Chapter 12
Jayden
After going back and forth and trying to figure out what to do, I decided I need to go to my brothers. Well, Zander and Josh. Kyle’s too young to be dragged into this mess. He’s only 20 for fucks sake.
I knock on Josh’s door knowing he’s not expecting me. Heavy footsteps make their way to the front door before I hear the lock click and its pulled open. A smile lights up my face when I see my niece Mia bouncing in her daddy’s arms.
“I’ll be taking that.” I swoop in and scoop her out of Josh’s arms before he knows what hit him. “Try to at least put up a little fight bro, what if I was a stranger? You’re lucky your favorite Uncle’s here and not the candy man baby girl.” Idiot.
“You’re not a stranger asshole. And you think she loves you so much more than Z and Ky, think about it Jay. Think really hard.” I turn looking over my shoulder and arch my brow.
He wipes his hand down his face and sighs. “We’re twins shit head.”
I pull the baby’s head to my chest and cover her other ear with my hand. “Watch your language dick head, I don’t want her calling me Uncle Shit head.”
We head for the kitchen and find Ash cooking up a storm. “Damn it smells good in here, it’s giving me a semi.”
“Ew, don’t talk about your D-I-C-K while you’re holding my baby, Jay.”
“Whatever. I need to steal your husband for a few hours. I figured I’d cut out the middle man and go straight to the source.”
“Screw you man, I don’t have to ask for permission.” He looks at Ash. “Do you need me for anything?”
I chuckle under my breath and receive a slap to the back of my head. “You know Ash, sometimes you have to take your pants off.”
“What the hell man? Don’t tell my future wife to take her pants off. What’s wrong with you?” I think my only saving grace right now is the fact that I’m holding precious cargo.
“Calm your nuts, not her real pants. Her metaphorical ones. Sometimes she has to share the pants, maybe even give you a leg from time to time. You’re a man, not a child.”
“Hello kettle.” Ashlyn interrupts.
I sigh. “Can I steal him for a few hours? I really need my brothers for the evening.”
“Brothers? We’re going to get Ky and Z too?” Josh questions.
“That is the plan baby brother, but just the champ. Ky’s too young to deal with this mess.” I bend my head down and blow raspberries into Mia’s neck causing her to do the cutest baby giggle. This girl has me wrapped around her finger.
“Who would have thought Jay would be a baby whisperer?”
“It’s what I do for a living. Give me some credit Ash.” I walk over to her and give a smiling Mia to her mommy while she has her hands open reaching out.
“I can’t believe she’s going to be six months next week.” I shake my head in disbelief.
“Believe it. You’ll have another new one on the way any day. Savvy’s about ready to pop. Getting Zander away from her is going to be like pulling teeth, I can barely get him to the gym these days. Luckily his fights in a few months.” Josh walks up and throws me in a head lock.
Elbowing him in the gut gets him to ease up his hold and I duck out. “Come on man, that was unnecessary.”
“How about we all drive over and I’ll stay with Savvy while you guys go out and do… whatever it is that you need to do. Shit better be legal Jay.” She narrows her eyes at me.
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Nothing we do tonight will be illegal, you have my word. Nobody likes a spicy mama, I don’t need to be on the receiving end of your wrath.”
“Good. Let me pack a bag for Mia and we can be on our way.”
Ash hands off the baby to Josh and goes to leave the kitchen. He whacks her ass causing her to turn around narrowing her eyes while trying to hold back a smile. He looks back at me. “That’s one spicy mama.”
“What I wouldn’t give for a piece of spicy right now.”
“Still haven’t gone there with Georgie yet?” Josh asks after Ash leaves the room.
“Nope and my dick hates me for it. But I won’t until I know she’s ready, she’s been through enough already. Believe me though, when I get the all clear I will be all up in her shit. All up in it.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Twenty minutes later we find ourselves ringing Zander’s doorbell. He opens it not too long after with a hesitant look on his face.
“What are you all doing here? What’s going on?”
“Bros night!” I exclaim.
“Bros night? I don’t think so. Savvy…” Ash cuts Zander off.
“I brought Mia and we’re going to keep Savvy occupado. No worries.”
