Fight of Life (Perception Book 3)

by Shandi Boyes

  I have been hounding Isaac every week for the past five months trying to get him to organise the fight with Curtis. He keeps telling me he is working on it, but I am getting sick of waiting. I refused to sign a new contract with Isaac until the fight between Curtis and I is set in stone. That doesn’t mean I don’t fight, I’m just not ‘owned’ by Isaac anymore. It also meant I worked out how much he was pocketing from each fight and it was a hell of lot more than the three thousand dollars he was paying me a week.

  “And you and Lola” Maggie questions cautiously.

  “We are good. Same as we always are.”

  “Friends” Maggie and I state at the same time, making us both laugh.

  “You know how stubborn she is, if she doesn’t want to do something no one can force her to” I advise. Maggie looks at me before she starts nodding her head.

  “Oh, shit before I forget. I did come here for a reason” I advise as I dig my hand into my pocket to pull out the envelope Emily had given me earlier today.

  Maggie eyes flick up to mine, before she slowly opens the envelope. I watch as her eyes roam over the document in front of her, before she covers her excited squeal with her hand.

  “They are getting married and I am invited” she screams excitedly. “Oh my god, they are getting married next week. In Vegas!” she states panicked as she continues to read the invitation Emily asked me to deliver.

  “Yes, next weekend. Noah doesn’t know as it’s a secret. Emily wanted to deliver the invitation to you herself, but she got caught up organising the wedding. She wanted me to tell you that they both would be honoured if you would be able to attend, but she would understand if it was too short of notice for you” I recite.

  “I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss it” Maggie responds excitedly before she grabs her jacket from behind the bar. “Ollie, I have to finish early” Maggie yells into the back office. I can hear that Ollie mumbles something back to Maggie, but I didn’t catch anything he said.

  “Tell Emily I graciously accept their invitation” she says, as she gives me a kiss on the cheek and swiftly darts out of the bar like a woman on a mission.

  “G’day Jacob” states a deep Australian accent from behind me.

  “G’day Flynn” I reply, trying my hardest to impersonate his Australian accent.

  “Do you wanna join us for a few beers?” he questions as he looks back at his band mates sitting at the table that use to belong to Rise Up.

  “Sure” I reply.

  For the next hour, I have a few beers with Flynn and his band mates. It took me a little while to catch onto their Australian lingo, but after Flynn explained a few key pointers I was soon able to speak fluent Australian. Sheila is a girl, having a root is having sex, and a ute is a truck. So when the bassist said “You should have seen the sheila I was rooting in my ute last night” he meant to say “You should have seen the girl I had sex with in my truck last night”

  “What about that Sheila that use to work here. She was fine. Didn’t you take her home one night?” questions Paul as he looks over at Flynn.

  “Oh yeah, she was fine. Her rack still holds the number one spot in my spank bank” replies Flynn. I nearly spat out the beer I had just swigged when he said spank bank.

  “Should you still need a spank bank being a lead singer of a band?” I question sarcastically.

  “Don’t judge mate, if you saw this girl you would add her into your spank bank as well. She was an easy eleven out of a ten” he replies while his eyes glaze over like he is recalling her in his spank bank right now. I promptly relocate my barstool further away from Flynn, making all of his band mates laugh.

  “She had this little butterfly tattoo all tucked away so only certain people get the privilege of seeing it. It was just down here” he advises, as he stands up from his barstool and pulls down on the waist of his jeans, pointing to a spot on his lower right hipbone.

  I immediately lower down the beer I was about to take a swig out of, as I look over towards Flynn. I try to keep my composure calm as I am sure plenty of girls have butterfly tattoos on their right hipbone, not just Lola.

  “What did you say her name was again?” I question roughly, while silently fucking praying that he doesn’t say Lola.

  “I didn’t. But her name matches her perfectly. Lola” he states slowly, allowing her name to roll of his tongue.

  “When?” I question angrily. Flynn must notice my immediate change in composure as his eyes go from daydreaming about Lola to looking at me with unease.

  “It was a while ago Mate, maybe last year?” he quickly mumbles as I start storming to my car. “Or the year before?” he yells as I exited the double doors at Mavericks.

  I made it to Lola’s apartment in record breaking time. She still lives in Erkinsvale, but she moved into her own apartment a few months back. I take the stairs two steps at a time, before I bang furiously on her door. When she opens the door, she looks up at me, before her face breaks into her beautiful smile.

  “Hey Jacob” she greets seductively, before she opens her door wider, offering for me to come inside.

  I take two steps into her apartment before I turn to face her. Her smile slowly starts to falter when she notices the furious look on my face.

  “Did you sleep with Flynn?” I question her angrily. We have been ‘friends’ for the past year and a half and I haven’t touched or wanted to touch another girl in that whole time.

  Her face first morphs into shock, before she crosses her arms and takes her normal angry stance.

