Chapter 3
Bronson
“Cole? Madalyn? Time to go.” I called up the stairs to my kids.
“Hurrying, Dad,” Cole said.
“Almost done, Dad,” Madalyn called back.
Just then, my phone vibrated with a text.
Eve – Not going to make it this weekend.
Of course, she wasn’t.
Because anything that didn’t center around Eve, well, that didn’t work for her. And taking her daughter out for a shopping trip for her birthday wasn’t all about Eve.
Fucking. Bitch.
Yeah, I know... I shouldn’t talk about the mother of my kids like that... but fucking hell, she had been nothing more than an oven. Baking my kids in her belly.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a growl.
Just then, I heard, “Let me guess, Mom?”
I looked at Madalyn and felt like a piece of shit for having to hurt her like this.
But I had made a promise to my kids, the center of my universe, that I would never lie to them.
They sure as hell couldn’t count on their mother, but they could count on me.
I nodded, “Yeah, baby. Said she’s not going to make it this weekend.”
Madalyn shrugged, then she said, “No biggie.”
And for her, it was that... no biggie.
Until she asked, hesitantly, “Do you think Lila would take me?”
My shoulders sagged, and my head dropped.
The last thing I wanted to do was ask Lila for another thing for my kids.
It had started a few months after we had moved here.
We had been invited to Dominik’s house for a welcome-to-the-neighborhood kind of party.
A woman with light blonde hair had taken one look at my daughter and gasped, “Girl! Is that the top from Glitter and Lace?”
My daughter had beamed at her and nodded.
The woman winked, “You pull it off a lot better than that mannequin did.”
The woman, whom I refused to say was stunning, because she sure as hell was, watched as my daughter walked over to her, and I watched unabashedly.
Then I lifted a brow as Cole moved closer to and started talking to her.
She didn’t know it, but even though a lot was going on, she never took her gaze away from my kids, and just by doing that small thing, she had earned my respect.
And when I moved in to introduce myself to her, I couldn’t help myself as I glanced down at her left hand and saw that the very important finger was bare when something had snagged her attention for a split second.
I was pulled away by Dominik, Carter, Alec, Garrick, and Ethan, but all through the night, I found myself ending up in their orbit.
Their... meaning Lila, Cole, and Madalyn’s.
And if I said it had been the worst night of my life, I would be lying.
I had just told Madalyn that I couldn’t take her to a store she had been dying to go to when Lila entered the conversation.
And that was how it started.
She took Madalyn shopping.
She took Cole to a few of his football games.
But when Madalyn cheered on the sidelines at the games, and when Cole played, she was always there in the stands, cheering them on.
But for my daughter, I would do this.
Even though I would be fighting a hard-on, the longer she was in my presence.
I tagged my phone and scrolled to our messages.
Me – Hey, can you take Madalyn shopping this weekend?
Just then, Cole came down.
I made them eggs, bacon, and toast.
They gobbled it down, and ten minutes later, we were in my truck as we headed to school.
I had just pulled into the drop-off line as my phone pinged with a text.
Lila – Crap. I already have plans... umm... let me see what I can do. Okay?
I looked at Madalyn’s waiting smile and said, “She already has plans. But she said she would see what she could do, okay?”
Cole nodded, “Yeah, she’s got a banquet type of thing to go to.”
I lifted a brow, then he explained, “Told me about that, because she was sad, she was going to miss my game.”
I nodded.
Normally, Cole’s games were on Thursday nights. But in our small town, we had a rival of sorts. The entire town, as well as the neighboring towns, showed up for it.
It was the biggest game of the year. We played the neighboring team from Clover Valley.
Middle school played, and then high school played.
Then my phone pinged with a text.
Lila – If you promise to treat Madalyn and me to an amazing dinner, and the three of us to ice cream, at Frozen Tree, I can do it.
Me – Cole told me about a banquet you had to attend.
Lila – Eh, it’s a stuffy thing. I got out of it. I got this.
Me – Thank you.
And then I winked at my girl, “She’s in.”
