I stand there looking at him like he has two heads. This entire conversation is making me uncomfortable. He cannot be serious. What guy would chase after someone like me, especially when he could do so much better? This guy is truly delusional, there is no way I’m going out on a date with him. “I’m busy tomorrow night. I just got back into town, so I’ll be unpacking.”
“You know if you really want to make this Jasper guy jealous, you cannot just be seen with me one time. He probably suspects there is something going on already, but if he got word that you and I were hanging out, he would probably start to believe this little charade.”
He makes a good point, but I have no idea what to say. I need to talk to Izzy and Bethany, they would know more about this then me.
“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” I say to him, and walk as fast I can in these stupid heels, in the direction of our group. They have somehow acquired more chairs that are placed in a circle as close to the table as they can get them, without getting in the way of the players. Izzy is sitting in Giovanni’s lap, and Bethany in Dalton’s. Jasper is sitting across from them, his back turned toward me, so he doesn’t see me walking up.
“…. I’ll beat him, just like I have everyone else. There is no reason to doubt me.” Jasper finishes saying, just as I walk up.
“You have a fight coming up?” I ask, genuinely interested.
Jasper turns around, barely looking at me, “That is none of your business, just go back over there to your fake boyfriend, and keep trying to make me jealous.”
His words catch me off guard, causing me to stare like a deer in headlights. Izzy soon comes to my rescue, asking Bethany and me to join her in the lady’s room.
“Can you believe the nerve of that asshole. He has no way of knowing you aren’t really dating Adriano. Why in the hell did you let him kiss you Candice?” Izzy is pacing the floor, in front of the sinks. “He needs to be knocked down a peg or two. When you get back out there, I want you to take Adriano on the dance floor.”
“That is not going to happen,” I say holding up my hand, “One I don’t dance, two I don’t want to dance, and three I don’t dance.”
“I agree with Izzy on this one Candice. You have to put forth some effort to make him jealous. Dancing is the only way at this point, unless you want to kiss Adriano.” Bethany says.
Feeling like I have no choice, I give in and agree to their plan. They teach me a few moves with my hips, while we are in the restroom. The girls that walk in and out, say nothing, but look at us as if we are crazy.
Exiting the bathroom with some much needed confidence we get midway between the bar and pool tables when we see a disturbance going on close to our table. Fully expecting it to be Liam and Jasper, I take off before Izzy and Bethany. Finally reaching the table we were playing at, I see K.J. snap a pool stick in half. In each of his hands, is the two broken pieces, and he’s walking toward Giovanni. I see Jasper and Dalton talking to K.J., most likely trying to reason with the raging beast I see behind his eyes, but they are not trying to hold him back in any physical way. Adriano is standing beside Giovanni, talking passionately with his hands waving through the air, a serious look on his face. I stop just shy of being in the way, but in hearing range of what K.J. is now saying to Giovanni who is standing in front of him. Thinking Izzy is still behind me, I make no move to push forward, it doesn’t exactly look safe.
K.J. takes the broken stick in his right hand, and cracks it across the face of a very surprised Giovanni. “I heard what you said mother fucker.” K.J. says in a deathly quiet voice, right before he cracks him in the ribs with the stick in his left hand. “The only thing you are going to be fucking tonight is this pool stick, when I shove it up your ass.” This causes a look of recognition come across Giovanni’s face.
“I didn’t know you spoke Italian.” He tries to plea with K.J.
That seems to be the wrong thing to say because K.J. drops the sticks and head-butts him in the nose. We all see him drop to the floor holding his nose, before the banshee screaming of Izzy alerts us to her presence. She pounces on K. J’s back, trying to put him in a head lock.
“What in the hell is wrong with you? You said you wouldn’t beat up anymore of my boyfriends. You promised you ASSHOLE!” K.J. stands there, taking her verbal abuse, then looks down at Giovanni one last time before kicking him in the stomach. He then reaches up and with the moves of a MMA god turns Izzy around on his shoulders, half her body now hanging down his. He doesn’t say a word to anyone, just strolls over to the emergency exit, located about thirty feet to his left.
