Flame

by Clarissa Wild

  The greatest, most wonderful excuse in the world.

  ♥♥♥

  1 month later

  I’m having my second ultrasound to see whether it’s a boy or a girl. The first time they did it they couldn’t really tell because it was too early. That, and there was something in the way. They told me it was normal, so now that I’m finally here I’m very anxious to find out.

  Hunter holds my hand as the cold gel is rubbed over my belly and the nurse does her work. Biting my lip, I gaze at the monitor, my eyes not leaving it for even one second. The more time I spend looking at my baby the dreamier it feels. This baby was created by me and Hunter during a moment of pure love. Life erupted. Nothing compares to that.

  “Oh!” the lady says.

  “What?” I ask, squeezing Hunter’s hand so hard I think blood stops flowing.

  “Look,” she says, pointing at the screen. “Do you see that?”

  It’s something behind the baby, I think, but I’m terrible at understanding those ultrasounds. Those images always look like blurry blobs to me.

  “What? I can’t see it.”

  The lady turns up the sound. “You can hear it, too.”

  And there it is. A heartbeat. Not one, but two.

  Hunter’s jaw drops. “We’re having twins?”

  “Yep. Two heads. Congratulations!”

  My eyes widen and I gasp in shock.

  “Looks like you two have hit the jackpot. A boy and a girl.”

  At first I smile, then a giggle comes out, and then it just becomes full, blown-out laughter. Hunter puts his other hand on top of mine too, locking it between his. “I can’t believe it.”

  “Oh, wow,” I say. “A boy and a girl.” I look up at him. “No wonder I’m getting so fat.”

  He shakes his head, caressing my hand. “You’re not fat. You’re beautiful, and our babies are growing inside you.” I blush from his compliment.

  He grins. “Fuck, I still can’t believe it. Twins? Jesus, that’ll be one heck of a job.”

  “I know we’ll do fine,” I say, squeezing his hand. “You’re always looking out for me and my family, and I know you’ll be the best dad they can have.”

  “Thanks,” he says, smiling appreciatively at me.

  “Anyway, I guess we get to choose both names then!”

  He smirks, a little chuckle escaping his mouth. “Trevor and Susie it is.”

  ♥♥♥

  A few days later …

  “It’s a boy!” I yell, while I step inside my mom’s room. She jerks up from her bed like she just heard the most amazing news in the world.

  “Oh my, that’s wonderful!” she says, opening her arms for me to come hug her.

  “Hmmm … and that’s not all,” Hunter muses.

  “And a girl too!” I add.

  My mom gapes at me, her arms riddled with goose bumps. “You’re having twins?”

  Rubbing my belly, I say, “Yep!”

  She squeals. “I can’t believe it!”

  “Me neither,” Hunter says jokingly. “I’ll have to work twice as hard to get those two what they deserve.”

  “I’m sure you’ll manage,” my mom says with a wink. “You’re a strong young man capable of anything, right, girl?” She pulls me in for a hug. I hold her tight, or at least as far as my belly will take me. I’ve grown big these last couple of months. It’s only a little while now, and I’m getting more and more anxious for the day that they arrive.

  She immediately places her hand on my stomach. I can feel the babies twist and turn inside me, moving toward her hand as if they can feel her touch. It makes me gloat. It feels so freaking special that I have two little babies growing inside me, babies Hunter and I made on our own.

  “Have you been resting enough?” my mom asks.

  “I’m fine, Mom. I know what the doctor told me.”

  “I’m just making sure you’re taking good care of yourself.”

  “No worries. I got that all covered,” Hunter says with a smug face.

  “What’s all that ruckus up here?” My dad storms up the stairs. “Why are you all yelling?”

  “She’s having a boy!” my mom says. “And a girl!”

  “What?” my dad says as if he didn’t hear it.

  “Twins,” I say.

  At first there’s disgust on his face. Then it turns into his usual bitter self. “Oh … well, congratulations,” my dad says with a frown. He doesn’t seem the least bit happy about it, even after all these months. He’s still not used to the idea of me becoming a mom.

