Fighter Daddy: A Bad Boy Secret Baby MMA Sports Romance (12 page)

W
ith every unanswered ring
, my heart skips another beat. I called Aunt Susan because she always picks up, no matter what. In the past, I've criticized her for that. We're sitting in a nice restaurant, having one of our rare happy conversations and she picks up her phone without blinking an eye.

No emergency, no friend she hasn't seen in a long while. It's just Marcy wanting to hear what's up. Then she goes on talking for ten minutes as if my seat is empty.

The woman who does that isn't picking up right now.

I've had my world flipped upside down more times than I can count in the last few days. Finding out the reason why Lee was forced to leave the Marines was the last straw for me, I think. I need this nightmare to end, one way or another.

I can't take this constant pressure anymore. Every time I get a breather, something awful happens. It's even worse that it ruins the peaceful times, because I keep thinking of what I should have done instead of relaxing.

Susan is still not picking up. The phone keeps ringing. I sob hopelessly.

Then Lee takes my hand. It's not a big gesture, not even the most romantic one. He sits down next to me after I called him a monster two minutes ago and takes my hand, holding it in his own.

I feel my heartbeat slowing down. My mind's a mess, but my heart knows he's not playing with me. Even the incident... he told me the truth because I'm important. I'm not happy with what happened, but it matters to me he cares enough to explain.

"Maybe they're sleeping," he offers. "It's five a.m."

"M-Susan always has her phone on the nightstand," I murmur. "On vibrate. How can she sleep through that?"

"They might not be in the room," Lee goes on, but I don't think he believes it himself.

We need to find a plausible enough reason that would keep us sane.

"They might have taken a vacation. Maybe they went to a hotel or something, left their phones."

He still doesn't listen to me. Susan would bring her phone to a spa.

It goes to voice mail.

I don't know if I can speak. When I hear Susan's cheerful voice announce that she'll call me back at the first possible moment, I break. Lee takes the phone from my hand.

"Susan, it's Lee," he says. "Call us back as soon as you get this. It's very urgent."

"Try your dad," I plead with him when he hangs up.

Lee does. We wait another whole minute as his phone gives the same cold rings. I am now crying and Lee's hand is around my shoulders again. I press my face against his chest, smelling the scent of his body wash. Lee caresses my back gently, but I can hear him breathe more heavily as seconds pass. He aches to go and check up on them. For once, I'm in agreement.

He leaves his dad the same message. Our phones are now on the table, waiting, silent. Lee calls his cop friend and asks him to go and check their houses out. I have to admit it's a better idea than us showing up there.

That leaves us with the worst task of waiting.

We don't have to wait too long.

Both our phones beep at the same time. I grab mine and see a new message. It's from Susan, a single word.

"Knock," I tell Lee, confused.

"Knock," he says, looking at his own cell.

The next second, the door of Lee's apartment almost breaks under two thunderous strikes.

I
scream
, terrified. I back away, but there is really nowhere to go. Lee's apartment is on the third floor and we can't really jump out of the window. We're finally completely trapped. I thought it was too good to escape Ricky so far. He has more than a hundred guys at his command and there's only two of us. Our little chase lasted long enough.

While I despair, Lee doesn't even seem to think of giving up. With one giant leap, he's jumped over the kitchen table and rushes to the front door. There is no wall between his kitchen and the living room and the front door opens straight into the big room. He takes one quick look outside through the peephole in the door and comes back with determined, long strides.

"Four guys, armed," he tells me.

I can't utter a single word, I'm too terrified. In all my life, I haven't even gotten into a car accident, yet now I'm here, staring face-to-face with death. After our little performance, I'm thinking Ricky didn't specify if he wants us alive or dead. Lee definitely dead. Me, questionable.

I'm still dressed in the remains of my dress and Lee only has his jeans on. We're caught off-guard, but not helpless. Lee is battle-ready in a minute. I see him prepare. As the guys try to break down the door and the neighbors are probably busy calling the cops, he goes for the gun. He took one from the guy who chased us, but I don't think it's the same.