Everyone stands around trying to figure out what the heck just happened. There is no way I would have been brave enough to jump on K.J.’s back like Izzy did, but I don’t think he would ever hurt her. I catch the looks he gives her when he thinks no one is looking.
Adriano is picking Giovanni off the floor, yelling at him in Italian. I’m glad he didn’t try to jump in, some might think he’s a pansy for staying back, but I think it just proves he is smart. “Do you need any help?” I offer Adriano, feeling guilty for him and his friend. I have no idea what Giovanni said to set off K.J., but I hate to see anyone in pain, even if they deserved it.
“No, I think I need to bring him to the hospital. You should stay here with your friends. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I give him a slight nod, and tell him bye. There is no way he can call me tomorrow. He doesn’t have my number.
After they are gone, it’s just Bethany, Dalton, Jasper and me. I can tell everyone is ready to call it a night, so I start to say me goodbyes, ready to get home myself. My feet are killing me in these shoes and my head is starting to hurt. Bethany gives me a hug, reminding me to call them as soon as I am finished unpacking so we can have a girl’s night out. I promise to do just that before telling Dalton to drive safely. Thankfully he mentions them taking a cab because he knew they would both be drinking. Turning to Jasper I debate on saying goodbye, but decide the best thing to do is just leave. I can’t take the nasty response that is sure to follow.
My car is parked on the street across from the bar, about a block down. I step out of the doors, with every intention of making my way down the street as quickly as possible. Looking around I don’t see any shadows or sketchy people so I continue forward. In the distance I can hear a door shut, but think nothing of it and continue on my path. The only warning I get before I feel a pressure on the left side of my head, is Jasper running toward me yelling my name. My world starts to fade to black, but not before I see the shadow of a man running into the alley.
Chapter 7
Jasper
As soon as she walks off I get out of my seat to follow her. I may be a prick, but it’s not safe for a woman to be on this side of town by themselves. I stay about twenty paces back, making sure she doesn’t see me. Candice pauses when she finally makes it out the door of the bar, her head turning left then right. At least she is using some intelligence by checking out her surroundings. Crossing the street at a quicker pace, she is at least thirty yards ahead of me when I make it out the door. She never sees the figure step out from behind the parked car to her left, but I do.
“Candice!” I yell, trying to get her attention. If she turns around, she would come face to face with the creep, and maybe be able to fight him off until I can reach her. I take off in a sprint, but it’s too late, he has hit her over the head with something, causing her to fall to the ground. By time I reach her she is lying unconscious on the sidewalk, blood oozing from a wound somewhere on her head. The guy disappeared in the alley, I’m sure I could catch him if I tried, but her head is bleeding pretty bad, so I take off my shirt and kneel down by her unmoving body. I place my hand on the left side of her head, noticing that’s where the blood is coming from. A knot has already formed, so I take my shirt and place it over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
“Candice, can you hear me?” I ask, snapping my fingers in her face. “Candice, I need you to wake up, open those eyes for me.
”
“Is that Jasper?” I hear Bethany’s voice getting closer to us. “Is that Candice he’s kneeling over?” I hear the tapping of her heels as she runs in our direction.
“Oh my god, is that blood, what happened to her?” Bethany asks, her voice clogged with emotion.
“Call 911, she’s unconscious, I can’t get her to wake up.” I say to Dalton, while making sure not to move Candice’s body too much. There is no telling what kind of damage that asshole has done, I need to make sure not to jar her body in anyway. “Someone attacked her before I could stop him, he had something in his hand when he ran off toward that alley,” I say jerking my head toward the alley on my left. As soon as Dalton gets off the phone with the ambulance, he turns to Bethany, “Stay with Jasper, I’ll be right back.”
