Fight For You

by Adriana Hunter

  “Frank is upset, says my timing is off. He’s not happy but he understands the situation.”

  “I know it’s not how you saw things happening, but it’s what needs to happen right now.”

  “Yeah. I know. But it’s discouraging…and there’s no time to see you. I miss you, Angela.”

  “I miss you too, Liam.”

  “There’s other things…it’s not that great of a place to work.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, it’s kind of a replay of the party at your friend’s house. I’m apparently not ‘good enough’ to be a dishwasher there, according to the rest of the staff. I’m just trying to lay low till either they get used to me or…”

  “Or?”

  “Or I get the match I want, not the one in a couple months. I’ve been talking to Frank and he’s been working on getting a match for me with the big guy, Derek Stone. I’ve been able to get Frank to see it’s either now or never for me…I don’t want to wait a couple months. I need to do this now…”

  “But Liam…do you think…”

  She heard him blow out a breath, the exhaustion clear in his voice. “Look, Angela, I’m beat. I’ll call you tomorrow…maybe I’ll have time in the afternoon, after training and before work. Right now, I’m too tired to think straight.”

  Their conversations grew shorter and more strained, Liam complaining about work and training, Angela more insistent in voicing her concerns over the possibility of the upcoming fight. It made her feel uneasy and irritable, causing her to snap at her parents and even at Sophie.

  And it made her snap at Liam when he told her how tired he was, how his training wasn’t going well.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. Can’t you just stop training? At least until…” She could hear the edge in her voice and bit back her words.

  “Why are you angry with me, Angela?”

  “I’m not. You’re just being silly.”

  “Silly because I want something that you can’t understand? That doesn’t fit into your world.”

  She frowned at the phone. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Listen. I have to go…I’ll call you later.” The line went dead.

  It was toward the end of the following week when Angela’s father asked to talk to her after dinner. He’d closed the door to his study, asking Angela to have a seat. He leaned against his desk.

  “I had a call last night from the restaurant. Apparently Liam has been fired.”

  Angela could feel the blood drain from her face.

  “Did he tell you the reason why?”

  She shook her head. “I haven’t spoken to Liam in a couple of days…”

  Her father was frowning. “The chef said he was ‘aggressive’ toward the other staff, uncooperative and unwilling to listen when reprimanded.”

  Now it was Angela’s turn to frown. “Liam’s a hard worker. I know he wouldn’t have been fired for being lazy.”

  “I suspect it was more of a physical conflict that got him fired. I don’t have the details, but don’t you think he probably lost his temper and hit someone?”

  “No. I don’t.” Anger flared in Angela. “Everyone assumes because he’s a fighter he’s got no control over his temper. But he has. The only times he’s ever hit someone has been when he’s been provoked. He just doesn’t go around hitting people because he knows how.”

  Angela stood, walking toward the door. “I think I’ll wait until I hear from Liam before I listen to anything else you have to say. I’m not sure you have the whole story.”

  In her room, Angela dialed Liam’s cell phone. It rang a long time before he answered. He sounded groggy and she knew she’d woken him up.

  “Liam? Are you okay?”

  “Angela? Yeah. I’m fine. I just…what time is it?” There were muffled noises on Liam’s end of the line. “Oh, shit. It’s later than I thought.”

  Angela was silent for a moment. “Do you have something to tell me?”

  “Oh, yeah. You talked to your father, didn’t you? I figured he’d tell you before I got the chance. I got fired.”

  She heard the bedsprings squeaking through the phone. Despite being upset, she couldn’t help picturing Liam in that bed, where she’d spent many nights. She closed her eyes, willing the image of him, the sheet pulled carelessly across his hips, chest bare, in the light from the window. That’s not helping here, Angela.

  “What happened?”

  “Remember when I said it was like your friend’s party? Pretty much the same thing happened there. There’s some kind of pecking order there I’ll never understand. I tried to do what I was told, got yelled at for either doing it wrong or not doing something or doing something else. All they did was yell.”

  She heard Liam take a deep breath. “I think the final straw was when the head guy in the kitchen called me white trash.”

  Angela cringed. “Oh. Liam, that’s horrible. And you hit him?”

  “No, Angela. You don’t hit people who are paying you to work for them. I told him I didn’t want to hear that again and I went out to smoke a cigarette. I don’t smoke…haven’t for years. He followed me out back, told me I’d left my station without permission and fired me.” She heard him stifle a yawn.

  Angela winced. “But…what about…”

  “Look, Angela. I’m still half asleep. Come over. I haven’t seen you in days. I want you here, in my bed.” There was a brief pause.

  “Angela, please. I need you here.”

  “Alright. I’ll be right there.”

  * * *

  Liam opened the door to her soft knock. He was dressed in just a pair of thin gray sweatpants, hanging low on his narrow hips. Silently he pulled her to him, his lips finding hers. There was something almost desperate in his kiss, a longing, a need. She let him fold her against his body, the heat and hardness of him sending a rush of arousal through her.

  “Liam…I…” She whispered his name.

  “Shhh….” He placed a finger against her lips. “Later.”

