Fighters second chance, p.1
Fighter's Second Chance, page 1
FIGHTER’S SECOND CHANCE
A. RIVERS
Copyright © 2021 by A. Rivers
Fighter’s Second Chance
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. All people, places, events, and organizations within it are fictional or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real people, places, events and organizations is entirely coincidental.
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Beta reading by Romance Refined
Editing by Free Bird Editing
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CONTENTS
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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Epilogue – Baby’s First Birthday
Fighter’s Frenemy Excerpt
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Also by A. Rivers
Acknowledgments
About the Author
To Mum,
For reading every single
book I write and being an
awesome cheerleader.
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I’ve craved his love for years, but I was invisible to him. Now that I’m ready to move on, he suddenly sees me. And he won’t let me go.
Click or tap here to get your free copy of Fighter’s Frenemy!
1
Seth
I don’t remember the last time I was this nervous. Not when I stepped into the cage for a championship bout. Not even when I got married. Smoothing my hands down my button-down shirt—something I haven’t worn in forever—I catch a glimpse of myself in the reflection from the cafe window and wince. I should have shaved. A week’s worth of scruff decorates my jaw, with far more silver amongst it than there was back when I was with her.
With Ashlin.
Wiping my sweaty palms on my dark jeans—the nicest pair I own—I glance inside and spot her immediately, at a table in the rear of the cafe, as though she wants to be as far from the other customers as possible. At the sight of her, everything inside me clenches. There was a time when that woman was my entire world. But that was before she sat me down with a homemade dinner and asked for a divorce.
I haul in a breath, straighten my spine, and shove the door open. Inside, the cafe smells of cinnamon buns and pastries. My stomach gurgles, but I dare not put anything in it. I don’t know what she wants with me or why she asked me to meet her, but I’m hoping it’s for a second chance. There’s nothing I want more.
“Ashlin,” I say as I stop at her table.
She meets my eyes, every bit as gorgeous as I remember, with delicate pixie features, dark silky hair, and porcelain skin. But where’s her smile? Ashlin Isles has a smile for every occasion. At least, she used to. Now, she’s cool and reserved as she appraises me. Curling my fingers into my fists, I resist the urge to fidget as I wonder what she sees. I’ve changed since we were together. I’ve grown rougher, because it was her influence that smoothed my jagged edges. These days, I rarely glance in a mirror, but I know the crinkles around my eyes have multiplied, and tattoos cover even more of my skin than before—not that she can see them, since the long sleeves and jeans hide the majority.
“Hi, Seth.” Her voice is quiet but strong. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem.” I pull out the seat opposite her and drop into it. “Want to tell me why we’re here?”
A furrow forms between her brows. “Would you like to get coffee first? Something to eat?”
I shake my head. “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
She nods, and her fingers venture over to the ring finger of her left hand, then pause, and she glances down, as though confused by them. “Do you mind if I do?”
I shrug. “Sure. Go right ahead.”
If this is a “let’s try again” conversation, I want her to be as comfortable as possible. At the moment, it’s plain she’s nervous. Ashlin is usually the essence of grace, but every time I catch her eyes, they hold for only a moment before darting away. She waves to a waitress, who comes over, and orders a decaf latte. I raise a brow. Decaf? The Ashlin I knew loved her coffee strong. But then, I haven’t seen her for years, so how much do I really know about her these days?
“Good day at the gym?” she asks while we wait for her drink to arrive.
“Same as usual.” I’ve been running Crown MMA Gym for eight years, since before we divorced—before we were married, as a matter of fact. But she was there in the very beginning, encouraging me to pursue my dream because we both knew that my time as a professional MMA fighter was limited. No matter how good I was, age catches up with everyone. Becoming head coach at my own gym was a retirement plan. Now here I am, with one of the best gyms in the country, but no wife to share my success.
“Devon is back at training?” she asks.
I nod. “Dangerous” Devon Green has recently returned to the gym after a brief stint away while I came to grips with his relationship with my baby sister. I was worried about them at first since they effectively had a workplace romance, but fortunately, it seems to be working out. I’ll never hear the end of it for going overprotective big brother on their asses.
“Yeah. He is.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I wish they’d gone about things differently,” I confess. It had taken them God knew how long to come clean with me. Am I really such a scary guy that my sister and one of my closest friends couldn’t be honest from the beginning? “I’m not upset about them as a couple though. They’ll be good for each other.”
“I think so too,” she says. Her drink is delivered, and she takes a sip, then clasps it between her hands as if to warm them, even though it’s a balmy eighty degrees out. “Right.” She takes a breath. “I suppose I should get to the point.”
