Sucker Punched (Resilient Hearts Series Book One 1)

by Owen, L

  The whole Nicola incident seemed to upset Roman much more than he already was, and Ethan didn’t help matters when he laid the blame solely at Roman’s feet, which I find very unfair.

  Later that evening after my confession to Ethan, I go to the kitchen to get a drink, and Roman is sitting at the counter looking at his phone, appearing forlorn. It’s a look he wears often nowadays. As I walk over, I bump my shoulder into his. “Hey,” I say.

  “Hey,” he says back, still firmly on his phone. I glance at it, and it’s just a blank screen.

  “I’m getting a drink. Do you want one?” I inquire.

  He shakes his head then looks up at me. “Shit, that’s a nasty bruise on your jaw.” He’s looking really sad, and I hate it. Other than flying back to England and dragging Beth onto a plane, I don’t know how to fix him. Standing in front of Roman, on the other side of the counter, I rest on my elbows and sigh. He waits for me to speak, but I don’t. “Does it hurt?” he asks after a few moments. Yes, it really does. It’s feels like a sledge hammer hit me, not Nicola. I’m not about to make him feel more guilty than he already feels. I shake my head, “Roman, I can deal with a bruise. You need to stop feeling bad about this; you didn’t do it to me.” I stress.

  He exhales a long breath. “But…”

  I stop him. “No ‘but,’ don’t use this as an excuse to bring yourself down even more. Have you texted her?” I know what, or should I say who, this is really about.

  He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Yes.”

  “And did she text back?” I inquire.

  “Yes.” That’s it; that’s all I get.

  “Okay, I take the hint. Look, she may be my best friend and I love her to bits, but she made a mistake not staying here with you.”

  He is surprised that I know; I can tell. “Thanks.”

  I place my hand on his. “You have become very important to me. Very.” I stress. “If she doesn’t come to her senses, it’s her loss.”

  Squeezing my hand he says, “It doesn’t feel like it though.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “I know I only spent the week with her, but I feel lost without her, sis.” He’s breaking my heart. That’s also the first time he’s called me sis, and it feels nice.

  Roman asks for time alone, so I give it to him and head back to Ethan’s room. He’s lying on the bed, one arm covering his eyes. As I lie next to him, he stirs. “Hey babe, where you been?” he asks, his voice husky from sleep. He leaves his arm across his face.

  “I was just getting a drink and found Roman in the kitchen.” Ethan only grunts in response. “You need to stop being hard on him and direct your anger at Nicola.” I say, my tone clipped.

  Rolling onto his side to face me, he replies, “Trust me, I’m angry with both of them.”

  “Well, that’s bloody stupid.” I try to turn away, but he grips my arm to stop me.

  “Hey, come on. I don’t want to argue.” I don’t either, so I roll back snuggling into his side.

  “Neither do I. Just don’t be hard on him, please.”

  He kisses my head. “I will try, okay?”

  “Ethan, apart from Roman, I don’t know anything about your family.” Neither of us ever like to talk about that part of our lives, but I’m hoping he’ll open up to me now that I’ve confided so much in him.

  “There’s not much to say. My mom died when we were young, and neither of us really remembers her. My dad and stepmom brought us up. It was good. My stepmom died of cancer when I was fourteen. Dad remarried a couple of years later, but his new wife wasn’t that nice. I joined the army at eighteen, and then Roman enlisted as soon as he was old enough. Dad and his wife live about two hours from here now. We don’t really see him.”

  “I’m sorry about your mom. It was hard when I lost mine.” I had been eighteen but was lucky I had my Nan. She had always been a great support.

  “Thanks, but not really. You can’t miss what you never had. My stepmom, Rosie, she was a great mom. She was the glue that kept us together. When she died, it was hard on us all.”

  “Why don’t you see your dad now?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “Dad loves us, but he’s not good at showing it. We don’t get along with his wife, and he lets her dictate to him. So it’s just me and Roman, and now you.”

  “I like that,” I say.

  “Like what?” he asks.

  “Being important to you.” It’s a wonderful feeling.

  He wraps his other arm around me now. “Good, because you’re the most important thing in my life; that won’t change.” I feel the same about this man. As I’m wrapped in his warmth, I fall asleep content in the knowledge of how he feels about our relationship.

