Evil Of Love (22 page)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Eric

It’s been more than twenty four hours since I’ve seen her and I’m losing my fucking mind. I need to know she’s okay. I need to see her. I turn to the clock on my dresser, five o’clock. Travis may not be home yet. I might have a chance to speak with her before tomorrow’s fight. I open the door to my computer room, switching on the lights. As my computer starts up I find myself becoming impatient. As I login, I notice Steph’s online and perk right up. I click on the
chat now
icon.

ME: Good evening, beautiful, I’ve missed you so much! Are you available to video chat right now?

STEPHANIE: I’ve missed you too! You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. I’m logging into the video chat now.

              I switch on my video chat adjusting the camera to show my face and wait patiently for her to join me. Moments later I’m greeted with beautiful brown eyes, accompanied with silky auburn hair that’s tide into a bun on top of her head; pure beauty.

             
“Good evening, gorgeous,” I smirk, taking great pleasure in the shy smile that appears on her lips.

             
“Good evening.”

             
“I assume your husband is not yet home?” I question making sure she’s alone.

             
“Actually, I’ve got some great news!” she says, smiling.

             
“Oh, yeah?”

             
“Yep! He left on a business trip about an hour ago and will be gone all weekend! It’s perfect, Eric. I’m already packing my things and will be ready to leave with you after your fight.”

             
“That sounds great! I’m glad this is all working out so easily. He hasn’t hurt you at all, right?” I ask, needing to know she’s alright.

             
“Um, no.”

             
I can hear the hesitation in her voice. I fucking hate what this man does to her. All I can think about is ripping his fucking head off if I ever get the chance.

             
“So, you’re okay then?” I push her for a more honest answer.

             
“It wasn’t one of my best days, Eric, but once I found out he was leaving, the rest of the day has been amazing. I can’t stop smiling. By the time he returns from his business trip I will be long gone, wrapped in your arms,” she exclaims.

             
“And baby, I can’t wait! Since he’s gone why don’t I come get you tonight? You can stay with me, and leave to the fight with me in the morning.”

             
“You know I would love that, Eric, but you need your rest, and I need to pack. Since he’s gone this will allow me to be more efficient in what I’m bringing with me.”

             
“I miss you, Steph. Plus I would much rather be with you, than sleep. Just know you don’t have to bring much. I’m going to get you a brand new wardrobe and anything else you need, when we get to our new place, which I can’t wait for you to see.”

             
“I’m excited to see the place, Eric. I don’t have much that is sentimental, so I will be packing light. You get some rest for your big day tomorrow. I can have Thomas bring me. Where is the fight going to be held?”

             
“It’s at the Kellar Auditorium here in town. I’ve got to be there really early, but the fight doesn’t start until five. I’d like to see you ahead of time though. Could you come at three? I can meet you in the front,” I state, really wishing I could hold her all night and all day tomorrow, but I do need my rest even though there’s no way I’m going to lose.

             
“Yeah. I’ll meet you then. Can’t wait! I love you, Eric,” she says, and I can see the happiness radiating from her eyes. She doesn’t look like the sad abused girl from earlier this week. I never want to see her be that girl again. She doesn’t deserve it.

             
“I love you too, Stephanie,” I reply. “Have a good night and don’t stay up too late. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

             
“You don’t stay up too late either, Eric. Goodnight.”

             
“Goodnight.”

             
I wait watching the screen until she’s shut it down. Releasing a heavy sigh I decide to prepare my dinner and get to bed early. I know it’s going to be a rough night, thinking not only about the fight, but thinking about her, about those plump full lips that taste like strawberries every time I lick them. Those beautiful brown eyes that watch me with more love then I’ve ever seen a woman have for a man. Her pure golden perfection that glows with radiance when I’m with her. It’s all I’m going to be thinking about tonight, while alone in my bed.

             
Any pain that she’s ever felt, ever had, I’m going to take it all away. I’m going to replace all those feelings with love. She will never have to suffer in any way again and that life with her begins tomorrow.

***

Stephanie

As I sift through the few photos I have tucked away in a box, hidden in my closet, I notice how little I have from growing up. So many memories were filled with hate. It’s hard to recall any good times. I pull out one photo that shows my mom and me sitting on the sand of the coastal beach. I’m digging with my shovel while my mom is laid out on a beach towel, sunglasses covering her eyes with the beautiful ocean water in the back ground. I must have been around five years old. The photo looks like a memory that would be wonderful, but unfortunately all I can remember from that day is my father sitting on the beach with his bottle of whiskey and when the moment came for us to go home my mom insisted on driving, but my father refused to admit that he wasn’t in control and snatched the keys. I just remember crying, unsure of what was happening and why there was so much screaming. We made it home without anything happening, but I listened to my parents scream at each other for hours. I watched as my dad finally got fed up and punched her in the leg and then again in the arm. He was repeatedly screaming for her to shut the fuck up and finally she did. Finally, she faced the window and didn’t say another word to him.

