“I can do this.” I repeated the words as I nodded. I looked over at my shorts, and then stood. “Give me a minute.”
Dad smile before heading to the door. “I’m going to check on your mother. I want to make sure she got to her seat okay, then I’ll be back.” He left, and I went to work changing.
By the time he was back, I was fully dressed with my earbuds in. He sat in front of me with my wraps, and reached for my left hand. As he wrapped it, I closed my eyes and let the fight play out in my mind. I went over every move that my opponents might try, and how I would respond. I let the music drown out my doubts, and I let myself believe I could win.
“We’re up next.” Dad shook me slightly so I’d look at him. I clicked the music off and stuffed my phone in my bag. “No fear!” Dad growled as he flipped the hood up on my robe, and we walked to the tunnel.
“No fear!” I growled as I smacked my hands together. I tuned everything out until the light came my way.
“And in the red corner weighing in at one sixty-five, Easton “Easy E” McKay.” His voice echoed as it bounced around the arena. The spotlight lit up the stairs, and I began jogging down to the cage. Dad stayed back even farther than he used to, and when the light searched for him, he dodged it. I didn’t notice it then, or maybe I was just too up in my own world, but Dad was the one in the shadows this time.
When we both reached the floor, he guided my robe off my shoulders before shouting over the music “no fear” again. I nodded and stepped up to the door of the cage. Once inside, I bounced around and waved at the crowd. The roar was deafening.
The Raptor smiled at me, showing off a green mouth guard. It matched his blue and green shorts. His head was shaved, and I could see sweat beads already forming. I wasn’t sure if that was nerves or if he was actually hot.
“Fighters, take your positions.” The ref gave a quick nod. I reached out to tap knuckles and then bent my knees, assuming a fighting stance. The bell sounded to start the fight, and the Raptor swooped in.
Dad shouted, “No Fear!” once again as we locked arms.
It was as if he’d lit a spark with those two little words. Instinct kicked in, and my body fought back. Muscles remembered as I hit, kicked, and spun. A sweep of my leg, and he was on the mat. A few seconds later, and I had him in a submission hold. He kicked and bucked, but I tightened my grip, and watched the will to keep going drain from his face. He knew I had him, and he knew I would keep coming until I’d won.
“Winner!” The ref slapped the mat, and I released him. The Raptor slowly stood and held out his hand to shake before exiting the cage. It was in those few moments, the ones before everyone goes wild, that I always look for my mom. Tonight was no different. As the referee held up my hand, I scanned the crowd. It wasn’t hard to find her; she was jumping up out of her seat, and there beside her, was Hadleigh. She was smiling, and she waved when she saw me watching.
I spit my guard out as the announcer named me the Ultimate Knockout Champion. The ref released my hand, but I kept it up as I punch the air with my other hand. Dad was smiling from the floor, and opened the door as I climbed down. “You did it.” He beamed with pride.
“I did it!” I shouted as he draped my robe over my shoulders. My face was covering every monitor in the place with a gold belt below it. It was the moment I’d spent almost a year waiting to experience. I was on top again, and this time it was different. This time it felt like it was where I was meant to be.
ooooooooo
Hadleigh
I paced the room for what felt like the fiftieth time as I checked my watch. Easton said he was on his way. He said he was right behind me, but here I am and he’s not here yet. I checked my watch again. It was in that moment that there was a knock at the door. I took a deep breath as I attempted to calm myself. “Coming,” I called out as I tried not to rush over. I was nervous, and excited about tonight. It was something that I’ve been waiting for, and Easton’s win seemed like the perfect time.
I slowly opened the door, and peeked around the edge. He was standing there freshly showered, with his gym bag over his shoulder. “Sorry it took me so long,” He smiled. “Press conference took more time than I thought it would.” He stepped over the threshold and tossed his bag. The smell of his soap filled the air around us, and I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath. I wasn’t sure how to tell him what I had planned for the night, and I was worried about how he might react. “Are you okay?” His smile dropped as concern filled his features.
