Worth the fight

Chapter 12

Nico

“I think I wanna go back in.” My words stop Preach in his tracks and he isn’t prepared for the shot I land into his sparring gloves. He winds up on his ass.

I extend a hand down to him on the floor and he gets up rubbing his hip. “Do you think you can tell me this shit when I’m not going to get a bruise. A fucking cup of coffee. Maybe we sit down over a cup of coffee and discuss things like normal people for a change.”

I shake my head at the drama of Preach. He’s bugged the crap out of me for over a year and then he complains at the way I tell him I’m ready. Fucking Preach.

“Why the change of heart son?”

“Does it matter? You’ve been up my ass for a year and now I tell you what you’ve been wanting to hear and you start questioning it.”

“How was your date last night?” A voice comes from behind me. I hadn’t seen Lily walk in. I’m starting to regret hiring her to do my books. Her timing sucks and she’s got a big mouth.

“The checkbook is upstairs.” I don’t respond to her question.

“Date?” Her comment gets Preach’s attention.

“Oh, you haven’t told Preach about Elle?” Lily drags out her words. She sounds like my sister teasing me. I’m suddenly glad that I grew up with three brothers who had no interest in gossip or my love life. I shoot Lily a look that says go away, but she stands her ground and her and Preach begin to talk about me like I’m not even there. She tells Preach about Elle and the two of them lap up the shit like two schoolgirls.

I’m stopped, waiting for Preach, and I feel my muscles starting to go cold. There’s a pause in their chatter and I dart into the conversation before they can resume. “Think we can get back to work ladies? I’m not paying both your asses to stand around and talk about me like I’m not even here.”

Lily smirks at Preach, but takes the hint and heads upstairs to get the books.

Preach lifts the pads he’s holding to block my hits back up and I bounce up and down a few times to get the blood flowing again before I swing my leg high into the air and land a strong strike in the middle of the reflector pads, exactly where I aimed the kick.

“The girl have anything to do with your decision to get back into the cage?” Preach says as he repositions himself for the blow he thinks will come next.

I decide to change it up with a roundhouse that lands just barely on the reflector pads. He wasn’t expecting another leg, and it catches him off guard, but he’s able to recover and protect himself at the last minute.

I again ignore Preach’s question about Elle. I don’t even know if she likes MMA, so I’m not getting back into the cage to impress her, if that’s what he thinks. The timing just feels right. I don’t know why or what changed, I just feel ready today.