Fighting for a Second Chance (Fighting #1)

by Nikki Ash

  I grab my phone off the nightstand and see we have only been asleep for a couple hours. I look to see if there are any texts from Liz but there isn’t. I shoot her a text asking what time she will be back and what she wants to do for lunch.

  She replies back almost instantly letting me know she will be home soon and we can order something in. I repeat the mantra in my head I will not assume shit. I trust her and we are not my parents.

  She gets back a couple hours later and joins Bella and me on the couch. We are watching some crazy movie where everything is made out of Legos and they run around singing some weird ass song about everything being awesome.

  “Hey baby, I was thinking we could take Bella to see Santa today since he is at the mall.”

  Bella jumps up like she wasn’t just in a trance watching these weird fuckers building and tearing shit down Lego-style. “Yes, please! I want to go see Santa. I know what I want for Christmas.”

  She runs to her room to get dressed leaving Liz and me alone. “Everything ok?”

  “Yup!” She gives me nothing more except a kiss on the cheek and then she is heading upstairs to help Bella get dressed. I will not assume shit.

  We get to the mall and you can tell Christmas is around the corner. The mall is packed with people and Christmas music is playing through the speakers. We first head to see Santa and once we get through the line Bella sits right down on his lap and tells him exactly what she wants. “My daddy already said he is going to give me a baby and a puppy so from you all I want is a swing set for the back yard. I would like for it to be pink and purple please. I would also like for it to have benches with a table where I can have tea and cookies with my daddy and mommy and my dolls. I have been really good, well except for when I don’t want to go to bed but I am trying really, really hard. ”

  Damn, this girl is so sweet, and honest to a fault. She will definitely be getting that swing-set and puppy. Now, the baby on the other hand… well that’s going to take a little bit of work. I smirk at Liz and she hits my arm. “Are you thinking about sex?” She whisper-yells.

  “What? No! I was thinking we needed to work on Bella’s Christmas gifts.” She laughs at me and when she’s done her smile still lingers. I love her smile and I will do anything in my power to keep it there.

  “And what do you want for Christmas?” She teases.

  “Not a damn thing. I have everything I could want right here.” Her smile widens and I can’t help but kiss it.

  We join Bella for pictures with Santa and I insist on buying them all including the frames so we can put them out around the house. We decide to do a little shopping but when Bella sees the giant Christmas tree in the department store she begs for us to go get ours.

  After picking one out for the living room and a mini tree for Bella’s bedroom, we head to Target to get the decorations. Liz lost all hers in the fire and I have never had a tree since living on my own so we are buying all new stuff. I think the last time my mom got us a tree I was twelve and it was right before my parents split up.

  “I think this one is perfect.” Bella holds up a cute pink princess crown ornament. When I nod my ok she places it into the basket.

  “How about this one?” Liz holds up an ornament that reads First Family Christmas.

  “That one is definitely perfect.”

  This goes on for the next hour; the girls pick out ornaments while I push the cart through the store. We eventually move onto lights, and while we are in that section they convince me to get lights for the outside along with some huge blowup snowman. I don’t know why they even ask. We all know I have a problem with saying no to anything they ask for.

  On our way home I decide to call my mom up to join us for dinner and to help decorate the tree. Liz insists on getting break-n-bake cookies and eggnog on the way home as well.

  And that’s how we spend the night. Sipping eggnog, eating cookies, listening to Christmas music, and decorating our first family tree. Today will definitely go down as one of the best days of my life.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Liz

  It’s been two weeks since finding out I am indeed pregnant. Hiding it from Cooper is killing me but I decided since Christmas is so close I could give him the gift of a new baby. The first couple days I felt like I was betraying him by not telling him right away. I think he even noticed how guilty I felt but since then it’s been smooth sailing.

  Christmas is in two weeks and I need to think of a cool way to tell him. Simply putting a box under a tree and saying surprise you are going to be a daddy again is not fun enough. So I have gathered my girls together to help me figure it out. I know, I admit them knowing first is not the best idea but hell, how do I plan without telling them why I am planning?