  “Walter, just be happy for once. You’re becoming a grandfather of two beautiful kids.”

  Scratching his stubble, he just grumbles.

  “I still can’t believe my little girl is having her own babies now,” Mom says, coughing. “All grown up.”

  “Oh, Mom, it’s been a long time since I was a little girl.” I wink. “But now you’ll get to see your grandson and granddaughter!”

  She coughs again, some spit coming out of her mouth as she attempts to clear the blockage in her throat. I help her by patting her back. “Well …” she murmurs. “I hope I still live to see it.”

  Her words cut through me like a blade through flesh.

  So painful. So real.

  “I’ll make sure that happens,” Hunter says. “I’ve been meaning to tell you this, but I was looking for the right time.” He steps forward. “Ma’am, I’d like to invite you to one of my fights.”

  “Fights? You mean at an underground fight club?”

  “What?” my dad snaps. “No. No way I’m letting you take her there.”

  “Oh, Walter, just shut up for once. I can do whatever the hell I want.”

  “It’s dangerous, Diane!”

  “So what? If they want me to see it, I want to see it. She’s my daughter for crying out loud. This is her life, her boyfriend, and I’m going to support her. You should do that too.” She exhales sharply, annoyed by just his presence.

  My dad snorts. “I’m not going to support brawling matches as a way to make a living. Especially not the underground, illegal type.”

  A half-smile curves Hunter’s lips. “Well, it’s not really underground anymore. I’ve gone pro now.”

  Before my dad can open his mouth, my mom has already started talking again. “Oh … well, I would love to, but I can’t.” The look on her face saddens me.

  “Good,” my dad says.

  “Unfortunately, this bed is very clingy. Much like something else in this house,” she says with squinting eyes.

  Her comment makes me chuckle a little. I know she never liked watching wrestling matches, nor did my dad, but Hunter’s my boyfriend, and in this case I’m sure she’d love to see him. Like he said, he always wins.

  “I know, but I also wanted to offer you something else,” Hunter says. “I need your permission first before I tell you what it is.”

  “Oh, hell no,” my dad says.

  “Stop it, Dad,” I snap. “Just let him finish.”

  My mom frowns, confused. “Why do you need my permission first? Is it something scary?”

  “No, not at all,” I say. “We just want to make sure you can’t say no.” I know what Hunter’s about to tell her, because we’ve talked about it before. He’s making my wish and hers come true. That’s one of the many reasons I love him so much, if not the biggest.

  “Oh … well, all right. I’ll trust you,” she says, looking straight at me like she’s telling me she’ll kill me if this is something bad. I wink in return.

  “Diane! You can’t be serious?”

  “I am. I’ve had about enough of your attitude. You’re her dad. It’s time you start to act like it.” She sticks her nose in the air. “God, if I wasn’t stuck in this bed I would have kicked your ass a long time ago.”

  I chuckle.

  “Great, because you won’t be in that bed anymore. Not for long,” Hunter says.

  “Hunter’s been saving up money to pay for all your medical
bills!” I interject, unable to hold back.

  She blinks a couple of times, her lips part, and then her jaw just drops. “What?”

  I look at my dad, whose expression has changed from pure revulsion to complete and utter shock. I’m almost afraid he might have a heart attack.

  “It’s true. I’m going to pay for all the expenses of your treatment.” Hunter smiles. “We’ll get you better first, and then you can come to my fight.”

  Her eyes get watery, and so do mine when I see happiness flow onto her face like a wave. Tears roll down her cheeks as she grabs both of Hunter’s hands and pulls him closer. “Are you sure?”

  “A hundred percent. I’m going to make sure you get better. I’m going to battle that leukemia with you.”

  The sound that comes from her mouth is something I’ve never heard before, and it almost sounds like a choked wail. It’s a good sound. The sound of a person who realizes the unbelievable just happened.

  “Is this for real?” my dad stammers.

  “Yeah,” Hunter says.

  “He’s doing this all for Mom,” I add.