This has to be his own. I don't see where he gets it, but suddenly he is standing in the kitchen, the weapon in hand. The look in his eyes is hard and sure.

This fucking guy. Ten minutes ago I was afraid to be in the same room with him, thinking he was a bastard who got away with it because he's so fucking hot. Now I'm cowering behind Lee and his presence makes me feel considerably better.

"Stay behind me," he orders me roughly. "Go to the bedroom and find clothes. Find your shoes. Be prepared to run again. Until I say so, lock the door behind yourself and take cover."

"What about you?" I protest. "They're here to
kill us
."

"Maybe me," Lee says. "I think they need to take us down and deliver us to Ricky. He prefers a personal touch with these things. Now go!"

I do as he says. I jump to the room at the same moment I hear a gunshot and the front door being slammed open. Lee fires at them; I can hear the gun go off near where he should be, taking cover behind the overturned table.

I frantically search for something to wear. I thank any god that's watching over me that I didn't choose to wear my high heels. The shoes I have
do
have heels—they aren't sport footwear by any standard—but I won't break both my legs either. I pull them on and continue to fish for my clothes. I throw my jacket on, knowing it doesn't really cover up all the damage Lee did, but it will have to do.

Outside, it's been eerily quiet for a while. It seems the fact Lee's armed forces them to be careful. I dare to peek out. The door creaks and Lee looks my way from his position. Immediately bullets start flying. I yelp, taking cover behind the door. I see one bullet pierce the kitchen table and graze Lee's shoulder. He grunts in pain, but that's it. He had a bullet hit him, but Lee acts as if it's a minor nuisance.

"Down!" he roars at me as someone takes a chance and dashes across the room.

Lee reacts so quickly I barely see him move. In one second, he's out of cover and aiming. His hands don't shake, one under the other, keeping his aim precise. Only one shot rings out from his gun and the next second Lee's already back in cover. The guy goes down, groaning and cursing. He crawls behind the couch.

Taking advantage of the others being a bit more careful, Lee runs to me. The door to the bedroom gives better cover than the flimsy kitchen table. But it does limit our line of sight. Ricky's guys move in, but they don't want to get in Lee's way.

"Mr. Mason," one of them calls. "We both know the cops are on their way. It's better for you if you come along quietly now, before we're forced to take the girl and leave you cold and dead."

"I don't think so," Lee calls back, reloading. "Time works in my favor here. I need to hold you off long enough."

"There's more of us. We will simply shoot you to pieces."

"If you could, you already would have."

I hear growling at that. I don't know why they haven't overpowered us already like they promise, but I guess they're afraid of Lee. From what I saw, he's a much better shot than they are. We need to sit tight and wait for the cops. They'll be here soon.

I am still worried about the texts. If Ricky has Susan and Philip, I... I don't know what will happen. But he has to, right? There is no other explanation. Neither of them are the type to prank people like that at five in the morning. I start to ask Lee when he presses a finger to his lips.

I fall silent at once. When he motions for me to back away, I slide over the bed and hide myself behind it as well as I'm able.

Lee hides behind the door.

I see we were both right, but the realization is bound to make my hair prematurely gray. For one insane second, I stare down the barrel of the gun. I've heard the last thing you see in a situation like this is the flash and then nothing as the bullet pierces your brain. I see life flash before my eyes, but the man is clearly under orders.

As soon as he recognizes me, he turns away, but by then it's too late. Lee brings the butt of his gun down on his neck, hard. The man slumps, cursing him, but Lee grabs ahold of his head with his free hand and slams it against the bed frame. The noise is nauseating and the guy goes out like a light.

Another moves in behind him. Lee has to drop down to the floor, grunting as he lands at an awkward angle, but he shoots mid-fall. The man he shoots screams and drops his gun as the bullet pierces his shoulder. Lee jumps out of the room to tackle him.

Didn't he say there was a fourth guy?

