Authors: Kristen Chase
Romance: JADEN: An MMA Fighter Romance (Bad Boy Tattoo Romance) (New Adult Pregnancy Short Stories)
JADEN
A Bad Boy MMA Romance
By: Kristen Chase
BONUS BOOKS:
I vividly remember that day. His cold hands wrapping around my neck. I could feel my throat slowly closing, gurgling while it through back the air that was desperately trying to get in. At first, I had struggled. I had swung my arms violently. I had put up a fight, trying to act tougher than I was, and he knew it. I could see his bloodshot eyes between strands of oily black hair, his yellowing teeth and a violent scar on his left cheek.
I knew I was in danger before I actually was. I saw him and I knew that the world was about to challenge me.
As the oxygen ran out of my body, I remember feeling my eyelids wanting to fall. I could feel my fear falling away as I finally gave in to my fate. I vaguely could hear a voice in the distance yelling, and it got closer, but by then I was too far gone. The last thing I remember was the greasy hands releasing my weak neck and letting me slump helplessly to the floor. I thought I was dead.
I came to my senses shortly after by another unknown man’s hands grabbing me. This time, he was shaking my shoulders and he was looking into my eyes with concern rather than the bilious hostility as I was previously staring into. I may have been faint but I definitely noticed that this man was also very attractive, unlike the last disaster I had been facing.
My eyes slowly opened to this new man’s concerned face, but as soon as he saw that I was conscious, his expression immediately depicted angry.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
I stared blankly at him. He spoke so personally, like he meant ‘me’, in particular, but I was too dizzy to care.
“Well? What are you doing here?”
I blinked at him as he waited for me to define myself.
“What?”
“Walking alone down a dark street. Do you not watch the news?”
“Sorry.” I mumbled, finally finding the strength to lift myself up onto my elbows.
I wasn’t sure why I was apologising but the way he spoke, it seemed as though that’s what I owed him and exactly what he was expecting from me.
“Especially an attractive girl. It is incredibly dangerous.” He continued.
Did he just call me attractive? I was taken aback by his compliment even though he spoke it so nonchalantly like he really was just trying to prove a point.
“Sorry.” I groaned again, and this time his face relaxed and he sighed.
“Sorry. Sorry for lecturing you, especially just after what you just experienced. It was just…I just…don’t get yourself into trouble like that again.”
I looked away from him trying not to roll my eyes at his attempt at apologising. He had just saved my life though, and that, along with his piercing blue eyes and bad-boy demeanour, produced a certain tug towards him.
“Thanks for saving my life.”
His look of concern came back onto his now disappointed face.
“Oh shit, I am so sorry. Are you okay?”
I nodded and smiled at him and then pushed against the ground to stand up. He immediately held underneath my elbows and assisted me.
“I’m no good at this that’s all. I should have asked if you were okay first, shouldn’t I have?”
This confused me. What wasn’t he good at, and was he really asking for my advice on what he should have said to me?
“No good at what? And you saved my life, you can say whatever you want in whatever order you want.”
His tension eased again and he looked at me thoughtfully for the first time. He smiled and I felt an attraction pass between us.
“No good at this talking thing.” He explained after a few seconds of staring deep into the pools of each other’s eyes.
“I think you’re great.”
Okay, now I was flirting. I don’t think he knew it, though. His eyes widened and he looked confused.
“Really?”
I laughed at his naivety. It was sweet and so unexpected. He let out a small laugh but his look of confusion was still there. I decided not to explain.
“I’m Alyssa by the way.”
I held out my hand and he took it in his, his smile returning to his chiselled face.
“Jaden.”
I smiled back and our eyes lingered once again.
“Come I’ll walk you home. Are you okay to walk?”
I nodded. “Yes I’m fine, thanks. You really don’t have to though.”
His face dropped.
“Are you serious? Look, it’s okay if you don’t want me to or something but I can’t let you go by yourself. Is there someone I can call for you?”
“I was just being polite.” I explained, but once again his face was full of confusion.
“You can walk me home.” I confirmed simply.
He slowly smiled and I realised I really had my work cut out for me here. He really had no idea how people communicate. I liked it though. On the outside he looked hard-core and quite intimidating, but he really was just an innocent, nice guy.
“Well, this is me.”
We stood outside of my house and I delayed leaving his side, waiting for him to maybe ask for my number. Then I realised that this was of course not going to happen though. I hadn’t known Jaden for long but he definitely didn’t understand the subtleties of flirting. Well, he didn’t really comprehend the bold hints either I guess. I wasn’t a shy girl and I could usually read signals well but this one was definitely hard to read and I was quite nervous to make any first moves. Although he probably would either take it as a completely neutral thing that didn’t mean anything like what I would be implying, or he would reject me, but I would never see him again. Either way, I couldn’t see my embarrassment having to last much longer than the walk to my front door.
“Do you..”
“Can I…”
We spoke simultaneously.
“You go first.”
“You go first.”
Again, our words were in-sync. We both paused, analysing each other trying to figure out which one of us was actually going to talk. I stayed silent. I wanted to know what he was going to say.
“I run mixed martial arts classes down at the Shore Club. You should come check it out.”
He rustled through his pockets and pulled out his wallet. I wasn’t exactly ecstatic about what he was offering, but this could have been his way of getting to see me again, or just him trying to help me, in which case I was now feeling very glad I hadn’t stepped in and spoke my piece first.
He handed me a business card from his wallet and pointed to the number underneath his name.
“Just give me a call if you want to come. Oh, or you can go on the website – it’s on the back.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond but I smiled politely.
“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
“Awesome. Maybe I will see you there then.”