“Un huh, I mean yeah, I mean yes.” I swallowed nervously as I rocked on my heels. “Just never been this close to a champion.” I grinned as he looked away. He seemed almost embarrassed that I’d said anything. “Are you being shy right now?” I teased. “You’ve spent the evening in front of reporters talking about yourself,” I scoffed.
“It’s easier to be confident in front of strangers. Your opinion means something to me.” He smiled softly.
“I hope you still feel that way in a few minutes,” I murmured.
Easton’s forehead wrinkled as I closed and locked the door. “What are you talking about?” He looked around, finally noticing that the lights were off in the living room.
“I wanted tonight to mean something.” I reached for his hand, threading my fingers with his. My breath was shaky with nerves as I drew him to the door that led to my room. I slowly pushed it open, revealing the candles flickering on my dresser. The bed glowed in the firelight, and Easton’s breath caught.
“Hadleigh, we don’t have to do this for tonight to be special.” His voice was gruff.
I tensed. Rejection was my greatest fear in preparing all of this. “Don’t you want to?” I blinked up at him.
The candlelight highlighted his chiseled jaw, his perfect skin, and made his eyes twinkle. “It’s not that.” He swallowed. “I just don’t want you to feel like we have to. We’re going slow. I know you need that.” He ran his fingertips down the side of my face, cupping my jaw in the process. “Having you there tonight was special enough.”
I closed my eyes, gathering all the encouragement I could before blurting out, “What I need is you.” When I opened them, I could see desire being reflected back. He needed me just as much, but was putting my needs first.
“You don’t want to wait?” His hand traveled down my neck, cupping my shoulder, and then trailing down my arm until he locked his fingers with mine.
“I’m tired of waiting.” I tipped my chin up, and smiled at him.
He leaned down, and brushed his lips over mine. His arms wrapped around me, holding me to him. A sigh escaped both of us, as he lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he carried me over to the bed. He leaned forward, placing me in the center and just pausing there. “How did I find you?” he murmured as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “You’re so beautiful, and I don’t deserve you.” He kissed me again, this time deeper as his hands explored my body over my clothes.
“We were meant to find each other,” I whispered as I ran my palm down his chest. “It just took us a while.” He kicked his shoes off and shoved at his shorts down as he climbed the rest of the way onto the bed.
We laid there, facing each other, just staring into one another’s eyes for a few moments. I never thought I’d be ready for this with Easton, but he’s made it easy. He’s been patient, kind, understanding, and honest. I never have to guess what he’s feeling.
“I love you, Hadleigh.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “I think I have since I met you. There’s just something about you that makes me feel like I can do anything.”
“I love you, too.” I froze for a moment. I hadn’t said those words to anyone other than Josh before. I’d never wanted to, and it scared me slightly how easily they fell from my lips.
“You okay?” He tipped his head to the side.
“Yeah, I am.” I grinned as I leaned in to kiss him again.
The movements of our lips were slow and methodical as we
undressed each other. The darkness made me brave, and when Easton pulled back to look at me, I didn’t shy away. The scars from Josh were part of me, and no matter how much I wished they didn’t exist, they did.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He traced a faded scar on my ribs.
“It’s not your fault.” I placed my hand over his.
“It’s not yours, either.” He slid closer, causing our bodies to press together. His tanned skin was soft over his hard muscles, his hair still damp from his shower when I ran my fingers through it. He growled when I tugged lightly, and rolled over me. “Tell me if I’m hurting you,” he whispered as he placed kisses along my jaw. He reached blindly to the side, fumbling around until he produced a condom. He tore the wrapper and sheathed himself without breaking our kiss. When he entered me, I felt this desire for more. More feeling, more heat, more passion, more Easton. I needed him to consume me. I wanted him to.
“You good?” His voice was strained as he paused.
“Yeah.” I struggled to get the word out. I was feeling so much in this moment that I wasn’t sure how to explain it. ‘Good’ just didn’t seem like the correct word.