I don't know what makes me move, but I do. I climb over the bed, seeing everything in slow motion. Lee is wrestling with the guy on the kitchen floor, his own gun disappeared somewhere. He has the guy pinned down, but this one is stronger than the rest and isn't going down without a fight.

I peek out of the room. Where's the fourth? One is unconscious on the bedroom floor, one is covering behind the couch, but the fourth—where is he?

Then I see him. He's aiming his gun straight at Lee, who is winning his match like always.

I do something very heroic and incredibly stupid.

I dash between the gun and Lee, putting myself right in the trajectory of the bullet. As I thought, the guy frowns and tries to move past me. I can't let that happen. He'll shoot Lee, Lee will be dead, Lee can't be dead, no, I won't allow it...

I tackle him. He's a big guy, hired muscle, but I jump at him without thinking. I can't keep letting Lee do all the fighting for us. I'm so scared I think I'm going to pass out, but I hang my entire weight on the guy's arm to drag the gun away from Lee.

Lee sees us and roars.

"Raina!" he bellows. "Raina, get away!"

I can't get away. If I let go, the guy only needs one good shot. He doesn't even have to aim very well. Bullets are designed to kill people.

The guy is raging at me. I'm stopping him from doing his job and besides, he's getting held down by a girl. So he smacks me across the face. The pain is so terrible I almost let go, but somehow I manage to maintain my hold.

"
Let go
, stupid bitch," he growls.

Lee is up now and the guy he fought is lying on his back. He charges at us just when the guy finally shakes me off. He raises the gun at Lee, who tries to dodge, but it's pretty much point-blank at this point.

I fall to the floor, but I push myself up now. With all the strength I have, I jump between them again, and pull the gun down. Unfortunately, that puts
me
in the path of the bullet.

Horrible silence settles on the room, even if I think I hear all three of us yell something. I hear Lee roar in fury, pushing me out of his way as he punches the guy so hard I hear his nose break.

I slump to the ground, gasping wildly for air, blood flowing from the wound in my stomach. The guy is screaming, howling in pain under Lee's hands as he simply destroys him. He's on top of the man, beating both his fists into his already-bloody face.

My thoughts are scrambled, hopeless as I clutch my belly.

The baby. Is my baby alright?

"Lee..." I gasp.

I need to tell him something before I die. He hears and crawls to me, fury and horrible fear and concern all rolled into one in his expression.

I try to speak, but I can't. My hands search for his and he pulls me into his lap.

"It's all right," he tells me, his voice shaking. "It's going to be all right, Raina. You're not going to die. Breathe.
Stay with me
."

I wanted to tell him something, I'm sure. The words are right there on my tongue, but I can't seem to speak through the shock. It's something about high school crushes and him being amazing despite being a jerk sometimes. But I can't utter a single syllable of it, not even three words to express how much I adore the way he makes me feel. Even my hands are too weak to lift, but I want to caress his face. I want to touch him if it's the last thing I do.

I want to tell him I love him. I want to say I'm sorry I may have lost our baby.

The look in Lee's eyes is terrible as he holds me. I wonder if he'll kill every last one of them.

Then I hear a voice. The first guy who barged into the room has managed to call to Ricky, apparently. I can't make out what he says, but I hear Lee's hoarse, furious voice answer. They're talking about something, but I'm starting to fade in and out of consciousness. Lee moves to apply pressure to my wound, but I'm losing blood fast. They're talking faster now, I think.

It won't matter. Nothing will matter to me very soon. I wish my last words were better, but I think Lee's name is good enough.

The last thing I hear before I black out is Aunt Susan's voice over the phone. It's crying out my name.

I
can't describe
what goes through my mind as Raina lies in my arms, bleeding. It's not just her. The wound in her stomach is high enough to give me hope, but I'm not a fucking doctor. I don't know how that stuff works. If that bastard killed them both, I will tear him to pieces with my bare hands.

I'm trying to calm myself. The wound isn't that deep or that dangerous. If it hit a major organ, I would know already. To be honest, it could have easily missed her completely, it's so close to her hip. It went straight through her, that's why there's so much blood.

