“That’s because his mama raised him right. That boy is just being respectful.” Granny lifts her hand and points at Mia. “Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”
I’m beginning to feel like Granny approves of Mia. Not that I need approval. I can’t date her right now. I got too much going on. I just wanted to make sure she’s the kind of woman a man can bring home to his only family in case anything ever happened in the future.
I lean back in my chair and watch as Mia begins to taste her pasta again and talk about the fresh ingredients Granny puts in the sauce. The topic opens a whole debate over which store has the best produce. These ladies got so much in common about running a home the proper way it’s ridiculous. A guy ain’t gonna get a word in edgeways between the two of them. And here I was worried that Granny wouldn’t approve.
“You done with that?” I reach for Mia’s plate.
“I’ll get it. You go in there and talk with your abuela.” Mia puts up a fight.
Granny grabs my hand and pulls me into the living room. She’s got that serious look on her face. I ain’t sure how this conversation is gonna go so I give her a mischievous grin.
“Don’t you be looking at me like that.” She swats at my face as we sit down on the flowered couch. “This girl’s a keeper. I don’t want you to ruin this. She was made for you. No more talk about just being friends. You hear me?”
“Gran, we just met.” I wrinkle my forehead. “I’ll see how things go after a while.”
“I don’t care how long you’ve known this girl. You grab ahold of her and don’t let go.” Granny squeezes her nails into my forearms. “You won’t find another woman like her in a hundred years. I’m sure of that.”
I lean back on the couch and think about what the old woman is telling me. She ain’t the type to blow smoke up somebody’s skirt. And she sure as hell ain’t one to encourage marriage to people so young.
“How can you tell she’s that amazing?” I ask, leaning forward so Granny won’t have to speak too loud. I don’t want Mia hearing any part of our conversation.
“Boy, that woman is one in a million. She wouldn’t hurt a stuffed animal.” Granny smiles as bright as the sunshine reflecting off the ocean. “And she knows her way around a kitchen. She isn’t pretending when she talks recipes. This woman is for real. She enjoys cooking and cleaning and taking care of people. That’s a rare quality these days. It’s people like that who tend to be loyal in relationships as far as I’m concerned. I can tell she runs a tight ship at home too and loves her boy dearly. Don’t you even think about breaking her heart. She’s had enough heartbreak with her son’s daddy. I want you to get out of this relationship right now if you don’t intend to take things serious with Mia. She doesn’t need to be strung along, or hurt again. You hear me, boy?”
I pull back my chin. I ain’t in the mood to be lectured on a woman I just met. I don’t care how fine her legs are, or how good she cooks, or even how good she is to Lucas. I need a year or two to figure things out. I’m only making a commitment to one woman so long as I live. Mia might be fantastic, but I need to make sure.
“I found some dish soap under the sink, but I can’t seem to find a dish strainer so I dried everything by hand. I hope it’s okay I used the pretty blue towel next to the stove.” Mia walks in fanning her hands to dry them.
Granny winks at me. “It’s fine, child. Now you come in here and get yourself a licorice out of my candy jar. I just bought these the other day at the grocery store. I swear they’re a bit of heaven on your tongue. Tell me what you think.”
Mia grabs a small bite of licorice from Granny and slips it in her mouth as she sits on the couch next to me.
The anticipation on Granny’s face is killing her.
“Oh, wow. This is delicious.” Mia grabs another licorice bite.
Granny claps her hands like some candy lovin’ fool. “I told you. It’s the best thing I ever tasted since sliced bread and homemade jam.”
Mia nods.
I run my hand over Mia’s leg and smile. “I can’t stand licorice.”
Mia playfully scowls. “What’s wrong with you?”
Granny laughs.
“I think I may have to stop by and grab me a bag of these on the way home.” Mia encourages Granny. “I’ll eat them all by myself.”
“I have a coupon in the newspaper.” Granny pulls herself up and shuffles to the pile of papers next to the recycling bin.
