Chapter 16
Xander
I take Charli back to my place and I have to admit, the feeling of having her here, knowing she will be staying for a while has all sorts of emotions rising in me and makes me wonder if she might actually move in, though, I hope it’s not too early to ask because one thing I know for sure is this woman is my future.
After a long ass night at the underground, we had come home and instantly crashed, well, right after I showed her just how much I appreciated her coming to the game and the fight, that is.
The sound of Charli stirring on Saturday morning wakes me and I pull her into me, not quite ready for this beautiful creature to leave my bed. “Good morning,” I grumble into her hair as I take a deep breath in, smelling the sexy scent of her shampoo.
“Morning,” she says, turning in my arms so she can plant a kiss on my lips. “How’d you sleep?”
“Like a fucking baby with you beside me,” I say as I roll us over so I hover above her, letting her feel my erection.
“Hmm,” she groans as she closes her eyes and opens her legs. She reaches down between our bodies and wraps her tight fist around me, pumps twice and then guides me into her entrance.
“Ready for me, aye?” I smirk as I push deeper into her.
“Was hoping for it,” she clarifies as she looks up at me with those smouldering blue eyes.
Fuck me. I love this woman.
I keep moving, right up until I’ve got Charli on the edge, ready to detonate, only then do I pick up my pace and watch her as she explodes around me. Her walls clench down as her nails dig into the flesh of my back. She screams out my name and the sound has me coming right along with her.
I press my forehead to hers as we both desperately try to catch our breaths. “I could get used to waking up like that,” she murmurs.
I press my lips down to hers. “That’s freaking music to my ears.” Her lips lift up in a smile against mine as those beautiful blue eyes shimmer back at me in happiness. “Got any plans today?” I ask.
“No,” she says with a hint of curiosity in her voice.
“Good. I’m taking you out for breakfast,” I say before I look over at my clock which tells me its past midday. “Make that lunch.”
“You’ve got yourself a date, big guy.”
An hour later, we’re sitting in a café, finishing off lunch when my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out, hating the feeling of being rude on our date and consider sliding it back in when I notice its Coach Harris calling.
My stomach drops and I instantly lose my appetite. “Shit,” I murmur. Charli notices the change immediately, her eyebrows crease and she looks at me with concerns as I hit accept.
“Hello,” I say into the phone.
“Xander, It’s Coach Harris. I need to see you in my office ASAP,” he says.
I press my lips together, knowing exactly what is happening, though, I thought I might have had a little more time, well, hoped at least. There aren’t that many rounds left in the Underground, so I thought I could at least complete the competition before my world exploded before me.
“Yes coach,” I sigh, “I’m around the corner.”
“Good,” he grunts before hanging up.
“Everything ok?” Charli asks as she reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers.
“That was Coach Harris. He needs to see me in his office,” I explain.
“Does he know?”
“He didn’t say but there is no other reason he would drag me in on a weekend,” I say. “Did you want me to drop you off at my place first?”
“No, it’s ok. The rink is around the corner, it’d be silly to go home first. I can come, I mean… If you want me to,” she says, practically stuttering over her words.
A small smile comes over my lips. “Sure, babe,” I say, “though, there is no chance in hell, Coach will let you in his office. He’ll make you wait outside.”
“That’s ok,” she sighs. “Let’s go.” She pushes out of her chair and pulls me up out of mine. We head over to the cashier and settle the bill before stepping out into the street. “Come on,” she says, trying to perk me up. “He might let you stay on the team, you never know.”
“Thanks, babe,” I say as we head across the road in the direction of the ice rink, deciding to walk rather than drive. “But if he knows about the fight, he literally has no choice but to take me off the team.”
She lets out a sigh as she presses her lips together, clearly deep in thought. We continue walking in silence and before we know it, we’re stepping through the doors of the rink. I find coach leaning up against the barriers talking schedules with the figure skating coach.
The figure fairies skate around the ice and for the millionth time, I’m absolutely stumped with how the hell they do the shit they do.
