Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(27)
Author: Molly McAdams

“I don’t know it changes every time.” He shrugged as he pulled me out of the house, “Average is usually sixteen or seventeen hundred.”

I was so shocked I stopped walking. Brandon fought anywhere from one to three times a week, and his average was that? “What do you do with all that money?”

He sighed and picked me up as he continued outside since I wasn’t moving, “Other than some bills and buying my Jeep, I’ve saved all of it.”

Crap. I seriously would have never known. Brandon wasn’t one to talk about his money, and he didn’t come across as someone that had a lot of it either. He didn’t appear poor, just seemed like your normal college student, so this was blowing my mind. “Well regardless,” I said with a huff and crossed my arms after we were on our way, “I can’t believe you stopped that just for a fight.”

When we came up to a red light he looked to me and ran his fingers over my jaw, “I’m sorry sweetheart, I didn’t mean to offend you like that. I promise after this fight we can go back and not leave the room until Monday.” He started driving again and reached for my hand to kiss my palm, “Besides the call came at a good time, I had been trying to force myself to stop. I would’ve had to soon.”

I frowned and looked out the window, I was glad he kept the top up during the winter so it wasn’t too cold, but I kind of wished it was down so we couldn’t talk right now. “I hadn’t been planning to let you stop this time.”

Brandon’s hand tightened around mine and he cursed, “Harper I didn’t know, I’m sorry. I swear if I had I wouldn’t have taken that call.” He cursed again, “I shouldn’t have taken that call even if we were about to stop. That was our time together.”

“I get you to myself all the time, it’s fine.”

“No it’s not. I really am sorry, please don’t be mad at me.”

I smiled but it felt wrong, “I’m not. Let’s just finish this and go back to the room like you said.” Honestly, I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I had finally decided tonight was the night. I know he hadn’t been aware of that yet, but the fact that I was ready to go there with Brandon and it got interrupted set me on edge. Like maybe I still shouldn’t have sex with him. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut and not told him that I had been wanting to. How did we go back to stopping ourselves after I just said that? Even though I knew I was, I wasn’t trying to make him feel bad, I was just mad at myself.

He was quiet the rest of the drive, instead of his happy energetic self before a match. He held my hand and silently walked with me through the labyrinth of halls in this place. When we got to the doors that would put me in the room he kissed me softly and walked away to meet with Crow. I felt awful, he’d been so excited about this fight, and I’d put him in this sullen mood. Walking into the basement with the loud music and crazed atmosphere felt wrong after the last forty minutes, but I stood next to the box Scarecrow would be on, like I did every other fight so Brandon would know where I was.

Scarecrow gave me a big hug and started the fight, he noticed Brandon wasn’t his usual carefree self but soon forgot when a seriously pissed off Brandon went to town on whoever this other guy was. I hadn’t been paying close enough attention before they started. It looked like this was an oddly matched fight since the other guy wasn’t doing much, and I didn’t understand how it could bring in so much money. All of a sudden the guy grabbed Brandon’s left hand and twisted it behind him, fully outstretched and planted a hard kick in the middle of Brandon’s back. I screamed when his hand was dropped and his arm was left hanging out of socket. He slammed Brandon to the ground, his head bouncing off the extremely thin mat covering the concrete and Scarecrow had to hold me back from running to him. The last thing Brandon needed was me running out there, but it was instinctive to go to him.

Brandon’s leg came up around the other guy’s chest and he slammed him down to the ground as well. Using both legs now, Brandon was choking the guy and I knew he would pass out soon. After a few tense moments the other guy tapped out and Brandon released his hold on him, slowly bringing himself to his feet. Without acknowledging the crowd screaming and cheering, he shuffled to me and Crow, grabbed my hand and pulled me to the room he’d waited in before the fight. When we got in there, he fell into a chair and gasped in pain as he unsuccessfully tried to put his shoulder back in place, I sat there covering my mouth in shock as I watched him.

“I need you.” He gritted his teeth and huffed, “To take me.” He huffed again twice.

“Stop talking baby, I know, I’ll take you to the hospital.” I grabbed his shirt and sat on the floor against his legs, “Do you want to put this on at least one arm, or leave it completely off?”

“Try to get it on.”

I pulled the shirt over his head and got his right arm through the hole, I pulled it around his left arm so at least it wouldn’t swing everywhere and kissed his forehead, “Is your head okay?”

“I’ll be fine, I can’t believe that even happened, I was just too distracted.”

“Oh my God Brandon, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have talked to you about that before a fight. I wasn’t upset with you, I promise. I was just mad at the whole situation.”

“It’s fine sweetheart, this isn’t your fault.”

“Brandon,” I gently kissed his cheek, “I love you, I’m sorry.”

“I love you too, come here.” He kissed my lips hard and I helped him out of the chair.

We started walking out when Scarecrow came running in, “Hey man, are you okay? That looked rough, you need to get checked out.”

