“I’m just not sure I can do it today.”
“That’s okay, hun. I’m sure he will be waiting when you’re ready.”
“I hope so,” I said when she was finished and we walked out of the bathroom. “I hope it’s not too late.”
I said, nodding toward some scantily-clad women who were draping themselves around him taking selfies.
“That’s his job here today. He doesn’t want those girls and hasn’t even looked at them once.” She smiled. “He looks like he’s miserable.”
Beth ran over a second later looking breathless. “You’re never going to believe this. Someone wants to adopt Gus. We have to get Kyle,” she said out of breath. I ran over to Kyle’s line and stood in front of him.
“I’m sorry guys, but Kyle has something he has to deal with but feel free to take pictures with the rest of the guys until he returns.” There were a lot of grumbles from the crowd as I grabbed Kyle’s hand before I thought about what I was doing. His touch sparked up my arm but I shook it off. He would never forgive us if he couldn’t say goodbye to his old friend before he was adopted. Gus had been a part of the shelter since it opened, but he deserved to go to someone who would love and care for him. Kyle only made it once a week, and I was hoping he would understand. Kyle pulled me to a stop looking deep into my eyes. “What’s going on?” The question sounded far deeper than I liked so I answered what I knew.
“Gus has been adopted,” I blurted. At first his eyes filled with sadness and I didn’t want to know why I figured it had very little to do with Gus. After recognition settled in that smile that I loved so much crossed his face.
“He’s being adopted?” He started pulling me to the adoption area. He was excited and all the regret and sadness I’d seen there earlier melted away as he dropped to his knees in front of old Gus and wrapped his arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you’re finding a new home.” He nearly cried. The little old lady who was adopting him smiled serenely.
I stepped away from the private moment even though I wanted to be there for him desperately. When the sweet lady handed him something and walked away leading Gus away, my feet itched to move to him, but I didn’t. The guilt clawed at my insides as I watched his sister comfort him from a distance. Why was I acting like this? Why was I letting my own insecurities get in the way? I knew now that what I thought I saw, I didn’t. I was being completely irrational and I knew it.
KYLE
The old lady, Rose, left me her phone number so I could call her anytime I wanted to see old Gus. She really was a sweet lady. As soon as she left, I looked up to see Delia’s retreating back and I felt cold despite the warm spring weather. Vegas is one of those places that has two seasons really, hot or cold. The only way you differentiate spring from fall was by the rise and drop in temperatures.
“I have worked to do.” Delia wouldn’t look me in the eye.
“My sister told you and you still won’t look at me?” I asked getting angry.
“It’s not about that. It hasn’t been for over a week.” She grimaced as her eyes fell on something behind me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” She practically yelled.
Turning, I saw the last person I ever thought I’d see at an MMA event. Brandon Sullivan stood there looking sheepish. “That’s it?” I turned on her. “That’s what’s changed? Wow, Delia, you sure work fast, don’t you?” I sneered. Her face turned red and tears streamed rivers down her cheeks. She took a step forward but I put my arm up to stop her in her tracks before stomping away. “You know, after what he did to you, I never would have thought you would do this to me. You talk big about not dating clients but you sure do like athletes don’t you? How many of my teammates have you fucked?” I knew I was being a dick, but I didn’t care. She’d left me in limbo for weeks and all the time she was getting back with that douche? Fuck that. Sullivan’s arm shot out to stop me.
“Whoa, whoa, it not like….” I didn’t even give him a chance to finish his sentence before I flung his arm away from me. How could she do this to me? Was it payback for what she thought I’d done? I stomped right past my line of fans to my truck I was about to open the door when Pete stopped me.
“You’re making a mistake, man.” He shoved me. “I talked to Brandy. If you do this, you have no idea what you’ll be losing.”
“Nothing I haven’t already lost.” I stared him down. I could feel the tears burning the back of my eyes but I refused to cry. MMA fighters didn’t cry. What the fuck is wrong with me? Ever since that woman came into my life, I became a pussy.
“Brandon was here to adopt a kitten nothing more.” He looked at me and I could see the truth in his eyes, but something still bothered me.
“If that’s not it, then what is it?” I growled. She’d been back from her grandmother’s for a week. I had everyone telling me to give her time. How much time did she need? “Kimmy told her who she is, and yet she still won’t talk to me.” I didn’t understand. If it wasn’t Kimmy and it wasn’t Sullivan, then what was she so scared of? What was so important that she needed all this time to process? “What the hell can be more important than us?” I said almost to myself.
“I don’t know. All Brandy said was it was bigger than anything any of us have dealt with before, and if you want to get her back don’t push this, but by the way you just went off on her, it might be too late.” He shook his head in disgust.
“I fucked up. I should have known she wouldn’t get back with that cheating dick. What the fuck was I thinking.” Angry footsteps came flying up the gravel parking lot and next thing I knew I had three very pissed off women standing in front of me. Pete put his hands up backing away. Smart. All their wrath was directed at me so he walked backwards toward the event.
“What the fuck did you just do?” Brandy’s hatred was obvious. “She just left her own event in tears. I couldn’t even get her to tell me what happened. I had to hear it from that assface, Brandon Sullivan.”