  He led her down the hall to his room, the bed rumpled, the pillows bunched among tangled sheets. But it didn’t matter.

  Angela reached for Liam, pulling him into her arms. He briefly buried his head on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck before finding her lips again.

  She could feel his erection pressing against her stomach, the thin material between them not concealing anything. Her hands were splayed across his chest, fingers reading the contours of his muscles, the raised edge of the scar, the hard nipples.

  His hands were tugging at her shirt, pulling it up over her body. She broke away for a moment to let him pull it over her head. He tossed it to the floor, looking down at her for a moment.

  “Hmmm…no bra…” Any response she made was muffled against his lips. She slid her fingers beneath the waistband of his sweatpants, tugging them over his hips and they slid to the floor.

  With sure movements he undid the fastenings on her jeans, tugging them down, letting her kick them away. His hands moved down her back, cupping her ass, flexing his hips forward against her body. Angela wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck as he picked her up, her legs sliding up his thighs, wrapping around his waist. She broke away from their kiss. The muscles in his arms rippled but he held her with ease.

  “Liam…” She ran her fingers softly over his face, across his lips. Liam’s eyes were dark, hooded, passion evident, combined with longing. She could feel his erection slide between her legs, the delicious friction of the barely there brushes against her sending waves of passion through her body. Liam shifted her in his grasp, spreading his legs, his cock now poised against her body.

  Angela tightened her legs around his waist, pulling him into her, exhaling as he entered her. Liam closed his eyes and she felt a shiver pass through his body.

  After a moment, he opened his eyes. “Oh, god, Angela…I need this…I need you so badly right now.”

  He took a few steps, tipping her back onto the bed and pushing her acro
ss the firm mattress. She felt him bracing his knees on the bed, his hips already driving his cock further into her body.

  His thrusts were hard and fast, his head turned away from her, mouth pressed against her shoulder. She could feel the need in him, the tense muscles in his back and shoulders. There was nothing she was required to do except be there, open and accepting, letting him find in her body whatever comfort he needed.

  She felt his body stiffen, his thrusts becoming erratic. He lifted his head, looking down at her. “I’m sorry…I can’t…” The words tore from his throat on rasping breaths.

  “It’s okay. Let go…” She caressed his face as he closed his eyes, his face twisted in a look that was more pain then pleasure.

  With a loud groan, Liam came, his body jerking above her, his hips pushing forward. She rolled her hips up, her legs still wrapped around his waist, holding him against her body.

  It was brief, and then he fell heavily next to her on the bed. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her against him. She put her hand on his chest, felt the pounding of his heart, his breath coming in short ragged gasps. It took her a moment to realize he was crying.

  She tried to pull away, to look at his face. “No…don’t.” His voice was rough with emotion. “Not yet.” His arm tightened around her shoulders, one hand clutching hers against his chest.

  He held her for a few minutes longer, until his breathing became regular, his heartbeat slowing beneath her fingers.

  He finally rolled onto his back, still holding her hand. She rose up on one elbow, watching his face.

  “Liam…are you okay?”

  He opened his eyes, turning to look at her. “I am now.” He took a deep breath.

  “It’s been a rough week…” He gave her a tired smile.

  “I’m sorry…” He frowned, looking away from her.

  “For what?” She touched his cheek.

  “I feel like I’m using you…” The frown deepened.

  “You are.” She traced the line of lips, pressing her fingertips to his mouth as he tried to speak. “But it’s okay.” She leaned over, kissing him softly.

  “I know why…and it’s okay. I want to be here for you, whatever you need. And I think this is what you needed right now. Someday, it might be my turn to ask you for something. And you’ll be there for me. Like I’m here for you.”

  “Angela…I love you.”

  The naked emotion in Liam’s eyes made her eyelids prick with tears. “You’ve never said those words, have you?”

  Liam took a deep breath. “No…never.”

  “I love you too, Liam.”

  He pulled her to him, his kiss hard and passionate, his hands splayed across her back. He rolled over, pinning her to the bed.

  “I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve this…or you.”

  He held her face in his hands. “I felt like something’s changed between us, something not good. There was this tension…I hoped it was just the job…not having enough time together.” He shook his head.

  “It scared me…thinking I was losing you. It’s a weight off my shoulders, that you’re here, that I got fired…”

  “You’re relieved that you got fired?” She frowned.

  “Yeah, I am. It wasn’t what I wanted…”

  “You didn’t have to accept the job if you didn’t want it.” Angela squirmed from beneath Liam. He rolled onto his side, one hand resting on her hip.

  “That’s not what I meant…I didn’t want the tension between us. I am…was…grateful for the job. I know you…your father…meant this to be a good thing.”

  He pulled her toward him, rolling onto his back. She relaxed against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “I don’t want to argue…” He brushed the hair back from her face, kissing her forehead. She was quiet in his arms for a few minutes.

  “Are you going back to training as hard as you did before?”

  “Yeah…Frank told me today he’s going to try setting me up for the match with Stone. He’s not sure about scheduling…it might be happening sooner than we thought.”

