Fighter Daddy: A Bad Boy Secret Baby MMA Sports Romance (5 page)

A
month has gone by
.

Long, long days that seemed they would never end where I wished only for a resolution, any kind of clarity. I just wanted it all to be over. The confusion, the sense of betrayal, entrapment. I was a fucking mess and for a good reason, but I can't tell Lee that.

In the end, I got my answers, but it didn't make anything better. It only added a new factor into this shit-storm.

A new life. I got pregnant, from Lee.

I can't tell him, I won't. But he is right about Ricky. I've kept him at a distance as best as I've been able, but it won't last forever. And by the time I start to show, this needs to be over. Damn Ed and his meddling, but perhaps he
can
help after all. I don't have to tell him everything. After all, the baby is not why Ricky is pestering me.

Lee listens to me explain. I thought he'd interrupt and call me a stupid girl again or say I'm hysterical. Something like that. He really doesn't know how to talk to women, but he probably never had to. One look at him and women will forget all about their dignity and stare.

Yeah. That night – not my proudest moment.

Knowing that, it's not easy to admit that I'm still very, very much attracted to him. I mean, honestly, this has to be a legitimate issue that I have. A guy barges into my office after I've been scared to my wits' end and all I can think about is how fucking hot he is. The way he grabbed my hair, pulling it... I was so glad he didn't have any way of knowing how turned on I was by that.

Sneaky son of a bitch. Obvious consequences aside, that night was a huge mistake.

And he left!
Again.

How many hints do I need before I get it into my head that Lee isn't good for me? He isn't good for anyone. And he definitely isn't father-material.

The problem is, he's regretfully right about this. I need him. I don't know what madness drove Ed to look him up, but now that he's here... I don't think I can afford to be proud and send him away. Ricky backed me into a corner and with every week that passes, my time is running out. If I'm going to have any chance, any chance at all to fight back, this is it. Sitting across the table from me, looking as gorgeous as ever. The biggest douche I know.

This will be
so fun
.

I finish telling Lee about everything but his baby in my belly.
That
is the one thing I don't want to discuss with him. So I tell him about Ricky. The start-up money he gave me and the interest he means to cash in, the dating, the breakup. The way he showed up at my place. The messages and the spying that followed.

Lee listens. For some reason it's more painful than him walking away from me again. I remember him doing that too, back in the day. Like an unguarded, sincere fragment of genuine interest. He frowns a couple of times, but I can't blame him for judging. I feel stupid enough myself.

The thing is, it brings back memories. Walks we took, movies he took me to see. Lee had his tough-guy image to uphold, but it always seemed to me it slipped when he was around me. He'd take my hand without even noticing, caress my skin when he only groped me with others around. And he actually laughed when there was just the two of us. No arrogant chortling, but honest-to-God laughter.

I flattered myself thinking Lee truly liked me, but the prom fiasco proved me wrong.

The little girl I was loved him. I didn't ask for a reminder of that, much less the possibility she still might feel the same way.

When I'm done, having told him everything I can think of, I feel oddly better. Even if he can't help, even if he refuses to try, I think sharing did me good. Really morbid, but I'm thinking at least someone could explain to Aunt Susan what happened to me if I should end up dead.

"That's it?" he asks.

His tone isn't condescending for a change. That's refreshing. Lee's asking if I omitted anything.

"Yes," I lie. "That's it. I was a fool. Then I wanted out. Turns out, I can't."

Lee reaches for a cigarette. There is no smoking in our building, but he doesn’t care. Like he doesn’t care about anything.

"Put it out," I tell him firmly.

Lee turns to me with a grin, ready to retort with something like "You don't control me, baby" or the like. His eyes fall to my hands that moved to my belly protectively without me even noticing it. His face turns serious, but he doesn't comment.

"You want to tell me," he begins slowly, leaning forward in his seat. "That you didn't know. Didn't even guess?"

"No," I say truthfully.

"You must be the only person in Boston who doesn’t know that name. Even your fancy boss knew."

