Fight of Life (Perception Book 3)

by Shandi Boyes

  “Ouch Callum, you are hurting me” I advise while I try to pull myself out of his grip.

  The instant we enter our room, he lets go of my arm and his blue eyes stare directly into mine.

  “Are you trying to embarrass me in front of my brother?” he questions angrily, allowing me to smell the alcohol on his breath.

  I instantly start shaking my head, while his gaze roams over my outfit selection. I was wearing my normal pair of denim shorts and a fitted black shirt. These shorts aren’t even the smallest pair I have in my wardrobe, so I don’t understand what his problem is.

  “You need to get changed” he states angrily, as he starts pulling clothes out of my drawers and throws them towards me.

  “No!” I reply stubbornly. I am not just going to change my outfit because he decides to act like an arrogant asshole in front of his brother.

  When his back hand connects against my right cheek, I am more surprised by the fact that he had hit me, than I am about the pain. I retaliate by slapping him hard against his cheek. I had hit him with enough force that my hand instantly starts to sting. Callum stands there shocked by my retaliation. His face goes red and his nostrils flare in anger.

  “Get fucking changed now!” he spits venomously as his eyes shoot daggers at me.

  I had never seen Callum so aggressive before and I suddenly become fearful of what his reaction might be if I don’t change my outfit. I quickly slip out of my denim shorts and replace them with a pair of long denim jeans, while Callum’s gaze watches my every movement.

  “Now get your ass into the car and keep your fucking mouth shut” he instructs angrily.

  I am stunned, who is this person in front of me? He isn’t the same Callum I had met nine months ago. He isn’t even close to the man he used to be.

  Callum, Curtis and I all go to a local pizza and wings bar that is located in their home town of Ravenshoe. I sit quietly watching as Callum and Curtis playfully banter back and forth, acting like nothing had just happened. They eat their pizza and guzzle down their beers while enjoying each other’s company. Curtis is a few years older than Callum, but when they are sitting side by side they almost look like twins, except that Curtis is double the width of Callum. They both have blonde hair that hangs shaggily on the top of their heads, with the sides clipped close to the scalp. Their dark blues eyes are nearly identical, except for Curtis’s has a dark ring of black surrounding his cornea. I always thought that was his dark side being exposed.

  “Have you finished?” questions the male waiter. I nod my head at him, while offering him a small smile.

  I had hardly eaten any of the meal Callum had ordered for me, as my stomach was still swirling from our earlier fight. I am still in shock, that was the first time Callum has ever laid a hand on me. I peer over and see that Callum’s furious gaze is staring directly at me. I offer him a smile in a hope to simmer down the angry vibes he is currently directing towards me, but he doesn’t smile back.

  The instant we walk back into our house, Callum walks up aggressively behind me and pulls me back against him.

  “I can’t even take you out for pizza without having to worry about you hitting on someone” he states angrily as his hand grabs my breast roughly.

  It takes all of my strength to break away from Callum’s tight embrace and when I turn my frightful eyes to his, I realise that the Callum staring back at me, isn’t the Callum I had fallen in love with.

  “What happened to you?” I question as the tears start to flow down my face.

  “Me! What fucking happened to you?” he responds angrily as he storms over towards me.

  That night was the first and only time Callum ever laid his hands on me. The instant he fell asleep, I fled his house never to return. My friend Natalie had taken me in for the first few days until the bruises on my face started to fade. Then I scampered back home with my tail between my legs. My family were none the wiser on what had happened to me. I knew my family would have supported me, but I was embarrassed that I had allowed someone like Callum to get the better of me. I was stronger than that and I wasn’t going to let anyone make me out to be a victim.

  Ever since that day six months ago, I decided that I will never change who I am for anyone. Callum had met and fallen in love with me as I was, so why did he feel the need to change me? I have spent the last six months living my life exactly as I pleased. Not needing to answer to anyone about my outfit selections, what I was doing or who I was doing it with. I had been thoroughly enjoying my new found freedom. Even if it means I am now being portrayed as the predator instead of a victim.

  Well I was enjoying it, until Jacob decided to attach himself into my life. I need to start trying to distance myself away from him. He has started to become too attached and I have no intentions of ever dating him. I need to stop giving him mixed signals, it’s just so fucking hard! Jacob is gorgeous, his body is to die for and he has one of the largest cocks I have ever seen. But, he just isn’t meant for me.

  Chapter 12

  Jacob

  “Hey Man, is it safe to come in?’ I question after knocking on Noah’s bedroom door. His gaze peers up from his old guitar and motions that I can enter.

  I take a few steps into his room, while looking around for somewhere to sit. Noah’s room is as sparse as they come. He is currently sitting on a shitty ass mattress on the floor, he has a bag full of clothes over in one corner and a few magazines in another.

