian and Jake’s faces both soften. Lance was right, we had each other.

  “Hey,” Brock slipped back in the chair next to me. “Sorry, that was my mom,” he whispered.

  “Oh…is everything okay?”

  “Yeah…I guess. I mean, she’s fine but she’s at my house.”

  “She’s at your house?” My heart began to race at the idea of meeting Brock’s mother. I’m pregnant with another man’s baby and dating her only son…all this stuff about my father is going to hit the fan…great.

  “I’ll be back,” Jacob was saying. “Cassie baby, watch the barbecue for me?” Cassie nodded.

  “I’m going Jake,” Ian said.

  “So am I,” Lance said. “That’s my baby he wanted so badly to get rid of.”

  Brock looked at me. I could see in his eyes how badly he wanted to go too. “Go. Just promise me you won’t use your fists.”

  He rolled his eyes and said, “I promise…and by the way, my mom was taking a taxi over…she’ll be here soon.”

  I tried to smile…but it wasn’t easy.

  18

  Brock

  Three Months Later

  I stood out on the patio and looked in through the glass doors at my mom and Lizzie. They had their heads together about something…again. It’s funny that I never noticed how much alike they were until I saw them together. Lizzie was so afraid that Mom wouldn’t like her. She was terrified for me to tell her that she was pregnant…with Lance’s baby. Mom surprised her though. In spite of her strong religious roots, she wasn’t ever one to believe someone should have to live their life a certain way. She taught my brother and me a lot, but most importantly she taught us not to judge…she lived her life the way she expected us to…giving everyone at least a second chance to do the right thing. That was how she ended up dating Nolan Wright…

  The day the guys and I went to talk to him, Cassie and Lizzie filled Mom in on what was going on. After Jacob, Ian and then Lance had their say, it was my turn. Before I could open my mouth however, my mother showed up. It was like middle school all over again. I could see the guys snickering about it and I knew I would never live it down. My mother was amazing in a lot of ways, but her boundaries kind of suck. It was fun to watch her right a wrong though. She’d laid into Nolan about what he was trying to do to “that poor girl.” The whole time she was berating him Nolan had an almost star struck look in his eyes. Lizzie told me later that my mom admitted she and Nolan had dated for a short time when Jacob and I first introduced them. For whatever reason, it didn’t work out…but Nolan apparently wasn’t over her. It creeped me out…badly. Lizzie had to keep reminding me to leave it alone and let my mother make her own decisions…just like she had done with us.

  Over the past couple of months Nolan had apologized to Lizzie and Lance and he’d been trying to win his sons back. So far Jacob and Ian had stuck to their guns. They didn’t trust him and with good reason. He had lots of priors. I don’t trust him either…but Lizzie was right, and besides, my mother was going to do what she wanted to do no matter how much I beat my head into a wall over it.

  Lizzie’s belly was growing. She’s the most beautiful pregnant lady I’ve ever seen and for the first time since I met her she seems completely content. She’s healthy and the doctor says the baby is healthy too. Micah gave her a hard time and tried to say she couldn’t have her job back after she had the baby. Ian hired a contract lawyer and within a day he had renegotiated her contract and she not only still had a job, she had medical insurance and maternity leave as well…and they retro-ed it. I guess being Nolan Wright’s son has some advantages. I shuddered at the possibility of becoming his step-son though.

  Lizzie was excited as hell about it all and I was grateful to Ian for his help. After the baby is born I’m going to try and talk her into going back to school. She’s so smart and I’d like for her to at least have other opportunities if she wanted them. Speaking of being excited as hell…We’re having a girl…all four of us. Lance and Ian got an apartment together and they fixed up a nursery for her. Lance’s mom and sisters have been coming around a lot. They’re excited about the baby and Ian and Lizzie get on well with them. His father is still not speaking to him, but hopefully in time he will realize what he is losing out on.

  Lizzie moved in with me…after much persuasion, and we made a nursery for the little princess too. My mother is still in town…staying with Nolan mostly. She’s been going crazy buying the baby clothes and dolls and stuff she won’t even need for years…but she was making up for the grandbabies she never got to have, so we just let her run with it. This is going to be the most spoiled child in history, that’s for sure. Nolan has even bought things for her…whether or not he’ll be a part of her life is yet to be determined.

  As far as Lizzie’s father goes, she’s chosen to leave things as they are. She doesn’t want him in her life, but she also can’t bring herself to send him to jail…no matter how much he deserves to be there. As long as he
stays away from her…and our baby, I’ve promised her to let it lay. He just better make sure he keeps his distance because I’d really like nothing better than the opportunity to show him how it feels for someone bigger and stronger than him to frighten, hurt and intimidate the hell out of someone.

