Tommy Conlon had a traumatic past - from his abusive alcoholic dad and his cancer ridden mom, to his best friend getting killed in the line of duty.
He always had an anchor - his ex girlfriend, Estella.
As time progresses, and their relationship st...
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Tommy prepares for the final round of the MMA. Estella refused to come to the previous rounds, claiming she doesn't want to see him get hurt. She stayed at the bakery while he was fighting and then afterwards she spoiled him with a slice of cake.
They've been going strong for 9 months now, Tommy finally got the guts to ask her to move in with him so they bought a small two-bedroom house in Chestnut Hill.
"Babe" Tommy walks into the house. Estella's busy cooking dinner and listening to terrible music. "Can you turn down this crap, I'm sure only dogs could hear it."
Estella narrows her eyes at him and throws a dishrag on his face, "just for that you can sleep on the couch tonight."
"Not going to happen" He wraps his arms around her waist from behind and plant a kiss on her cheek, "smells delicious."
"I know." She deadpans him causing him to shake his head in defeat, "I'll have grey hair soon. Baby, I need to talk to you about something."
"What's wrong Tommy pie?" He cringes at the nickname
He pulls her to the couch where he sits her down on his lap, "I'm fighting Brendan tomorrow in the finals."
"What?" She gasps in shock as she turns her face to his. "Oh God. How did this happen?"
"I don't know" He shrugs, "I don't give a shit though."
"Tommy" Estella starts, "He's not just some competitor, this is your brother - your estranged brother whom you haven't spoken to in-"
"I know who it is Estella." He snaps, "I still don't give a shit. After what he did to me and my mom, I don't care about him or his stupid family. I'll beat the shit out of him, and then I'm done."
Estella stands up from his lap, "I'd give anything to have Michael walk back into my life like Bren did, he wants to make things better. Give him the chance to do so."
"Don't try to guilt trip me using your dead brother. He left me and my mom. He chose Paddy over us, when she needed him."
"He chose love!" Estella screams, "He chose to stay with the girl - you - you left me the first chance you could."
"Oh so we're back to that now?"
"You know what Tommy, get over yourself. Your mom understood why Bren stayed. She forgave him for it. You have a vengeance against anyone including me, and I'm goddamn sick of it."
She storms out of the house and with a huff walk to her bakery when Tommy doesn't follow her.
**
Evening came, the chants of the audience could be heard from outside the arena as millions of people filled the building.
"Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!"
"Tommy Riordan coming down the tunnel with his trainer"
Estella finds a place to sit and smiles softly at the Marines that was occupying half the bleachers, giving their support to Tommy.
"Tommy acknowledges his Combat!" one of the men says and Estella feels out of place.
She knows nothing of fighting, all she knows is that she loves the man fighting.
She feels a hand tighten around hers and looks to the side to see Tess.
"You alright?" Tess asks softly.
"Nervous" she says softly with a small smile
"Me too. But he's tough, he's a damn good fighter." Tess reassures her and she nods.
"I hope so. Hey, Brendan will be alright. You're against this as much as I am, but we love the men that does this"
The whistle blows and soon the fight starts, and ends faster than the speed of light with Tommy punching the hell out of the opponent Mad Dog.Mad Dog is unconscious but Tommy continues throwing down punches and Estella lets out a breath as the trainers all but drag Tommy out of the cage.
"It's time for the last fight. Tommy and Bren." Tess whispers. The older blonde takes Estella's hand in hers, "I hope to God they can patch things up."
"Me too"
Soon a patched up Tommy is back in the cage, with Brendan as a new opponent and Estella takes a sharp breath.
Her fingers presses deeply in her side and her heartbeat quickens."Don't do this Tommy" she whispers to herself, "don't do this"
Punch after punch, the brother takes turns. Each lands horrid punches, the bruises, the sweat and the hurt on each brother's face grows as the times goes on.
Estella drowns out the shouts from the audience and she hears the sound of cracking bones as Tommy lets out a mangled cry.
She stands up quickly, "Tap out. Tap out you son of a bitch"
she growls out and by the Grace of God, Tommy looks around the audience as his eyes find hers.
Her pleading blue orbs staring at him, but nothing can stop him.
"Please" she whispers.
"It's over Tommy!" Brendan yells, he wants to stop, he wants his brother back.
"Stop doing this Tommy. Stop it."
"He can kill him. He's going to kill him" she whispers and frowns as her eyes take in the extreme fight.
"Stop it Tommy. Please stop it." She pleads
"I'm sorry Tommy. I'm so sorry!" she hears Brendan speaks.
"I love you Tommy"Estella's eyes fill with tears and soon it runs down her face. She lets out a cry as Tommy finally taps out and sobs like a baby when the fight is over.
"Thank You. Thank You" she whispers not sure whom she's thanking.
But the fight is over and that's all that matters.
**
She storms into the hospital and follows the nurse's directions to Tommy's room. He's in the room with Brendan and the doctor.The doctor looks at the frantic girl and follows Brendan out the door as Estella walks up to Tommy.
She's still crying, the minimum makeup she had on her eyes was now painted into her cheeks.
"You're here" Tommy whispers as he grunts in pain and Estella sniffs.
She hugs him carefully and kisses the plump lips she's been missing.
"You're alive"
Tommy smiles and kisses her lips, "I didn't win."
"I don't give a shit" she says, "You're here. You're never leaving me again. God, I love you so much"
"I love you" he whispers and seals their love with a kiss.
A kiss that speaks volumes.
He might be rough and tough; broken and defeated but he's still her Tommy, the love of her life and God forbid she's ever losing him again.
