by Jones, P. A.
“Technically, I’m your husband.” He made a way through the front seats.
“Only technically,” I giggled. “Jerk.”I followed him to our seats.
I was amazed at the chairs. When she meant VIP, I didn’t think of a separate box and recliners with drinks free flowing everywhere. We had an exact middle seat reserved in that VIP lounge.
We took our seats, and for the first time I saw Tristan. He was standing in the ring with a medal present on his bare chest. He was more muscular than when I saw him the last time. But he had more scars on his whole body. It must be his matches.
“Lots of money, Nikki. Lots of money will be coming to our way.”
I looked at Gerome’s green eyes. I could see the greed and pain flowing in his eyes. “It’s for the business,” I whispered.
“I know, babe.” He put his hand over my shoulder and pulled me closer.
I looked at the ring; Tristan was staring at us. For a fraction of second, I thought I saw anger in there, like a fireball went flashing through his eyes. Then he looked at the people standing at the ceremony.
“What are you doing, jerk?” I looked back at Gerome. I didn’t like him trying to come closer to me again and again.
“Stop calling me jerk. I’m your husband, sucker,” Gerome hissed back, still looking at Tristan. “He is a snake, and I would do everything in my strength to protect you from him.”
“I don’t need your protection, Gerome, and for God’s sake, leave me alone.” I pushed his hand back and leaned away from him. The last thing I wanted from him was unnecessary support.
The crowd was getting crazy as everybody other than Tristan and a giant left the ring. I could hear girls shouting Maxim’s name. They had signboards, T-shirts of him and many more things. The camera showed a girl who was topless and had tattooed Tristan’s face on one of her breast. Gross.
“The match is starting,” Trisha whispered in my ear.
I was shocked at first to hear her voice. Then I turned to really look at her. She was in the same box as ours, but she had a normal chair. I smiled at her, nodded my head and focused on the match.
Tristan’s opponent was a huge man, Maybe six feet ten inches. In front of him, Tristan looked like a lion in front of elephant. He pointed a finger at Tristan and then ran it across his neck, like he was signaling a kill. My heart stopped; if that man wanted to kill Tristan, I thought he could easily do it.
“Is he really going to kill him?” I asked Trisha in fear.
“Don’t worry. He is making the hype for the presentation match. But actually, Tristan has beaten him twice in the last two tournaments. So he must be angry at him.”
The match started and something happened which I’d never imagined. The moment the bell was rung, Tristan ran towards that man and jumped in the air with his knees bent. He landed exactly on both of the shoulders of that giant and hit him with both fists combined together. The giant fell like an angel from heaven.
The announcer shouted in anticipation. “It was a plain knock-out for Maxim. His seventeenth win. A bummer for the presentation ceremony. But the crowd is more excited than ever. They are calling for a rematch. They want to see Maxim in action. What a fan following for Maxim.”
“Are they going to do a rematch? I doubt that bald-headed giant will stand up again,” I whispered.
“You’re right, but the presentation committee wanted it to be more exiting. Let’s see. maybe we’d have few other matches.”
She was right; when Tristan left the ring and the paramedics came to take that giant on the stretcher, two other fellows came and started fighting. Still, the crowd was cheering for Maxim.
“They are crazy about him, aren’t they?” I asked.
“You just can't guess. That’s why he isn’t living in his old house. People would get crazy if they knew his real identity,” Trisha said.
As she predicted, another match happened. After almost one hour of matches, Tristan was brought back on the stage and the real ceremony started. He was given a gold medal for the win and a big check from the league sponsors, which he donated to a child charity trust. I felt guilty—because of me, he had to shell out his money to a charity trust. But then one of the charity trust members spoke for Tristan, in one sentence, which stuck like ink in my mind.
“I’m thankful to Mr. Maxim for his tenth donation to the charity. I wish him success and, moreover, a happy life.”
“What did he just say? Tenth check?” I asked in amusement.
“Yup, he turned out to be a donor after all. Even before he joined the MMA, he used to donate twenty percent of his book store profit to the charity trust,” Trisha whispered.
“That’s amazing.” My heart filled with passion and empathy for him. He was a true hero, which I missed in my life. Sorry. Once again Tristan, sorry for losing you from my life.
Once the ceremony was finished, Tristan ran towards us, jumping over the rope. I thought he would come and talk with me, but instead he went past me and grabbed Trisha in his arms and kissed her passionately.
The earth below my legs split wide open. I knew they were together, but public affection in front of me? I thought I could hold myself together when the day came. But I couldn’t. I stood up and walked away from there. I didn’t know when tears started falling on my red dress. I was stuck in a rabbit hole, running round and round. This has to stop somewhere. I can’t run like this for my whole life. I needed to get him out of my mind or else I would die under the weight of my crazy emotions for him.
“No, this has to stop.” I turned around without registering it, and the next thing I knew, I was in front of Tristan, looking in his endless eyes.
“You are the biggest jerk. This has to stop. You have to stop doing this to me. Because it isn’t affecting me. Remember, I’m the owner of the company and I’ll do whatever I want. You are bound by a contract.” I said it in a single breath. I didn’t know where the hell I got the courage to say it, but it was the boiling point for me. I wouldn’t be treated like trash from anyone. Not even from Tristan.
