Stanton Adore (26 page)

“I can’t imagine big burly Josh being timid.”

“Trust me he’s not timid, we are here watching him cage fight remember?” I nod and screw my face up. “He comes across as arrogant but it’s just because he doesn’t really mix with people he doesn’t know.”

I nod as I process the information. “Obviously he has no trouble talking to women” I scowl.

“Obviously,” he raises his eyebrows, we both sit in uncomfortable silence contemplating that last comment. The screen comes back on and another fight begins, the crowd goes wild.

“Remind me what we are we doing here?” I laugh to Adrian.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know.” Adrian is suddenly grabbed from behind in a headlock that nearly knocks him off his chair.

“What are you doing here man?” A very happy Cameron smiles as he messes up Adrian’s hair. “Will you two stop being such boring fuckers?”

I dramatically roll my eyes “Sorry if I don’t like watching people get the shit punched out of them.” Cameron laughs and swoops me off my chair and throws me over his shoulder.

“Cameron put me down,” I grab Adrian’s arm for stability and he laughs and walks along behind us. “Cameron you’re scaring me. You’re too drunk to carry me.” I punch him in the back. “Cameron put me down!” He laughs and starts to run down the stairs to our seats. I am in fear for my safety here. Cam is way too drunk to pull this off.

“Do you know how dead you will be if you drop her,” Adrian smiles at Cam. He must take that warning seriously because he laughs again and slides me down back to the safety of the ground. We get to our row. I am appalled to see Bridget, Abbie and Ben all standing on their seats with giant foam finger puppets on their hands. Oh dear, I have embarrassing friends. Adrian grabs my hand and pulls a disgusted face at them, I nod as we walk along to our seats. The crowd goes crazy again and everyone jumps from their seats. I look to the stage to see a man get kneed to the head.

“Oh shit,” I cover my eyes. The crowd roars again. I really don’t want Josh to do this, it was bad enough last time and we weren’t even together then. I start to freak out at the violence of the situation. How can my beautiful Josh be so brutal? Why does he like this? I mean if he’s so bloody bored he needs to do this………what in the hell is going through that pea brain of his. The crowd is really getting animated and I hate to admit it but my two friends are right in the thick of things. Abbie is jumping up and down screaming and Bridget is pointing her foam finger into Cams face trying her hardest to annoy him. Ben has his hands in a funnel around his mouth yelling at the stage. This place is barbaric. The fight ends and my heart is in my throat. Oh no, I see him. Joshua is to the side of the ring in a cape. A fake name is called by the announcer and I see his opponent enter the ring, the crowd all scream. I can hear my pulse in my ears as I am gripped with anxiety. Adrian pulls me into him as he puts his arm around me. Josh enters the ring and the crowd roar, I can see his trainers talking to him as he jumps around trying to keep warm. The bell rings and I sit down and put my head in my hands. I don’t know if I can take this, I feel sick to my stomach. Cameron shuffles along the row of chairs until he gets beside me. He gives me a sympathetic smile as he pulls me from Adrian’s grip and puts his arm around me.

“Calm down. It’s ok,” he whispers into my temple. I look up to the ring as Josh connects a massive kick to his opponent’s torso and he doubles over in pain. I scream and put my head back down to try and block out the visual of my boyfriend taking such pleasure in beating someone to a pulp. Cameron suddenly stands and the crowd goes crazy, shit what’s happening? Ben starts to yell, “Get up………get up.” I stand and peer to the ring to see Josh on the ground and the other guy is laying into him. Oh my god. I go to run down there to stop this craziness and Cam and Ben both grab me to hold me back.

“Stop it,” I yell. “Let me go.”

Cameron shakes his head. “Just give him a minute.” I sit back down and put my head into my hands with my heart rate thumping in my ears. How can they watch him get hurt like this?

“What if that maniac kills him?” I scream at Ben. “Aren’t you his frigging bodyguard?” he smiles and shakes his head and Adrian is now standing on his seat yelling at the ring.

“Finish him off, finish him off.” Good grief finish him off, now I have heard it all. I grab Adrian’s shirt and yank him off the chair so fast he nearly falls over.

“Shut up,” I yell. The crowd scream again and my eyes flick back to the ring. To my horror Josh has a bleeding nose and is going berserk on this guy, he punches him, his head snaps back at the contact and then follows through with another knee. Blood is on both of their faces and I don’t know whose blood is whose. The blond guy seems to be losing it and they start to really let loose on each other and the ref steps in and grabs the blonde guy to stop the fight, obviously because of the blood. Blondie pushes the poor ref and he falls down. The crowd all stand and go wild. He then turns his attention back to Joshua as he kicks him hard in the stomach.

