“Come on, I want to be close to the ring.” Daria gripped her hand tighter, and they pushed their way toward the front. When the crudely erected cage was only a few feet from them Sunny let go of Daria’s hand and pulled out her phone. There was a missed call from her dad, and a text from him, which had her smiling. The only interaction she had with her dad was when they passed each other on her way out tonight. He had seemed in a pleasant enough
mood
, so he was either coming around, not likely, or London may not have told him exactly what was going on with them. That seemed like the most logical explanation.
Dad:
Be safe and have fun with Daria.
Yeah, she was starting to wonder exactly what London had talked to him about that made it so he wasn’t sitting her down and lecturing her on her decisions. Sunny couldn’t help but smile at the fact her dad sent her a text. He was the least tech savvy person she knew, and it had taken him an hour of just teaching him how to use a cell phone.
Thanks dad. I’ll B home late.
Love U.
No way was she going to tell him that she was currently standing in an abandoned warehouse, with at least three hundred people packed inside, and about to watch guys beat the shit out of each other in a bare-knuckle fight.
“Oh my God, I am so excited about this. There is this fighter tonight, Max ‘The Devil’
Sorrenson
.” Daria started fanning herself, and Sunny couldn’t help but laugh at how dramatic she was acting. “I saw him when I came to the fight last month.” Daria was rubbernecking, trying to see over the heads of all the people, presumably to find this guy. “He sure is some damn fine eye candy.”
“Are you ready for Max ‘The Devil’
Sorrenson
and the undefeated champion, London?” The announcer drug out London’s name, and Sunny’s heart started to pound.
Holy shit.
What were the odds of her being at one of these underground things where London was fighting? She looked over at Daria to find her friend already staring at her with “no fucking way” eyes. She shrugged, and they both turned back toward the cage just as the crowd went even wilder. The bodies pressed forward like a wave, bending and curving and having both of them having to take a step forward to balance themselves or they’d be pushed on the ground. A mountain of a man climbed into the cage, his body hard muscle, and his face a mask of indifference. The tattoos that covered his arms were like London’s, from shoulder to wrists, but where London’s were colorful, this guy’s were black and white. In a crescent shape from collarbone to collarbone was a tattoo in Old English font, “Anarchy”.
God, London was going to go up against this guy? He was like a tank, and it seemed the crowd hated him, which led her to believe he may not fight clean, even if this was a dirty fight. Worry settled inside of her when the announcer called London’s name. The crowd went ballistic, chanting and shouting. The females screamed out his name, and Sunny picked up on a few obscene gestures and words from the girls close to them.
“Ugh, what a bunch of Chaser sluts.” Daria said it loud enough to be heard over the noise, which also had the girls standing beside them hearing and glaring in their direction. Daria lifted her hands to her head and gave them little devil horns, which had Sunny cracking up. The girls said something to each other, most likely calling them some kind of colorful word, but there was too much noise and they said it too low that they couldn’t make it out. Sunny and Daria grinned at each other and went back to staring up ahead. London climbed in the cage, and everything else faded around Sunny. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she tried to swallow the lump that was lodged in her throat. His expression was one of steely composure and apathy. He didn’t look like the man that had had touched her so passionately in the locker room, or who had held her almost tenderly. He looked like a guy that was ready to kick some ass. A shiver worked up her spine, because for as many times as she saw him train, she had never seen him actually go head-to-head in the cage. Heat filled her, wetness spilled from between her thighs, and her nipples hardened. Just seeing him standing in that cage, even as crudely erected as it was, was a heady sensation.
The announcer rattled off a few things, but the one that she heard clearly out of all the rest was “no rules”. London and the other guy charged forward, their big bodies crashing together. Fists flew, legs kicked out, and before she knew what was happening they were on the ground grappling. It was flashes of black and multi-colored ink, muscles and limbs moving together, and blood spraying from mouths and noses. London slammed his fist into the guy’s face over and over again, and his rage was downright frightening. Sunny had never seen a man so fiercely intent on his actions before, and she actually took a small step back. Wave after wave washed through her, and she was embarrassed by her response to the violence and aggression she was witnessing. She was aroused. Shit, she was so aroused that perspiration started to dot her spine. Both men were back on their feet, and now sparred with each other. The Devil slammed his fist into one of London’s kidneys, which had him stumbling back. Her desire vanished, and she slapped her hand over her mouth. He came after London full force, and right when she saw his fist go back, and feared he would do some serious damage to the man she cared about so much, London was back on his feet and like a machine.