I thought he would say something, but instead he looked in my eyes, smiled and turned around, kissing Trisha once more.
“Hell with you, bastard,” I muttered and walked away.
“I told you he is the biggest bastard in the whole world. But don’t worry, I’ll punish him once the league is over and we are in good shape.” Gerome ran to catch me.
I stopped and looked at him. I hated him more than anything that moment. “Listen, Gerome, this is my battle and I’ll fight it. I don’t need your weak support in everything. You better keep yourself away from this or the next person to receive my wrath will be you, jackass.”I pushed my finger on his chest and turned around. “And no need to come with me. Go and get a cab.” I had the keys with me. I’d taken them from his jacket.
***
Tristan
“I’m extremely sorry for my behavior today.” I told Trisha, who didn’t speak a single word to me after I kissed her.
“When you still love her, why did you have to kiss me?” She scowled me. She was raging in anger. “You know, I was getting closer to her. It was nice to know her as a person rather than being on her hate list. Thanks to you, for no reason I’m back on her hate list.” She looked away.
“Well, for starters, it’s complicated. I just can’t be with her right now.”
“Why, Tristan? Why? You know she loves you.”
“No, that’s not true. And if she still loves me, then she shouldn’t. They are thinking about another child. And I can’t put that in jeopardy.” I hated that she was with that snake. I hated that I had to kiss Trisha in front of her. I hated that I was hurting her from the inside. But I’d had no choice. I had to push her away from me. “I’m sorry again.”
“Oh, dear.” Trisha sat near me and wrapped me in her arms. “I’m so sorry that you have to go through this all.” She rested her head on my shoulder.
“You are a keeper, Trisha. I hope you will find s
omeone true for you. Sorry I couldn’t be the one.”
Tears warmed my shoulder, slowly and continuously.
I looked at the glass I’d picked up from that booth—the one Nikki had drank from That was one of the reasons I’d unsettled her, to grab it for myself.
I could still see her angry face when she came back. She’d broken worse because of my actions. She was meant to be furious at me and I was successful in the mission. I’m sorry, Nikki, for hurting you.
Chapter 9
Tristan
I was standing outside of the training room, thinking about the league. The last four days had been crazy wild. Matches after matches—this league was turning out to be more intense than I’d thought. But the prize money was also going to be bigger. The only motivation for me to continue in this league was Stephen and other orphan children who would be getting money from this event. Otherwise, it was turning out to be a bad idea to be with Nikki again. Her presence was killing me from the inside.
“Boys, what’s the status of Rick’s injury?” Coach came and asked us. For my request my coach agreed to manage Nikki’s team along with me. This was a team event and, best of all, we were going to win the complete event. There were individual prizes to be won, but the team winning the whole event would benefit more. So I took it as my work to train with those boys and work them harder to win. Still, many of them were losing badly and that put more pressure on me to win by bigger margins. It was getting so intense that I had to win next four fights in a row to take my team to the final. It wasn’t like I was going to lose. I forgot how losing tasted after a while, and I would be beating them like street punks, but if I had help from someone, it could have been more fun.
“He is not doing good. We need to get an extra physio to work on his back. The single one with us is no good alone,” another player said.
Ricky was our only hope for the tournament; he was the only one who’d won against an opposite team.
“If I had few more weeks with this team, the result could have been better. They are good, but they need more training.” The words were heavy with emotion. I wanted to make this team the best for Nikki, so when I moved away from here, she would have a constant team to fall back on.
“Rick is a gem for them. He is showing his potential. But his back is in very bad condition as per the scans,” Coach sighed.
Rick had won two of last five matches, but then he fell back on his shoulder in the last match and lost. The loss didn’t matter, but the shoulder injury was hurting him and threatening our team to lose the event.
“That’s not good, Coach. We need to get him working back on his legs,” I said. I was worried that if we lost this event, the organizers would suffer a loss. And I didn’t want that. I wanted to make sure Nikki got all the money she needed, at any cost. I will make this work for you, Nikki. This time, I’ll make it work between us.
“Coach, do you mind calling Samantha urgently for help? I’ll pay her from my own pocket.” Samantha was my therapist.
“No, she is with other clients. You can’t do that. They can sue you for this, and even before that she wouldn’t agree to this. Her career would be on the line.”
“I don’t care if they sue me. What is left for them to get out of me?” I chuckled. I didn’t have that much money.
“I’ll do it.” Nikki entered the room. It was the first time since the presentation ceremony I had seen Nikki.
“But you…” Coach said.
“I have enough training to make someone fit. You can ask your spoiled player for the reference.” Her eyes darted to me. Looking at her blue eyes was very comforting, all the peace I would never get in my life.
“She is good,” I commented. There was no need for me to stop her. We required the proper physio for Rick, and Nikki was one of the best I knew.
Rick was lying down in the rehabilitation room. Rita, the team’s physio, was working on his muscles.