I stand. “Oh my god, get down there,” I scream at Ben and Cameron. This isn’t entertainment anymore. They are actually fighting for real. Ben and Cameron stand and start to run down the stairs toward the ring. An abundance of people are now down there trying to break them up, I see Josh’s trainers in the ring. I can’t see or hear a thing because everyone in the arena are going ballistic jumping up and down. Is this place a sick frigging joke? Abbie now has her hands over her eyes and Bridget is trying her best to calm me down before I start to hyperventilate. Josh runs and tackles the blonde guy to the ground and starts to repeatedly punch him in the head. Suddenly there is a crowd rush in the corner of the audience to the left of the ring and everybody screams again. Holy shit, there is a fight in the crowd.

“What in the hell is going on?” Bridget screams. My eyes go back to the ring and I see Josh and the blonde guy surrounded by about fifteen men trying to break them away from each other. They manage the task and I look down to see Joshua being held back by two arms, the look on his face murderous as he glares at his opponent. A cold chill runs down my spine, he looks evil. Completely evil. He is covered in blood and is still trying to get free to try and continue killing this other man with his bare hands, who I might add looks more than happy to repay the favour. He spits blood onto the ground. Who is this man? Definitely not the polished rich boy I know………… do I even know him at all? This is the part of his personality that I cannot reconcile. The fight in the crowd continues and I see Ben climb beneath the ropes into the ring. Joshua looks at him and starts yelling. I see Ben nod, he then turns and sprints back up the stairs toward us. Joshua and blonde idiot are lead out of the ring and backstage, both being held tightly with their arms behind their back to prevent them from attacking each other again. I sit down and cover my face with my hands.

“Holy shit,” I whisper.

“Fuck. That was intense” Adrian murmurs.

“You think,” Bridget yells back.

“See why I hate this,” I snap. “Over my dead body is he doing this again.” Adrian, Abbie and Bridget all nod. This is not a sport. This is thuggery at its lowest point. Ben walks along the row of seats and back to us.

“What did Joshua say to you down there?” I ask. He doesn’t answer and looks at Adrian and shrugs his shoulders.

“What did he say?” I repeat. He looks annoyed at my question.

“He went off at me for leaving you alone.”
What
. This man is unfreaking believable. He’s covered in blood and fighting a suspected psychopath in front of twenty thousand people but is worried about me sitting in the frigging grand stand without protection.

“Now I’ve heard it all,” I snap.

Adrian raises his eyebrows and shakes his head. “Me too.”

An hour and three cocktails later we are waiting outside the exit door of the fighter’s locker rooms. Cameron never came back from the ring so I suspect that he stayed with Joshua. Ben is hanging with us but is not drinking at all, obviously on duty. Adrian and the girls are far beyond tipsy, they are downright drunk. I however have sobered up considerably since witnessing Rocky Balboa on the rampage. Adrian has a giggling girl on either side of him and he has his arms around both of them, they are finding everything hilarious as they rock from side to side. Abbie is raving on about looking for the father of her children. Still infatuated with that Italian Stallion we saw fighting here last time and Bridget is talking it up how some guy at the bar asked her for a quickie. Adrian is laughing out loud at the shenanigans of my crazy friends. I smile as I realize this would be new for him, I take my friends sense of humour for granted. They are funny and you don’t have to be friends with them to have fun around them, they make everyone feel comfortable. The door opens and the blonde guy that Josh had the fight with exits with two security guards. Oh shit, my mouth drops open. I know him, he’s the prison warden from my visits in jail………the hot one. He smiles at me and walks past to short and slutty Barbie on my left. Honestly, doesn’t she own a mirror? My eyes follow him as I try to remember his name. What is it Japer? J something. He looks like he has a broken nose with two on coming black eyes, he will be a mess tomorrow. His eyes also stay on me and I know he is trying to think where he has seen me before. Shit. I hope he doesn’t remember me, this looks so unprofessional for me to be here. The door opens again and Joshua exits, flanked by two security guards and Cameron. He walks over to me and bends to give me a peck on the cheek. I would really like to punch him in the face for putting me through such stress but I don’t think now is the time or place. He nods at Ben and takes my hand and turns toward the car park. Abbie and Bridget start shuffling on their feet with their hands in fists up to each other play fighting. They start to wrestle Adrian into a head lock as he giggles out loud.