“No Dalton, let the police handle it, he could still be out there.” She pleads with him but it goes unnoticed, he kisses her, and walks toward the alley. He disappears in the shadows, soon returning with a scowl on his face and a brick in his hand. There is blood on the surface of the brick, a clear indication what it was used for.
“Jasper?” I look down at Candice, who is now awake, and trying to sit up. “What happened? Why does my head hurt so bad? Why am I laying on the sidewalk?”
“You were attacked. Do you remember anything?” I ask her, trying to get her to stay still.
The moment her hand flies over her mouth and tears start streaming down her face, I know she remembers. She sits up, despite my insistence that she stay lying down, and touches the wound on her head. She winces with pain, gritting her teeth to keep from hollering out.
“Do you hear that ringing, or is it just in my head?” Candice whispers to me.
“That is the sirens from the ambulance, so no, it’s not just in your head Gorgeous.” I reply. She smiles up at me, her blue eyes shining bright in the moon light. “Why are you smiling, you just got your head smashed in by a brick yielding maniac?”
“You called me gorgeous again, and you’re being nice to me. If I would have known this was the way to get you to be your old self, I would have hired someone to do this sooner,” she says.
“You’ve only been back two days Candice. You should worry about something more important than me being nice. Like for instance who attacked you?”
“You’re the reason I came back, so why do I need to worry about anything else?” Choosing to ignore her question, I look over at Bethany and Dalton that are standing a few feet back, looking at us with smiles on their faces. Am I the only one that realizes Candice was almost killed tonight, there is no need for smiles and pointless conversations. I give a sigh of relief when I see the flashing lights reflecting off the buildings ahead.
“I’m going to pick you up and carry you to the ambulance, just put your arm around my neck.” I say to her.
“Where is your shirt?” she asks me, after I have her in my arms. I would be lying if I said this didn’t feel right. Her being in my arms once again, but I know the pain that comes along with losing her, and she is not the type to stay and fight. I’m sure I won’t see her for another three years after this incident. She may claim to have come back for me, but I’m not as gullible as I used to be. “I used it to stop the bleeding from that giant gash on your head, don’t worry it was an old shirt.”
“So all I have to do is bleed profusely from a head wound to get you half naked as well. I’ll need to remember this.” She says, her voice laced with exhaustion.
Reaching the ambulance, the medics walk around and open the door, I step in and place Candice on the bed to my left. I give a quick explanation to the short medic with blonde hair and really tan skin. You would think this guy would know that much sun is not good for you. As I turn to leave, Candice reaches up grabbing my hand.
“Are you not going with me?”
I look into her blue eyes so full of hope, waiting for me to answer. “I think it’s best if Bethany rides with you. I’m going to sit this one out.”
“Will you meet me at the hospital, please. I don’t think I can do this without you Jasper.” I see some of the hope drain from her eyes, and no matter how much I hate it, I lie. “I’ll be there.” I give her no time to reply before I turn around and step out of the ambulance.
“Bethany you ride with Candice and find a way to get in touch with her aunt. Dalton will meet you at the hospital.” Bethany doesn’t argue, she gets in the ambulance and leaves me and Dalton in the middle of the road staring at the fading taillights.
“You’re not going to the hospital are you?” Dalton breaks the silence with his question. “I wish I could say I understand, but I don’t. It’s obvious you still love her man, why are you so hell bent on making her suffer for one mistake.”
“Her one mistake almost cost me my fighting career. I was willing to throw it all away for her when she wasn’t willing to stay and fight for me. All I want is someone that wants me, not just needs me for a little while.” With that said, I turn around, leaving Dalton standing in the street, watching me walk away.
Chapter 8
Candice
Jasper never came to the hospital last night. My aunt showed up just as they were stitching up my head, telling me to take it easy for a few days. I had zero desire to do any type of strenuous activity anyway. I am unpacking some of the lighter boxes, thinking about all the events that occurred last night. It’s not lost on the me that the guy, who tried to bash my brains out, was never caught. Considering the police have no description to go on, because neither I, nor Jasper saw his face. Part of me thinks it was Christopher, but there is a nagging deep in my gut, telling me it’s not. This isn’t something he would do. He would certainly hit me over the head with a brick, but he would not have just stopped with one hit. I lived with that monster for thirteen years, I’m sure if anyone would know it would be me. My phone ringing jars me from my thoughts. Leaning over the box I’m currently trying to unpack, I grab my phone off the floor.
