Page 52 of Liberty
I grabbed a black Tshirt from the drawer then shut it. “Hey now. I know about romancing and stuff like that.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think you everhadto romance a woman before,” Fate reminded me.
I tugged the Tshirt over my head and slipped my arms through the sleeves. “I know, but—”
“Wait, wait, wait!” Belle raised her hands up. “You have never romanced a girl? What does that mean?”
“Well, don’t be thinking he was a virgin before you, Belle,” Fate quipped. “Cuz, that would be redick-U-Lus.” He chuckled. “Get it? Re-dick—”
I cut him off by tossing my boot at him.
“Hey!” Fate exclaimed as he caught it in his hand then explained to her, “He never had to do anything but show up somewhere, Belle.”
Looking confused, she looked from him to me.
I shrugged. “Not since I turned eighteen and started fighting pro. Remember what I said before? About women just being easy for me to get? I mean, I know you took it like I was being a jerk.”
“No surprise there,” Fate interjected. “Jerk is as jerk does.” He tossed my boot back at me.
“Oh, shut up.” I caught it and went on explaining to Belle, “Women would just show up at events and latch onto me. I neverasked them to, or invite them in any way but they would inject themselves. Most would stick with me through a whole party and I wouldn’t even know their name until I thought to ask.”
Belle stared at me. “Seriously?”
Nodding, I strolled over to her. “I wasn't bragging when I told you this before and I’m still not. But it’s been like that for several years.”
She shook her head. “You mean like roadies or something?”
“Or something.” I shrugged. “When I won my first UFC belt, it happened off and on. Then after the fifth trophy or so, it would happen at every public event I went to. These women would come out of nowhere and they just seemed like part of the scenery. Part of the champion scene, I guess.” I leaned close and told her, “So, I never had to date, or woo any girl. Until you. But that’s just the point. They didn’t want me. They wanted the limelight, the attention, the fame and probably the money. They never cared about who I really was or what I wanted. So, I admit, I acted like a dog and took what they offered. I figured they really didn't personally care about me. They were using me.”
“Then there was Miss Nutcase,” Fate said.
I winced. “Man, did you have to bring her up?”
“Who is that?” Belle asked as she looked concerned.
“Some woman who became obsessed. It wasn’t healthy at all.”
“Yeah, it was like that movie Misery or something.” Fate nodded.
Belle stared at me. “You mean, she was dangerous?”
“Um yeah, she had to…” I let out a breath and shook my head.
“...be put into a mental institution,” Fate finished for me.
Nodding, I went on to explain, “I tried talking to her and that just made it worse…Nothing worked. Then I had to take out a restraining order.”
“Wow,” Belle exclaimed.
“She would show up everywhere he went,” Fate added. “Then she broke into our house at the Sugarland ranch. And one day, she was in the backseat of my car.”
Belle looked over at him. “Your car?”
“Yeah, I would drive thisstareverywhere.” Fate waved his hand at me. “So, she’d waited in my car for me to pick Liberty up I guess? Like it had to be four hours or so. This chick was beautiful too. Likewayeasy on the eyes. All legs and curves, flawless skin, the whole package really. If she wanted a guy, I know she could land him, but she had a flaw…She was batshit crazy. She said Liberty was meant to be hers.”
“I knew almost from the minute she came around that she wasn't right in the head,” I told Belle. “So after all of that happened, I realized using them while they were using me wasn’t a good way to handle it. That lifestyle had worn out its welcome with me. So I was more careful and I would leave these women at the events. I refused to take any of them home with me. Live and learn.”
Belle nodded. “Sometimes you just can’t spot the crazies. I’ve seen this in some of the court cases our firm takes on. Mostly in busted up marriages, where one of the spouses, husband or wife would go insane, or was always that way. And as you both probably already know…Scarlet had a boyfriend that turned out to be like that. He seemed fine when they first got together but then one day…he wasn't fine. He was a real menace and he hurt Scar really bad. Deacon got him out of prison to play a part in his scheme.” Belle looked away for a few seconds as she spoke, “He ended badly, just like he was meant to.”
