by Ash, Nikki
“Bullshit.”
Gina shrugs. “You don’t have to believe me, but you’ll believe it once we’re officially back together.”
“Good, I don’t, and there’s no way Tristan would ever get back together with you. Now if you’ll excuse us…”
Janell steps in front of me and my fists tighten. I’m not above knocking this bitch out.
“Someone should seriously teach you a lesson in staying away from another woman’s man. First you sink your nails into Tristan, then when that doesn’t work out, you go after Marco.”
Gina steps up next to Janell, and I take a step back. Is she out of her mind? She’s fucking pregnant for God’s sake. Lauren and Stephanie take a step forward ready to have my back.
“I’m not fighting a pregnant chick, even if you deserve to have the shit knocked out of you, so back the fuck up,” I say dryly.
“Oh, that’s right. You’re the wannabe UFC bitch. The one Marco couldn’t stand to be around. He told me all about how you used to follow him around like a puppy dog like you were one of the guys. Too bad you couldn’t be more of a woman, then he might actually want you.” Janell cackles at her words and I mentally have to remind myself not to knock her out. I need to get the fuck out of here before I do something I’ll regret. Marco’s entire relationship with her was based on drugs and getting high.
“I heard he didn’t even remember knocking your ass up.”
“You mean while he was high on the drugs you were giving him? Drugs that ended up putting him in rehab? Are you proud of that? You were nothing more than a fix to him.” I look at her with disgust because the thought of her supporting Marco’s habit instead of trying to get him help makes me want to throw up all over her.
Once again, I try to leave before shit gets ugly, but Janell grabs hold of my bicep, and when I spin around to knock her hand off me, she sucker-punches me. Wrong move, bitch.
I’ve been fighting with guys twice her size for most of my life. Her punch does nothing more than shock me for a second, and then I’m on her. My body flies into hers, pushing her up against the wall as I grab hold of her chin, forcing her to face me.
“Don’t ever fucking touch me again. And while you’re at it, stay the fuck away from Marco.”
“If he didn’t want to keep in touch, why does he have me on Facebook and Snap?” So that’s how she knew we’d be here.
“That was an oversight on my part.”
I turn my head slightly, my fingers still gripping the bitch’s chin, to see Marco and Mathias standing in the women’s restroom. Marco and Mathias walk closer, Marco taking my hand off the bitch, and Mathias sandwiching himself between us.
Marco whispers into my ear, “If you fight her, which we both know isn’t even a challenge, you will be suspended from the UFC. She’s not worth it.” I know he’s right, but the shit she said stung.
He wraps his arms around my waist and gives me a small kiss on the side of my neck. Then he says to Janell, “I don’t know what was said and it doesn’t even fucking matter—”
Janell cuts him off. “We were good together until she got herself knocked up! You didn’t want her. You wanted me.”
“We were never good together,” Marco booms and releases me to get closer to her, Mathias moving to the side. “We were high together. That’s it. I wanted the drugs so badly, I would have probably fucked your brother instead of you if he would have required it. You were nothing more to me than my drug fix. We spent all day and night getting high. I turned into someone I didn’t even know anymore. Stop saying shit you know nothing about. You are only making a fool out of yourself. Fuck, Janell!” He smacks his hand against the wall next to her causing her to flinch. “I can see it in your eyes. You’re high now. Get help. Go to rehab and get fucking help. You’re better than this shit.”
He doesn’t wait for her to respond before he turns his back on her. Gripping my hand in his, he walks us out the door. I’m not sure who’s following us, my only thought on the man holding my hand like I’m his lifeline. He walks us outside and around the side of the building without saying a word until we’re alone and away from all the noise.
He cages me in against the wall, his face mere inches from mine. “I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine the shit she said to you.”
I place my fingers up to his lips to stop him. “It doesn’t matter. If you said it or didn’t say it. It doesn’t even matter.”