We all entered the room. Rick tried to get up, seeing us all there.
“Don’t we have another physio to work on you?”
“Who?” He tried to look past us.
“Get on your stomach. Let me see how much you are injured,” Nikki said, walking forward.
“Ma’am, you? No, I can’t do this.” Rick’s face turned dark. He stood up and walked away from the bench. She was his boss, owner, and he must have felt awkward for her to touch him.
“Rick, it’s important that you get two-way physiotherapy right now. She is not your owner anymore, at least not for the next hour. So get your ass back on the bench and let her work her magic,” I yelled at him.
I remembered the exact magic she’d worked on me when she was giving me therapy. My muscle was still torn, but her hands made me stand on my legs and get back to my normal training within days. I missed her hands running through my back, my Pecs, all over my body. “I miss you, Nikki Jordan.” I sighed.
“Did you say something, Tristan?” Nikki asked. She was inches away from me. I could smell her scent clearly and that was making my insides go crazy.
My body arched on her sudden question. “Did you hear something?” I was afraid that I’d said it loud.
“Nothing. I was going to ask you about your injury. The last time I remember, it was worse than anything and you couldn’t even train properly for two hours.”
“It’s a long story, but thank you,” I said.
“Don’t be sarcastic. If you want to say something, say it clear.” Her cheeks turned red. My comment must have surged anger waves in her.
“No.” My hands moved to echo my emotions. “Not at all. I actually mean it. You are the indirect reason for my recovery and I’m thankful to you. This thrill is the only thing that’s keeping me alive.” It was true. If it wasn’t for the MMA, I would have died a long time ago after losing Nikki.
“Hmm.......” She turned her attention to Rick and touched his back. “Let me know where it hurts more,” she said.
Rick’s body vibrated at her touch. He must be feeling awkward.
I looked at Nikki; she was focused and serious. She was actually wearing a blue evening gown. Maybe she had a date planned with her husband. But she was here to help that man. She was a nice person first; the ownership of company came second.
“Rick, close your eyes and imagine a Thai lady massaging your back. Forget that Nikki is here and enjoy it,” I told him.
He nodded and closed his eyes. Now two of the physio were working on his back. Nikki still had what it took to be a good therapist. Her hands were moving seamlessly on Rick’s back. I felt jealous of him; I wish I were there instead of him to feel her touch again, to fill her aroma in my lungs.
From the day I saw her again, she had made my nights worse than hell. I couldn’t sleep strait for longer than three hours. I woke in the middle of the night thinking about her. I was frustrated that she was with someone else. But I couldn’t be selfish and take her away from her family.
I couldn’t watch her anymore. She looked like an angel while working on Rick's body. When she reached Rick’s back, the full length her breasts were touching Rick’s body. Maybe it was normal for her as a therapist, but it was killing me. I couldn’t see someone else touching her firm breasts. There was a time when she was all mine, when I worshiped her body more than anything, but destiny snatched everything away from me. Everything!
I came out and started my training again. I’d planned to get every ounce of frustration away in the training. I started with circuit training and continued until my lungs refused to take any more oxygen inside.
When I couldn’t jump anymore without forcing my heart, I lay down on my back looking at the ceiling. My love for Nikki was the fuel for everything.
“Turn on your stomach. I want to check it.” Nikki’s voice purred above my head.
I looked at her; she was standing there, scattered hair, sweaty forehead. The way she used to be in my home after working on my muscles.
“Why?”
“I said turn
on your stomach. I don’t have time to listen to your crap.”
I turned on my stomach.
A moment later, her soft hand touched my back and my whole body shivered. It had been seven months since I’d experienced the angelic touch of her. Oh, my God. Please save me from this sin. Slow waves of pleasure moved through my body as her hand moved over my back. I could imagine how a woman would feel when she got her orgasm.
“You are really healed. There was a big knot here last time I checked.”
It was too much for me. I was afraid I would do something to her.
“That’s enough, Nikki.” I turned on my back and held her hand.
She was looking in my eyes. The love I’d missed for these past months was there flowing through her into me. The sparks were everywhere. Her lush, red lips were calling me. I extended my neck to taste her. I was moments away from kissing her. Her eyes closed as I got closer.
“Nikki.” Gerome was yelling for her.
She opened her eyes in haste and removed her hand from mine and stood up.
“You are good, Tristan. Thanks for letting me check.” She turned back and walked away.
I lay on my back, wondering what had really happened back there. Was I going to kiss her again? Was I going to taste those lush lips?
Chapter 10
Nikki
He was an inch away from me, leading his lips to meet mine. My stomach was full of butterflies. I couldn’t believe what was going to happen. What am I doing? I shouldn’t do this. I was fighting with myself to stop doing what I wasn’t supposed to be doing. I was expecting a long and hard kiss from him. I wanted him to send me flying over the moon with a kiss, but that was bad. I shouldn’t be wanting that. But my heart longed for Tristan. My every breath said his name. Why are all these complex things happening with me? I closed my eyes and made up my mind, ready for whatever was coming. I gave up my decision. I left it for the destiny to decide. Whatever destiny decides.