We wake up to the kids running around and playing. I grab my phone to see what time it is and it’s dead. Shit. “Hey, Ash, I’m going to head out with Bella. My phone is dead, so I need to charge it.” She mumbles what I think is a reply and goes back to sleep. Luckily for her, her parents spent the night and are hanging out all day with Tristan.
We get home and I jump in the shower to rinse off last night then swallow a few pain relievers hoping to get rid of this massive headache I have going on. Once my phone charges enough to turn it on, I check it and see my phone is overflowing with what looks like a million texts.
Coop: Hey baby girl. I tried to call you to say good night to you guys. Call me. Love you.
Coop: Baby, everything okay? You haven’t called me back.
Coop: Bella must be in bed by now. I tried to call to keep my promise to her. Just let me know you guys are okay.
Coop: Liz, are you mad at me?
Damn, I should have told him I was going out, but I didn’t even think to. I’ve spent so many years coming and going as I please, I didn’t even think about the fact that Cooper would be worried if I didn’t answer his calls or texts, and on top of that, he didn’t get a chance to say good night to Bella. I keep scrolling through my texts.
This is where it gets weird…
Kayla: Liz, you need to call me ASAP
Hayley: Where are you?
Hayley: Liz, please call someone as soon as you get this.
Kayla: Liz, I know you wouldn’t cheat on Cooper. Please just call so we can get this whole thing figured out.
Cheat. On. Cooper. What the fuck?
I immediately try to call Cooper, but his phone goes straight to voicemail. I try again and again and nothing. I feel sick to my stomach with worry. Why would they think I was cheating on Cooper? I try his phone a few more times and just as I’m about to try Kayla, I hear the front door open and close, and then Bella screams, “Daddy!”
I walk into the living room and see Cooper standing in the door way with Bella in his arms holding her tight to his chest. His gaze turns to me, and my stomach drops when I see the exhausted and defeated look in his eyes.
He swallows loudly, composes himself, and gives his attention back to Bella. “Hey, sweetie. Did I make it in time to go trick-or-treating with you?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes, you did. Thank you, Daddy!” Bella gives him a huge wet kiss on his cheek.
“Good. Why don’t you run upstairs and get your costume ready and then we’ll all go to lunch and trick-or-treating.”
“Okay, Daddy!”
Cooper waits until Bella is upstairs before he turns his attention to me. I open my mouth to say something but close it again. I’m not sure what happened, but for him to be here when he should be in Boulder says a lot. It should be a good thing that he’s here, but after reading the texts Kayla and Hayley sent me, I have a feeling he’s here for another reason.
“What’s the matter? Not sure how to explain what happened last night? If you want, you can call up my mom and ask her how it’s done. I’m sure she can help you explain and justify what happened.”
I flinch at his words, like I was just slapped in the face. I don’t know what’s going on, but it must be bad because Cooper doesn’t speak to me like this, ever.
He moves a step closer, and I finally speak up. “I don’t know what you think I did, but you’re wrong.”
He moves a bit closer. “You didn’t go to Club Surrender last night?”
“Yes, I did. Ashley and I went with a couple of her friends.”
He moves closer with his eyes never leaving mine. “Did you dance with anyone?”
What. The. Fuck! “Yeah, Coop. I did. I danced with Ashley and a few other people. What’s going on?”
He takes one more step and he’s right in my face. If I didn’t know Cooper would never hurt me, I would be terrified of the expression on his face. I can see why other fighters fear this man. When he’s pissed, he’s not someone you want to mess with.
He pulls out his phone and lifts it up to my face. It’s so close I have to pull my head back a bit and squint to see what he’s showing me. My stomach drops when I see the grainy photo of me and some guy, who isn’t Cooper, extremely close to each other. I’m sweaty from all the dancing and shots, and I have my head thrown back up against the guy’s chest while his hands are around my waist. Fuck. Not good.