Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)
Two nights after the fight, my cellphone blares a loud happy trumpeting sound. It’s the ringtone I set for Krissy.
Shit.
Picking up the phone, I ask, “Shit, what’s going on Krissy? You in pain again? Want me to call your mom?”
“Hhh…Hi… Max...” This is a different girl’s voice, there are sniffles and a definite stuffy nose sound with it.
My heart is dropping faster than it is beating. “Hey, Julie.”
“Max…She slipped into a coma this morning about five a.m. and she stopped breathing about a half hour ago.”
“Oh.”
Not much more is said. I tell her to get me the details as soon as she can.
Hanging up the phone, I look around myself.
I am completely alone. Alone.
No one here with me.
Completely alone and should still be celebrating my win.
Chapter Seventeen
Grace
I know Max is disappointed with the way his first fight played out but I couldn’t be more relieved. One hit, all it took was one fucking hit from Max’s massive fist and the guy was down on the mat.
I screamed so hard and for so long that night, it’s been a few days and my throat is still raw from it.
Max is fighting for the heavyweight belt in three weeks and his dream lives on. It’s totally awesome, yet…
“Mommy?” Hope gives me a confused look as I gather her up in my arms and hug her tightly, pulling her away from her paper and crayons.
After another awesome weekend together, Max called me Monday morning and shared the news about Krissy passing. My heart aches for her and her family. And for him. Sometimes I really don’t understand this fucking world. How can something so terrible happen to someone so young and innocent?
I hug Hope tighter and bury my face in her blonde curls.
“Mommy,” she squirms and tries to pull away. I hug her for another moment before releasing her and letting her go back to her drawing.
I know Max has been keeping in contact with Krissy since he flew out to visit her. I’m pretty sure they talked to each other every day over the phone and she’s a big reason he intensified his training. She’s had a huge impact on him, and he wanted to win for her.
He’s flying out today for her funeral, and I really wish I could go with him but I can’t. It’s Carson’s weekend, and I’m afraid if I fly out he’ll try to pull something. For obvious reasons I don’t trust him, and I still don’t know what the fuck his end game is.
After packing Hope up for her weekend, I’m strapping her in the car when my phone rings.
“Hey, baby,” I answer, shutting Hope’s door with my hip.
“Hey,” Max sighs. “Where you at?”
“Just hopping in the car,” I answer, opening my door and sliding behind the wheel.
“Call me if he gives you any problems.”
“I will,” I respond automatically. I don’t want him to worry but I sure as hell won’t be sharing any of my Carson problems with him. The big guy has enough to deal with as it is without adding my baby daddy drama to the mix.
> “Good,” he says simply, and there’s this long, heavy silence before he says. “I miss you.”