“She’s taking me, I’ll let you know how it goes.” Brandon handed me the wad of cash he’d just received and shook Scarecrow’s hand.

Five and a half hours later, we were finally getting back to Chase’s house. Brandon had a slight concussion and had torn some ligaments when his shoulder dislocated, he was supposed to be wearing a sling, but he’d taken it and the wrap off as soon as we’d gotten back in his Jeep. I’d had a mental freak-out when they showed us the X-Rays of his shoulder and explained he’d eventually need to have surgery on it, but kept my mouth shut. Which probably was just as bad as vocalizing my rant, because Brandon took one look at my wide eyes and clenched jaw and knew I was flipping out.

“Sweetheart, tell me what you’re thinking.” Brandon pleaded while I nuzzled his neck.

I sighed and rolled onto my back, “I’m just worried about you.”

“I told you, I’m fine. I don’t want you to worry about this, it’s nothing.”

“Brandon, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think I can watch you fight anymore. I just –” I fumbled for a few seconds trying to put my thoughts into words, “seeing that happen to you, I freaked and Scarecrow had to stop me from running out there. I can’t watch something like that happen to you again. Would you hate me if I didn’t go to them anymore? I’ll wait for you in your bed for when you get back, but I can’t watch them.”

He pulled me close to his right side and kissed my forehead, “I could never hate you, especially over something like that. I’m sorry you were worried. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Don’t apologize, I’m just glad you’re okay. Well, as okay as you can be right now” I sighed into his chest and he squeezed me tight.

“I love you Harper.”

“I love you too. So much.” I kissed him softly and settled in to finally sleep.

***

I smiled against Chase’s kisses while he led me back to his room, which we had barely left an hour ago. Gasping when I realized where we were, I pushed him a little bit away from me and looked around confused.

“Chase, we can’t do this here! What if one of the guys walks in? Oh my God, what if Brandon comes home early?!” I could have sworn we were at his parent’s house, when did we get to his?

“Don’t worry Princess, no one will catch us.”

A part of me was screaming that it was extremely likely someone would catch us, but when his lips touched my nak*d body, I couldn’t seem to care enough to stop him again. I ran my fingers through his hair and pulled his head away from my stomach and back to my face.

“I guess we’ll just have to try to be quiet this time.” I whispered huskily.

Chase groaned and brought himself between my legs, just as I was feeling the pressure I was craving, he called my name but his lips never moved. I blinked and looked closer at his mouth when I heard my name again. That was definitely not Chase’s voice. Oh God, Brandon was here!

“Chase!” I hissed, “Chase we have to stop, he’s going to come in here!”

He smiled crookedly and pressed further into me, “Let him.”

The door opened then, and my boyfriend’s head peered in, “Brandon! No!”

Brandon simply smiled and looked at me, “Wake up sweetheart.”

Huh?

“Come on sweetheart, we need to go to class.”

I looked over to Chase who was now shaking my shoulder, then back to my boyfriend. What on earth was happening?

“Harper. Get. Up.” I had no idea who said that last one.

My eyes flew open and I sat upright, my face smashing into a nak*d chest. “Brandon!” I nearly screamed.

“Jesus Harper! Calm down.” Brandon’s arms wrapped around me and he kissed the top of my head. “Are you okay?”

I pushed back on his chest to look at his face, then around the room. Brandon’s room. “I think…I was dreaming.”

Dreaming was an understatement. Up until the end, everything had seemed so real. Everything felt so real. I was still completely turned on for crying out loud! I felt sick to my stomach that I’d had a dream of cheating on Brandon. I was still fully dealing with the guilt of actually cheating on him, I didn’t want this too.

“Was it bad?”

“Um, no. No it was fine.” Not fine, not okay. Why can’t I stop thinking about him?

“Are you sure? Your heart is racing and you’re drenched in sweat babe.”

“I’m good, it just freaked me out a little.”

Brandon shrugged, “Okay, well go get ready, we have to leave for school soon.”

I grumbled, but he lifted me out of the bed and set me down in the bathroom. Brandon had been doing a few physical therapy workouts with his trainer for his shoulder and was doing much better. There was only pain after working out but he was taking it easy and had told Scarecrow he had to miss the last two fights. I didn’t know when he was going to go back, and didn’t ask. Honestly I didn’t want him to, but there’s no way I would ask him to stop doing something he loved. After I was mostly ready for the day, I walked into the kitchen and froze. Chase was standing with his back to me, talking to Bree. He must have heard me enter the room because his back tensed and he straightened from crouching down to speak with his sister.

“Uh, good morning.” It almost sounded like a question.

Bree glanced around Chase, her smile widening, “Morning doll! How’d you sleep?”

Chase barely cast a glance over his shoulder, saying nothing. That hurt.

“Pretty well, you?”

“Excellent.” She bit her lip and her face flushed.

“Ugh, seriously Bree? Save it until I’m gone at least.” Chase made a gagging noise and walked out.