  Cooper has been gracious enough to watch Bella and Tristan at our place. Caleb, Bentley, Kaden, and Alex are all joining him to watch a UFC fight on pay-per-view. I don’t really know much about Alex except that he goes to the gym and he’s the one who took the picture of me at the club. You know, the one that almost blew my relationship up in smoke.

  He has since then apologized and explained he was just looking out for Cooper. I forgave him but it still stings. He should have come to me before sending that picture to him; However, I am not about to hold a grudge. That brings us back to the present.

  Hayley, Kayla, Ashley, and I are all sitting at Hayley’s place giving each other homemade facials, mani’s, and pedi’s while listening to Iggy Azalea’s Fancy. That girl can seriously rock those lyrics.

  Hayley gets up and dances to the kitchen bringing back a bottle of Jack in one hand and Coke in the other. Now is probably a good time to let them know I am preggers.

  She passes out the glasses and dishes out ice into all our cups and then begins to pour the Jack.

  “Just coke for me,” I say

  “Excuse me?” Kayla cuts in. “Since when are you going sober?”

  “Since I am pregnant and I am not sure how much the baby will enjoy Jack Daniels.”

  Everybody goes silent and then cheers erupt. They all take turns congratulating and hugging me.

  Ashley finishes pouring everyone’s drinks but Kayla says she will remain sober with me.

  Ashley raises her glass and we all follow suit.

  “A toast. To the new precious little miracle.”

  “Here, here.” All the girls say.

  “So, does Cooper know? How far along are you?” Hayley asks.

  “Not far at all, only six weeks, and no, Cooper doesn’t know, yet.”

  “How is he going to feel?” Kayla asks. She almost seems despondent about my news. I give her a quick look silently asking if she’s ok and she nods.

  “I am hoping he is going to be ecstatic since it was his idea. Back in October he told me he wants another baby and we decided I wouldn’t get the shot. I didn’t think it would happen so soon but I am excited. Speaking of the shot, we never ended up going together, Liz. Did you go get yours done?” She nods her head yes but something is definitely off with her.

  “So, anyway, I want to come up with a cool way to tell him. Whenever I ask him what he wants for Christmas he says he has everything he could want.”

  “I got it! You can plan a family weekend away like to Disney and say it’s the last trip before you are a family of four.”

  “Oh, I like it, Hayley! Yes, that is what I will do, and it will be a Christmas present to Bella as well. Yay! I am so excited! You guys cannot say anything to anybody. It would break Cooper’s heart if he found out he wasn’t the first to know.”

  All the girls vow to keep silent and I am ready to plan our trip!

  * * *

  Cooper

  All the guys are here, we have ordered pizza and wings, the pay-per-view fights are on, and Bella and her friend Tristan are running around playing. I am thinking tonight is the night I am going to let the guys know I am going to be taking a break from fighting.

  “So, I’ve decided something…” The guys all tur
n to me but when I see Bentley he looks like he is a hundred miles away.

  “Yo, Bentley! What’s up with you?” I ask.

  “Women, bro. No, not women. One woman. One stubborn damn woman that is going to be the death of me.”

  We all laugh and nod our heads. We have been there.

  “Kayla?” Kaden asks.

  Bentley just shakes his head and we wait to see if he’s going to explain. Finally with a deep sigh he says, “We had sex in Boulder.”

  We all congratulate him. Because really, that’s what men do… A guy gets laid and you say Congratulations. Yup, we suck.

  “So does this mean you two are together now?” I ask. I remember he said the next time they have sex would mean they are together.

