A Natural Act (Contradictions) (27 page)

“
Isabella,” the lovely young receptionist, Siân, pops her head around the door. She volunteers here on days when she’s not at college and she’s a very friendly young lady. “There’s a very good looking man waiting to see you.”

“
Oh really?” I smile at her. The little voice at the back of my mind is whispering that Craig might have gotten off work early and popped in to see me.

“
He’s very charming,” she nods. “He doesn’t have an appointment but he said you would want to see him.”

I grin because I definitely want to see my multi-layered, complicated boyfriend.

“I’m just finishing up some paperwork. Can you make him a drink and I’ll come get him in about ten minutes if you don’t mind?”

“
No problem,” she nods eagerly.

I smile to myself and, if I’m truly honest, I do rush through the paperwork to some degree. I do make sure all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed but I’m perhaps not as diligent as usual so I make a mental note to come back to it later.

When I open the door to my office and head in towards reception, there’s a completely unprofessional grin on my face.

It’s gone completely when I gre
et my male visitor.

“
Isabella,” Nigel rises to standing, buttoning his jacket. “Shall we speak in your office?”

He has caught me completely off guard and I’m too busy scanning the room, expecting everyone else to be as shocked by his presence as I am but nobody even looks up.

He has my waist in his hand and he squeezes harder than is strictly necessary as he urges me into my office.

I’ve never been more grateful that the wall and door are made of glass. He’s not going to hurt me when anybody walking down the hall can see him.

I remember Ian’s words and take a deep breath. He’s already started trying to display dominance over me by showing up at my place of work and strong-arming his way into my office.

“
Rather small,” he looks around the room with distaste before taking a seat in my office chair. “But I suppose it is a charity.” He says the word charity as if it’s a venereal disease.

“
What are you doing here, Nigel?” I ask.

He’s assumed the position of power by taking my seat. If I stay standing or take the visitors seat, I’ve ceded that power so I perch on the desk right next to him even though the proximity to the man who almost killed me
makes my heart beat so fast I grow light headed.

“
I would think it was obvious I came to see you, darling,” he answers smugly, reaching out to stroke his index finger down the line of my calf.

I smack his hand away.
“I don’t want to see you, Nigel.”

“
Don’t be childish, Isabella. I forgive you. I’m giving you a chance to make it right. Come home, we’ll start a new leaf. I’ll even let you pick out your own ring.”

I stare at him open-mouthed for a few seconds because I can barely believe what I’m hearing.

I laugh. “What happens next time you hit me, Nigel? What happens next time you almost kill me? I’m never coming back to you, Nigel. Ever,” I tell him firmly.

He narrows his eyes and I can tell he’s angry behind the calm exterior.

He scoffs. “Do you realise what you’re giving up, Isabella?”

“
I’m very aware,” I tell him venomously. “You ruined my life, Nigel.”

“
I gave you a life, Isabella. Saved you from the practical poverty you came from. I polished you up, brushed you off, made you into a respectable lady,” he returns, his voice carefully measured.

I shake my head because he’ll never understand. I think he genuinely regrets almost killing me but simply because he took it too far. Not because I almost died.

“You owe me,” he tells me vindictively.

“
I don’t owe you anything,” I answer with conviction. “Stop texting me. Stop calling me. Don’t show up here again.”

“
I put too much effort into fixing you for that, darling,” he tells me, reaching out for my leg again.

This time he circles my ankle with his hand, maintaining a firm grip.

I try to kick out but he’s holding too tightly and I don’t want him to know he’s scaring me.

“
You ran from me, Isabella,” he almost whispers. I can actually see the sadness in his eyes and I know he genuinely does miss me. Somewhere, deep down, his heart remembers what it was like to love but he’s too far gone to recover.

“
I tried to get back to you,” I admit. “You weren’t at the hotel, or the house.”

He frowns like he didn’t see that coming and for a second I can see him repositioning his pieces on the board.

“But I couldn’t find you and I eventually realised I didn’t need to.”

“
He’s poisoned your brain,” Nigel grits his teeth. “That security guard from the hospital.”

I inwardly chuckle that Nigel doesn’t realise he’s a doctor.

“He didn’t do anything but give me time to realise what you were doing to me, Nigel. You almost killed me,” I remind him.

“
You refused my ring,” Nigel bites back as of that’s a much greater sin. “You refused a lifetime of the future I could offer you.”

“
I wouldn’t have lived long enough to experience them. I don’t want pretty things and expensive accessories. I want a man whole loves and values me. A man who sees me as more than an attractive adornment to his arm.”

His face turns ugly for a second as the grip increases on my high.
“You think your thug can give you that? He just wants you for sex, Isabella. Men like that can’t treat a woman right.”

“
Apparently, neither can a man like you,” I retort.

