Kellan (12 page)

~
SEVENTEEN ~

Kellan

It was bad goddamn luck to fuck
before a fight. It was one of the basic rules of the fighting world. I knew it
as well as I knew the back of my hand. But fuck it, I hadn’t been able to help
myself when it came to Parker. Not after being away from her for even just
those few days.

“I think I’m
falling for you,” I told her, letting the confession fall from my lips like a
breathy prayer. In a way, it kind of was. I was praying she’d feel the same
way. Praying she wouldn’t think I was a total mess for everything I’d put her
through, only to tell her now that I was, slowly but surely, falling in love
with her.

Maybe not so
slowly, either. We’d only known each other a couple weeks, yet here I was,
totally smitten with her. I was changing my whole life to be with her.

No, that was only
partially true. I was changing my life because she made me feel like I deserved
better. Like I could do better. And I believed her now. With Parker wrapped up
in my arms, I felt goddamn invincible.

“That’s good,” she
told me, pressing her mouth to mine. “Because I think I’m falling for you,
too.”

I’d never imagined
that hearing words like that would make me feel so good. Being accepted by
someone, being loved by them, was almost more than my heart could bear. I felt
like I was gonna explode from all the emotion that welled up inside me.
Instead, I buried myself inside Parker and fucked her again, each thrust into
her warm, wet cunt erasing the years of pain and misery I’d held onto for so
damn long.

Each thrust inside
of her felt like I was coming home.

We took it easy
this time. I guess it wasn’t so much fucking as making love. I took my time
with her, enjoying every breathy moan I pulled from between her perfect lips. I
made it last, took her to heights she’d never known existed. I gave her as much
as I took from her, looking into her eyes, letting her see what she did to me,
how much this all meant. I couldn’t think of a time when I’d been like this
with a woman. When I’d opened myself up to them as much as I opened them up to
me.

When she lay
beside me, half-conscious and giddy from a second orgasm, I began to feel that
creeping dread that had haunted me most of my life. It was that feeling of
impending doom, like all of this was too good to be true. Like I couldn’t
possibly be this lucky without having to pay some kind of monumental price for
it.

And maybe that
feeling was right. Maybe I was tempting fate with all this happiness I was
experiencing lately. But I couldn’t push Parker away again, and I couldn’t go
back to the way things were before. She’d opened my eyes to a new hope, a new
reality, and I had to try to make it work with her. There was no other option,
no other way.

Even if everything
was about to go south, I had to look to the future, because that was the only
part of my life worth fighting for. And I was a fighter. That was what I did.
It was in my blood. Like I said before, I didn’t know how to do anything else.

Fighting for a
cause, though? That was new to me. And scary, in a way. But with Parker at my
side, I knew I’d come out on top. Or at least, I was hoping I did.

I rolled over onto
my side and gently stroked along her jaw. “Hey, baby. I got my last fight
comin’ up.”

Parker’s eyes
fluttered open. “Your last fight?”

I nodded. “After I
figured out what Vic had done, I called him up and told him this was it. I’m
out. But not before I get what he owes me. To do that, though, I’ve gotta fight
one last time. I know it’s stupid, he owes me the money regardless. But I
figure this is one way I can make sure the fucker faces me and doesn’t just
disappear with my cash. So will you be there for me, baby? Cheering me on?” I
slipped my finger under her chin, tilting her head up so I could gaze into her
eyes. “I can’t do this without you.”

Softly, Parker
reached up and ran her fingers through my hair. As I leaned into her touch, she
whispered in my ear, “We’re a team, Kellan. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

I met her stare.
“I know it’s asking a lot. After what happened to Thom… Jesus, Parker, I’m so
sorry about that. I feel so… responsible.”

“You aren’t,” she
assured me, but I wasn’t so sure. After all, if I’d listened to her from the
start, Thom would’ve have gotten his head caved in by those assholes back at
the bar.

“How is he?” I
asked her. “I heard it was bad.”

Parker nodded. “It
is. But he’s okay, mostly. Shaken up, and he’ll have a nasty scar on his head.
Right now, though, I think he’s most upset that they had to shave off his hair
to put the staples in.”

I closed my eyes.
That didn’t make me feel much better. My thoughts drifted again to the idea of
Parker having been the one to confront those guys instead of Thom. My blood
boiled at the prospect of what they would have done to her. I didn’t realize I
was clenching my fist until Parker gasped, and I realized I had a handful of
her hair.

