“I love you too, Stephanie,” I reply. “Have a good night and don’t stay up too late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You don’t stay up too late either, Eric. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
I wait watching the screen until she’s shut it down. Releasing a heavy sigh I decide to prepare my dinner and get to bed early. I know it’s going to be a rough night, thinking not only about the fight, but thinking about her, about those plump full lips that taste like strawberries every time I lick them. Those beautiful brown eyes that watch me with more love then I’ve ever seen a woman have for a man. Her pure golden perfection that glows with radiance when I’m with her. It’s all I’m going to be thinking about tonight, while alone in my bed.
Any pain that she’s ever felt, ever had, I’m going to take it all away. I’m going to replace all those feelings with love. She will never have to suffer in any way again and that life with her begins tomorrow.
***
Stephanie
As I sift through the few photos I have tucked away in a box, hidden in my closet, I notice how little I have from growing up. So many memories were filled with hate. It’s hard to recall any good times. I pull out one photo that shows my mom and me sitting on the sand of the coastal beach. I’m digging with my shovel while my mom is laid out on a beach towel, sunglasses covering her eyes with the beautiful ocean water in the back ground. I must have been around five years old. The photo looks like a memory that would be wonderful, but unfortunately all I can remember from that day is my father sitting on the beach with his bottle of whiskey and when the moment came for us to go home my mom insisted on driving, but my father refused to admit that he wasn’t in control and snatched the keys. I just remember crying, unsure of what was happening and why there was so much screaming. We made it home without anything happening, but I listened to my parents scream at each other for hours. I watched as my dad finally got fed up and punched her in the leg and then again in the arm. He was repeatedly screaming for her to shut the fuck up and finally she did. Finally, she faced the window and didn’t say another word to him.
I wipe my cheek as a tear falls down from the painful memory. I can’t help but feel sorry for my mom. She never deserved any of what he did to her. Just like I don’t deserve what Travis does to me and the way he makes me feel. No matter how worthless I am I still don’t deserve his abuse. I don’t know what I would do if I would have never ran into Eric. He is saving me more than he knows. He’s saving me from myself. I’m weak. My dad made me this way. He made me fearful of men. He made me believe all I ever deserved was to be treated like shit. I’ve never known any different, except with Eric.
I grab up the small stack of photos I have from my childhood and take them down to the office. One by one I place each photo through the shredder. I don’t want to hold onto any of these memories. They are all painful. This life with Eric is a new start to the new me. The stronger me. The me that deserves to be treated like a person. I’m not going to be the little girl that hides, the little girl that cries herself to sleep to hide the pain. I’m done having my life controlled by these men who think they are better than me. I don’t want to hold onto all the pain that has been haunting me for so long now.
Once the last photo is shredded I dump all the pieces into a garbage bag. I don’t want to be reminded of my past any longer. I turn back upstairs to complete my packing.
I only place a few outfits into my suit case, along with two pairs of shoes and some makeup, a tooth brush and a hair brush. Just enough items, as if I’m going on a short trip. I don’t want to take anything else. I don’t want to take the clothes Travis has bought me. Once I get new clothes I’m burning these ones. I will not be reminded of him ever again.
I zip up my suit case and release a sigh of relief. My world is finally changing. Tonight will be a night of wine and forgetting everything that I’m leaving behind.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Eric
Last night was the first full night’s sleep I’ve gotten in a long time. Lately I’ve been lying awake, thinking of Stephanie, hoping and praying she’s okay and I’ll see her again. Last night, knowing Travis was out of town, was the first night I actually slept peacefully. She was safe at home and now today is the day she can finally rid herself of that bastard.
Today is going to be a busy day and I’ve got warming up and some preparing to do before my fight. I wish that she would have agreed to me picking her up, but as long as she’s meeting me before the fight I’ll be happy. I need to see her beautiful face before I step into the ring.
