by Jessie Cooke
Kane was back and now he was in the zone. Before I finished processing the compliment from Jacob, Kane landed two good blows to my head. The gear cushioned it, but he had a hell of a punch and I saw stars. I threw a right cross but I was still off balance and he dodged it. I saw his elbow come up and I ducked, straight down into his fist. It landed right in the center of my forehead, just where it meets the bridge of my nose. Everything went black for a few seconds, and when my ears stopped ringing, I could hear Kane telling me he was sorry.
“Hey, Nick! Talk to me, kid. Are you okay?” Jacob asked.
“I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Am I bleeding?”
“No, but I think your nose is swelling,” Jacob said. Fuck! I’d never told Margo that I was a fighter. I don’t think she’ll be happy about it. I’m not sure how I’ll explain this.
“I’m fine,” I said again.
“Okay, you have three and a half minutes left,” Jacob said. I gave my head a quick shake and got back in my fighting stance. Kane was ready to go again, and I dodged a few knock-backs before we engaged in an exchange of blows for at least a full minute. Cross, jab, cross, jab, uppercut… For the rest of our time, we went back and forth like that. By the time Jacob said, “Okay, stop!” I could hardly catch my breath. As I sucked in as much air as I could, Jacob came over and said, “Better, kid. Be here at eight in the morning. I’ve got a guy named Braxton coming in from Texas tonight that I have to get shaped up for a fight next week. I’m going to have you two go the full three rounds tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
“Put some ice on that nose.”
“Okay.”
“And eat something!”
“Okay.” When I got to the locker room, I realized that it was already almost four. I’d asked Jacob if I could come in late today so I could study this morning. Instead of studying, I had lunch with Brooke. After we exchanged numbers and I promised I’d get her tickets to my fight, she dropped me at my car. Now I was going to have just enough to go home, get my costume for tonight, go by and give Poppy his meds, and get to work. This shit was killing me.
“Hey! Sorry about the knuckles to the nose, man,” Kane said as he walked into the locker room.
I smiled, and that was the first time I actually realized how bad it hurt. “It’s cool, I’m fine.”
“Shit, your nose is turning purple.”
“What?” I opened my locker and looked in the mirror hanging inside. Shit! It was purple, and right underneath my eyes were beginning to turn black. I could see Kane’s reflection over my shoulder.
“Really, man, sorry.”
I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what I was going to tell Margo. When I started working for her, Steve told me not to mention the fighting. He said that Margo wouldn’t hire fighters because she didn’t like the idea of her “merchandise” getting “bruised up”. I needed my job worse than I needed the fighting. Fighting was an outlet, but it wasn’t going to be my career. Hopefully she wouldn’t make me choose right now, but if she did, work would win, hands down. I reassured Kane that I was fine, and after I showered and changed, I headed over to see Poppy first. He was working in his garden with the evening nurse, who is an older lady and seems to be really good with him. His country music was playing in the back ground and he was humming to it. I could see his leg shaking. Poppa used to love to dance. When I was a kid, he and Granny played music every day, and the first thing he would do when he came in the door at night was take her in his arms and dance her around the kitchen. He’s the one who taught me how to dance. That’s also why I only dance to country music. He looked up at me as I came out the back door.
“What the hell happened to that pretty face of yours, Nicky?” he asked.
I laughed. “Sparring, but you should see the other guy.”
“Really?”
“No, Poppy, his face is still pretty. I don’t think I’m as good at this as you were.”
“You have to leave that big heart of yours outside the ring, Nicky.”
“You think I’m going too soft on them, Poppy?”
“Well, since you haven’t invited me down to watch, it’s hard to tell…” That was intended to sting, and it did. He was sharp today. “But I do know you, and I know hurting people is not your thing. Here’s the thing, though, you can fight, and win, without doing much damage to your opponent. Then you can win and walk out of there with that confidence you’re looking for…and that pretty face intact.”
“You think that’s what fighting is about for me, Poppy? Confidence?”
He shrugged. “I know you don’t do it for the money, because you don’t make any. I know you don’t do it for the women, because you’re always here and you never have one with you. I think you do it strictly because that head of yours never shuts off. I think you do it because you just have to prove that it’s not about who is bigger or stronger, it’s about who is smarter. That’s where your confidence comes from, Nick. No matter how big and strong you get, you’re still more about the brain than the brawn. So, if you want to fight and win, fight smarter.”
I thought about that for a minute and said, “So, I need to think more and fight less?”
He laughed. “You think too much already. But, if you’re going to keep doing this, and I have a feeling you are, since you haven’t quit anything since you were three, think about it like this: You’ve heard the old saying about working smarter not harder, right?”
“Right.”
“Get in that cage and work smart. Make him come after you, don’t stick your head in there where he can reach it. Wear him out, Nicky, and then take him down. Don’t try to take down some two-hundred-pound son of a bitch, who got a good night’s sleep and ate three good meals before he got in the ring, in the first round. Make him chase you for two. Make him sweat. When you can hear him breathing from across the cage, that’s when you move in and knock his ass out.”