He rocked his hips, and the feeling that coursed through me was something that could never be described as ‘good’. It was so much more. My back arched as my arms wrapped around his shoulders, nails digging in and pulling him toward me. He moved faster with my wordless command, and when we reached the crest together, his body shook with satisfaction. His breath was labored as he rolled to the side, taking me with him.
We laid there, my head on his chest, as our breathing returned to normal. Easton removed the condom, and after disposing of it, he pulled me close once again. I could feel his heartbeat under my cheek as our bodies calmed. I yawned, and he hugged me tighter.
“I love you,” filtered through the air as we blissfully fell asleep, unaware of the turmoil that was waiting for us in the morning.
Chapter 25
Easton
You know the saying it’s too good to be true? That was never truer than it was today. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. I was a champion, and I celebrated it making love to Hadleigh. When I fell asleep, I felt as if nothing bad could touch me, but my life doesn’t seem to work that way. There’s always something waiting to bring me down, and today was no different.
I woke before the sun and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. Hadleigh was curled beside me, breathing softly. I was so used to waking early to train, that my body didn’t know how to sleep in. Just as Hadleigh started to stir, my phone began ringing. I tossed back the covers as I fumbled through my clothes on the floor in search of it. When I found it ‘Dad’ was flashing on the screen.
“Can’t I get one day off?” I sighed as I answered.
“Where are you?” His voice sounded wary, and that worried me slightly.
“I stayed at Hadleigh’s last night. I told you this.” I sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed my hand over my face. Daylight was just starting to peek through the window.
“I need you to come home.” I could hear something in the background, but couldn’t tell what it was.
“I will later. I want to relax today. I think I deserve it,” I grumbled.
“No, Easton. You need to come home right now.” It sounded like a warning.
“Is everything okay? Is Mom okay?” Worry crept in as I started dressing myself one handed.
“We’re fine. Just come home.” He paused and finally I agreed.
“What’s going on?” Hadleigh rolled over as I was tugging my shirt over my head.
“I don’t know. My dad wants me home for some emergency, apparently. He won’t tell me what’s going on.” It was then that I realized that I hadn’t asked him about Riley. What if something bad has happened to Riley or Caleb?
“I’m coming with you.” She sprung out of bed, and started yanking on clothes. I’ve never seen a woman get dressed as fast as Hadleigh does.
“Okay, but I don’t know what I’m walking into,” I warned.
“You’ve been there for me for months. Let me be here for you.” She leaned in and hugged me. It was a strange feeling, and I felt really bad spending the morning after our first night together dealing with whatever this was.
ooooooooo
When I pulled up to the front of my parents’ house, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Their vehicles were in the drive, and the front porch light was on despite the fact that it was light out. “Whatever this is, it will be okay,” Hadleigh whispered as we climbed out.
“I hope you’re right.” I reached for her hand as we rounded the front of my car. I felt like I was in some parallel universe at that moment. Hadleigh wasn’t the one who was usually promising things would be fine, and it was strange having it happen now. I felt a weight settle on me as I opened the front door and stepped inside. Dad was waiting in the family room and Mom was sitting on the couch with her back to me. “What’s going on?” I looked between the two of them.
Dad’s face was unreadable, but as Mom turned, I saw she was holding something. Then I heard it. A cry. Everything moved in slow motion from there. Mom stepped closer, gently rocking her arms. The cry got louder as she approached me, and handed me the bundle in her arms. “The note said she is yours.” Dad swallowed as Mom moved to stand beside him. She wrapped her arms around his middle.
“Wha—?” I glanced down at the tiny infant in my arms.
“She was in a carrier on the steps this morning. Our doorbell rang around six. When I opened the door, there she was.” Mom was half crying, half smiling. “The note said she is yours.”
“I…” I looked around for cameras. This had to be some sort of joke. I moved over to the couch and sat down. The baby had calmed as soon as Mom put her in my arms. “Amanda did this,” I grumbled as I watched the tiny baby yawn and then fall asleep. “How do we know it’s even mine?” I looked over at Dad. “This baby can’t be mine.”