  Angela flinched in the dark.

  “You’re going after the match with Stone so soon? But I thought…wasn’t it supposed to be in a couple months?”

  “Schedules changed. It happens.” Liam sat up, turning to Angela.

  “You sound upset. Why? You know this is what I’ve been training for all along. This is my dream…or the start of it. I do good in that match, scouts see me and I have a chance to make something of myself.”

  “I just…I thought after…well, if you had a real job, you wouldn’t have to do this.” She sat up, pulling the sheet over her body, her forehead creased.

  “Angela, haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve said to you since we met?” He turned to her, confusion radiating from his face.

  “You really don’t understand me at all, do you?” He pushed himself off the bed, scooping his sweatpants from the floor, walking toward the bathroom.

  “Liam…” She heard the bathroom door slam.

  * * *

  Liam turned on the cold water, splashing it over his face. He looked in the mirror. I look like crap.

  Whatever had gotten into Angela, he didn’t know. She confused the hell out of him. That was normal, but now he was scared. Admitting he loved her, that was crazy. He pulled on his sweats, snugging the tie at his waist.

  Shaking his head, he turned off the water, grabbing a towel and drying his face, taking one last look in the mirror. You’ve opened up too much, put too much out there. And now it’s going to bite you in the ass.

  She was still sitting up in bed, her eyes wide and her face pale, watching him as he walked across the room. He hesitated next to the bed and she patted the sheets.

  “Come back, please. I’m sorry…”

  He sat on the edge of the mattress, his head in his hands.

  “Angela, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say to me. I’ve got to take it that you mean well, but you’re scaring me.”

  He felt the mattress shift and then her arms around his chest, her breasts pressed against his back.

  “Liam, I love you. But I’m scared too. I don’t know how else to say it. I’m afraid this dream of yours will kill you.”

  “There’s always the chance I’ll get hurt, Angela. You’ve seen the black eyes, the bruises. That’s to be expected…it’s part of the deal. And it’s only going to get worse, the harder I train…the more matches I have.” He pulled her arms away from him, turning to look into her face.

  “And what’s the thing about having a ‘real job’? So I wouldn’t do what I do…be a fighter? Where did that come from? Was that your whole reason for getting me the job? So I’d be like everyone else…like your friends? Normal…acceptable?”

  “No. That’s not it at all. Like I said, I’m afraid you’re going to be hurt…”

  He was shaking his head. “Yeah, I get that part. But you said…you know what? Never mind. It doesn’t matter.” He stood, pacing to the window.

  “Liam, I don’t think you understand.” He heard the bed creak, heard soft footsteps behind him. When she touched his back, he flinched. She drew her hand away.

  “No, I don’t. I think I’ve gone too far, said too much…opened myself up to something I wasn’t ready to get into.” He could hear the raw edge of fear in his voice.

  “Do you mean the job? Or do you mean us?”

  The pain in Angela’s voice made his heart ache. He turned to her, her face pale in the light from the window, wrapped in a sheet, clutching it together at her chest.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Angela dropped her eyes. “I see. Well, at least you’re honest.” She turned, hunting on the floor for her clothes. “I should probably go then. Let this rest…”

  He watched her for a moment. “So you’ve finally had enough.” He sat down heavily on the bed, the springs squeaking in protest.

  She spun around, flinging her shirt at him. He ducke
d, grabbing the fabric as it flew past his head.

  “I’m so tired of your defeatist attitude! You, who talks all the time about how you’ve fought for everything. What about us? Aren’t you willing to fight for us? I’m not leaving you, you stubborn pig-headed man. I’m leaving because I think we both need some time to think about things, to cool off. I’m not leaving the relationship.”

  Angela crossed the room, standing in front of him, one hand on her hip, still clutching the sheet with the other hand. “Are you willing to fight? You said you love me. Do you? Or was that just in the heat of the moment, something you thought you should say because you thought I’d want to hear it?”

  Liam stood, looking at Angela. “I do love you. I meant that. But you have to know how…”

  “Yeah, I know. How hard this is for you. Do you know how difficult this is for me? Everything I say, I worry you’re going to bolt or push me away. Every time you come back from the gym, I see a new bruise or cut. And I worry you’ll go through with this match and something worse will happen. That is hard. But it’s worth it, because you’re worth it…we are.”

  She was almost spitting the words at him. “Do you think just because I’m angry right now that means this is the end? Do you know that my parents never argue anymore? And do you know that they don’t love each other either? I can tell you almost to the day that they stopped fighting, was the day they stopped caring about each other. And I guess that was the day my mother found herself her first in a string of other men.”

  Liam took a step toward Angela, swallowing hard. “No one has ever stuck around long enough to get angry with me…I didn’t let them into my life long enough to make a difference. You’re the only one.”

  He saw some of the anger leave her face and he took a deep breath, trying to control his racing heart.

  “Angela, I’ve never told anyone I love them; family, girlfriend…anyone. And now I have. That scares me, scares the hell out of me…how much I feel for you, how soon I feel this. You have to know this…yeah, I know…is hard.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.