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I’m not usually a patient woman. But I want to support Hunter. I love him more than anything.
Chapter 17
~Hunter~
“I could have brought Rach to you,” I say as Dad and I walk behind the house, along the cliffs. It’s become a favorite spot for all of us these past few months.
Especially during the past month since I accepted Danny’s challenge. I’ve trained harder in the past thirty days than I ever have in my life. I’m in excellent condition.
I won’t lose.
“You know your mother and I don’t mind coming over here,” he says and shoves his hands into his pockets. “We close on our place in a couple of weeks. We’re eager to be here full time. It’ll be easier all around, and your mother will stop complaining that her babies are too far away.”
“You love it here,” I say with a grin. “Don’t deny it.”
“You know I do.” Dad’s smile isn’t the least bit shy. “Maeve found us the perfect place, right on the water. You didn’t have to buy it for us. We could have done it with the money from the sale of the Seattle house.”
“I did need to buy it,” I reply. “The money is nothing to me, Dad. You know that. I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“We’re your family,” he reminds me. “You don’t have to repay us for a damn thing. We did what anyone would do. Rachel is a delight, and the light of our lives.”
“You took us both in, when Rachel was born, without even blinking an eye.”
“Of course, we did. If Rachel came to you in a similar situation, are you telling me you’d turn her away? Tell her to figure it out for herself?”
“Hell, no.” I shove my hand through my hair. “I would do the same thing you did. But, Dad, you won’t ever pay for anything again in your lifetime. Not if I can help it.”
“We have plenty of money. You don’t have to pay for every damn thing.”
I shake my head and look out to the sea. It’s churning with a dark mood that matches mine.
“It’s already done. No takebacks.” I laugh and then shrug a shoulder. “Maeve and I should be back in a few days.”
“Are you sure about this?” he asks.
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
“And if you get hit in the head again?”
I shake my head. “He won’t get even one hit in. I’ll have him knocked out in less than ten seconds. He’s an idiot for starting this. Everyone knows it. The odds in Vegas are ten to one in my favor.”
Dad nods. “We’ll be at the pub to watch the fight with the O’Callaghans.”
“I figured.”
“Boys!” We turn at the sound of Mom’s voice. “Dinner’s ready!”
“You always choose the fanciest hotels,” Maeve says as we walk into the suite the next day.
“This one is comped by the resort,” I reply with a satisfied smile. “Fighting in Vegas means we get some fun perks.”
“Wow, I guess so.”
Maeve sits on a couch and crosses her legs, watches me as I open a bottle of water and take a long sip.
“I’m worried about you,” she admits.
“Why is that?”
“You’ve been…different this last month. I’ve chalked it up to seeing the professional fighter side of you for the first time because you were already retired when I met you.”
“How am I different?”
“Stoic. Serious. Focused, yet distant. Do you realize that aside from sex, you’ve hardly touched me in weeks?”
I stare at her, stunned. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, it is. And I’m not complaining because I know this fight is important, and you need to be focused. If you’re not, you could get seriously hurt, and I can’t have that. Is this how it always was when you fought? Before? I asked Rachel and she said no, but maybe she just didn’t realize it.”
I frown and sit next to her, thinking it over. Was I always like that?
“I don’t think so. I think it’s just this fight. And I’m sorry if I’ve been distant. I don’t mean to be. I don’t want to forget anything. I need to keep my head in the game. I can’t fuck this up.”
She slides over and straddles my lap. My hands immediately rest on the globes of her perfect ass under the soft material of her dress.
“You’re not going to fuck it up.” Her voice is strong and sure. I love the confidence I hear from her. I can’t even begin to tell her how much her support has meant to me over the past several weeks. “You’re going to kick this dude’s ass, and then we’re going to get on with our lives.”
“Carla really did file a lawsuit. She’s trying to get custody of Rachel. I can’t believe she pulled that shit, and it only makes me want to beat Danny’s ass even more.”
