I’d known she’d been keeping something from me but figured she’d share it with me when she needed to.
And when she had found the right time to reveal her deep, dark secret I’d almost laughed at her.
I know I had chuckled a little, but the idea that she’d been so eaten up over such a small matter made me realize just how good she was.
That was me wife though, she was so far from the dark in life that she brought sunshine to mine. Being around her made me a better person, and on top over everything else, I loved her for that.
I let her sleep in the morning and headed to my gym for the day’s training. I had a good eight hours of beating Joe around today, I was in training for the big match right here in Boston a week away.
“Jesus, Knox, you look like you ate the canary,” Jake said as I strolled in feeling pretty smug about spending the night fucking me beautiful pregnant wife.
“I might have,” I winked and walked past him.
He turned, looked at me and said, “Oh you dirty dog. Well get it while you can, after the baby comes you aren’t going to be doing much of that I tell ya.”
Jake and Melody’s little guy was growing fast and was already crawling like a champ. Of course that meant more work for both parents, and Jake was looking a little rougher around the edges since becoming a dad.
“We’ll see,” I said and headed to get changed. I worried about that, during the pregnancy Lennon had definitely gone through some times where she’d not wanted sex that often, but I knew we’d make it no matter what happened.
I waited for Joe to show up and we began to spar almost immediately. I was being challenged for me title of the UFC’s heavyweight champion of the world. Some punk ass kid from out west had decided to chirp me on social media and the entire thing had grown until the public had demanded a match.
Fek, I didn’t even go on Twitter, but here we were and there he was going to get his arse kicked mightily a week from now.
Joe stepped back as I pummeled him with a focused attack and he dropped when I aimed for his head and he didn’t duck.
“Shit, you okay?” I asked and held out my hand to him.
“I don’t know,” he replied, standing and rubbing his jaw where I’d struck.
“What do ye mean ye don’t know?”
“The hit didn’t hurt but Charlotte told me something today and I don’t know if I’m okay.”
“Is she finally leaving your greasy ass?” I asked with a grin.
He looked serious and shook his head. “No. She’s having a baby.”
“And it’s yours?” I asked, teasing him to get him out of his obvious dark mood.
“Yeah, it would be,” he replied slowly. “What am I gonna do?”
“You’re gonna marry her and settle the fuck down and stop worrying about it. You’re gonna be a family man and there ain’t nothing wrong with that.”
“But I’m so young,” Joe said.
“So what? What the fek were ye thinking of doing with your life? Ye want to be a fighter, so be a fighter but be a father too. The two aren’t incompatible. Shit, think about how handy that is if ye have a girl. Ye can chase off all the greasy little punks like you.”
He laughed, shook his head in disbelief and said, “You’re right. You’re always right. It’s just big news and I only found out about an hour ago.”
“You’ll get used to the idea. It will grow on you until you can’t imagine being anything but a husband and a father. Now put yer fists up, we need to get me ready.”
“Yes sir,” Joe grinned and dodged around me on his feet with his fists in the air in front of him.
“Now that’s more like it,” I said and we began to spar again in earnest.
It was gonna be a good match next week. The odds were pretty even with a slight favor in my direction. The folks were looking for a huge fight and I was probably gonna give it to them.
***
I got home around dinner and Lennon was waiting for me with excitement in her eyes.
“I found the cutest outfit,” she said and dragged me to the nursery to show me yet another parade of tiny little clothes for our baby. I loved that she was excited, but that was one aspect that didn’t thrill me as much as it seemed to excite her.
Afterwards we ate dinner and spent the evening cuddling on the sofa watching old movies. It was a perfect little slice of domestic bliss, something I’d never imagined for myself and something for which I was eternally grateful.
She fell asleep on my shoulder and I spent the rest of the night watching an action movie and putting my hand on her stomach to feel the baby kick during the car race scenes.
It was that night that I felt for the first time that I was going to do this dad thing really well. I wasn’t gonna let my kid down, not like everyone had done to me, and I couldn’t wait to meet them.
My family was my life, and I loved every moment of it.
Chapter Fifty Four
Lennon
“You’ve got exactly fourteen days to go,” my obstetrician, Doctor LeBlanc told me. She was young, French, willowy and beautiful…and absolutely amazing. She never made me feel awful about the weight I’d gained and she never even blinked when she recognized Knox in her examining room.
She was cool as a cucumber and that’s exactly what I needed because I knew I’d be a wreck and I suspected Knox might freak out a little once the baby started to arrive.