“
How dare you,” he barks and I recoil slightly despite my resolve not to let him get to me.

He rises to standing and looms down over me his hand travelling up my leg to just above my knee.

It’s taking everything I have not to tremble as I feel his breath on my face. His other hand rests on my throat but I keep mine firmly planted on the edge of my desk.

“
Good girl,” he tells me with his lips curving up into a satisfied smirk. “You know your place.”

I smile sweetly before I bring my right leg up as quickly as I can between his legs, taking a large gasp of air as soon as his hand releases my throat to cup his groin.

“Everything alright, Isabella?” Megan’s husband, Eric, enters my office. His brow is furrowed and he looks concerned.

“
Fine,” I manage, my heart beating rapidly from the shock of finally fighting back and the fear of retribution. “Mr Callaghan was just leaving.”

“
Catch yourself on the desk did you, son?” Eric eyes him with a certain amount of contempt. “Ice it when you get home. Maybe stay away if you don’t want any more accidents.”

Nigel recovers his composure and dons a mask of confidence. He ignores Eric and turns to me.

“See you soon, Isabella.”

I shake my head at him, holding my ground until he’s completely out of sight before I fall into my chair in a trembling mass of nerves.

“Hell of a kick you got there,” Eric tells me, his voice gentle as he kneels down in front of me.

“
Thanks,” I manage a single laugh through my tears. I hate that I’m having a breakdown in front of my boss. He reaches into the pocket of his suit and passes me a navy blue handkerchief.

“
Are you okay?” He asks tentatively.

I nod because he must think I’m insane. For all he knows, Nigel could have been a client and I’ve just kicked him in his dangly bits.

“I’m sorry,” I sniff, completely ruining his handkerchief.

“
Don’t be,” he laughs, his voice deep and gravelly. “Quite entertaining. I could see you were scared, I was prepared to step in. I’ve seen military men lose their nerve with fear like that in their path but you held it together. I’m proud of you.”

It’s striking how
a relative stranger’s pride can mean so much.

“
I hope you don’t mind but I know who that was, and I know your history,” he tells me gently, offering me a hand to help pull me to standing.

I look up at him in surprise because that was the last thing I expected him to say.

“My nephew, Ian, called me up and told me everything. He was worried your ex would make an appearance at work and he didn’t want you at risk here.

I know you haven’t been here long, Isabella, but you’re already making an incredible difference to your colleagues and our clients. We don’t want to lose you and I’ll do my best to keep you feeling safe here.
”

“
Thank you,” I murmur gratefully. “I’m sorry for bringing my drama to ‘Supporting Arms’. That was never my intention and it’s terribly unprofessional of me.”

“
Not your fault, my dear. We’re used to drama here,” he winks. “I have five children. Drama is part and parcel of being a father.”

I shake my head in disbelief and chuckle to myself.
“You Carters really are something special,” I tell him. “I’m very grateful to have ever been introduced to your family.”

“
Not as grateful as we are for the work you’re doing for us. I was actually on my way to see you to thank you for being so thorough on the Dawson family case notes. I’d actually missed a few of the key details that could help make this case.

I would never have thought of taking that route.
”

I beam happily. I’ve never felt more like I belonged than I do in this place. It’s like a second home.

“Can I give you a lift home, Isabella?” He asks. “I need to pop into town anyway and Craig wouldn’t be too happy with me if I let you get the bus home after all that just happened.”

“
Yes, please,” I breathe a sigh of relief because I don’t want to be alone and out in the open like that. I’m too shaken up.

“
Alright,” he smiles, seemingly relieved by my acquiescence. “You’ll have to go in the back though, I’m afraid. Megan gets travel sick if she sits in the back.”

“
Of course,” I nod because I’d never ask Megan to give up her seat for me.

He surprises me by hugging me tightly
before we leave. It’s the sort of hug I haven’t had in many years. It’s a hug which takes nothing but gives everything. It’s the promise of care and support.

It’s the hug of a father.

I've never seen Craig this calm. He's usually fairly relaxed but right now he oozes serenity.

Surely he should be a bundle of nerves?

His title fight is in two hours and
here he is, sipping on green tea in the staff room. It's just the two of us because everybody else us rushing around setting things up.

“
Tea's going cold,” he nods towards the cup in front of me.

I grin sheepishly and reach forwards to pick it up. He watches my hands as I sip my tea.

“You shakin', lady?” He chuckles.

“
I'm nervous!” I insist with a pout.

“
I'll win,” he shrugs. “It's a done deal.”

“
How can you possibly know that?” I reprimand him lightly.

“
My opponent is a guy named Hemler. I've fought him before. I've followed his matches this season and he hasn't lost a single one since our last match. Neither have I. I'm in the best form of my life. He's got something to prove and he's too eager. I'll win because for the first time, I'm fighting for me.”