  As far as being frightened goes…today is one of the scariest days of my life. Tonight is my fight for the title belt. I did everything I could to talk Bradley out of it. He wouldn’t hear of it. He promoted the hell out of it, delighting in telling everyone on the radio shows and television interviews how close Jacob and I are. That seems to make it more interesting to people…to me, it was just flat scary. I never told Jacob, but he reminds me so much of my brother that it’s freaky sometimes. I’m so afraid of losing his friendship. It would be like losing my brother twice.

  “Hey handsome, what are you doing out here?” Lizzie came out through the glass doors with a plate in her hands.

  “I’m just thinking, babe.”

  She sat the plate down on the table. My mother was always trying to feed me. I’m sure she put Lizzie up to bringing it out. It was at least pasta, which I usually ate before a fight…but I felt sick to my stomach today and I doubt that I could keep it down.

  “About?” She came over and put her arms around my middle. I ran my hand down the back of her hair and pulled her head into my chest.

  “Everything.”

  “You’re worried about the fight.”

  I kissed her head. “A little, yeah.”

  “Jacob promised you, no hard feelings no matter what happens. Do you think he would go back on that?”

  “No. But in a heated, adrenaline filled situation like that…you just never know what might happen. I so much prefer my opponents to be someone that I can’t stand.”

  She chuckled softly. “I think that would motivate me to fight more too. I can’t imagine being in a ring with Cassie…Nolan Wright on the other hand…”

  “Yeah, he’s a piece of work. I’ll be glad when he screws up and Mom decides his “chance” is over.”

  “It’s hard to wish for that,” Lizzie said. “She seems so happy with him. He’s coming to the fight with her.”

  “Fabulous,” I said, sarcastically. Lizzie and I just stood there, holding each other until neither one of us could stand there any longer. I drew strength from her. She had no idea how much. When it was time for me to leave for the arena, I got another warm hug and a seductive, sexy kiss. I kissed her belly and told baby girl I loved her…and then I went off to fight my best friend and try and take away what he’d worked his entire adult life to get. Sometimes my job sucked.

  I was sitting in the locker room going over all the reasons in my head why I should do this. I worked for it my entire adult life too. Jacob said we’ll still be okay if I win. I know that we’ll still be okay if he wins…I could be the heavy weight champion. I liked imagining that separate from taking it from Jacob. It meant lots of endorsements, lots of money and a lot less crappy fights to make the bills every month. Not that I was ever hurting, but if I won tonight, I could buy a house for Lizzie and the baby and me…

  “Shit! It’s fucking crazy out there. I need a smoke? You have any papers?” I looked up at Jagger and had to just shake my head. The dude was crude, rude, socially unacceptable…but he still held some kind of unexplainable appeal. For whatever reason, he was likeable in spite of all of that.

  “No, sorry, I left the Zig Zags and the pipe at home.”

  He looked crazy at me for a second and then he laughed. “You’re shittin’ me,” he said. “Seriously man, it’s packed out there and they’re all amped up. I got my ass pinched three times trying to get back here.”

  I laughed, “And you’re complaining?”

  “No. Bragging,” he said with a grin. “You ready for this shit?”

  I nodded. “As ready as I can be, I guess.”

  “Where’s Lee?”

  “He went out already. They’ll be calling us any second.”

  “Fuck man…good luck!”

  “Thanks.”

  “Brock! They’re ready for you!” That was Sam, the “backstage” grip. I took a few deep breaths and Jagger held out his hand to help me up. I grinned and took it. He pulled me up and then hugged me. Crazy guy.

  “You got this, man.” I nodded at him and headed out. As soon as I stepped out of my locker room, I got a glimpse of Jacob in his. He was giving an interview, but when he looked up and saw me, he winked. I turned again to follow Sam and suddenly I was embraced by Goliath himself.

  “Lance, I can’t breathe.” He let go of me and stepped back. He had his street clothes on. He refused to take part tonight, telling Bradley he couldn’t choose a side to sit on and if he had issue with that, he could fire him. Bradley let it go.

  “Good luck, Bro.”

  “Thanks man.” There was no way I could tell Lance how much it meant to me for him to be here. I could see in his eyes that I didn’t need to. He got it. He clapped me on the back with his giant flipper just as they called my name. I got in the center of my security detail and made my way out into the sold-out arena. I couldn’t see through the big bodies and the bright lights, but it did my heart good to know that both of the women I loved most in the world were there. The music was loud and the crowd was, in the immortal words of Jagger…fucking crazy.

