Take Care

by Ash Johnson

  “I’m sorry I can’t stay and catch up, Rob. I have to get going, but it was nice to see you again,” I say, even though I could have probably gone the rest of my life without seeing him again and been okay with that. As I start to walk around him, he grabs my forearm tightly, much like he did when I went to get my things from our apartment the day I left him.

  “Why don’t we get together for dinner and drinks sometime soon? We need to discuss what happened between us.” I’m shaking my head before he can even finish his sentence.

  “I’m sorry Rob, but I’m not interested in discussing what happened between us. It’s over and I’ve moved on.” There’s a look of anger and hurt in his eyes that wasn’t even there when I told him I was leaving him, which makes me feel a bit guilty for brushing him off, but the grip on my arm is making the guilt disappear quickly.

  “I don’t mean to hurt your feelings Rob, but what we had together is over. I’m seeing someone else and I’m happy. I just hope that you find happiness yourself,” I say sincerely while I pry his fingers from my bicep.

  He finally lets me go but I can feel his eyes drilling a hole into the back of my head as I swiftly make my way through the crowd to Jay. Jay’s focus keeps shifting back and forth between me and Rob as I make it to the portal. When I’m finally standing in front of Jay I turn around to see if Rob has left. He hasn’t, he’s still frozen in the spot where we were talking, staring at me with a look of loathing.

  “Who was that, Ada?”

  “That’s Rob, my ex-husband,” I mutter my answer, knowing that Jay hates him and told me that he’d kick his ass if he ever ran into Rob. Jay’s body goes rigid and his hands ball into fists before he speaks again.

  “What’s he doing here?” Jay asks through gritted teeth.

  “He said he’s with a potential client from work, so let’s just forget he’s even here,” I say, trying to get Jay’s focus back on his fight and not on staring holes into my ex-husband from across a stadium.

  “Are you ready for this?” I ask, rubbing my hands along his biceps and trying my damndest to get his attention off of Rob, who is finally walking away from us. Jay looks down at me, still pissed but visibly attempting to focus on me. Finally he smiles his panty dropping smile at me and grabs my hand, leading me back to his locker rooms.

  As soon as we make it into an enclosed, dark blue locker room, the smell of sweat and slight mildew hits my nose and causes me to dash toward a small sink across the room. I empty my stomach into the sink and turn the water on to rinse my mouth out, finally noticing that Jay is lightly rubbing my back.

  “Are you okay baby? Are you sure you didn’t catch something at work?”

  “I might have, it is flu season and we’ve had a few severe cases into the hospital the past few days,” I shrug, convincing myself that’s what is wrong with me. I reach into my purse and pull out my emergency toothbrush and paste, brushing quickly before I turn my attention to Jay.

  “Sorry about that,” I whisper, looking into deep brown eyes that are shining with concern in my direction. I realize that at this moment, I’m no longer embarrassed at how much this man has seen me throw up. The look of love shining in his eyes kills any self consciousness I just had.

  Then I finally get a good look at what he’s wearing. He has on a pair of black gloves, they look like boxing gloves with the tops cut off so their fingers can stick out, and lime green, the same color as his Jeep, trunks.

  His tanned body is showing off enormous arms that are rippling with muscles and dark tattoos. His six pack abs that are distinctly present, almost looking photo shopped onto his body, and the deep V that disappears into his trunks makes my mouth water. His bare feet even look sexy. The only other thing he’s wearing is a smirk when he catches me openly checking him out.

  “Like what you see?” he asks with a hint of humor in his voice, making my eyes snap back up to his. I bite my lip and smile back at him, but instead of answering him, I pull on his shoulders to bring his face down to mine. He immediately grabs my hips and tows me closer to him. Then I push up to my toes so I can run my fingers through his hair, loving the feel of his brown hair in my hands. Jay groans and then lightly pushes my hips away from him.

  “Baby, as much as I’d love to see where this is going, I would really hate to run out of time and have to fight Jenkins with a boner,” Jay huffs, his face twisting at the thought of having to brush me off. It makes me giggle instead.

