Tap Out

Copyright

Tap Out is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

TAP OUT: A NOVEL

Copyright © 2022 by Nikki Mays

All rights reserved.

Editing by KP Editing

Formatting & Cover Design by KP Designs

- www.kpdesignshop.com

Cover Model: Shane Williams

Photographer: Golden Czermak

Published by Kingston Publishing Company

- www.kingstonpublishing.com

The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means—including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

Disclaimer: This book is intended for mature audiences only. It contains adult language and explicit scenes. Not intended for readers under the age of 18. Reader discretion is advised.

Table of Contents

Copyright

Table of Contents

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Epilogue

Extras

About the Author

Also by the Author

About the Publisher

1

After years and years of rigorous training and putting my body through the wringer daily, I never thought that I would get so excited to do it once I retired. But here I am, sitting in my office on the top floor of my gym, Reaper's Den, staring miserably out the window overlooking the main area at everyone else getting to workout.

Granted, it’s probably not the working out that I miss as much as I hate sitting in one place and doing paperwork.

Seriously, why the hell is there so much fucking paperwork for a gym? And why do I need a permit for just fucking breathing around here?

Okay fine, I don’t need a permit for that, but you need one for everything else in the world. And you have to make sure to keep all licenses up to date or you're screwed. And don’t even get me started on the Department of Health that seems to harass me nonstop since we opened up the snack and juice bar. I swear to Christ, those people are bigger vultures than the IRS. Just waiting to fine me for every small infraction. And that’s saying something considering the IRS practically salivates over my finances.

I scrub my hand across my chin that is at least two days past needing a shave and sigh.

Becca is right, I am turning into a grumpy old man. Although, I probably shouldn’t put too much stock in what my seventeen year old daughter says, especially since I was in the process of telling her that there was no way in hell that her, her twin sister Missy, and their step-sister Paige could stay out until one in the morning. To say that they weren’t happy with me is an understatement. I was on the receiving end of matching glares for over a month. At least JJ, my ex and best friend Sage’s husband, was right there with me. It’s always easier to deal with hormonal tantrums when you have a buddy.

Speaking of the mother of my children and business partner, she’s currently standing in my doorway giving me a pissy look. I’m sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that I shoved an annoying fight promoter off on her.

You’re such an asshole. She grumbles as she walks in and takes a seat in one of the two empty chairs in front of my desk. That guy wouldn’t stop talking no matter how many blatant hints I dropped.

I give her my charming smile that has worked to drop a lot of panties in my younger days. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work on her if the narrowing of her eyes is anything to go by. You said that you were bored earlier. I figured that I would help you out. I shrug innocently. Well as innocently as someone who is 6’3, 250lbs of muscle, and covered in tattoos can look.

You realize that the girls are almost eighteen, right? She asks calmly, too calmly.

I can feel my cheek twitch, but I make sure to keep all other facial expressions bland. I’m aware of how old they are.

She leans back in the chair and crosses her legs. Then you know that I don’t exactly need to keep you around for child support payments anymore. One false move and you could be having an accident, Danny Boy. She smiles creepily at me.

Anyone overhearing our conversation would probably think that there is something seriously wrong with the two of us. Which I’m sure there is, but us hating each other has never been one of those things. Truthfully, she’s one of the only people that I fully trust in this world. Sage, the girls, JJ, my parents, her parents, and Stacey all have my trust. Even if a certain nurse is currently not returning my phone calls and is pretending that we don’t know each other.

What’s that face for? Her eyes roam over my face as she frowns. You never care when I threaten to kill you.

I’m not making any sort of a face. Maybe I just really am starting to get annoyed with you threatening to kill me. I lie. I couldn’t care less. I know damn well that she would give me a kidney if I needed it. It just makes her feel better to think that she’s keeping me in check somehow. Although, I’m pretty sure that her homicidal thoughts were more fantasies when I was away all the time, and she was dealing with the girls during their terrible twos, threes, fours, through fourteens.

So still sitting around with your thumb up your ass while your woman is ignoring you and telling you that she isn’t your woman. My perceptive ex states.