“Almost here, kitten,” Knox said, squeezed my hand and kissed me gently. I saw Doctor LeBlanc smile to herself at Knox’s tenderness. I supposed to the outside world it might seem strange that such a brutal fighter would be so soft and loving towards his family, but Knox was nothing else but exactly that.
Unless he was horny, then all bets were off but I knew he’d never hurt me. He just happened to know what he wanted and how he could go about getting it.
And let’s face it, I didn’t mind. Even when I wasn’t in the mood, I was always in the mood for Knox.
“I can’t wait to meet the wee baby,” Knox said close to my ear.
I loved his Irish lilt, it got stronger the more excited he was…or the more revved up for a fight he was…or the hornier he was. Right now it was a thick accent with the cutest little roll of his tongue here and there.
“You will be meeting…um…wait, you chose not to find out the sex, right?” Doctor LeBlanc asked.
“Yes, that’s right. We were hoping to be surprised,” I replied.
“All right, then you will meet the baby soon enough. Until then I might suggest you go home and enjoy your life as a couple before they get here. Life will never be the same afterwards, so celebrate the final days you have with just the two of you.”
She smiled and I glanced at Knox. We both had the same idea, I could tell. We were just so excited to meet our child that we didn’t even think about time to ourselves.
“I know, I know,” she laughed. “Everybody always gives me that same look when I give them that advice. Just don’t come crying to me in a month because you can’t sleep and you don’t think you’ll ever want sex again.”
I glanced at Knox again and he raised his brows. “That’s not gonna happen,” he said confidently.
“Uh, I hope not,” I replied and laughed. “Don’t look so worried, of course that’s not going to happen…right Doc?”
She smiled and said, “I can assure you that if you had a healthy sex life before the baby, you will continue to have one after the baby.”
“We’re golden then,” Knox said and bent to kiss me. He growled and nibbled my neck, I squealed and giggled at his touch.
“You two are going to be just fine,” Doctor LeBlanc said with a laugh. “I will most likely see you at the hospital when you’re in labor, so good luck until then!”
With that she was gone and Knox helped me up off the examining table. “When is your fight again?” I asked and slipped my swollen feet into my sandals. They were the only shoes that fit just then.
“On the
weekend, just over a week before the baby comes,” Knox said. “I hope you can make it.”
I’d been to every one of his fights since we’d gotten married, and I’d gone crazy at every single one. There was something erotically primal about yelling for your man as he beat the crap out of his opponent.
After fight sex was always the best.
This time though I didn’t think I could handle it.
“I’m going to stay home,” I told him, hoping he’d understand.
“Ah, kitten, I thought ye would tell me that. I’ll still fight knowing you’re watching me,” he said and took my hand.
We strolled out of the clinic and through the waiting room. It was packed with pregnant women and their partners, and almost every male eye was on Knox as we made our way through.
I was finally getting used to being with a man like Knox, but at least at the baby doctor’s office it was only the men who got excited. Everywhere else women would be giving him those long looks of longing that used to drive me nuts with jealousy.
Now they just made me proud because he never noticed a single one of them.
I was sure the men in the waiting room were already texting their buddies that they had the same baby doctor as Knox King O’Connor, and even that sent a ripple of pride through my chest.
“I think Melody, Jessica and Charlotte might come over. Kyle and his wife too with their little girl.”
“Sounds like a good time,” Knox replied with a smile. We got to the car and he opened the back door for me, helped me inside and slid into the seat next to me. He told the driver to take us home and I felt a weight off my shoulders.
I’d been worried he would think it was bad luck to be apart for his fight.
He leaned over, kissed me again and murmured to my stomach, “Just don’t you dare decide to come out while I’m not home.”
“It will be fine, I’ll have more than a week to go. You won’t miss a thing,” I told him. Of course I could be wrong, but I didn’t want that to mess with his head.
***
The night of the big fight came quickly and I had our cook make a ton of snacks and drinks for our impromptu party. We gathered in the man cave at the back of the house with its huge television and room for everybody to watch.
I lounged on the sofa and let Jessica kind of take over running the show. She and Katie hit it off like crazy and seemed to work well together.
In fact I wasn’t surprised when part way through the night Katie came over and flopped on the seat next to me.
“I have a job,” she said. She looked much better than I’d ever seen, she’d put on weight and her eyes seemed lively and bright.
“What? That’s amazing! Where?” I asked.
