The F King: A Bad Boy Romance (Still a Bad Boy Book 3) (20 page)

E
arlyish in the year
, in my biomechanics class, we’d spent a few lectures studying a video clip of Austin applying an arm bar submission to Drake Chapman. A few people already knew that I had a kind of internship with NHBFC, so people spent as much time asking me questions about what the fighters, especially Austin, were really like as they did asking the professor about the trauma happening inside Chapman’s arm.

It was the same after every NHBFC event, a flurry of questions asking me about which fighters I’d seen or even helped treat. With Austin’s spectacular win, he was more of a talking point than normal, but I deflected those ones with the normally-true excuse of not being in the team that looked after him.

How could I explain to them that I met Austin, and what it was
like
to meet him, when I couldn’t even explain it to myself? I saw him, and my body
ached
with need. That was the simple blunt truth of the matter.

I’d been attracted to boys before, but the seeds of shame and confusion that my father had sown always blossomed straight away, and shut me down until the mere
hint
of interest in or from a guy had almost sent me into a panic attack. Not so with Austin.

There was something about him that spoke in a language of dirty promises to the part of me that I kept in the locked box, and spoke so powerfully that there was no time for the humiliation and self-loathing I was so used to. That’s not to say it didn’t hit me afterwards, because it did. Harder than ever.

That’s why I was glad he was only around the New Ashby Event Center for the NHBFC events. When they weren’t being held, there were a lot of smaller mixed martial arts tournaments, or even completely unrelated sporting events that NHBFC contracted their sports therapy team out to help support. So there was still plenty of work for me to fit around my classes.

I’d been working there for over a year, and had only come face to face with Austin once. Even that was only due to special circumstances that I had to agree to, so he
could
be avoided. That, in turn, would help me avoid those voices in my head, some of which sounded a lot like my dad.

You know what kind of girls run around with boys? Whores. The stupider and uglier they are, the cheaper they are, too. If I ever catch you… girl, I’ll know you’re the cheapest one of them all, and I swear you won’t sit down for a week…

I’d heard it so much that I believed it. I may not have been a supermodel rocket scientist, but I could stay away from the boys at least. Anything for the hope of some peace at home. Anything to not hate myself.

Today there was a local Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament being held at the event center. After an interesting morning working with a kid who had refused to tap out to an
omoplata
submission, I was again relegated to the more common task of restocking the various supplies needed by the more experienced members of the team.

Then Gordon tracked me down and sent chills of fear down my spine.

“Hey Skylar, I just got a call from somebody in management, they wanna see you. Robbie Johnson, some new guy. Is there something I should know about?”

Oh, please no!

Somehow, somebody knew about what had happened in Austin’s room. They saw me go in, or worse, what if there were security cameras or something in the rooms, and they saw me just about to put my hand on his erection?

Everything I’d been working towards was about to go down the toilet.

My heart, especially mobile lately, settled down in the pit of my stomach and started the task of being digested. I felt heavy as I rose to my feet in front of the supplies cupboard.

“Um… not that I can think of,” I said.

“Right. Well, let me know afterwards. I don’t want to be kept in the dark about what’s going on in my team. He’s on the third floor, by the Media Relations department. When you get up there, go ahead and ask somebody, they’ll be able to show you to his office.”

“Sure.”

If I’m still in your team.

I felt like I was digging my own grave when I finally found Mr. Johnson’s office and stood in his doorway. He was still in the process of setting up his area. With the open boxes everywhere and the pictures of comically dressed professional wrestlers on the walls, my feelings of dread almost seemed out of place.

“Mr. Johnson?”

“Ah, you must be Skylar? Skylar Cross?” he asked, sounding like some old New York gangster.

“Yes, sir.”

“Take a seat.” He gestured at the only option, in front of his desk.

Picking my way around boxes and sporting memorabilia, I sat down and concentrated on holding back tears as I awaited my fate. Mr. Johnson sat opposite me and shuffled through some of the papers on his desk.