If she was one of the men in my unit, I wouldn't give the wound a second thought. I'd tell the guy to suck it up and walk it off. But Raina isn't trained for these things and her body is not made to endure bullet wounds, nor the pain. I see her trying to speak, see the tears shine in her eyes. It closes up my own throat. I force myself to believe she'll be fine. There is no other option. I refuse to accept another possible ending for this.

I hate this. I hate that it takes having someone slowly bleed out in your arms to know you can never be without them.

Hold on, Raina. Help is coming.

Help
does
come, but not from where I expect it. Nor where I want it. I'm so caught up with Raina and trying to stop the bleeding that Ricky's voice behind me makes me wince. I look, but it's only a cell talking to me.

"What's going on?" He demands a report in his usual cold tone.

"One of your idiots shot Raina!" I bellow at him. "If you think I'm going to let you live after this... if she dies,
I'm coming after you
."

I almost tell him about the baby too, but I don't. If Ricky knew, he'd kill us both.

I expect hollow laughter or some counter-threat, but Ricky Gerrard's voice changes completely.

"They did
what
?" he demands. "Mason, is that you?"

"Yeah," I growl. "Your fucking apes attacked us and one of them shot Raina in the stomach."

"
Is she alive
?"

That is the most emotion I've ever heard from Ricky. Maybe he really does care about her. It would explain why he's being so careless chasing her. Shooting up an apartment in a residential building isn't Ricky's usual MO. Too much attention. He prefers to settle things in dark alleys with no witnesses. That's why he let us leave the club. He is a careful man.

Apparently not careful enough.

"Yeah," I snap. "
Barely
. She's losing blood fast. If I can't get her to the hospital soon, she might die."

"My men are on their way."

I respond with a barking laughter, feeling Raina turn toward my voice.

"Are you fucking kidding me? It was your guy who shot her. If you think I'm going to be here when they arrive..."

"You're going to take her to the hospital?" Ricky asks. "Explain the bullet wound?"

"Yeah," I say. "I have the culprit right here. I'll drag him along and make sure he tells the cops exactly who gave him the order to shoot her."

"I assure you I gave the absolute opposite order."

"Yeah? Screw you, Ricky. It didn't work out like that. If Raina dies, I'll put a bullet in your brain myself."

"Then let me make sure she doesn't die."

"You must think I'm an idiot."

"I don't, Mr. Mason. I really hoped you and I could be in business, but I see that's not going to happen. I'm afraid I can't let you take Raina away from me. I don't trust you, I don't trust the cops, and most of all, I don't trust the medics to save her. My personal doctor is on his way. He is an expert when it comes to bullet wounds."

I have to laugh again. This night is going downhill fast.

"Yeah, I bet he is," I snarl. "Bye, Ricky."

"If you don't listen to me, Mr. Mason, perhaps you might hear the argument from someone else."

It takes me a second to realize who Ricky is talking about, but by then Susan is on the phone. Her first words are gibberish, broken sobs and cries. I'm guessing someone is holding a gun to her head.

I grit my teeth. This is my fault. I was thinking only of Raina, but I should have warned Dad the second I went to the club. Maybe I would have been too late even then. Ricky Gerrard is a guy who thinks five steps ahead.

"Susan," I say. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"Who are these people?" she cries. "What do they want with us, Lee? Where's Raina? They were talking about a bullet wound.
Where is my niece? Where is Raina?
"

I get nothing more out of her. She is hysterical, terrified. She keeps calling out Raina's name. The girl in my arms reacts to her Aunt's voice, but she passes out the next second. Fuck. That is not good. I need to decide fast. I don't know if I can move her myself. Where the hell are the cops? If there is no ambulance, Raina might die. But to give her back to Ricky... that's unthinkable. She'd never leave again, even if she lived.

I can't do that to her. After all she's gone through to escape him. After she took a bullet for me.

Ricky is back on the phone. I think I hear him move away from Susan. I don't know where Dad is, but I have to assume he's nearby.

"I assume your situation is clear to you now, Mr. Mason," Ricky is saying and the coldness is back in his voice.