Coach’s eyes flick to me the second he notices someone approaching. As he takes me in, a furious scowl instantly takes over his features. Shit. This isn’t going to be good.
His eyes flick to Charli and I have no doubt he is wondering if this has something to do with her. “You,” he says, pointing me out. “With me. You,” he adds, turning his finger towards Charli. “Take a seat.”
Charli lets go of my hand and I give Coach a nod as he turns his back and storms in the direction of his office. “You’ll be ok out here?” I ask Charli.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says. “I love watching ice skating. It’s beautiful and downright terrifying at the same time.”
“You’ve got that right,” I murmur as I step away.
She latches onto my hand and I turn back. “Whatever happens in there, just remember, I love you.”
My chest fills with emotions as I look down at my future. “I love you too, babe.”
She gives me an encouraging smile and releases my hand. I head down the hallway leading to Coach’s office with an awful feeling inside my gut. I knock on the door even though he already knows I’m here.
“Take a seat,” he grunts as he looks up from his computer.
I do as I’m told and make it snappy. “What can I do for you, Coach?” I ask.
His eyes shoot daggers at me and it’s clear he is mighty pissed off. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You know exactly why you are here, Xander.”
“Yes, sir,” I say, I may as well own it.
“Underground fighting?” he confirms, his voice raising a notch in disbelief. I give a curt nod, letting him know we’re on the same page. “How the hell could you be so stupid? You realise I have no choice but to expel you from the team.”
“Yes, sir. I realise this,” I say.
“What were you thinking getting involved in fighting?”
“Honestly, Coach, I was thinking that professional fighting is what I want to do. The NHL is my father’s dream, not mine and I was finally taking a step in my own direction.”
“So, why the hell did you transfer here and spend half a season on my team if it is not what you want?” he questions.
“I know it’s a poor excuse and I apologise for wasting your time, however, I was given no choice. You’ve met my father, you know what he is like,” I explain. “My whole life, he has made it clear that my future is the NHL. I have never wanted that. I started MMA when I was eleven and instantly knew that’s what I wanted to do. My father practically kicked my ass when he learned I’d been training in fighting and made it damn clear that if I ever strayed from the plan, I’d lose everything.”
“How so?”
“Anything with monetary value would be taken to prove a lesson. I’d be disowned. My father has pretty much set up my life that I am constantly depending on him. College is paid month by month, my trust account has a daily limit, and even my home and truck have been brought in his name all so he can use it as leverage against me. In my father’s eyes, If I don’t go through to the NHL, I’ll be disowned and lose everything, his way of teaching me a lesson.”
“Go on,” Coach instructs.
I take a deep breath and continue my explanation. “I sought out a gym early in the year so I could continue my MMA training and I was informed about the underground, which, with my skills, I knew I had a good chance of winning.”
“How does winning an illegal fight have anything to do with hockey?” he asks.
“Each fight, the winner takes home a sum of money, as you progress up the leaderboard that sum increases. So, with the winnings I have already earned, I can put a deposit on my own home and be out from under my father’s trap. If I was to win the competition, I could put myself through college, build my own gym and train for the professional circuit,” I tell him. “I know illegal fighting is not ideal but it’s all I’ve got at the moment.”
He lets out a sigh. “You’re one of my best player’s Xander and it kills me that this is the situation you’re in but I have no other options. I have to let you go.”
“I understand, Coach,” I nod.
“What am I going to tell the boys?” he murmurs to himself.
I look down at my hands, unsure how to answer that but I go on anyway. “Coach. It may not seem like it, but hockey has been a part of my life for a long time and I’m honestly devastated that I can no longer be a part of this team. I love hockey but it’s not my passion and I hope you can understand that I need to do what’s right for me.”
“Kid, you need to know that if professional fighting is what you want to do, you have my full support, even though I don’t support this underground bullshit. It’s dangerous and honestly, you’re a stupid fool for getting yourself involved in it, but don’t get me wrong, I’m pissed as hell at you for not being forthcoming. Had news of this spread to the media, the team would have been fucked.”
