Page 29

29

JACK

COMFORTABLE

M y life is back on track.

I’m not drinking anymore, and I don’t crave it. My family doesn’t drink around me; no casual beers with pizza, no casual drinks while we sit around watching TV, no drinking while out at dinner.

Nothing.

As is typical with my family, if it’s one in, it’s all in.

My life feels good again.

Finally.

Britt got to watch her first ever live fight last month, and with my girl at my back, with her eager eyes watching and worrying, I won against Loreto in a second round knockout.

I’m back. I’m fitter than ever. I’m bigger than ever, and I’m fast as fuck.

My victory over Loreto means we’re heading back to training camp and we’re prepping for the title.

Four weeks to go.

It’s not just me on this journey. Just like always, my entire family is. My brothers train with me seven days a week. We’re in the gym eight hours a day, we’re doing hill sprints and jogs outside those hours, and I’m eating and sleeping the rest of the time.

Bambie sleeps in my bed a few nights a week, though of course she and Alex made up after his forced apology and she went home like the good girl she pretends not to be .

After months of sharing a bed with her off and on, I’ve realized something really important about her, something that may change the course of our lives.

She’s a bed hog, a nervous leg twitcher, and an all-around annoying as fuck bed sharer.

She sleeps on her back with her head on my shoulder. I pull her in tight because I miss her, but then her hand will come up and slap me in the face while she sleeps.

Not just once or twice, but a dozen times a night.

The first time I almost fell out of bed thinking the zombie apocalypse was upon us. The second time, Annie yelped when I yelped. She thought we were going to die. The third time I simply grunted, pushed her hand off my face, and went back to sleep.

She didn’t wake once, and when I asked the next morning, she had no recollection at all of attacking me in my sleep. Now I know to hold her down. But like a six-hundred-armed octopus, she still finds ways to hit me.

And like the sucker I am, I wouldn’t trade it. I’ll take her abuse any day, rather than be apart from her.

The nights she sleeps in her own home physically hurt me. An ache sits deep in my belly, even when we text till we sleep then text again when we wake.

I don’t want to be away from her. And when I realized that, that was the point my life changed.

Again.

I’m still staying at Kit’s, but I’m not a total bum. I intend to move out again as soon as my training schedule will allow.

The guys have me up at the ass crack of dawn for hill sprints, then the gym, and we rarely get home before dark. I tend to have enough time to shower and eat a cow, then fall face first into bed so Britt and I can text till I pass out.

I intend to finish out this fight, then I’m moving out.

“Alright.” Standing over me, Aiden looks down into my eyes.

I set the bar in the rack and pull my headphones out. Sitting up on the bench, I stretch my chest out. “What?”

“Kit and I were talking.”

Smiling, I fuss with Bambie’s hair tie around my wrist. “That sounds bad.”

“Nah, it’s cool. We got a few sponsors back on board for you. ”

I shrug casually. We’ve had this talk a million times already. “Cool, thanks.”

“We got Pirogenix.”

The smile spreads across my face instantly. Pirogenix are the leading fight industry suppliers in the world.

The fucking world!

“How the hell did you get them?”

Aiden shrugs. “I guess they liked your underwear ads from way back.”

I laugh. I’m not even embarrassed about my sponsorship deal with a menswear company. I didn’t care that my junk was in everyone’s face. The opposite of embarrassed, I thought it was the funniest shit ever, especially when my sisters complained about it.

I shrug arrogantly. “Once you go Jack…”

Slamming his fist against my chest, he laughs and cocks his arm back for a second shot. “Shut the fuck up. Don’t ever say that again.”

Lying down to start my next set, I think about Pirogenix. And I think about money. So much fucking money. I can buy Bambie anything she wants.

Aiden’s fist comes down hard a second time and has me grunting out at the impact. “I wasn’t done talking to you, asshole.”

Bambie. Money. Anything she wants, she can have. “My bad.” Remaining on my back, I look into his dancing eyes. “What else do you need?”

“She also got Leloprexx.”

I sit up so fast, I almost lose teeth on the bar above me. “Get the fuck outta here!”

Chuckling, he brushes a hand across his shoulder. “True story. You ain't broke anymore, kid.”

“Does Bobby know my sister is selling herself? He won’t like that.”

“I think she’s found her calling.”

“Sports manager?”

“Not just anyone’s manager. Yours . Jesus, she’s a machine in those meetings. They’re too scared to fuck with her.”