  “It’s okay, I understand. Just know that when we get home tonight, I will be doing what I was just thinking of doing to you right now,” I bite my lip and waggle my eyebrows at him, causing him to groan and then smile at me.

  “Why the hell do you have to be so sexy? It would make it so much easier to send you out into that crowd full of adrenaline jacked guys if you weren’t so fucking hot.” He pulls me up for a swift kiss and a tight hug.

  “I’m a big girl,” I tell him as I back up slightly to look at his face. Jay raises an eyebrow and has a teasing smile on his lips and I know he’s trying not to make a joke about my height.

  “Okay, so I’m far from big, but just because I’m fun sized doesn’t mean I can’t kick an ass or two if it’s warranted. I’ll be anxiously watching, so please be careful and try really hard not to get hurt,” I state, trying not to let the panic in my voice surface. I know this is what he does for a living, but it still makes me nervous.

  “I’ll be okay, bunches, I promise. I’ll go out there and win this fight quickly and then we can go home and pack for our trip to Omaha tomorrow. After that, I plan on working on you for hours and hours until we both pass out from exhaustion. Sound like a plan?” he asks, his voice a deep rumble which sounds so sexy, it makes a small moan pass through my lips before I nod.

  “I love you, Ada,” Jay says clearly, looking at me like I’m the best thing he’s ever seen. I smile and know that I feel the same way, so I decide to tell him.

  “I love you too, Jay. Good luck.”

  After another quick peck on the lips and a swat to my ass, I’m walking back out to my seat a few minutes before the fight begins. A few seconds after I sit down and place my purse on the floor between my legs I notice someone sit down next to me.

  I glance to my right to find Blake smiling at me, his blue eyes studying my face. “Hey Blake, how are you?”

  “I’m doing well, Adalie, how are you?”

  “Adalie? Who’s Adalie?” I furrow my brow, wondering where he came up with that name.

  “Isn’t that what Ada is short for?” he asks with a curious look in his eyes.

  “No, it’s short for Adelaide, but I never go by that. I’ve been Ada since I was little,” I explain. Blake nods a few times before answering.

  “Okay Ada, how have you been? Things settling down since you haven’t had any texts all week?” How could he know that? Oh yeah, he and Jay are best friends.

  “Yeah, it’s been pretty silent all week, so I haven’t felt the need to look over my shoulder every second of the day,” I answer honestly.

  “Well, just don’t let your guard down. Just because the texts have stopped doesn’t mean that this person isn’t watching you,” he glares at me.

  “Well, thanks for putting me on high alert again, Blake.” He smiles and shakes his head before speaking again.

  “Look Ada, Jay and I haven’t been on the best terms for the past week because I feel the need to protect you, too. You’re dating my best friend and I’ve been seeing your best friend almost as long as you and Jay have been together, so to say that I feel like I need to watch out for you is an understatement.

  “Jay thinks I’m trying to put the moves on you, but that’s just not the case. I’m just trying to watch out for you when he’s not there. So, if you ever need anything and Jay’s not around, you can always count on me.” Blake runs his hand across his very short blonde hair and smiles at me, but his brows are pulled together like he’s nervous about something.

  I didn’t know that Jay and Blak
e weren’t on good terms at the moment. I want to ask him why that is, but the way he’s nervously looking at me just isn’t sitting well, so I nod and am thankful that the announcer is calling out the fighters.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the fight you have been waiting for is about to take place. In the North corner, wearing the red and gold trunks, standing at six feet two inches and weighing in at 212 pounds is Brian Jenkins!”

  The crowd is a mixture of hoots and boos as Jenkins comes bouncing out of the portal, looking fierce with his bald head covered in sweat and his dark eyes focused on the octagonal ring surrounded by chain link. He bounces a few times when he enters the gate before the announcer decides to introduce Jay.

  “And in the South corner, wearing the lime green trunks, standing at six feet six inches, and weighing in at 195 pounds, Jay “The Bear” Hunt.” The crowd erupts into cheers as Jay comes out of the portal I left not too long ago. His eyes are trained on his opponent in the ring, but he seems to have a bubble of calmness around him.

