Parker (Striking Back #3) (19 page)

“Are
you okay?” I ask Parker as soon as we’re alone.

“This
place is a nightmare. Depressing as fuck, and all that noise.” He shakes his
head and gazes down at me. “I’m glad I came.”

That’s
a surprise. “You are?”

“I
like the idea of him in here, suffering all these years.”

“You’re
angry.”

“You
would be too.” There’s more than anger in his voice, and the hurt and
vulnerability in his eyes breaks my heart.

I
grab his hand. “Come on. Let’s sit down and you can tell me what to expect
Friday night.”

The
sound of his laughter is a relief. “Are you worried about me?”

“Possibly.”

“Don’t
be. It’s an exhibition fight for charity and a bunch of sick kids will be there
watching. We aren’t going to kill each other.”

He
pulls me down to sit next to him on the couch. Avoiding his gaze, I draw
circles on his jean clad thigh with my fingertip and mumble, “You could still
get hurt.”

I’m
met with an amused smirk when he pinches my chin and tilts my head up. “There’s
always a little risk, but I’ll be fine. A few bumps and bruises.” He leans to
whisper in my ear. “You should be more concerned about the safety of your pussy.
All that adrenaline pumping through me after a fight. I’m going to fuck you
ragged on every surface in my house.”

“Don’t
get any serious injuries and I’ll give you a blowjob you’ll never forget.”

“I’m
holding you to that,” he warns with a teasing grin. The next hour and a half
ticks by and we talk about anything and everything but his father and this
place. I’m glad he asked me along so I could distract him.

Finally,
the metal door opens and the visitors come flooding out. Alex’s eyes are red and
puffy, and Mason looks like he’d like to break something. Without a word, we
follow them back to the parking lot.

Ev
pulls me aside. “Let’s give the guys a minute,” she suggests, and the three of
them gather at the back of Parker’s truck. Ev and I sit on the hood of Mason’s
car.

“How
bad was it?” I ask.

Ev
sighs and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “Mason didn’t say anything, just
glared and stayed close to Alex. Alex didn’t pull any punches, asked Gene outright
why he killed their mother.”

I
can’t imagine having to ask such a thing, especially of a parent. “What was his
answer?”

“That
he wanted her back and he couldn’t control his anger.”

“Fucker.”

“Yeah.
Alex wasn’t having it either. He lost it, called him every foul name
imaginable, then promised to come and watch the execution. He’s so angry.”

“They
all are.”

Nodding,
she gets to her feet. “It was what Alex needed, I think, to get it off of his
chest.”

I
grab her hand. “What do I do, Ev? How do I help Parker deal with it? Our
relationship is so new. I’m afraid I’ll fuck it up.”

Her
soft smile is reassuring. “Keep doing what you’re doing, girl. Don’t push him.
Just let him know you’re there. It’s a comfort to him even if he doesn’t show
it.”

* * * *

It’s
Friday before I know it and my stomach is in knots. The Children’s Hospital
Tournament is being held at the gym of the city’s largest high school.
Invitations were limited and cost a small fortune. Since the space is donated
and all the planning and setting up is being handled by volunteers, the hospital
will get a significant sum to help support children’s care.

Alex
picked Parker up early this morning so they could prepare and true to his word,
Cooper stayed behind with me. Ev is bringing Cody, so she won’t show until
later. The first few hours are reserved for the kids from the hospital to hang
out with the fighters, get autographs and t-shirts, so we aren’t missing
anything.

Cooper
and I are a ball of nerves when we enter the parking lot. I can’t believe the
crowd gathered on the sidewalks and the adjoining lawns. Women with very little
clothes and less self-respect hold signs with various fighter’s names scrawled
in hearts. MMA groupies? Really? Mason’s name appears the most. I suppose
because he was once the middleweight champ.

“This
is insane,” Cooper breathes.

We
have to show our ID’s and get a colored bracelet before we’re allowed inside.
The bleachers are full and people are milling around between the eight rings
that have been laid out. A grin splits Cooper’s face when Alex bounds over and
kisses him. “You’re early.”