  Chapter 36

  Lola

  “Jesus Christ” I mumble to myself when I became startled by the loud banging on my front door. I quickly close the distance between the door and I, wondering who needed to enter that urgently they felt the need to bang down my door. When I pull open the door, I am pleased to see Jacob standing behind it.

  “Hey Jacob” I greet seductively. Obviously someone was a little horny since he nearly just busted down my door. I open the door fully to allow him inside. Jacob storms past me and I can smell that he has a few beers already under his belt. When I turn to face him, I notice that his jaw in ticking in anger and he has his fists clenched tight.

  “Did you sleep with Flynn?” he questions angrily.

  To start with I am shocked. After all this time Jacob has only just found out about that one time I left Mavericks with Flynn. Then my guilt morphs into anger over Jacob questioning me. Especially considering I had to spent months overhearing conversations from girls giving a play by play rundown of sleeping with Jacob. I sternly cross my arms, as I glare angrily at him.

  “Did you sleep with Flynn?” he questions again.

  “Get out of my house Jacob” I retort angrily, as I move towards the door and open it for him to leave, while trying to take in several deep breaths.

  “No, Lola. Not this time. I am sick of your stubbornness. Answer my fucking question” he says harshly as the veins on his neck bulge.

  “Get. Out. Of. My. House. Jacob” I state firmly. Jacob walks over near me and I can see the hurt and confusion in his eyes, but it doesn’t make me back down on my angry stance. Jacob has no right to question who I have slept with when we aren’t even technically together.

  “If you let me leave, I am done. I can’t do this anymore” he whispers roughly, causing tears to instantly spring into my eyes.

  “Is that what you want?” he asks as his blue eyes seeks my gaze. I want to tell him no, but I am too stubborn for my own good. Jacob stands still as his sad blue eyes stare directly into mine, pleading for me to let him stay, but I remain silent.

  “Goodbye Lola” he whispers as he storms back out the door he had only just entered. Once I close the door, I lean my back against it, until I slowly slide down to sit on the ground.

  Why didn’t I just tell him the truth about what happened that night….

  The instant Flynn drove his truck into the carpark of Bronte’s peak my heart instantly sunk. I hadn’t been back to her
e since the first night I had slept with Jacob. The carpark was pretty full, which isn’t surprising since it was a Saturday night. Flynn ended up finding a spare carpark right at the end. The instant he turned off his ignition, his green eyes started to roam appreciatively over my body.

  As Flynn and I started getting ‘friendly’ I heard my phone ringing. When I peered down at my open handbag, I noticed Jacob’s smiling face lighting up the screen. My stomach swirled in despair, but I let his call go to voicemail because I was still upset that he had stood me up. Then a few seconds later my phone dinged with a text. I tried to keep my focus on Flynn as he was placing a small trail of kisses from my bra covered breasts down the waistband of my jeans. But my own inquisitiveness got the better of me, that my eyes flicked down to my phone and I discovered the text was from Jacob advising that he was waiting for me at Mavericks. I had only just missed him arriving by mere minutes. I know Jacob and I have a mutual understanding about our friendship, but I instantly felt guilty for being occupied with Flynn.

  When Flynn popped open the button of my jeans, he spotted the small butterfly tattoo I have on my right hipbone. The instant he placed a kiss on the tattoo, I froze. Jacob had always done the exact same thing. “Please stop” I whispered frantically. Flynn stopped placing tiny kisses on my hip and looked up at me with worry all over his face. I ended up admitting to Flynn that I was waiting at Mavericks for someone and that I had only agreed to leave with him as I was hurt and angry about being stood up. Flynn took my honesty a lot better than I had expected and acted like a total gentleman. He even immediately drove me back to Mavericks.

  “If it doesn’t work out with that bloke, give me a call. I wouldn’t mind getting the chance to know you a little better” he advised, before he reversed out of the carpark and drove away.

  I spotted Jacob’s car in the carpark the second we arrived and I had considered going inside to see him, but the lines of our friendship had started to become too blurred that I decided to go home instead.

  It’s bloody typical though isn’t it. The one time I actually didn’t do anything wrong, is the one time I get blamed for it.

  When I heard my cell phone ringing on the kitchen bench, I dashed towards it hoping it was Jacob wanting to apologize for questioning me. I was disappointed when I realised it was a call from Emily.

  “Hello” I greet into the phone, trying not to let Emily hear my disappointment.

  “Hey Lola, are you okay?” she questions concerned.

  “I’m fine. What’s up” I reply quickly, not wanting to elaborate on my answer. Emily takes in several small inhales of breath before she eventually begins to speak.

  “Noah and I are getting married next weekend, Noah doesn’t know as it is a secret. Jacob has paid for your flight and accommodation. We are getting married in Vegas and I really want you to be there” Emily responds nervously.

  “What?” I reply crossly.

  “I know you think we are too young Lola, but we don’t think we are. I love him and he loves me and this is something we want to do and I really want you to support us” she interrupts.