I kissed her
forehead and let go, stroking her locks back into place. “Things will be
different now, baby. I swear. I’m here, and I’ll protect you from anyone, or
anything. I’ll keep you safe.”

“I’ll keep you
safe, too,” Parker whispered, burying her face in my neck as she wrapped her
arms around me. I held her tight as she continued. “We’ll protect each other,
Kellan. Whatever comes.”

I smiled against
her hair. I’d never had anyone watch my back like this before. Not even in the
Marines. Because Parker wasn’t a soldier—she wasn’t trained to fight, wasn’t
ready for the world I was thrusting her into. That made it a bigger sacrifice,
and that meant so much more.

Part of me still
felt like I didn’t deserve her, or this new life she was giving me. After
everything I’d done, after all the stupid shit I’d pulled, how the hell could I
justify a happy ending?

Maybe that was the
point—that I didn’t need to. Parker and I required no justification. We just
were.
And that was exactly the way I wanted it.

“Sleep now, baby,”
I told her, even though I was pretty sure she’d already nodded off. “Tomorrow’s
gonna be a brand new day.”

And the start of a
brand new life, for the both of us.

We fucked again the
next morning. Parker was a goddamn spitfire. For all her good girl looks, it
turned out she could be really bad when she wanted to be. That was quickly
becoming my favorite thing about her. I liked that she wasn’t what she seemed.

Almost as much as
I liked the way she screamed my name.

In the shower
afterward, she slicked my hair back with shampoo and said, “I think I’m gonna
go see Thom again before your fight. I was there last night, but they weren’t
letting anyone but family in. He texted me today and said Melanie had stopped
by, so I guess that means I can go, too.”

“Do you want me to
come?” I asked her, closing my eyes as she gave me the best damn scalp massage
ever. Christ, her nails were heaven. “I feel like I should at least explain…”

“He’s not mad at
you,” Parker said. “If anything, he should be mad at me. I’m the one who
dragged him into all this, all because of your dog tags and your cute butt.”

I smirked. “Which
one made you want me more?”

She stopped
massaging and I tilted my head back under the hot water. As I rinsed, she ran
her fingers over my abs. “Neither. It was your eyes.”

I rolled them.
“Everyone says that. It’s such a cop out.”

“I mean it,”
Parker insisted, now tracing my tattoo. “Not just because they’re pretty, even
though they are.”
Pretty.
Now that was a word no one had ever used to
describe me. “I saw such pain behind them. Such misery. I knew you had a story,
and I wanted to hear it. From the moment I met you, I…” She trailed off, and
when I looked down at her, she blushed. “I wanted to save you.”

A slow grin spread
over my face. On one level, that was absurd. I was a big boy who’d seen more
violence than Parker could ever dream of. I’d been through hell and back all on
my own. Sure, maybe a few years ago I’d needed saving, but I wasn’t that fucked
up kid anymore.

But on the other
hand, it was sort of… romantic. Maybe Parker wasn’t going to physically come to
my rescue, but she
had
saved my soul. I’d been broken before she found
me, and as much as my male ego hated to admit it, she was the one who’d started
putting all those pieces back together.

“Let’s make a
deal,” I said, drawing her against me under the water. God, she looked hot wet.
“From here on out, we’ll always be there to save each other. Agreed?”

Parker smirked.
“Agreed. As long as you’re also willing to forget the past. It’s time to move
forward, Kellan. We can’t let fear, or guilt, hold us back. Is that something
you can commit to?”

That was one hell
of a question. I knew, if I was being honest with myself, that I took things hard.
I shouldered burdens that were never mine to bear. I carried the weight of the
world, even when no one had asked me to. I let shit get to me, let it work way
too deep under my skin. I also knew that was a pattern I had to break, but old
habits, and all that.

Parker was worth
it, though. She was worth all the fight and struggle in the world. As long as
we were struggling through this together, it would be worth every ounce of
effort.

“Anything for you,
baby,” I told her, smoothing her soaked tresses back so I could look into her
eyes. “From now on, we don’t look back. Only forward.”

The longer the
idea settled with me, the more I liked it. Maybe because I knew with Parker in
my life, I had a hell of a lot to look forward to.

~
EIGHTEEN ~

Parker

“Thom, stop poking at it. You’ll only
make it worse.”