“Here we are. Skylar Cross, in the Tier-2 Sports Therapy team, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I was looking through your resume over here, and comparing it against the others in that team, as well as some of the torrent of applications we’ve had lately. And I couldn’t help but notice yours looked a little… short.”

He handed over a few pieces of paper, which I recognized as the token application I’d completed when Uncle Malcolm got me the job here. Included was my resume, detailing my excellent work as a grocery store checkout operator and my ability to be a high school student.

“Is there perhaps a page or two missing?”

“No, sir. My uncle helped me get a job here,” I said. “But I’m studying at UNA to get all the right qualifications.” I rushed to add.

Mr. Johnson laced his fingers together on top of his desk. “But you don’t have said qualifications as of right now?”

“No.”

“Hmmm. It’s an unfortunate situation we’re in, Skylar. There are a lot of really bright kids out there that would give their right arm to work with NHBFC, you know. Fresh out of college, crushing student debt. Fully qualified and licensed. You can see how it’s not fair for them, if we were to keep you on and leave a better qualified candidate out in the cold, right?”

Every breath I took started to hitch as I fought off the onset of sobbing like a baby. I was going to lose the battle against the tears. I was going to lose this battle with life. After an all too brief escape, I could already picture going back home to Brookmere and my dad. It would be years before I could save up enough money to continue my studies. Before I could think about being happy.

“But… but please! I w-work really hard, everybody says so! A-ask G-Gordon, I pick things up really fast, I’m never late, never s-sick. I need this… I… I can work for a little less pay, I-”

“And then I understand there’s an issue of a company policy breach between yourself and Austin Aquila,” Mr. Johnson interrupted.

There it was, the one-two punch knockout. I blushed, in addition to all my other problems. Now word would spread around everywhere that I was exactly what my dad always said I was. I didn’t even
do
anything! It wasn’t fair!

Robbie Johnson sat back in his chair and let me stew in my humiliation for somewhere close to forever before he spoke again. The next word out of his mouth was totally unexpected.

“However,” he began, “we’re trying something new here at NHBFC, something you can actually help us with.”

“W-what is it?”

Mr. Johnson ignored my question for the time being. “This is a project that would move quite quickly, you’d begin next week, and we expect it would last for a few months. You’d receive a five thousand dollar bonus on top of your regular wages.”

My eyes went wide. I could really stay? And five thousand dollars? That would take so much pressure off the rent and tuition fees. My heart beat with wild hope.

“Yes, I’ll do it! What is it?”

Robbie Johnson looked like a fisherman with his hook in deep. “You don’t
have
to, of course… but then.” He gestured at the papers in my hand and shrugged. “We’ve got a lot of people who want in on this project… but when Austin asked for you
specifically
? Forget about it.”

My brow furrowed at the same time as my heart leapt at the notion that Austin even remembered me. What on Earth was this project?

I
f anybody had have told
me that I might end up in an arranged marriage, I’d have said they were crazy. Yet, here I was, about to announce it to the world.

Marriage had always been on some untouchable pedestal in my mind. That pillar of my upbringing came crashing down when I was faced with the choice of this or going home, though, and I signed the contract. I signed the non-disclosure agreement too.

I thought that, one day, I’d find my Prince Charming and he would be sweet, kind, and perfect. My dad would finally be proud of me, because I made it all the way to my wedding bed without scandalizing Brookmere and dragging his name through the mud with my slutty behavior.

Instead, I agreed to marry a man who, at the time, I’d only met once, and who hadn’t shown any of those qualities. The way he made me
feel
, well, that sexual
excitement
hadn’t featured in my hopes and dreams, but sweet and kind and perfect he certainly was not.

Since then I’d been avoiding him as much as possible, and I’d never been alone with him again since that night in the dressing room. I couldn’t trust myself.

