Chapter 15
Charli
I’m taking my lunch break in the staff room off the hair salon when my phone goes off. Geez, it’s going to take me a while to get used to having a phone.
I dig through my bag until I find the vibrating, noisy phone and see Micky’s name on the screen. I hit answer and bring the phone up to my ear.
“Hey,” I say cheerfully. “What’s up?”
“Have I got you at a good time? I couldn’t remember what time you said you went for your break,” he says.
“Yeah, all good. I’m having lunch now.”
“Good, listen. The bar’s shut down until further notice,” he informs me.
“What?” I screech, getting to my feet in outrage. What the hell is he talking about? “Who would do that?”
“The building inspector,” he says, flatly. “There’s a problem with the drain in the kitchen and the whole place is flooded, which means the bar is closed until it’s fixed.”
“Shit, Micky,” I sigh, “that sucks.”
“Sure does, kid,” he says. “But unfortunately, that means you no longer have access to your apartment.”
“Oh,” I sigh, I should have put that together.
“Can you stay with Xander a few days?” he asks.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I say, not put off by the idea at all. “He gave me a key, you know.”
“Shit,” he laughs and by the tone of his voice, I know he is teasing. “getting serious, aye?”
“Shut up,” I groan.
“Fine,” he says and I can just imagine him rolling his eyes. “I’ll call you when we get the ‘all clear’.”
“Alright,”
“Be safe, Charli,” he says, taking on the father role, once again.
“Will do.”
“Alright, see you, kid,” he says as he hangs up the phone.
I take my seat and continuing working on my sandwich when Zara, another hairdresser speaks up. “Everything ok?” she asks with concern lacing her voice.
“Oh yeah,” I say. “The bar is going to be closed for a few days so I’ll be staying with Xander for a while.”
“Well, that hardly sounds like a problem,” she grins.
“Believe me, it’s not,” I grin right back.
“Haven’t you been wanting to go to one of his games?” she asks. “If the bar is closed, I doubt you’ll be allowed to work, so why don’t you go? I think the dragons are playing tonight.”
Hmmm, that’s a very good point. I don’ know why I didn’t think of it first. A smile completely lightens up my face s excitement takes over. “He does have a game tonight,” I confirm. “I could go and surprise him.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” she laughs as my excitement becomes contagious.
An idea hits me. “Do, um, you want to come with me?” I ask, realising that Zara could actually make a really great friend. After all, I don’t get any of those awful feelings about her like I did with Lex.
She beams up at me. “I’d love to.”
“Really?” I ask. “I think it starts at 7.”
“Ok, did you want to go for some cocktails first?” she asks, “I mean, we finish at five, so we have a few hours to kill.”
I can’t help but grin. “I think we’re going to make great friends.”
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Zara and I make our way up the grandstand and I am already in awe. The place is packed and I’m surprised to see just how many people I recognise here from the bar. We practically stumble up the stairs after having a few too many cocktails but I don’t have the decency to be ashamed of my near drunkenness as for the first time since I was a kid in high school, I think I’ve actually made a good friend.
We find our seats and the moment we get comfortable, I rip into the packaging of the jersey I just bought with Xander’s name and number on the back. The moment I pull it over my head, something settles within me, like I’m finally getting the chance to show the world that Xander is mine.
Zara hands me a massive foam finger and we both break into giggles as we pull them on. Man, I can’t wait until Xander comes out and sees me here, though, with the foam finger and jersey, I don’t know if he will be embarrassed or proud as shit but I’m willing to bet on the later.
Zara disappears, saying she is hungry and returns not long after with some hot dogs and what looks to be a calendar. She takes her seat and instantly breaks into the calendar making me crack into laughter at what I see. The calendar is filled with half-naked images of the hockey team. “Apparently, it’s a new tradition that some chick started last year,” Zara tells me, relaying the information the girl at the stand gave her.