              I wipe my cheek as a tear falls down from the painful memory. I can’t help but feel sorry for my mom. She never deserved any of what he did to her. Just like I don’t deserve what Travis does to me and the way he makes me feel. No matter how worthless I am I still don’t deserve his abuse. I don’t know what I would do if I would have never ran into Eric. He is saving me more than he knows. He’s saving me from myself. I’m weak. My dad made me this way. He made me fearful of men. He made me believe all I ever deserved was to be treated like shit. I’ve never known any different, except with Eric.

             
I grab up the small stack of photos I have from my childhood and take them down to the office. One by one I place each photo through the shredder. I don’t want to hold onto any of these memories. They are all painful. This life with Eric is a new start to the new me. The stronger me. The me that deserves to be treated like a person. I’m not going to be the little girl that hides, the little girl that cries herself to sleep to hide the pain. I’m done having my life controlled by these men who think they are better than me. I don’t want to hold onto all the pain that has been haunting me for so long now.

             
Once the last photo is shredded I dump all the pieces into a garbage bag. I don’t want to be reminded of my past any longer. I turn back upstairs to complete my packing.

             
I only place a few outfits into my suit case, along with two pairs of shoes and some makeup, a tooth brush and a hair brush. Just enough items, as if I’m going on a short trip. I don’t want to take anything else. I don’t want to take the clothes Travis has bought me. Once I get new clothes I’m burning these ones. I will not be reminded of him ever again.

             
I zip up my suit case and release a sigh of relief. My world is finally changing. Tonight will be a night of wine and forgetting everything that I’m leaving behind.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Eric

Last night was the first full night’s sleep I’ve gotten in a long time. Lately I’ve been lying awake, thinking of Stephanie, hoping and praying she’s okay and I’ll see her again. Last night, knowing Travis was out of town, was the first night I actually slept peacefully. She was safe at home and now today is the day she can finally rid herself of that bastard.

             
Today is going to be a busy day and I’ve got warming up and some preparing to do before my fight. I wish that she would have agreed to me picking her up, but as long as she’s meeting me before the fight I’ll be happy. I need to see her beautiful face before I step into the ring.

             
Gym bag packed and ready to go I jump into my truck, heading to meet Marcus at the arena. I’ve got warming up to do. Final weigh-ins are this morning. This event is live and the place will be packed. It’s a huge auditorium and I’ve assigned Stephanie a seat up front. She’ll be next to some of my sponsors as well as Marcus’ wife will be there and will have a seat right next to her. I’m going to feel a lot better fighting knowing exactly where she is and knowing she’s safe. I’m pumped for the fight, but I’m more excited for after. I can’t wait to see her face when I show her the place I’ve bought for us in Texas. She’s going to love it. I want to help her get back everything she’s given up. She needs friends, a job, something to make her feel good, most of all she needs a real life.

***

              As I’m pounding away on the bag, warming up my muscles, my heart races, not from the exercise, but more in anticipation of seeing Stephanie. The exhilaration of her watching me fight tonight is getting me hard.

             
“Eric! You ready for this tonight?” Marcus asks over the noise of my fist hitting the bag.

I pause, catching my breath. “Yeah, I’m ready! This guy is nothing and you know that Marcus!” I counter. 

“Yeah, you’re the shit, Eric. I know this as well as you do, but you’ve never had a distraction before. At least not like one you’re going to have tonight. I can’t help but be concerned. I need you focused.”

“I’m more focused than I’ve ever been. Worry about your own shit, Marcus, not
mine!” I reply, pissed that he would call Stephanie a distraction.

“I’m not the one that will win or lose. It’s all on you tonight. I’m just giving you a heads up that it’s not going to be like the fights before. I don’t want to see you lose all because of her, when I know you can beat this guy with one eye closed.”

              I exhale, doing my best to keep myself calm. If he keeps addressing her as my
distraction
I’m going to have to beat his ass. I take another breath before replying, “okay, Marcus. I’ve heard you.”

             
And that ends that conversation. We work over the next hour with my personal masseuse who works and stretches each of my body parts and every muscle.

             
I check the time and Stephanie should be here soon, so I toss on a hoodie, pulling it over my head, throw on some jeans and sunglasses.

             
“I’ll be right back,” I holler over my shoulder to Marcus.

             
“Don’t let anyone see you out there, Eric. You’ll never make it back in.”