She’s not wrong, but I refuse to admit that. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I say while pretending that the forms on my computer need my immediate attention, even though I’ve been staring at them all morning without doing a damn thing.

She shakes her head at me like she’s disappointed in me or that she thinks that I’m stupid. It’s probably both. Why don’t you just apologize to her and get on with your life together?

My spine goes straight, and I glare at the woman sitting across from me. Why should I apologize? I didn’t do anything wrong. If she doesn’t want to be with me, I’m fine with it. I say stubbornly while ignoring the hollow feeling in my chest.

Sage doesn’t even bother to hide her loud and obnoxious snort. Sure you didn’t do anything wrong directly, but indirectly you sure as hell did.

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. How do you figure?

If you hadn’t been such a damn manwhore before you met Stacey, you wouldn’t have random ass women coming here, jumping into your arms, and kissing the hell out of you.

I can’t even stop my wince. The look of horror and betrayal on Stacey’s face when she saw that is burned into my memory.

Stacey and I met a little over a year ago when her roommate and best friend Brad was viciously attacked. I started training him once he was healed up enough, to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. He almost died because his parents are assholes who don’t approve of the fact that Brad is gay.

Stacey would drive him to the gym and stay with him while he trained. Eventually we started a friendship that turned into something more. Not that anyone but Sage knew since Stace was afraid that my girls wouldn’t approve. Where she got that from, I’ll never know, but I agreed to keep what we had a secret. I figured that she would get over that eventually. Unfortunately, a chick that I had messed with a long ass time ago decided to look me up since she was in the area. And it was just really shitty ass luck that Stacey was standing directly across from me when the chick, whose name I remembered much later as Cadence, jumped into my arms, and shoved her tongue down my throat while squealing about how much she missed me.

Stace looked so hurt and betrayed that it gutted me. I dropped Cadence as quickly as possible but the damage was done. I expected Stacey to yell or be pissed off, anything really. But when I finally caught up to her, all she did was give me a heartbreakingly sad smile while telling me that she should’ve known better. That was the last time that she has willingly spoken to me. Four months since the woman who has my heart has done more than nod in my direction when she sees me.

But maybe it’s for the best. She definitely deserves someone who doesn’t have the kind of past that I do.

Swallowing that would be a lot easier if I actually believed it.

I put my hands palms up. What do you want me to do? She pretends that I don’t exist unless I ask her something in front of everyone. I’m pretty sure that she’s blocked my phone number as well. She’s made it pretty clear that she wants nothing to do with me. I mutter petulantly.

Can you really blame her? My traitor of a best friend asks.

Aren’t you supposed to be on my side no matter what?

Not when I’ve been telling you for years not to be such a ho-bag. She smiles smugly. And we both know how stubborn you are. If you actually wanted her attention, you would get it. She taps her index finger against her lips. So, it begs the question, why aren’t you trying harder to win her back?

"Maybe I just think that she deserves better than an old ho-bag as you so eloquently put it." I say lowly while looking down at my desk but not really seeing it.

You don’t really believe that, do you? The concern and sympathy in her eyes when I look up make me wish that I had kept my eyes down.

How can I not? I sigh while pinching the bridge of my nose. Other women don’t have to deal with the shit that Stacey had to. She doesn’t deserve having to constantly wonder what random chick from my past is going to come up next.

She pulls her legs up to her chest and puts her heels on the edge of the chair. She wraps her arms around her knees and gives me a sad but determined look, which is truthfully a little terrifying. I get what you’re saying, probably more than anyone else since I was there for all of your poor choices concerning women. She pauses waiting for me to refute, but we both know that I can’t, so I just stay quiet. But you are not that guy anymore. You haven’t been him for a while. It was just really shitty luck that she showed up like that. But I’m sure Stacey will realize that you’re not that manwhore anymore.

Sage purses her lips and gives me a grumpy look. Honestly, I don’t know why she ran for the hills at the first little speed bump.

Probably because for her it’s a mountain. I crack my neck knowing that I’m really to blame for this whole situation.

I don’t follow. Confusion evident in her voice.