“Hey Natasha,” a voice calls out from behind us. Oh shit, it’s the prison warden guy. We all turn together and he winks at me.

“Think of me tonight when you’re having sex. It will get you over the line quicker”

Chapter 21

My eyes bulge
from their sockets. Oh, tell me he did not just say that. Everybody collectively takes a breath and Cameron and Ben quickly grab me and put me behind them. Josh drops his bag. “You really want to die tonight fucker, don’t you?” He walks over and punches him straight in the face. They grab each other and slam into the wall behind them, security starts to run from everywhere to separate the two. Adrian and the girls are all in silent shock, as am I.

Cameron turns to Ben. “Get Natasha to the car.”

Ben nods and grabs my arm. “Let me go,” I yank my arm out of his grip. “Joshua” I yell. They continue fighting.

”Joshua,” I yell again. He seems to remember I’m here and backs off from the kamikaze who is obviously on a death wish. He shakes his head, the guy is still being held by security. Joshua turns and takes my hand and starts to storm towards to the car. Abbie and Bridget and Adrian are practically running to catch up.

“Oohh! Smell that adrenaline………it’s frigging hot,” Abbie slurs. “Your vagina must be on fire Natasha.” Abbie giggles, “All these hot guys fighting over you”. Everybody bursts out laughing and Cameron laughs but turns and pits his finger up to his lips to signify silence. I turn around as Joshua drags me forward by the hand like a naughty child. I do wide eyes at the girls, signifying for them to shut the hell up.

Bridget nods. “Yes from now on you will be called Dr Flaming Vagina.” Everybody burst out laughing again.

Joshua stops and turns. “Enough,” he yells. Even I am having trouble stifling my giggles and the three stooges drop behind us to laugh out loud at their stupid flaming vagina joke. Cameron wisely stays straight faced and with us.

“How the fuck do you know him Natasha?” Joshua snaps.

“Umm, he’s a prison warden at the jail I visit through work.” He stops still and Cameron and Ben both turn to see what he’s doing.

“You go to the fucking male prison?” I swallow and nod. “You will be handing in your resignation on Monday!” he screams. His order to leave work is like waving a red flag in front of a bull to me, but he is way too mad to even think about fighting with now. Cameron must sense my agitation and steps in.

“Josh mate, let’s just get home in one piece huh.” I am grateful I have Cameron here to calm him down.

Cameron turns to Ben. “You go to the Ivy with them and I will go with Tash and Josh. I will meet you there in about an hour.” Ben nods and then pulls out his phone and texts someone and in a few seconds the two Audis come around the corner. The four others pile into the first car and Josh, Cam and I get into the second. Cam squeezes my hand reassuringly as I get into the car. We sit in silence on the way to my apartment and I come to the realization that Cam has come with us to make sure Josh isn’t so mad he starts to fight with me. He’s making sure I’m safe or maybe making sure Josh doesn’t go out and continue fighting, either way I’m impressed with his loyalty. We get back to my apartment and Josh bales straight out of the car and storms toward the door. Cam looks at me and smiles as we both slowly climb out of the car.

“I would ask you to come out with us but we both know he won’t let you come without him and if he goes out tonight he will definitely get into trouble,” Cam raises his eyebrows and gives me a sympathetic smile.

I blow out a breath and nod. “Is he going to try and fight with me now?”

“I don’t think so, he hates fighting with you.”

“How do you know that?” I’m puzzled to find out how much Joshua tells Cam. How deep their friendship is.

“Because he doesn’t eat or sleep when you’re fighting with him and he follows me around stressing me out.”

I smile, oh crap Cameron does know everything. “How much does he tell you Cam?”

He smiles. “Probably more than you would like,” I nod again as we enter the lift. Josh has obviously stormed up without us. I suddenly feel uncertain about the info he has on me and Cameron must be able to sense my apprehension.

“Don’t worry Tash you’ve got him by the short and curly’s.”

I smile and link my arm through Cam’s and roll my eyes. “Really. Short and curly’s, I’m honoured. Here I was thinking that maybe I had him by the heart.”

He laughs. “That too,” he winks as we enter my level and approach my wide open door. I look at the door and frown at Cameron.