  The rest of the week is quiet, and now it’s Saturday morning. Luckily, Blake says Ethan can miss coaching, so we can spend a full day out at the zoo. I’m so excited. Okay, I know Ethan and I are taking Donnie and Danny, but I don’t care. I love the zoo. I love animals and always have. When I was a kid, I would drive my mum mad. We had a cat, and he would bring in things he had caught like birds, mice, and even a slow worm once. The thing about our cat was he didn’t kill what he brought in; he just played with them. I would spend time trying to save their little lives. I can remember putting a mouse with a broken leg in a cookie container with paper towels as a bed. I nursed it back to health, and my ten year old self had never been as happy as the day I released him and watched him scurry away.

  I had every type of pet as a child: rats, mice, hamsters, birds, fish, cats, dogs, but when I came home one day after my sixteenth birthday with a corn snake called Oscar, my mum banned me from all pet shops. I never had pets with Stephen. He said he had allergies, but I hope to give a home to a furry friend at some point in the future.

  Donnie had promised to meet us at Betty’s, and when he joins us, he has a book on primates. He waits until we’re in the car before he starts to describe every monkey in the book. He’s so animated and can’t wait to see them for real. The drive over to Danny’s is not too long. We don’t even get to stop the engine before he comes bounding out the front door. Pat follows, looking flustered. “This boy has been bouncing off the walls! Good luck with him today.”

  Ethan and I laugh. “It’s okay; he can run free once we get there,” I say.

  Danny climbs in the back, and Donnie begins to go through his book again, this time showing Danny. This is good because Danny calms down and listens intently to Donnie. Pat thanks Ethan again and gives us Danny’s overnight bag. Ethan agrees to bring him home tomorrow evening.

  We arrive at the zoo as it’s opening. I’m not sure who’s more excited, Donnie, Danny, or me. Okay, I lied; it’s definitely me.

  “Come on, guys. Hurry up,” I say, eager to get to the entrance.

  Ethan chuckles. “You’re such a child.” I grin up at him. He has NO idea.

  The zoo is massive. I read in the information leaflet that it’s made up of 42 acres and has over 1,300 animals. I’m in heaven. They have a schedule of things going on throughout the day, like feeding times and talking to the keepers. We take a note of the ones we really want to see, and then start to make our way around the zoo. I spot the lorikeets’ enclosure. They are beautiful birds with vibrant colors of blue, red, green, and yellow. They love nectar, and the zoo sells it to the patrons. As people walk through, the birds fly over and sit on them, trying to eat the nectar from the cups in their hands. I have done this at a zoo in the UK, and it’s lots of fun. I manage to talk the guys into coming in with me. “Come on, we need to buy some nectar.”

  “What, we have to buy it?” asks an irritated Ethan.

  “Yes, you cheap skate,” I joke. “Don’t worry; I’ll pay.”

  “No, you won’t. The amount it cost to get in, you’d think they’d give the nectar for free. I mean, look at the size of those containers,” he grumbles, as he purchases the tiny pots.

  I can see his point; it’s twelve dollars for the four pots, and they’re tiny. Donnie doesn’t like the bird
s flying around his head, so he waits outside and watches through the window. Danny takes Donnie’s container so all the birds flock to him, and he looks on in awe. Even Ethan seems to be enjoying himself.

  Next, we find the gorilla enclosure. Every primate that we’ve come across so far, Donnie has gotten his book out and read us the page about that particular animal. We come to a large silverback who has his back to us. He bends down showing us his backside. Donnie squints looking from the gorilla then back to the book. “Ethan, what’s that between its legs?” he inquires.

  “Umm,” squirms Ethan.

  “They’re his balls,” says Danny, very matter of fact.

  “Balls?” questions Donnie, squinting his eyes at the picture in his book, “They’re not in my book.”

  Ethan looks at me, panic on his face. I can’t help but enjoy his embarrassment. “Come on, boys. Let’s see what animal’s next,” I say as we move off.

  Ethan comes up behind me and whispers in my ear, “Nice save.”

  We stay the whole day, and we’re one of the last groups of visitors to leave. The boys get in the truck, and Ethan gives me a bag with something he bought from the gift shop.

  “What’s this?” I ask.

