Bruiser: A Lonely Housewife Embarks on a Passionate Affair with an Alpha Male MMA Fighter (13 page)

Chapter Forty

Ava

Staggering into the karate studio, Ava saw Mia standing there and it was like a slap in the face.

What the
fuck
?

What made it even worse was the look on Brandon’s face – like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“B-brandon,” Ava asked. “What the
fuck’s
going on here?”

Mia snapped, “I could ask you the same thing.” She cocked her head on one side, and snarled, “Aren’t you a bit late for cardio kickboxing, Mrs. Cassidy?”

That was like another slap to the face. Ava actually slumped against the doorframe when Mia growled that at her.

But, fortunately, Mia’s focus quickly shifted to Brandon.

Huge eyes narrowing, she said, “What’s this, B? Banging yet
another
mom on the side?” And when Brandon’s cheeks burned red, it was clear Mia knew that it was true.

“Funny,” the skinny Jewish mom sneered. Turning to Ava, she hissed, “That night I found you guys having the little tête-à-tête in the reception area, I
figured
this would happen.” She snorted derisively. “I saw the look in your face, you cock-hungry little slut.”

“And
you
,” Mia then wheeled back to Brandon. “You’re a fucking piece of shit, Brandon.” She sniffed haughtily. “You came up with such high-minded shit about how you
loved
me, and how you’d do
anything
for me.”

Shaking her head, Mia snarled, “And how did you demonstrate
that
? You completely
ignored
me when I told you I didn’t want you fighting,” and then she pointed an accusing finger at Ava, “and when I wouldn’t sleep with you any more, you started sticking it to that chubby little whore.”

Ava’s cheeks burned red.
Chubby
?

“You go on about
love
, Brandon,” Mia hissed, “but you don’t even know what love
is
. You have no sense of
loyalty
, or
decency
.” She sniffed. “Fuck, to you women are just something to stick your dick into when you can’t be bothered to jerk off.”

And with that, Mia strode past Brandon and Ava towards the door.

Throwing open the big, glass door, she paused for a moment and turned back towards them.

Looking the young karate instructor straight in the eyes, she growled, “It’s over, Brandon.
Do
whatever the fuck you want.
Fuck
whoever you want.”

And then she sniffed angrily again, continuing, “Because let’s face it – that’s what you were going to do anyway.”

And then she was gone – the short, skinny woman clambering into her BMW and revving the engine. Moments later, the car was peeling out of the parking lot and Brandon and Ava stood there, alone in the darkness.

For lingering moments, there was silence.

Then Brandon opened his mouth.

“Ava… I…”

“
No
,” Ava’s voice was sharp, and inarguable. “Whatever you were going to say, Brandon, just
no
.”

She wheeled around to the looming karate instructor and pointed an accusing finger at him.

“You know what? Everything that skinny little bitch just said is right. You’re
a piece of shit
, Brandon Broderick.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“You got butt-hurt, because I wouldn’t make out with you in the
kitchen of my own fucking house
? With my husband and kids upstairs?”

She shook her head sadly.

“So what did you do? Deal with it like a fucking adult?” Ava snorted. “I hardly think so. You ran away, and called that skinny whore over instead – because apparently the only way
you
know how to deal with your issues is to
stick your dick in them
.”

Brusquely, she paced past Brandon and kicked open the glass door to the karate center.

And then she walked out into the parking lot without looking back.

Brandon watched her go, feeling more floored than when Rob had punched him in the face, all those hours ago.

Chapter Forty One

Ava

Tears rolled down Ava’s cheeks, and she blinked desperately as she tried to focus on the road ahead.

God, she was
such
a fucking idiot.

She couldn’t believe how betrayed she felt. She couldn’t believe the way it had hit her – like she’d been kicked in the guts, the moment she’d walked into the karate school and found Mia standing there.

Ava had known Brandon would run off to the school, and once she’d settled Clark and Rob in front of the TV, had hoped to catch him there and talk through whatever weirdness had hit him that evening.

Hell, maybe she’d even hoped for a little more. For the chance to kiss Brandon back with the same ferocity and passion that he’d assaulted her in the kitchen with.

But, instead, he’d called
her
.

That skinny little bitch who’d walked out on Brandon when he’d needed her most. And the moment he needed a shoulder to cry on – and a hot place to stick his dick – he’d miraculously forgiven or ignored all that.

It was
exactly
as Mia had told Brandon. He’d spoken about his high-minded ideals when it came to things like love, but when he was hurt and lonely, he treated Ava and Mia like they were interchangeable; only there for him to empty his heart and his balls into.

Ava sobbed.

She’d jeopardized her marriage by sleeping with him. Fuck, she’d let him
cum in her
the other night. And she wasn’t even on the pill!

And now he’d blown her off – like
everything
she’d put on the line for him meant
nothing
.

God, she’d been
so stupid
.

Finally, Ava made it home.

She pulled her car into the driveway and shut off the engine – but sat in darkness squeezing the steering wheel for long, lingering minutes.

She tried to control her ragged, gasping breath. She tried to blink away the tears rolling down her cheeks.