She continues to flick through the pages and I stop her when I recognised one hell of a sexy body. “Wait,” I say a little too loudly, “That’s Xander.”
“That’s your boyfriend?” she asks with wide eyes. “Holy shit, woman. That man is hot.”
“I know,” I grin as I practically drool over the calendar. “I’m going to have to buy my own calendar after this,” I inform her.
“Indeed, you will,” she agrees as she turns to the next page and I recognise Aaron. “Who the hell is this guy?” she asks.
“That would be Aaron,” I tell her. “He’s sort of turned into Xander best friend over the last few days.”
“Is he single?” she asks with interest.
“I actually have no idea,” I say, realising that’s probably something I should know about the guy by this point.
“Well, that settles it. You’re introducing me after the game.”
“Deal,” I laugh.
Twenty minutes later, Zara and I have downed some pretty questionable hot dogs and the stands are at capacity. The atmosphere is blowing me away with the number of fans that have shown up. I mean, there are hardly any fans here for the opposition, not that I’ve really taken notice of who the opposition actually is but I bet any money that Xander’s team is better.
Music is blasted and the crowd begins to roar as they start the Dragons war cry. My eyes instantly flick to the hallway which I assume, from the massive dragon’s banner above it, is where the team will be coming from.
Two seconds later, I see Jaxon appear in the hallway, leading the boys out. Two girls a few rows down start going nuts and I recognise one of them as his girlfriend. I’m pretty sure her name is Cassie but I don’t really get a chance to think about it as Xander walks out of the hallway.
Zara and I instantly start cheering and waving our foam fingers in the air. I scream out his name and he somehow hears my voice over the crowd. His eyes fly up to the grandstand and he points me out immediately.
A massive smile comes tearing over his face and I can’t help but smile back. I cup my hands around my mouth and scream out, “I love you.” His eyes light up and I grin as he mouths it back.
“You two are going to make me nauseous, aren’t you?” Zara asks.
“Yeah, probably,” I laugh.
A moment later he steps onto the ice and it’s damn obvious that he belongs there. He is only warming up and yet he is dominating the ice.
Someone skates past Xander and my eyes follow along. “Ah, there’s Aaron,” I tell Zara but when I look over at her, it’s clear she has already pointed him out.
Soon after, the game gets started and I watch in awe as Xander, Jaxon, and Bobby seem to work as a team, scoring goal after goal and wiping the ice with the other team. I hardly understand what it is I’m watching but I know what I’m witnessing is something amazing. By the end of the game, I can honestly say that tonight has been one of the best nights of my life and the beauty of it is that it’s only just starting.
Zara and I head downstairs at the end of the game and wait for Xander to come out. To Zara’s pleasure, Xander comes out with Aaron right at his side, though, I should have known, after Aaron busted him at the fight, they have been tied at the hip and as much as I hate sharing my time with Xander, it’s actually really nice knowing he feels he can finally be himself.
“Hey, babe,” Xander says as he makes his way over to me. He drops his bag at our feet and pulls me right up off the ground as he wraps his arms around. “You look so fucking sexy in my jersey,” he murmurs into my ear.
“You want me to wear it for you later?” I reply with a grin.
“Fuck, yeah,” he says before questioning, “What are you doing here?”
“The bar’s flooded so I’m all yours for the next few nights.” A groan travels up his throat as his eyes become hooded and I have no doubt he’s thinking about all the things we could get up to. “You were amazing,” I tell him, my voice filled with pride.
Without another word, he crushes his lips to mine.
He kisses me for a brief moment as to not be rude to our current audience and reluctantly places me back down on my feet. “This is Zara,” I say to Xander and Aaron, who are probably wondering why some random girl is standing beside us watching me and Xander making out. “She works at the salon with me,” I inform them as I turn back to Zara. “Zara, this is Xander and Aaron.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Aaron says, instantly stepping forward and taking her hand in his. He brings it up to his face and gingerly places a kiss on her skin, laying on the charm.
