Romance: JADEN: An MMA Fighter Romance (Bad Boy Tattoo Romance) (New Adult Pregnancy Short Stories)

by Kristen Chase

Mr Walton stood staring back at the red-faced man, still not saying a word. I realised now that he wasn’t trying to be incredibly well-mannered and professional, he was using silence to make the man in front of him fester in his own hate, causing further anger and embarrassment to himself.

  “And you’ve got nothing to say for yourself?”

  “Hmmm.”

  Professor Walton crossed his arms and acted as if he was thinking hard about what to say.

  “Who is your child Sir?”

  “Amy Bennett.” He replied through clenched teeth.

  A smile formed on the Professor’s face.

  “Ah I see, Amy. Maybe you are missing the point here Mr Bennett. Maybe, your child is the problem, maybe she’s just not that bright.”

  The smug look on Professor Walton’s face soon disappeared as the man’s fist pounded against his fleshy cheek, forcing him to buckle over.

  I gasped, and the man suddenly shifted towards me. I cowered automatically but he suddenly looked frightened and after a moment, he was out the door slamming it behind him.

  Professor Walton was now lying on the floor with books spluttered behind him and I realised he had hit his head on one of the bookcases on his way down, now causing him to be lying on the floor not moving. I was terrified and I ran around the desk to his side. I kneeled beside him.

  “Professor Walton, Professor.” I yelled and I heard soft murmurs escaping from between his lips.

  I cradled my hand under his head and touched his face trying to awaken him. His eyelids slowly opened and instead of the hard eyes looking at me, that I was so used to, soft warm and pained eyes had replaced them and were now staring back at me.

  “Sir, are you okay?”

  He didn’t answer straight away and I began to remember who I was holding in my arms. I released his head from my hold and shuffled myself back a bit.

  “Do you think you can stand up Sir?”

  I didn’t wait for an answer.

  “I’ll go and get help. I will be back soon.”

  “NO!” He yelled in desperation and I turned back to him concerned.

  “Sir, you need help.”

  He ignored me and put his arm out for me to hold.

  “Here, help me up to my chair.”

  I obliged straight away and he stumbled the few steps to his chair and plonked himself down. He sighed and I stood beside him, once again not knowing what to do next.

  “Sir, you’re bleeding. I think you should go to the hospital. You could have a concussion.”

  He flung out his hand, waving it towards the drawers in the corner of his office.

  “I have some first aid packs in that bottom drawer over there. Bring it here will you?”

  “Yes, of course Sir.”

  I quickly made my way to the drawers and took out the white box from the bottom, and brought it back to his desk, placing it in front of him.

  “Well, I can’t very well do it myself Miss Samuels.”

  “Oh, sorry Sir. Of course.”

  I fumbled through the box finding some antiseptics and tissues to clean his wounds. This was extremely strange and I hesitated.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a doctor to do this Sir?”

  “Yes. Now come on with it.” He hurried me, and I fumbled my way through, what I assumed was a first aid procedure, as he continued to sigh to himself and I stayed silent.

  ***

  He wanted to continue the meeting and there was only so many times you can insist Professor Walton to go to the hospital, before he makes you fear for your own life. However, as he attempted to string his sentences together, I could see him struggling. I was trying desperately to ignore his pain but when he paused for a decent amount of time with his eyes squeezed shut and his hands grasping his forehead, I had to try again.

  “Sir?”

  “That will be all Miss Samuels.”

  He dismissed me and I hesitantly raised from my seat.

  “Are you sure I can’t do anything for you, Sir?”

  He looked up at me and I could see his protective shield continuing to come down. He sighed again.

  “I guess I should go home and rest. Do you have a licence, Miss Samuels?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Let’s go.” He said, assuming he didn’t actually have to ask me to drive him home. And he was right, I wasn’t going to refuse the professor and I definitely wasn’t going to let him drive himself home in this state.

  He carefully pushed himself up out of his seat and he breathed heavily. He was weak and faint. I hurried over, without thinking, to help him again, and he stopped me immediately.

  “Don’t be silly Miss Samuels. No one can know about what happened here, you hear?”

  He made eye contact with me for the first time since he lay on the floor after his hit, and he quickly looked away again after I spotted a glimpse of fear in his eyes.

  “Of course Sir. But I can help you to my car at least.” I offered and he shook his head disappointedly.

  “No,” he sighed, “you can walk behind me if you must, just in case. That is it.”

  “Of course.” I nodded and followed him out of the office.

  I directed him every time we needed to turn, but apart from that, no one would have guessed we were actually walking ‘together’. I don’t think anyone would ever think that Mr Walton would actually have company, so this kind of attention was quite easy to avoid.

  We made it to the car without me having to run to him to stop him from falling over, thank goodness. I was now thankful he hadn’t wanted me to walk with him to help him along, because as soon as I got out into the open, I found myself terrified that someone would spot us together, because now that I think about it, seeing the Professor walking with anyone, would have raised a red flag for anybody else’s eyes and then I would be bombarded with questions that Professor Walton had forbidden me to answer truthfully.