I look at my complicated fighter and let his words sink in. I know Craig has always fought for his brothers; to make them proud. He enjoys MMA but it's something he used as a tool to protect himself and then, later, to gain favour with his brothers.

“How come?” I ask him tentatively. I hope we've come far enough in our relationship that he'll no longer shrug or give me a non-answer.

He looks up from his tea and straight into my eyes.
“I'd be fighting for you but you'd hate that.”

I nod in agreement. Much as I support his MMA career, I still don't want there to be any blood spilt in my name.

He smiles and beckons me over. I go happily to his lap, straddling him so that he knows he has my full attention.

“
Want this to be my last fight,” he tells me, his brows drawn in caution.

I take my time answering because I instinctively now this is a decision of monumental proportions for him. He's giving up half of who he is but I need to better understand why in order to know whether I support the decision.

“Because of me?” I bite my lip nervously.

He nods and my heart sinks.
“But not for the reasons you think,” he's quick to add.

I cock my head because I find that hard to swallow.

“It's not because I think it scares you, or because I know you don't like violence,” he explains and I relax somewhat because that was my fear. “I work a lot.”

“
Understatement,” I tease, the palms of my hands rested on his chest.

He smiles that lop-sided smile.
“Training takes up pretty much all my spare time and, whilst I love it, I love the actual fight, not the competition. I don't want titles, belts, or fans. I want to enjoy myself.”

“
And you don't need to compete at this level for that,” I catch on.

“
I barely get to fight somebody in the same league as my brothers and cousins,” he grins. “I can enjoy myself with them. That's all I need.”

I narrow my eyes at him because I get the sense that there's more and he's not saying it.

“Trying to get inside my head, lady?” He raises an amused eyebrow at me.

I nod stubbornly, raising one hand to brush his temple lightly with my thumb.

“You're already in there, Bella,” he tells me quietly. “Running circles.”

I'm sure I look ridiculous grinning like a child but I don't care. I loved hearing that. He moves my hand from his chest to his side; to rest on his tattoo. He never tells me he loves me out loud but he always touches my hand tattoo to remind me that he loves me.

“You made me realise I didn't want to do this anymore,” he admits after touching his lips to mine. “You made me realise that everything I've achieved so far in my life, was to please somebody else. I got into MMA because it made my brothers proud. I became a doctor because I had to pick a career which would make the family proud. It's a recurring theme.

With my career, I lucked out because I absolutely love it. With MMA, I've taken it too far. I love the sport but not the cage bunnies, fan boys, and ass holes who challenge me
just to look hard.”

“
You're finally making a decision based on what you want,” I grin, impressed.

“
Seems that way,” he nods, crossing his arms behind my back so that I'm pressed up against him.

I squeal with happiness and throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“You're sure about this?” I ask against the skin of his neck.

“
Certain,” he nods, his palms sliding under the hem of my shirt to rest inside the waist band of my jeans.

“
What about your brothers?” I ask concerned for his relationship with them.

“
What about us?” Ian stealths into the room and makes me jump.

“
Hi, Ian,” I smile. “How are you?”

“
Fine,” he cocks his head at me. “What about us?”

Craig sighs.
“Later.”

“
Now,” Ian counters.

“
Seriously, E,” Craig shakes his head.

Ian narrows his eyes but his expression softens after a few seconds.
“You know you have our support, Craig,” he tells his younger brother. “Whatever you do.”

Ian seems intuitive and very in tune with his siblings. I suspect he has already figured out where Craig's head is at and I know how much his words mean to Craig by the way his muscles relax against me. They've been tense ever since Ian entered the room.

“Thanks,” Craig mumbles, nodding his head at his brother.

“
Unless you lose,” Ian adds with a smirk.

Craig just chuckles and shakes his head. Apparently cockiness runs in the family.

“What are cage bunnies?” I ask because this is not the first time that term has popped up in conversation and nobody has yet explained the concept to me.

Ian guffaws with laughter and Craig grins.

“You'll see,” he tells me before dipping his face into my neck and whispering. “And when you do, just remember this.” He places my hand on the tattoo once more and kisses the sensitive spot behind my ear.

I feel the swell of his attraction and I'm only just realising that I'm still straddling him with his brother in the room.

I sheepishly hop off his lap and place myself next to him.

Ian looked amused if anything as Craig non-too-surreptitiously adjusts himself.

“Need to borrow your boyfriend,” Ian tells me. “Jelly is in the café with Elise and Grace. Think I saw Cordi too. Got some purple shit in her hair.”

“
Purple shit,” Craig chuckles. “Wouldn't say that in front of her.”

“
Me neither,” Ian agrees. “Crazy lady.”

I giggle because Carla would definitely not stand for insults to her lovely hair. I haven't seen the purple yet but if anybody could pull it off, she could.