“Shit.”
“Shit is right, you moron.” Kimmy was glaring at me too. She’d only met her for five minutes but she was already pissed on her behalf. Bethy was scowling and shaking her head but remained silent. She was so sweet and loving she didn’t say bad things about others lightly. She was the one that let me and my older sisters do all the smack talking for her, though she could swear with the best of them.
“Whatever happened to family loyalty?” I shook my head in defeat.
“This is family loyalty.” Kimmy looked like she wanted to say something more but Brandy shot her a glare. “What? I’m not saying that. I’m saying I’m being loyal to him for chewing him a new asshole. I saw those damn stupid tweets. Anyone who would go back to that after the way he treated her is stupid, and we all know that Delia’s not stupid.”
“She’s the smartest person I know,” I said thoughtfully. Regret tinged my words. I did the exact same thing to her that she did to me. We really needed to learn how to trust each other. If we couldn’t, it wouldn’t matter how much we loved each other. I didn’t wait for them to speak again. I threw open the door to my truck and jumped in, barely getting the door shut before I floored it kicking up gravel as I tore out of the parking lot.
I berated myself the whole way to Delia’s apartment, hoping to God that she didn’t pull another disappearing act. It seemed to be her MO when she was upset. I was just hoping I could get to her before she left, maybe for good this time.
I parked in the same parking space I had the night before and didn’t even bother closing the door to my truck as I ran down the path to her front door. Banging as hard as I could, I was surprised that my fist didn’t go through the wood, or I didn’t break a finger. “Delia,” I screamed. “Open the door, beautiful. I’m so, so sorry.” I was probably making an ass of myself and any time there would probably be people with camera phones video taping Kyle Walkers’ massive melt down. Either that or Las Vegas finest would be there to cart me off to jail.
Long minutes
went by as I begged and pleaded for her to answer the door or even just say something, but she never did. Slumping to the ground I leaned my head back against the door, tears I’d held in check over the last hour streaming down my face. It was well and truly over. She could never forgive me for the way I acted even though I had forgiven her the day she took off.
DELIA
I sat against the door listening to him beg me to answer. I couldn’t. The anger and hatred in his eyes when he saw Brandon there was still fresh in my mind. I hadn’t even seen Brandon before that moment. I’d had no idea he was even there or why he’d come to my event after the way he’d acted.
My hands wrapped protectively around my belly. When he stopped I thought it was over, but I heard him slide to the ground on the other side of the door. It was heartbreaking listening to his muffled sobs on the other side of my too thin door. The damnedest thing happened as I sat there huddled against the front door just trying to be close to him. That demon cat meowed before walking over and curling up in my lap. My hand reflexively went to her head and began scratching her ears. She purred loudly. It nearly shocked me out of my grief when her head came up and batted my hand when I stopped. It figured that it took my whole world falling apart for the damn cat to warm up to me. I laughed quietly and scared her out of my lap. She gave me a dirty look as she sauntered over to her spot on the couch and laid down going back to sleep.
My phone vibrated in my hand so I crawled to my bedroom and clicked the door shut quietly behind me.
“Hello,” I croaked sniffling through my tears.
“Why haven’t you put that boy out of his misery yet?” Brandy admonished. “He’s going to be all over the Internet in a matter of hours. The laughingstock of the MMA world. Is that what you want?”
“No, of course not, Brandy.” I sighed. “You didn’t see the look of disgust on his face. The words he said to me like he meant so little that I’d hook up with Brandon.”
“Well, I’m looking at his face right now and I’d say tortured is the way he looks. His facial expressions are as if he’s been dragged through the pits of hell, Dee. Cut the boy some slack. How can you be like this, when you did the same thing to him? I never took you for a hypocrite.” I mulled over her words for long minutes before scrambling to the front door and flinging it open. I crashed down to my knees when I saw his truck peel out of the parking lot in the direction of the gym.
“I was too late.” I sniffed but the line was dead. A moment later Brandy was there picking me up off the floor and helping me to the couch. I sat there in a daze wondering how the hell I was going to be a mom when I couldn’t even control everything else in my life. Brandy stayed quiet as she did God knows what in the kitchen.
A knock on the door had me jumping and running to the door before flinging it open. My hopes were dashed when I saw a certain quarterback at my door looking regretful. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” There was so much he had to be sorry for, but the only thing I cared about was what had happened today.
“I don’t know… everything. I want to apologize to Kyle too. All the stuff on Twitter was uncalled for. That was the reason that I came to the adoption day. I wanted to talk to you both at the same time. I had no idea you two were having problems.” He sighed. “I was a complete jerk, and it looks like I ruined a good thing for you, and for that I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s a little late for that,” Brandy growled.
“Hey, warden.” He laughed weakly. When we’d been dating Brandy gave him the same “I’ll kill you” speech that she gave Kyle ever since then he’s called her warden. She hated it. She growled angrily.
“Too little too late, asshole, you see what your damn apology did?” Brandy said menacingly.
