Beyond Promise

by Karice Bolton

  “I almost let the secret out,” I whispered.

  “You know, I think it’s fine to tell people now.”

  “Yeah…I guess. But I like you and I sharing this little secret.”

  He smiled and it felt like we were the only two people on Fireweed Island as he held me tightly. “Big secret, you mean.”

  I tilted my head and looked into his gaze. “Big, little secret.”

  He gave me a devilish grin and my insides stirred as if it were the first time he held me.

  “Hey, Lily,” Tori called from the garden. “Thanks for coming over.”

  Ayden let me go and I waved. “Are you serious? Thanks for letting us hang out all weekend. It was much needed after the last few weeks at work.”

  “Ayden’s that hard to work for, huh?” she teased.

  “Yeah. It’s brutal. Some mornings he forgets to bring me coffee at the office, and then there are those days where I have to go get my own lunch. As an assistant, he’s really got a thing or two to learn.”

  “Just like this one.” Tori thumbed Mason and he laughed. “We’ve got some lunch in the crockpot, if you two are hungry.”

  “I’m starved.”

  “What’s new?” Mason shouted from behind Tori.

  “Hey, now. Is that polite for a potential sister-in-law?”

  “Not potential.” Mason started walking our way. “As far as I’m concerned it’s a done deal, and before you know it, I’ll be calling you knucklehead and pounding the top of your head.”

  I shook my head and chuckled. Poor Brandy still had to endure endless brotherly shenanigans. Between constant ribbing and impromptu wrestling sessions, I didn’t know how she managed not to thump Mason or Ayden. But I was definitely looking forward to becoming a Rhodes.

  Ayden slipped his hand in mine and led me up the steps.

  “I need to get my bag,” I told Ayden.

  “No problem. I’ll get it for you,” Mason said from behind us.

  “Wow. Such service. I tell one twin my request and the other fulfills it.”

  Ayden beamed as he opened the door, and I walked in underneath his raised arm. Tori was right behind and took my coat and scarf from me and hung it in the closet. The most delicious smelling aroma of cooked tomato and onion wafted through the house.

  “What smells so amazing?”

  “Stew,” Tori said, closing the door. “I found the recipe in one of my mom’s recipe boxes and now it’s Mason’s favorite.”

  “Yum. One of my favorites too.”

  “Let’s be honest,” Ayden said, releasing my hand. “What’s not your favorite?”

  “Good point.” I took a couple steps forward and without warning a wave of nausea hit me at full impact. My entire body got clammy, and it felt like my insides were suddenly about to make their way to the outside world. I spotted the rustic bench only two feet away and quickly made my way over and took a seat.

  Locking my elbows into place so my arms held me up, I stared at the wood floor in front of me. I’d only encountered nausea like this a handful of times during pregnancy, and lucky me, it hit again.

  “Babe, you okay?” Ayden asked, kneeling next to me.

  I nodded. “Totally, just need a second.”

  “Is she okay?” Tori asked Ayden.

  He must have nodded because I didn’t hear a response.

  “Let me get you a cool washcloth,” Tori offered, trundling off to the powder room.

  Within seconds, Tori returned with a damp cloth and Ayden pressed it on my forehead. The coolness drifted over me, and my stomach settled as quickly as it had become unsettled. I took in a deep breath and brought my gaze to Ayden’s.

  “You okay? We can go to the doctor,” he whispered.

  I smiled and touched his cheek. Seeing the concern in his eyes unleashed a sense of apprehension and worry for the decisions we were making as a couple. Were we in over our heads? While my pregnancy certainly hadn’t been planned, we were both over the moon with excitement. Was that normal? Shouldn’t we be petrified?

  Okay, sometimes we were beyond petrified.

  “I’m fine. I think it was the ferry ride and the onion.”

  I glanced up at Tori. “Sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

  Tori grinned. “No worries. I have some soda crackers if you’d like.”