“We
couldn’t wait any longer.”

Alex
puts a blue lanyard around Cooper’s neck, then does the same for me. “These
tell the judges you’re with us. They’ll be clearing the floor soon, making
everyone take a seat. Family can stay by the rings.”

Cooper
grabs him in a bear hug. “Be careful.”

I
miss Alex’s response when I’m grabbed from behind in strong, muscled arms.
“Hey, doll. Ready to see me whip some ass?”

The
sight of him nearly knocks me off my feet. My gaze travels down his firm chest
to hard sculpted abs. Black shorts hang low on his hips, displaying a V of
groin muscle that steals my last brain cell.

Lips
land on my ear. “I suggest you stop looking at me like that before I drag you
under the bleachers.”

“Well,
why aren’t you wearing a shirt?”

“I
was warming up.” He reaches behind a registration table and grabs a t-shirt
printed with the Reed Brothers gym logo. “Better?” he asks, after pulling it
on.

“Yes,
there’s way too many fight floozies around.”

“Tell
me about it,” Everly growls, approaching with Cody in tow. “Did you see all
those skanks out front?”

“Don’t
worry, babe.” Parker kisses me on the head. “They want Mason, not me.”

Everly
smacks him, and he laughs. “One of our beginner students, Brandon, is up in
just a minute. Do you want to watch?” Alex asks.

The
young underbelt fighters are the first to compete. We all cheer them on while
Alex, Parker, and Mason coach Brandon through his first competition. Three
fights later, Brandon wears a face splitting grin, a trophy clutched in one
hand. A thin pretty girl kisses his cheek right below his swelling eye.

Parker
laughs aloud when Brandon turns and kisses the girl full on the lips. “He’s
been after her for months.”

Cooper
sits beside me, and I grab his hand when Alex steps onto the mat. His opponent
is shorter and bulkier, but Cooper has nothing to worry about. Alex takes him
down in less than a minute. The only sign he was in a fight is a small split in
his lip.

My
stomach flips over when Parker yanks off his shirt and takes his corner. From
the way he greets his opponent, it’s clear they know each other and are
friendly. It makes me feel a little better. Plus, the guy is thinner than
Parker.

They
trade a few punches and kicks, feeling each other out. I’m fine until Parker
takes a roundhouse kick to the head that knocks him to the ground. Ev yanks me
back into my seat when I jump up. “Don’t you dare. You act like a worried
mother and he’ll kill you. He’s okay, see?”

She’s
right. His opponent took the advantage once he was on the ground, but Parker
quickly recovers. The cheers from the crowd are deafening when Parker gets him
in a chokehold that forces a tapout, and I release a breath I wasn’t aware I
was holding. It’s over.

After
a brief photo and autograph session with the fans, the guys are more than ready
to go. “We still going to Chi-Chi’s?” Mason asks, and everyone agrees.

“Ian’s
going to meet us there,” Alex says, texting on his phone.

“We
can’t stay out too late,” Cooper points out with a smile. “We’ve got a long
drive to Vermont tomorrow.”

Alex
nods and takes his hand. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Parker

Chi-Chi’s
is a Mexican restaurant with a full bar. They seat our group at a large table
in the back as if they think we’ll be trouble. It’s a good call since everyone
is rowdy and amped up after the fight. My head is still pounding after that
roundhouse kick, but it’s nothing a few drinks won’t take care of.

“We
should’ve went somewhere with a dance floor,” Ev says, grinning at Mason.

“I’ve
had enough exercise for one day,” Alex replies.

“And
I’m starving,” I add. I can never eat much before a fight so my stomach is
growling now.

“You
ordered half the menu,” Ian scoffs. “You’ll never eat all that.”

Macy
blushes when I wink at her. “Never doubt my ability to eat.”

Ev
sips her drink. “So, Ian, how’d your date go last night?”