“Brandy, stop. Brandon, it’s fine. I understand but you need to go. I’m not in the mood to have guests right now.” I sighed heavily. The only thing I wanted to do in that moment was curl up and go to sleep. I had a big day the next day with the start of the photo shoots for the calendar scheduled. Bethy had been taking pre-orders at adoption day and had posted the link to order copies on the shelters website. I had inadvertently scheduled Kyle’s session first figuring at the time that it would be easier that way because of the fact that we would arrive together and he could go train straight after. Now though? I was wishing I’d scheduled him last. It was hard enough dealing with everything I’d put him through; the thought that I wasn’t done scared me shitless. I know Kimmy said he’d be happy about it all, but I wasn’t so sure after everything we’d been through in the last few weeks.
Walking away from my front door that still stood wide open, I went in my room and closed and locked the door behind me. I didn’t have to worry. I knew Brandy would kick him out and either stay or lock the door behind her when she left. I was numb. I didn’t think there were anymore tears to cry until I grabbed his pillow and held it to my chest. His woodsy musk assaulted my nose and the last few tears sprung to my eyes. I would look like hell tomorrow, but I really didn’t give a damn.
KYLE
I didn’t want to go home, there was nothing for me there. The only thing that mattered was Delia. So, instead of going home, I hit the gym. It was a little less than two months until I fought Kaden, who was actually a pretty decent guy, and every little bit helped. There was no real tape of him fighting so I was at a distinct disadvantage.
It looked like Darren was the only one there when I pulled up. He stood in the reception area waiting for me shaking his head with a frown on his face. “You messed this one up good, kid.” Hell. I knew that. I didn’t need someone else to remind me. “You look like shit.”
“Oh good, the outside matches the inside,” I snarked.
“Don’t you have a photo shoot in the morning?” He asked as he walked to a refrigerator he had behind the reception desk and pulled out two beers.
“Coach?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m training remember?”
“One night having a couple isn’t gonna kill ya, besides, you look like you could use it.” He handed me the bottle. I took a healthy swig and sat down on one of the guest chairs.
“I’m not going to the shoot tomorrow,” I blurted.
“You sure that’s wise?” he asked, completely devoid of judgment.
“Coach, look at me, I can barely function right now. If I pose like this, I’ll end up a sobbing mess begging her to forgive me and I’ll lose all my street cred.” Coach laughed.
“Well, you gotta do what you gotta do, but what if this is the last opportunity you have to see her. Tomorrow’s not guaranteed, kid.”
“I know that, but she doesn’t want to see me. I banged on her door for fifteen minutes. I sat there for another ten and I know she was there because her car was there. But honestly, how can I expect her to want to see me when I did the exact same thing to her that she did to me?” I took another long hard gulp from my beer easily drinking half of it down before looking at him. He shrugged.
“Because she loves you.” His eyes never left mine. “And you love her. Maybe if the two of you would get out of your own damn heads and admit that, we could all move on and worry about this fight in the hopes that you don’t injure any more of your teammates.” He shook his head.
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Coach. I’ll go to the shoot tomorrow and see what I can do. If she really loves me she’ll talk to me, right?” I asked hopefully even though I wasn’t sure. It could honestly go either way. “I’m gonna head out and try to get some sleep.”
“Grab something frozen from your fridge and put it on your eyes to get rid of some of the puffiness.” He ordered.
“Thanks, Coach.” I smiled as I walked out the front door to my truck. The night air in Vegas was cool so I decided to roll down the windows. It was probably stupid since I had to go through one of the shadier parts of town to get to my house, but I was a freaking MMA star, shit like that didn’t happen to me. The light turned red and I had my radio turn
ed up so I never even heard the two thugs come up behind me. A gun was thrust against the side of my head before I could even blink. “Don’t try anything, man. I will blow your fucking head off.”
He yanked open the door pulling me out of my truck to kneel on the sidewalk. Pain lanced through the back of my head and then everything went black.
***
I have no idea how long I was out before I rolled over on the hard cement groaning. Seconds later everything came rushing back like a title wave. Reaching back I felt a warm sticky substance on the back of my head. Feeling around in my pockets for my phone, thinking I probably need to get to the hospital, two things became blindingly clear. My phone and my wallet were both missing. “Shit what the fuck am I gonna do now?” I wondered allowed as I got up from the concrete. I was about as far from the strip as I could get without actually leaving the city. There were just residential areas for at least a mile.
As I lamented the death of pay phones and phone booths a police car stopped next to me. I had been walking for a good hour and I was literally about to drop where I stood. The only thing keeping me going was that I probably had a concussion.
The cops got out of the car both with hands on their sidearms as they eyed me warily. I hadn’t even realized how bad I must look to them. My head was bleeding pretty bad and I was wobbling on my feet from the loss of blood. With someone else finally there to make sure I didn’t die, I collapsed to the ground. “Carjacked.”
***
The next time I came to, it was mid morning. I could smell the sterile stench of disinfectant and death, and breathed a sigh of relief that the officers had brought me to the hospital. “You’re lucky you have a recognizable face or you’d be waking up alone.” I heard Darren admonish from the corner. “What the hell happened after you left the gym?”
Exposed Page 12