“That would be great. I’ve got no idea what I’m doing here.”
She nods, then meets my eyes and holds the connection. “I want to have a baby.”
“What?” I gasp for air as the metaphorical floor falls out from under me. No blow I’ve ever received from an opponent could knock me down the way she has with one statement.
I was there the last time she got pregnant. I witnessed the emotional aftermath of our miscarriage. Hell, I lived it. She fell apart, went through a period of depression, and I couldn’t do anything to help. Why would she want to put herself through that again?
She continues to hold my gaze. For all that she’s delicate and sweet, Ashlin is steely when it counts. “I still want children, and after all this time, I’m finally strong enough—body and mind—to have them.”
I want to protest. She didn’t see herself after we lost Cara. My thumb goes instinctively to the small tattoo inside my wrist. Our daughter’s name. I rub it back and forth, soothing myself, trying to ward off a wave of helplessness brought on by the memories. Ashlin had vanished into herself, and I disappeared into work. Then everything I cared about came crumbling down. But on the heels of the old grief comes something else.
Jealousy.
“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.” Why is she even telling me this? Some kind of misguided attempt to prevent me getting hurt if I were to learn about it later? Too late. I wanted to grow old with her. To raise a family. It was one thing when I thought she just didn’t want that anymore because it was too much for her to handle, but to know she wants it with someone other than me is just cruel.
“I’m not.” She sighs, and glances down for a second. Long enough for me to know she isn’t comfortable with this conversation. “I’m going to do it by myself.”
“Wait, what?” She remembers how pregnancy works, right? Man + Woman + Sex = Baby. I’m not sure how she intends to remove the male part of the equation.
She rolls her eyes. “IVF. I’ll go through a fertility treatment and impregnation process. After the damage from our miscarriage, it’s my best chance of success.”
“No man involved?” I clarify.
“Well, actually…” She bites her lip. “I need a donor. I was going to choose one from a catalog, but none of them felt right.”
My jaw drops. Choose a father for her baby from a goddamn catalog? Of all the crazy ideas. Of course it didn’t feel right. It’s stupid.
“You’re the only man I can imagine as the father.” She swallows, and her throat bobs. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you consider it? Will you help me have a baby?”
Ashlin
They can probably hear my heart beating the next county over. Shock is written across Seth’s face, and etched in the clench of his jaw. A vein throbs at his temple. I fight the urge to yell “Punked!” and run for the exit. I knew he’d be surpri sed, but I’ve spent weeks dwelling on my choice, and haven’t approached him lightly. Right now, securing his agreement is the single most important thing in my universe, so I don’t flinch when he curses. I don’t glance down, or give him any indication that I’m not a hundred percent sure of my decision.
I am unwavering.
“Do you really think getting pregnant is a good idea?” he asks, the grooves around his mouth deepening.
I inhale slowly to buy myself a moment of calm. I knew this question would come, and I’m prepared for it. “I can understand why you’d ask that, considering what I put us both through last time, but I’ve been in therapy and it’s really helped.” One of my hands trembles, so I rest the other on top of it. “I’m ready to try again.”
“Ash…” That vein continues to throb at his temple. “Are you sure? Perhaps your memory of the time after the miscarriage is fuzzy, but for me, it’s crystal clear. You weren’t okay. And I… I let you down. Wasn’t there when you needed me. I’ll always regret that, and I’m not sure if I can be part of something that puts you at risk again.”
My stomach sinks, even though I understood this was a possibility. I force my shoulders to stay back. Time to preserve my dignity.
“If you don’t want to be involved, that’s fine, but you should know that I’m going ahead anyway.”
His eyes widen, and he flinches almost imperceptibly. “Still so fucking stubborn,” he mutters.
He looks down at his hands, turning them over and studying his palms. I follow his gaze, ignoring the flash of warmth that travels through me. They’re large and rough, and even though it was years ago, I remember with perfect clarity how they felt on my naked body. He used to touch me as though I was precious, but the more he lost control, the less care he took, and I reveled in his wildness.
“Just tell me something.” He squeezes his hands into fists and raises his eyes, anger flaring in their blue-green depths. “Why the fuck do you want to hurt yourself this way?” He starts to reach for me, but then stops and drags in a slow breath. When he continues, his voice is like sandpaper. “I don’t want to see you in pain.”
Oh, God. It’s just like it used to be. He’s a great, unsettled beast of a man that needs taming, and I want to stand behind him and soothe him with my hands the way I used to. Run them down his shoulders and back. Kiss the side of his neck. Watch the tension ease from him. My body clenches with the effort it takes not to go to him. I didn’t realize that his magnetism would be so potent after all this time. I should have known better. Whatever our problems, Seth and I have always been attracted to each other to the point of insanity.