  Eagerly handing me the bag, he replies, “Just something I saw and thought you might like to remind you of the day.”

  “Awwww, that’s very thoughtful,” I say as I open the bag. I sputter as I peek inside. “A gorilla?” I look between the stuffed toy’s legs, “Thankfully, no balls.” Ethan chuckles and then opens my door for me.

  We drop Donnie home then make our way back to Ethan’s apartment. Walking inside, Ethan asks, “Danny are you hungry? We can get take-out if you like?”

  “What! Really? Nan always says we can’t afford take-out.”

  Ruffling Danny’s hair, he says, “My treat, anything you want.”

  “Anything?!” Danny is looking so cute right now with his mouth wide open in complete amazement. “Can we get pizza?”

  The pizza arrives forty-five minutes later, and Roman has joined us. The guys spend the rest of the evening playing Xbox. It’s lovely to see Danny nestled in between Roman and Ethan.

  Sunday morning, Ethan suggests he and Danny cook us an early dinner while Roman and I go to the gym. “You cook?” I mock.

  “Ha! Yes, I didn’t survive on take-out my whole life.”

  “Okay then, sounds lovely,” I say.

  “Yes,” says Danny, happy I’ve agreed. “Ethan, can we make spaghetti and meatballs? It’s my favorite.”

  “Sounds good. I love it, too,” Then I say, a little over excited, “Oooh, can you get garlic bread please?”

  Ethan rolls his eyes, smiling. “Anything for you.”

  After training and eating the best spaghetti and meatballs I’ve ever tasted, Danny seems down, and I watch as Ethan asks him what’s wrong. “Nothing, I just don’t want to leave yet,” he says quietly.

  “Hey,” Ethan says. “We will make this a regular thing. We loved having you here.”

  “Really?” he hollers. When Ethan nods, Danny throws himself at him. As I watch them hug, my heart melts just a little bit more, not just for Ethan, but for Danny, too.

  TWENTY FOUR

  Caitlin

  My head’s still hazy as I wake to a monotonous sound that won’t shut up. I’m so cozy and warm under Ethan’s covers. Fortunately, Ethan has blackout blinds, and I’m so bloody comfortable nestled in the middle of his bed. I’m not ready to wake yet. This bloody noise won’t stop ringing in my ears! My arm slips out from the covers, but it recoils back into the warmth because of the freezing air. Groaning, I slam a pillow over my head and snuggle deeper, but it just won’t die down. Finally, I can take no more. I fling the covers back and hit the button on the alarm clock with more force than necessary. It’s lucky I didn’t throw it across the room. Ethan already left, and if I don’t want to be late, I better get my arse moving.

  It’s now been a couple of weeks since we last had Danny visit. He’s an amazing kid, but we can’t have him stay today because of the charity baseball match. I’m so proud of Ethan and Blake. They have put so much effort into it, and the community has been generous, donating their time and resources for the injured vets.

  My job today is catering, so I need to collect and deliver all the food from Len’s. Kiaya agreed to help me. Once I’m dressed, I drag my sleepy self over to Betty’s.

  “Hi Kiaya, are you ready?” I holler towards the back room.

  “Yes, just loading up my car,” she shouts.

  I notice Len sitting at his usual booth, focused on his radio. “Hey Len, thanks again for all this. Are you still coming today?”

  Without looking up, Len says, “Yes, don’t fuss. I’ll be there.”

  Leaving Len, I join Kiaya, and we load the car before finally setting off. We arrive half an hour later. Asher greets us and helps us unload when I spot Ethan making his way to us.

  “Hi, how’s it going?” I greet him with a quick kiss.

  He’s looking relaxed, so I hope things are going smoothly, “Good, thanks, babe. People should start arriving within the next hour or so.”

  “Well, you better stop distracting me then so I can get this food sorted and make some much needed money.”

  Ethan pulls me back as I try to walk off. “Hold on, I just want to say thanks for everything you’ve done and for what you’re going to do today.”

  “Of course, anything for you,” I say with a wink. I turn again to walk away, but I’m stopped dead in my tracks as I spot Nicola walking in. I feel Ethan tensing up behind me. She pauses for just a second, and if I’d blinked I would’ve missed it. She straightens her back, composes herself, and then walks past us as if we’re strangers—not someone whose jaw she tried to break a few weeks ago. At least she has clothes on. Since that day at the gym, we haven’t seen or heard from her, which suits me just fine.