Thom made a face
at me from his hospital bed, an expression somewhere between a glower and a
scowl. He was holding up a hand mirror and inspecting his staples for the
umpteenth time since I’d arrived at the hospital, fiddling with them as he
lamented the loss of his beautiful hair.

“You’re like
Samson,” I muttered, watching him as he ignored me. “You know that, right?”

“Let’s just hope I
haven’t lost all my reporter powers,” he said, finally setting the mirror down
on his food tray. “You know, web-slinging, scaling tall buildings, disguising
myself with nothing but a pair of glasses—that sort of thing.”

“I think you’re
mixing up your comic book heroes,” I replied, unable to suppress my smile.
After Thom had taken such a terrible blow to his head, I’d worried about brain
damage, but he seemed just fine on that front, at least. He was still sharp as
ever, if a little depressed. Andy, his fiancé, had assured him time and time
again that he was still just as sexy as ever, but Thom disagreed.
Without my
hair,
he’d grumped,
I’m nothing.

Of course, that
was before the worst of the morphine wore off, so maybe he’d seen the light
now.

“Kellan says hi,”
I said, checking my phone at the same time. It was past six o’clock, and
Kellan’s fight would be starting in just a couple hours. I didn’t want to be
late, but I also knew Thom needed company. He was the epitome of a social
butterfly, and I was pretty sure he’d go insane without someone to talk to, and
Andy had to work. “He also says ‘sorry.’ He feels like this was his fault.”

“He’s an idiot,”
Thom said. “And I mean that in the nicest possible way. You can tell him I said
so—it’s not his fault at all. It’s his manager’s. Victor Dallas has got all
those guys brainwashed. They’re completely under his thrall.”

I blew out a sigh,
thinking of how just a few days ago, Kellan had been just as defensive of Vic
as the goons who’d beat up Thom were. Kellan was a smart guy, but even he’d
been taken in. I guessed when you were at rock bottom, the simplest display of
kindness could end up meaning the world.

At
least you know he’s loyal.

“Well, Kellan’s
out of it, now,” I told Thom. “Or at least, he will be after this one last
fight.”

“He’s fighting
tonight?” Thom asked. I nodded. “Then what the hell are you doing here with me?
Shouldn’t you be there supporting him?”

I smiled. “I will
be, though having your blessing means a lot. I’ve still got some time until I
have to go. I figured I’d get you up to speed on everything that’s been going
on.”

“I can’t wait to
put this guy’s ass in a sling,” Thom groaned, leaning back against his pillow.
“If he thinks getting my head split open is going to make me turn tail, he’s a
moron. And by the time I’m done with him, I’m hoping he’s a moron in jail.”

“As soon as you’re
feeling better, you and I will go in for the kill,” I assured him with another
smile. “And I’m sure Kellan will help however he can, too, providing he doesn’t
beat Vic to death as soon as he hands Kellan his money.”

I’d meant it as a
joke, but soon realized that scenario was a distinct possibility. Vic had
betrayed Kellan on every possible level, and Kellan had a temper. What was to
keep him from bashing Vic’s brains out once he had his winnings in his hand?

I bit my lip. I
hoped that wasn’t the case. Kellan could walk out of this free and clear, if he
could just keep his anger in check. He could start fresh. We could really build
something together. But not if he was in jail for assault.

I sent him a quick
text as Thom fussed with his in-room TV.
Keep your head in the game. No
revenge plots! <3

Kellan texted me
back just a few moments later.
Aww. :( Ur no fun.

Satisfied, I shook
my head and turned my attention back to Thom. “Is there anything you need from
me, Thom? Anything at all?” The truth was that I, too, felt a little
responsible for his predicament. I had, after all, pulled him into all of this
for the sake of a story. More and more, I was realizing there were way more
important things in life than making the front page. Thom’s wellbeing was one
of those things, and our friendship was another.

“Stop making puppy
dog eyes at me,” Thom replied, finally settling on some primetime drama.
“You’re as blameless in all this as your boyfriend is. Which reminds me: how
did you two finally make up?”

I blushed. “He
came over after he found out what happened to you. Said we were right and he
was sorry about everything. And then… well, then we made up in the usual way.”

“So glad my
cracked skull is bringing people together,” Thom said, but smiled nonetheless.
“I really am happy for you, Parker. And I think if we play our cards right, in
the end, we’re all going to get what we want.”