  Noah jumps up from the mattress and offers me his hand to shake and slaps my back in greeting. It has been three weeks since I last saw Noah. This is the longest we have ever gone without speaking. When Patrick said to give him some time, I expected maybe a few hours, if not a day or two. I was surprised as the days continued to pass and I hadn’t heard anything from Noah.

  Lola had also cut all ties with me the past three weeks. I had text her a few times after our driving lesson on Tuesday and I tried to call, but she never replied to any of my messages. When I went to Mavericks one afternoon, she was polite while she served me the beer I had requested, but she never went past the normal bartender/customer conversation. I have had plenty of people come in and out of my life, but Noah was like family to me, so I was surprised that he wanted to cut me out of his life just like Lola did.

  The first week I was pissed that Noah didn’t man up and come and talk to me. By the second week, I was fucking furious and it was only as the third week ticked by did it suddenly dawn on me that I was the one that had asked Noah to participate in the prank that night. I was the one that had forgotten that he was there waiting for us. So I was technically the one to blame for our fight. So with my tail between my legs, I turned up at Noah’s house today hoping that he has had enough time to be able to forgive me.

  “You know you don’t have to stay here man; my house is your house Noah” I advise as I return his man hug. I hate the thought of him living under the same roof as his mother again.

  “Yeah I know, I just had some shit to sort out” he replies honestly, while looking concerned.

  “I think this is the longest you haven’t been over to our house Noah. Dad keeps asking why the fridge is always full” I chuckle before I playfully barge him with my shoulder, sparking Noah to throw a few jabs into my mid-section.

  I try not to let him notice that his playful jabs actually connect with a few bruises I had collected from my fight last night. Since everyone seemed to have lost contact with me at the same time, I threw myself into my fighting goals. I have now competed in four UFC heavyweight fights and I have won every one on them. Last night’s fight went a few rounds longer than I would have liked, but at the end of the day a win is a win. The prize money has started to get more impressive as the weeks went on and last night I had managed to pocket nearly a thousand dollars for my efforts.

  “Yeah sorry man, I will make sure I get over and see the old man this week. I am just trying to keep my head busy” Noah replies.

  I don’t know why he needs to pretend that h
e is going to visit my dad, our home is Noah’s home. I was hoping he would have realised that by now.

  “Want to grab a beer?” I ask, happy to let our disagreement end right now.

  “Sure” he replies, before grabbing his duffle bag off the ground and following me to my car.

  And just like that our argument is over.

  The instant we walk into Mavericks I spot Lola who is working behind the bar. I release a deep exhale of breath as Noah and I make our way towards her.

  “Hello Lola” Noah greets friendly while placing an order for two beers. Normally on a Friday night we would sit at the band’s table, but any other time we visit Mavericks we generally sit at the bar.

  “Hi Noah” Lola greets before her gaze turns to mine. “Hi Jacob” she whispers softly.

  I nod my head in greeting, as I guzzle down a large mouthful of the cold beer she had just placed in front of me. I still can’t work out what I ever did to Lola to force her to cut all ties with me. I have never had the car prank backfire so badly before.

  “Did you get your licence?” Noah questions, causing me to turn my gaze from darting around the bar to look towards Lola.

  “Not yet, but Maggie has been rostering me on during the day so I can catch the bus into work” she responds as her eyes flick up to mine.

  So even my offer of a lift isn’t good enough for Lola anymore. I shake my head angrily as I make my way to one of empty tables located in the middle of the bar. Noah grabs another two bottles of beer, before he comes over and joins me.

  “What’s the go with you two?” he questions quietly, while I open the second bottle of beer and start guzzling it down.

  “I don’t have a fucking clue” I reply angrily, as I rub a knot that has formed in the back of my neck.

  For the next hour, I silently watch Lola as she works behind the bar and I continue to guzzle down the beers that Noah keeps handing me. He had stopped drinking his beer the instant he noticed that I was chugging down mine.

  “Do you want a game of pool or should we head straight for the boxing ring?” Noah questions, while his dark gaze turns to mine.

  “You don’t have to mend my broken heart as we were never technically dating. Rack up the balls and I will be more than happy to kick your ass” I reply as I head towards the bathroom to take a leak.

  Noah and I end up playing two rounds of pool and by the time the second hour ticks by, I am pretty well smashed from guzzling down too many beers in a short period of time.

  “So are you done big boy or do you still have a couple of games left in you?” Noah chuckles after he finishes kicking my ass for the second time in a row.

  “Best out of five” I reply while racking up the balls again.

  “Are you guys interested in playing a game of doubles?” questions a sweet voice behind me.