“The pleasure’s all mine,” she says with a sultry tone as her eyes travel up and down his body, probably remembering exactly what is underneath those clothes from the picture in the calendar.
Aarons' eyes light up with interest and I know my great night is about to get even better. “What are you guys up to?” I ask, knowing they always end up somewhere as a team after a game.
“Jaxon’s having a party at his place,” Xander says, “And you’re coming.”
I grin at his assumption as I turn to Zara. “You up for a party?” I ask.
She turns towards Aaron with desire in her eyes as she answers my question. “That depends if Aaron’s going?”
A cocky grin crosses Aarons' face and I know there is no chance in hell he is missing the party tonight. “Fuck yeah, baby. I’ll be there.”
Xander rolls his eyes at their display. “Right, we’ll take my truck,” he says and without another word, Aaron slips his hand into Zara’s and leads her out the door.
Xander and I follow behind and he pulls me into his arms as we head out to his truck. “She seems nice,” Xander comments. “You like this one?”
“Yeah,” I say as I look up at him with a fond smile. “I think I do.”
“Good, I’m happy for you,” he says, giving me a squeeze.
A thought strikes me. “Do you have a fight tonight?” I ask.
He cringes as he looks down at me. “I do,” he says, cautiously, clearly knowing where I’m going with his.
“Can we come?” I ask.
“I don’t know, babe,” he says. “It’s dangerous.”
“What if Aaron came along? I mean, it’s not like he isn’t going to go anyway,” I challenge.
He is thoughtful for a moment and I know the idea of taking me anywhere like that kills him but he is my man and I want to support him. “Fine,” he grunts finally giving in, though, it’s damn clear he isn’t happy about it but on the other hand, I know he loved it when I saw him fight last time like it gives him an extra rush knowing my eyes are on him.
I grin up at him in victory and he rolls his eyes in surrender. Score one for me.
We all pile into his truck and we are half way there when Aaron and Zara start making out in the back seat. Yeah, it’s definitely turning into the best and most interesting night ever.
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A few hours later we pull up at an abandoned warehouse and Zara looks around, completely confused as to why we have brought her to a place like this. “You fuckers aren’t bringing me here to kill me, are you?” she questions.
“No,” I laugh as we hop out of the truck, “Just wait and see. I have a feeling you’ll actually really love it but if you don’t, we can leave.”
Her eyes narrow in curiosity as she walks around the building, following Xander’s lead to the back entrance. We head in and find Cole, Xander’s trainer and by the way Zara latches onto Aaron’s hand, it’s clear she’s beginning to work out what kind of place this is.
There are people everywhere and I have to admit, it’s pretty interesting seeing the ‘behind-the-scenes’ part of a night like this. There are big bulky men everywhere and I have no doubt these are the contenders for tonight.
We pass this one guy whose eyes instantly lock on mine. A shiver runs down my body as something screams at me to stay away. I don’t know who this guy is but there is no doubt in my mind he’s dangerous.
We pass by him but I can’t shake the feeling that his eyes are still on me. I glance back over my shoulder and sure enough, his stare is piercing right into me. “Who is that guy?” I ask Xander.
“That’s ‘Pitt Bull’, he’s on top of the leaderboard and he’s pretty pissed that I’m right up there with him.”
“He looks dangerous,” I murmur.
“He is,” Xander grunts holding my hand a little tighter.
The shivers shoot down my body once again. “Are you against him?” I ask, nervously.
“Not tonight,” he clarifies. “But I will be eventually. He has a… unique style.”
“Huh?” I grunt.
“You’ll see,” he says then stops in the hallway to look back at Aaron. “Listen, I don’t like the way ‘Pitt Bull’ keeps looking at Charli, can you take the girls out to the ring?”
Aaron nods but Zara cuts off his reply. “Ring? As in a fighting ring?”
I grin at her reaction. “Yeah,” I clarify with a laugh.