There’d been a few meetings where Robbie Johnson filled us in on this or that aspect of his grand scheme, though. Even then, just sitting next to Austin, I could feel an undeniable
pull
in his direction.

The sight and smell of him alone was enough to send hormones racing through my bloodstream, conveying messages to my body that I did not want, preparing me for sex, and lots of it. It was so embarrassing, sitting there trying to concentrate on what Robbie was saying, and all I could think about was the feel of Austin’s body when I touched him, and I ended up slick between the legs without fail every time.

Yes, just being close to him was bad enough, but when he actually
touched
me? I felt like the whole world disappeared, and all that was left was the two of us and all those unspoken promises of mind-blowing pleasure.

He seemed to make a point of making me squirm like that. When he touched my leg, I wanted that knee as far away from my other one as possible. When he reached out and touched my hand, I wanted him to
make
me feel his muscular torso again, take away my choice so I couldn’t feel guilty about it, so I could let go and just
be
.

Each and every time the shame returned, though. I was bad, bad,
bad
, for having those thoughts, an evil, selfish, shameless little bitch.

Sometimes he’d call or text, wanting to see me, and I always found a way to turn him down. When he wasn’t right
there
, I managed to find the willpower.

Today, though, was going to be tough. As part of the promotion for the next NHBFC event in Las Vegas, where Austin was going to be fighting Ernesto Sanchez, we were going to be filming a short segment of the two of us walking along the lakeshore next to the New Ashby Event Center and announcing our relationship and impending marriage.

Robbie had told me about half an hour ago, a make-up lady had come and spent ten minutes with me, and now I had a few minutes left to go over the notes before I met Austin and the crew outside. Apparently the two of us met when he saved me from a mugger. Well, that was less embarrassing than the truth, at least.

Somebody knocked on the door a fraction of a second before it opened. I looked up and froze like a deer in the headlights. Austin was here. And I was all alone.

His eyes quickly found me, and a satisfied smirk took hold on his face as he closed the door slowly, but firmly, behind him. I gulped when it clicked loudly.

“They said you’d be here.”

“Um… yeah, but I guess we need to get going to the lake-” I said.

“No. We’ve got enough time.”

Austin slowly stalked in my direction, and my sense of being a deer frozen in surprise as an alpha predator bore down on me was more powerful with every moment. I stood and half-tripped over my own chair as I unconsciously began backing away from him.

“T-time for what?”

My ass hit the wall and I braced my hands against it as he came closer, gradually looming over me. With all that size and strength, he should have been a lumbering giant, but I’d seen him move lightning fast too.

That’s what made this slow advance feel even more like he was toying with me. His eyes dropped down, then slowly worked their way back up, drinking me in with such intensity I almost thought my clothes must have disappeared.

I waited for the surge of shame that always followed any interest from a man, and again it didn’t seem to be able to rise over how
hot
he made me feel. My stomach fluttered, and I felt a jolt of unexpected sensation from between my legs that made me gasp quietly.

Untouched though I was, having Austin’s eyes on me felt like an itch being gently scratched in my belly. The satisfaction spread all over my body, but concentrated on my clit. Why couldn’t life be simpler?

“Time to practice our kissing scene.”

“W-what?”

He was right in front of me now, and I couldn’t back away any further. His biceps strained at the sleeves of his shirt, even though he was as relaxed and cool as could be, and that intoxicating aroma of his that haunted my dreams made me ravenous for something other than food.

“Page three,” he chuckled. “Guess you haven’t read that far yet.”

“Oh, I… well…”

Austin put his finger to my chin and guided my face up to look at him. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

I blushed. “No, I… it’s-”

He shook his head, cutting me off. “You’re fighting hard, but I know you want it. You’ve got the most innocent
fuck
-
me
-eyes I’ve ever seen… but they’re still fuck-me-eyes.”

The way he emphasized “fuck,” I could tell that if he had his way, that’s exactly what would happen. There’d be no sweet lovemaking, no candles, just endless lust. Images of it flashed through my mind, shouting over my inhibitions for attention.