  When Emily announced that she was getting married the morning after Christmas day last year I nearly had a coronary. She was only eighteen years old, well she was turning nineteen in a few weeks but that wasn’t the point. She still had plenty of years to work out what she wanted to do with her life and I didn’t think she needed to tie herself down so quickly. When I informed her of this, she shot daggers at me as she stormed back into her room. Mom thought I reacted to Emily’s excitement to harshly, but I was just looking out for my little sister.

  “Why are you rushing this Emily?” I question.

  “I love him” she replies and I can hear that she starts to slightly sob.

  “It isn’t just that simple Emily” I advise cautiously.

  “Yes it is Lola. When you love somebody you love them whole heartedly. You give yourself fully to them and only them. There is no one else in this world for me other than Noah and I want him to know that. I want to have his last name, I want to be the mother of his children and I want to spend every day of my life loving him. It is just that simple” she declares quietly.

  I take in several large deep breaths as I consider what Emily just said. Is love really just that simple? Emily and Noah threw themselves into their relationship head first, while everyone around them watched on cautiously. I know Noah loves Emily and I know she loves him. Is that simply just enough?

  “What time do I have to be at the airport?” I question, as Emily squeals with excitement in the background.

  Chapter 37

  Jacob

  “What the hell are you doing in Los Angeles Jacob?” questions Cormack as I enter the studio Noah and his band mates have been working out of the past few months.

  I try to think of a legitimate reason as to why I have unexpectedly arrived in Los Angeles in the middle of the day on a Monday, but I am stumped.

  “Just visiting” I eventually reply, while accepting Cormack’s hand to shake. I was never any good at thinking on the spot.

  “Where is everyone?” I question when I notice the recording booth in the studio is empty.

  “I decided to give the boys one final day off before the tour commences. Last I had heard Slater, Marcus and Nick were all at the hotel, but I haven’t heard from Noah today. Did you want me to give you a lift to the hotel? I was just about to head out myself.” Cormack offers

  “Sure that will be great” I respond. When I follow Cormack out to a black BMW convertible, I peer over at him with my eyebrows raised high into my hairline.

  “Business is good” he advises, while smiling brightly.

  “Obviously” I mumble under my breath before I jump into the passenger seat of his car.

  “Is everything alright Jacob? You seem a bit quiet” questions Cormack as he starts heading towards the hotel.

  “Yeah, I am all good. I am just trying to work out how I am going to untangle myself from this tin of sardines I am currently sitting in” I reply jokingly.

  Cormack initially laughs, but his concerned gaze keeps peering over at me on the short ten-minute drive to the hotel. I haven’t felt myself since the fight I had with Lola two days ago. Dad must have noticed a change in my personality and he simply said “I think it’s time to let her go”. It hurt hearing those words come out of his mouth, but I agree with what he said. I can no longer accept only being Lola’s friend. I want more and it has only just dawned on me now that I also deserve more than what she is willing to offer me. So, as much as it has been killing me, I have not contacted Lola in the past two days. I even deleted her phone number to make sure I didn’t drunk dial her during Noah’s bucks party tonight.

  “If you ever need anything, you just let me know” Cormack states as he pulls into the hotel.

  “Thanks” I reply as I awkwardly try to remove myself from Cormack’s car, causing him to laugh. As much as it would be nice to have a shiny sports car, I am never going to own one. They are the most uncomfortable cars for a guy of my size to get in and out of.

  “Bye Jacob” Cormack laughs, before he drives out of the entrance of the hotel. My gaze lifts to look at the impressive hotel the band is currently staying in. Obviously their success has started rolling in. My eyes dart down to my blue polo shirt, tanned cargo shorts and vans shoes and I immediately feel underdressed even to walk into the lobby of this hotel.

  “Jacob” Slater yells loudly from the entrance of the hotel lobby, before he comes charging over to me.

  “How the fuck are you?” he greets eagerly, causing me to laugh. I no longer needed to worry about how I am dressed when I see that Slater is only wearing a pair of jeans, is shirtless and also barefooted.

  “I would have picked you up from the airport, but Emily didn’t tell me what time you were landing” he advises as he grabs my duffle bag of the ground and starts walking towards the entrance of the hotel.

  When I follow Slater into their hotel r
oom, my eyes dart around at the surroundings. I don’t think you could really call it a hotel room, it is more like an apartment and it is fucking massive. Marcus comes over and greets me with a man hug and Nick nods his head in greeting.

  “Where is Noah?” I question.

  “Being a soft cock” Slater chuckles as he goes and grabs a crystal decanter full of whiskey out of the full size bar in the middle of the living room.

  “Noah went to visit Emily today. We didn’t know until we woke up and found his note on the fridge this morning” Marcus advises while handing me a post it note with Noah’s hand writing scribbled on it.

  Morning Fuckers,

  I have gone to visit my girl.