"I. Didn't. Know," I repeat. "Or, I don't know. Maybe I'd heard something, but I didn't believe it? My point is, I had no idea how bad he was. And I didn't think that once he had me, I could never leave again."

I'm not being completely truthful, but I certainly took Ricky for a lesser evil than he turned out to be. Maybe I thought I could fix him? I have a tendency of thinking that I can somehow turn bad boys good.

"You should have."

I want to throw something at him. Preferably heavy and preferably not at his face. I really like his face, with that damn arrogant, sexy, maddening grin on his lips.

"Thanks," I deadpan. "I'll go back in time and leave myself a message."

He chuckles, deep and resonant. My body reacts almost immediately, forgetting the fact he's being a major ass to me. I want him so badly it hurts and it drives me nuts. Do I get off on being abandoned or something? What is it about him that makes me give in even if I know I shouldn't?

Well, discounting the part where he's able to give me mind-blowing orgasms, I mean.

And I don't know why, but for some stupid reason I feel safe around him. Of course, it's no wonder—the guy's a walking tank—but there's something more.

He's still here
. I told him everything about Ricky that I could. Any other guy would have stood up halfway through my tale and said goodbye, but Lee hasn't moved a muscle.

"So now what?" he asks. "What did you think was going to happen? Were you going to run or something, but forgot?"

And there. Lee really is the epitome of all those guys who are so nice to look at, but when they start
talking
...

"I don't know," I snarl, maybe harsher than I should have, but I'm done being judged by him. "I knew I had to end it. I guess I hoped he could get over me and not behave like a teenaged boy who has been dumped the first time."

"You thought you could break up with a mob boss and he'd let you go," Lee says, grinning. "Yeah, I bet he liked you for your brains, baby."

"
Fuck you
."

"I'll fuck you any time you want."

His response leaves me mute for the longest moment. Who the fuck says things like that? Lee does, that's the answer. He sits there, lounging in my chair and tells me he'd like to fuck me.

Not that I'm surprised.

"Ask me," he says.

"Fuck you," I tell him again. "If you think I'm going to ask you to fuck me after the way you behaved—"

Lee laughs. He doesn't seem bothered or afraid, not even a little bit. Not by me, not by Ricky, and not by the danger we're both in.

"No, I meant ask me to help. You'll fuck me anyway."

The
nerve
of this guy. Who the fuck does he think he is?

I want to tell him to shove his sleazy, arrogant attitude up his ass, but I don't think I can. Lee's a bastard, he always was. My own weaknesses aside, he is exactly as he was back when we went to school. Always speaking his mind, never backing down, getting things done. Yes, he's a bastard, but so is Ricky. And I suspect that to fight one bastard, you need another one.

At least this one might let me go afterward. I think. I don't even want to consider what he'll do when he finds out about the baby. I'm still confused myself, but I'm keeping it, that's the only thing I am certain of. It's me and Lee, but pure and free of all the bad traits we have.

I can't give that up, not for anything. Not even for the danger it puts me in with Ricky. Me and
him
haven't been together for months now, it can't be his baby and Ricky would know.

I need a miracle to get out of this one. And a little girl once believed Lee Mason could do anything.

"Help me," I say. "Please."

There’s a lot of pride I had to swallow to get those words out.

Lee grins, standing up. After days,
weeks
of worrying and fearing every shadow, this is a nice change. He looks strong and powerful, big and reassuring. Just what I need to feel safe, even if only for a little while.

"I will," he tells me and his grin promises me I have no idea what I'm getting myself into here. "If only to hear you say
please
one more time."

I don't need him to elaborate what that means. I roll my eyes and glare at him, but of course he seems to like it more that way.

"First of all. We need to get out of here," he says when he's done staring me down. "You said he sends you a car every Friday We need to leave before either the driver or another one of his boys sees us together. They shouldn't see me at all."

I nod, grabbing my bag in a hurry, all the while thinking of how much I enjoy the way he looks at me, the way his eyes undress me. If I have to spend more time with him, I am not sure if I can hold myself back.

I need to be strong. Guys like that only take. They never give.

Lee was right. I need him to protect me, but that's all.

