In Sly's Eyes: In Sly's Eyes Marco's MMA Boys Book 2 (15 page)

EPILOGUE

SLY

SIX WEEKS LATER…

“Princess, how can something this nasty come out of your little body?” She smiles as I fasten the clean diaper. I know people say she’s not really smiling but I know she is. Looking into my daughter’s eyes, I smile. “Are you ready to go show everyone your workout clothes? Let’s go get our buff on.” I’m so glad that I have a job where I can take her with me. We set up one of the rooms with a playpen and all of her stuff. Marco ends up hanging out in there most of the day spoiling her.

I had her onesies made like the t-shirts we had Slick made, with “Marco’s Gym” on the front and “Princess” on the back. She blows some cute little bubbles from her mouth.

“You know, by the time she starts talking, she’s going to be sick of hearing your voice. You talk all the damn time,” Huck says with a gym bag on one shoulder and the diaper bag on the other.

“She loves her daddy’s voice, shut up, Uncle Ugly.”

Once we’re loaded up for the gym, Huck looks at me. “Have you talked to Elizabeth in the past few days?”

“No, she’s been busy with her job, I guess. She said she got a few more days a week. I told her Marco would hire her to work at the gym but she refuses. She says she isn’t taking a hand out from him.” I shrug.

He blows out of his nose, like he does when he’s really pissed. “I fucking told her if she doesn’t talk to Marco soon, I am.”

“What are you talking about?” I look at him cockeyed.

“It’s her secret to tell, but I’m not happy about it. Marco needs to know.”

“Would you please quit speaking in fucking code?” I say as we’re pulling into the gym.

He sits there stewing over it for a minute. Krista lets out a squeak from the backseat as we park. I jump out and open her door, looking at her in the carrier. “You’re happy we’re here, aren’t you?” She kicks her feet.

Walking in the gym, I turn to Huck. “You gonna tell me?”

“Her job-.”

He’s cut off by Lox running in the room and turning on the TV. “Sloan just called me to turn on the news. Kara is really upset.”

“What?” I grab my phone.

Once Lox has the TV on, we see the local news has sirens and cops all over the place.

Breaking news. There was a shooting on Universe Boulevard two hours ago. Three armed assailants who were holding up the First Bank of Florida opened fire on officers responding to the bank’s alarm system. The suspects were killed in the process, along with two members of the Sheriff’s Department. Officer Thomas McKay and Detective Leroy Harmon.

Holy shit, I stop listening. I just zone out.

Huck bolts over to Lox. “Give me your keys.”

“What for?” Lox says with a sour look.

“Because we drove the baby mobile today and I need to go check on someone. Now!” Huck barks out.

Lox shrugs. “Fine. Take them. Where are you going?”

“Somewhere,” Huck says, storming out of the room.

I sit down on the couch, sinking into it, in shock. The man who tried his damnedest to keep my woman and my baby alive isn’t anymore.

Lox sits down beside me. “Sloan said since it’s Friday, when they leave at lunch they’re coming here. She said they happened to have the radio on in the office when the news broke. Kara is taking it really hard.”

I make a steeple out of my fingers and brace by forehead on them, leaning over. “I imagine so. It’s kinda hard for me right this second, too.” I shake my head. “I don’t know what’s going on with my twin either and that bothers me.”

Lox leans back on the couch. “Tell me about it. He’s been like a damn sore ass bear since Krista was born. Is she keeping him up at night or something?”

I shake my head. “No. Krista is a quiet baby. She only wakes up once a night. When he’s there, she’s the only one he seems to want to interact with. I’m worried, he goes out all the time and he’s keeping some secret for Elizabeth but he won’t tell me anything about it. I’ve seriously never felt this disconnected from him in my life.”

Marco walks in the room. “What’s going on, boys?”

Lox looks up. “Detective Harmon was killed today in the line of duty.”