Austin’s finger trailed down from my chin to my neck, leaving a trail of dull fire, until he gripped my throat with that one huge hand. I could breathe, but found it difficult when I gulped again.

He could crush the life out of me with that hand if he wanted to. All that power, all that raw danger, pinning me against the wall, was barely held in check. He was totally in control of me.

The powerful fighter leaned down and, as his face came closer to mine, it dawned on me that I was about to have my first kiss, and it was
nothing
like the romance movies I’d seen. He never said he loved me, never gave me any flowers, he just held me against the wall and utterly dominated my will to resist him.

My heart was beating so hard, I wondered if he could feel my fear and excitement pulsing in my neck. He must have been reading me like a book, sure of himself as he was, and when his lips touched mine, I absolutely melted in the moment.

Austin kissed me deeper and deeper, forcing my mouth ajar further with each motion of his jaws until it was wide open and I felt his tongue touching mine. His hand curled around to grasp the back of my neck, pulling me into the kiss even harder.

My whole body was tingling with exhilaration, nowhere more so than my nipples, which were diamond-hard and aching with a need that I’d never experienced before. Somehow, I knew, that ache could only be satisfied by the sucking, the pinching, the kneading of my breasts by a strong male hand.

He was so close, I wanted to push against him and feel his strength along the entire length of my body. I realized I was standing on the tips of my toes,
straining
up to let him continue to steal my breath away and only barely keeping my balance. I needed him.
Needed
him.

I felt his knee push between my legs and roughly shove them to either side, which brought me down from the tips of my toes, and I felt my rear end slide a couple of inches down the wall as our lips parted. With his spare hand, Austin reached under my skirt, and I felt his fingers trailing up my inner thighs, towards the most carefully guarded treasure I had.

A sudden flash of, not quite shame, but definitely self-doubt struck me. If he touched me through those panties, I might or might not explode, but he would
definitely
feel how wet I was, and my last veil of deniability would be gone.

Weakly, I reached down and tried to push his hand away, but I might as well have been trying to stop the tide coming in. Only a few seconds later, he was cupping my sex through my sopping wet panties with a look of smug triumph on his face.

“You are so fucking hot for me, I’m surprised you’re not begging for my cock yet.”

I shut my eyes at the mention of his manhood, so he couldn’t read my wild desire for it in them. That only served to make it easier for my imagination run wild, and for a moment I saw with crystal clarity my virgin pussy stretched around his thick rod, and heard my screams of ecstasy.

“So go on,” he continued. “Fucking
beg
for it. Make me believe it and I might just put you out of your misery.”

“I… I… please…”

A knock followed by the sound of the door opening snapped me back to reality, but I was still powerless to move. I stared into Austin’s eyes as somebody said words in what I thought must have been English.

“Austin? Skylar? We’re ready for you, could you hurry up plea… oh. Sorry. Um… just come on out… uh… please.”

The door shut again in a hurry, and Austin looked like he was weighing up some options.

“Saved by the bell, eh?” He moved his lips close to my ear. “
You
are a sexy little
fuck
waiting to happen. Mark my words, you
will
beg for my cock before this is through.”

With that, he let me go and headed towards the door as I swayed a little to keep my balance. He closed it behind him, leaving me alone in the room again where either it or my head was definitely spinning.

I stumbled to the table, to my handbag, feeling like I’d just jumped off the railway tracks before the train came through, and pulled out a handkerchief. Pausing to make sure the empty room was really empty, as if there was anywhere that anybody could hide, I quickly stroked it up the inside of my left thigh, where a single trickle of my natural lubricants was cutting a tickly trail towards my knee.

This was crazy. I should stop this right now before his prophecy came true. He was going to make me do everything I’d been trying to avoid my whole life if he had his way. And if things kept on going like this… I
was
going to beg him to do it.