R
aina's eyes
go wide with shock when she sees the bike. It stands there, a sleek black beauty, steaming hot like she is.

"You've got to be kidding me," she says. "You still have that death trap? I'm not getting on that thing."

The part of me that isn't pissed off at her for saying that considers. The truth is, Raina has no fucking idea what she's gotten us into. I'm sure I know Ricky better than she does, even if she fucked the guy.

The idea alone is enough to make me fume with anger, but I restrain my emotions. It sounds weird, but right now I don't have time for Raina. Not for her body, which I want badly, and
soon,
and not for being jealous.

Ricky Gerrard is a killer, plain and simple. It's not always him pulling the trigger. In fact it's usually not, but he's the drive behind the bullet. He knows what he wants and he gets it. In a way, I respect the guy. I've only met him a couple of times, but those are enough to confirm my first impression. That is not a man to let a girl walk out on him.

I don't know if Raina gets this. Her pussy can be the most heavenly thing on Earth, but Ricky wouldn't give a shit. All he cares about is that she is trying to make him look bad.

No, Raina doesn't have a clue about how much trouble she's in. I won't tell her either. She might find out soon enough. I also won't point out that for some reason I'm risking my life for her.

"What time are you supposed to get off work?"

"Soon, I guess? In twenty minutes."

"Meaning they can be here any minute or they might be here already."

The terrified look in her eyes tells me she might not be
entirely
clueless about the danger.

And she might be right about the bike. I didn't know about her problem until I got here. I figured it would be a guy that couldn't get over her and is now trying to compensate by sending her texts. Almost true, but not quite. Making an escape on a bike is tricky, because it's a much more recognizable vehicle. And my bike is special too. Flames run down its sides; it's marked as my own. Any guy worth his salt could follow us.

I hate the idea, but we can't take the bike. I look around.

"Your lover boy drives?" I ask.

"Huh?"

"Ed. Does he have a car?"

"Yes," she says, glaring at me again. "That black Toyota there. Why? And he's not my
lover boy
."

One look at her tells me the girl doesn't have a clue about what she's doing to me, or any of the men around her. I can't wait to be alone with her. It's not the only reason I'm taking her to my place, but it's definitely a part of it. I can't wait to see her dress crumpled on my bedroom floor, Raina herself lying spent on my bed with my cum on her tits.

I take a look at the car, an ugly beast. Not that it matters much. It's got four wheels, it's good. I walk over to my bike quickly, pulling a wire and something to keep the door cracked from the storage compartment. I don't usually go around breaking into cars, but a man has to come prepared.

Raina runs up to me when she realizes what I'm doing. She tries to pry my hands away, but I shrug her off.

"Are you insane?" she demands. "This is
Ed's car
. Why can't we just—"

"He'll forgive you," I tell her. "The guy wants to bang you so much I was surprised he didn't blow his load seeing you. I think he'd be all right with this."

"Sure," Raina snaps. "You
must
be right. Let's
ask
him then. I'll run back inside, get the keys—"

"No time," I say. "We have to be on the move now. Ricky will have guys nearby. I don't doubt they're watching us now. If you go in, you won't come out."

I can feel her wince beside me, so hard her whole body starts shaking. She whips her head left and right, trying to see anyone, looking like a deer in the headlights.

And there, again. Her hands fly to cover her belly. I don't think Raina notices she's doing that, but it most certainly isn't a habit she's always had. There can't be many reasons why she'd pick this up now.

I grit my teeth, feeling my blood turn to liquid hate. She told me she's been avoiding Ricky since the night he came over, but a guy like that doesn't take "No" for an answer. If this is what I think it is, no wonder he wants her back. The thought alone makes me fucking sick.

I go back to work, keeping my thoughts to myself.

"Keep close," I say.

She obeys, pulling near me. Not knowing she might be protecting us both. I wasn't joking before. Ricky's guys aren't known for showing up on time. They come hours before, make entirely sure there isn't anything to interrupt the plan.

Only this time, I'm here.

I am sure they'd shoot me on sight if they had orders to do so and since they haven't, I'm guessing Raina doesn't have a target painted on her. Ricky wants her alive. It only proves my suspicions.