I can’t say that surprises me.

She landed the majority of my sponsorship deals years ago, then she was the first to tell me this year that I stink and that everyone was dropping me. She plays the game with no mercy. I’m just glad she’s on my side – most of the time.

Lifting my hand for a fist bump, I lie down and prepare for my next set. “Thanks, Aido. ”

“You’re welcome, kid. You deserve it.”

Tinny music plays through the headphones still resting against my chest. Grunting, I lift the bar and bring it toward my chest.

Aiden comes around the bench to spot me. “How’s your arm?”

“Good.” It hurts deep in my muscle by the end of a hard day, but for the most part, it’s fine.

Lowering the bar, I count out the slow rep in my head and study my brother standing over me. Anything to distract me from the fire in my muscles.

It’s a good hurt.

“How’s your chest?”

“Good.”

“Breathing?”

“Good.”

“Are you ready for next month?”

I set the bar back in the rack and glare at my brother. “Are you done talking? You’re fucking up my count.”

“Liar. You’re pissed because you were daydreamin’ about your Bambie and I interrupted you.”

“That’s also true, so if you don’t mind…”

“I should leave you here alone,” he grumbles. “Maybe you’ll crush yourself on this bench.”

“Maybe. Then I won’t have to listen to you anymore. So get.”

3 Weeks Until Fight Night.

I look up at the knock on the front door, and when Britt walks into Kit and Bobby’s living room, I smile like my whole year just got better.

It did.

Sitting forward on the couch with my elbows on my knees, I’m resting. I had intended to go to bed and pass out, but the couch is as far as I got, since I was running hill sprints today and feel like my legs might actually fall off.

Bobby was in full G.I. Joe mode today, and though I know I’m ready, and he knows I’m ready, he’s pushing hard.

Approaching slowly, Britt stops in front of me so her creamy thighs stop right in front of my eyes and her strawberry scent hugs me. Then she squats down in front of my face, and her beautiful smile makes my heart throb.

“Hey.”

“Hey, Bambie.” Leaning forward, I lay a gentle kiss on her lips and don’t move back until she sighs.

Pulling back just an inch, she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth and savors my kiss. “How are you doing, Jack? You look exhausted.”

Groaning, I sit back. “I’m sore.”

“You’ve been working hard.” Stepping around me, she lifts her long legs and climbs into the small space between my back and the couch.

Instantly, her hands wrap around my stomach and her face rests between my shoulder blades. I’m so glad no one is home right now.

This is our quiet five minutes. This is our heaven.

“Would I sound too needy if I told you I’ve missed you?”

I chuckle and hold her joined hands. Would it be needy if I told you I love you? “No, Bambie. I’ve missed you, too.”

She sighs and presses a kiss to my back. Her presence has the tension leaving my body in an instant. “I’ve been lonely without you.”

“You should stay over tonight. I have room in my bed.”

Her fingers rub patterns against my stomach. “Maybe I will.”

“You can even climb in through my window again. That was fun. I felt like a damsel.”

Laughing, her chest bounces against my back. “Jack ‘The Jackhammer’ Reilly, the damsel.” Leaning back, she begins massaging the muscles in my shoulders and digs her thumbs in so hard, I want to weep. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“You make me feel safe, Bambie.”

I smile at the soft giggle and her breath bathing my neck.

“Ya know, I used to sneak Annie into my room, too. I had her for over a month in this house before Kit figured it out. I used to sneak her around, then she slept in my bed, too.”

She digs her thumbs in extra deep. “Are you comparing me to your dog?”

I laugh when Annie’s head pops up. She knows we’re talking about her, even mid-sleep. “Yeah, I am, but I love her. So it’s not a bad comparison.”

“I should be mad.” Grumbling, she continues to massage my aching muscles. “I don’t know exactly why, but I just feel like I should be mad at you.”

“Don’t be mad, Bambie. We don’t have time for being mad. ”

She sighs and drops another kiss on my back. “I know. I already miss you.”

“Stay with me tonight?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

We sit in silence as I contemplate my week ahead. Kit, Bobby, Aiden, and I are headed on an eleven-city promotional tour. Eleven cities in eight days. I’m already exhausted just thinking about it.

I have to do the interviews for the press, pose for the cameras, pretend to weigh in against my opponent, though the real weigh in is still weeks away.

I have to do the shit my sponsors demand of me, even though I’d much rather be at home with Bambie.

