Prepared to Fight

by E. J. Shortall

  After the meal, they were driving us back to our hotel and I knew that would be the last time I would ever see them. Unless they could accept me for who and what I was, I wanted nothing to do with them. As we drove along, they continued berating me from the front of the car as Lou watched me sympathetically and kept mouthing ‘I’m so sorry.’ I knew she felt guilty for making me go. The funny thing was, despite their ridicule, it felt like I had been unburdened. I’d had my chance to say my piece and was ready to move on.

  We were about five minutes from the hotel when a motorcycle appeared alongside the car. They were paps. Somehow they had caught wind of me being there and who I was connected to. My dad tried to lose them but they just kept following, incessantly snapping photos. My parents were yelling, blaming me and Louise was silently sobbing next to me, gripping my hand tightly. She was terrified.” A harsh shudder travelled the length of his body and I realised he was fighting to hold back tears.

  “I heard a loud bang, almost like a gunshot, and then everything went black.”

  I tensed up by Nate’s side, feeling sick for what he was about to say. He shifted on his side again looking at me with red rimmed, dark, shadowed eyes. “I woke up in a hospital, aching all over, with my head bandaged up. As I came round, I remembered being in the car. I freaked out, begging the doctors and nurses to tell me where Lou was. They told me there had been an accident and my parents, along with Louise had… they’d died on impact…. They said they couldn’t understand how I’d managed to escape with only a cut to my head and concussion.”

  Automatically, my eyes trained on to the scar above his left eyebrow. I’d always assumed he’d gained it through a fight. I tugged my hand free and lifted a trembling finger to the silver scar and lightly traced over it. “Is that how you got this?” I asked, my voice shaking.

  Nate nodded and laughed bitterly. “Yeah, tell me how that’s fair. The most beautiful, selfless person in the world loses her life whilst I got away with a stupid scratch.” He closed his eyes in pain and shook his head.

  I understood now. His reluctance to let me get close, his extreme reaction to reporters, the apparent disinterest in women and standoffish ways, he was just protecting himself. I’d never been through anything like that, but I could guarantee that if I’d lost someone that meant everything to me, I sure as hell would never get over it and allow someone else in. But he had. He had let me in. He’d told me he loved me. Or maybe he didn’t love me like I’d fallen in love with him.

  Not knowing what else to say, I simply whispered, “I’m sorry you went through that.”

  Suddenly, Nate twisted so I was on my back and he was leaning over me. He stared down at me as I blinked up at him in surprise. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the full story. I buried it all many years ago because it hurt too much.” I swallowed hard and nodded. “Liv, I thought I would never be able to feel anything ever again, never mind love someone else. I need you to understand how much you mean to me. You came in to my life when it had flatlined. Nothing mattered. I was just going through the motions, existing. To everyone else, I was Nathan Oakes, the successful fighter and business owner. They didn’t know what was underneath and I didn’t want them to. Somehow you managed to see beyond all of that and wormed your way into my soul. I never thought I’d find love after Louise, but I was wrong, so wrong. I love you. God, I love you so much.”

  “I love you too,” I sobbed, pulling him down on top of me and crashing my lips against his.

  The kiss grew in intensity, an outpouring of both our emotions. Nate’s hands had wrapped around me so he was hugging me tightly to his body, and my hands sank into his hair so I could hold him to me. When I moaned, he took full advantage and sneaked past my lips to tease my tongue with his. I could feel the firmness of his arousal pushing against my thigh as he pulled me in closer. I wrapped my leg around his back and arched into him. And then, as though I’d been drenched with icy cold water, I remembered him lying unresponsive on that dressing room bench. I gasped and pushed him off me.

  “Nate, no,” I panted, trying to calm my ragged breath. “You need to rest. The fight.”

  He groaned and rolled onto his back. “I’m okay,” he mumbled.

  “No, you’re not. You were knocked out and need to rest,” I protested, stretching out beside him and wrapping an arm over his body. His chest made a deep rumbling sound as he grumbled something. I lifted my head and raised a brow. “Do I need to beat you up too?” He burst out laughing and pulled me back against his chest.