“I just wish I
could’ve gotten the senator,” I sighed. “Even though the worst will soon be
behind us, Kellan’s going to have a long way to go. It would make things easier
if he had a safety net he could rely on. Something like that veterans’ bill.”

“You did your
best, didn’t you?” Thom asked. I nodded, and he shrugged. “Then you’ve done all
you can. And I think Kellan will understand that, no matter how hard-headed he
is about everything else.”

“I think you’re
right,” I agreed, standing up. “If you’re all set, though, I’m going to head
out. Is Andy coming by later?”

“Yes, and he’s
sneaking me in some sushi, so don’t tell anyone.” I made a face and Thom
laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s not from that new place. I wouldn’t want to go the
way of Melanie Cartwright, on top of everything else.”

“From your lips to
God’s ears,” I said, stepping around the side of his bed to kiss his cheek. I
caught him on the temple, and he grunted a little. “Please get some rest, Thom.
The story will be here when you get back. You don’t have to worry about me
cutting you out.”

“I know you’d
never dream of it,” Thom said, then reached over and clasped my hand. “And
thank you for that. It’s not often you find integrity in our world.”

“You’re welcome,”
I said, squeezing his fingers softly. “I’ll see you later, Thom.”

“Call me when it’s
all over,” he replied, and I nodded on my way out.

I was just about
to take the elevator to the hospital’s parking garage when my cell phone rang.
I assumed it was Kellan checking up on me until I saw the number on the screen.
I had to do a double-take. This person wasn’t in my contacts, but I knew that
number like the back of my hand. It was Senator MacFarlane’s office.

I moved out of the
way of the elevator doors to let the people behind me in and returned to the
hall. “This is Parker,” I said as I picked up the call.

I’d expected the
senator’s secretary, but the voice on the other end was distinctly male. “Ms.
Jones, this is Senator MacFarlane returning your call. Or should I say ‘calls’?
You’ve given my voicemail a run for its money, that’s for sure.”

I swallowed
thickly, trying to make the transition from human being to professional
journalist. “All in the name of the greater good, Senator. I take it you got my
message about the veterans’ jobs bill?”

“I did,” he
replied. “As well as the many others you left with my secretary. That’s why I’m
calling you back. I’d love to sit down and talk to you, face-to-face. Where can
we meet?”

My heart pounded
in my chest. Holy shit. This was everything I’d been waiting for. Everything
I’d dreamed of. I’d had fantasy after fantasy of the senator calling me back
and arranging a meeting just like this, and yet now that it had happened, I had
no idea what to do.

After a pause that
felt like eons, I said, “What about Café Franz?” It was an upscale, but
affordable, restaurant downtown. They had a room for private meetings that I
was sure the senator would take advantage of.

“That sounds
fine,” the senator said. “I haven’t eaten dinner yet, anyway.”

I blinked. “Wait.
You want to meet
tonight?
”

“That was my
intent,” he replied, “though if you’re busy, I’m sure we could schedule
something for… next month, perhaps?”

No, that wouldn’t
do. Kellan needed this bill to pass, and he needed it to pass
yesterday.
But he was fighting tonight, and soon. Could I really manage to tackle both his
fight and a meeting with a state senator all in one evening?

I had to. I’d make
it work. And when Kellan saw me after, I’d have amazing news. He’d be thrilled.
It would be a great start to his new life—
our
new life.

Steeling myself, I
said, “Tonight is fine. I can be at Café Franz in fifteen minutes.” At least it
was close to where Kellan would be fighting tonight. If I pled my case
succinctly, he might not even have time to miss me.

“I’ll see you
there,” the senator said. Then he ended the call.

I thought about
shooting Kellan a quick text to let him know where I’d be, but I didn’t want to
worry him unnecessarily. If I wasn’t going to be late, it wasn’t a big deal,
anyway. And I kind of wanted this news to be a surprise, if things went well.
If they didn’t, there was no reason to tell him. I didn’t need the anticipation
of an answer clouding his judgment in the ring, either. He needed to keep his
eyes on the prize: winning his freedom.

Instead, I sent
him another heart, but didn’t get a reply. He was probably warming up now, and
I knew from experience he had no place in those shorts of his to hide a phone.
They’d certainly never hidden his erection.

You
can do this,
I assured myself as I pressed the
button for the garage.
You can make it all work out. I’m sure of it.

Kellan was my
hero. For once, I wanted to be his, too.