I don’t want to train in other gyms for a week.

I prefer mine.

I don’t want to sleep in hotel beds.

I prefer mine.

I don’t want to be in another city, another state, and away from Bambie. I definitely prefer the routine we have going now. She’s barely five miles away from me at all times. And some afternoons, she’s in my gym watching me train.

It would be a lie if I said I didn’t push harder, lift heavier, move faster, simply because she’s watching.

I want to impress her.

I want her to have the choice of any man in the whole world, then I want her to choose me.

Her clever hands continue to knead my muscles until my head droops with exhaustion.

I’m tempted to take my shirt off, to have her skin on mine, but my family will be home soon. Being half naked with Bambie on my sister’s couch wouldn’t be my smartest move.

“You sure you don’t wanna come with me? I can have flights and shit booked for you right now. We could stay in hotels. I’ll take you out to fancy restaurants.”

“Nuh-uh.” She digs her thumb in. “I don’t want fancy restaurants, Jack. I want hotdogs on the hood of your car. I wanna dance in the rain.”

“We can do that, too. Any time you want.”

“When you get back,” she promises on a sigh. “But I can’t come with you this week. I have school.”

“I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too.”

“Jack!” Kit dips her fingers in her water glass and flicks the droplets at my face. “Put your phone away and eat.”

“Shh.” My fingers fly across the screen as I text Bambie. She’s telling me all about what she may or may not be wearing right now.

I don’t give two shits if I’m in a restaurant with my brothers and sister. I don’t care that it’s dinner time. I don’t care about anything except the fact that it’s Wednesday, I haven’t seen Britt in five days, we’re on opposite sides of the country, and I miss the fuck out of her.

My girl wants to send me dirty texts, I’m going to reply.

I smile and try to keep the dirty chuckling to a minimum when she sends me a boob photo, but it’s simply side boob, a little ink, and her middle finger. She’s teasing me.

And it’s working.

My dick literally touches the underside of the table, and my steak has gone forgotten.

Me: Show me more.

“Jack!” Aiden snaps. “We’re talking here, pay attention.”

“No.” I angle my phone so no one can see the screen.

Me: Show me your pretties.

Bambie: Which one?

My dick swells and throbs.

Me: Clit. I wanna kiss it.

“Hi, there. You’re The Jackhammer, right?”

I slam my phone down on the table and look up into a woman’s big brown eyes. My family snort and tease my fight name, but I simply catalogue the strange woman and curse her to Hades for scaring the shit out of me.

Mid-twenties, big boobs, big ass, trim waist. “Do I know you?”

“No.” She giggles and bounces on five-inch heels. “I’m Amber, but my friends call me Bambi. And you’re Jack–”

My eyes snap to Kit’s. “Is this a joke?”

Her hands come up in defense, laughter forgotten in an instant. “This isn’t me. I swear.”

I look to Aiden, then to Bobby. “Don’t fuck with me.”

“It wasn’t me,” Bobby promises. “I know what this shit does to relationships. I swear, I didn’t organize this.”

“Oh, no, sorry.” Amber’s bubbly voice floats around us. “I don’t know y’all personally. I’m just a fan. I’m here with my girlfriends tonight,” she points toward a table of women that giggle behind napkins, “and I saw you. I was hoping for an autograph, and maybe a picture.”

“I have a girlfriend, Amber.”

“Oh, I know,” she assures me with a soft hand on my shoulder. “I swear, I’m a genuine fan. I know y’all must get girls comin’ up to you all the time.” She nods toward Bobby and Aiden. “I know who all y’all are. But I swear I’m not like those girls. I just want a photo. My daddy would be so jealous. It’s our thing, we’ve been watching the fights for... well, forever.”

My phone dings and flashes with another text. My teeth grind together with frustration. I just want to go home.

“You know what.” Amber takes a shy step back. “That’s okay. I’m sorry for barging in on your supper. It was rude of me.”

Groaning, I stand and pat my deflated jeans down. Throwing my napkin on top of the plate, I move around the chairs. “No, it’s fine. I’m sorry.” Be kind to the fans. Fans buy Bambie all the pretty things in life. “Let’s get it done. Bobby, take the damn picture.”

Amber giggles and scrambles to pass Bobby her phone. She lets out an excited squeak when her hand brushes along his, then another squeakier squeak when she steps into my side and I throw my arm over her shoulders.

“Thank you so much for this, Jackhammer.”