  We pulled up outside an apartment block roughly twenty-five minutes away from the college, so I was feeling slightly safer that we wouldn’t be spotted by anyone we knew. I walked around to help Mr Walton out and he was already halfway to his door by the time I got around to the other side of the car. I don’t know what got into me but I yelled out to him in heated sarcasm.

  “Yeah no problem, Sir.”

  “What?” He grumbled as he swung his head around to look at the rude little girl that had dared to question him.

  I automatically wished I hadn’t let his rudeness get under my skin and I was immediately terrified that my college life was going to end with a big FAIL. But as he spun on his heels to growl at me, his dizziness cast another spell on him and I was back at his collapsed side holding his head off the rough concrete beneath.

  “Sir, Sir. Are you okay?”

  “Help me inside will you?”

  I didn’t answer, I just listened. I helped his arm over my shoulders and he stood up shakily. We walked to his front door and he fumbled in his pocket with his keys.

  “I just need to sit down for a bit.” He mumbled lowering himself to the ground outside of his apartment.

  Now I was beginning to worry that we hadn’t exactly been stealth enough in our journey to his front door, no matter how far away we were from the school.

  “Sir, you can’t sit here, I need to get you inside.”

  He started slurring some words and closed his eyes resting his head against the cold brick wall behind him.

  “Please stay awake Sir.”

  I reached over him awkwardly thrusting my hand into his pocket to get his keys.

  “What are you doing?” He groaned, frightening me enough that I jumped.

  “I need to get you inside Sir.” I said confidently and I grabbed the keys and opened the door of his apartment.

  I helped him up again and walked him over to the couch in the middle of the large open lounge in front of me. I reached for my phone; I had to call the ambulance. I was not going to be an accomplice in someone’s death.

 
“Don’t even think about it.”

  I looked over to Mr Walton lying on the couch with his eyes still closed. He didn’t even look in my direction. I could have continued the call, but I sighed instead and dialled a hospital to get some advice.

  ***

  After a lengthy talk relayed from me, between Mr Walton and the nurse on the other side of the phone, we came to the decision for Mr Walton to just get some rest, and if he continued to feel any dizziness or slurred his words, we would go to the hospital. Well, this was solely Mr Walton’s decision actually. The nurse had insisted that we go to a doctor to ensure he was okay, but with much difficulty from him, she relented and he got his way, like usual. The unfortunate part, for the both of us I’m sure, was that I had to stay with Mr Walton for the next six hours to watch over him. Of course, the Professor refused this too but once some sense got into that stubborn head of his, he decided my company wasn’t going to be the worst thing in the world. And yes, these were his exact words. I wanted to walk out of the apartment in that exact moment without a word, but unfortunately, like I said, I didn’t want to have any part in his untimely death. However, I had had enough of his insults and his lack of appreciation for me, and I was not about to put up with it for the next six hours.

  “Girl, get me some water from the kitchen would you?”

  He flapped his hand towards me and the kitchen, still keeping his eyes firmly closed.

  “My name is Georgia, Professor Walton.”

  His eyes flung open and I knew my change in attitude had shocked him. He relaxed himself immediately though and continued his order.

  “Yes, yes. Georgia, get some water.”

  It was the first time I had heard him say my first name and I felt like I had made some sort of progression. My small accomplishment made me want to conquer more.

  “Please would be nice.”

  His eyes flung open again, even more surprised at my willingness to tempt the dragon for a second time.

  “I will get it myself.” He huffed swinging himself into an upright position and walking straight past me without a glance.

  He walked back with a glass of water. I hadn’t moved from my seat.

  “Is it that hard to say please?” I asked, more frightened by him now that he was wide awake, but I pressed on.

  “You should leave Miss Samuels.”

  I sighed and mustered up all of my courage.

  “What? And be blamed for your death? I suppose you would love to haunt me for the rest of my life wouldn’t you?”

  I rolled my eyes and he stared at me in complete disbelief.

  “I have no plan to come back to this world once I am gone, Miss Samuels.”

  “And why is that Professor? Has the world really been that cruel to you?”

  He laughed, and I felt my face burning with fear and embarrassment, but most of all, anger.

  “Do you think I need to answer to you, Miss Samuels?”

  “I don’t think you need to answer to anyone Professor, especially if you insist on living this angry, lonely world you have cocooned yourself in, forever.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re excused.” I spat with sarcasm, my heart beating faster and faster.

  “You have a lot to learn Miss Samuels. I have seen the world far more than you. I know much more than you.”

  “And I suppose you have suffered so much more than me too Sir?”

  “I haven’t suffered. Nobody in this country knows what real suffering is.”

  “Well, that is a very uneducated view, Professor.”

  “I don’t care.”

  I chuckled at his lack of argument.

  “My ten-year-old brother used to say that because he was too young to have a better response. I expected more from such an educated man as yourself.”

  He leant forward resting his elbows on his knees and looked straight into my eyes.

  “What do you want from me?”

  “From you? I doubt there is anything you could say or do to help or benefit anybody in this world Professor.”