Gym bag packed and ready to go I jump into my truck, heading to meet Marcus at the arena. I’ve got warming up to do. Final weigh-ins are this morning. This event is live and the place will be packed. It’s a huge auditorium and I’ve assigned Stephanie a seat up front. She’ll be next to some of my sponsors as well as Marcus’ wife will be there and will have a seat right next to her. I’m going to feel a lot better fighting knowing exactly where she is and knowing she’s safe. I’m pumped for the fight, but I’m more excited for after. I can’t wait to see her face when I show her the place I’ve bought for us in Texas. She’s going to love it. I want to help her get back everything she’s given up. She needs friends, a job, something to make her feel good, most of all she needs a real life.
***
As I’m pounding away on the bag, warming up my muscles, my heart races, not from the exercise, but more in anticipation of seeing Stephanie. The exhilaration of her watching me fight tonight is getting me hard.
“Eric! You ready for this tonight?” Marcus asks over the noise of my fist hitting the bag.
I pause, catching my breath. “Yeah, I’m ready! This guy is nothing and you know that Marcus!” I counter.
“Yeah, you’re the shit, Eric. I know this as well as you do, but you’ve never had a distraction before. At least not like one you’re going to have tonight. I can’t help but be concerned. I need you focused.”
“I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. Worry about your own shit, Marcus, not mine!” I reply, pissed that he would call Stephanie a distraction.
“I’m not the one that will win or lose. It’s all on you tonight. I’m just giving you a heads up that it’s not going to be like the fights before. I don’t want to see you lose all because of her, when I know you can beat this guy with one eye closed.”
I exhale, doing my best to keep myself calm. If he keeps addressing her as my distraction I’m going to have to beat his ass. I take another breath before replying, “okay, Marcus. I’ve heard you.”
And that ends that conversation. We work over the next hour with my personal masseuse who works and stretches each of my body parts and every muscle.
I check the time and Stephanie should be here soon, so I toss on a hoodie, pulling it over my head, throw on some jeans and sunglasses.
“I’ll be right back,” I holler over my shoulder to Marcus.
“Don’t let anyone see you out there, Eric. You’ll never make it back in.”
I smirk at his comments, because he’s right. Crazed fans of UFC come to these things and if they see me just standing out there they are going to swarm and I will be signing shirts the rest of the night. I pull my hoodie forward covering most of my face and take the back door out and around the large building. I wait off to the side until I spot the black car that I know holds Stephanie. I wave them down; unable to see through the tinted windows, but knowing it’s her. The car pulls up to the curb, avoiding all the pedestrian’s swarming around, crossing the street. Its hours before the live event, but there are several other fights beforehand so people are already entering, ordering their beers and preparing to get rowdy.
I step up to the car, opening the passenger door and am greeted by long silky legs that have me salivating at the thought of gliding my tongue up them and then large brown eyes look up at me with a smile that makes me want to push her back in the car and take her right now. Instead I hold o
ut my hand like a gentleman and she places hers delicately in mine. As she steps out of the slick black car her long auburn hair, which is curled in large waves, falls forward. I pull her up onto the sidewalk, wrapping my arms around her waist and then gently push her hair out of her face. She’s stunning in her short black strapless stress, exposing skin in all the right places, but covered up just enough to keep you wanting more. Unable to control myself I run a hand across her tight ass, squeezing as I move my hand up to the small of her back. I want a taste of those full bright red lips. I lean in pushing her silky hair back with my noise and whisper in her ear, “you are the most beautiful woman I’ve laid eyes on. I want to taste every part of you… right now.” I hear her gasp and I smile to myself. I love that she reacts to me.
“You can have me whenever and wherever you want, Eric,” she whispers back and now she has the lower part of me reacting.
“Don’t tempt me, beautiful,” I counter, kissing the soft spot behind her ear and kissing down her neck till I reach her collar bone then I pull away slightly looking at her. Her eyes appear to be sparkling. “Don’t cry baby,” I say, wiping away the one tear that falls from her eye.
“You don’t know how happy I am right now, Eric.”