“Kiss,” Craig demands, tugging my closer towards him with an arm around my waist.

“
Yes, please,” I grin, pressing up on my tip toes.

His skin is warm against mine and I get a little caught up in the feel of his lips, only to be pulled away as Ian tugs Craig's shoulder.

Craig shrugs away and kisses my forehead in apology. “Epomlepoy,” he whispers, his breath fluttering over my eyelashes. “I'll come get you before the fight begins.”

I nod, still slightly flustered from the heat of the kiss. It's hard not to find every kiss exciting when I can feel the firm strength of his body against mine.

When he and Ian leave the room, his eyes hold mine until they're out of sight. I instantly miss his presence but three of my favourite ladies are in the coffee shop and a girly natter is becoming one of my new hobbies.

I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have friends.

“Isabella,” Carla beams at me. “Get that tight little butt down here.” She pats the sea next to her so I grin and join them.

“
You look nervous,” Jamie grins impishly.

“
I am,” I admit. “What if he gets hurt?”

I’m met by raucous
laughter from the three of them. I think even little Grace giggles along with her fiery mother.

“
He won’t get hurt,” Elise reassures me.

“
I used to worry about it too,” Jamie tells me. “But, aside from fighting my brothers, he hasn’t lost a match in years.”

“
Must get boring,” I frown because surely there’s no challenge in that and Craig loves a challenge.

“
I think it probably would if he didn’t enjoy MMA so much,” Jamie nods.

“
Who are you kidding,” Elise chuckles. “What man doesn’t love to win?”

We all laugh and continue to berate the opposite gender
, covering everything from the male nipple to the toilet-seat war.

“
I’ve got Karl well trained,” Elise tells us. “If he leaves the toilet seat up, it doesn’t end well for him.” She mimes a nipple twist and I cringe in sympathy.

“
Same for Simon,” Carla nods. “Only I’d go for a double twister.”

“
Poor guys,” Jamie laughs. “If I purple-nurpled Karl he’d murder me.”

“
Privileges of a wife,” Elise smiles wickedly.

“
I don’t think Jason has ever left the toilet seat up,” Jamie cocks her head pensively. “But I grew up with seven brothers. I probably put it down automatically without thinking.”

“
Matt
always
leaves it up,” Elise complains. “I think he does it on purpose to annoy me.”

“
I don’t think Matt likes me very much,” Carla smirks, echoing my thoughts. “Never really speaks to me.”

“
Don’t take it personally,” Elise laughs. “He isn’t polite to anybody.”

“
Sometimes I think he doesn’t like me,” Jamie pouts. “And he’s my brother.”

“
He loves you to bits,” Elise reassures her.

“
I know,” Jamie beams. “But he’s not very good at showing it.”

“
He does seem a bit closed off,” I echo her thoughts. “But you two seem close.” I look to Elise.

“
We grew up together,” she nods. “He and Karl have been best friends for years. Once you get to know him, he’s actually very sweet.”

“
He hides behind layers,” I suggest, drawing parallels with my doctor.

“
I guess so,” Elise nods. “They’re all a bit like that though. Being at house you usually get to see the real Carters but they all act differently in public.”

Jamie nods her head in agreement.
“I think it’s because we’re so close. We all know that we can come to each other for absolutely anything.”

“
I’d love to have a family like that,” I say wistfully, resenting myself for throwing it all away but resolved to make it right.

“
You have,” Jamie beams. “You’re one of us now.”

“
One of us. One of us,” Elise chants mischievously

We all giggle and draw the attention of those passing from reception to the gym.

“Thank you,” I reply happily.

“
Thank
you
,” Jamie grins back. “It’s nice to see Craig so happy. I was starting to get worried Karl was the only one who would give me any nieces or nephews.”

“
Wooahh,” I laugh. “Reverse please. There are no babies planned.”

“
Sorry,” Jamie blushes adorable. “You know what I mean.”

“
She’s right though,” Carla agrees, twisting her newly coloured purple locks around her finger. “Carter is a new man. It’s nice to see.”

“
He is very nice to see,” I agree with a giggle. It’s so nice spending time with these girls. I’m so happy I feel almost drunk. “Very nice.”

“
Eww,” Jamie wrinkles her nose but she’s laughing.

“
I don’t see it,” Carla announces, shaking her head. “He’s kind of lanky.”

“
Are you serious?” I gape at her with wide eyes. “He’s like the perfect specimen of man. Da Vinci would have killed for a model like that. He puts David Gandy to shame. He…” I cringe and look at the girls around me because they’re giggling. “He’s behind me, isn’t he?”

“
Bella,” his deep voice whispers in my ear. “Who you talking about?” I can hear the grin in his voice.

There’s no point denying it, I might as well own it. There’s nothing I can do about my burning red cheeks though.

“My boyfriend. Have you met him?” I turn around to grin at him.