The final outcome was that Donald had won and Brigid was in serious trouble. She had probably decided I had fucked up her life and wanted to distance herself before I made it worse. At least she still had something to live for.
Without Brigid to give me something else to focus on, I was hating life.
I felt completely broken.
I hadn’t been this down on myself since I’d lost Cali and then Minka shortly after.
I tried to distract myself from worrying about Brigid by focusing on business issues, because there was always something to be done with the dojos. Despite all the people working for me, the business didn’t run itself. But all of it left me feeling empty.
It all came down to Brigid.
I needed her back in my life.
Without her, and without Daniel, nothing else mattered.
I didn’t even have Dean around to bust my balls and whip me into shape. I called him several times in St. Louis, but he didn’t always have access to a phone and he refused to carry a cell phone.
I was on my own.
On the days when my knee was at its worst and it seemed like I might never fight again, I thought to myself that I wouldn’t care as long as I could keep Brigid and Daniel in my life. When we were together, everything was perfect. Without them, all I had was fighting and the businesses. If I couldn’t fight, I wasn’t sure if I had anything.
Living a life alone wasn’t worth living.
I wouldn’t be the first athlete to off himself after a career ending injury. I knew things were bad when I started looking at handgun prices online.
Just when I thought I couldn’t sink any lower, I got a text from Brigid that just about killed me.
Irish Kiss: We need to talk.
My heart stopped when I read it.
Translation: I’m breaking up with you.
When she didn’t text anything else, I knew I was right. Best to get it over with.
Me: Tell me where and when.
An hour later, she replied.
Irish Kiss: How about your house?
She wasn’t suggesting her house because she wanted a quick escape if I started punching things. I couldn’t blame her.
We set up a time for the next morning.
I didn’t sleep all night. I had never been this nervous before any of my fights. This was ten times worse because I knew I was going to get slaughtered tomorrow no matter what I did to prepare.
Chapter 40
BRIGID
I stood outside Lion’s front door. My nerves were getting to me. I wasn’t sure I could go through with this. Right when I started to turn to leave, the door opened.
“Hey,” he mumbled. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.
“Are you all right? You look like you haven’t been sleeping well.”
“I haven’t.”
“That makes two of us.”
“I’m sure.” He sounded so cold, so distant.
I couldn’t decide if that would make things easier or more difficult. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah. I guess,” he grunted.
Okaaaay. He wasn’t doing a good job of making me feel welcome. Maybe I should leave and do this some other time. No. He needed to know. The longer I waited, the harder it would be. I trudged up the steps and he closed the door behind me. I followed as he walked slowly to the living room. His knee was stiff and appeared to bother him.
His living room was a mess. It had been a while since I’d been here, but he’d never left the place this dirty.
“What happened?”
“Huh? You mean the mess? I told the maid to stop coming.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. When he sat down on the couch he was extra careful with his knee, moving like an old man.
“Is everything all right with you, Lion? I’m a little worried.”
“You tell me.” His eyes were haunted.
I took a deep breath. “Someone at the hospital knows about us.”
“Figures.”
That wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but total apathy was not it. Now I really wanted to leave. But I couldn’t run away from this no matter how far I went. “Read this.” I handed him the letter I’d brought with me.
“What’s this?”
“This is the letter that the head of human resources at LACH personally handed to me yesterday.”
He scanned it and started reading out loud. “This letter is a summons for Brigid R. Flanagan, MD, to appear before the Los Angeles Central Hospital Ethics Committee for an investigative hearing to gather information and review charges against her for ethical and sexual misconduct in her role as attending physician to her patient, Lion Michael Maxwell. The doctor is charged with sustaining an ongoing sexual relationship with her patient in violation of California Business and Professional Code, Article 10.5 Unprofessional Conduct section 726(a) and (b) and 729(a), the LACH Conduct Code, section 5-909(a) and (b), Doctor-Patient Conduct. This will be a closed hearing consisting of Dr. Flanagan and the LACH ethics committee, and representatives from the Medical Board of California only. The doctor is free to seek legal counsel in advance of the hearing. Approved counsel will be allowed to accompany the doctor during the hearing, per hospital guidelines. The outcome of the hearing will determine whether or not Dr. Flanagan’s actions shall be reviewed in full by the Medical Board, and what punitive actions will be taken. This may include suspension or revocation of Dr. Flanagan’s medical license. This investigative hearing will take place on Friday, August 31st at 10:00am in the LACH Administrative Building, 4th floor, Sequoia Meeting Room.”
He shrugged and handed me back the letter. “We knew it was gonna happen, right?”
“Don’t you care?”
“What do you want me to say, Brigid?”
“I don’t know! Anything!”
“You said yourself I didn’t force you into anything.”
“How can you be so callous about this?”
“I’m not the one forcing you out of this.”
