by L. P. Dover
“He’s probably at home,” she confided. “Judging by how hard he’s worked the past few weeks, I’d say he needs a day off.”
Slamming my closet door, I ran back to my bathroom, washed my face and brushed my teeth. My skin wasn’t as tanned as it used to be since I’d been working indoors at the hotel. Now, with the shock of finding out what happened yesterday, I looked downright pale. Not to mention, my cheeks had sunken a bit from being sick. I looked as weak as I felt, but I was determined to find Ryley. I’d spent a month away from him and I was tired of torturing myself. Even if he didn’t want me back, he was going to let me explain.
“I’m going over there,” I announced, marching out of my room. “Nothing happened between me and Colin last night. He has to know the reason why I came back.”
Gabriella followed me to the door and grabbed the keys to my car off the counter, handing them to me. “Whatever happens, don’t give up on him. He’s angry at you, but if you keep trying I know he’ll come around. You can do this.”
Holding my keys in hand, I took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right, I can. I won’t give up.”
Once out of the apartment, I rushed down the steps to my car and was on my way to Ryley’s house. The fight to win him back wasn’t going to be easy. But I had a lot to make up for.
When I pulled into his driveway, I looked up at the balcony to his room. It was the same balcony where I ended our relationship just one short month ago. Taking a deep breath, I got out of my car and slowly walked up the stone walkway. Before I could back out, I rang the bell and took one step away from the door. All I could hear was the heartbeat pounding in my ears as I waited for someone to answer. Through the glass door, a silhouette appeared and the door opened. I was hoping it would be Ryley, but it was Camden, with a sneer on his face.
“Well, well, well . . . look who it is. I didn’t think you’d ever show your face around here again,” he chided. His hair was the same golden blond Ryley’s used to be before he dyed it brown.
“I need to see Ryley. Is he here?”
Camden chuckled and opened the door wider so I could see his full body. He was shirtless and showing off his many tattoos, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs that displayed how well-endowed he was. Even though he had the same body as Ryley, his did nothing to affect me.
“Oh, he’s here, sweetheart. I’d say he’s about ten inches deep in the hot blonde I sent his way last night.”
By the mischievous look in his eyes I knew he was lying . . . or at least I hoped he was. “Fine, I’ll just wait for him to get done.”
His eyes widened then grew hard; I’d caught him off guard. “Fuck no. You’re not welcome here. Not after you left me tied to a fucking bed and then dumped my brother.”
“You deserved what I did to you,” I hissed.
“And did my brother deserve what you did to him?” he countered.
I stiffened and looked away. No, he didn’t deserve it and I regret what I did, every second of every day.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so. The only way you’re getting inside of this house is if you beg for my forgiveness. I can think of plenty of ways for you to use that lovely mouth of yours.”
Disgusted, I scoffed and backed away, glaring at him. “Fine, you win for right now, but I’m not giving up.”
“Even when he’s in his room right now fucking a woman who just left my bed? You would still want him after that? I bet you don’t even know how many people he’s been with since you left.”
The thought made me sick, but there was nothing I could do about it. I left him and the consequences of my actions were going to haunt me for the rest of my life. “Fuck you, Camden,” I growled. “This isn’t over.”
“Actually, sweetheart . . . it is.” He slammed the door and that was the end of round one. I lost, but it was only one of three. Ding, ding, ding. Round two.
THE SOUND OF a door slamming woke me up and all I could feel was how bad my body ached. My hands didn’t hurt as bad as I thought they would, but my muscles were on fire. Groaning, I slowly slipped out of bed only to be stopped by a voice behind me. “Good morning, sexy. I can work those kinks out for you.”
Turning around, a tall, naked female with long blonde hair prowled closer. “What the fuck are you doing in here?” I snapped.
She pouted her lips, and then licked them as her hungry eyes raked up and down my body. “Your brother sent me. I had to promise I could make you come.”
My brother was a fucking idiot. “Okay, fine, consider your job complete. Now get the hell out of here.”
Her eyes went wide. “But . . .”
“Out!” I shouted, pointing to the door. “Damn woman, are you deaf? Or are you just too stupid to do what you’re told?”
Huffing, she stomped to the door and slammed it open, only to be met by my brother.
“Well, someone must’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” he teased, looking over at me. He stepped out of the way and didn’t even acknowledge the woman as she sidled past.
“Who was at the door?” I asked, reaching into my drawer for a pair of shorts.
“Oh, just someone trying to sell me their bullshit. Don’t worry, I got rid of them. What are the plans for your day off?”
After sliding on a pair of black workout shorts, I searched through my closet for a shirt. Settling on a black and green MMA Pride T-shirt, I slid it on and turned back to my brother. “I’m not taking the day off,” I grumbled, reaching for my gym bag. “I have a fight against Nate Anderson in four days and I want to make sure I’m ready.”
“You’re going to kick his ass, Ry. The real question is . . . are you going to be ready for the title fight against me?” he asked slyly. “You know I’m not going to go easy on you.”
“Yeah, I’m real worried about it, asshole. You might want to get rid of your playthings and get to the gym yourself.” Camden was a good fighter though, and I had no doubt our fight would be the hardest I’d ever had to face. Grabbing my bag, I stalked past him and out into the hall.
