CHAPTER 1
Kyle
One eye cracks open as a loud noise registers in my ears.
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Ugh.” I groan and roll off the couch. Whoever’s here this early better have a good fucking reason. So far, I’ve been home two weeks and managed to keep everyone off my back.
Knock, Knock, Knock
“Fuck, calm your tits, I’m coming!”
I don’t bother looking through the peep hole, I already have a good idea of who it is. When I open the door, my suspicions are confirmed. Standing there looking like a Pitbull is my older brother Zander. Saying he looks upset is an understatement and without a word, I gesture for him to come inside with a sweep of my arm.
I follow him to the living room and halt when he whirls on me. Zander levels me with a glare that causes me to laugh. I can’t help it; this papa bear routine is funny as shit.
“What’s up Z? Long time no see.”
“Long time no see? It’s been eight fucking months Kyle and I hear this morning you’ve been home for two weeks without a word to any of us. What the fuck?”
“I’ve been busy.” Dropping back on the couch I grab my phone and start going through my emails. When I see one from my agent my phones ripped away and thrown across the room. In a breath I’m chest-to-chest with my big brother raging like a bull.
“What the fuck?”
He pushes my shoulder causing me to sit back down on the couch. Lunging at him, I take a swing and miss. Next thing I know I’m on the ground in a submission hold.
“Let me go asshole!”
“Not until you tell me why you haven’t told any of us that you’ve been home!”
I try to wiggle out of his hold but I’m locked in tight. Knowing I won’t get out until I tell him what’s going on, I tap his arm. The universal sign of giving up. Zander releases me right away and stands at the same time I do.
“I couldn’t face Mom.”
“Bull shit. You haven’t seen Mom in almost a year, since when did you start giving a shit about her?”
“I needed some time to myself.”
“It didn’t look like you were by yourself last night. Maggie called me.”
“Why the fuck would she call you? That bitch is heading for a pink slip.” The back of my head feels a sharp sting as Zander smacks me.
“God damnit Zander! Cut that shit off, I’m here now, aren’t I?”
He gets up and starts pacing my living room. It’s massive but he only takes a short route. After my first fight, I bought this house so I had a place to stay other than with my family when I came home. They were always bitching at me about my decisions. I’m a grown ass man, I can do what I want.
Coming home became few and far between. I don’t know what he wants me to say? I was living my life. I’m 24 years old living up the best years of my life.
“You have to straighten out your priorities Ky. What happened to you? Did fame really change you that much? Mom… fuck do you know what it does to her every time she sees your name slandered in the tabloids? It guts her man.”
“I am who I am Zander.” My eyes meet his. “Isn’t family supposed to have your back no matter what?”
“I’m pretty sure hookers and drugs aren’t in the fine print.” He growls.
“I don’t do drugs. It was a misunderstanding.”
“You better hope when they make their final decision, they see it that way otherwise your career’s over. Do you know how many people would kill for your career? People who bust their ass’s day in and day out just to get a small taste of what you have?”
I let that settle before I respond. “Jealous bro? Can’t handle the fact that I took the title from you? Retirement not doing it for ya? Does the fact that your little bro beat you still eat away at you every night?” I know it’s a low blow but I can’t stop the words from leaving my mouth. I’m Kyle ‘Reckless’ Cage, I yield to nobody.
“Fuck you.” And with that parting shot, he leaves with a slam of the door.
“Well good morning to me.” I get up off the couch and head for the kitchen.
Currently in the fridge I find a 30 rack of beer and nothing else. How did I not realize I was out of food? Even my cabinets are bare. After hunting down my phone Zander threw, I grab my keys and head outside. I’m surprised to find Zander sitting on the stairs of my front porch with his head in his hands. After sitting next to him I mumble out a “Sorry”. Bringing up our one and only fight was a low blow and it was a shitty thing to do. Sure, I got the title from my big brother but it was a good fight. A hard fight to go through with.
“Kyle, was I not good enough? Did I not step up enough after Dad died? Where the hell did I go wrong that you turned out like this? That fame would turn you into a hotshot asshole.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better I don’t think I’m an asshole. I’ve definitely met bigger douchebags.” My shoulders lift in a shrug.
“Have you reached out to anyone since you’ve been in town?”
“Nah, I’ve just been holed up here and training when I get the chance.”
“You should be on a set schedule by now, your fights not too far out…” He looks over at me before he drops a bomb. “Soph’s in town.”
It’s like a punch to my gut when he mentions her name. I haven’t thought about her in quite some time, not an easy feat. That girl was my world and we’d been through so much shit together. Being without her for the past four years has been rough but you learn to move on. We have some secrets nobody knows about and I wonder if she told anyone? Nah, it would have been all over the tabloids if she did.
“For how long?”
“For good, as far as I can tell. I think… you should go see her.”
“That ship has sailed bro. She made it absolutely clear that she wanted nothing to do with me when I tried calling her. She didn’t respond, not one call back. Fuck that, I don’t need her. I’m not about pushing myself upon someone, not anymore.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it. She’s been your best friend for as long as I can remember. She was the best thing that ever happened to you and maybe she’s exactly what you need.”
I laugh. “That’s funny. I have everything I need.”
“Then why are you so unhappy?”
“Alright, I’m starving. I’m gonna get some breakfast, care to join me big bro?”
“Can’t, we’re taking the kids to the zoo. Savvy’s probably going out of her mind keeping them calm until I get home.” He laughs. “You know, we’re having Everly’s second birthday party on Saturday, you should come. I know everyone would be excited to see you in the flesh. To see with their own two eyes that you’re okay.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes before standing up and walking to his truck.
“Hey.”
He turns around and looks at me.
“I’m sorry for bringing up the fight, I didn’t mean what I said.”
“It’s all good baby Cage, someday I’ll get my redemption.” He smiles then leaves.
As I see the last of his truck before he turns out of my long ass driveway, a wave of peace washes over me. But his words still linger in the back of my mind.
“I am fucking happy. I have everything I could possibly want, fuck, I could buy this town I’m raking in so much cash. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
As I slip into my custom sports car, visions of a gorgeous red head with a slight line of freckles across her cheeks invades my brain. It almost takes my breath away.
Sophie is the complete opposite of what I go for. Now. There’s a reason why I go for older women and it’s not because they’re more experienced. I can’t handle comparing everyone to her. It’s much easier with a mature woman. The first year of my fighting career I jumped from bed to bed not caring who the fuck it was as long as she didn’t have red hair or freckles.
Knowing she’s back in town means nothing. She still never returned my calls after what happened. She didn’t care, so why should I?