Mia shifts her body as though she wants to get up and help, but I hold her back, squeezing at that incredible thigh with every muscle sculpted. It’s driving me nuts right now.
“Hey, I asked the little man to come to the fight on Saturday,” I lean in and whisper in her ear, seeking her approval.
“What?” She wrinkles her forehead. “Can kids go to those things? I’m not sure how Lucas would react?”
“He wants to come.”
“Tino, this is a work appointment.” A heavy breath escapes her lips. “I can’t take the chance of anybody getting pictures of us. I could get fired.”
“I got it covered.” I roll my shoulders. “My boys were already planning on forming a circle around you so I’ll just have them protect the kid as well. If anybody asks I’ll tell them he’s my nephew.”
“Are you sure?” Her face softens.
“Course I’m sure. This will be good for him. I want him to see how a man takes a punch.”
“I’m seriously not sure about this.” She chews at her bottom lip.
I reach out to grab her hand. “Trust me, it’ll be over in less than seven seconds. The kid needs to see how a man protects himself,” I tell her, not really sure how true that is. I don’t know what the hell I’m thinking. I got a fight in a couple of nights and this is the worst I’ve ever trained for one. It’s a damn good thing Ricardo’s a pussy because all I got is Mia on the mind and seeing how her boy will take to me. Granny’s never wrong, except for the whole acting fast thing.
CHAPTER SIX
I
clutch Lucas to my side like superglue. People are everywhere. The noise of the crowd is ear breaking. I stare down at his little face. He’s unafraid, and searching for Tino.
“Mommy, where is he?” Lucas climbs on my lap and stands as tall as he possibly can. His shoes dig into my bare legs where the mini-tank dress doesn’t cover.
“I don’t know.” I hold around his ankles.
“He told me he’s going to wear black shorts,” Lucas shouts.
I pull him down and stare at his face. “When did he tell you that?”
“Last night when you were taking a bath.” He scrunches his face.
My mind is racing. “Did he come over?”
“No.”
“Did he come to your school?”
“No.”
“Then when did you see him?” I’m about to lose my mind. It’s been two days and three dates with other men since I’ve last seen Tino, and I still can’t get his muscles off my mind, or the soft way he touches my legs.
“I called him on your phone.” Lucas crinkles his nose.
“When?” I gasp.
“When you were taking a bath.” He shrugs his shoulders like I’m an idiot for asking.
“Lucas, you can’t call Tino. That’s against the rules,” I begin to scold. “He’s a busy—”
“But you call him,” he interrupts.
Tino’s friend, Snake, starts to chuckle.
“Mommy never calls Tino.” I lean closer so Snake will have a harder time hearing us.
“Then why is his number on your phone?” His innocent brown eyes flood me with guilt. I’m hoping he can’t see how much they’re affecting me behind these dark sunglasses.
“Mommy will talk about this later.” I fiddle with my soft, gold scarf totally embarrassed he’s calling me out on hiding from everything. This isn’t the way I imagined I would raise him, but I’m desperate to make easy money like my cousins until I can get him in school full time. It’s not like I’m a hooker.
I’m just dating pathetic losers that can’t score a date to save their life. The get-up I have on tonight is simply to keep me safe from the tabloids exposing the fact I have a son. Simple black dress, scarf, and sunglasses are the staples of being undercover. Right?
Another sting of guilt begins to bite at my heart. This is wrong, and I know it. I don’t care what Nikki thinks. You don’t go out with other men when all you can think about is the guy that will soon be fighting for his life in this stupid dog cage.
I can’t stand this place.
A rap song begins to blare through the speakers. I cover Lucas’ ears. He pulls away and searches for Tino. The crowd is going insane and it makes my heart pound. I don’t know what I was thinking by letting Tino talk me into bringing Lucas. This is a bad idea, I remind myself as I watch Lucas cheering.
Tino climbs into the octagon and looks over to spot us.
“Mommy, he saw me!” Lucas exclaims.
I grab hold of his little ankles as he stands back up on my bare legs to see Tino.