  “The Bear? Where the hell did that come from?” I hear Blake mumble next to me, but I just smile at the nickname Jay chose to be called in the ring. When Jay finally walks past me and I see the word “Bear” written in bold white letters across the ass of his trunks with what looks like a pink lipstick print next to the word, I can’t stop the laugh that escapes me.

  After both of the fighters have gone over the rules with the referee and then bumped fists before returning to their corners, a ring girl walks around in a barely there bikini with her sign announcing the obvious-that it’s round one. She gives Jay a long stare with a smirk attached, one he doesn’t even seem to notice, before she pops out of the gate and the bell sounds.

  Both Jay and the other fighter, Jenkins, approach each other ready for blood. Jay strikes first with a swift upper cut to Jenkins’ jaw, followed by three quick jabs to the face and a kick to the ribs. Jenkins gets a few good jabs in on Jay’s head, but the majority of the blows are being taken by Jenkins.

  The bell sounds signaling the end of round one and both men go back to their corners. When Jay gets back to his corner to talk to his coach he glances over at me then winks when I give him an unsteady smile. After the ring girl has left the mat, the bell sounds and both men advance to the center of the ring again.

  People around me, including Blake, are shouting and enjoying the show, but I can’t wait for it to end. I’m standing in front of my chair with my hands over my mouth, hoping that it’s going to end soon.

  Jay takes a hammer fist to the right side of his jaw, but he recovers quickly and when Jenkins comes at him Jay sweeps his legs, dropping Jenkins to the mat. Before Jenkins can fully focus Jay is jumping on him. The two men scramble around on the floor, alternating which one has the upper hand and each getting a number of hits in on the other, but Jay comes out on top. After watching Jay alternate strikes from Jenkins’ ribs to his bald head a few times, I decide I can’t watch anymore and cover my eyes.

  A few seconds later the crowd erupts into cheers and a bell rings. I split my fingers around my eyes and see Jay jumping up in victory, and then he runs to the side of the cage closest to me and jumps to the top. When his legs are straddling the top of the cage he blows me a kiss before jumping back down and bouncing back to the center of the mat.

  Jay is announced the winner, lifting his gloved hand into the air while wearing a bloody smile. He then man hugs Jenkins and walks out of the ring. He rushes toward me, smiling and licking his lips.

  “Congrat-“ before I can get the whole word out, he gives me a big, sweaty kiss, mindful not to touch any other part of me so that I don’t get blood or sweat on my clothes. The crowd cheers loudly, though I can barely hear them because I’m completely focused on the sexy, sweaty man in front of me.

  “I’m going to go shower and get dressed really quick. Don’t move from this spot and I’ll be right out, okay?” I nod and bite my lip, excited that he’s done with his fight, but even more excited that we get to go home now so that I can have my way with him. As if he knows what I’m thinking he smirks and then bends to kiss me deeply once more before speaking.

  “I’ll be right back for that sexy ass, okay?” and with that, Jay walks back toward the locker rooms with his team and Blake following behind him.

  Ten minutes later, the place is clearing out quickly and I’m starting to get bored, so I decide to pull my phone out of my purse and see if I have any missed calls. The second I pull my phone out it starts to vibrate, signaling an incoming text. It’s from the unknown number again and my stomach instantly sinks when I read it.

  Unknown- Boo

  Before I can think too much into what that text means, a sweet smelling rag is placed tightly over my mouth and nose and the world goes fuzzy before my limbs go limp and complete darkness overtakes me.

  Chapter 26

  Jay

  Tonight was the best night I think I’ve had in my life. I won my fight and remained champion all while my beautiful girlfriend was here with me. Who am I kidding? Her being here to watch me was even better than winning in my book.

  I hustle back to the locker rooms with my coach and medics congratulating me the whole walk down the portal. I catch Blake walking up to me out of my peripheral vision and turn to glare at him. Even though he has apologized to me, saying he said those things to get back at me for hitting him so hard during our sparring match, I’m still a little pissed at him about everything. Judging by the look on his face, he knows it too, so he tries to apologize again.

