by Nana Prah
But…
Why had he lied? He said there’d been a reason, but she hadn’t let him explain. Didn’t he deserve a chance to let her know why he’d done it?
Love meant believing in someone. Listening to them even when their words and actions disappointed you. Forgiving them when they made a mistake and owned up to it. Being there for them when they needed you most. Something her parents had never done for her and Trista. Is that the weak example she was following? Selfish people she’d sworn never to emulate.
Once the mats were stored, the kids sprinted to the table. To her surprise they formed an orderly line and watched those before them receive a bag containing food, a box of juice, and their choice of an orange or an apple. Each one thanked Suarez and Trista as they handed over the goodies.
Some of the children sat and ate their meal in the gym while others skipped away with it. The generous helping of macaroni and cheese, green beans, and two portions of chicken made her wonder just how much Lamar spent on these kids. Not the way she’d expected him to spend his money.
The only thing about Lamar that screamed prosperity was the quality of the things he purchased, including his home which was only slightly bigger than hers although set in a more exclusive neighborhood. He lived a simple life enjoying what made him happy.
What she couldn’t comprehend was him using his time. He could’ve been doing any number of things for himself rather than being with the youth. She understood his motivation of helping the children. He’d grown up in Roxbury. Lost his sister here. Of course, he’d want to give back. Make a difference.
“Oh, my goodness!” she whispered and then slammed a hand over her mouth as her mind spun with a conversation they’d had. Why hadn’t she remembered it before? When he’d told her about his sister’s death, he’d admitted to wanting to start a community center in her name.
The new facility he’d mentioned before she’d blocked him. Her not being able to find information about an upcoming PCB Fitness on the internet. Trista bringing her here to witness his involvement with these children. It all made sense.
The ice she’d attempted to encase her heart in cracked. Feeling like a foolish stubborn goat, she berated herself for not hearing him out. He’d been a good man for the time she’d known him, always treating her with respect. As an equal. He was a rational man who knew how to strategize. His decision to return to the cage wouldn’t have been taken lightly.
She held back from smacking herself in the forehead at the mistakes she’d made and unnecessary misery she’d put them through. Anger and perceived heartbreak were a hazardous combination.
Chapter 32
It had taken every ounce of self-discipline to prevent Lamar from hurtling over his stretching students and capturing Gia in his arms. Restraining himself had kept her from running out the door never to be heard from again. She needed to witness and understand why he hadn’t been completely upfront. Being without her for the week had threatened not just his own peace, but that of everyone around him.
When El came up with the idea of having Gia observe their scheduled class in Roxbury, he’d jumped at the opportunity. The only person they’d needed to get on their side was Trista. He’d left convincing her up to Suarez who, even though he refused to admit it, liked the influential woman.
It had taken Trista calling, cussing him out, and interrogating his motives toward her sister before she agreed to get involved. Everything had fallen into place and Gia had come to him.
Lamar watched as she interacted with a group of kids. She had a natural charm with them. They listened to her with rapt attention. She’d make a fantastic mother to his children one day. This time apart had taught him all he needed to know about his feelings for her. He wanted to see where the relationship would take them.
The chance had finally presented itself and he wouldn’t fail in gaining her trust. Having her accept his decision to compete in the UFC might be harder. He winced at the harsh way she’d gone off on him that night. She’d been holding in her feelings and when the opportunity came, she’d hit him with them.
Gia didn’t know him well enough to understand how much he believed in himself and his skills. How much he needed to complete this mission for his own mental health. It would plague him for the rest of his life if he didn’t go through with it. He couldn’t live with the regret of not knowing.
Thirty minutes later, Lamar announced, “Okay guys, time to go.”
The groans from the remaining participants weren’t just about leaving the attention they’d been receiving, but staying within the safety that the program represented. The unstable neighborhoods they lived in didn’t provide them with peace. When they were with him, they knew they were safe. He understood the feeling and anticipated doing more to give them the haven they desperately needed.
The children trudged out of the gymnasium with a wave. The two guys who volunteered from his MMA class at the gym stepped up to him. A hand slap and hug for each and they were heading out to enjoy the rest of their Saturday.
And then there were four.
“Trista, didn’t you say you had an emergency meeting?” Suarez asked.
The woman didn’t miss a beat as she waved her phone. “I just got the call. Lamar, can you give Gia a ride home?”
Gia’s exasperated sigh indicated she wasn’t buying their act for a minute, yet she didn’t argue.
His heart beat faster. Maybe their plan had worked and she wanted to talk to him. Forgive him. Let him hold her again and fill the emptiness in his cavernous chest. “I don’t mind,” he answered, while keeping his gaze on Gia. “Not at all.”
Gia’s body hummed as Lamar strode toward her. His gaze had caressed her from the moment he’d dismissed the kids to get their food.
Her heart bled for those precious children. She couldn’t imagine the stories they’d one day tell…if they survived.