  Trembling, my dad steadies himself with the door. His hand is in front of his mouth as he stares at Hunter.

  “Oh, dear boy …” My mom rubs his hands and pulls him even closer. Opening her arms, she drags him in for a big hug. Hunter keeps his hands at bay, probably afraid he’ll break her brittle bones, but I can tell he’s glad he made her happy. The smile on his face and his glistening gray eyes make me feel so blessed.

  He’s really all I’ll ever need.

  CHAPTER 27

  SURPRISES

  Hunter

  3 months later

  Clapping my hands, I instruct the crowd to clap along with me. They’re chanting my song again, and it’s a fucking high for me to hear them. It makes me feel so fucking powerful, so full of adrenaline and fury. My fierceness helps me fight my last opponent for tonight’s fight, as I prepare for the surprise I have planned for my girl. She’s in for one hell of a night—one that I’ll make sure she never forgets.

  I spit on the ground as my next opponent enters the cage, eyeing him from top to bottom. His mask only hides a part of his face, his buffed features still no match for my muscles. His smug smile is infuriating, so I make a mental note to myself to turn it into a whine as I make him beg for mercy.

  When the ref rings the bell I charge at him, full force. I ram headfirst into him, dropping him to the floor. One fist after another, I pound in on his face, his bleeding nose a sign of my victory.

  “Fucking good job, Hunter!” my brother yells from the sidelines. He’s been my manager ever since we started this thing, and I’m so fucking glad he’s here to get me all pumped up.

  The ref calls this round, and I get off him.

  “Asshole!” the fucker yells, but I ignore him while I rowdy up the crowd. My girl and her mother are watching me up there, and I need to make a great impression on them, so I’m really not planning on going easy on this guy.

  My girl needs to see that I’m the only one for her. Her man.

  She waves at me, still holding her mom’s fragile hand. Tonight’s MMA organizers made special arrangements on my request so that her mom could come in her bed. They’re sitting in the first row, her mom watching me from the comfort of her pillow. I’m glad Leafy has her support and that they’re both here. Since the medication, her mom has gotten much stronger, although she still looks miserable as hell. Treating her leukemia hasn’t been without challenges, but I’m sure she’ll pull through. After all, she shares the same genes as my Leafy.

  I want to show them all that I’m worth every ounce of their love.

  “Round two!” the ref calls out, and the bell is rung again.

  After winking at my girl, I turn around and face my opponent again. This time he’s the one who charges me, but I escape him with a sidestep, causing him to bury his head in the cage bars. Raging like a bull, he turns around, but I’m already right behind him and kick him in the stomach. He buckles, so I finish it off with a punch from below, straight to his jaw.

  The noises coming from deep down in his throat aren’t pretty, and as he lands on the floor, the crowd turns wild.

  “Knockout!” the ref calls out.

  The cheers are deafening. The sound of their happiness and amazement bursting out gives me a euphoric feeling. Fighting is really my calling, and I know now that I’ll never get enough of the thrill that comes with winning. I was born to do this.

  The ref steps inside the cage and two big guys help to get the knocked-out asshole onto a stretcher. I crack my knuckles as the ref grabs my hand and holds it high up in the air. Roars come from the crowd as I’m announced winner.

  Now is my time. This is my moment, and nobody will take it away from me.

  I snatch the microphone from the ref’s hand and hold it in front of my mouth. “Did you enjoy yourselves?”

  The crowd cheers and chants my name.

  “Good, good. I fought my ass off today, because today is a special day,” I say with a smirk. “Today my girlfriend and her mom came to see me.” I point at them in the bleachers, and from a distance I can tell my girl’s eyes widen as her skin turns cherry-red.

  “This one was for you,” I say. The girls in the crowd squeal so loud I think my ears will pop.

  “She’s one special girl. A bookworm. A lovely lady. Supportive. Helpful. Sweet. Kind. The mother of my two babies still growing inside her.”

  The crowd makes a synced ah sound.

  “She’s my girl. She’s everything I’ll ever need, and I love her to death.” The crowd has grown silent from my speech. “And that’s why I want to ask her something.”