“That makes good sense, Poppy.”
“You’re shocked that I have good sense? I raised a damned genius. You think you got so smart by breathing the air in the desert?”
I laughed. “No, Poppy, I always knew it came from Granny.”
“It’s a good thing this lady is here,” he said, tossing his head at the nurse, “Or I might just take your ass down right now, little man.”
“You know I’m joking, Poppy. Thanks for the advice. Don’t tell Jacob, but it’s the best I’ve gotten so far.”
“I’ll kick his ass, too,” Poppy said.
I left there feeling better than I had all day. I loved it when he had good days like this, and what he said made a lot of sense. I’d have to give it a shot with this guy Jacob was putting me up against tomorrow. I also got an idea while we were talking that might save me with Margo about the show tonight. I ran by my place and got the silk shorts I’d be wearing for the title fight and the robe Jacob’d had made with my name on it. I took my old sparring gloves and stuffed them in my bag, then I headed for work. Tonight, I was going to combine my two jobs.
“What the hell happened to your face?” I’d barely walked in the back door. I’d been trying to make it to the dressing room before Margo saw me, but she seemed to be waiting by the door for someone as I came in.
I stopped and realized as soon as I opened my mouth, that no matter what I rehearsed, I wasn’t going to be able to lie to her. “I should have mentioned this before, Margo. I’m doing some MMA fighting on the side….”
“MMA fighting? Are you kidding? You can’t come in here and get naked if you’re bruised all over! Look at yourself, Nick, you have two black eyes!”
I sighed. “I know, Margo, and I’m sorry. But, let me do my set tonight, and I hope you’ll see it’s not as bad as it looks.”
“Okay…you better blow me away, kid.”
I’m not sure where the confidence suddenly came from, maybe it was the conversation with Poppy, or maybe I was just sick of her thinking of me as a kid, but I said,
“How about a little wager on whether or not I can manage that?”
A small smile played across her pretty lips as she asked, “What exactly would I win if you go out there and blow me away?”
I smiled. “Dinner with me tomorrow night before either of us has to be here.”
“And if you don’t blow me away?”
I sucked all the confidence I had in my body into one breath and said, “Don’t worry…I will.” I even had enough left to wink at her.
9
Margo
I waited by that door so I could catch Nick and talk to him before he got backstage. I wasn’t even absolutely sure what I was going to say to him, I just knew I was tired of masturbating alone over a guy I really didn’t know if I even had a chance of having. But then I saw his face and I freaked out. His nose was swollen and his eyes were black! None of that made him any less beautiful, but I was worried about him. Suddenly, he was the one with all the savvy and confidence, and I was the giggly young girl. I’m not sure what happened but I don’t care…he asked me out, kind of.
I passed the rest of my evening with a smile on my face. I didn’t even think about Tony. I got some work done in my office and was out on the floor by the time it was Nick’s turn up. Before I went and took my seat at my reserved table by the bar, I went over and asked Vince, “What’s Nick dancing to tonight?”
“Hard workin’ man.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Country?”
He grinned. “Of course. Brooks and Dunn sing it.”
I’d never heard of it, but that meant nothing when it came to country music. I went and sat down at my table and waited. I caught the tail end of Steve’s show, but I wasn’t really paying attention. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Nick would be wearing tonight. Suddenly, the stage was completely black and Vince was saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Pelle! Tonight we are going to introduce you to the winner of tonight’s bout and the future heavyweight champion of the world, Nick “Tricky Nicky” Abelli!”
The music started and the lights came up. The guys had set up a pseudo-boxing ring that I’d seen them use before. In the center of it was “Tricky Nicky,” and another of my guys, named Joey, was lying at his feet. Joey was on his back, in a pair of red silk shorts, with his eyes closed as if he was knocked out. There was another one of the guys dressed in a referee jersey and G-string that matched. Nick was wearing a green satin boxing robe with a hood. He had his head down and you couldn’t see his face. It was pulled around him so you couldn’t see his torso. All that was showing were his long, sexy, muscular legs. He was moving his feet back and forth and, just as Brooks and Dunn sang out the words, “Hard Workin’ Man,” the referee grabbed his right wrist and pulled it straight up towards the ceiling. Nick was wearing a pair of black boxing gloves. The robe fell open, and Nick looked up. His cut, oiled chest was aimed at the audience and his beautiful eyes shone above his swollen nose. He looked around at the audience and slowly smiled, then he pulled away from the referee. The spotlight was on him as the two other disappeared off the stage.
The audience was going wild. I watched with rapt attention, a dry mouth, and a fire pit in my belly. This was not only the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen, but it was brilliant. I was afraid a few of the women in my audience might actually need medical attention, the way they were screaming and fanning themselves. He was killing it. As he danced, he stripped off his robe and his gloves. The screaming reached new decibels as he ripped off his shorts and stood there in a matching G-string. Another song started playing, and he did another long, sexy dance, turning around often to make sure the audience got a lot of good shots of his tight, sexy ass. I was afraid that I might just have a heart attack myself before all was said and done. I’ve seen a ton of strip shows, more than most. This was, hands down, the hottest thing I’d ever seen. This kid was going to be famous. He’s going to make my club famous, that is, if I still have a club for him to make famous once Tony finishes with me.