  I bit my lip and looked over at Ayden and now Mason, who was holding my overnight bag, and looked quite concerned.

  “Everything okay?” Mason asked, setting down the bag.

  “Nothing a few soda crackers won’t fix,” Tori explained.

  I stood up. “Sorry. Feeling totally fine now. Honestly, I think I just got up too early and had too many sweets at Gabby’s.”

  Mason and Ayden traded glances before Mason picked the bag back up and walked it down to the guest room without saying a word.

  Tori was already in the kitchen rummaging through the pantry to find the soda crackers when Ayden and I walked in.

  “I can’t wait to have some stew.” I grabbed a bowl and Ayden started laughing.

  “Are you sure you should have some right now?”

  “Totally.”

  Tori turned around from the pantry cupboard with a box of soda crackers. “These are always nice to have with stew anyway.”

  She carried them to the dining room and said nothing else on the subject. We all filled our bowls and sat around the table. I glanced out the window and quietly took in the shimmering waters beyond the bluff. The house was perched on a cliff overlooking Forgotten Cove, giving way to a picture-perfect view of the water. There was a trail that led down to the beach. It was probably too cold to attempt a canoe trip over the weekend, but it would be nice to wander down and roam the beach.

  I took several bites of the stew and enjoyed the delicious goodness. It was as if the other little issue never happened at all and my taste buds were back in order.

  “This is the best stew I’ve ever had.”

  Tori’s expression softened as she took a bite. “Thank you. I always remember my mom making it for us in the winter.”

  “It’s delicious,” Ayden agreed.

  Mason didn’t say a word. Instead, he stirred the stew endlessly, bringing none of it to his lips. Considering it was supposed to be his favorite meal, I had no idea what was happening between these two until he finally broke his silence.

  “I don’t like what’s going on one bit.” Mason’s gaze steadied on Ayden.

  “What’s going on?” Ayden asked, his brow quirked.

  “You know exactly what’s going on. Does anyone know?” Mason asked.

  My heart started racing. What in the world was he talking about? Had Mason figured out I was pregnant? But why in the world would that bother him? My chest tightened as I watched Mason glare at Ayden. It was as if some silent brotherly standoff was transpiring, and Tori and I were stuck in the middle.

  “No one knows,” Ayden replied. “We haven’t announced it yet.”

  “I’m sure mom already knows,” Mason replied.

  I watched Mason and Ayden stare at each other without saying anything else, and I could no longer take it.

  “I’m sorry, but what is going on between you two?”

  Mason didn’t answer. Rather, he directed his question to Ayden.

  “So how long have you known?”

  “We found out a week after the fight was booked, if that was what you’re getting at,” Ayden replied.

  My stomach knotted.

  “And you’re still going through with it,” Mason stated, shaking his head.

  “We signed a contract. Besides, it will be my last fight.”

  Tori flashed me an uncomfortable smile. “Congratulations,” she mouthed.

  “Thank you,” I whispered back.

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better about this one?” Mason asked. “This guy is coming in from Russia, Ayden.”

  “Exactly. There is no turning back since the contracts have been signed. We’d owe a
quarter million if we back out,” Ayden said, his finger tapping the table.

  “Don’t act like you can’t afford it. It’s a small price to pay to ensure…” Mason stopped.

  I glanced at Ayden. The panic raced through my system. I’d never seen Mason this worried over a fight before. In fact, I’d never seen Mason worried. Ever. He was the more easy-going brother and his reaction scared me.

  “If a person makes a few mistakes where a quarter million doesn’t seem like a lot, there will be nothing left in very short order,” Ayden replied coolly. Very rarely did this side come out of Ayden, and it usually only involved business dealings when it did.

  I understood Ayden’s point, but seeing Mason this riled up did nothing but frighten me. No amount of money was worth Ayden getting hurt or worse.