  “No, JB, you don’t need to beat me up. Just lay here with me.” That, I could do. I settled my head into the crook of his neck and sucked in a deep breath. His rich scent immediately eased away some of my worries. Cuddling in close, I listened to Nate breathing, and as soon as the sound had evened out and I heard the faint sound of a gentle snore, I closed my eyes and joined him in sleep.

  ***

  I awoke with a start, my heart beating frantically and trying to keep up with my heightened emotions. Of course, it was just a dream, I reasoned, placing one hand over my chest as the other one shakily clawed through my hair. Twisting my head to the side, I took comfort from the fact that Nate was, indeed lying beside me. The images I still had in my mind of him sprawled out unconscious on the floor of a cage while Sanchez laughed evilly, declaring his victory, and everyone cheered him and no one went to help Nate were all too real.

  Moving onto my side, I watched him closely for a few minutes, reassuring myself that he was breathing. His chest was rising and falling gently and his slightly parted, beautifully kissable lips vibrated minutely with his relaxed, soft breaths. Curling one arm under my head, I gently traced the patterns of his tattoos with my other hand. The scroll of writing across his right pec now made perfect sense. ‘What the heart has once owned and had, it shall never lose.’ Once again, my heart hurt for the losses he’d suffered through his life. It made me appreciate Wes, Cassie and Bernie even more. These were people he trusted. They were loyal and cared a great deal for him.

  A quick glance at the alarm clock told me it was almost two in the morning. I’d only been asleep for an hour or so, yet I felt strangely energised with everything spinning around in my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about the heartache Nate had been through over the years. I thought back to a conversation we’d had when we’d first been in Monaco, when I’d been pissed off that he wouldn’t talk to me and blaming him for not opening up to me. Now I knew why. If I’d been trying to build bridges with my estranged parents only to have them reject me again, and then be the sole survivor of a crash that took the lives of not only those parents but the love of my life as well, I think I would have probably tried to bury those feelings too. And now to find out your opponent’s father had been responsible… I shook my head at that thought. That kind of pain must be excruciating.

  The minutes crept by slowly as I cuddled against Nate, lost in my thoughts and feelings, wondering how he would be when he woke and everything crashed down on him. I wanted to be there for him, to erase the pain and heartache. I couldn’t help but be afraid that he would retreat into himself and pull away from me. No, I wouldn’t let that happen. He’d told me he loved me, and God, did I love him back. I would be his support, whether he wanted it or not. He didn’t need to struggle through a life of fog clouding everything anymore. I would be his place of comfort, so he could embrace and deal with his feelings. He didn’t realise it, but he had given me the same. He’d become my safe place. Through Nate, I’d learned so much about the real person underneath my tough exterior. With him, I had finally opened myself to accepting love. Before him, I’d always used the excuse that I was simply career focused and had no time for love. The reality was I’d been afraid. Nate had somehow, without even trying, made me fight through my own barriers to allow him into my heart.

  I stroked my fingers along the stubble on his jaw as I remembered our times together: the fun side of him—when he’d laughed, and joked, and teased me; the serious busine
ssman, watching me intently while I presented drawings and ideas to him; and the relentless trainer who had seen more in me than I had ever imagined. I smiled as I remembered those initial training sessions with him. He had been so brutal, pushing me until I felt sick and shouted at him. Then there were the times we were intimate together. Nate had been such a skilled lover, bringing me to pleasure with such ease. But, even then, there had been so much more than physical gratification between us.

  Voices outside the door caught my attention. The sounds grew louder until a loud thud and Wes’s angry voice echoed around the suite, making me jump. I strained to hear what he was shouting about and noticed another voice—a male voice—and then all went silent. I wanted to know what was going on and who the other person was, but my need to stay with Nate was greater.

  Nate groaned from beside me and shifted on the bed, hugging me tight into his chest. “Tell him to shut the fuck up,” he grumbled.

  Lifting my eyes to meet Nate’s, a look of pain and confusion clouded his handsome face as he blinked at me in the glimmer of moonlight spilling into the room through the windows.

  “Hi!”