I rub my eyes, suddenly feeling like I’ve aged twenty years in the last few months. Her ex was a serial cheater. He cheated on her from pretty much the beginning and from what Brad has told me in passing, was verbally abusive. I’m pretty sure that when she saw Cadence kiss me, her past just flashed before her eyes. I really don’t even blame her for fleeing. I understand the need for self-preservation.

Well, shit.

Yup, pretty much. I agree.

We can still turn this around and get you back to being all loved up. Sage states with too much enthusiasm to be a good thing.

Isn’t that what got me into this mess in the first place? I ask warily.

Her eyes go all squinty like they do when she’s about to yell at the girls. No, being a big ole slut is what got you into this mess. Being all loved up by Stacey was good for you. I haven’t seen you that happy in forever. Even the girls liked how happy she made you.

They knew? I ask, surprised. I thought that we hid our relationship pretty well.

She chuckles evilly. Who do you think clued in everyone else?

I roll my eyes. Of course, they did. I shake my head with a smirk. Funny thing is that she wanted to keep us a secret because she thought the girls wouldn’t approve.

Please, all three girls were already picking out their bridesmaids dresses. She gives me a sly smile. And picking out which guys from the gym that they wanted to be their partners.

Over my cold, dead body are any of the assholes from here coming near my three girls. Yes, I consider Paige to be mine, just like JJ does for Missy and Becca. We’re just one big, crazy ass family at this point and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The snort she makes causes her to sound like a demented pig. You do realize that they’re all almost eighteen and no longer little girls, right? There is no way that you can stop them from dating whomever they want.

My lips purse harder than when sucking on a sour piece of candy. True. I concede. But I sure as hell can make sure that all the walking hard-ons around here know to stay the fuck away from those three. My mind is already swirling with ideas of what I can do to all of them. Hmm, yeah, I should probably start making sure that they workout hard enough to puke at least twice a week while casually mentioning how no one is allowed near my girls. That should do the trick.

You’re thinking about being mean, aren’t you? Sage asks while eying me warily.

I look at her and blink a few times. "Why do you ask?’

Because you have the same look on your face that Becca and Missy get when they’re thinking of new ways to be evil.

I shrug my shoulders, enjoying the way that my back cracks. I mean, we are related.

Sage nods her head slowly. Which is why they’re probably already five steps ahead of you.

I bark out a laugh. There’s no way. I chuckle. Why would they even think that I would try to do anything to the guys around here?

Sage leans her head against the back of the chair and sighs. Probably because they’ve been at least ten steps ahead of us since they turned four.

I grab my steel water bottle that Stacey bought me about six months ago, because plastic is full of chemicals according to her, and unscrew the top. Okay, I’ll give you that, but why the hell would the guys even consider dealing with my wrath when there are a ton of cage bunnies around all the time? I take a sip from the bottle and promptly wish that I hadn’t.

You know damn well that men go stupid when sex is involved. She says before shrieking as I spit out my water all over her. Gross!

What the hell are you talking about? They’re only seventeen! I choke out while simultaneously coughing up a lung. You would think that I’m a smoker with emphysema right now.

Sage glares at me as she uses the napkins from my lunch to wipe down her shirt. By the time that we were seventeen, the twins were already a year old. She states drily.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuck. I moan out. I’ve been so happy that they haven’t followed in our footsteps, that I never really considered that they could actually be se….seeee, I gag, unable to say the words.

Sexually active? Sage helpfully replies.

Yeah, that. Jesus, what is happening? I take the front of my shirt and try to fan myself. Is it getting hot in here?

She’s back to giving me a look that says that I’m a moron. Did you think that they were going to stay virgins forever?

Yes. I reply without hesitation. I don’t see, I start before frowning at Sage. Don’t give me that look. Is it really so hard to think that they may want to stay away from all men until the day they die?

She looks at me for a few seconds before shaking her head and standing up from the chair. Right. I’m going back to my office.

What? Where are you going? We need to discuss how to stop this. I may say that an octave higher than my normal voice. And if I do, it’s only because of my previous coughing fit, that’s all.

She walks to the door before turning around and pinning me with a look. "No, I need to go back to my office because I just can’t deal