“He can’t hurt you anymore, no one can. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” she says, as she lays her head against my chest. I run my hand through her hair holding her tightly. It kills me how much he’s hurt her, broken her. “Come on, let’s get inside.” I grab her hand in mine; carrying her one bag she has with her, and lead her around the building to the back entrance. Everything is right now that she’s here.
***
Stephanie
The fight is only thirty minutes away and I seem to be much more worried than Eric. He keeps telling me he’s going to win and that this guy won’t even be able to lay a hand on him, but I can’t help the feeling I have in my gut. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen him fight, hell, I’ve never watched anyone fight. It’s got to just be nerves. Plus, the fact that my bag is packed and I’m leaving with him after this, has my emotions all over the place; excitement, fear, wonder, relief.
One of the large body guards walks me out to the seating area. He doesn’t say anything to me as he takes me right up to center stage and directs me to sit in the front row. Already sitting in a seat next to mine is a tall lean woman. Her short black hair glistens with the lighting. She’s beautiful, but also has this older, wiser appearance about her. However, the short red dress makes her seem younger. As I approach she stands up smiling at me.
“Hi! I’m Lucy, Marcus’ wife. You must be Stephanie?” she suggests and holds out her hand.
Willingly I shake it, still stunned with her beauty. “Yes, you can call me Steph,” I reply, taking my seat next to her. The body guard walks off back to wherever else he’s needed.
“I love watching these things. I always get so anxious and riled up. It’s a rush and I don’t have to risk my own safety, you know?” she laughs as she nudges my arm.
“I haven’t actually been to one of these before. I don’t know if I’m excited or scared,” I respond, shyly.
“Oh, sweetie. Don’t even worry. They are intense, but you get used to it. Some of the guys do get badly injured, but I always tend to look away when I know what’s coming. Can’t help it I guess. Still grosses me out when blood splats everywhere or an arm is jerked in a way it shouldn’t go. If you have a weak stomach you may want to look away if it starts to get nasty,” she suggests.
I don’t have a weak stomach, but my nerves are on end thinking of Eric getting hurt. “So, has Marcus been a trainer for long?” I ask, trying to distract from my shaky hands.
“He has been for almost twenty years now. I met him when he was just a trainer at a gym. He absolutely loves what he does. I’ve been coming to these fights for I don’t know how long.”
“Looks like I’ll be joining you at many more to come,” I state, smiling and doing my best to control my breathing.
She places her hand on my exposed knee. “Look Steph, just relax. I’ve seen Eric fight and he’s good. You don’t need to worry about him.”
“You think so?” I ask.
“Yeah. Here let’s go grab a beer before this thing starts,” she says, standing up; her tall lean body standing over me. Her legs appear to go on forever in that short red dress.
“Okay, thanks Lucy,” I reply getting to my feet. A beer or maybe a tall glass of wine would be nice.
Chapter Thirty
Eric
Waiting for my song to play, standing just out of sight, I’ve got the biggest smile on my face. It’s going to be hard to appear mad with my opponent when I have Stephanie up in the front row watching me. She melts my heart and makes me soft. Well, except for the part in my midsection, she makes that nice and hard. I laugh to myself at the thought.
“What’s so funny?” Marcus hollers over all the noise from the loud crowd in the auditorium.
“Nothing,” I yell back.
My song turn’s on, the beat vibrating the walls. “You’re up Travis! I’ll be out there with you the whole time!” Marcus wails into my ear over the music and I nod my head as I listen to the announcer call out my introduction over the microphone and step out into the walkway that leads up to the ring. The crowd roars, everyone standing up, but all I care about is her. I wave, bouncing up and down, keeping my body warm. My opponent is already in the ring. Before entering I remove my shirt handing it to Marcus, and then my nails and hair are checked and the rules are said to me by one of the refs. I still haven’t spotted her, but as soon as I enter the ring, I turn to face the crowd lifting my fist in the air to give them a show, and then I spot her. Long auburn hair, large brown eyes looking up at me with love and concern. I smile, blowing a kiss to her and she returns it.