  “No, we aren’t. Not only are we not together but she’s barely talking to me. She knew if we had sex it meant we would be together but once it happened she said she made a mistake and left. I really care about this girl but I don’t know what to do anymore. I think it’s time to move on. I’m already almost thirty years old. I want a family one-day. I want a wife and kids, and I don’t want to wait until I am too old to enjoy all of that. There’s a girl I have been talking to so we will see…”

  Because he hasn’t been kicked down enough Caleb adds, “She actually mentioned she might be moving out soon. I’m sorry, Bentley.”

  “Well screw her then.” And with that he gets up to clear his head.

  I decide to hold off on my news for now.

  A few hours later and I can hear loud screeches and yelling from outside the house. When I look outside I see Liz and her friends walking up the steps to the front door.

  Ashley and Hayley appear to be drunk while Liz and Kayla are both sober.

  “Hey, baby.” She gives me a soft peck on the cheek and walks in with Kayla while everybody else stumbles in loudly. It’s actually quite amusing.

  “What’s with only half of you being drunk?” Bentley asks. Kayla turns her attention to him and if looks could kill he would be dead and buried.

  “Not that it’s your business but I wasn’t in the mood to drink and either was Liz. Is that ok with you?”

  Bentley puts his hands up in surrender and turns back to the fight.

  “Sorry, to ruin your little fight party,” Hayley says as she plops down next to Caleb and pats him on his leg. He blushes. The fool actually fucking blushes.

  He gets up immediately, like her hand set his leg on fire, and Hayley frowns at his reaction.

  “I have to get to work.” He says, and without saying goodbye to anybody he’s out the door.

  Tristan and Bella come running down to say hi to their moms and tell them about all the Halloween candy they have been eating. Damn traitors.

  We all find a seat and watch the fight. Liz is in my lap with Bella is passed out next to us. Eventually everyone heads out. Kaden gives Ashley and Tristan a ride since her car isn’t here and she’s been drinking, and Kayla gives Hayley a ride home. Liz and I put Bella to bed and then head back to finish watching the main event.

  “Are you going to miss this?” Liz asks me as we sit back down on the couch.

  “Miss what? The fighting?” I ask stalling before I answer the question I know she is really asking. She wants to know if a few years from now I am going to resent her and Bella. I have thought long and hard about this and I know this is what’s right for my family and me. I would never turn around and blame Liz for my choices but she needs to hear it so she doesn’t feel like I am making a rash decision.

  “No, baby girl. I am not going to miss it. I will still be fighting. I will fight at the gym every day. The only difference is I won’t be fighting professionally. My contract ends in February and I am ok with that. It’s time to move forward.”

  Liz climbs up into my lap and places a leg on either side of me. I look up at the stairs out of habit and she slowly shakes her head no. “She’s fast asleep.”

  Taking the bottom of my shirt in her hands she raises it over my head and throws it on the floor.

  “Do you know how beautiful you are, Cooper?” Maybe she is drunk after all.

  “Um, Liz. I am not sure you should be calling a man beautiful. Do you want to emasculate me?”

  She ignores my question and starts to kiss me. First, she kisses me on my lips but pulls away quickly. “You have beautiful lips. They were made for me. They kiss me with perfection, and the words that come out of them are just as beautiful.”

  Next, she kisses the tops of my eyelids. “You have the most amazing eyes. When you are happy they are bright green like the grass after it’s been raining for days. When you are angry they go dark. I don’t like it when they go dark. Bella has the same eyes as you. Every time I would look into her eyes it gave me butterflies as it brought back the brief time we shared together.”

  She trails her lips down my neck, over to my chest, and stops right over my heart placing multiple tender kisses there. “And your heart. It is so full of love. Whether it was for thirty-hours in Miami or every day since we reconnected you give me your entire heart and trust me with it. The way you instantly fell in love with Bella. Many guys might have thought I got pregnant on purpose or they might have accepted her but they wouldn’t have gone out of their way to make her feel so loved and cherished. You didn’t just give us a place to live, you made sure we felt at home.”

  I can feel the lump in my throat forming. This girl is my entire fucking world. I am going to marry her some day and she’s going to have more of my babies, and we are going to live happily ever after.