“You
want details?” he taunts with a wicked grin.

“Are
you going to see her again?”

Mason
shakes his head. “What did I tell you about your matchmaking obsession?”

Ev
slides a hand across the nape of Mason’s neck. “I want him to be as happy as I
am.” A soft smile overwhelms his former frown and he drops a kiss on her lips.

“She
has you wrapped around her little finger.” I laugh.

“You
should talk,” Mason replies, glancing from Macy to me.

“Whipped,”
Ian coughs into his hand and everyone laughs.

Macy’s
big brown eyes look up at me and I feel about ten feet tall. Wrapping my arm
around her waist, I pull her to me until our chairs are touching. “Whipped,
chained, and happily tied down.”

After
some aww’s and gagging noises Ev says, “Ian’s day will come.”

“Maybe
it’s today. That ginger waiter has been staring pretty hard,” I tease.

“No
way, if he wants to dabble in dick, I have dibs,” Cooper pipes up.

“Excuse
me,” Alex says, pretending to be offended. “He’s my sister-in-law’s best
friend. That means I get him first.”

“Share?”
Cooper suggests, the rest of us snorting and laughing.

“Deal.”

“Glad
we worked that out. So, Ian…”

Smiling,
Ian holds up his palm. “There will be no rumpy pumpy. I know I’m hot and
irresistible, but I love titties and pussy. No dong in my future. Besides,” he
adds with a cocky grin. “Look at me. I could do so much better.”

Alex
chucks a tortilla chip at him, and Ev turns to Cooper. “So, how early do you
leave in the morning?”

“As
soon as it’s light. It’s a fourteen hour drive. We’ll get to the B&B in
time to go to bed. See the sights the next day.”

“B&B,”
Ian snorts, elbowing Mason. “Called it.”

Ignoring
their chuckles, Ev continues, “It’s going to be gorgeous. I want to see
pictures.”

“I’d
love to see the cherry blossoms,” Macy says.

“We’ll
take a trip in the spring,” I promise.

The
night continues with conversation and laughter, drinking and good natured
teasing. Macy fits right in with my family and I know in that moment, she
belongs with us permanently. She belongs with me.

I
feel like the bad shit is finally behind us. Like now we can relax and just
enjoy one another. Let our guard down for once. Maybe I could schedule some
down time, take Macy away for a bit.

We
make plans, and the universe laughs.

* * * *

In
my line of work, a phone ringing before dawn isn’t out of the ordinary, but my
instincts tell me something is wrong even before I see the hospital on the
caller ID. Christ, what now? “Hello?”

“Is
this Mr. Parker Reed?”

“Speaking.”

“You
need to come to Brightville Medical Center, Mr. Reed. You’re listed as an
emergency contact for Alex Reed and he’s been in a car accident.”

Cold
fear races through my body. Like a chunk of ice, one move could crack me wide
open. “Is he okay? What’s his condition?” Alive, just be alive, Alex. He’s my
twin, my other half. We give each other shit, but we have a connection no
single born person could comprehend.

“He’s
going to CT now to rule out any internal bleeding from the seatbelt, but at the
moment, he’s conscious and talking.”

Thank
fuck. “I’m on my way.”

Twenty
minutes later Macy and I pull into the hospital parking lot with Mason and Ev
right behind us. Mason has barely recovered and here we are again.

Mason
and I are lead back to the emergency room by a kind nurse while Macy and Ev
wait in the waiting room. Alex sits on the edge of a gurney, staring out the
window. “The fog. It was the goddamn fog.”

“He
only has some bumps and bruises,” the nurse assures us. “He’ll be released
shortly.”

“Did
you give him something?” I murmur. He looks so out of it.

Sympathy
floods her features. “No, but you should know—”

“Cooper’s
dead,” Alex interrupts. “He wasn’t even speeding. He missed a turn, and we hit
a tree. Because of the fog.” Haunted eyes portray a deep suffering as they regard
me. “He’s dead,” he says again and faints dead away.