He shakes his head. “It’s just the adrenaline Tash, he would still be full of it. He will be back to normal in the morning,” I nod. This is ridiculous I am dealing with a tantrum throwing two year old here. I can hear him in the shower and I flick the jug on.

“White and one,” Cam says as he bites into an apple out of my fruit bowl.

“So Dr Stanton hey,” I tease.

He smiles. “Yep three months to go,”

“What are your plans when you finish?” I pass him his tea.

“I’m moving to LA as soon as university finishes in November.” My eyes go wide, this is news. He laughs. “Don’t worry I’m not moving in with you and Josh,” my eyes drop to my tea. Shit, if I was a better person I would tell him its ok to move in with us but the reality is I want Josh to myself. “I got offered a job six months ago in LA Public Hospital and Josh has been trying to get me to move over for years, I thought it was now or never.”

I give him a sad smile. “Am I wrecking your plans?”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m just glad you two are working your shit out. I will probably live with Murph, that’s if he gets rid of his wanker boyfriend.”

I frown. “Murph, who’s Murph?”

“Adrian, his last name is Murphy,”

“Don’t you like his boyfriend either?”

“I can’t stand him, I think I hate him more than Josh.”

“Why do you all hate him so much?” he shakes his head as he drains his cup, “Spend some time with him, you will see. I don’t get what Adrian sees in him………he’s not even a good sort,” I smile. The boys really are good friends with Adrian, their affection is obvious. Joshua walks into the kitchen with a towel around him and saunters up to me as he gives me a lopsided smile.

“Sorry baby,” he runs his thumb over my bottom lip and bends down to give me a tender kiss. I temporarily forget that Cam is here and return his kiss.

Cameron puts his hands up to his temples. “Fuck. It’s spinning me out seeing you two together. I know you’re together, but I haven’t seen you together, together.

Josh rolls his eyes. “Aren’t you going out?”

Cam smiles. “Yes. I’m going to find a certain kind of Mrs Tonight,” he winks at me.

I frown “Mrs Stanton,” I ask and Josh laughs.

“God no……… Mrs Give Me Head Baby.”

My eyes bulge. “Oh right how stupid of me, have fun,” I smirk.

He raises his eyebrows. “I always do,” and within a second he is gone. Josh blows out a breath and gives me a resigned smile.

I go to speak but he puts a finger up to my lip. “You don’t have to come again, it was a mistake making you go. But in my defence it isn’t normally that bad.” I nod as I listen, “how do you know that guy?” he asks.

“I told you he’s a prison warden at the jail I go to,” Josh listens and then narrows his eyes.

“I want you to resign”

I smile. “I am anyway dopey.” I roll my eyes. “I’m sort of moving away with this thug I’ve started dating,” he looks relieved and smiles.

“So you are.” He yawns as he goes to my freezer and removes a bag of peas.

“Are you hurt?” I ask.

He gives me a sly smile, “Yes and I need nurse Natasha to give me some tender loving care,” he grabs me roughly on the behind.

“Are you hungry” I ask.

“Starving,”

“I don’t have any food, I’ll order some Thai takeout. Go to bed and ice your knee and I will be in after I shower.” He nods and bends to give me another gentle kiss as he leaves the kitchen. Twenty minutes later after I shower I walk into my bedroom to find my beautiful thug fast asleep in a towel on top of the bed complete with frozen peas. I imagine cage fighting must be exhausting, actually you know what? Watching it is too.

I wake to feel two eyes on me and I roll toward him, to my surprise he isn’t in bed with me. He’s sitting on the side of the bed drinking a protein shake.

“I made you breakfast,” he smiles as he gestures to my bedside table. I look over to see a chocolate protein shake in a large glass with ice.

I frown. “Is this a sick joke?” It’s too early for this super hero workout shit. “Josh I would like two eggs on toast please.”

He frowns. “You don’t like protein.”

I look at him deadpan “No.”

He shrugs his shoulders and smiles “Tough shit that’s what I’m making today and we have to go to my house for a while. I want to check on Adrian.”

I smile “Aren’t you supposed to be fussing over me and stuff like in all the romance novels? I never heard anyone say tough shit to their girlfriends in my books.”

His eyes twinkle and he raises his eyebrows. “Yes, but remember that the book about you is called Gagging for it.” I slap him on the arm and he dives over me to hold my hands above my head.

“What are you wearing to the Wedding today?” I ask.

He pulls back in horror. “That’s today?” I nod and smile “We don’t really have to go, do we? I hate weddings,”

“Since when?”