What Lamar was doing for them had to be one of the biggest blessings they’d received in their short lives. On their behalf she sent up a prayer of gratitude. He cared enough to help guide them in a society that would just as well toss them aside.
The guilt at his role in his sister’s death still lived within him. Keisha had left the world protecting him, and that wasn’t something someone ever got over. Was his need to help others his way of alleviating it? Of taking control of fate for these children when he couldn’t go back in time and undo what he still felt responsible for? No matter what drove him: his past or the children’s potential of having a better future, Lamar Pearce was a magnificent human being.
Alone together, Gia didn’t know what to do with her limbs. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she hunched her shoulders as she spied that breathtakingly handsome face through her meager lashes.
He broke the silence. “How are things going at work? Any heads I need to crack?”
She grinned knowing that even as their relationship stood, he would still defend her. “Much better. Harrison and I aren’t friends, but he’s no longer antagonizing me. I think he learned his lesson, because he isn’t bullying anyone else in the office either.” Excited to discuss something he had been integral in shifting for her, she rambled on. “And I’ve finally moved past designing. I’m creating this amazing coffee machine and will see it through to manufacturing level.”
“Glad to hear that you’re happy there.”
Tension created a wall between them again. She cleared her throat. “How long have you been working with the children?”
“About four years.”
She took in a double-stuttered breath.
He held her gaze when she looked at him straight on. “Although this neighborhood stole my sister from me, it was my home when my mother couldn’t afford anywhere else. The youth need more than what they’ve been witnessing in the streets.”
One of his massive shoulders rose, then fell. “The training is just my miniscule way of giving back.”
His humility intrigued her. “Do you always teach the classes?
”
“No. I come in once a month. They train every Saturday. Volunteers from my MMA group are scheduled to teach during the other dates. I give them a discount on my training rates as incentive.”
“I see.” Her curiosity expanded like a balloon blown up in one puff by an elephant. “What about the food, do you always feed them?”
“Yes. For some it’s the only nutritious meal they get for the day. Sometimes for the weekend until they return to school.”
With every question he answered, Gia tossed him onto a higher rung of respect. She thought she’d loved him before, but witnessing the care, dedication, and protection he showed for strangers had proven that love had the capacity to expound.
Despite how badly she wanted to propel herself into his arms and never let go, they needed to clear the air before they could move on. “What gym are you guys planning to open?” She knew the answer before he spoke. Saw it in the straightening of his back and the gleam that came to his eyes. Pride in his anticipated accomplishment was evident in the slight grin. She now knew that the only reason he’d have deceived her was to improve the lives of these children. Yet she needed to hear it.
“You may not remember, but it’s the youth sports complex I told you about. Right here in Roxbury named after my sister. All we need is grant and sponsorship money from the government and organizations we’ll apply to. We’re ready to implement the fundraising ideas we’ve come up with, too. It’ll come together once we get a radical boost to PCB Fitness’s reputation.” His top lip arched up into a slight snarl. “All thanks to your sister. Suarez has been boring us with daily reports about our growth at all our sites, and it’s only been a few days since Trista’s video aired.”
Gia had contributed at least a thousand of the seven hundred thousand views the post had received. She hadn’t been able to stop hitting replay even though it hurt to watch him. “Trista did a great job. Plus, her viewers love to see me humiliate myself.”
“You were amazing. Beautiful, graceful, and strong.”
Her mouth went dry at the depth of intensity in his eyes and words. “Um, what you’re planning for the kids is incredible.”
Lamar expanded his arms and for a moment Gia thought he’d twirl. “It’s going to change their lives. At least that’s what we hope. Give them a place of refuge on more than just Saturdays. They’ll be able to do their homework and have help from tutors. Counselors will be available. They’ll learn how to play sports of all kinds to stimulate their interests in more than just basketball or football. And for those who aren’t into sports, or even if they are, there’ll be other classes such as cooking, woodworking, mechanics and more.” He grinned. “It’s something I wish I could build in every city.”
Gia’s legs carried her forward before she realized that her brain had given the order. What she’d just learned about this man called out to every cell in her body. His enthusiasm for the project had crashed into her so hard it captured her will.
Within arm’s reach, her mind kicked in and she planted her feet. Swallowing hard, she sent her pride sliding down with the little moisture she’d had in her mouth. “I’m sorry, Lamar. I should’ve been more open-minded and listened to you.”
He closed the distance between them and glided the back of his fingers from the crest of her cheek to her chin. She fought to keep her eyes open as she relished his touch. She’d missed him so much.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I was wrong, too. I should’ve found a way through the stipulation and told you.”
Unable to keep her hands off him, she reached up to rest her palms against his chest. She’d rather have him in her life for as long as she could while he was whole than waste another minute without him.
“I can understand what drove you. You did it to help better the lives of others. To give back when so much had been taken from you when you were younger.” She released a hefty sigh. “I still don’t understand your need to fight again, but I’m ready to support you if that drive is as strong as the one you have for assisting those kids.”