“Okayyyyyy. Let me talk to her before we head out.”
“Another one? I’ll have to give the pants lecture again.” I walk past Zander looking for his woman.
“No, once is enough for a lifetime. Seriously Jay, if I hear you tell Savvy to take her pants off I’ll junk punch you.” Ash whisper yells.
“After I shove something not so pleasant up your ass.” Z threatens.
“Damn, why do you guys want to ruin my poor ass. What’d it ever do to you guys?”
“You don’t wanna know.” Josh tells Zander.
Finally, after dragging Zander away from an exhausted looking Savvy, we’re on our way.
“Where to? And what’s with all the secrecy? Are you okay?” Josh questions.
“Head to Josh’s, this talk has to be in private. You never know who’s listening.” I grumble.
“Now you’re worrying me.”
“Welcome to the club.” I sigh.
When we get to the house we make our way inside and take a seat in the kitchen. It has a large island so we all grab a stool so we’re sitting side by side.
“I’m in some trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Josh asks with a worried tone to his voice.
“Bad trouble, illegal trouble, the I’m in deep shit kind of trouble.”
“Explain.” Zander states.
I take a deep breath and tell them everything. About Georgie’s gambling, the deal she made with Skid, all the way leading up to me becoming that ass bags brand new underground fighter. They are completely silent which is surprising me. I’d expect them to yell at me, something.
“There has to be a way to get out of this. You can’t fight, you’re not skilled enough number one. And number two, have you even been to one of these fights? I’ve heard they’re brutal, guys die right there in the ring. No fucking way will I let you do that to yourself.” Zander puts in his two cents. If only it were that easy.
“If I don’t do this, give him this one fight, he’ll go after Georgie again. Once he figured out you guys were my brothers it’s like dollar signs flashed in his eyes. He’s not going to let this go, and neither am I. I won’t put Georgie in that situation again, no fucking way.”
“You love her.” Josh says shocking the living hell out of me.
“Huh? What? No way. Pshhh.” I can’t even speak words right now.
“Totally. You love her! I can’t believe it’s finally happened. Jayden Cage is in love, call the tabloids!” Josh laughs.
“Fuck you. So what if I am? Is that so bad? You guys seem happy.” I’m up and pacing the kitchen now. Shit, am I in love with Sunshine? I turn back to them. “And I’m not saying I am. Don’t twist my words you prick.”
“Let’s table this discussion until we figure out this fight club fiasco.” Zander says gravely.
“I need you guys to train me, make me the best I can be when I get that call. We have to start right away, I could be called tomorrow for all I know. If that’s the case I’m screwed. I workout with you guys all the time, but I’m in no way, shape or form ready to take on someone for real in a legit fight.”
“Done.” My brothers say in unison.
“All this shits illegal too, no rules. I need you to show me anything and everything I can do to win. I don’t care how dirty the moves are. My main goal is to make it through without getting too banged up so I can get home to my girl. That’s it. I don’t care if I win by the skin of my grundle. It just needs to happen.”
“You’ll be ready. Also, you let us know when you get that call because we’ll be going with you. No fucking way will you go by yourself.”
“Now Z…”
“Fuck that shit. Promise me right now. Swear to us that you will call us the second you hear something so we’ll be there in your corner. Promise.”
I take a deep breath and mull it over. “I promise. But what if…”
“No what ifs, we’ll be there. I know what you’re going to say. What if someone sees you there, it’ll hurt your fighting career. I’d give it all up in a second to have your back and I know Josh feels the same way.”
I look over and Josh nods his head once at me. “Not to go all female on you guys, but I love you. Seriously. I couldn’t have ended up with a better pair of brothers.”
“And Kyle…”
“Can’t forget the runt! Of course, Ky too.”
Josh places his hand on my shoulder causing me to look over at him. Worry evident in his eyes which must mirror my own. I try to put on a mask in front of Georgie because I know she’s constantly worried about this fight hanging over my head. I can tell when I catch her staring at me with a look of guilt written all over her face.
Truth is… I’m worried too. Who wouldn’t be? This isn’t some romance book where the guy goes in defending his girls honor coming out the big hero in the end. I can only hope I come out victorious, also still in one piece, when all is said and done.