  She freezes in her seat, staring me down. I’m not taking my eyes off her. I want to see the reaction on her face as she hears what I’m about to say. I’m making a promise to her that I’ll keep. Forever. She’s the one. I know it. And I want her to be mine forever.

  “Will you marry me?”

  It takes a second to register before the crowd bursts out into orgasmic cheers. The microphone drops from my hand as I stand and grin like a proud ass, waiting for my girl’s response. Her finger moves to her eye, probably to take away a tear, and she gets up from her seat. At first it’s a nervous, shaky walk while I stand here in the cage, watching her come down the bleachers. People are cheering us on, encouraging us to make the commitment. I’m ready. Oh, I’m so fucking ready. I’ve never been more ready to make this promise that I will never let her go.

  Keeping my eyes constantly locked on hers, I get out of the cage and wait for her near the entrance. Her feet are moving faster and faster, and it doesn’t take her long to start running.

  But then suddenly she stops.

  Her knees start to shake and her hands dive between her legs. Panic settles on her face.

  My eyes widen as I rush over to her. Something that resembles water streams out of her pants.

  “They’re coming!”

  “Fuck! Now?” I say, as I grab her belly in an attempt to keep that shit inside. Of course it’s not going to help. Her water just broke.

  “Yes, now!” she snaps.

  The idea alone makes me nervous as hell, but I maintain my composure, because she needs me right now. I need to be there to get her through this. But fuck me, the babies are coming. I’m not prepared for this.

  As we walk outside the club, people cheer us on, wishing us good luck with the delivery. Of course they saw.

  My brother quickly catches up with us after dealing with the organizers, and he helps us get to the car. “I called your dad; he’s on his way here to pick up your mom,” Jessie says to my girl.

  “Yes, I need her to be there,” she says.

  “They’ll come later. Don’t worry about it. Your mom said she’d be fine and that we should go ahead without her. After all, your water broke.”

  As I help my girl inside and sit down myself, I ask, “Are you okay?” I’m worried about her, because her breath
ing is unsteady, her pants are completely soaked, and she’s trembling like crazy.

  “Yeah, just shocked.”

  “Nothing to be shocked about. Happens to all the pregnant ladies,” Jessie says, winking as he sits down in the driver’s seat. “What’s more of a shock is that fucking proposal.”

  “What?” Hunter snaps.

  “That was one heck of a mess.”

  “I liked it.” She grabs my hand and squeezes lightly, smiling. It makes my heart go crazy. I did it all for her, so I’d be devastated if she didn’t like it.

  “I know it’s kind of late to ask, and that it kind of got fucked up by… well, our little ones, but what’s your answer?” I ask with a huge smile.

  “Yes!” She throws herself around me and buries her face in the nook of my neck, setting me on fire. I wrap my arms around her, caressing her back as she says, “I thought you’d never ask.”

  ♥♥♥

  A few hours later …

  There’s no turning back now. It’s really happening. We’ve been waiting for this day for months now, and I’m stoked and terrified at the same time. The amount of shit I’ve had to put up with because of her hormones is finally coming to an end, which is a relief. But knowing I’m going to see my kids for the first time is fucking scary. Am I even ready? I don’t know. Not that it matters, because I have no choice. They’re coming right now.

  The doctors have been going at it for a few hours, helping her breathe and push. I can tell from the dark circles under her eyes and the beads of sweat running down her forehead that she’s tired and barely able to continue. Still, she persists, never giving up on pushing. It’s incredible. My hand is getting squashed by hers, but I don’t care, she can squeeze me all she wants. I’m here for her. She’s been screaming the entire time, and the sound is breaking me, but I know I have to stay strong. Even though I don’t want to hear her scream, because my first instinct is to protect her, I know she has to go through this.

  The babies are coming and we’ll soon see them for the first time. My heart is pounding in my chest, almost bursting out as they begin to pull out the head of the first baby. I’m looking at her, keeping her close to my heart while she pushes and seethes.