“Hello.” I answer without looking at the number.
“Amore mio, you sound even sexier over the phone.”
“Adriano? How did you get my number?” I ask, trying not to sound to rude.
“Izzy thought you wouldn’t mind if she gave it to me. Do you?”
Of course Ms. Match Maker would think it was okay. Just because Izzy thinks Giovanni and Adriano are something special, doesn’t mean I agree. Apparently K.J. found no redeeming qualities, what with him using that man’s face as his personal punching bag.
“Sorry Adriano, I spaced out, are you still there?”
“Why of course. How about I pick you up tonight for dinner, let’s say eight.”
“Listen Adriano I really can’t date you, not even to make Jasper jealous. After what happened last night It would not be wise for us to keep talking. K.J. is no joke, and I would hate to see you get hurt.”
“I can take care of myself Candice, but I think it’s sweet you worry about me.”
His accusation of me worrying about him makes my skin crawl, there is something way off with this guy, and I don’t want to talk to him anymore.
“Adriano I have another call coming in. It’s Izzy, I’m going to have to take this, Bye.” Before he can say anything else, I hang up the phone. I really do dislike being mean, but I feel I had no choice at this point. I hope he got the hint.
By the end of the night, I have unpacked all the light boxes, and talked my aunt into helping me unpack the heavy ones. It didn’t take much convincing on my part, she used the time to be nosey, and get the info on everything that has happened since I’ve been back. I told her about all of it, including the awkward phone call I had earlier today. She reassured me that Adriano is like any other warmed blooded male. He will get the hint and leave me alone, and move on to his next conquest. I really hope she is right.
The next few days I follow the doctor’s instructions, doing bare minimum and getting plenty of rest. The headaches following the attack are getting better each day, but too much noise a
nd sunlight seem to be a trigger for them. The computer screen is also not my friend, but I can’t help but to google Jasper all day, trying to get as much information as I can. Three years may not seem like a lot to some people, but in those three years the boy I feel in love with has turned into a man I barely recognize.
I’m astonished reading about all the fights he has been getting into outside the octagon. There is never an arrest made, because no one ever presses charges. I come across a few photos of him fighting for the belt, that’s when I notice the tattoo on his back. I zoom in as far as I can on my laptop, trying to get a closer look. The whole left side of his back is inked up in patterns that look robotic. There are parts on the tattoo that make it look like his skin is melting off, revealing detailed gears and cranks. Is this what he sees himself as, no longer human?
It’s now Friday, and I’m currently getting ready to crash one of Jasper’s scheduled events. Dalton got me a seat at the press conference that’s taking place today, sitting between him and Bethany. K.J. couldn’t make it, and Izzy is working, so it’s just me tagging along with the two love birds. Izzy feels really awful for not making it to the hospital on Saturday, but I keep telling her it’s no big deal. We are having our girl’s night out tonight. She promised to buy me a drink to make up for being a crappy friend. Her words not mine. I hear the doorbell ring, and prepare myself for the awkwardness of playing third wheel at an event I’m technically not wanted at.
On the ride over to the auditorium, Dalton filled Bethany and I on the what’s what of this fight. The guy Jasper is fighting apparently is a cocky prick that thinks Jasper is a washed up fighter. His name is Lucky and he has been kicked out of several other leagues for holding submissions, and eye gouging. He sounds like a real jerk to me. I have no doubt Jasper will beat him in July. I smile to myself, amazed by some of the excitement I feel to watch this conference today. Who would have thought, Candice Price could be an MMA fan?
Torn Apart (Fatally Flawed #2) Page 4