“Shit,” she says, wide-eyed. “This is illegal, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, sort of,” I clarify, once again.
“Sort of,” Xander scoffs. “There is no ‘sort of’ about it.”
“Seriously?” she shrieks as she looks back to me. “This is freaking bad ass.”
Xander rolls his eyes at her excitement and nods to Aaron, gesturing for him to move us along. Aaron does just that but has the decency to allow me to kiss my man good luck first.
We head out to the ring and just as expected, the place is packed but at least this time around, I actually feel a lot safer than I had last time, though, I’m sure that has something to do with the company I’m keeping.
An hour later, the drinks are flowing and Zara and I are positively wasted but Aaron seems to have a handle on us.
The crowd cheer as ‘the Widow-maker’ is announced and it takes me a moment to remember that’s Xander’s silly name. I start jumping up and down cheering as Zara follows suit, clearly working out that it must be Xander’s turn.
Zara seems to have fallen right in with this crowd and admitted she was secretly impressed to find out I was sitting on a bomb like this. I was nervous that she might have turned out to be more like Lex than I had thought but I quickly dismissed that thought, she is definitely a good girl at heart, just a little wild when she lets loose, which apparently, Aaron seems to really like.
Xander appears in the pathway that leads to the ring with Cole right on his heels and from where I’m standing, it looks like he is giving him a few motivational words or a game plan, who knows? Either way, it looks serious.
Xander appears in the ring and puts on his little show. The girls in the crowd wolf whistle and call out crass comments but it’s me he is looking at. “Shit, that’s hot,” Zara comments.
“Tell me about it,” I say, moments away from needing to fan myself.
His opponent is called next and this guy looks big. Worry shoots through me even though I know Xander can handle himself, I guess, I just can’t help worrying about my man. His ribs are finally starting to improve and I don’t want to see him get hurt again.
The fight gets started and the noise around me turns into a distant whir. My eyes follow each and every move, cringing with every blow the other guy lands on Xander, though, for every blow Xander gets, he returns twofold.
This fight seems more intense than the last one I saw and it’s obvious that Xander is making his way up the ranks, he has clearly already taken out all the easy fighters and is moving his way up the ladder.
The fight carries on and the other guy starts to wear down but looking at Xander, it’s clear he could do this all night and quite frankly, that knowledge gets me hot. Another few minutes pass before Xander is declared the winner and I feel I can breathe again.
The crowd cheer around me and money is exchanged between hands.
A few minutes pass by and Zara raves about how great that was but I don’t hear a word. My eyes remain locked on the door leading to the backstage area, just waiting for Xander to come out.
He doesn’t make me wait long before he shows his face. The moment his eyes lock on mine, a cheeky grin takes over his features and I can’t help but laugh. He quickly weaves his way through the crowd and before I know it, I’m wrapped in his arms and lost in his kiss.
We watch the rest of the fights together, with Xander’s arms holding me close. We see the guy Xander had referred to as ‘Pitt Bull’, and the cautiousness around him becomes dead clear. The guy is brutal and he doesn’t hold back. His opponent comes out of the ring with what must be a broken eye socket, a split lip and a massive gauge in his thigh.
I turn in Xander’s arms so I can look up at him. “You really have to go against that guy?” I ask.
“Yeah, babe,” he says with a tight smile, trying to keep things positive as he knows, after what I just witnessed, I’m going to be shitting myself with fear when the times comes. “I’ve got a game plan. It’s ok.”
I press my lips together, unsure if that’s enough to satisfy me but it will have to do as there really isn’t a lot I can do about it. “The guy is a monster,” I tell him.
“I know, he fights dirty,” he confirms. I nod my head, not sure what to say to that when he leans down and gently presses his lips to mine. “Come on,” he says. “Let me take you home.”
“Ok,” I murmur against his lips. We can have the ‘Pitt Bull’ conversation another time, for now, I need to finish this night off right.