“Out? Out of what? What are you talking about, Lion?”
“You came here to break up with me, didn’t you?”
I laughed. “Is that what you think this is about?”
“Pretty much.”
I dropped onto the couch next to him. “Lion, I didn’t come here to break up with you. The opposite. I came to show you this letter and—” I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“And what?”
“Nothing.”
“So, you’re not breaking up with me?” He sounded like a frightened child.
“Not a chance.” I kissed his cheek. “I made a promise to you. I will keep it. So stop worrying. What we need to worry about is this letter.”
“Lemme see it again.” He took it and read it over. “Sounds like you need a lawyer.”
“I’ll say,” I chuckled morosely. “Do you know any good ones?”
“Not any who do medical stuff.”
“Me neither. But I can ask around.” I sighed. “Who do you think tattled on us?”
“Your ex. Or Dr. Hackett.”
“Him?”
“He was asking me some weird questions when I went in after my surgery to have my bandages changed.”
“Huh. Did you tell him something?”
“No. But he tried to drag it out of me.”
“That’s weird. And here I thought it was Donald.”
“Maybe it was both of them.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t really matter at this point.”
“So what do we do about your investigative hearing?”
“There’s not much you can do. It’s all on me, really.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“What do you mean?”
“We could say I forced you.”
“What, like you raped me? No. I would never do that to you. This is my fault and I have to take the blame.”
“We could always deny it. I mean, what does y
our ex-husband know? Other than what Daniel told him?”
“Nothing. You and I were always so careful.” My stomach flopped at that thought. Mostly true, except for that one time.
“Exactly. Nobody knows anything and I’m not gonna admit to anything against the rules. You don’t have to either. We’re just friends, right?”
“Right. But how do we explain all our time together? It looks suspicious.”
“Easy. Like you said. We don’t have to explain it. They don’t know we were sleeping together.”
“They will.”
He looked surprised. “Why, are you gonna tell them?”
“No. But I’m pregnant.”
“What?” His voice was flat. “Hold up. What did you just say?”
“I’m pregnant.” I winced in anticipation of how he might react.
“Is it mine?”
I smacked his arm. “Of course it’s yours, asshole! What kind of woman do you think I am?”
His face started to oscillate through a hundred different emotions. “Are you sure? I mean, sure you’re pregnant?”
“I’m a doctor. I’m sure.”
His eyebrows climbed and the adorable boyish grin glowed with pure happiness, the first time I’d seen it today, and the first time I’d seen it in weeks. I didn’t realize how badly I’d missed it until right then. He gasped, “I’m gonna be a dad?”
“You’re already a dad. I mean, were, I mean, sorry. I didn’t mean…” I was thinking about his son Cali. I was going to cry. “Yes. I’m going to have your child, Lion. Our child.”
“Hell yes!” He jumped up off the couch and shouted with joy. When he landed, he grimaced and sat down suddenly. “Fuck, my knee.”
“Are you okay?” I reached out to check it.
His face twisted in pain. “I shouldn’t have done that. Hurts like a bitch. Rehab is going way slower than I expected.” He leaned forward, cradling his knee with both hands. “Fuck. Ow, ow, ow!”
“Oh, Lion. I’m so sorry. I should’ve warned you.”
After a minute of choking back silent pain, he started laughing. “We’re gonna have a kid! I can’t believe it! What are we gonna name him?”
“How do you know it’s a him?” I giggled.
“Her, I don’t care. As long as it’s got two arms and two legs and calls me Daddy, that’s all I care about.”
I started crying and threw my arms around him. “I love you Lion. I love you so much.”
He showered me with kisses. “I love you too, Brigid. I can’t believe we’re having a baby!” His happiness washed over me. But it wasn’t enough to silence my fears.
“We won’t be able to deny our sexual relationship. You realize that, right?”
“Oh, man…” His face struggled between elation and fear.
“People are going to ask who the father is. Word will get around. When our child is born, we’ll have to fill out the birth certificate. Then everyone will know. It’ll be official.”
“I told you, I hate these fucking ridiculous rules.”
“Me too.”
“I’ve got one more rule for you, Brigid.”
“Oh?”
“No matter what happens, I’ll take care of you. If you lose your job, you can live with me. Daniel can live with me. You need money to pay an attorney? I’ll give you whatever you need. I love you Brigid, and I’m not going to let some bullshit rule bring you down. You got that?”
With Lion on my side, I felt like we could get through this. It was my turn to kiss him all over. One thing led to another and we were kissing passionately and deeply. His hands were all over my breasts, squeezing and kneading them desperately.
“Careful. They’re extra sensitive.”
“Just how I like them,” he grinned, but relaxed his touch and was much more gentle with them.