  He laughed and then sighed, smiling as if he had finally figured me all out.

  “Taking your anger out on me Miss Samuels? Was daddy cruel to you?”

  “I never knew my father, Professor Walton. He died shortly after my birth. The same cancer that killed my brother when he was only ten years old.”

  My satisfaction at the look of his face dropping at my words, was enough to hold my tears from falling down my face. I sat back, resting into the chair. I held his gaze that had now weakened with embarrassment and what I thought I could identify as sadness.

  He finally broke our stare and we sat in silence for the next ten minutes, wondering how our conversation had taken such a dramatic turn.

  “My wife died in a car crash on the way to the airport for our honeymoon nine years ago. I died that day too.”

  His confession caught me off guard and before I could find any words to respond to him, he had left the room through a door to my right. This day just kept bringing the surprises.

  ***

  I softly knocked on the door and creaked it open, knowing that I probably wouldn’t get a response. Professor Walton was lying on his bed with a photo clasped in his hand, pressed against his chest. I could see a shimmer on his cheek where his tears had left their marks. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him even though I still was angry at him for being such a horrible human being.

  He hadn’t looked over at me yet, his eyes stayed fixated on the white roof of his room. I closed the door behind me and walked slowly towards him, stopping just far enough away so his arm could not reach me if he swung out at me unexpectedly.

  “I’m sorry about what happened to you, Sir…” I started and he interrupted, keeping his stare above him.

  “David.”

  I was confused at his interruption but as I realised he was allowing me to address him by his first name, I greatly appreciated it.

  “I don’t think you needed to die that day, though.”

  He turned his head slowly towards me and I saw the same sorrow I had seen in his office earlier that day.

  “I know.” He sighed. “I know Georgia.”

  My heart broke for this man in front of me, a man I had not met until this very moment, despite seeing him every weekday this year.

  “I am deeply sorry about what you and your family have battled against.”

  He pat down on his bed next to him, and sat himself up.

  “Come sit Georgia.”

  I hesitantly obliged and he continued to speak.

  “I know I am an unpleasant man…” he started and I attempted to rebut his words, even though this was quite true, it seemed it was an automatic response when someone puts themselves down.

  “And I have no legitimate excuse but to protect myself from one of the world’s most painful enemies.”

  He looked at me and he could tell I was still unsure of what he was implying.

  “Love.” He clarified.

  “Love brings pain Sir, but it brings such joy as well.”

  He smiled softly.

  “Yes, of course Georgia, but I don’t know if it is all really worth it.”

  “And living your life like this is?” I questioned.

  He grabbed hold of my hand.

  “You remind me of her you know? Warm, caring….beautiful.”

  I felt my heart start beating faster in a completely different way than I was used to, especially as a response from Professor Walton.

  “You almost make me want to try again Miss Samuels.”

  I looked down at his hand holding mine, now embarrassed, and we were suddenly snapped out of the strange moment we had just been experiencing. He pulled his hand from mine and started to apologise for his inappropriate behaviour, and I decided it was time I left him and went home.

  ***

  He wasn’t in class today, most likely hiding his bruised face, and ego, away from the world. I went to his office after cl
ass. I knew he still didn’t deserve, or want, my compassion, but I couldn’t help but be concerned for him. He wasn’t in his office though and the next thing I knew, I was driving back to his house and knocking on his front door. There was no answer so I turned the handle myself, assuming it would be locked, but it was actually open and I slowly let myself in, hoping that I wasn’t about to stumble on some other company that would be shocked at my appearance. I was safe, no one was there, not even the professor. I felt like I was doing something incredibly wrong walking through another person’s house uninvited, but as I called a few times more and got no answer, my immediate worry kept me going. His bedroom door was slightly ajar and I could see a pair of feet peacefully relaxing on the end of the bed. I pushed the door open further to reveal Mr Walton lying motionless. I was instantly frightened that he may not be alive but my concerns were soon put to ease as I saw the rise and fall of his chest and I heard his little groans making their way from his open mouth. I refrained myself from waking him and took in the sight before me. He was only wearing shorts, which left the rest of his body lying there for me to devour with my eyes. Of course, I wasn’t intending on looking at my literature professor in this way but I couldn’t rip my eyes away from his muscular form. His biceps curled up above his head, his chest hardened as he stirred, and his abs found me in a state of very unwanted thoughts. I had to wake him so I could snap out of my unexpected awe of his body.

  “Professor Walton.” I whispered as I closed in on him.

  I lightly poked at his arm and he shot up ready to attack. I jumped back frightened and he held his forehead realising it was only me.

  “Miss Samuels, how did you get in here?”

  “Sorry, Sir. The door was unlocked. I called out but no one answered and I was worried. I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be silly. You are welcome here now Miss Samuels. You have seen me at my worst.”

  “I would say it was your best Mr Walton.” I was intending honesty rather than being flirtatious but as the line came out, I darted my eyes away from him in embarrassment, for a comment that actually sounded highly seductive. He laughed and I relaxed, thankful he wasn’t going to bite my head off for being so inappropriate.