“It’s okay,” I reassure him. “I can handle whatever comes.” I might not enjoy it, but I can survive. Of this, I’m certain. “I want a family, and I’m strong enough to fight for one. Like I said, if you’d rather not be involved, that’s fine, but I’m doing it anyway.”
His eyes narrow. Oh, he doesn’t like that. Of course he doesn’t. There was a time when I’d cave in to nearly anything he wanted if he used that gruff, bossy tone of his. But I’m not budging on this. His jaw shifts as he resists the urge to spill out the first response that pops into his head. Despite the circumstances, I have to smile. Always a hothead.
“I can give you time to think about it,” I say, beginning to rise from my chair. “I know it’s a serious decision.”
“No.” He gestures for me to stop. “Sit.” I do. He rolls his shoulders up to his ears and back down again. “I want to help. I can’t fucking stand the idea of seeing you pregnant with another man’s kid.”
He knows there would be no touching involved, right?
Still, a thrill shoots through me at his possessiveness. We’re not together anymore, and perhaps I need to have my head examined, but I always loved the way he made it clear who I belonged with and warned off anyone else. It made me feel cherished. Adored. Sternness aside, Seth Isles is capable of making a woman feel like a siren and a princess all in one.
I stay quiet, waiting.
“Okay.” His shoulders heave as the word leaves him on a rush of air. Those gorgeous turquoise eyes meet mine, and my insides tumble over each other. “I’ll do it.”
“Thank you.” It feels like I’ve been holding my breath forever, and finally released it. I meant it when I said I’d go ahead with or without his help, but it wouldn’t have felt right. Choosing candidates from a list of physical attributes and places of employment seems cold. Distant. Especially when I’ve spent months picturing a perfect little baby with Seth’s crystal eyes and my dark hair.
Discomfort worms its way into my gut. Part of me is afraid that all of this is my subconscious’s method of bringing him back into my life, but I shut that little voice down. I’m strong enough to stand on my own two feet. I’ve been doing it for three years now. I’ve proved to myself that I’m resilient and capable. So what if Seth makes my pulse climb and my heart soften? It doesn’t mean anything.
“You won’t regret it.” I reach for my bag and extract a sheath of papers, then pass them to him. “This is a legal contract that sets out how everything will work.”
He baulks, glancing from the papers to me, and back again, his distaste apparent. “Is that really necessary?”
“Yes.” Of this, I’m certain. I won’t allow any shades of gray. “Read it later. Have your lawyer look at it. Whatever you need.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.” He sets the papers aside and props his chin on his hand. “Let me pay for the procedure. IVF is expensive, right?”
I shake my head. “I have enough in my savings. It’s important to me that I pay myself.”
“Are you sure?” I can tell he wants to argue. He thinks he’s protecting me by taking on a financial burden, but I know the truth: I have to prove that I can stand on my own. I need it.
“Yes.” I raise my chin, waiting to see how he reacts.
To my surprise, he nods. “If that’s what you want.”
2
Seth
I set the papers aside.
This is my chance to get her back.
I asked for one, and the universe gave it to me. Sure, it doesn’t look like I expected it to, but I’m going to grab on with both hands and not let go. If Ashlin and I have a baby, she’ll be back in my life for good. We’ll have to spend time together, and presumably, we’ll have to have sex. My body heats at the thought of touching her. Laying my ugly boxer’s hands on her pretty pinkness and bringing her down to my level. She was always an angel. Too good for me. But in our lust, we were perfectly matched. I ached to manhandle her, and she was desperate for me to do so. You’d never know it to look at her, but behind her good girl exterior is a dirty little deviant who likes to be punished for tormenting her man. God, I hope no one other than me has ever seen her naughty side, but considering how fucking gorgeous she is, she won’t have been hurting for male attention. Damn, I want to hunt down anyone who’s so much as looked at her pert ass and make them regret it.
Taking another breath, I get my possessiveness under control. Maybe she liked that side of me when we were together, but we’re not married anymore. I don’t get to fuck her against the wall because some asshole looked at her in the way only I’m allowed to.
“I’ll send them to my lawyer tonight,” I tell her, making a point not to skim the details. I need to be sharp, and reading legalese isn’t something I’ve ever found easy. That’s why she used to do it for me, and summarize the basics. Ashlin wasn’t just my wife; she was also my sounding board and my conscience. Until I let her down.
“How are you feeling?” she asks, knowing me too well to buy the calm facade I’m putting on for her benefit.