  I turn my gaze towards the voice and the first thing I notice is the large set of breasts that are on display in a tight yellow halter neck top. Lifting my gaze, I see a stunning blonde whose brown eyes are roaming appreciatively over my body. While her friend, standing next to her, is biting her lip while her blue eyes stare directly at Noah behind me. I turn my gaze back to Noah to see that he is nodding his head at their request, before he walks over and places his arms around the shoulder of the brunette.

  “She is my partner” he informs, making his companion giggle.

  “Hi, I’m Jacob” I introduce as I offer my hand to the pretty, heavy breasted girl.

  “Stephanie” she replies while she accepts my handshake.

  We end up playing another two rounds of pool with Stephanie and her friend Shell and I notice the whole time that Lola is shooting daggers at us from across the bar, before she eventually walks over.

  “Can I talk to you?” she questions firmly as she cocks out her hip, making me look down and notice the teeny tiny shorts she is wearing.

  “So now you want to talk?” I reply harshly, while returning my gaze back towards her face.

  Lola takes an angry stance as she crosses her arms in front of her chest and lifts her eyebrows into her hairline, angry at my obvious dismissal of her request.

  “Sorry” I apologize softly; I have never been good at holding grudges long.

  I turn towards Stephanie to advise her that I will be back in a minute. She nods her head in understanding, but then her eyes narrow when she spots Lola standing behind me. I follow Lola as she walks to the hallway the bathrooms are located in. Once she gets a couple of steps inside the long blue hallway, she turns to face me.

  “Do you really think this is a good idea?” she questions angrily, through narrowed eyes.

  I look at her and shrug my shoulders at her question. She doesn’t want me, so I may as well have some fun with someone who does and I can tell that Stephanie is more than interested in getting to know me.

  “You know Noah is interested in Emily, but you are encouraging him to hook up with some random bar skank” she continues angrily.

  Are you fucking kidding me? Lola isn’t worried about who I am hooking up with, she is just concerned about who Noah might end up going home with.

  “I don’t think it is any of your concern who he fucks” I retaliate angrily.

  “You’re only doing this as you are angry at me. Don’t sacrifice their chance at a relationship just because things between us didn’t work out the way you had hoped” she replies, before she angrily spins on her heels and promptly walks back to main bar area.

  I let out a long frustrated growl, before I eventually walk back to the main bar area. Lola’s gaze watches me as I walk back towards the pool tables.

  “Are you ready to head out?” I ask Noah, causing him to stop sucking face with the brunette who is plastered to his side.

  “Now?” he questions as his eyebrows pull together.

  “Yep” I reply before turning to see the disappointed face of Stephanie.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Maybe we can catch up another time?” I offer sincerely.

  She rolls her eyes angrily at me, before she storms off to the ladies’ room with her friend following closely behind. I may be pissed at Lola, but I do agree that Noah deserves to have someone like Emily in his life. If it means I miss out on a little action for one night, then that is what I will do for my friend.

  Noah and I both walk out of the bar together, his face clearly showing he isn’t impressed by my obvious cock blocking, but he doesn’t say anything. An hour later, while I am sprawled on my bed guzzling another cold bottle of beer, my phone dings indicating I have received a text message.

  Thank you!

  It my drunken haze I decide to reply.

  You owe me.

  I know….

  I try hard to put my phone down and leave Lola alone like she wants, but I really want to know why she hasn’t had any contact with me the past few weeks.

  What did I do?

  It wasn’t you.

  Please don’t give me that bullshit excuse. It’s no you, it’s me.

  Lol, I wasn’t! I meant it wasn’t you that made me the way I am.

  Then why did you cut all ties with me?

  I wait patiently for her to reply. Just as I start to think she isn’t going to reply, my phone finally dings.

  I want to be your friend Jacob, but you want more.

  I would rather be your friend than not have you in my life at all.

  I stare down at my phone screen, waiting impatiently for it to ding with another text, when it startles me by loudly playing my ringtone in the silence of my room.

  “Are you sure this is what you want Jacob?” Lola questions quietly into the phone as soon as I answer it.

  “I can’t give you anything more than my friendship” she continues sincerely.

  “It’s better than not having you in my life at all” I reply truthfully. I like Lola, she has spunk and charisma and I enjoy spending time with her, even when we aren’t doing anything sexually.

  “Then let’s be friends” she
replies while giggling softly.

  “Is this a friends with benefits deal?” I cheekily question, triggering Lola to laugh loudly.

  “Maybe” she eventually replies, once her laughter settles down.

  That’s good enough for me… for now.

  Chapter 13

  Lola

  The instant Jacob spots me strolling towards him, he starts cracking up laughing.

  “What the fuck are you wearing?” he chuckles loudly, causing me to slap his bicep muscle.