A Fight For Love

“Honey this is Grand Theft Auto,” he said.

“Don’t blame me. Video games are more of Rochelle’s thing,” Desiree said shrugging.

“Those two are totally different games, not forgetting that I have run through GTA with you, once or twice,” he said. She smiled in complicity and then shrugged. “Well, I am guessing we are not here to discuss video games,” he said.

“Yeah we are not,” she said as they both sat down. The two sat in silence for a long time before she turned to look at him. “You know I’ve been thinking, this cage fighting thing is…it just doesn’t sit well with me. But I have one thing I need to know, and you have to promise to tell me the truth,” she said.

“Okay,” he said.

“The last time we had s*x was…pretty intense,” she started.

“That’s what you want to talk about? S*x?” he asked surprised.

“Hold on, there is actually an ending to this,” she said as she put her hands up.

“Okay. Go on,” he said as he looked at her.

“That day, you were strangely…vigorous and you wouldn’t let me touch you. Not even in the bathroom. You insisted on being in control, being behind me, a position where I could not see you at all. And when I tried touching you, you pulled my hands away almost aggressively,” she explained.

“Yes. But I am confused. I thought you had a thing for some bondage and submission,” he said.

“I do, don’t get me wrong but that day, things were different,” she said. Taylor looked at her and shook her head.

“I really don’t understand what is going on here,” he said.

“That day, the way you handled me it was like you didn’t want me to touch you or even look at you,” she said.

“Dee what are you…” Taylor started to say before she put her hands up, making him keep quiet.

“Please don’t insult my intelligence, Taylor. I have been with you for a long time and I think we are past the point where we surprise each other with…stuff,” she said. “I need to know, had you already began fighting at the time?” she asked. Taylor looked into her eyes and sighed. “Oh my God, you had, hadn’t you?” she asked as she felt her heart breaking. “You hid the truth from me,” she said as she gave him a disappointed look.

“Babe, I didn’t lie,” he said as he looked into her brown eyes.

“Lying by omission is still lying,” she said.

“I didn’t know how to tell you and I was already making good progress there. What happened yesterday is just bad luck. My opponent was a bit more…formidable. He lasted longer than others but I still emerged victorious,” Taylor said.

“This is not…” Desiree shook her head as words failed her. “This is not what a relationship should be like. Why did you feel the need to hide this from me? We would have talked it over and maybe just maybe we would have reached an understanding,” she said as she looked at her. Taylor took her hands in his and took his time kissing the backs of her hands. She looked at him as she fought back tears. She had never felt so betrayed and, maybe to some, this would have seemed petty, but this, for her, for someone who she loved so much, for someone she would have gone to the ends of the world for, she felt like this was a wrong that could not be righted. “We never used to hide things from each other, ever. What changed, Ericson?” she asked as a tear rolled down her cheek. Taylor’s heart was breaking just by seeing her hurt. He brought his hand up and brushed off the tear before he held her face in his hands.

“I am sorry, so sorry,” he said. “I am sorry to be this kind of man. You deserve better” he added as he looked into her eyes. She closed her eyes and put her hands on his..

“I’m scared,” she said in a small voice.

“What? Why?” he asked as he looked at her.

“What if you always get people who are too strong for you? What if one day you get a beating so bad you cannot recover from?” she asked. Taylor smiled.

“I am an ex-marine,” he said as he looked at her. “Whatever that cage throws at me I have already gone through, ten times worse, in fact,” he added.

“I know that, but you are not indestructible you know,” she said sadly.

“I never said I am but I do have a black belt. My karate training is one of the things that gives me an advantage over the rest of the fighters, and I do have very good reflexes,” Taylor said smiling. She nodded and pulled away from him.

“I never knew you had karate training,” she said, surprised.

“Stick around, Young. There is a lot of things you are yet to find out about me,” he said as he looked at her. The two sat in silence for a long time before he leaned in for a soft long kiss. “I am sorry I kept this from you, but this was a fast and easy way for me to make some extra money,” he said. She pulled away and looked at him.

“Yeah, about that. I thought we were comfortably off. I am making a good salary at the store and your business is doing quite well, plus we have the investments. Why do you need some extra cash? Are you broke?” she asked. Taylor smiled and shook his head.

“Far from it. I just need you make sure that I will always be able give you anything and everything you deserve,” he said. “This is just making sure that we stay ’comfortable’ forever, maybe even more than that in the future. Maybe more stock options,” he added.

“That sounds perfect,” she said as she looked at him.

“Well it is, and I have seen how much you struggled with Rochelle’s college life and the tuition fees,” he said. She shrugged and shook her head.

“I managed just fine,” she said.

“Yes, but if we had this income then, maybe we could have started investing sooner,” he said. This time, it was her turn to comfort him. She looked at him and held his face in her hands.

“Everything has its own time,” she said.

“I guess everything does have its time,” Taylor agreed. Desiree looked into his eyes and again, she felt the worry creeping in. She looked at his bruised knuckles and then back into his clear eyes.

“Are you absolutely sure this cage fighting thing is safe?” she asked. Taylor smiled and nodded.

“One hundred per cent,” he said.

“Then I guess all I can do is be a supportive girlfriend,” she said. Taylor smiled and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her deeply and then pulled away to look at her.

“My favorite words from my favorite girl,” he said in a low voice. She smiled at him and put her hand behind his neck.

“Just promise me that you are safe. That is all I care about,” she said.