“I’ll be there soon,” he called after me. “There’s something I need to do first.”
I grunted something unintelligible and continued on my way. It was too nice outside to take my car, so I opened up the garage and slid my helmet on before wheeling my sport bike out into the driveway. I loved speed and there was nothing like cruising down the highway with everything flying past you. It was one of my escapes, and I needed one desperately.
FUMING, I MARCHED up the steps to my apartment and slammed the door shut. Why was Camden such an asshole? Gabriella had already left, so I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. There was no way I could tell her everything in a text.
When she picked up, she sounded out of breath. “So what happened?”
“Camden wouldn’t let me in,” I grumbled. “He’s such a dick. Are you already at the gym?”
“Yeah, I’m running on the treadmill. Matt’s giving me the evil eye. Have you tried calling him?”
“No, not yet, but I will. If he shows up at the gym will you call me? I have to see him.”
“Of course. But I have to go before my brother makes me run another five miles.”
We hung up the phone and I immediately dialed Ryley’s number. Each time it rang, my heart beat louder and louder. When his voicemail came on, it was the first time I’d heard his voice in a long time; I missed it. As soon as his phone beeped, I cleared my throat and left a message. “Ryley, it’s Ashleigh. I really need to talk to you. Please call me back and I’ll explain everything.”
That was a lie. I couldn’t explain everything because I didn’t know everything. And even if I did know, I couldn’t tell him yet. Telling him now would be a disaster. The last thing I wanted was for him to give everything up because of his obligation to the baby. It would only foster resentment toward me.
When my phone beeped with an incoming text, I thought it was going to be Gabriella telling me Ryley showed up. However, it
was Ryley himself. I knew he was pissed at me, but I didn’t realize to what extent until I read what he wrote.
Ryley: Do me a favor and stay the fuck away from me. Don’t come to my house, don’t come to the gym. I don’t want to see or talk to you. It’s over.
Ryley: Leave. Me. Alone.
Closing my eyes, I could feel the burn behind my lids and the rejection in my heart. I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get through to him, but he did try to go to Aspen to get me. That was my last thread of hope. Before I could reply, Gabriella called.
“Hey,” I choked.
“Hey girl, I just watched him pull up on his bike. If you want to see him, come on over.”
“Wait, what? How can that be? He just texted me and told me to stay the fuck away from him. How could he do that if he was riding on his bike?”
“Are you serious? The only way he could’ve done that is if he stopped at a light, but I doubt he’d have time to text you.”
Then it dawned on me . . . what if it wasn’t Ryley? Sighing, Gabriella seemed to be on the same page.
“How much do you want to bet Camden has his phone?” she stated. “I know how he works and I know he hates you for what you did to him. He’s going to try whatever he can to come between you and his brother.”
“Ugh, I truly despise him,” I grumbled. “What am I going to do?”
“I don’t know, but Ryley’s walking in. I gotta go.”
Grabbing my keys, I headed straight for the door. “I’m on my way.
By the time I got to the gym, I was drenched in sweat and I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. I parked beside Ryley’s bike and slowly got out of the car. Was it a mistake showing up at his gym? Probably. Was I going to go in there? Hell yes.
Keeping my head held high, I turned the corner and didn’t hesitate when I entered the gym. My rapid breathing was all I could hear as the room shifted on its axis. It was like everything froze and the world stopped, except for me and Ryley. He didn’t even look over at me and it was obvious he already knew I’d walked into the gym. His body stiffened.
The magnetic feeling I always felt when he was near pulled me to him. Out of the corner of my eye, Gabriella watched on in amazement, but I couldn’t focus on anyone other than my fighter. I slowly approached him, biting my lip to keep it from trembling. He lifted his weights, one arm at a time, his muscles bulging with each curl.
Those arms used to hold me, but I was too stupid not to stay in their warmth and protection. “Ryley,” I murmured softly. Either he didn’t want to acknowledge me or he couldn’t hear. Even my own voice sounded foreign to my ears. Moving closer, I stood in front of him and took a deep breath. “Ryley,” I repeated. “Can we talk?”
Setting the weights down, he lowered his head and balled his hands into tight fists. His knuckles were torn wide open and all I wanted to do was touch him. Without making eye contact, he stood and towered over me, glancing around the room. He looked at everything, but me.
“Let’s go,” he demanded.
Before following him to the back, I looked at Gabriella who frowned and shook her head. This wasn’t going to be good. I felt like I was being led to slaughter by the way everyone watched me with trepidation in their eyes. All I wanted was for Ryley to look at me and listen to what I had to say. However, with each step, it felt more and more like the end. Once we got to the back, Ryley opened the door to an empty office and turned on the light.
As soon as I walked in, he shut the door behind us and locked it. I swallowed hard as he stood there, head down, body coiled tighter than a snake’s. I wanted to go to him and wrap my arms around him, but I was frozen. I wanted to hear him call me angel like he used to when we’d make love.
“I went to your house this morning. Your brother wasn’t too happy with me. Did he tell you I came by?”
He stiffened and sighed. “No.”
