Tough Girl

Chapter 4

His eyes stared deeply into mine as we stood with our chests pressed up against each other. Our breaths mingled as the world around us slowly came to a stop. My body was caged in by his arms on either side of me. His hands resting against the wall behind me.

I watched Ryder wipe his hand down his sharp cheekbones and strong jaw before he let it fall. "I'm not here to hurt you." He said checking to see if I broke his nose.

I bit back a smirk. Thinking about I clocked the three-year running champ on the jaw and nose. “I figured. I would have been taken down into a submission hold." He is handsome and his eyes kind as I remembered.

“What are you doing in my dressing room?” I don’t mind having the heavyweight champ in my dressing room. Pressing me up against the wall. Reminding me that I am a woman after all with his hard-earned muscles moulding against me. Our eyes locked and our chests colliding with every inhale and exhale.

“I was looking for a place to hide and I thought the paparazzi wouldn’t look for me in here,” Ryder took a step back letting me go. Giving me a moment to catch my breath.

“That’s quite a punch you’ve got there," Ryder said smiling.

"I have three brothers," I replied.

"They did a good job by training you how to throw a punch," My brothers did not always just throw punches when they fought. It was filled with full-on tackles and brawls until one gives up or when mom pulled them apart. My brothers were careful around me when I joined jiu-jitsu and got my first belt.

"Alex?" I jumped at my mother's voice. "Are you alright?" She asked wanting to open the curtain. "No! I mean yes." I replied reaching for the curtain before she could pull it open.

“Are you sure? I thought I heard something." She pressed.

“I'm fine, ma. Just caught skin while unzipping the dress." I lied.

"I can help you." She offered.

"Don’t worry, I am fine,” I reassured and waited for her reply.

I heard her loud, impatient sigh. "Fine, just hurry up."

I waited before releasing the curtain making sure she is gone. "I got to get out of here before she figures out that I'm lying," I said, turning around to find him looking at me with a smile.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said shaking his head.

"I have to go anyway. My pops are waiting for me and the paparazzi should have given up by now." He said moving towards the curtains.

"Can I just ask you one tiny favour?" I asked.

"Sure." He answered nodding.

"Can you help me please unzip me?" It will look suspicious if I call one of my sisters or the assistants to help me out. I gathered my hair in my hands and turned around so my back was facing him. I was unprepared when I felt his fingers brush against my skin when he pulled the zipper down.

I dropped my hair and held onto the front. "Thanks," I said looking over my shoulder catching the last glimpse of him before he disappeared.

I hurried to get dressed before heading out to meet up with my family before they start to get suspicious.

"What took you so long?" Lee-Anne asked taking the dress from me.

"The zipper got stuck and as I pulled it down it caught on my skin." I lied. My sister will think I am nuts if I tell her the truth. My dad and Amy were the only ones who knows about my first encounter with Ryder Cane three years ago and I was keeping it that way.

She flinched. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I assured and avoided her questioning stare.

"Are you joining us for breakfast?"

"Only if you and mom promise not to question me about my future."

"Deal." I didn't believe her but I was hungry and my stomach was in charge.

# # #

"So, I heard that Billy across the street bought himself a house." Mom started to speak when we found a nice restaurant to eat at and settled in. "And that he is now CEO of his father's company." Mom continued not realizing that no one was paying attention to her.

"I think she's speaking to you," Maggie whispered.

"Not interested," I murmured back.

"He's a successful man and he is single." Mom said looking directly at me.

"Yeah, and I punched him in the face and broke his nose when I was twelve after he called me a duck face." My sisters giggled while my mother didn't look amused.

"What's a duck face?" Iris asked.

"That's what I wanted to know," I replied.

"You know he is not that fifteen-year-old boy anymore." My mom interrupted.

"And I don't care if he bought himself a house or that he is some rich man. He can be Brad Pitt for all I care." I retorted.

"Okay, now I know you are lying," Lee-Anne said. "Nobody will turn down Brad Pitt." She argued. "I would." I disagreed.

"When last have you broken out that backbone?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know, I have a vibrator to keep me happy," I admitted and for a moment forgot about Iris.

"What's a vibrator?" Iris asked. Maggie looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry, I forgot." I apologized.

"Are you going to help me explain to her what it is?" She whispered while motioning to Iris who was looking at us with questioning eyes.

"Is that the same thing daddy asked about the other day?" Iris asked making everyone stop talking and look at Maggie in unison.

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "Seems like it isn't necessary for me to help you to find an explanation," I said jokingly.

"What kind of daughters do I have that still play with toys." Our mother muttered.

"You've got a vibrator?" Lee-Anne asked snickering at Maggie.

"Doesn't Terrance look after your needs?" Lee-Anne continued to ask.

"He's not always in the mood," Maggie confessed.

"So, you got yourself a vibrator to please yourself?" Maggie nodded.

"I still have needs and whenever he is not home or Iris is asleep, I use it." She explained.

"Can we just stop talking about that for the moment?" Mom asked. "We have a six-year-old child having breakfast with us." Mom continued.

"Now back to Alex." Great. "When are you going to go on at least one date that I arrange for you?" Mom asked.

"Never," I answered truthfully. I watched my mother let out a distasteful sigh.

"It has been two years. You haven't even tried to get back into the game." My noted.

"Yeah, so?" I asked pulling up my shoulders. I loved how my life was going even though I dread sometimes of not fighting professionally any more but I got over it.

She didn't look thrilled with my reply. "I'm not getting any younger and neither are you. I at least want to see my grandson or daughter before I die." My mother exaggerated.

"So, let me get this right. You want me to get involved with a man so that you can get a grandson or daughter from me?" My sisters looked at my mother with the same questionable looks.

"It's every mother's dream." She admitted.

"That's great to know that you don't care about our happiness. That it bothers you so much to organize a man without even thinking that I got really hurt by one."

"It doesn't take two years to get over him." My mother muttered.

"I wish you can be a mother who looks after her child and notice the pain instead of ignoring what she went through and wanting to put her back on the horse so that she can leave you with a grandchild. Forgetting that she lost one." I stood up from the table.

"Alex." My mother said reaching out for me but I pulled my hand back.

"I have to go. I promised Tony, I would help him out with his new fighter,” I said it just to annoy her and it worked when her eyes blazed with disappointment. I got so used to it that it doesn't bother me anymore.

“Alexandra that has to stop,”

“Maybe I should take Tony up on his offer and go back full time. Just to show you that I don’t care what you think of me,” It was words I was going to have to swallow because I am not even brave enough to go for it. It's been three years and I am still afraid.

“I am sorry if I ruined your morning or day or whatever,” I apologized to everyone and left.