  “What do you know about this fighter?” I asked. I didn’t even know he was from Russia so obviously I had a lot of catching up to do. I assumed he was an American fighter because they always had been.

  Mason’s jaw twitched, and he shook his head as he stared at his brother.

  “What?” I demanded. “What makes this fight different?”

  “The prize is three-quarters of a million,” Ayden said, wrapping his hand around mine.

  “So it’s the largest pot yet?” I glanced at Mason and back at Ayden. I knew that wasn’t what made it different.

  “Yes, it’s the largest pot to date with the potential to bring in even more since we’re the organizers and promoters,” Ayden said, taking another bite of stew with his free hand. It was like he thought holding my hand would calm me down, but it didn’t.

  He still wasn’t telling me something and that alone had me concerned. Money had never been what made Ayden step into the ring. Fighting started as a way to help his brother pay off debt and turned into a passion for Ayden. He loved the training. He loved the winning. He’d always won.

  “This isn’t quite how I imagined sharing the good news with your brother,” I said, eyeing Ayden and all he did was nod.

  The tension in the air was intense, and the emotions inside of me were boiling over. I didn’t understand why Ayden was being so evasive. He was never like that. We were always open and honest about everything. He knew I worried about him stepping into the ring. I didn’t hide it completely. I might not have ever told him how I couldn’t sleep the night before, but he knew it was rough. Why wouldn’t it be? Watching someone you love step into a ring where his safety was at risk was even more grueling. But there was something different about this match. I could sense it. I sensed it even before Mason brought it up today, and that had me concerned.

  “Is this because you don’t really want it to you be your last fight?” I asked. “I’ve never asked you to stop. It makes you happy, and we all need to do what makes us happy.”

  Ayden shook his head and let go of my hand. “No. It’s not that. It’s time for me to throw in the towel after this. I’ve got bigger and better things coming my way.” His smile melted me on the spot, but Mason’s voice broke through my temporary moment of swooning.

  “I’m not going to let you get in the ring,” Mason said softly.

  “You really don’t have a say in the matter.”

  Tori’s eyes connected with mine, and I knew she even knew the reason or reasons behind Mason’s worry and that only angered me more. I’d done well over the months with my fiery temper. I’d really done a good job of keeping it under control, but everyone had limits and I was about to reach mine.

  I adjusted in my seat so I could get a better look at Ayden. I wanted to see what was driving him to make whatever decision it was that even had his brother frightened for his safety.

  Ayden took a sip of water and relaxed into his seat. He knew he had merely seconds before I was about to blow, and neither of us wanted that for our weekend away.

  One-one-thousand.

  Two-one-thousand.

  Three-one-thousand.

  “The last person the Russian fought wound up in the hospital,” Ayden said, sensing I was about to lose my cool.

  My pulse rang in my ears and my world began to spin. Why in the world would he have agreed to fight someone like that? I didn’t understand. Even before knowing we were expecting, why would he be willing to do that to himself? What was he trying to prove?

  “And you’d risk that?” I whispered.

  “Why don’t you tell her the rest?” Mason asked, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

  “There’s more? What do you mean there’s more?” My blood pumped wildly through my veins. I knew it wasn’t good for the baby so I tried to center my breathing. I needed to calm down. I needed to be told the full story.

  Ayden took a deep breath in. He flashed an unsettled gaze at his brother before bringing his eyes back to mine.

  “The man died from his injuries three days later.”

  Tori and Mason stood up, glancing at both of us. Probably worried red horns were about to grow out the top of my head. But I only saved those for special occasions and usually not for people I cared about.

  “We’ll let you have some privacy,” Mason replied.

  I shook my head. “Nah. We’ll go outside. A walk along the trail will let me digest the news better. It’s not fair to chase you two out of your own home.”

  They nodded and smiled nervously as they walked to the family room that overlooked the Sound. I sat at the table in a fog, wondering how and why Ayden didn’t tell me something that was this important.