“I was in a bad place.” His eyes plead with me to understand. “I don’t know what I said or didn’t say, but…”
“Stop,” I insist. “It doesn’t matter,” I repeat.
“It does, though, because if you leave me because of this…” What the hell is he talking about?
“You think I would leave you over some shit talking by a drugged-up bimbo? You need to have a little faith in us, Marco. A little faith in me. You said a lot of shit to me when you were high and I’m not holding it against you.” I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down to me for a kiss before I pull back a little. “I will always fight for you Marco, for us. I will never fucking tap out when it comes to us. I’m in it for the long haul. I will fight for us as long as you are here to fight alongside me.”
He gives me a bright smile that could light up the dark alley. “I love you, Belles.”
“I love you, too.”
Marco gives me a hard kiss before we go back into the bar to join our friends again. We spend the night playing pool and darts, my friends and I having a few drinks. Everybody is acting like the shit with Gina and Janell never happened, but I can’t get it off my mind. Not the part about Janell, but the part about Gina saying she’s pregnant with Tristan’s baby. I go against my promise to give him space and shoot him a text.
Me: I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s something you should know. Gina is pregnant and saying the baby is yours.
I put my phone away and focus on the pool game I’m playing with Lauren, Marco, and Mathias. It’s Marco’s turn when I feel my phone buzz from inside my purse. I reach in and grab it to quickly check and see who it’s from.
Tristan: You are never a bother. Yes, I know she’s pregnant. Are you in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles? Why would I be there?
Me: No, San Diego at Dexter’s. She’s here with Janell. They came in looking for a fight. Why did you ask if I’m in Los Angeles?
Tristan: Great… I’ll deal with her. Mason and I moved to Los Angeles. Gina’s living here as well. I didn’t realize she went down to San Diego. Thank you. Hope all is well with you.
I’m not sure what any of this means. I’m never a bother. Does that mean he forgives me? Wants me back in his life? I’m afraid to ask, so I don’t. He knows my number and when he’s ready, he will text or call me. They’ve moved to Los Angeles. Is he finishing school? Is Mason training over there? Why Los Angeles? He’ll deal with Gina. Is he really the dad? I have so many questions, but I don’t ask any of them. When he’s ready he’ll tell me. So, I text back a simple Okay. I’m here if you need anything and get back an even simpler text from him saying Thanks.
“Everything okay?” Marco comes up behind me, his hands gripping my waist. Every time he touches me I want to jump his bones.
“I was texting with Tristan.” I place the phone on the table and reach back, my left arm hooking behind Marco’s neck as I tilt my face to the side, bringing his face closer to mine for a kiss. It starts off slow but builds up quickly, Marco’s tongue finding mine and his dick grinding into my back. He swings me around to face him, his lips finding mine again. We make out until Mathias yells for us to get a room.
“We already have one,” he yells back. Then to me says, “Let’s go use it.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Marco
It’s been a little over a month since we’ve been back from San Diego, and to say we’ve been busy as hell would be putting it mildly. Bella and I spend our days juggling training, spending time with our daughter who is now six months old and sitting
up and crawling, finding time for us, and on top of all that, I’m learning the ropes of the gym and Bella is getting ready to go back to school next month.
I’ll be glad when this fight is behind us. We had a photo shoot we had to do, and of course, they ended up taking photos of us separate and together. Daniel West knows what he’s doing. People are eating this shit up about us being a couple and both fighting. With the fight being promoted like crazy, my fans have come out of the woodwork. Everyone is commenting and posting all over social media. There are the guys who are pumped for me to fight and win, and then there are the guys who make it known Bella can do better and hope I get my ass kicked. The gossip rags that are making accusations about me being hooked on drugs doesn’t help.
The women are even worse. There are the women who are pro-Bella and me and post hearts and flowers, and then there’s the crazies. The women who call her names and tell her to kick rocks so they can have me to themselves.
Bella’s dad hired a PR specialist to handle her social media once she came to the gym pissed off and almost in tears about the mean shit some women were posting about her. He wants her to focus on the fight and ignore the rest.