  After I took my spot and the noise calmed down, they called for Jacob “The Lion” Wright, undefeated current heavy weight champion. I watched as he came down the aisle and as soon as he stepped in, he grinned at me. We’ll be okay…I think.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the MGM Grand Hotel, Vegas! This is the main event of the evening,” the announcer said in his booming voice. He announced the sponsors and introduced the judges. He covered some of my background and once again went on about Jacob being undefeated. I don’t know how many people in the audience know…but that title is literal. No one had ever beaten him in the ring.

  The announcer finally stopped talking and Jacob and I were being called into the middle. The ref gave his spiel while Jacob and I stared at each other. I wondered what he was thinking. He was probably thinking I was an idiot for getting myself into this.

  When the first bell rang, Jacob and I skirted around each other with fists held high. I tried to imagine that we were just sparring…but my mind wanted to dwell in reality. While I was distracted, Jacob threw a punch that caught me in the nose. Blood flew out and spattered the canvas. Damn! That hurt. It hurt, but it didn’t piss me off. I suddenly realized that was going to be my biggest problem. My rage usually flared even before the fight. I sought out things on social media about the other fighter that would make me angry…but this is Jacob.

  Without warning…or maybe because I was distracted as hell, he struck me on the side of the head with a left hook. I was shaking it off when I saw his foot sweep out. It caught me in the ribs…Shit! I think he broke one. I could hear the crowd screaming at me to fight…throw a punch, a kick, or anything. While I pondered that, Jacob launched himself at me with fluid grace. I made a split-second decision and as his foot connected with my neck, I grabbed his hard calf with both of my legs and took him down to the mat with me. I used the leverage and tossed him as we fell so that he didn’t end up on top of me. Jacob hit the mat hard on his stomach and chest and it knocked the wind out of him. I moved quickly and straddled his back, wrapping my arm around his neck. I held him while the crowd screamed and Jacob tried to figure a way out. Nothing came to him…I guess but he didn’t tap out either. The buzzer finally sounded and when I got up off him, I held out my hand and he got up too. The crowd was so loud they were blowing the roof off is this place.

  When the round two bell rang, Jacob came out throwing punches. He was moving fast and before I was even close enough to hit him, he threw out a jab and a cross. Neither of them hit me, but I’d sparred with him enough to know the next thing he would throw out would be another jab and cross to my right. I was prepared for that. What I wa
sn’t prepared for was the brightly colored elbow that came towards me and caught me on the right side of my face. As soon as he hit me my vision became fuzzy and I felt blood tricking slowly down the side of my face. Now he threw the jab. He hit me in the open cut. I saw red. I dropped my right fist and when he came out with the right jab then I brought up a hammer fist and struck him underneath his jaw.

  Jacob was stunned by it, and he stumbled back into the mesh. I went after him and wrapped my arms around his upper body. I drove my forehead into his and we struggled for hip position. I wanted him down on the mat. That was my thing. I was a grappler…I could beat him if I could get the big son of a bitch to go down. The ref let us struggle for several minutes before coming over and tapping us. He wanted us to let go and move back. Jacob looked tired.

  I sat in my corner while Lee rubbed the Enswell over the cut above my eyes. I hated that shit. It was like a blast of the coldest air you ever felt, straight to your open wound. I bitched about it all the time. Lee said one of these days he’d just let me hemorrhage to death in the ring. I didn’t doubt that he would. He finished with the Enswell and put the topical adrenaline on to decrease the blood flow and slapped a piece of gel foam over it. At least it would give me a little cushion. If I was Jacob, I would aim for it with every punch.

  The bell rang and we met in the middle again. I tried to focus on the fight and not on who I was fighting. It was hard…but it was going to be the only way I could get through this. We did a ten or twenty second dance around each other and then I struck with my foot, hitting him hard in the center of the thigh. He stumbled, but he didn’t fall. While he was off balance, I was able to strike him several times with my feet to the same spot. He still didn’t go down. Fucking Jacob. He came back at me with a kick to my knee. I felt my knee cap explode with the impact and then I felt my brain explode with the pain. I let myself think about laying down and giving up for about half a second and then I went back in punching. Every punch I threw, he matched. Sweat was pouring off my body and I could see blood all over the mat. It looked like a crime scene and I was trying to avoid it to keep from slipping in it and falling on my ass. Jacob seemed to be doing the same thing. He looked less tore up than me though and the more we traded punches, the more discouraged I became. If I didn’t take him down soon, he was going to win on technique alone. I had to take the damned tree down to the mat or I’d never last another two minutes until the round ended.