Left, right, right, left. He threw his fists into The Devil over and over again, so much that she saw his knuckles start to bleed, watched the crimson trail trip down his arms and land on the already rust colored mat. His opponent fell to the ground, and London was on top of him, delivering punch after brutal punch. It was almost too much for Sunny to watch, but it was like a train wreck. She couldn’t look away. With one more hit right to the side of the guy’s head London climbed off of him, turned his head and spit a mouthful of blood out. His eyebrow was cut, and a line of crimson dripped down his temple. He stared at the guy now lying motionless by his feet. The crowd was insane with their chanting of the victor’s name, but everything faded away when London turned and their eyes locked. He showed no surprise, but his eyes flashed with a dark hunger. Something inside of her melted, and she leaned forward, wanting to get closer to him. It didn’t matter that blood covered his chest, or that he had held a man’s life in the palm of his hands. London was hers, had moved with masculinity and strength, and the very primal part of her, the one that was all female and quivered while looking in his eyes, wanted to give herself to him.
He moved a step closer, and she did the same. Sunny watched him climb out of the cage, and make his way toward her. She could tell his focus was on her, and it amazed her that people actually took a step back from him. Before he reached her she saw movement to her side and tore her eyes from him. A thin girl with short, dark bobbed hair bounded up to him, and flung herself into his arms. She could see the irritation on London’s face at the girl’s reaction, and when he looked down at her that emotion was replaced with surprise, and then slowly morphed into anger. The girl’s red painted lips started moving, and in a move so quick Sunny didn’t even realize what in the hell was happening the girl planted her lips right on London’s. Everything stilled, and her arousal was pushed to the back by hard jealousy. Never had she felt like
this,
and all because some Chaser thought she was going to score with her guy?
Oh. Hell. No.
Chapter Eight
For just a second London was frozen in shock as the girl planted her lips right on his.
She tasted like stale cigarettes and sour beer. The surprise at seeing her face, knowing she was the girl he had fucked after one of his fights before he had made Sunny know she was his, should have had him pushing her away, but it took him a second too long. Gripping her arms and pulling her away from him, he ran the back of his arm over his lips. “
Don’t
ever fucking do that again.” Her smile wavered, and her eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at him. Shit, she had kissed him right in front of Sunny. He snapped his head to where his girl was, saw her coming toward him with a fierce expression on her face, and knew a slap or two was coming. There was another girl with her, with some pretty fucking unusual colored eyes.
Hell, he hadn’t been the one to initiate the kiss, but if it helped Sunny blow off some steam… Sunny stopped in front of him, looked in his eyes, and then turned and stared at the brunette. For a full minute all the females did was
stare
at each other, and London was proud that his little fighter was standing her ground.
“What?” The brunette all but snarled the word, and for such a skinny thing she had some fire behind that lone word.
“Go find some other guy to fuck around with. This one’s taken.” London couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. Well shit, Sunny girl was a possessive little thing. He fucking loved that. It made him not feel like such an ass for getting all jealous and territorial about her.
The brunette bared her teeth, and he couldn’t believe this was the same timid seeming chick he had been with less than two weeks ago. She was like some kind of rabid animal now, snapping and looking like Sunny was the one that had stepped over the line.
“You’re crazy if you think that he sticks with one girl.” Sunny didn’t say anything, and London moved closer. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. Becky looked at where he held Sunny and wrinkled her nose. “Just remember that he has a lot of pussy to choose from. In fact,” she looked smug as hell, and London knew what she was about to say. “He fucked me real good not that long ago.
Had me coming more than once, too.”
Sunny stiffened in his arms, but she didn’t pull away.
“Get the fuck out here, and don’t ever come up to me again.” His voice held an edge to it, but he wanted her to know that she was fucking with his life and he wouldn’t stand for it.