Bella and I moved all her stuff into the master bedroom and we’ve slept together every night. But even with us living in the same house and sleeping under the same roof, I’m missing my woman like crazy, which is why I have texted Cooper and told him Bella won’t be in today. He threw a fit through text messages, but when I told him I need some time with her and my daughter, he texted back that he understood and said he would see me tonight.
I hear the baby monitor light up and crackle with Micaela’s coos so I jump out of bed to grab her. I change her diaper and get her dressed then bring her into our room for Bella to feed her.
“Morning.” I give her a kiss before handing our daughter over to her. She stretches her arms, her tiny tank top lifting and exposing her defined torso and shimmering belly ring. Training for this fight has toned her already toned body even more, but the few stretch marks from her pregnancy are still present. Whenever I see them, it reminds me I never got to see her pregnant. I saw several pictures but I didn’t get to experience it with her and it was entirely my fault.
She pulls her top up and takes Micaela from me. “What?”
“I want to have another baby.”
Bella’s eyes go wide and she coughs in shock. “Umm…”
“Not right now.” I laugh. “I know you have school and the UFC and you want to make a career out of it, but one day, when we’re in a good place to have another baby, I want to give Micaela a brother or sister. I want to go to all your appointments with you. I want us to do it right next time.”
Bella gives me a small smile and nods in understanding. “Okay, one day, a long time from now, we’ll have another baby.”
While she feeds Micaela, I jump in the shower and get dressed, and then once she’s done, I tell her to get ready. “I’ll just shower after I get back from the gym.”
“No gym today.”
“What? The fight is in like a week!”
“That’s very true and tomorrow you can go back to training. But today is a family day. Now go get ready.”
She gives me a side-eye glance but doesn’t argue.
Once we’re all packed up, we head out. About twenty minutes later, we arrive at our destination. Bella grabs Micaela and I grab the diaper bag. When we walk through the front door of the place, music fills our ears. Little kid music. There’s a register and café to the right, and to the left are see-through glass walls with a huge indoor playground inside.
“Wow! Marco, this is so cool!” With it being close to a hundred degrees outside, I searched for stuff to do and found this place. It’s an indoor playground for toddlers and kids from ages six months to six years old. We pay the lady at the counter, sign the waiver agreeing if Micaela gets hurt we can’t sue them, and put the socks on I brought for us, since I read we would need them.
When we enter the glassed-in playground, there are little kids running around everywhere. There are jungle gyms and fake tree houses. There’s a huge rectangular trampoline that’s built into the ground and a big pit filled with balls. There’s an area for dress up and make believe and a kitchen with tons of fake food. Along the walls is every toddler toy imaginable from puzzles and blocks, to books and light up toys.
Micaela takes it all in for a minute before she wriggles out of Bella’s grasp to get down. Bella sets her on the soft foam ground and she starts to crawl away. We both stare at our little girl as she leaves us like she doesn’t even know us, until she stops, sits up shakily and checks to make sure we’re still here. My heart constricts at the thought of one day my daughter not turning back and looking for me or feeling like she doesn’t need me.
We spend the day playing with Micaela. We jump on the trampoline while holding her, slide down the twisty slide into the ball pit, and show her every block and puzzle. We break for lunch and then go back at it again, showing her how to climb up the blow-up slide that she isn’t ready for, and play in the kitchen, which her only goal is to shove every fake piece of food into her mouth to taste it. It’s a great day that ends with Micaela passed out in the back seat while we go to our next destination.
“Thank you for finding that place. That was so much fun! I saw they do yearly memberships. I think we should get one.”
“Sounds good, babe.”
“Where are we going now?”
“Dinner.”
We pull up to the Rain Forest Café and I let the hostess know we’re here for the Michaels’ party. When she takes us back, everybody yells out, “Happy Half-Birthday!”
Bella gasps in shock and Micaela squeals seeing all our family here.