He knows he's backed me into a corner. I risk everything if I run from him now, but I do the same if I stay. By this point, I'm certain he's holding back the cops somehow, but if he dares to delay the ambulance... if there is one coming, that is. I grit my teeth. Raina can't hold on much longer.

"I am a reasonable man, Mr. Mason," Ricky says, ignoring my morbid chuckle at that. "I am willing to put the unfortunate incident with Carson behind us. You tricked me once, but I feel I have better cards this time. I will make you a deal."

Someone is rushing up the stairs. I think it's the neighbors, coming to see what is going on now that the guns have fallen silent. But more of Ricky's guys stand on the door with a tall, brunet man who doesn't look like the hired muscle type. He has sharp eyes and glasses. That can only be Ricky's doctor.

There are at least six guns aimed straight at my heart. I was late, but I can still make sure they save Raina. I let him rush to her side and start working feverishly. Some of the guys assist him, bringing in a huge box with tools and aiding him.

"Is Dr. Morris there?" Ricky asks.

"I am here, Mr. Gerrard," the doctor replies, not taking his eyes off Raina for a second.

"How is she?"

"She's lost a lot of blood, but I don't think she's in mortal danger. I will do my best to stabilize her, but she needs a blood transfusion. Do you know her type?"

"I have something better," Ricky says dispassionately. "Bring her here as soon as you're able. I'm sure her Aunt will be glad to help."

I stare down Ricky's guys, calculating the fastest route to escape, but I'm not going to go through with it. Raina is back in Ricky's grasp and so are Susan and Philip. The only problem is that I think he's about to have me murdered.

But I am wrong.

"Are you still there, Mr. Mason?" Ricky asks.

"I'm here," I say.

"Now that my beloved Raina is in good hands, I thought we might continue our talk."

That's Ricky Gerrard for you. He shows his human side for only a second. Now he's acting like Raina isn't still covered in fucking blood before my eyes. I hope Dr. Morris is as good as Ricky seems to believe he is, because if he lets her die, he is next on my kill list. Along with Ricky and the guy who actually fired the gun.

"We have nothing to discuss," I tell Ricky.

"But we do," Ricky says. "Look around you. How much choice do you think you have?"

Not much, but I've been in worse situations. Ricky thinks he's the big bad, but I've met men who would make him seem like a lamb.

"Now," Ricky is saying. "You cost me a lot of money with Carson, Mr. Mason. And as I said, Miss Feston owes me a considerable debt."

"I won my victory money fair and square," I tell him. "And your contract with Raina is a sham."

"I disagree," Ricky says, almost amused. "But I don't care if you agree with me or not. You will both settle your debts to me whether you want it or not. I am offering you a chance to do so without anyone dying."

That is probably too good to be true where he is concerned.

"They have been looking for someone to fight Sam Unbroken."

Oh, I see where he's going with that. Sam Unbroken is the guy who takes all my arguments about MMA and crushes them. Size doesn't matter? It does with him. I once saw a guy ram him shoulder-first. Sam didn't even try to stop him. He braced his unbelievable bulky body and took only a half-step back when the other guy hit and
bounced
off him.

You don't win without any skill? He does. He can take a beating as if he doesn't feel it. And then when you've exhausted yourself, he picks you up and throws you around like a rag doll.

Everyone fears pain? Some say Sam doesn't feel anything, that a part of his brain is broken or something. That's the reason he can keep fighting with wounds that make others yield instantly.

Rumor has it Sam has quite a few hushed-up deaths on his record. Comas for sure. They don't call the guy Unbroken for nothing. I haven't heard of him losing a single fight. He's a default winner, which makes it hard to find opponents for him. Who wants to get a certain defeat on their record? And risk serious injury? His agents are offering sums to make a man's head spin to meet him in the cage.

I have to give Ricky credit. He doesn't have to kill me himself. He can let Sam do that for him. No one would be shocked if I accepted that challenge. I am not known to avoid difficult fighters. No one would be surprised if Sam broke me in half, either.