“Take your dirty ass out of here. Maybe you can find a guy to screw you in a dirty backroom.” Sunny hit that on the head pretty good. That was how he had taken the brunette, and shame filled him over that fact.
The girl grinned, but it wasn’t one of amusement and made her face contort into some kind of pinched mask. “Don’t say you weren’t warned. Men like him tend to stray.” With that she turned and left. For a long moment Sunny stood there staring at where Becky had disappeared to, and then slowly she turned around and looked at him. He expected anger and jealousy to be the main emotions on her, and when she smiled up at him he was a little dumbstruck.
“Aren’t you pissed over her and what she said?” He ran his hand over his hair and breathed out. He wanted to get her alone and talk about this, not surrounded by a bunch of screaming drunks who wanted to see more fighting. She shrugged.
“I won’t say I’m not jealous, because that would be a lie.” She looked down, but he didn’t want her hiding her feelings, so he lifted her head with his thumb under her chin.
“How can I get pissed over what she said when that was before we got together?”
Shit, he had struck the lottery when it came to her. “Besides, I know a Chaser when I see one, and I can tell when a girl is a bit demented and thinking there is more than there is. She was all talk, and not really a threat.
Although I needed to make it known that I wasn’t a pushover when it came to you.”
He shook his head and smiled. “Damn, Sunny, I think I may just marry you right now.” She laughed and gently pushed him.
“Funny.” Her sarcasm was tangible, and he started laughing himself.
“Come on, baby, let’s get out of here.” He made his way toward the back of the warehouse, holding tightly to her hand and making sure she stayed right by his side. A few people came up, trying to talk to him about the fight, but he just wanted to collect his winnings and get the fuck out of there with Sunny. Ross leaned against the wall, talking to a bunch of shady looking guys that thought they were badass wearing sunglass inside and at night. Ross saw him approach and pushed off the wall and reached inside his coat pocket.
“Awesome fight, man.”
He handed London the standard manila envelope and cut his eyes to Sunny. London moved her so she was behind him. He may like Ross, and trust him to an extent, but that didn’t mean he wanted Sunny anywhere near him. Really, he didn’t even want her at these underground fights, and would be asking her why she was here and how she had even found out about it. The spectators at these fights could get crazy, especially if things didn’t go their way, but he had a pretty good feeling even asking her not to come again wouldn’t go over well with her.
“Thanks.” He took the envelope and grabbed his duffle that he usually kept by Ross. Shoving the envelope inside of it he tilted his chin at Ross. He turned to head out, but he stopped right before he slammed into another guy. He instantly knew who the guy was in front of him, and London’s whole body tensed. Making sure
Sunny
was right behind him, he kept his expression neutral as he stared into the face of the guy he was to fight in just a few days’ time. “The Lion” was as big and tall as London, but he wore a mask of arrogance.
“Problem?”
For several long seconds the fucker didn’t say anything. If he thought he was going to intimidate London he hadn’t been studying him as closely as Ross let on.
“Nah, man.
Just checking out the pussy I’m going to beat down.” He grinned, but London still kept his expression stoic. When he didn’t respond the motherfucker narrowed his eyes and curled his lip.
“Are you going to move, or do I have to move you?”
“Hey, man, come on.” Ross stepped forward and pulled London back. “Save it for the cage.” After a prolonged moment London breathed out, tightened his hand on Sunny’s, and pushed his way through, Her friend was following closely behind, and he kept glancing back to make sure both girls weren’t getting lost in the mix. His anger and annoyance over that asshole confronting him, trying to get a reaction from him, had his blood boiling. Once they were back outside the cool breeze dried some of the sweat that lined his flesh, and a miniscule amount of his aggression left him.
“Hey.” Sunny pulled on his arm until he turned and looked at her. “You okay?” The worried expression she wore had the rest of his anger slowly leaving him. No one had ever cared like that about him, wondered if he was okay, or made him feel calm when he was anything but.
“I’m good, baby.” He
smiled,
trying to reassure her everything was okay.
“Okay.” She didn’t look or sound convinced, but she didn’t press it. “Oh, this is Daria, a really good friend of mine.” He stared at her, knowing she looked familiar, but not really able to place her. Her eyes alone should have let him know who she was since they were like nothing he had ever seen. They had to be contacts.