“Cool. See ya.”
I turned away from him and we went our separate ways. I didn’t want to attend this mixed martial thing he was talking about. I didn’t even really know what it was, but surely I would just embarrass myself. I’m not very fit either, and it sounds like a lot of work. To tell the truth, I’m a bigger girl and the thought of not being able to make it through his class because I couldn’t breathe didn’t sound very appealing. It was nice meeting him though, and maybe I’d bump into him again, hopefully in completely different circumstances though. But for now, I would just put the night, and Jaden, behind me.
***
I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Nothing in particular or anything, but at least once a day he would decide to jog into my memory or his eyes would flash into my head. It was of course not a normal situation to just think of someone everyday so it was a clear sign I was somewhat attracted to him, but I couldn’t bear the thought of putting myself out there. Not that I got the opportunity to see his shape under his hoodie and jeans, the other night, but he looked pretty built, and the second he mentioned mixed martial arts, it was pretty much guaranteed that he was harbouring a sick pack under there. And me? Well, I’ve already explained that I’m on the big side, so when it comes down to it, he is just way out of my league. Plus, he was kind of weird. Well, not weird, just very different to the guys I’m used to. He was a bit withdrawn and shy and completely unaware of what he could do to a girl’s panties. And he seemed like the classic bad boy—not the bad boy that is athletic and prom king at school but the kind that wags class and smokes behind the gym, and has an extra-curricular joy in the world of drugs. I don’t really know how I could get all of this just by my one encounter, and I knew it was all just assumptions, but that’s all I had to go on and I guess that’s what first impressions are all about. Although I do pride myself on not judging people on first impressions and even if I did in this situation, I still feel some sort of pining after him so he couldn’t have done too badly. He definitely contradicted my assumptions through his concerned protectiveness and his somewhat chivalrous nature though.
Maybe I could just message him and we could catch up somewhere other than his classes. But then it might be seen as a date, and I think at this moment, I would even ridicule myself to think that he would be interested. I know I shouldn’t think like that, but it’s hard, and I know you know exactly what I’m talking about. Everything is easier said than done.
Okay, I’d just have to start with a class…maybe…and then a friendship could begin and I could then see if there was something more or if I was just caught up in the whole ‘damsel in distress gets saved by her hero’ story. Either way, a friendship would have to be the way to approach this, and then…well, then I’ll just see what happens and get back to you.
***
Great, I was sweating already and I hadn’t even entered the building. My nerves had sky-rocketed and I sat in my car mastering my procrastination. I wanted to go into the class, and I was trying really hard to focus on the beneficial aspects the class would provide me with, rather than whether or not I wanted Jaden to see me as a sweaty mess.
It felt funny saying his name, even in my head. It felt kind of personal somehow, like I didn’t really know him well enough to address him with his name—which is completely strange I know. I mean, what else was I going to call him? Hero? Ha, I don’t think so. He probably wouldn’t even comprehend what I meant. Shit, there went my heart as I thought about how cute I found his peculiar innocence with girls, or at least with me—yep, I had to see him.
I made my way into the classroom eagerly searching for Jaden but trying not to look obvious or expecting. There were many ripped bodies standing around but I couldn’t spot him in the crowd. Until he turned around. I had to take a double look at him, unsure if I was remembering the right face. I tried desperately not to stare but my shock at his tattoo covered body was hard to avoid. He stood in exercise shorts and a thin singlet, his muscles protruding from every possible direction. He wasn’t incredibly bulky, he was just perfectly toned, perfectly arousing. I know I had seen him covered up the other night so I shouldn’t have been so surprised at all of his ink, but my pre-conceived ideas definitely didn’t add up. I stood at the back of the room, hoping I would be able to secretly drool over him without being noticed.
My plan worked. It actually worked so well that he didn’t even acknowledge me once like he actually knew me. I was beginning to believe that maybe he didn’t know me. Maybe I had stepped into the wrong room at this guy wasn’t even Jaden. But the more I looked at him, I knew it had to be. So why was he addressing me just like everyone else; like I was just another student and we had no connection outside of this room? Was I really that unforgettable? I didn’t think it was possible for this class to make me feel any more uncomfortable and out of place as I had expected, but this definitely did the trick. I knew that it was silly to be so upset considering he had known me for a whole of fifteen minutes, but it felt so overwhelming to me; a rejection I had never quite experienced before. Maybe he recognised me but, under the harsh lights of this room, he realised he didn’t want to. I wanted to leave straight away. It wasn’t like I was even enjoying myself, but that little flickering light of hope, deep in my stomach, made me stay and wait out the entirety. It’s ridiculous how you feel like you want someone more just because they don’t want you, but that’s exactly how I felt.
The class was over and I headed for the door. My hope had dissipated quite quickly as the clock on the wall struck onto each remaining minute, dwindling like my hope. I couldn’t stick around any longer, watching him speak to the girls in their crop tops and bike shorts, smiling their pearly white teeth at him and touching him on the arm every time they said something. The second I was out of the room, the better. I would be able to finally let my aching tears out from behind my eyes.
“Alyssa!”
My heart felt like it had been squeezed into a tight ball as I heard my name being called behind me. I turned around, sucking back the teardrops that had been so ready to fall. Was it Jaden calling my name? It had to be. I didn’t know anyone else here, no-one else knew me. Jaden was breaking away from a group of girls, seeming as if he had abruptly stopped their conversation to get my attention. He was walking over to me, the girls left behind glancing at the girl he was striding over too. I wasn’t sure if they looked confused because of the girl he was walking towards, being me, or the fact that maybe it was quite out of his character. I much preferred the second option.