  She doesn’t stop at my heart, though. She kisses her way down to my stomach and stops at the center of my abs. She is now kneeling on the floor between my legs. “Mmm… and this body. Cooper, do you have any idea how beautiful your body is? You treat it with such care only putting healthy foods in it. It is such a turn on.”

  She moves on from my abs and unbuttons my jeans. Thank God because my dick is so hard it needs to be released from its confined space. I lift up my ass and she pulls down my jeans taking my boxers with her. I go to touch her and she shakes her head no.

  She gives my dick a kiss on the crown wrapping it lightly with her lips and then pulls back. Holy Shit, this woman is going to be the death of me.

  “This is probably one of my favorites parts of your body.” I lift one of my eyebrows up. I mean, I know it’s one of my favorite parts of my body, especially since it’s the part that goes inside of her but I wasn’t expecting a woman to think it’s her favorite. She giggles under her breath at my reaction. “Not for the reasons you probably think… Well, actually kind of. I remember the first time I saw your cock. I thought it was crazy to think it was beautiful. I haven’t seen any others to compare it to.”

  I growl at that. “And you never fucking will.”

  She giggles again but continues. “It was so hard and thick and when I felt it, it was smooth. Then when I tasted it, I thought it would be gross but it wasn’t. It tasted like you. ” She puts her mouth back on my cock to give it another wet kiss, and then she starts stroking it up and down slowly.

  “But aside from its physical appearance, the reason it’s one of my favorite parts is for a few reasons.” She kisses it again, and it takes every ounce of restraint not to take her by her hair and push her beautiful mouth onto my erection.

  “One, is what I feel when it’s inside of me. I feel so close to you like we are connected. When our bodies are skin to skin and you’re pushing it inside of me, hitting me so deep, I feel like we become one.”

  This time she takes her entire mouth and covers my cock from root to tip with it then drags her mouth back up slowly.

  “The other reason it’s my favorite body part is because of what it’s capable of. Not only does it bring me an extreme amount of pleasure but it’s how we created Bella.”

  “That’s really fucking sweet, baby girl, but you can’t be bringing Bella up while your hands are stroking my cock.”

  She laughs at that and
then puts her mouth back on me. This time she doesn’t remove her mouth. Her tongue slides down with her mouth wrapped around it and she begins to move it up and down fucking my shaft with her greedy mouth, and I can’t take it anymore. I need to touch her. It’s like she senses what I need because while keeping her mouth wrapped tightly around me she grabs my hands with her own and moves them to her hair giving me permission to touch her.

  What started out slow and sensual turns into rough and crazed. Her mouth starts to move faster as I entwine my fingers into her hair. I don’t push her head down, though. She doesn’t need me to. She is deep throating me like a champion and within minutes I am tapping her to let her know I am about to come. Of course, it only spurs her on and within seconds I am shooting my load down her throat. She slows down but keeps licking until my cock is completely licked clean.

  “Damn, baby. I’ve changed my mind; you can emasculate me any time you want.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Liz

  It’s less than a week until Christmas and I can’t believe I haven’t told Cooper that I am pregnant yet. My next appointment isn’t until December 30th so I will be able to wait until Christmas to tell him when I give him and Bella their gift together, and he will be able to go to my appointment with me.

  Normally I keep the office door open but I shut it today so I can finish planning our trip to California to Disneyland. I have decided we will go in March during Bella’s spring break so she doesn’t miss any school. We are going to go to all the parks and stay at a resort near Disney.

  I am making sure to put it on my personal credit card just in case Cooper decides to look at our joint account. I am researching online the best hotels to stay at in California when a site pops up for the cheapest motels in the area. I go to click out of it but of course the stupid ad opens up. So freaking annoying.

  I hear a commotion outside the office so I run out to see what’s going on. When I get out there Kayla and Bentley are in the middle of a screaming match.