I don't think she'd take being live bait as a comfort.

There
, I'm in. I tell Raina to get in the car and she hastens to obey. No more protests about Eddie's property.

Hot-wiring a car isn't as easy as it looks in the movies, but I had plenty of training in the Marines that has come in handy later in life. This was probably not what my instructors had in mind.

They kicked me out because of some bureaucratic bullshit, so I stopped giving a shit about what they may or may not think. Raina watches with a shocked expression, eyes still wildly glancing around. I'm almost done and the car shivers to life when I hear her scream.

"Lee!" she squeals.

The next second I hear glass breaking and sit back up. I was right. Give Ricky's guys one moment to move and they do. The fuckers are well-trained. One of them has smashed the window and is holding onto Raina through the hole, pulling her toward the door. His other hand is fumbling around with the handle. He's well-built, but nowhere near my level. I see beady little eyes, a cruel mouth, and a chain hanging around his neck.

Then I notice the second one, aiming a gun at my head through the windshield. I don't get any details, only a figure holding me at point. Instincts kick in. I don't think, I slam my foot down on the gas and Ed's car jumps like a champ. I can hear Raina scream, still caught in the other guy's hold when the car yanks them both along. I back away and jump out of the car.

"Lee!" Raina screams, but I have to deal with the immediate threat first.

It takes me two steps to get to the front of the car and knock the gun out of the man's hand. I see him now, short and mad like a little dog. Guys like him always carry big guns to make up for not being man enough on their own. He's bloody and bruised, but breathing. That's all I need. Lucky for him I didn't simply run him over. I considered it.

I turn to the other idiot. He's been busy, apparently. The passenger door is open and he's holding Raina in front of him, gun to her head.

"Not one step," he tells me, growling.

Somehow he seems familiar. I've seen him around. Probably was present when Ricky and I met. Good.

"I know who you are," he tells me, confirming my thoughts. "If you try to pull your kung fu on me, I'll put a bullet through her head."

Kung fu. This asswipe wouldn't know kung fu if it hit him in the face. I sneer while Raina screams. We're drawing looks now and I can only assume cops are minutes away.

"I don't think so," I tell the oaf. "I'm thinking your boss doesn't want her harmed."

"So what?" he barks at me.

I don't buy it. Ricky doesn't employ guys who don't understand how to follow orders. He's bullshitting me, but a gun is a gun and nervous fingers get twitchy.

"Fine," I say. "Let's talk this out, see if we can settle this—"

As soon as I start talking, he relaxes. It's sad to watch, really. My kick knocks the gun from his hand, but he still has Raina. Shock flashes in his eyes and Raina's, and they both stumble back from me. The guy because he thinks dragging her along will help, and Raina because she's caught in a headlock now. Fuck that. No one is hurting her if I can help it.

I don't bother with another feint, I go straight at him. Reputation is everything and he knows me. The only way out for him is to pretend he's going to snap Raina's neck, but he's too stupid for that. He lets her go, preparing to defend himself. Idiot. Without Raina, I have no reason to pull my punches.

In a cage, I sometimes put on a show, drag the thing out a bit for the audience. Right now, already hearing sirens, I make it quick and simple. Raina gasps when my punch catches the guy right on the nose and he goes down, bleeding all over himself. I ache to give him more, take his thick fat head and smash it with the car door, but I don't have time.

"Get in the car," I tell Raina. "More are coming."

She obeys, too terrified to speak. I think I see Ed running out of the building, but I'm already pulling away from the fashion house in the stolen car. It needs to be ditched soon too, but in traffic I can get lost more easily than with a bike.

No help came for the two thugs, so I'm guessing no one else saw us get into the car. Only a matter of time before one of them alerts the others, but it gives us precious minutes to get away.

Raina is trembling next to me.

"He had a gun," she says. "The second guy. He had a gun."

"Yeah."

"Someone is trying to kill me."

She looks so completely lost in that moment that I take pity on her.

"It might not be only about you anymore," I tell her.

