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“I know,” he replied. “We can’t put her through a court battle.”
“No, we can’t.”
He shook his head. “I can’t stand the thought of him getting away with this either.”
“Maybe just the thought of getting caught will be enough to deter him,” Skylar told Luka.
“It better be or he’ll find out why men were scared when they heard they were battling me in the cage.”
“He’ll be ready to pee his pants. I’ve seen your cage matches,” Ava declared.
Luka’s eyebrow rose over his eyebrow in surprise at his daughter’s statement. Then he chuckled. “Don’t watch anymore Ava,” he told her. “They really aren’t for you.”
“Daddy,” she groaned and rolled her eyes.
“Ava, it isn’t pretty. It isn’t glamorous or easy to watch. Your uncles saw me fight once. They were shaken up. You can’t understand at ten that I don’t want you to see that side of me. I just want to be your Daddy, always.”
Ava looked up at Skylar. “Did you ever see him fight?” She asked her.
“I didn’t until one-day last week and I was shaken up about it too Ava. It isn’t a side of Luka I’ve seen before sweetheart.
“Honestly, when Brett told me what he was doing I tried to put it in the back of my mind. I didn’t want to worry about him getting hurt.” She looked at Luka. “When did they see you fight?” Skylar asked.
“Not in person, on television. They did a pay-per-view thing one night and then called me and told me I needed to retire.”
“When was this?”
“A year and half ago, maybe two years,” Luka replied. “I was starting to think that way before they brought it up. I had been doing this for a long time. My body was taking a beating. I didn’t want to end up with brain damage.”
“Are you all right?” Skylar asked.
“I’ve had a few concussions.” He moved his hair back so Skylar could see his left ear which was scarred from taking hits. “I wear my hair longer to cover my ear. It isn’t pretty.”
“Luka, was it worth it?”
He heard the pain in her voice and his eyes traveled up to hers. He had money. He had acquired a few sponsors because of his looks and he socked that money away; investing well until his bank account looked pretty damn good. Skylar had heard at the lawyer’s office exactly how good Luka had done for himself. He got out before there was long term damage. His nose was no longer perfect not that it was before. He was one of the lucky ones.
“It is worth it now that I’m back here where I belong with you and Ava,” he said. Luka lowered his lashes. “I had to do it Sky.”
Luka couldn’t explain the suffocating feeling he had experienced living in Haley Cove with no money and no future. He had no prospects except the ranch. He had felt he had no choice but to leave. The hardest thing to do was leave Skylar behind.
He glanced across the bed. Ava had nodded off. “She’s asleep.” Skylar looked down at their daughter. She kissed her forehead. “I love you Skylar. I always have. I want more with you.”
“More of what Luka?” She asked not meeting his gaze; not able to hide the tremble in her voice.
His hand snaked across her and he took her hand in his. “More of everything. I want to wake up with you every morning.” His voice was soft so he didn’t wake Ava. “I want to help you on the ranch. I want to take Ava to school and soccer. See her games. I want to have another child with you. This time I’m going to be there for you every step of the pregnancy. I missed so damn much.
“I want to get up in the night with this child and rock it when it can’t sleep. I want to see its first birthday and see it take its first step. I want everything I’ve missed the last ten years with both you and Ava.”
Tears streamed down Skylar’s face. Her eyes were closed but he knew that she was listening to him.
“You just have to let me in baby.”
“I’m afraid Luka.”
“Why are you afraid?” His tone was soft and heartbreakingly tender. She heard it.
Skylar slipped her hand from his and wiped the tears from her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and found the bump on her head where she had hit it when she fell off Majestic. She flinched in pain.
