Fighting for Us (Love is Worth Fighting For Book 1)

by Bella Emy

  Well, maybe there is something, but that’s a story I refuse to get into right now. Or ever. That part of my life died with—

  I let out a deep breath, shake my head, and think about my baby girl. Thoughts of her always put a smile on my face, no matter what type of day I’m having. It was hard in the beginning, to pick up the pieces and trudge on, but now, I can’t picture my life without her. She’s my sunshine and the light of my life. I’m a total baby-girl’s daddy.

  I’m sure Gianna is already out by now… at least I hope so, for poor Max’s sake. She’s a feisty little one with big blue eyes and chunky rosy cheeks, and she can talk at a hundred miles per second. She’s the cutest little thing under three feet I ever did see. Sure, I’m biased, but what good dad isn’t? She’s my princess.

  I chuckle, thinking back to the last conversation we had. She started by asking me if kittens and puppies could understand us when we talk to them and ended by asking me if sharks have cousins.

  As I pull up to my driveway, I see my brother’s Bronco exactly where he parked it before I left, just two houses up.

  I kill the engine, hop out of my truck, and grab my bag from the back seat. Slinging it over my shoulder, I shut the door, lock the car, and march up the walkway.

  When I step foot inside my home, I see Max looking like a drunk, passed out on the couch with his mouth open. I contemplate for a second about throwing something into it but decide against it, chuckling to myself. Looks like little Gia wore him out. I’ll let him sleep for another few minutes while I put my stuff away and check on my baby girl.

  I place my bag inside the hallway closet and make my way toward Gia’s bedroom. Her door is slightly cracked, so I open it a tad bit more and peek in. I smile as I watch my princess in a deep slumber. She looks so peaceful.

  I tiptoe in and cautiously walk toward her. The rise and fall of her chest confirms she must already be on her fifth dream or so of the night. I bend down to push her dark-brown hair out of her face and place a kiss on her forehead. Thankfully, she doesn’t even stir.

  “Sweet dreams, princess,” I whisper.

  I leave her room, satisfied, and walk back out into the living room. My brother is still passed out.

  I laugh to myself and say, “Gianna wear you out again?”

  Max jumps up. “Huh? What?” He turns his head from left to right. “Oh, you’re back. What time is it?”

  I smile, still amused. “Just after eleven thirty.”

  He stretches, yawning. “Damn, one minute we’re watching Cinderella, and the next minute, the two of us are knocked out in dreamland. I woke up during the credits and placed her in her bed.”

  The TV is still on, and another Disney classic movie is playing.

  I nod. “Yeah, I just checked on her. She’s fast asleep. Thanks, man.”

  He takes a step forward. “Don’t mention it, Enz. I love that little munchkin.”

  I smile again. “I know you do. But it can’t be easy coming here right after your day job to hang out with a five-year-old so her dad can go do his thing.”

  He slaps a hand on my back. “That’s what family is for, bro. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  He’s right. As a family, we’ve always been tightly knit. My two siblings, he and his twin, Marianna, and I have always been close. Our parents raised us to understand that family always comes first, and as long as we’ve got each other, everything else will always work itself out.

  That’s what I believe in anyway, but ever since that dreadful day five years ago when I lost her, I haven’t known what to do. Part of my family is gone… How can things ever work themselves out?

  Not wanting to let my brother see me dwell on my past, I ask about our sister. “Marianna doing okay?”

  “Yeah, you know she called in to check on us around six. I think she wants to stop by tomorrow. Her job’s kicking her ass right now.”

  My sister is a pediatrician at her office downtown. She loves working with children, but since it’s cold and flu season, she’s seeing many sick kids. Maybe it’s the reason she’s been looking so beat up, but honestly, I think it’s her husband, Jordan. The bastard…

  “That’s fine. I know she’s busy.”

  Max nods and stretches once more. “Yeah, but you know she can’t stay away from the little one too long.”

  I smile. What he says is true. My siblings and parents have always been obsessed with my little girl. She’s their first niece and granddaughter, so of course she’s special to them. I’m fortunate that they’ve always been here for me and Gianna.