His gaze roamed over her face and landed on her eyes. “I’m sure we could apologize to each other all day, but I’d rather be kissing you.”
Heart hammering, she wound her arms around his neck. He took the move as an invitation and lowered his head the fraction of space remaining.
As if returning home, the sweetness of his mouth suffused her with an elation she’d only ever experienced with him. When he slipped his tongue past her lips, the rightness of the moment hit her with pleasure so powerful that her toes curled. Devouring him, she moaned as she clung to his shoulders. Being flush against him wasn’t enough.
When Lamar pulled away, he was panting as hard as her. “Will you go out on a date with me?”
An unstoppable grin raised her cheeks. “Where people will see us together?”
He squeezed her hips. “So everyone knows that you’re my woman, and I’m your man.”
She clutched at his shirt. “Are we? I mean… are we?”
A hint of modesty made an appearance with the downward tilt of his head. Was Lamar “Phantom” Pearce unsure?
“When Trista first told us about you, I expected someone weak,” he said instead of answering her question. “A pushover I’d have to work hard to help boost her confidence. I’ve never been more wrong. Giana Baxter, you’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. Your ability to adapt and make people feel good about themselves is an impressive quality. The fact that I became a better, more attentive trainer after working with you says just how much influence you have on me.”
“Enough to get you to stay retired?”
His eyes narrowed. “Is that a stipulation to being with me?”
She got queasy at the thought of loving a man who may become permanently brain damaged. Life was happening right now. She needed to trust his judgment. His determination. She licked her lips and hit him with the truth. “No, but I had to try.”
He flexed the hand spanning her waist and flung his head back with his laughter. “I’m sure it won’t be the last time either.” Then he sobered. “I’m looking forward to discovering exactly how great we can be together. What do you say?”
Her braids fell forward with her eager nod. “Yes.”
The simple response had his lips pressed against hers, stealing her breath away.
She’d finally found her rock. The one she could depend on to stand by her side and support her because she’d be the same for him.
Lamar may be an apparition in the UFC cages, but in her arms, in her world, he was the most solid person she could’ve asked for and would ever need.
Epilogue
The crowd in Chicago rose to their feet, deafening everyone in the stadium when Lamar jogged into the octagon. Appreciating his fans, he raised both arms and bowed his head. They cheered harder.
Gia placed two fingers in her mouth and shrieked out the loudest whistle she could manage. No matter what happened in there, she vowed to stick with him. Just like she had for the past two and a half months. Some of the trepidation she’d carried about him fighting had been relieved when he’d taken her to watch him train. He’d been brilliant and she could see why he had so much faith in himself. Now she did, too.
The kiss he’d bent her over his arm with before heading to the changing room had her stomach fluttering with more than nerves.
It would’ve been so much easier on her if she were the one in the cage. Not that she’d have any chance of winning, but at least she wouldn’t be as anxious. His confidence had enshrouded her while they’d been together. It fled the moment he’d left her side.
And now here she was sitting among people who wanted him to win as much as she did. Just like the other matches of his professional career, his mother preferred to stay home and pray until they called her with the results. Smart woman.
The trip they’d taken to Florida to visit with Annette Pearce had been wonderful. Being a mama’s boy, Gia had harbored fears of Annette not wanting he
r to be with her son. She couldn’t have been more wrong. The woman had treated her as if she was family.
Annette’s whispered words as she’d hugged her on their first encounter stayed fresh in her mind. “Lamar has told me so much about you. If my son has brought you to see me, then you must be special. Welcome home, darling.”
The shouts from the crowd snatched her to the present and she joined in.
Trista placed a hand on Gia’s shoulder. “Calm down.”
El chuckled. “I’m ready to hold her back if she decides to crowd-surf before scaling the cage.”
Gia resumed her seat and refrained from booing when Lamar’s opponent came out. The low hisses couldn’t be helped. She clasped her trembling hands together sizing up the enemy. A wall of muscle with one of his tanned arms and the side of his chest coated with tattoos. She’d refused to check out his record of wins and losses. It didn’t matter. The only thing she cared about was Lamar leaving the cage with all of his faculties intact. She wouldn’t refuse a win either.
The referee started the fight and Gia’s shouts of encouragement commenced. By the end of the first round, she was ready to get to his corner with her own pep talk consisting of beating the guy’s ass down, but Trista broke into her flurry of action. “Who are you?”
“What?” Gia blinked at her sister before fixing her gaze back on Lamar. He looked strong. Standing, when the enemy sat.
Trista laughed. “You’re the craziest cheerleader I’ve ever seen.”
“I tried to warn you,” Suarez said as he rubbed his forearm. When had Trista and Suarez changed seats? El laughed. Gia spared each of them a glare. “You guys can cut it out. I’m not that bad.”
Trista held up her phone. “Unedited videos don’t lie.”
Just as she promised to behave, or at least try to, the bell rang and the second round began. Good behavior went out the window as the cuss words flew out her mouth.