Fuck, that name embarrasses me. “Please just call me Jack.”

Another squeak.

We turn and smile as Bobby snaps a few pictures.

“I was so sorry to hear about your late girlfriend,” Amber murmurs quietly. “Truly. I’m sorry the media covered that the way they did.”

I nod and grunt. What more can I say?

“As a longtime fan, I wanted to know everything. But as a human being,” she tsks, “I thought that was really horrible.”

“Okay.”

Nodding, Bobby lowers the phone. Amber steps forward and takes it – with a squeak – then turns back to me. Placing her hand on my arm, she looks up through long lashes. “I was really happy to see you have a new girlfriend, Jack. Jealous as all get out,” she giggles. “But happy. I’m glad you were able to move on so soon.”

She digs the knife in and doesn’t even realize it.

“Thanks for your time.” She squeezes my arm, stands on her toes, and kisses my cheek.

Cameras flash at the exact right moment .

Fuck my life.

As soon as she walks away, I turn back and pick up my phone. Three texts from Bambie. One picture, two messages. I hit dial.

“Hey,” she murmurs huskily. “You liked the picture that much, huh?”

“A chick just came up and asked for my picture and autograph.” I slap my forehead when I realize I forgot to give her an autograph.

“Oh,” her voice changes from sex to confusion. “Okay. Does that feel weird, or what? You’re so famous.”

“I gave her the picture, but when she was leaving, she kissed me on the cheek.”

“Okay…” she replies slowly. “Bet she’s jealous it’s only your cheek. I’ve kissed your dick, so… I win?” Her laughter turns soft, back to husky, and travels right to my dick.

“Bambie. Get serious for a sec.”

She sighs. “What’s the matter, Jack?”

“I just wanted to tell you. I don’t want anything to mess us up.”

“How could it? She’s a fan, she asked for a picture. It’s not a big deal.”

“Paparazzi photographed her as she leaned in to kiss me.”

“Was your tongue in her mouth?”

“What?” Horrified, I momentarily take the phone from my ear. “No!”

She laughs. “Then we’re good.”

“You promise? You want me to come home right now?”

Silence.

“Bambie?”

More silence.

“Bambie!”

“Hang on,” she snaps back. “I’m looking on the internet.”

My heart sinks. “At what?”

“You and your new girlfriend,” she laughs. “She’s pretty.”

Fuck. “It’s already up?”

Bobby’s eyes go wide across the table. My family watches my breakdown in silence, but at my words, Kit whips her phone out and starts scrolling.

“Yeah, she tagged you and said she’s in a new relationship.”

“Are you fucking kid–”

“Relax, Jack. Jesus, you’re tense today. You need me to kiss your dick?”

“Bambie,” I groan. “You’re killing me.”

“I was kidding. Yes, it’s on the internet. No, there’s no new relationship. It’s on the Entertainment page. You need to relax. ”

“I miss you.”

She sighs wistfully. “I miss you, too. But relax. I’m not those girls, okay? I’m not the jealous type.”

“I’d be jealous if the tables were turned.”

“Well, that’s not me. I’m just… I’m your one-night-stand that hung around. And your dog sitter,” she giggles. “Annie says hi, by the way.”

“You’re more than that,” I whisper.

I want to tell her that I love her. I don’t know why I keep putting it off, but right now, when we’re not even in the same state, it’s not the right time.

“What am I, Jack?”

“My girlfriend.” I love you.

“Jack,” Kit hisses across the table. Turning her phone, she shows me the image of me and Amber in an ‘ embrace .’ Then me and Bambie kissing out front of the gym. Then me and Steph… at prom.

The caption reads ‘This Romeo moves on, but will any girl live up to his first Juliet?’

Fuck.

“Bambie–”

“I’ve gotta go for now, okay? Annie and Bowser are just about to eat each other.”

“Who’s Bowser?”

“Alex’s dog.”

“Shit, I didn’t know he had a dog. Is it cool that Annie’s there? You can drop her off with Tina or Iz, they won’t mind.”

“It’s fine. The dogs are getting along fine, but they both want to sit on me right this second, so they’re giving each other the beady eye. I’ve gotta go.”

“Bambie–”

“Call me later if you want, okay? I promise we’re okay. We can video chat and I’ll show you my pretties.”

I sigh and flop back into my chair. “Alright. I’ll call you in a little while.”

“Alright. Later, Jack.”