Marco sinks down in the chair. “Damn. He was a good man. I didn’t know him all that well before this last incident with Drake, but he’s a good strong man.” Marco drops his hands against the chair. “His wife is battling cancer, too.”

Lox and I both shake our heads. Marco clears his throat. “Just goes to show you can’t take one day for granted.” He lets out a deep breath. “Lox, we need to talk.”

That’s weird, we both sit up like a board. Oh God, Marco is going to tell us he’s dying or that he’s retiring and moving away. My mind starts to race.

“Lox, your mother and I have been keeping company for a few years now.”

I choke on my own spit and Lox’s eyes look like a cartoon character. “Keeping company how, exactly?” Lox says slowly, then he shutters. “Never mind, don’t tell me.”

“Lox. Look at me, son. We went on a date right after you boys graduated. We’ve been seeing each other causally since. She’s never wanted to make much of it because she was afraid that if it didn’t work out between us, you boys would have to choose. Well, now that we’re bringing daughter-in-laws and grandbabies into the fold, we’re going to be in each other’s lives forever. I want to marry your momma, Lox.”

“Holy shit,” is the only thing that I can blurt out.

Lox looks at him harshly. “You really love her? This isn’t some midlife crisis or something?”

Marco chuckles. “I’m a little past midlife, but thanks. No, I love your momma, days like we’ve had the past couple of months make me see we can’t keep putting off life. So, I’m going to ask your permission to marry her. The same way you asked Slick’s.”

Lox bolts up out of his chair and Marco stands to match him. Lox pulls him into a big hug. “You have it, old man, but I’m not calling your wrinkled ass daddy.”

I raise my hand. “I will.”

Marco points at me. “I’ll beat your ass.”

I sigh. “Hell, I’m just glad something good is coming from today.”

They both nod and we go back to watching the news.

KARA

How is it fair that the man who helped save me and my child dies? Some stupid street thug shoots him dead. I can’t help but remember the day in my hospital room. I hope he and his daughter have worked things out.

Pulling into the gym parking lot, all I want to do is hold my daughter and never let her go.

I practically run into the gym. Darting down the short hall to our little nursery, I pick her up out of the play pen. “Oh I love my sweet, sweet girl.”

I turn to see Sly at the door staring at me. “You doing okay, babe?” He walks toward me. “Since you blew in the door and didn’t stop to ogle this magnificent body, I figured you came to find someone cuter than me.”

I smile. “I just needed to hold her.”

He puts his arms around both of us. “I understand. He was a good man.”

“Yes, he was.”

He pulls me over to the couch. “With so much going on today, I’ve thought about a lot of things. Kara, I want you to know I’m going to marry you someday. I just don’t want to rush you. Our relationship has moved at warp speed as it is, I just don’t want you to think that it’s not my intention. I’m going to marry you, there’ll never be another guy for you unless we have a son next.” He kisses my free hand. “You understand?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Marco is going to ask Elaine to marry him. Apparently they’ve been seeing each other casually for like six years.”

I smile. “Well it’s about time.”

He looks at me confused. “You knew?”

I roll my eyes. “You couldn’t tell? The chemistry when the two of them are in a room together is like electric.”

He gives me a sick look. “Dude, don’t talk about them that way.”

“I think it’s sweet.”

“Well, if you’re that tuned in, what’s going on with my brother?” he sighs out.

I shake my head. “Sorry, I wish I knew. I was afraid it was Krista and so I asked him, but he said he just has a lot on his mind.” I look up at him. “I don’t think whatever it is is bad, per se, I think it’s just personal.”

He shakes his head. “Personal. I’m tired of hearing that, we’re a family. We need to share. He said the same thing about Elizabeth.”

I nod. “Well, hers is personal, too.”

“You know what she’s hiding?”

“Yes, but I’m not saying. It’s-.”

“Personal, I know,” he huffs out.

“Hey, it’s not like that. Sometimes we all just need to figure a few things out before we share them. I mean, look at us. When I met you, I was doing one night stands only.”