“What the heck is this?” Bella laughs, stunned.
“It’s Micaela’s half birthday. When I moved in with my parents, I had never had a birthday before, so my mom made up a birthday called a half birthday.”
“I remember that! Every year you would get a birthday and a half birthday.”
“Yep! And I thought it would be cool to continue the tradition with our daughter, so today we’re celebrating her half birthday.”
“You are such a good daddy,” Bella murmurs against my lips, making my cock twitch.
“Woman, you can’t do that in public. I might have to resort to taking you in the bathroom.”
When she doesn’t argue, and her eyebrows go up silently challenging me, I laugh. My girlfriend is always horny and she knows I love it.
Challenge accepted.
* * *
We’ve had dinner, sang Happy Half-Birthday to the birthday girl and everyone is starting to say their goodbyes. It’s now or never. “Meet me by the bathroom,” I whisper into Bella’s ear.
I don’t give her a chance to argue before I disappear down the hall to the family bathroom that’s situated between the men’s and women’s restroom. I open the door halfway, then pull Bella inside as she walks by unsure of where to go, locking the door behind us.
She gasps when I push her up against the sink, her hands landing on the porcelain to hold her up. Her eyes lock with mine in the mirror and I don’t waste any time tugging her shorts and panties down to her ankles. With my eyes never leaving hers, I push one finger into her tight cunt while my lips press up against her neck, sucking softly on the spot that gets her going every damn time.
With her hands still holding onto the sink, her eyes roll back as I kiss and suck on her skin. When I feel her getting wetter, I add another digit. Her pussy is already tight, and with her shorts wrapped around her ankles, her legs can only open so much.
“Fuck, baby. Your cunt is gripping the fuck out of my fingers.” I work her pussy up, getting it wet and loose. While my fingers fuck her, my thumb massages her clit. She lets out breathy moans telling me she’s close. A few seconds later, her pussy tightens as she comes all over my fingers.
Not being able to go another second without being inside of her, I u
nbuckle my pants and shove them, along with my briefs, down just enough to free my cock. One hand grips the curve of her hip and the other pushes her back down. Her ass pops up enough that I can slide my dick into her wet cunt from behind. And holy fuck, it’s tight like this.
“Belles, there’s no way I’m lasting,” I warn. “You’re going to have to help me out here.” She knows exactly what I mean, her hand going to her pussy as she begins to massage her clit.
Grabbing hold of her hair with one hand and holding onto her hip with the other, I drive in and out of her, our eyes staying trained on each other. Her mouth is parted, and her face is flushed, and fuck if she isn’t the most goddamn beautiful sight to be seen. I can feel her fingers graze my cock every so often as she rubs her clit and it only spurs me on. My thrusts get harder—more erratic—then without warning, I’m bottoming out in her, coming so hard my body shakes and my legs almost give out. She moans out my name as she comes with me, her pussy contracting around my cock, milking me until I’m bone dry.
“I think bathroom sex is my new favorite kind of sex.” She gives me a wink, and I laugh which causes me to groan because my dick is still buried inside of her.
“I’d have to agree.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Bella
It’s fight night, or I guess day, since it’s only six in the morning. I wake up with a mix of emotions: excited to fight, scared I’m going to lose, nervous I won’t live up to being publicly known as Marco’s girlfriend.
Shawna Fields and I were scheduled to fight eighteen months ago before I got pregnant. Since then she’s won two fights. Her record is four-and-oh, while mine hasn’t even started. I have several wins under my belt from my amateur fights, but those don’t count here. I’m nervous I’ll choke. I’ve been in a million tournaments over the years. I’ve been in more fights than I can count at the gym, but I feel like nothing I’ve experienced has prepared me for fighting at the MGM Grand. I’m excited to be given this opportunity, even knowing I’m only getting it because of Marco and the publicity our relationship is getting. Even if I lose, this is my dream. I’m determined. So damn determined. I’m going to give this fight my all. I’ve trained my entire life for this and I feel ready.