Dominick POV
On base it was obvious that nearly everyone knew who she was even without her uniform. Lana's hand found mine as we walked towards one of the large buildings. Inside was a state of the art gym, it surpassed anything I'd seen before in my life. There were coaches to train with, black belts standing near the mats, and nearly ever piece of equipment I could imagine. For a few hours we went our separate ways. It seemed to benefit us both. In the past girls just hung by my side or did whatever I was doing. Truth be told she was completely out of sight. As usual my work out was interrupted, though thankfully I got most of it in before Dana called.
" Hello?"
"Hey Dom! I got a press conference set up out here in New York for the next fight. When can you make it out this week?" I rolled my eyes.
"Thursday?"
"How's tomorrow sound?" I could hear his smirk through the phone for sure.
"Yeah sure-" Without hesitation I rolled my eyes" -I gotta go." I hung up before he could say anything else.
"Someone looks pissed off." I looked up to see her smirking, beads are of sweat covered her skin.
"I've got a press conference tomorrow in New York."
"Mind if I tag along?"
"Really? I was think you'd have to stay here, but that's a good idea." I couldn't help but slightly smile at the thought. It'd be like a vacation.
"I'm gonna go shower... Then we'll pack." She motion to the other end of the gym as I nodded. I texted my mother and of course she was already set to go. She supported my career, though to be honest she was the reason it started by kicking me out of the house when I was nineteen. I too showered before meeting her back near the door, carrying my gym bag in one hand and her hand in the other. "Dana is a lot like his brother. They just call up and expect you to come." She chuckled tossing her bag in the trunk as I did mine.
" Yeah he tends to keep us all on our toes. I'm sorry. I know New York wasn't really in your plans." She tossed me her phone and I looked down.
"Colin: Lana need you in New York... Chop chop..."
"Seems we had no control over our paths crossing." She took her phone back and shrug with a slight smirk that mirrored the one plastered on my face. I drove us off base and towards my house. "Colin thinks you're good for me."
" Why?" Lana took awhile to answer, probably thinking of the best way to explain it.
" What I went through- It haunts me and it's... It's something I deal with a lot. Colin thinks I need someone mentally strong and physically strong to be there for me. I'm in no way saying it's 100% true and... He hasn't affected my decision to have feelings for you." Her hand stroked my forearm. "You caused that all on your own."
"I know. Same for me, I'm sure my mother was pushing Dana to set me up with a nice girl." I chuckled and parked the car. "I'll be right back." I jogged inside and upstairs, quickly shoving different clothes in a carry on case. My suit and tie I zipped up in a bag before rushing back outside and getting back in the car. Lana's place was surprisingly close. I was going to stay in the car yet she beckoned me to come along.
" Take a tour around... I've got to get my things." I took the opportunity to be nosey of course. Her house was simple, elegant furniture, but it lacked personal items for the most part. Photos of her and friends on the shelf. One of her kissing a sandy haired man. I picked it up and turned it over reading the handwriting I knew wasn't hers.
To my forever x Nicholas
"Nosey... Nosey...." I jumped slightly and sat the photo back on the shelf beside a very old looking photo. "That was him if you're wondering." She sat her bag down and hung something that more than likely was holding a dress and or uniform. She took the photo off the shelf. "This was taken two days before we left on that mission... And These are my parents." She sat that one down and picked up the other.
"Where are they?"
"They died when I was six. My dad's heli was shot down and my mother... She- She was beheaded. I never really knew them or even remember their faces or voices... Rosa, my friend Kiki's mother adopted me and raised me like her own." She sat the photo down and shrugged, yet here I was, my stomach in knots over the mere story. "Ready?"
" How are you so numb to it?" I blurted out before I could process what I asked.
"It's hard to be sad when you don't remember them... As a kid I of course cried over it, but I can't change something out of my control." She shrugged before going to grab her bag, yet I picked it up along with the other bag. "Such a gentleman." She locked the door behind us and just like that we were off to the airport. It was some miracle that my mom managed to beat us there. Dana had a plane waiting for us and Lana had texted Colin that she was catching a ride with me, which thrilled him to no end. "I can show you around New York if you'd like, properly no goofy tours."
"That would be wonderful!" My mom grinned before fixing her hair.
"We'll take a few other fighters, I know Urijah and Joe will want to tag along with his family." She shrugged before nodding.
"The more the merrier for sure." I wish she wouldn't have agreed to take us anywhere. Some secrets were best left unknown to me. Yet situations arise making her confess her hidden life like a sin to save us all.