Anastasia

20 - Coerce

    Roman.

  The credits roll on the screen and I tip my head down to Anastasia. She's distracted me long enough with her sweet face and soft demands but now I need to ask. "So care to explain what exactly happened to you last night?"

We had spent the morning having a movie marathon. She was highly entertained being a couch potato and going through a series of movies. Likewise, I was thoroughly entertained to watch her. "I told you yesterday Roman," she groans. 

"Exactly. All you said was I fight. The fuck does that mean?"

"Well I got involved in underground fighting about three years ago. I started taking the fights seriously two years ago and I've been fighting every week since. I'm in the championships right now and the fights are dirtier than I'm used to. The guy I was up against had on knuckle dusters. Ergo, broken ribs."

My mind reels trying to process the information she told me. Each sentence brings ten new questions. She speaks so casually like she's used to it, which she is. She fights. Throwing punches till either her or her opponent fall to the ground. It baffles me. It must show on my face through my wide eyes and gaped mouth. No wonder she likes fight club so much, she's practically in one.  

It explains the midnight rendezvous in shady places and unexplainable bruises, which I now know is from kicking people's asses. I try to picture Anastasia in the ring. I don't like the thought much. Is it worth it if this is the outcome? She's hurt, seriously injured. I swallow my feelings down roughly. 

"How did I not know this?" 

"It's not something I like to publicise. It's a little bit illegal."

"Yeah, a little bit," I roll my eyes. "I can't believe Jordan was selfish enough to let you do this," I blurt out the next thought that comes to mind. Just thinking about her fighting makes me nauseous. I have no clue how he's let her do this for so long. 

"Leave Jordan out of this. It's not his fault."  

I roll my eyes again. "Well, you won't be fighting next week."

"And why the hell not?"

"Anastasia, need I remind you, you have a broken bone. You can't seriously be considering it."

"People break their bones all the time," she attempts to shrug, only to end up with a grimace which further proves my point. She is nowhere near suited for a fight.

Her face screws up likes she's prepared to argue with me and I realise my words sound similar to a no. My lips twitch.   

"Anastasia," I say firmly. 

"Don't Anastasia me."

I sigh. I go for a calmer approach. While I do love winding her up I need her to actually agree with me. Besides I always give in when she gets pouty. I can't resist. "You're only going to injure yourself worse. Your ribs won't heal if you keep damaging them. Take the week off."

She bites her lip in contemplation. I rub her lower back soothingly. 

"Baby please. Just hear me out." When she looks away I know she's caved. It seems I have some charm of my own. 

"I guess I could see if my manager is willing to push the fight back." 

"Good girl," I murmur, pressing a kiss to her temple. She tips her head back with a smile that is intended to wind me. 

"You can't tell anyone you coerced me to change my mind."

  "Do you not have anything interesting to do right now?" She groans loudly, huffing as much as her ribcage allows her. Lying on my bed, she throws her arms around in the air to emphasise her point. She's been staying with me since Jordan's out of town and safe to say she's going a little stir crazy being cooped up in the house. 

"Absolutely not. What happened to you being amazing company?" I raise a brow. 

"Well, this amazing company has a broken rib and gets carried everywhere except for when she's goes on her daily ten minute walk. I feel like I'm a freaking rehabilitation centre!"

"It's helps move the mucus around your body so you don't get an infection," I rattle off the fact I read.  

Her finger darts out, pointing at me in disdain. Her nose crinkles up. It's awfully cute. I want to kiss her again. Try as I might, I can't forget about out kiss. I prioritised her health but she isn't making it easy on me. 

I was wrong. One kiss from Anastasia would never be enough. I needed her again and again till I could engrave the memories in my mind. I was a fool for thinking otherwise. 

Her being here isn't helping either. I am incapable of keeping my hands to myself. She always either next to me or on my lap. My hands are on her nearly all the time and I'm kissing her everywhere but her lips. I think I'm the one going crazy. 

"Don't you dare talk about my mucus again. That's gross." 

"I'm sorry." A slow smile builds on my lips and she's waving her arms around again to complain. 

"And you've had your shirt off too much!" Laughing, I reach for her hips and lift her to me. Her hands fall on my bare shoulders, a frustrated noise leaving her. "This is what I mean! Must you be shirtless all the time?"

"Are you complaining?" I raise her in the air, blowing a raspberry on her neck.  

"No," she giggles. "Ouch! My ribs."