             
I smirk at his comments, because he’s right. Crazed fans of UFC come to these things and if they see me just standing out there they are going to swarm and I will be signing shirts the rest of the night. I pull my hoodie forward covering most of my face and take the back door out and around the large building. I wait off to the side until I spot the black car that I know holds Stephanie. I wave them down; unable to see through the tinted windows, but knowing it’s her. The car pulls up to the curb, avoiding all the pedestrian’s swarming around, crossing the street. Its hours before the live event, but there are several other fights beforehand so people are already entering, ordering their beers and preparing to get rowdy.

             
I step up to the car, opening the passenger door and am greeted by long silky legs that have me salivating at the thought of gliding my tongue up them and then large brown eyes look up at me with a smile that makes me want to push her back in the car and take her right now. Instead I hold out my hand like a gentleman and she places hers delicately in mine. As she steps out of the slick black car her long auburn hair, which is curled in large waves, falls forward. I pull her up onto the sidewalk, wrapping my arms around her waist and then gently push her hair out of her face. She’s stunning in her short black strapless stress, exposing skin in all the right places, but covered up just enough to keep you wanting more. Unable to control myself I run a hand across her tight ass, squeezing as I move my hand up to the small of her back. I want a taste of those full bright red lips. I lean in pushing her silky hair back with my noise and whisper in her ear, “you are the most beautiful woman I’ve laid eyes on. I want to taste every part of you… right now.” I hear her gasp and I smile to myself. I love that she reacts to me.

             
“You can have me whenever and wherever you want, Eric,” she whispers back and now she has the lower part of me reacting.

             
“Don’t tempt me, beautiful,” I counter, kissing the soft spot behind her ear and kissing down her neck till I reach her collar bone then I pull away slightly looking at her. Her eyes appear to be sparkling. “Don’t cry baby,” I say, wiping away the one tear that falls from her eye.

             
“You don’t know how happy I am right now, Eric.”

             
“He can’t hurt you anymore, no one can. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

             
“I know,” she says, as she lays her head against my chest. I run my hand through her hair holding her tightly. It kills me how much he’s hurt her, broken her. “Come on, let’s get inside.” I grab her hand in mine; carrying her one bag she has with her, and lead her around the building to the back entrance. Everything is right now that she’s here.

***

Stephanie

The fight is only thirty minutes away and I seem to be much more worried than Eric. He keeps telling me he’s going to win and that this guy won’t even be able to lay a hand on him, but I can’t help the feeling I have in my gut. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen him fight, hell, I’ve never watched anyone fight. It’s got to just be nerves. Plus, the fact that my bag is packed and I’m leaving with him after this, has my emotions all over the place; excitement, fear, wonder, relief.

              One of the large body guards walks me out to the seating area. He doesn’t say anything to me as he takes me right up to center stage and directs me to sit in the front row. Already sitting in a seat next to mine is a tall lean woman. Her short black hair glistens with the lighting. She’s beautiful, but also has this older, wiser appearance about her. However, the short red dress makes her seem younger. As I approach she stands up smiling at me.

             
“Hi! I’m Lucy, Marcus’ wife. You must be Stephanie?” she suggests and holds out her hand.

             
Willingly I shake it, still stunned with her beauty. “Yes, you can call me Steph,” I reply, taking my seat next to her. The body guard walks off back to wherever else he’s needed.

             
“I love watching these things. I always get so anxious and riled up. It’s a rush and I don’t have to risk my own safety, you know?” she laughs as she nudges my arm.

             
“I haven’t actually been to one of these before. I don’t know if I’m excited or scared,” I respond, shyly.

             
“Oh, sweetie. Don’t even worry. They are intense, but you get used to it. Some of the guys do get badly injured, but I always tend to look away when I know what’s coming. Can’t help it I guess. Still grosses me out when blood splats everywhere or an arm is jerked in a way it shouldn’t go. If you have a weak stomach you may want to look away if it starts to get nasty,” she suggests.

             
I don’t have a weak stomach, but my nerves are on end thinking of Eric getting hurt. “So, has Marcus been a trainer for long?” I ask, trying to distract from my shaky hands.

             
“He has been for almost twenty years now. I met him when he was just a trainer at a gym. He absolutely loves what he does. I’ve been coming to these fights for I don’t know how long.”

             
“Looks like I’ll be joining you at many more to come,” I state, smiling and doing my best to control my breathing.

             
She places her hand on my exposed knee. “Look Steph, just relax. I’ve seen Eric fight and he’s good. You don’t need to worry about him.”

             
“You think so?” I ask.

             
“Yeah. Here let’s go grab a beer before this thing starts,” she says, standing up; her tall lean body standing over me. Her legs appear to go on forever in that short red dress.

             
“Okay, thanks Lucy,” I reply getting to my feet. A beer or maybe a tall glass of wine would be nice.