She tried to keep her shit together.

It wasn’t easy, but keeping her shit together was one of the things Ava did best. After all, she was a mom – to two needy kids, and a frequently childish, needy husband.

And tonight, that’s who she needed to keep it together for.

Because while she’d had her heart ripped out at the karate center, she’d have to swallow down her feelings and deal with Clark’s bullshit when she went inside.

His insecurity. His childishness. The way he was treating Rob like the blond Californian had come to their house in New Jersey with the sole purpose of stealing Clark’s wife.

Fuuuuck
.

She had so much going through her head right then, the thought of having to deal with Clark’s bullshit was just… tedious.

Right at that moment, she hated him even more than she hated Brandon. And she hated Brandon pretty much more than she’d ever hated another human being in her life.

But Ava was in for a pleasant surprise.

Wiping her eyes for the final time, Ava stepped into the front room, and found Clark and Rob sprawled out on the couch, watching the cartoon version of
The Dark Knight Returns
, which Clark had been watching obsessively for the last month.

“Superman,” Rob was sneering, sipping his wine. “It’s gotta be Superman. He’s practically a fucking
God
.”

“Bullshit,” Clark barked, a big smile on his round face. “If Batman had enough time to prepare, he could overcome
every one
of Superman’s abilities.”

He pointed to the TV screen. “Just watch!”

“Dude!” Rob shook his head. “You’re nuts. Superman could use his laser vision to lobotomize Batman – while he was in fucking
orbit
.” He snorted. “That’s why Marvel is better than DC. Characters like Superman are
way
overpowered.”

“Marvel? Better than DC?” Clark banged his hand on the table, and looked up at Ava – who was standing quietly in the doorway. “Tell this man to get the
fuck out of my house
, Ava!”

He was screaming, but Ava saw his eyes flash happily. Against all the odds, once they’d sat down and started talking, Clark and Rob had actually
got on
.

Ava’s shoulders relaxed, and she took a long, deep, blissful breath. That, at least, was one emotional issue she didn’t need to deal with.

And, as she accepted that, the rest of them came crashing down on her like a tsunami.

“I-I’m going to bed,” she struggled to say, looking across the room at the two men as they ribbed each other good-naturedly. “You two boys promise not to stay up too late, okay?”

But, if the truth was told, she would be grateful for having that big, cool, dark bed entirely to herself for as long as possible.

Chapter Forty Two

Brandon

Brandon hammered through his morning classes pretty much on autopilot.

He grinned and nodded at the moms who turned up for his 5am cardio kickboxing class, but his eyes were like mirrors when they looked back up at him. He couldn’t even recall the small talk he made with them.

Exhausted and aching, he gritted his teeth as he forced his bruised muscles through the motions needed for the kickboxing class – and one of his longer-standing class attendees even pointed out that he was ‘going easy’ on them.

But for Brandon, there was nothing easy about that morning.

When he was done having to play nice with his early bird class attendees, Brandon staggered into the kids playroom and slumped, like a corpse, onto the couch.

He didn’t just look like a corpse. He felt like one, too.

Absolutely dead inside.

Fuck, he felt
horrible
.

He hadn’t just fucked things up with Mia beyond repair – he’d also hurt Ava; and that was what
really
pained him.

Ava had been the best thing in his life recently; and he wasn’t even talking about the sex. In fact, that was almost like a separate part of their relationship; like a scratch that needed to be itched.

The burning need inside of him that Ava had
really
fulfilled was
friendship
.

And he’d fucked that up. And he couldn’t forgive himself.

*              *              *

At a little past nine in the morning, the door of the karate center swung open, and Brandon clambered off the couch to see who it was. Classes didn’t begin until eleven – he should have been alone for at least another hour.

Staggering barefoot into the reception area, the bleary-eyed instructor looked up, and found Ava settling herself behind the reception desk, and opening up her spreadsheet of leads to call.

“A-Ava?” Brandon blinked. “W-what are you doing here?”

Ava looked up. Her brown eyes were narrow.

“I
work
here,” she explained coolly.

“B-but I thought… After last night…”

“I’m not
Mia
, B” Ava hissed. “Just because I’m pissed at you, it doesn’t mean I’m going to walk out on you.” She sniffed angrily. “After all, we’re doing all this to save the karate school, right?”

Brandon stood there, unable to find words.

Ava shook her head.

Pushing her chair back, she stepped over to where Brandon was standing, and placed her palm on his chest.

Looking up into his bleary eyes, Ava explained.

“I told you a few nights ago that if you
love
somebody, you let them follow their dreams. Well, now I’m telling you that if you’re
friends
with somebody, you support them.”

And then she added, “Even if they’re a piece of shit.”

“Ouch,” Brandon breathed.

Ava pulled her hand away, and headed back to the reception desk.

“I’m here to answer the phones, so you can teach classes and spar with Rob. In the meantime, I’m going to call these leads, and help get your school finances back in the black.”

And then Ava narrowed her eyes, and growled, “And if you know what’s good for you, you’re not going to say a
fucking word
to me while I do it.”