I turn and look back at my opponent, Andres Parker, and smile. I’ve seen him fight, many times and I know this is going to be an easy fight, but I’m required to put on a good show for the crowd, which is part of why I love this job. As soon as that bell rings I step forward. I’ve never been one to step back. I work him, moving him around the ring, throwing a few swings and landing each one, but not putting full force into it. I let him hit me a few times too. I’m a scrapper so I enjoy taking it down to the ground, getting my opponent in the arm bar, but I keep it up for a little bit. Letting him think he might have a chance against me. From what I know he’s an expert in Jujitsu and he isn’t too bad either.
We move around the ring a few more times, me taking a few kicks at him, hurting his leg and then I see it. Like a slow motion movie playing before me. The noise of the crowd roaring in my ears, screaming and clapping and anger masks my face, my veins boiling as I watch the scene in front of me. She’s so close, but I can’t get to her. I take a step forward, completely disregarding my opponent now, needing to get to her. I see him, grabbing her arm, a crazed look burning in his eyes as he yanks her to her feet; no one else noticing over all the noise. Lucy standing to her side, screaming profanities and then I see her, tears pouring down her cheeks as she looks over her shoulder, straight at me, screaming at the top of her lungs, but I can’t hear her over the fucking noise. I’m pushing past Andres trying to get out of the ring, trying to get to her, but before my eyes, he brutally yanks her dragging her towards the exit. No one even notices. They’re too fucking wrapped up in the fight. It only takes a split moment as I watch him walk right past the security guard. She turns around one last time and as I make it past Andres, he whips me around landing a swing right to my jaw. That’s all I can remember before it all went black.
“Eric! Eric!” Marcus screams, leaning over me, tilting my head side to side.
“Get the fuck off me man!” I yell, scrambling to my feet, struggling to get to Stephanie.
“You were knocked out! What the fuck happened?” Marcus is still yelling over the crowd and the ref is trying to get me to my feet so they can announce Andres as the
winner, but I don’t have time for this.
I push past the ref, past Marcus, running down the steps, shirtless, bare foot, fist still gloved and sprint straight for the exit. I don’t know where I’m going, but I will find her. All I hear as I’m exiting the building is Marcus hollering after me, but I continue, ignoring him. I make it to the locker room in record time, snatching my keys grabbing some shoes and take off out the side door.
I sprint for my car, pushing past everyone in my way until I make it to my truck in the parking area. Unlocking it I quickly jump in and start the engine, but before I can put the pickup in reverse Marcus slams his hand against my window. He jumps back as I open my door.
“What?!” I holler.
“What the fuck are you doing, Eric! Where are you going?” Marcus yells back at me.
“It’s Stephanie,” I say between deep short breathes, “He took her.”
“What? Who took her?”
“I don’t have time for this. I’m going to find her, Marcus. He forced her out of there. He knows she’s seeing me! If you’re coming get in the truck otherwise get the fuck out of my way!” I place my truck in reverse and slam my door, Marcus runs to the passenger side climbing in.
“Okay. I’m coming with you,” he states and I put the truck in reverse and pull out. I don’t know where he took her, but I’m going to find her.
***
Travis
“Shut the fuck up!” I scream over her loud sobs, losing my train of thought. I fucking knew it! When I saw her being dropped off and his hands all over her, I lost it. It was all I needed to react. I couldn’t do it then of course. I had to wait, wait till I wouldn’t get seen. Pay off the guard at the door. I had to wait till everyone was occupied so I could move in. It was the perfect moment. The noise from the crowd overbearing her screams for help. The man in the ring consumed with his fight. I took down the walkway, heading straight for her. I grabbed her up, whispering in her ear to keep quiet or I’d make it worse. She still fucking screamed though. Quickly I dragged her out of there, right past the guard I paid to stay quiet and straight out of the building to my car parked alongside the curb right in front. A man that obviously worked there hollering at me to move my vehicle, I dragged her to the driver side, threw her in pushing her to the passenger side before climbing in and pulling away. I smirk to myself at how easy it was to drag her out of there.
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