  A few days ago though, Ethan told me she’d be here because she just happens to be Blake’s cousin. I mean of course she is, being that’s how Ethan had been introduced to her in the first place. She is playing on Blake’s team, so there’s not much I can do about it. I’ll just do my best to ignore her, but I have a feeling she won’t let it be that easy.

  I’m still glad I declined to play today, and I don’t think Ethan’s team will regret my decision either. Ethan’s team consists of Ethan, of course, Roman, Asher, Kiaya, Donnie, Lucas, the doorman from Vertex, and then a few guys from the gym. It sounds like a solid team.

  Thanks to Len, we have plenty of tea, coffee, and soft drinks, and I’ll be cooking hot dogs and burgers. Donnie has joined me to set up and will help until it’s time to play. A few tables are set up in front of the hut. When Len joined us ten minutes ago, he took one over, getting out his paper and radio. I’m thinking his arse will remain firmly in that chair for the remainder of the day.

  As I walk into the hut, a familiar smell takes over my senses, and my mouth begins to water. My nose morphs into that of a tracking dog’s as I walk around trying to sniff out where it’s coming from. I’m excited upon spotting some large containers at the far side, and I know exactly what they are. I need at least one before they’re all sold. Okay, well maybe two. They’re Grace’s cookies; Asher had picked them up on his way over. It’s a good thing he did because she’d never have been able to carry all the boxes herself. I pop open the side of one box and bend over to inhale the heavenly aroma. I hear a familiar chuckle.

  “This reminds me of the first time we met, but please don’t fall over this time.”

  My feet remain firmly rooted to the ground. “You just like ogling my arse.” I joke giving it a little wiggle.

  Ethan moans, and I feel him move in close. He grips my hips and tugs me closer, and my pulse races. I’m still bent over the counter as he leans down and nips at my neck while grinding himself into me. Although the shutters are down and the door is closed, I can still hear people outside laughing. “Ethan, we can’t,” I protest, as mu
ch as I want to continue.

  He groans into my neck, hugging me tightly. I wrap my arms around his, not ready to let the connection go so soon. He backs away, and I immediately feel his loss. As I turn around and see him, I stop, unable to move due to the sight before me. My eyes slowly roam over his body.

  He laughs. “I take it you like it then?”

  Yes, I bloody well do! He’s changed, ready for the match, and he looks damn good. So good I nearly pull him back to finish what he just started and damned if people hear. He’s wearing light colored trousers, and his jersey is red with black stripes. His baseball cap matches his shirt. Now I’m the one groaning as I lean back, gripping onto the counter. Ethan’s face is deadly serious as he walks toward me. His fingers grip my hair when he crashes his lips to mine. It’s over all too quickly, and his voice is gruff as he says, “Thank you for my good luck kiss.” My heart hammers so fast in my chest that I take some deep breaths to slow it down. Ethan strokes his finger down my jaw, “I need to go, babe. I’m sorry.”

  “Well that sucks.”

  He lays a quick kiss to my lips and with a broad smile says, “Right now, I have to agree.”

  Ethan links his hands with mine as we step outside. Kiaya, Grace, and Donnie have joined Len around the table. Kiaya and Donnie balance on two chairs while hanging the banner we painted this week to advertise Betty’s.

  “Hi,” I say as I greet them.

  Kiaya’s wearing the same clothes as Ethan, but luckily it doesn’t have the same effect on me as when Ethan wears it. Kiaya has a knowing grin on her face as she jumps off the chair. Her look says “I know what you’ve been doing,” and my face flushing only makes her grin bigger.

  “So Caitlin, are you excited to watch a game of baseball?” Grace asks.

  As I have explained already, I know nothing about the sport, English or American. I’ll be busy in the hut most of the day anyway. I’ve brought my Kindle, so I probably won’t watch much of it. Everybody here is really excited about today. I am too, but I’m more excited about why we’re here. That’s to raise money. If I weren’t so clueless to the rules, I may feel differently. “I have no idea about the game, and I’ll be busy in the hut anyway.” Ethan is behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist, and his chin resting on my shoulder.