  “I’d better run. The blaring alarm isn’t going to have mercy on me at five a.m. Office life sucks sometimes.” Max walks to the front door, and I follow closely behind him.

  “I know, man.”

  Unlike Max, I don’t have to be up until seven. I’ll get ready and take Gianna to school. While she’s there, I run errands and keep up the house until it’s time to pick her up again. Then, before I head to work, Max comes to stay with her. MMA is my job. Well, it’s my company. I own the gym: Lorenzo’s Fitness Center. It’s not your typical nine-to-five, but along with competing and winning, owning the place brings in cash. Thanks to my pension from my navy days, I was able to open my own gym and afford to do what I love. I mean, I can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing than taking out my anger and frustration in the ring. Lord knows I have a ton of it, plus some to spare.

  “Have a good night, Enz. Get some sleep.” Max steps out the front door.

  “Night, man. Drive safe.” I lock the door behind him and turn off the television.

  I head to the bathroom and jump in the shower. I lather and rinse in record time; I’m so ready to hit the sack and, hopefully, pass out within minutes.

  Once I finish toweling off, I put on a pair of gray boxer briefs and climb into bed. I never sleep with a shirt on. Hell, I used to sleep naked back in the day. If I lived alone, I probably still would.

  I turn on the television and flip through channels, not really caring for much of anything I’m seeing.

  Then, as I come across channel 136, I see it. Just Married, the 2003 romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy. Unbridled tears form in my eyes as memories come storming into my mind. This was Sylvia’s favorite movie, and we had seen it together so many times. Now I’m watching it alone.

  It’s been five years since she’s been gone, and I still can’t help but cry when things like this happen. Something as silly as a movie we used to watch together sends me on a spiral of memories, leading to me falling into a bottomless pit of despair.

  My Sylvia. My everything. She’s gone, and I miss her so goddamn much. I miss our family as it used to be. I miss having someone I can talk to about my day or listen to about theirs. I miss having her here with me, sharing this life we were meant to have together. I miss hearing her sweet voice in the morning or the sound of it as she’d sing in the shower. I miss her cooking and all the home-cooked meals she’d make me. I miss her beautiful smile that would light up a room. I miss the sound of her laughter and the way she’d lie her head on my chest as we’d cuddle in bed together. I miss her scent and the looks she would give me filled with lust and desire, confirming she wanted only me. I miss taking her body in the middle of the night and sending her into an oblivion each time we’d make love.

  I miss everything about her. Most of all, I just miss her. I miss having her here with me, especially now as our little girl is growing up. It sucks, and it’s not fair. And I know it probably makes me look soft, being a UFC fighter who is so dedicated to his love, but I can’t help it. She was my everything. I miss her like crazy. We were supposed to share this life together. We were supposed to raise kids and grandkids, growing old together. Now the promise of forever is just forever gone.

  Somewhere between the couple arriving in Italy and experiencing their first fight as newlyweds, I doze off, succumbing to much-needed sleep.

  Chapter Three

  Carissa />
  “Hot! That’s all I can say, freaking hot as fire!”

  “Don’t bother. She’s not interested.”

  I peek a glance over the book I’m reading at my best friend, Emerson, or Emy, who’s trying to convince me to head out basically every night. My sister, Shannon, tells her not to waste her time.

  “Oooh, I got a look!” Emy says to Shannon.

  I can’t help but smirk.

  Shannon rolls her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. The girl is hopeless. You’d think she’d want to get laid again some day.”

  I gasp, put my book down, and toss a throw pillow at Shannon from my seat on the couch. I miss, and the two of them crack up.

  “Yeah, especially since she’s always around those hot male nurses and doctors… Carissa, how do you contain yourself?” Emy asks.

  “Keep it up, bitches,” I say, picking my book back up. I work at the hospital downtown.

  Emy drops to her knees and crawls toward me with a flyer in one of her hands.