“Since I don’t know anyone there,” I smile. This is the shy thing Adrian was talking about, it’s kind of endearing that he has such a hang up.

“I’ll be there Josh, it can be our date night.”

He frowns “That’s a shit date. If you want to go on a date I can arrange something………… like the other night,” he smiles a sly smile. “Actually let’s stay home and watch a movie. I have a really good one that I planned on watching this weekend. It’s called, let me see………… Beautiful Slut.” Oh crap, I know what movie he is talking about. The frigging porno staring yours truly.

“Let’s not,” I snap as I get out of bed. I shower and am thoroughly peeved to find that I have my period, how annoying it really is a fault in the female body. And on the weekend……that’s just rude. Half an hour later we pull up out the front of Josh’s and as we get closer to the wide open front door I can hear the boys all laughing loudly bantering with each other. I haven’t been here before and I am feeling a little nervous and out of my comfort zone. The house is huge and impressive and it looks like it backs onto the water. There is a stone table out the front and two security guards are sitting playing cards. I turn and look at the car pulling up behind us to see another two bodyguards pull up who have obviously been following us. How do I keep forgetting we are being followed everywhere? Josh nods as he walks past them and I hang back a little unsure if I should have come. Joshua must sense my apprehension and he turns and walks back towards me. “What’s wrong baby?” he gently puts his arm around me.

“Nothing. I haven’t been here before, I feel like I might be intruding,”

He frowns and smiles at me. “How could anyone as perfect as you ever intrude on me.” I nod and give him a shy smile. He’s right if I am going to move to the other side of the world with him I have to get used to his friends. We walk in and my eyes go straight to the beautiful high ornate ceiling. This place is stunning. He follows my eyes to the ceiling and he smiles.

“Nice ceiling huh? The rest of the place is pretty dated though, I’m not really a fan.” I raise my eyebrows, if he doesn’t like this place what in the hell is his house like. “Actually can you get a week off work the week after next, I want to take you to LA to see a few houses.”

I frown. “What’s wrong with the house you have?”

He smiles and puts his hands in his pockets. “Nothing I just want to start our new life together in a new house, one that you pick. I want you to be happy.”

My heart swells, “As long as I’m with you baby I’ll be happy,” I breath.

He smiles and bends to run his lips gently over mine. “Me too,” he whispers. We walk through large double doors out into a massive kitchen and lounge area. Adrian is sitting on a barstool at the kitchen bench in a pair of board shorts. Cameron is lying on the lounge in a pair of boxer shorts and Ben looks as though he has been for a swim and has a towel wrapped around his waist. Jeez, these guys are buff. This could easily pass as a scene from Magic Mike. Josh grabs me by the hand as we enter.

“Hi,” he smiles to his friends.

“Oh yeah. Mike Tyson is back,” Cameron laughs in a husky I’ve had too many tequila’s voice. He’s talking really loud, obviously still a little deaf from the loud music last night.

Adrian smiles as he walks over, puts his arm around me and kisses me on the temple.

“Good morning beautiful, how did you put up with this idiot last night?” He smiles and winks at Josh.

“Ha, ha” Joshua fakes a smile as he pulls me from Adrian’s grip and sits me up on the bench. His little burst of possessiveness doesn’t go unnoticed and I have to say……I kind of like it.

“The girls are coming over to go out for breakfast,” states Adrian.

Joshua frowns, “What girls?” He asks.

“Bridget and Abbie, I like your friends Tash they’re good value.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course, do you think I would have boring friends?”

Joshua laughs, “Why not I do.” Adrian whips him with a tea towel. Cameron is lying on the lounge with the back of his forearm over his face. I never realized how hot he actually is, he has the same olive skin as Josh, same height, same dark eyes but his hair is longer on top with a bit of a curl to it. He’s not as big as Josh and he doesn’t have the tattoo………… that tattoo that I love. But jeez he could definitely hold his own. I smile at the thought of all the poor women out there that end up having Cameron as their Doctor, they don’t stand a bloody chance. Abbie and Bridget come through the door laughing and Abbie trips over her own feet and stumbles into the kitchen.

“Crap,” she snaps.

“How did you go last night?” Joshua smiles to the girls but continues his conversation with Cameron.

Cameron shakes his head. “I went to bed with a ten and woke up with a two,” everyone laughs. “I’m not joking man, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough when I woke up this morning, I left my fucking shoes there.”

Joshua laughs out loud. “What was so bad with her?”