  “Hi, yourself,” I whispered back, fighting the urge to fling myself on him and smother him with kisses.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  I frowned. “I don’t know.”

  Suddenly, there were more voices in the other room all pleading with Wes to calm down. “No, he needs to know this shit. Now,” Wes bellowed. The door flew open, drenching us with bright light from the living room before the lights in our room flicked on. Nate and I hissed in unison as I buried my face into his chest, trying to block out the glare.

  “Wes, what the fuck are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?” Nate barked, shifting in the bed so he could sit up but keep me planted into his side.

  “Yes, I know what fucking time it is.” I peered up to see Wes pacing just inside the doorway. I could see Bernie and Cassie standing just beyond him and there was someone else there just out of view.

  “Mind telling me why you felt the need to barge in here and wake us up?” Nate glared at his brother.

  Wes stopped pacing and levelled rage-filled eyes on Nate. His chest was heaving, and I could tell he was barely containing his anger. “We trusted those bastards. YOU trusted those bastards.”

  Under my touch, Nate bristled, his muscles tensing. “What are you talking about?”

  “Mal and Roy, we trusted them, the fucking cheating scumbags. I’m gonna fucking kill them.” He turned to storm out of the room but Bernie placed a hand on his chest, forcing him to stop.

  On the bed, Nate moved me to the side and jumped to his feet. “Wesley you better tell me what the fuck is going on.”

  The tension in the room was at astronomical levels. Cassie and Bernie stood in silence with wide, concerned eyes. Wes was shaking with rage. Dragging my knees up to my chest, I hugged them tightly, watching Nate move over to the group, standing strong with his legs spread wide and his arms crossed over his chest.

  “What happened to you during the fight?” Wes asked Nate, finally calming enough to speak. “You were winning. You had that bastard.”

  Nate shook his head. “I don’t know. Everything was going to plan and then… nothing. I can’t remember.”

  “You know why?” Wes seethed, his anger reigniting.

  “Why?”

  “They fucking drugged you, Nate. They were all in it together.”

  “What?” Nate and I gasped in unison.

  I watched on with wide, scared eyes as Nate’s body went rigid. Cassie and Bernie rushed to Nate’s side. They were all talking over each other, telling Nate that Roy and Mal had been conspiring with Sanchez. Sanchez wanted the guaranteed win and Nate’s humiliation. Mal wanted the financial gain of a certain win and would win more from betting on the outsider, Sanchez. Roy was the link between them and the one that made it all happen.

  “How do you know all this?” Nate finally bellowed, shutting everyone up.

  “That’ll be because of me,” the other mysterious person lurking outside said as he stepped into the room.

  “Adam?”

  “What’s he doing here?” Nate growled.

  Adam’s eyes flicked to me with a small smile and then looked back at Nate. His back straightened, sensing Nate’s hostility. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Oakes.” Nate narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything, Adam continued. “After the fight, I was wandering around out the back waiting for Liv. I didn’t know what was going on or if she’d need me.”

  “She doesn’t need you. She has me now,” Nate cut in, and I couldn’t help the little smile that pulled on my lips at his possessiveness.

  “Yeah, I get that,” Adam continued quickly. “Anyway, I was stood outside a room I thought was yours. The door was open a crack and there were voices inside. I assumed it was all of you until I recognised Sanchez’s unmistakable accent. I don’t know why I listened, but something just felt off about the conversation. I caught a bit of what they were saying and realised it was all underhand. I think maybe you need to hear it for yourself.” He fumbled in his pocket and produced his phone, tapping on the screen for a second before the faint sounds of voices filled the room through the phone’s speakers. Everyone froze as we listened to voices of the three men arguing about the fight. Apparently, Nate should have only been slipped enough of whatever he had been given to make him lax and sloppy. Sanchez had still wanted it to look like he’d wiped the floor with Nate. They’d argued over the fact that Roy must have given him too much, and Mal was panicking that they would get caught.

  Nate’s wide eyes were locked on Wesley’s as we all listened, a silent communication being made between them even as the truth rang out.