  My eyes dart in her direction, and she’s sporting the saddest frown I’ve ever seen. I want to burst with laughter because this is ridiculous.

  Seriously, is this all that matters to the two of them? Going out and meeting guys? Partying and drinking until they pass out God knows where? I’m not into it. I never have been, and honestly, I never want to hear about the male species ever again, and they both know it. It’s not like it’s something new. It’s been like this for the past three years. I don’t know why it’s so hard for them to understand. It’s like they can’t live without dick.

  Well, I can. I know I can.

  “You need to jump off your feelings of being all anti-dick and start jumping into a man’s bed… preferably one with a nice, big cock.” Emy flips her hair back.

  Shannon laughs. “Miss No Filter.” Her dazzling three-karat engagement ring sparkles in the light. She’s engaged to her fiancé, Christopher, and they’ve been together for two years.

  Emy throws her a proud grin. “That’s right. I am Miss No Filter, and I don’t give a fuck. I tell you how it is for your own good, sweetie. And you, my love, definitely need some D in your life. And by D, I mean dick.”

  “I know what you mean!” I throw my hands up in exasperation. There’s no winning with these two. I totally give up.

  “Carissa! Please!” Emy shouts as she grabs onto my arms and pulls back and forth. “I mean, look at the size of those biceps! Look at that smirk… ugh, he’s fucking gorgeous! Tell me this poster alone doesn’t make your panties wet!”

  Shannon is guffawing. “Oh my God! Girl! I can’t with you!”

  “Jesus, Emy! Chill!” I yell, rising from the couch.

  Emy joins Shannon in a fit of giggles. I’m going to kill these two.

  “How can you two be so damn—”

  “Turned on?” Emy interrupts, cutting me off.

  “Horny… definitely horny after looking at that and imagining the things—”

  My eyes widen, and I cross my arms across my chest. “Shannon, you too? Your man would not approve.”

  Shannon comes to my side and drapes an arm across my shoulders. “It’s a harmless comment. I’m not cheating on Chris. I love him. But come on, li’l sis. You have to admit that whoever he is, he is one fine piece of man meat… I can’t blame Emy for trying to get us to go with her. Well, you. I’m definitely going with.”

  “Thank you, Shannon!” Emy exclaims, rising to her feet. She takes a few steps to reach us and holds out the flyer for us to see.

  Honestly, I hadn’t even glanced at it when she first waved it around. It’s an advertisement for some big MMA fight coming up next month. Now, I’m looking at what they’re going crazy over. Some guy with his arms crossed—huge arms, might I add—is standing against a ring wearing a devilish smirk. A bunch of other muscle heads are to his left and right. Sure, he’s not bad looking, but like I said before, I’m not interested.

  “Look, Em… She’s not saying anything. I think Guns got her attention… fin-a-fucking-ly!” Shannon states.

  “I know, for real,” Emy says.

  I furrow my brows and look at my sister. “Guns? I don’t see any weapons on this flyer.” I know what she’s talking about, but I love pulling their chain.

  Once again, the two of them are cracking up.

  Once Shannon catches her breath, she says, “Oh, Carissa. Sometimes I wonder if you were adopted. Guns… as in massive arms… not pistols.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t mind seeing his pistol…” Emy says.

  “Me neither!” Shannon chuckles.

  I give the flyer another glance and then roll my eyes. “You two are ridiculous. I swear.” I walk back to the couch and take a seat.

  Shannon sits on the love seat across from me, pulling her cell phone from her pocket. “I give up.”

  Emy, instead, takes a seat right next to me. “Carissa, my best friend whom I’ve known since we were in kindergarten, please don’t make me drag you out of this house on the fifth to witness the eye candy the good Lord has blessed us with.”

  Once again, I roll my eyes. “Emy, take Shannon’s advice and give up. I’m not attending any stupid AMM event.”

  “MMA!” she shouts. “You know, UFC?”

  I chuckle. “I know. I’m just trying to get under your skin like you’re getting under mine.”