"I'm not suicidal," I tell Ricky.

"I didn't think you were," he agrees. "But I'm offering a considerable bonus for the victory. I will count both your and Miss Feston's debts settled. You can keep the rest, if there's anything left. And I will release my guests, alive and unharmed."

"What about Raina?" I growl. "I'm not letting you have her."

"She is not up for negotiation. There is no future where I would allow that. I know you have a
temper
, Mr. Mason, but I urge you to consider this. You have the chance to save four lives, including your own. Untold glory, too, if you are the one to break Sam Unbroken."

Five lives.

"Easier said than done."

"So they say."

He doesn't sound like he cares much about my physical well-being. I look at Raina again, lying defenseless on the floor. I can't leave her with that monster. I have no intention to.

"What if I refuse?" I ask.

"I think you know the answer to that, Mr. Mason," Ricky says dismissively. "But I don't think you will. You're not the type of man to let yourself be gunned down like that."

I look at the guns still trained at me. Ricky's guys have been busy waking up the initial attackers, all of whom are no doubt aching to receive the order to kill me.

I don't have any choice. Until I devise a plan to save the prisoners and Raina, I need to play along with Ricky's proposal. He'll suspect me, of course, but I can play nice if needed.

"Do you guarantee Raina's safety?" I demand.

"Of course," Ricky says, a hint of wounded pride in his voice. "Miss Feston's well-being is my first priority. Both she and my guests will be treated well until the fight. But I must warn you. If you do not win, Mr. Mason, our deal is off. All of it."

Yeah, I figured. Ricky Gerrard isn't a guy to value money above all else, but I
did
cost him a lot with Carson. He'll want to get paid. And he won't hand me Dad and Susan back just like that either, if at all.

"All right," I say. "I accept."

Ricky sounds pleased, as I think of Raina. Against my will, I've put her in terrible danger. If Ricky's doctor manages to save her, I'm in his debt. But if he discovers her pregnancy, we're all dead. I have to risk it. Ricky already has her. As long as I don't give him a reason, he might not look too closely.

I wonder what Raina will say about all this once she wakes up. A bird that was almost free won't like coming back to a cage, but she has to bear with me. I would rather die than let Ricky have her, but I'm going to have to learn patience now.

I have a plan to get us both out of this, but I need to set it in motion. This is a tactical retreat, nothing more. She will be mine and Ricky will be history. Maybe Raina
does
have a type for calculating bastards.

"Excellent," Ricky exclaims. "I will get start arranging the fight immediately. Sam Unbroken's agents will be very happy, I'm sure. They haven't been able to get him in a cage for months."

So am I. That match will be the fight of the decade, at least. I have no doubt all of my "friends" from the night before will go crazy if they hear of this.

"One more thing," Ricky says, on cue. "You are welcome to use any of my training facilities and visit my club freely, as you are now my investment. But if I see you laying even a finger on Raina, I will not hesitate to make you suffer. Or let my guests take the punishment. Keep that in mind, Mr. Mason."

I expected as much. I look at Raina, gorgeous even like that. I will do this for her. I will find a way to make her nightmares go away. Ricky doesn't know who he's trying to fuck with. I'm dangerous on my own, but now he's threatening my woman and child. There will be no forgiveness, no nothing.

Only blood and death.

It won't be easy. I have to keep Raina, our baby and the prisoners safe while trying not to get killed by Sam. I have no doubt Ricky will arrange something with his willing agents, to make sure I don't walk out of that cage on my own two feet.

"I understand," I tell Ricky. "We have a deal."

"I sincerely hope we do," he says with all the warmth of death. "I am a forgiving man, but I do not forget. You do not want to trick me again, Mr. Mason."

But I do, very much so. Only this time, the stakes are much higher. Raina's life, my life, the life of our baby are all at stake here. I hold so many fates in my hands and the weight is heavy. I can't allow myself to slip up now. I still remember what they taught me. If you see a monster, you take him down. There are plenty of those in my way right now, but I have something new too.