“Easton,” Mom chastised me. “She looks just like you did as a baby.”
I sat there in total disbelief. How was this happening right now? I haven’t heard from Amanda since I left Miami, and now she shows up and leaves a baby on my parents’ doorstep. What kind of mom does that?
“You can get a test.” Hadleigh’s voice was quiet. I’d almost forgotten that she was there.
“Yes. I want a test.” I nodded before peering over at her. She was rocking on her feet, and her face was as white as a ghost.
“I mean, it’s the only way to be sure.” It was like her mouth was saying one thing, and her face was saying another. “Do you really not want kids?” she whispered.
We hadn’t talked about this. Hell, we hadn’t talked about much of anything other than her safety. “Come here.” I motioned her over as I slipped farther down the couch. The baby smiled in her sleep as she stretched. I felt so awkward sitting there. “Do you want to hold her?” I held out the bundle to Hadleigh.
She nodded as she sat down, and took the baby from my arms. “She’s beautiful,” she whispered as she held the baby close. “I always said I wanted children, but Josh didn’t. I gave up on that dream. What’s her name?” She looked over at me.
“I… I don’t know.” I looked to Mom for help.
“This was left with her.” There was a envelop stuffed with papers. While Hadleigh held the baby, I dumped the papers into my lap. There was a group clipped together that appeared to be the paperwork where Amanda relinquished her rights, and then on the bottom was a birth certificate. “It says she’s two weeks old, and her name is Poppy.” I stared at the paper. Amanda’s name was listed under the mother, and she’d put my name down as the father. “If she’s mine, what do I do?” I looked at Dad, and then Mom.
“If she’s yours, you take responsibility.” Dad shook his head as if he didn’t understand why I was even asking this. “Her mom gave up her rights. If she’s yours, then you’re all she has, son. You have to be a man, and become that little girl’s
daddy.”
“Daddy?” I mouthed the word as I turned to where Hadleigh was still holding the baby.
“We can go to the hospital this morning. We’ll get a test.” Hadleigh seemed more confident than any of us. “You should get answers in a few days. You need to know.” She handed the baby back to me.
“What do I do until then?” The bundle wiggled in my arms, and my first thought was ‘I’m gonna drop her’.
“You be her dad.” My father glared at me. “She didn’t make this mess, you and your fling did. You’re going to take care of her.”
“But I don’t know how.” I sounded like a little boy. I was the youngest in the family. I didn’t have any babies around when I was growing up. Riley learned how to be a mom from taking care of me. I was too into myself when Natalie was born, and unfortunately, I didn’t come around much.
“You’ll learn, I did.” Dad pointed at himself. “I wasn’t ready for fatherhood when your mom and I got together, but Riley was on the way, and I took on the responsibility like I would anything else. I learned how to be a dad, and I don’t regret any of it. You may not want this right now, but it’s here. Your mom and I will help you any way we can.” He reached for the baby. “Right, Poppy? Grandpa’s gonna love you no matter what.”
“Grandpa?” I coughed the word out.
“Yeah, you’re Daddy. What did you think I’d be?” Dad appeared shocked. “I mean, Nat calls me Grandpa.” He shrugged.
“I just never thought of it that way.” I ran my hands through my hair. “Okay, so do we have a car seat, or anything to take her to the hospital?” I stood and looked around as if the answers would just pop out and hit me. This was all happening so fast.
“Breathe, E.” Mom stood in front of me. She placed her hands on my shoulders, and waited for me to look at her. “One step at a time.”
I nodded as Dad stood with the baby. He moved over to the kitchen table and produced a carrier. He carefully buckled Poppy in, and then handed the carrier to me. “If you need us, just call. You’re going to be fine.” He patted my shoulder and directed me to the door. Hadleigh promised my parents we’d call, and then she led the way outside. I was amazed at how she was acting about all of this, and confused at the same time. Most girls would have left.
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