  Ayden draped his arm over my shoulders and brought me in close. He brushed a kiss along the top of my head and whispered an apology, but I wasn’t sure for what in particular.

  I let out a sigh and patted his knee. “Let’s go for a walk.”

  He agreed and slowly got up from the chair as if he was afraid I might pounce on him. My expression must have been conveying how I felt quite accurately. Ayden’s hand linked with mine, and we walked out of the house, not saying a word until we reached the path that led down to Forgotten Cove.

  It was a peaceful place to think and talk, but as we wandered down the trail, words didn’t even come to mind. I was in shock that Ayden would keep something like this from me, and it was almost like I didn’t actually care what his excuse was. The secret of it hurt more than anything.

  We walked past the garden where Mason and Tori were working when I arrived. Most of the flowers had been cut down to the ground with only a few woody stocks sticking out of the ground that Mason missed while trimming.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Ayden said softly.

  I nodded and continued trudging down the rocky trail. His arm snaked around my waist, and the cool breeze nipped at my cheeks. I imagined a carefree weekend with Ayden, one where we could regroup before his fight, and before we flew to Bermuda to get married on the beach. Now, I was dealt a blow that made every inch of me hurt with worry.

  The earlier haze of the skyline had lifted as I stared over the glistening water. Ayden’s steady breathing calmed me as the cove welcomed us to a quieter place, away from it all. The water lapped against the shore as Ayden and I stood waiting for the other to begin. We were both stubborn, but we weren’t stupid. We knew anything we said could help or hurt the situation. I didn’t want to accuse him and he didn’t want to be accused. So silence hovered thick between us until I couldn’t take it any longer.

  “I’ve never been someone who needed to be protected from the truth,” I said, looking into Ayden’s blue eyes.

  He pushed his lips together as he thought about what to say, his expression softening.

  “No, you never have,” he agreed. “That’s what I love about you. You’re strong, independent, beautiful.”

  “Keep it coming,” I teased, kicking one of the beach pebbles away.

  Humor was one of the many things I valued about our relationship. No matter what we faced as a couple, there was always a way to bring levity to the situation. After all, life was too short to get tangled in the weeds.

&nbs
p; Ayden’s mouth broke into a smile and he shook his head. “Funny, brilliant…”

  “What a catch I am.”

  “You have no idea,” Ayden said, resting both his hands on my hips. “There isn’t anything I can say that will change the fact I didn’t tell you. And I’m sorry.”

  I nodded.

  “But, honestly, I’m new at this whole thing.” His mouth puckered, and he blew out a gust of air.

  “What whole thing?”

  His gaze fell to my stomach.

  “You don’t have to treat me differently because I’m pregnant.” I almost laughed, but I saw the tender look in his eyes, and my heart actually broke slightly.

  “I love you so much, Lily. The thought of anything happening to you or…” He shook his head and combed his hand through his hair. “I read that stress is really hard on pregnancies. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize you or the baby. I wish I hadn’t signed up for this fight.”

  I let his words sink in. It was true. It wasn’t only about me any longer. There were two of us along for this ride, but my personality wasn’t one to sit back and watch life go by.

  “I think that’s very sweet of you, but the stress of you keeping secrets from me is far worse than any truth you could hand me. I don’t do well with secrets, big or small.”

  Ayden tilted his head as his eyes focused on mine.

  “I know what kind of fighter you are. I know you will win. You always do.” And I felt that, truly felt that. He trained like a beast. He was in top physical form, and he understood the strategy behind the fight, the psychology of it. Yet fear traced each thought of him stepping into the ring. It always did before the fights, but this felt different. There was something at the pit of my stomach making every worry amplified.

  “I will. I wouldn’t step in the ring if I thought differently.”

  I nodded. “Hearing you’d keep something like this from me makes my mind race with what else you could be hiding. I thought no matter what, we’d tell each other everything. I thought that was what we had that a lot of others didn’t.”