After he finished and left the stage, the audience waited impatiently for him to come back out to sign autographs and take pictures. My poor bouncers were earning their money tonight keeping these wild, horny women orderly. They were doing a good job until “Tricky Nicky” showed his gorgeous self, and then it was pandemonium. A few times, as he did his smooth-talking thing with the customers, I caught him looking away, and I could tell that he wasn’t really enjoying this the way some of the other guys did. He looked tired, and by three-thirty a.m. he looked like he was about to pass out. There was still a line of women about twenty deep. Taking pity on my sweet boy, I warned my head of security, and then I got up on the catwalk and made the announcement they didn’t want to hear. I promised them free drink passes and a “go to the front of the line” pass for the next time they came to see Nick…and then they were ushered out. It was after four by the time the last of them went out the door and I finally got to talk to Nick.
“Wow.” He grinned. “Seriously, Nick, wow. Baby boy, you killed it tonight.” He had his jeans on now and I could see that his back pocket was bulging. This guy was going to have to carry a purse pretty soon to cart around all of the cash he was raking in. His pockets were hardly big enough.
“Thank you.”
“So…you’re a fighter?” He had that “Oh, shit,” look on his face.
“Yeah, amateur. I haven’t had a title fight…yet.”
“But you’re going to have one?”
“Yes.”
“And if you win?”
He shrugged. “Then I’ll be the light-heavyweight champion?” This kid kills me sometimes.
“Sit down for a second, Nick, I won’t keep you long.” He sat down and I said, “I mean, when you start winning titles, they’re going to start looking into your past. Are you okay with them digging this up?”
“This? You mean working here?”
“Yes.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Will they have a problem with that?”
“Not if they’re female and they have a pulse.” I could tell by his grin that he got that. The guy just bared that huge cock to three hundred people and I could still make him blush just talking about it. “But it’s just something to think about. I have to think about myself and my business, too. What you did tonight was pure genius…but what happens if you really get the snot beat out of you one of these days?”
He grinned again. Seriously, he’s killing me. “I’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
I pursed my lips and he waited. The longer I was silent, the more nervous the poor guy got. Finally, I said, “Okay, we’ll just play it by ear for now, but try and keep that pretty face and that yummy body in one piece for at least as long as you work for me, okay?”
He nodded. “I’ll do my best. Is there anything else?”
“Nope. Well, yes….” He waited as I stood there, trying to talk myself out of asking him the next question. I had done a lot of thinking this afternoon after I made myself cum three times in the chair in my bedroom. I had decided that maybe he was bisexual and, since he’s so young and naïve, I should talk to him about protecting himself, or that’s the excuse I was going with for now. “The girl I saw you with today, Nick, is she your girlfriend?”
He looked like he was trying not to smile as he said, “Brooke?”
“Yes. Were you with more than one today?”
He chuckled. “No…and no, Brooke’s not my girlfriend.”
“Do you have a girlfriend, Nick?”
“No.”
“A boyfriend?”
He laughed. “You think I’m gay.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
“I thought so, yes. Now, I’m not sure…”
“Does it matter?”
I was trying to figure out the look on his face. He almost seemed to be enjoying this. I’d painted myself into a corner here. How did I answer that? “Of course not. You’re my employee, not my…” I caught myself. I had started to say, “son.” Good job, Margo
…remind him of how much older you are. “It’s not my business. I’m sorry I asked.”
He stood up, and I thought he was going to leave. Instead of heading towards the door, though, he came around the table and stood next to me…really close. I had to hyper-extend my neck to look up at his face. He had this really intense look in his eyes, and he was looking at my lips like he was hungry. The panties I was wearing melted off as he brought his lips down towards mine. I couldn’t believe this was happening…finally. Just as I got a taste of how soft and sexy his lips were, his phone started ringing. He pulled back and looked at my face for what seemed like a long time before sliding the phone out of his pocket and reading the text. He suddenly looked worried.
“Shit. I have to go.”
“Go? Wait…” Fuck! “Did you…were you…” Shit! Suddenly I was the one all tongue-tied and out of breath. “Don’t go,” was what I finally settled on.
He looked torn, but only for a second. “I’m sorry, Margo. I really have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I watched him walk out, and then I dropped down into the chair. My heart was pounding more rapidly in my chest than I thought was safe. I was like a rabbit on meth all of a sudden. I had no idea what I was going to do with this adrenaline rush.
“Hey, Margo! I’m finished cleaning up the back. I’m taking off…” That was Mickey, my Saturday night bartender. Mickey was about my age and really good-looking. He was no Nick, but for tonight he would do.
“Hey, Mick, why don’t you come have a drink with me?”
He grinned. Mick used to be one of my favorite booty calls. Lately, I’d been too caught up in these feelings I was having for Nick and everything going on with Tony to find the time. I sighed as he made his way towards me. Nick and I had seemed so close tonight to crossing that invisible line.