Madalyn whooped.
Cole asked, “She’s going to make it to my game?”
I nodded, “Doesn’t she take y’all to get frozen yogurt after?”
He nodded.
I had just pulled away from the school when my phone rang.
Seeing the caller on my display in the truck, I hit accept.
“You got the dough; we got the hoe.” I teased.
“My woman would cut my balls off,” Clutch said with a chuckle.
I snickered, “I can totally see Cora doing that. What’s up?”
“Got a fight coming up in a few months, it’s...” he started to say.
“Going to have to stop you right there, my man. After my last fight and how badly I was hurt, I’m not risking my health and leaving my kids alone. I can’t do it.”
“Well, if you had let me finish, you big bastard, I would have told you that I needed your help training him. He’s almost as stubborn as you are.”
“Big bastard? You and I are the same size, fucker.”
“Negative, negative. You got two inches on me and about fifty pounds. My nickname for you works. So, you got the time?”
I sighed, I really did have the time, and it wouldn’t be a thing to add someone to my roster, “Yeah, I got it. Give him the gym’s address, yeah?”
He snickered, “Done. And he’s waiting for you there.”
And then the fucker hung up.
He. Hung. Up. On. Me.
Don’t do it.
Don’t... fuck it.
I hit the button and listened to it ring.
Cora’s voice filled my cab, “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my husband’s pain in the ass.” She giggled. “How are you, B? How are Cole and Madalyn?”
“Good. Both of them. Couldn’t be prouder of them than I already am.”
“I love that for them. So, what’s up?”
“Has Clutch done anything to piss you off today?” I asked.
She was silent for a beat, “Why?”
“That fucker just hung up on me. And he’s too far away for me to kick his ass.” I growled.
“Well, now that you mention it, he ruined the new top that I was so excited for by throwing all his red clothes into the washer.” She growled.
I snickered, “Give him hell, sweetheart.”
By the time I pulled into the lot in front of Beast Mode, the gym I started, my phone had pinged with a text.
I pulled it out and read it, then I burst out laughing.
Clutch – Asshole.
Me – Hang up on me one more time. Dare you.
Clutch – *Middle finger emoji.*
I pocketed my phone and climbed out of my truck.
There was a young man sitting on the steps.
He lifted his head as I took him in.
“You know, only whores get paid to have people look at them. You payin’?”
I clenched my jaw. Now I get it.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
I didn’t say a word, just prowled past him and up the stairs.
The moment I had the door unlocked I tilted my head to look down at him, “Get your gear on and meet me in the ring in ten.”
He chuckled.
Oh, boy.
You shouldn’t have done that.
Ten minutes later, I was still in my jeans, boots, and tee as I stepped into the ring.
He was bouncing on his feet, his fists were taped, and he had on red gym shorts with a black stripe on the side.
He lifted a brow, half of his hair falling onto his forehead, “Really?” he asked as he gestured at my attire.
I held up one finger, “Your first mistake was thinking you’re the shit,” I told him.
I held up a second finger, “Your second mistake was degrading women.”
I held up a third finger, “And your third mistake was being a weak-ass little bitch.”
And with that said, I hammered one single punch into the side of his head.
His eyes rolled back.
He fell to the curtained floor of the ring.
I stepped closer to him, leaned down, and in a menacing tone, I said, “That’s the first and last time I ever hear you degrade a woman, you get me.”
He shook his head and tried to stand up, but fell back down, then he mumbled something.
“Come again?” I barked.
“Yeah, I get you.”
I nodded, “Good. Now, let’s get to work.”
I pulled my phone out and called Clutch as I climbed out of the ring.
“You kill him already?” he asked.
“How old is he?” I asked.
“Twenty. Why?”
“Good. I won’t go to jail for laying his ass out.”
“What did he do?”
“Degraded a woman,” I growled.
Clutch fucking laughed.
But not in a good way.
“Beat the shit out of him.” He said.
And by the time the first day was in the books, the boy, Flynn, was on his hands and knees puking his guts up.
No pain, no gain.