  I pick up my book, Anna Karenina, and dive back into the scene where Anna first meets Count Vronsky at the train station. No matter how many times I read this book, it always gets to me. Shannon and Emy are always calling me a bookworm, but I don’t care. I’m a sucker for romance novels—particularly this Tolstoy one.

  I wonder if it’s because I’ve always wished for a love like the ones I read in books. Okay, not particularly a love like the one I’m currently reading about, but the passion for sure. Maybe it’s because this is fiction, and I know it doesn’t really happen in life. I’ll say that’s the reason so I don’t feel so bad about my own shortcomings in the romance department.

  Sure, I’ve had a couple of boyfriends throughout my thirty-two years, but none of them have ever gotten me anywhere. My last was a complete disaster.

  Well, he wasn’t my boyfriend when we split up. He was my fiancé, and he completely destroyed me after being with him for two and a half years.

  What a complete fucking waste.

  “Carissa,” Emy whispers to grab my attention once more. This time, I’m not totally mad at her. I’m thankful she’s pulled me out of my thoughts because every time I think of Steve, I want to strangle someone.

  Placing my book to the side, I turn to face Emy.

  “Shit, girl. I know that look. Are you thinking of that dickhead again?”

  She knows me too well. All I do is shrug.

  “I swear I’m going to kill that son of a bitch! Look at what he’s done to my sister! It’s been three years, and she’s still hurting from what that asshole did to her!”

  “I’m fine!” I snap, facing Shannon.

  “Carissa, listen to me,” Emy says. “Okay, forget this UFC event coming up in two weeks. We’ll discuss that another time. Let’s go out tonight and have a few drinks. It’ll be fun. We haven’t done that in so long.”

  “What’s the point? I hate drinking,” I respond.

  “To get our mind off shit. Come on, li’l sis. We’ll have a good time and make jokes,” Shannon says.

  She’s got a point. Maybe going out with them will allow me to forget my troubles and Mr. Douchebag for a while. It can’t hurt to have a little fun. Still, I want to mess with them just a bit longer. “I don’t know. I’m at this really great part in my book—”

  “Carissa!” the two of them shout in unison.

  I laugh. “Okay, okay. I’ll go.”

  “Yes!” Emy jumps up from the couch. “Bottoms Up, here we come!

  I quickly interrupt her celebratory dance. “But… no funny business. Meaning it’ll just be us girls, without you two trying to set me up with any morons.” I poin
t at the two of them.

  Shannon rises from her seat. “Deal. I’m going home to change. I’ll pick you both up in about two hours. Be ready.”

  “Oh, we will!” Emy says in a singsong voice as Shannon heads out the door.

  “I hope I haven’t made a grave mistake.” I frown. Maybe I gave in a bit too soon.

  Emy laughs. “It’s going to be fine. And then, when you see how much fun tonight is going to be, you’re going to beg us to go out again tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night? I don’t think so. Two nights in a row is asking a bit much.”

  Emy nods her head. “I don’t care about tomorrow. I’m just saying it’s going to be great.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I always am,” Emy says with a smug grin.

  Somehow, I’m not totally convinced, but what the hell. It’s only a couple of drinks with my friend and sister. What could be so bad?

  Chapter Four

  Lorenzo

  Every other weekend, I get together with my brother and sister, and we grab either a bite to eat or some drinks.

  Tonight, on this miserable Friday as a nasty rainstorm blows through our area, I find myself with Max and Marianna at the bar, Bottoms Up. My mother and father pick up Gianna every other weekend to spoil her like no tomorrow. I wasn’t thrilled about the arrangement at first because she is my responsibility, and when I don’t have her with me, it sometimes feels as though I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. But over time, I’ve grown accustomed to it. They think I need to recuperate and recharge. Yes, having a five-year-old daughter is a lot of work and is exhausting at times, especially when my job is so physical, but I love my little girl. I love spending time with her, and usually on weekends, we do something fun outside of our home.

  I know my parents mean well. Plus, they love having her over and bonding with her so I can find some type of normalcy—or rather, what they believe is normalcy for a single guy my age.