“I thought as much,” I whispered. “I guess I can’t blame him.”
Panic started to set in and I could feel the blood rushing to my head. I felt nauseated and lightheaded, but I swallowed it back as hard as I could. “I’m so sorry, Ryley. I never wanted to hurt you. But you have to know, there’s nothing going on between me and Colin.”
He scoffed and leaned against the wall, looking at my feet. “It didn’t look like that yesterday.”
“I know what it must’ve looked like and I know you don’t trust me after everything I did, but you have to believe me. All I want is a chance to prove it to you, to prove that—”
“To prove what?” he exploded, lifting his fiery gaze to mine for the first time. My breath instantly left my lungs and I faltered, tears welling in my eyes. “To prove that I can trust you? That you want to be with me? How the fuck do you expect me to do that?”
Shaking my head, I found the courage to move forward, tears falling down my cheeks. When I lifted my hands to his face, he turned his head, the connection gone. “No, that’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say that I love you. That I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you.”
For a second it seemed as if he was listening, but then he jerked his face out of my hold and moved away. “I think you’re missing the point. You see, I don’t want you back. I’m happy with the way things are.”
“Really?” I choked. “So you get to screw whoever you want and party it up? Is that what makes you happy?”
Smirking, he shrugged his shoulders. “That’s just the way my life is. You wouldn’t even want me back if you knew the things I’ve done since you left.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I shouted. “I know you still care about me, Ryley. Why else would you have wanted to find me in Aspen?”
He’d obviously had enough. Thundering to the door, he unlocked it and opened it wide, keeping his back to me. “I’m not going to lie and say I never cared for you. But that time doesn’t exist anymore. It’s over, Ashleigh.”
And with those final words, he walked away. Tears clouded my vision and I clutched my stomach, envisioning the child I knew grew inside . . . his child. He was lying and one way or another I was going to make him face the truth. I could see it in his eyes that he still cared about me. I just needed to find a way for him to admit it.
Stalking after him, I found him in the ring, gloving up. Gabriella rushed up to me and put her arm around me, but I pulled away. “You’re a liar, Ryley Jameson.” He looked down at me, his face swirling with so many emotions. “Yeah, you heard me right,” I sobbed, “but I’m here and I’m not backing down without a fight. I can promise you that.”
Tightening up his gloves, he leaned over the rope and looked down at me. “And you will lose. Why don’t you just give up?”
“Because . . . to me, you’re worth fighting for.” Wiping away my tears, I glanced around the gym at everyone’s wide-eyed stares. I gave Ryley one last glance and turned on my heel, rushing to the door. I was going to be sick and the last thing I needed was to throw up in front of all of those people.
The second I got outside, I collapsed onto the ground, the asphalt digging into my knees.
“Oh, my God,” Gabriella exclaimed, rushing to my side. “Are you okay?” She rubbed a hand soothingly down my back and helped me get to my feet.
Shaking my head, I held onto her hand and laid my head down on her shoulder. “No, Gabby, I’m not okay. There’s something I need to finally tell you and I’m going to need your support.”
“You don’t have to worry about Ryley. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind when I go back inside.”
Pulling back, I wiped the hair off my face. “That’s not my only concern right now,” I confessed.
Her eyes went wide when she spotted my hand held protectively over my stomach. “Holy shit, Ash. Are you serious? Have you been to a doctor?”
I shook my head. “No, but that’s where I want your support. I need you to come with me. I can’t do this alone.”
Gabriella folded me back in her arms and held me tight. “Is it Ryley’s?”
Letting me go, Gabriella held my arms. “You have to tell them, Ash. You need to tell Colin and Ryley. No more putting people in the dark, you hear me?”
Now that the truth was out, my tears flowed harder. The father of my child didn’t want me and the other man in my life wanted me, but would most likely run far away once I told him I was pregnant with another man’s child. I had no choice but to face my fears.
“I can’t tell Ryley yet. It’s not the right time. I’ll tell Colin tonight though. I might as well get that fight out of the way.” Round two was done, but at least I stood my ground. I didn’t count it as a total loss, but it definitely wasn’t a win either.
“SO THAT’S THE famous Ashleigh that left you high and dry?” Megan asked, jumping into the ring. She had her gloves on and ready to go.
About three months ago, I had met her at a club, where I got into a fight with her boyfriend after he hit her. I guess it didn’t help that he caught me about to fuck her. Anyway, I’d been teaching her self-defense techniques and luckily it saved her life when he’d tried to come after her again. Ever since then, we’d been really close friends.
“Yes, that was her,” I snapped. “I’d appreciate it if we didn’t talk about her during our lesson.”
“Sorry, but that’s not going to happen,” Gabriella cut in angrily. She hopped up into the ring and smiled at Megan, smacking gloves with her. Gabby had been helping me teach Megan as well. “I just need a couple of minutes with him and then he’s all yours.”
“No problem. Just go easy on him.” She winked at Gabby and then hopped out of the ring.
As soon as she was out, Gabriella attacked and punched me square in the jaw, catching me off guard.
“What the fuck?” I growled. “I guess that was for Ashleigh, huh?”