The announcer begins to speak in the microphone. I grit my teeth as Tino taps gloves with the other guy. They start to dance around the ring, both dodging punches.
“I hate this.” I turn my head into Snake.
He pats my head. “He’ll be fine.”
The crowd gasps.
I look up to see Tino’s been hit in the face.
“Damn, lucky punch.” Snake jumps to his feet.
I sit in my chair, refusing to watch another hit.
Lucas begins to cry. “He’s hurting Tino.”
What was I thinking?
“He’s alright.” I grab Lucas and bury his face in my chest.
Snake bends down and pulls him away from me. “Hey, kid, Tino needs you to cheer for him real loud. He doesn’t want to see you cry. Can you do that?”
Lucas nods his head and wipes his face before Snake picks him up to perch him on top of his shoulders.
“Tino’s just pretending he’s hurt to make more money.” Snake squeezes Lucas’ thigh.
“Like the kid with blue hair at my school?” Lucas shouts. His face glows with a bright smile. “Is he going to wrestle him to the ground?”
The crowd gasps again.
I close my eyes, afraid to see what happened.
“Mommy, he’s just pretending.” Lucas yells down at me.
I run my fingers through my hair and wonder how I could be this stupid. Good mothers don’t take their children to places where grown men are fighting. My child shouldn’t be here. I swear I’ll kill Nikki for telling me Lucas was old enough to come to something like this.
Snake grabs my arm. “He needs you to stand up and support him. I think he keeps looking for you. He’s distracted.”
I pull myself off the chair and smear a fake smile across my face.
He’s bleeding.
The other guy lands a few more punches.
“I thought he said this would be over in seven seconds,” I shout at Snake.
He laughs.
Come on, Tino. Knock his ass out.
I reach up and hold hands with Lucas. He doesn’t seem bothered as much as me. I smile at him, and try to pretend we’re not here in this hellhole where grown men are encouraged to be so barbaric.
The crowd goes wild.
I turn back to the octagon and notice the other guy is passed out on the floor.
Snake lowers Lucas. “That’s it.”
“So it’s over,” I sigh, welcoming the rush of relief that follows.
“Bring me the kid,” Tino shouts, motioning for Snake to come forward.
He sprints to the center of the octagon with Lucas on his shoulders. My heart pounds. What the hell are you doing? Cameras flash and blind my view for a moment. I fan my hands in front of my face to get my eyes to refocus. I see Lucas smiling as Tino tosses him onto his large shoulders.
“Who’s the boy?” a man wearing a press badge shouts.
Tino stares up at Lucas. His glistening face of sweat is charming with his grin so wide and unreserved. He’s literally in his own world up there with my son. Lucas takes the belt and holds it high above his head. Tino runs around in a circle.
The crowd begins to chant his name.
I turn around to see how many people are still here. That’s when I notice people are starting to push forward. I begin to stumble over the seats in front of me because I’m not strong enough to push back.
“Snake, help me,” I scream.
He pushes through the crowd and reaches for my wrist, but it slips through his hand.
I wiggle my head from the bodies that are causing a sudden panic of claustrophobia.
Get me out of here. Where’s Lucas?
A large hand grabs the back of my dress.
“Grab ahold of me,” Snake’s voice commands.
I can’t find his face because I’m being mauled by all the people. A hand slides under my shoulder, lifting me above the crowd. I turn my head and see Tino’s other friend, Tiny, who’s twice the size of Snake, holding me with one hand. He’s slamming people down like dominos.
“You alright?” Tiny asks, pulling me next to him.
“Fine,” I gasp.
He presses against the earpiece in his ear. “I’m supposed to get you downstairs right now. Tino’s got the kid.” He clutches me against him. “Just hold onto me and I’ll get you out of here.”
I take in a deep breath and pray we can just go home.
Tiny weaves us through the crowd and heads to a long hallway where he finds an elevator and scans the square on the wall with the tag hanging around his neck. He pulls me inside and presses the button so the doors close.