Those big green doe eyes are looking at me, nearly popping out of her pretty little head.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"Ricky and I, we've met. He wanted to make money off me, but I screwed him out of that deal. The day we reunited, in fact. If I had to guess, I'd say it's me he wants dead, not you."

Raina doesn't say anything while I drive, doing my best to keep an eye on the traffic and look for any cars that have been on our tail for too long. All seems fine so far.

"I'm sorry," she says at last, to my surprise.

"What the fuck are you apologizing for?"

"For getting you into this mess when you already had a score with him."

She's being serious. I don't get why girls twist themselves into knots like that. It's not her fault Ricky and I have a past.

"You didn't get me into anything," I tell her.

"But you said you'd help—"

"Yeah," I say. "I will deal with him. It's my choice. No one orders me around, you included. You couldn't make me do anything I don't choose."

She doesn't argue with that, but I see she's still unhappy.

The Jeep misses us so narrowly I have to look back to see if it was really there. It's there. It had to swerve not to crash into a wall after it missed us, but now it's back on our tail.

Raina is looking too, her nails clawing into the seats.

"Not trying to kill me, huh?" she asks, her voice shaking. "Is he insane?"

"If he wanted you dead, you'd be dead," I snarl at her, pushing the car to its limit and cutting through the other lines to escape the black Jeep on our tail. "I told you, it's me they want to kill. It would have hit my side of the car. It's avoiding yours. Ricky wouldn't risk his child. I asked you before if there was anything else you needed to tell me. Want to explain why being pregnant with that prick's baby slipped your mind?"

Raina's mouth drops open as she searches for words, but I see red in front of my eyes. That bastard has taken something that's mine and nearly ruined it. I can't even look at her without thinking of them together.

I zigzag between the cars, trying to ditch the Jeep. Seems the driver of that car isn't a rookie either. Stubbornly, very much like Ricky, it keeps coming. I've stopped going toward my place. It would be stupid to make it that easy for them.

I need to get Raina out of this car and into safety. There will be more guns, and in a shootout, you can't ever guarantee someone's safety. I have to drop her off.

"You need to get out," I tell her.

"No," she protests at once.

"Don't argue and do as I fucking say. I'll find a moment when the Jeep doesn't see us and drop you off. Hopefully they won't notice until it's too late. Then you make for my apartment. The keys are in the glove compartment, the address is on them. Go in, barricade the door and don't let anyone in but me.
Only me
, Raina."

She hesitates, her eyes filled with obvious fear. It's plain to see she doesn't want to go. For all her talk, she doesn't want to leave my side. Like before, it sends a pleasant thrill down my spine, but then the image of Ricky returns again.

I'll get rid of these guys and we can hide out at my place. There we'll figure out what to do.

I look at her, still looking like she's about to say something, explain. I don't want to hear it. She did what she had to do, but fuck if I don't hate it.

I break so hard Raina nearly hits her head on the windshield. She doesn't argue. Only takes her purse and my keys and gets out. I see her slamming the door shut and then remembering something, but I don't have time and neither does Raina. She has to get out of sight quickly before the Jeep notices the drop-off. I think she says something, but I don't hear her.

I think she says: "It's yours."

As Raina runs for safety, I take off again, teasing the Jeep with me. A thousand thoughts are running through my mind at once as I struggle to comprehend what I just heard.

Was that what she said? Is it possible? It could be, we certainly didn't use a fucking condom that night, but the chances of that... She needs to give me some answers, but first I have to ditch these fucks. I have to convince myself that Raina will be safe—for now—in my apartment or I'll lose my mind.

How the fuck did this happen? At first I only wanted her body, but now Raina is in my life with a tie that I'm not sure I can break. I'm not sure I
want
to break it.

I lead the Jeep on, drawing it as far away from my apartment and Raina as I can. Bullets start flying, only to my side of the car, as soon as we're off the main roads. None of them catches me, but Ed's car is done soon. I do another drop-off, but this time it's me that's going. I leave Ed's car in an alley and watch from the shadows as Ricky's men search for me in vain. They're all carrying and the intent is clear. I'm to be shot on sight.