  “Listen Jay, I’m still really sorry about what I said about Ada. I know you two belong together and I’m really happy for you, I guess I was just trying to get under your skin and I took it too far,” Blake mutters with a sad look in his eyes. “Are we okay?” he asks, holding his hand out for me to take.

  Blake has been my best friend for almost eight years, so I decide that it’s better to forgive and forget, but I’ll still be keeping an eye on him for a while.

  “Yeah man, we’re cool,” I say, shaking his hand and pulling him in for a quick one armed hug.

  After we break apart, Blake looks a bit uncomfortable. He’s looking everywhere but at me and he’s rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while he pulls his cell phone out with the other.

  “Okay, well I have something I have to go do, so I guess I’ll just catch you later,” he mumbles and then practically bolts out of the locker room door.

  I shrug and rush through my shower, eager to spend the night with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. I can’t wait to show her the surprise that I have for her. I should have just brought her back to the locker rooms with me, but it didn’t cross my mind until now, so I have to hurry and get back to my girl.

  After I’ve rushed through my shower, I walk out through the portal to the main floor and glance around, looking for Ada. I find a few people standing along the sides of the ring talking and the cleanup crew walking around, picking up trash, but I don’t see Ada anywhere. I start walking toward where she was seated and pull my cell phone out to call her. After the first ring I can hear a cell phone ringing by the cage, right where Ada was sitting.

  I start walking faster, feeling my mind start to panic. When I reach the ringing cell phone, I bend down to pick it up off the floor and see that it is Ada’s phone, lying right next to her purse. Something has to be seriously wrong because Ada wouldn’t just leave her things here.

  I unlock the screen on her phone and see that a text is open and what it says scares the shit out of me. ‘Boo’? Who the fuck is this person and what have they done with Ada?

  I start running around like a mad man, asking all of the people on the cleanup crew if they’ve seen Ada as I show them a picture of her on my cell phone. Every single one of them said they hadn’t seen her leave the stadium. I run outside and see her car is one of the only ones still actually parked in the large parking lot. While I’m running to her car, I call the police.

  “911- What is y
our emergency?” the operator asks.

  “My girlfriend has been kidnapped. I need police to the Desert Events Stadium right now!” I’m practically yelling as I run to Ada’s white Fiat to see if there is anything that will help me find her.

  “And when was the last time you saw her, sir?” the operator asks in the most calm fucking tone I’ve ever heard.

  “I saw her about half an hour ago,” I answer truthfully.

  “Sir, how can you be positive she was kidnapped?”

  “She’s been getting threatening text messages from an unknown number for a few months now. Detective Ronan Waters is still waiting on the phone company to release the information of the person the number belongs to. I just found her cell phone where she was sitting with a text that was sent to her a few minutes after I last saw her.”

  “Okay sir, I have police officers on their way to you right now. What is your girlfriend’s name?”

  “Ada Michaelson,” I stutter and run my fingers through my hair roughly, trying not to cry from the panic I feel in my heart. I’m so afraid that something has happened, or will happen to her, that I’m having a hard time putting coherent sentences together.

  A few minutes later, I hear sirens pulling into the stadium parking lot and I wave them over to me. They pull up and ask me question after question and I answer them as honestly as I can. Two officers put on plastic gloves and take Ada’s phone, pulling up the text messages and grimacing at a few of them. After they’ve radioed Ronan to come and assist on the case, they place her cell phone into a plastic bag as evidence. I’m so glad that she saved all of them for this reason, because when I find the asshole who took her, I will kill them.

  Chapter 27

  Ada

  I wake up groggy and sick to my stomach, most likely from the chloroform that was on the rag shoved over my nose. I close my eyes again and try so hard to get my aching stomach to settle down, but it has the opposite effect and I stiffly turn my head to the left to throw up violently. When I finish throwing up and get my breathing to settle down, I open my eyes to scan my surroundings.