“I know, Coach and I apologise.”
He lets out a heavy sigh. “Alright, kid,” he says, accepting my apology. “Get out of here. I need to figure out what the hell I’m going to tell the press.”
“Shit,” I groan. “You won’t say anything about the underground, right?” I confirm.
He gives me a blank stare like that is the stupidest question he has ever heard which honestly, I guess it is, I should know Coach wouldn’t throw me under the bus like that. “No,” he says, “I’ll probably say that you have decided to put a hold on your hockey career while you pursue other avenues.”
“Hmm,” I grunt. “Not bad.”
“It’s not my first rodeo, kid,” he explains.
“Got it,” I say, getting up from my chair and making my way out of his office.
“Xander,” he calls after me. I turn back with a questioning eyebrow. “Be careful,” he says. “I’ve witnessed a few of those fights and it never ends well.”
“I know, coach,” I say with a nod. “I’m careful but I should also let you know, the moment my father hears about this, he is going to be knocking down your door.”
“Let him. I have a few choice words for bastards like him. Now, I’ll see you around, kid.”
“Bye, Coach,” I say with a smile. I step out of his office and for the first time in years, I feel a million times lighter.
I walk back out to the rink with a strange sadness around me. I mean, I knew this day was coming but for it to actually happen is a whole new thing. There has never been a time in my life where I have not been on a team and suddenly, I’m free to undergo my own dreams. I don’t know whether to be nervous or excited. Maybe both.
But I do know that the moment I walk out of this ice rink. I won’t be looking back. I have a brand new future before me and I am going to do whatever it takes to succeed. I’ll train harder and faster, be stricter on my diet, study each and every match I can get my hands on but no matter what. I will not fail.
I come to the end of the hallway and find Charli, deep in conversation with a figure skater, talking about all the crazy shit she is able to do. Charli is beaming at her in awe while the girl is sucking up as much attention as possible.
“Hey,” I say, grabbing Charli’s attention.
“Oh, hey,” she says quickly eyeing me, probably trying to guess my mood. She quickly says goodbye to the girl and heads over to me. “How’d it go?” she asks.
“It could have been worse,” I tell her honestly as I lead her out of the rink. “Coach was pissed but at the end of the day, he supports me fighting, well not in the underground at least.”
“So, what does that mean for the team?” she asks with a slight cringe.
“Means I’m off the team,’ I tell her.
“Shit,” she sighs, “I’m sorry.”
I give her hand a comforting squeeze. “Don’t be. It means that I can finally focus solely on fighting and I can be honest with the guys so they can stop looking at me like I’m hiding something.”
“A bit like Aaron?” she smirks.
“Exactly like Aaron.”
“Ok, so what now?” she asks.
“Now, we head home and look for a place of our own.”
“Um, what?” she sputters.
“You heard me,” I say. “I give my father at least three days before he finds out and when he does, I want to be prepared.”
“Ok,” she says, “But you mean your own place.”
“No,” I correct her. “Our own place. I hate to drop a bomb on you like this but now that I’ve got you, I’m not letting you go and fortunately for me, that means you’ll be coming with me to wherever that new place is going to be.”
Her eyes light up with excitement but I also see regret there. “Don’t get me wrong,” she says, “I really want to move in with you but there is no way I can afford that.” She says.
“Babe,” I say, stopping dead in the middle of the road just to make sure she truly understand me. “I don’t want you to worry about money, I’ve got us covered. I just want you to go to the salon every day, then go to Micky’s if you want to. I honestly don’t care what it is you want to do as long as you’re happy and the person I come home to at the end of the day.”
A horn honks, prompting us to continue across the road. “Are you serious?” she asks.
“Dead serious.”
“Ok,” she says with tears of joy in her eyes. “But I’m contributing as much as I can,” she says with her stubborn little attitude.
I roll my eyes. “We’ll see,” I murmur as I take her hand and lead her home.