“Dude, quit staring at my eyes. It’s rude.” She grinned, and he mumbled his apology through his own smile. She shrugged. “I’m used to people staring, and no, they are not contacts.” He nodded. “So, uh, I guess you’ll get a ride home with him?” Daria looked at Sunny and nudged her in the shoulder, smiling.
“I don’t want to desert you.”
Daria gave Sunny a bland look. “Girl, come on now.” She nudged her in the shoulder with hers again. They gave each other a hug, and London turned around to give them privacy when he heard Daria whisper something in Sunny’s ear. “Nice meeting you, London.” He turned back around and smiled.
“You, too.”
“Take care of my girl.” She gave him a stern look, and he nodded, looking just as serious.
“Always.”
His answer was good enough for her because she started walking away. “Let me walk you to your car. This is a bad part of the city, and you two shouldn’t even have been down here.” He gave Sunny a hard look, but took her hand and the three of them walked to Daria’s car. After the girls hugged once more, Daria drove off. “I think I like that girl. She’s just as protective of you as I am.” He wrapped his arm around Sunny’s shoulder and pulled her close.
“London?”
He looked down at her. “Yeah, baby?”
“Do you fight like that all the time?” There was a bit of hesitance in her voice, but he also saw a flash of something else.
Maybe arousal?
No, that couldn’t be it, could it? He wasn’t about to lie to her, but he also didn’t want to freak her out.
“Yeah, I do, Sunny.” She looked down and nodded. “You know some of the guys at the center fight in the underground circuit.” She nodded. “I mean, we don’t go advertising it for obvious reasons.”
“I know, and it isn’t like I didn’t think you did stuff like that. It’s just, I haven’t ever been to one of those, and they were quite … intense.” He pulled her into his chest and pressed a kiss to her pulse right below her ear.
“I hope it doesn’t upset you too much, but it’s how I make my living.” She pulled away and looked into his face.
“I know, and I’m not asking you to change. I have been around this my whole life. I was just surprised to see you fight that ruthlessly, and without any kind of protection. I’m used to seeing guys fight in the UFC. I’ve never seen anything like what you did in there, London.” She said the last part a little breathlessly, and his cock instantly became hard. When he had seen her standing on the other side of the cage, staring at him with her wide blue eyes, he hadn’t known what to think at first. He was pissed she was there, around all the danger and violence, but then pride filled him that his girl had seen him be victorious.
“I didn’t know you wanted to see underground fights, but next time let me know so I can make sure you’re safe.”
“I didn’t know we were going to one. Daria kind of sprung it on me during the drive, but I would like to see you do this again.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.
I mean I hate to see you get hit, but it’s exhilarating and I won’t
lie
, kind of an arousing turn-on.”
So he had been right when he thought he saw lust in her face.
Interesting
.
He ran his hands down her body, feeling his cock grow even harder when he was met with her luscious curves. He needed to be with her, really
needed
to be with her now. Having
her this
close, winning the fight, having that prick confront him, and smelling her and feeling her pressed against him had the caveman inside of him roaring. The filthy things he imagined doing to her played through his mind. They were images of him and her in one of these dangerous dark alleys, her pressed against the wall, and him pounding into her so hard that she never would question who she belonged to. He may want to dominate her that way, but he wouldn’t. She was too good for that, and he would no doubt scare the fucking shit out of her and disgust her if he tried it. No, she deserved nice and sweet, with maybe a little roughness thrown in because he couldn’t help himself in that regard.
“Baby, you want to go back to my place?” He started kissing and licking at the sweet flesh of her throat, unable to help
himself
because he was addicted to the flavor of her. She pulled back, and he cupped her face.
“Because I really want you pretty fucking badly right now.”
The way her pupils dilated even though it was dark outside, and the fact he could practically smell her pussy become wet from his question, had a low rumble leaving him.
“I know, I can feel.” Sunny reached between them and gripped his erection. A low growl left him, and just as he dipped his head to take her mouth she placed a finger on his lips. She stared at him for a long second.
“What’s wrong?”