  As the recording finished, everyone remained quiet for a moment, stunned into silence by what we’d heard. Eventually, Nate turned to Adam and lifted his hand. “Thank you. Would you mind sending the audio to me?”

  “Of course.” Adam said, shaking Nate’s hand. “What are you going to do with it?”

  Finally coming to my senses, I scrambled off the bed and ran over to Nate, wrapping my arms around his waist. He slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me in. “I’m not sure yet, but those fucking idiots will not get away with making a fool out of me.”

  Adam nodded in understanding then looked at me. “You alright, Liv?”

  Nate tensed so I gave him a reassuring squeeze. “I will be when I know this one is okay,” I said with a smile, trying to ease some of the tension in the room.

  “I’m fine, JB,” Nate said placing a kiss on the top of my head.

  Adam smiled sadly. “Look after her, man. She deserves the best.” With that he backed off towards the door. “I’m gonna head off to my room. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  Just before he left, Nate called his name.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you. And I promise I’ll treat her like a princess.” Adam nodded and left, closing the door to the suite behind him.

  “What do we do now?” Wes said in a calmer tone.

  “Right now, we do nothing. Right now, you lot can fuck off so I can get back to bed. We can deal with this tomorrow.”

  Taking the hint, the three of them left, leaving me and Nate alone.

  “What are you going to do?” I asked Nate as we walked back to bed in a tight embrace.

  “Right now, I’m going to strip you out of those clothes and bury myself in you so we can forget about everything but you and me.”

  ~CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE~

  One Week Later

  It was Monday morning and we’d been back in the UK for a few days. I’d spent the first two days at Nate’s place because he kept pleading that he needed me to watch over him. I’d rolled my eyes but given in anyway. How could I refuse? I wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with me. He didn’t need me to watch over him at all, he was just manipulating my caring personality to lure me in. As
if he needed to do that. The day after the fight he’d been thoroughly checked over by more medics, ones Nate hired himself, and they deemed there was no lasting damage caused by the fight or the drugs. They’d taken another sample from him and Nate planned on using the results as part of any evidence he used against Mal, Roy and Sanchez.

  He wouldn’t tell me what he planned to do, and I think, in part, that was because he honestly didn’t know. His pride wanted to rip them apart and call them out for what they had done. The private Nate, the one who liked to keep everything close to his chest, was probably hoping to deal with everything quietly and behind closed doors. Me, I wanted him to drag those bastards through every damn court possible.

  I’d never trusted Mal, not from the moment he’d laid his hostile gaze on me in Monaco. And Sanchez, well he was just an arrogant arse with an unwarranted vendetta. I still wasn’t quite clear what the whole deal was with his dad and the deaths of Nate’s parents and fiancée, but I was pretty sure it would all eventually become clear.

  But Roy, now he was a completely different ball game. He had totally played me. I’d trusted him. I’d believed he had Nate’s best interests at heart all along. I just wished I’d been able to pick up that something wasn’t right a little sooner. I mean, Nate changed whenever Roy trained with him. Even the others had commented on how aggressive he became. We’d all just assumed it was because he detested the fact that Roy was there. In reality, Roy had been slipping stuff in Nate’s drinks all along. I still felt sick whenever I thought about what that could have done to him.

  I had every faith in Nate that he would do the right thing. He had a team of lawyers and MMA officials he was consulting with and knew that, whatever the outcome, it would be the right one.

  Pulling in to a parking space outside the offices of Ashworth-Moore, I looked towards the front entrance. It felt strange being back. I’d always thought I was a confident go-getter before. Now I realised I had been nothing but an inexperienced newbie. Heading back to work for my first day in over six weeks, I realised that the last time I walked out of those doors I was nothing but a girl. I was returning a woman, a career focused woman. But I now had a wonderful man by my side who completed me. My time with Nate in France had taught me so much. I’d picked up so much insight into French architecture and planning laws that I hoped I would be able to use to my advantage. In fact I planned on approaching Mr. Ashworth to present my proposal of having a branch of the company devoted to foreign planning. I loved the thought of being able to do more designing in France, it was a truly beautiful country, and I understood why Nate wanted his new facilities there.