“He’s gonna be pissed as hell that we didn’t get you out of there sooner, before the crowd started going crazy.”
“I’m seriously fine,” I lie because I don’t want to make a bigger deal out of how terrified I am.
“That won’t change his mind.” Tiny shakes his head.
The doors open and I don’t pay much attention as we walk down another hall. I just want to get Lucas and leave. I will never agree to go to another fight so long as I live.
“He’s in here.” Tiny holds out his arm so I stop walking, and then he opens a door.
I walk into a room full of people hovering over Tino on an examination table. They’re cleaning his wounds, and running around like we’re in the emergency room. The left side of his face is swollen, and a doctor is asking him questions in that ear. Tino is stumbling to answer.
What’s wrong with him?
I turn my head because I can’t handle seeing him like that. I just want to go home.
“Mommy!” Lucas squeals.
“Hey there, baby.” I bend down and squeeze him like I’m never letting him out of my sight.
Tino begins to wrestle around on the metal table. “Took you long enough.” He twists his head to look at me.
“That’s a pretty rough crowd,” my voice trembles.
He sits up. “Who the hell left her out there for so long?”
“I did.” The words come out easy as I stare at his friends in the room with their heads down. “I lost focus after everybody started pushing.” Tiny flashes me an apologetic smile.
“Well, shit. Don’t do that again.” Tino leans back and rests his head against the table.
Lucas squeezes my hand. “Look what Tino got me. He says I’m his lucky charm, mom. He’s gonna call me Lucky from now on.”
My heart pitter patters. Lucky. For real? That might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever had a guy do. I don’t want to get too emotional over the situation so I turn and stare at the giant basket of action figures and candy wrapped in a cellophane covered basket and tied with a giant black bow.
“Can I open it?” Lucas begs.
“I don’t have any scissors on me.”
Tiny moves next to us and pulls out a switchblade.
“Pardon me, but may I ask you a few questions?” The doctor grabs my forearm, pulling me aw
ay from Lucas. I keep my eyes on him as he climbs on Tino’s lap discussing all the strength and weaknesses of each UFC action figure.
“Are you his wife?” the doctor asks once we get to the side of the room.
“No, but we’re—dating.” I lie only because I know a medical professional won’t give Tino’s information to a complete stranger.
“Okay, I want you to take him home and let him get plenty of rest. I’m worried he’s suffered a mild concussion.”
“Can that kill him?” I interrupt before he can go on.
“We’re just going to treat him with Tylenol and plenty of rest. He’ll need two caplets every six hours for the next two days. If he has a headache.”
“I’ll make sure he’s taken care of,” I say, but quickly think of the after party. “I’m pretty sure his manager is having a celebration party tonight. Tino already promised he’d be there.”
“Make him cancel.” The doctor closes his briefcase.
Right. “He isn’t going to listen to me.”
“I know the feeling. He’s already told me he’s finished. That’s always my cue to head out before he starts freaking out.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Good luck.”
I fake a smile and spin around.
Why would anybody do this to themselves? I stare at Tino with his eyes closed as Lucas plays with the toys on his lap.
“Are you feeling okay?” I walk over and rub his smooth head.
He looks up and smiles.
“The doctor wants you to go home and get some rest.”
He nods.
I run my fingers over his scalp, trying to take his mind off anything he might be thinking about.
His phone buzzes on the counter that’s at the other side of the room. Whiteboy picks it up. He slides the screen and starts talking as though a big night is just about to happen.
Tino lifts his head. “Who was that?”
“Sully’s got the party started.” Whiteboy straightens the collar of his shirt. “He wants us there in fifteen.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I react calmly, but what I really want to do is scream in his face and tell him hell no Tino isn’t going to that party. He needs to go home and sleep this off. But it’s not my place to be protective. I’m just a rental. Not the crazy, controlling girlfriend.
Pretty Woman: Mia (The Billionaire Bachelor Series Book 2) Page 6