It occurred to me that we hadn’t had sex since before his surgery. It had felt like an unnecessary and artificial abstinence, one based purely on those ridiculous rules that neither one of us wanted to follow anymore. Now we were free to express our love for each other without doubt or hesitation.
Within minutes, all our clothes were off.
We sat on the couch side by side, completely naked. His cock was fully erect.
“Stand up and let me see that amazing ass, Irish. I’ve missed it so bad.”
“It’s not that amazing.”
“To me it is. Stand up and give me a spin.”
I did.
“Damn, you look good.” His eyes were all over me.
“You too. Is, um, is your knee up for this?”
“Forget about my knee. All I want you thinking about is my cock. And it’s more than up for this. It’s straight up for this.” It was. That huge throbbing cock pulsed with need.
He reached out and pulled me toward where he sat on the couch.
“Lion!” I fell forward and sat down on his thighs clumsily. His cock stood at attention between my legs. “Mmm… I’ve missed this.”
“Me too.” He wrapped his arms around me and turned us both, pulling me down on top of him on the couch. Then he grabbed my thighs and pulled upward.
“What are you doing?”
“I’ve missed this.” He pulled my pelvis straight up to his face.
I would’ve tumbled off the end of the couch if I hadn’t stopped myself by planting my hands on the armrest. I was on all fours. I looked down between my legs. He was on his back, his eyes gazing up at my vagina.
“Sit down.”
I did.
His tongue went straight to work.
“Oh!” I gasped and watched him devour me. His face and nose were instantly slick with me. I was already good and wet. His tongue felt incredible, hitting everything just right. Pure pleasure exploded inside me and I came so quickly I surprised myself. When I caught my breath, I turned over and around, lying across him in a classic 69 position so I could focus on his cock, which stood tall and proud. When I started licking, he did too. At first, feeling him eat me while I sucked him was distracting. It felt so good I could barely concentrate on his blowjob, but I did my best. At some point, my pleasure leveled off to the point where I could thoroughly enjoy it but still focus on fucking his cock with my mouth. Then out of nowhere, I exploded with another powerful orgasm, better than the first.
He chuckled, “You like that?” The words were muffled and wet. Slurp, slurp, slurp. He was still busy eating me. His insistent licking made me gasp for air and quiver all over and the orgasm just kept on going. “You are soaked, woman,” slurp “I can feel your pussy pulsing around my nose,” slurp “You’re still coming, aren’t you?” Slurp.
I was. I felt myself clenching hard over and over again as he licked my clit and his nose worked my wet entrance. I couldn’t speak to answer him. It felt too damn good. All I could do was ride the orgasm to conclusion.
“Damn, I do love the smell of you.”
I could tell because his cock was twitching in my mouth and I could taste pre-cum dripping out.
When he finally stopped and the waves finally faded, I whispered, “I’ve never done sixty-nine before.”
“Now you have.”
“What do we do about you?”
“You mean, what do you do about me? My knee is all busted, remember?”
“Would you like me to ride you?”
“Go for it, cowgirl. But be careful, this lion bucks and fucks like a bronco.”
“Is your knee okay to buck?”
“I don’t need to use it when I’m on my back. Now climb on. I’m dying to come inside you.”
“Yes, Master,” I giggled as I turned and slowly lowered myself onto his girth, feeling him filling me to the hilt as I slid down and ground my clit against him. “Oh, fuck. I like this.”
I leaned my hands against his muscled chest and started to thrust and tilt my pelvis in a hypnotic rhythm that took both of us out of our bodies and into each other’s. We rocked and moaned in perfect unison, riding wave after wave of multiple orga
sms together. Somehow, he never seemed to lose his erection. I just kept riding him. When he finally ejaculated inside me, I felt that we had melted together, become one.
Become love.
At last.
No rule could ever take that away from us.
Us.
Chapter 41
BRIGID
My doorbell rang on the morning of the investigative hearing ten days later.
I was in the bathroom in front of the mirror, still getting ready and in the middle of tying my hair up in a simple chignon.
The doorbell rang again.
“Coming!” I opened it without a thought. “Holy shit!”
Lion stood there in the slickest navy blue suit I’d ever seen.
He grinned. “You like?”
“You look incredible.”
He really did. I never imagined a man with so many muscles could wear a suit this well. He had one hand in the front pocket of his slacks and stood with his weight on one leg. The jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a vest underneath. His sapphire blue tie matched the scarf in the breast pocket, and the silver tie tack matched his silver cufflinks. Low profile black leather lace-up shoes completed the perfect outfit.
“Do we have to go to my hearing? Maybe you can whisk me away on a private jet to Paris or something.”
He chuckled, “I would like nothing more.”
“Wait, you don’t have a private jet, do you?”
“No. But I can charter one. Anywhere you want to go. The world is your oyster.”
Broken Lion Page 28