He shakes his head. “I know why you did it, but I’ll never understand.”

“For girls like me, you never truly believe that someone will want you for more than sex. I was an easy lay because I was the fat friend. I never expected more and they knew it.” I shake my head. “There are some days I still doubt what you see in me. Why you seem to never get enough of me.”

“In my eyes, you’ve never been anything but the most beautiful woman in the world,” he says and then kisses me.

I am the luckiest woman in the world. I have a wonderful little girl and I am beautiful in Sly’s eyes. That’s all I need. Everything I’ve been through, all of the abuse, all of the suffering, brought me to this moment. I realize this is truly the happiness I deserve.

A Note From The Author

This book touched on subjects close to my heart. Domestic violence and body image among the biggest.

POINT #1- Domestic Violence is a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, often including the threat or use of violence. Other terms for domestic violence include intimate partner violence, battering, relationship abuse, spousal abuse, or family violence. Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, income, or other factors. Men are victims of nearly 3 million physical assaults in the USA. One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. ** (www.safehorizon.org/page/domestic-violence, n.d.)

From my personal experiences. It’s very easy for someone on the outside of a relationship to say what a victim should do or what they would do if they were in said relationship. The truth is no one but the victim can make these decisions. Most of the time the victim cannot think past what has been put into their head. “You’re not good enough, No one else will want you, You’re sorry, You’re ugly, You’re fat, You’d be alone if it weren’t for me.” Comment’s like those are common. The goal is to isolate the victim and make them feel as if the abuser is the only one they have in their life. If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence please find help.

10 SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE

Some signs of domestic violence and abuse are more obvious than others. Below are a few of the most common signs of domestic abuse and violence.

Does your partner ever:

1. Accuse you of cheating and being disloyal?
   
2. Make you feel worthless?
   
3. Hurt you by hitting, choking or kicking you?
   
4. Intimidate and threaten to hurt you or someone you love?
   
5. Threaten to hurt themselves if they don’t get what they want?
   
6. Try to control what you do and who you see?
   
7. Isolate you?
   
8. Pressure or force you into unwanted sex?
   
9. Control your access to money?
   
10. Stalk you, including calling you constantly or following you?
    

If you recognize the signs of domestic violence and suspect that you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, you are not alone; there is help in your community.

Call our domestic violence hotline at 
800.621.HOPE (4673)
 or 311 in New York City. If you're a domestic violence victim outside of New York City, call 
800.799.SAFE (7233)
.

If you suspect that you are experiencing domestic violence or relationship abuse, remember:

• You are not alone.
  
• You are not to blame. 
  
• You 
  do not
   deserve to be treated this way. 
  
• You have rights.
  
• You can get help.
  

If you suspect that someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or relationship abuse:

• Get Information. 
• Get Resources.
• Go to
www.safehorizon.org

(www.safehorizon.org/page/domestic-violence, n.d.) 

POINT #2- The subject of body image with Kara comes up quite a bit. Myself being born at 10lbs 11oz and 23 ¾ inches tall, I’ve always been a bigger girl. I woke up in the seventh grade one morning and couldn’t see my feet anymore because of the big boobs I sported. I was taller and broader than most of my friends. Growing up with friends who were all single digit sizes was at times humiliating. Guys loved staring at my boobs, but didn’t realize that a size zero body didn’t go with them. So many times wanting to be the one chosen and not, was hurtful. It took a few wrong decisions to find my way. The point is I found my way and although I don’t think I’ll ever be completely comfortable with my body, I’ve learned to accept it and move on. Someone loves me for who I am. Someone likes my big ass and large boobs and it doesn’t matter that I’m not a single digit size.

My point is love yourself for who you are, whether it’s tall, short, skinny or thick. You have to love yourself first. Someone is out there who will love you for all of your imperfections and quirks. Just love yourself first.

Thank You,

S.M. Donaldson