“Your old place actually,” she said with a grin.
“George’s?”
“That’s the one! He says hi by the way. He’s going to teach me how to be a bartender.”
I was happy but frowned. “What about your addiction?”
“I’m a crack head, not a booze hound,” she laughed. “I know it seems like I might be tempted, but I really hate alcohol.”
“I’m so happy for you then,” I said and leaned towards her and gave her a hug.
“Thanks,” she said. “I should see if Jessica needs some help. I’ve been getting to know Charlotte too. I think we’re going to work well together.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I said. “And I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks,” Katie replied. “Sis.”
I smiled and watched her walk away. It was the first time she’d ever called me sister and it meant so much to me. More than she’d ever know maybe.
Melody came and sat down with Jake Junior. He was so busy these days and Melody looked like she was getting more sleep finally that it gave me some hope.
“How are you feeling?” she asked as Jake squirmed and tried to get down.
“I’m good, let me hold him,” I said with my arms outstretched.
“If you think you can,” she laughed. “He’s on high speed these days.”
I did my best, but little Jake was down off my lap in no time. I laughed and grabbed at him, “Hey, get back here.”
He turned and looked at me with his huge chocolate brown eyes and giggled.
I got up to catch him before he crawled away and felt a sharp pain in my stomach as I did.
“Oh,” I exhaled and sat back down. Melody jumped up, grabbed Jake and looked at me.
“Was that a contraction?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you want to lay down?”
“I don’t know,” I moaned and stood up carefully. Another pain ripped through me and I felt a gush of liquid from between my legs. “Oh god, what happened?”
“Your water broke. Damn, we’re good luck for each other aren’t we?”
I laughed the best I could. “We must have slippery baby vibes or something.”
“I’m going to take little Jake to Charlotte and then I’m going to call Knox, is that okay?”
I nodded as another pain clenched my midsection. I didn’t want her to call Knox, I didn’t want him to miss his fight but I knew he’d be devastated if I had the baby without him.
Melody was back in a flash. “I talked to Jake and he’s going to let Knox know what’s going on. We’re taking you to the hospital right now.” She handed me a towel to clean up on our way out.
“I think I’ll be fine,” I said. “I feel much better actually.”
“Don’t even bother trying to fight this, Lennon, your baby is coming. I know I’ve only done it once but I know what happens after your water breaks.”
I followed her with Katie trailing behind me.
“You guys are welcome to stay here,” I told the rest of the guests on the way out. “I’ll keep you updated as best we can.”
They stood around me, hugged me and congratulated me. Katie ended up driving me to the hospital, she spoke non-stop the entire time, her nerves seemed on edge but she handled herself really well.
I kept checking my phone to see if Knox was on his way, but there wasn’t anything from his end.
We signed in and were rushed up to the birthing suite. I waited for Doctor LeBlanc and tried to keep my mind off things until Knox got there.
I just hoped he would be in time.
Chapter Fifty Five
Knox
I hated leaving her but I had to go beat the shit out of the mouthy little prick who was calling me down all over the news.
Lennon understood, I knew she did.
It was an attack on my honor and I had to nip it in the bud before a bunch of other fuckers decided to challenge my position.
Jake rubbed my shoulders in the dressing room before the fight. “Don’t let him get in your head space,” he told me. “You’ve got this, you know it.”
“I know,” I said, “I can’t wait to break him down.”
The crowd was massive, the entire arena was filled to the brim and celebrities and politicians bunched up around the first few rows of the seating.
The announcer yelled our names and stats and we came out of our opposite directions towards the ring.
I danced around on the balls of my feet trying to get energy flowing and my rage up. I was battling the nagging concern I had in the back of my head that I would miss out on something if Lennon needed me.
He wasn’t that big in person.
That was the one thing that stood out for me about Robert Suarez when I met him in the center ring.
He looked tough though, he had that feral razor sharp hunger in his eyes that let me know he’d fought his way up from the streets just like me.
But fek him, I had more of a right to her here. I was better, I was faster, and I was stronger.
And I didn’t need to be an expert to realize it.
I moved back to my corner and noticed the look of horror on Jake’s face.
“What the fek is goin on?” I asked. The fight was about to start and Jak
e looked like he was going to pass out.
“It’s Lennon,” he said and shut off his phone.
“What about her?” I exclaimed.
“The baby’s coming,” Jake said.
IRISH: a Bad Boy Fighter Romance Page 18