The Fighter Duet: Two Full-Length, Red-Hot New Adult Fighter Romances (26 page)

A
gain it was raining
as I walked up to Kenny’s door, only this time there was no guard. She had forgiven me. Pain flashed in my chest at the memory of her crying and hitting me with all of her strength. It was a memory I’d do anything to purge from our past, yet at the same time, it was a memory I knew would make us stronger. Our scars would make us stronger.

She opened the door before I knocked, sliding her arms around my neck and meeting my mouth with her small one, parting her lips so our tongues could unite. She still wore the orange tunic, but the leggings were gone. I discovered everything was gone when I slipped my hands down and felt the soft skin of her body. Tracing my fingers up, I lightly touched the curve of her perfect ass and a ravenous hunger ignited in me.

In one swift movement, she was off her feet. Feverish, I carried her to the bedroom. I’d dreamed of this so long, every night, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and when we kissed, we consumed.

I lay her back on the bed and pushed the tunic all the way up, catching a tight nipple with my mouth, giving it hard pull before teasing it with my teeth. Noises came from her throat, and I held her narrow ribcage in both my hands, kissing the base of her sternum, inhaling deeply as I worked my way down.

She moaned and threaded her fingers in my hair as I licked her skin. Sugar and mint. It had haunted my dreams, my waking hours. She was a flavor that energized me, delicious and hypnotic. Lifting her thigh, I kissed my way down to the crease and lightly ran my tongue along that line.

“Slayde, oh god,” she gasped, squirming in anticipation. Covering those lips with mine, my tongue circled her swollen clit before sliding down into her wet opening. I couldn’t get enough of her taste, all of her. She cried out, and I knew I couldn’t wait much longer. It seemed she couldn’t either. Her muscles were clenching, and she pulled my shoulders.

“I need you in me,” she begged, as if I had to be asked twice. Condom out, I opened it with my teeth, and it was on in record time. Slipping deep between her thighs, I closed my eyes and ascended to heaven. We rocked together, rolling so that she was above me. Her dark hair spilled around us in soft, flower-scented curtains, and she placed her hands on the headboard behind me, rocking her hips.

Shoving the tunic all the way up, I leaned forward and pulled a taut nipple into my mouth again. Her entire body convulsed, and I went off.

Breaking free, I leaned back and groaned loudly. “Oh, fuck.” I couldn’t stop the blinding orgasm taking me over the edge. Rolling us over again, I held her hips and pounded it out as she cried beneath me.

“Don’t stop,” she begged, and I didn’t. I couldn’t. She worked me hard, holding me as her body trembled with her climax.

Slowly descending back to this planet, I opened my eyes to my beautiful love. She was panting and lovely. Her dark hair spread over the pillow, and I lay my palm against her cheek tracing my thumb over her lips, her chin. As if waking from a dream, her bright blue eyes fluttered to mine, and my heart melted.

“I’m in love with you, Kendra Woods.” I smoothed her hair back from her face. “Every night on that ship, I swore that if I ever got the chance again, I’d tell you how much I love you. How badly I need you to be mine. Forever.”

She reached up to hold my cheeks, wonder in her eyes. “Every day you were gone I tried to make myself forget you. I did everything in my power to move on.” Her words hurt, but she cancelled out all the pain with what she said next. “It was impossible. You’re like air and water and everything I need to survive.”

Kissing her once more briefly, I held her against my chest. “I wish I could give you some noble reason for what I did. I wish I could tell you it was self-defense or it was to save someone’s life, but it wasn’t. I was just a broken, lost asshole with too much money and too many people telling me I was the shit.”

She touched my face. “You don’t have to tell me anything. You’ve already told me enough. I know what you faced growing up.”

“Still, I wish I could change what I was before I knew you.” My eyes closed, and I felt the bitter pain of regret.

“And if you had, we probably never would have met.” She traced her beautiful fingers over my brow. “I’m going to feed you Thanksgiving dinner, and you’re going to tell me about being at sea.”

“Deal.” I rolled in the bed and quickly disposed of the condom as she stood.

“I never went off the pill.” The twinkle in her eye about had me going again, but I shook my head.

“We won’t do much talking if you keep that up.”

“Okay!” She skipped out in only that orange tunic.

Smiling, I sat forward in the bed alone in that room. I thought about what Doc had said about making up for the shit heap I’d made of my life. I’d wasted all of my gifts, but it was possible this woman could help me find a way to at least try to make restitution.

When she returned, we had a spread of turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and bread. She leaned beside me against the headboard holding a glass of red wine.

My arm was on her shoulders, and I twirled a lock of dark brown hair around my finger. “Every night, I dreamed in violet, and now it’s gone.”

She leaned into me, kissing my cheek. “It can easily come back if that’s what you like. Now tell me about being at sea. Did you see whales?”

“We saw sharks.” Her eyes went wide as she set the wine glass on the nightstand and pushed a large pinch of roll into her mouth. I laughed. “And a lot of dolphins.”

Next, she picked up a strip of white turkey and held it to my lips. I couldn’t help remembering the first night we’d shared steak. “I’m so lucky to have you back.”

That got me another greasy kiss. “Tell me a story.”

“First…” I stretched off the bed, reaching for my pants and feeling deep in the pocket. “One of the sailors made these.” I pulled out the small sailboat. “This is for Lane.”

Her eyes warmed. “You got something for Lane?”

“And this is for you.” The heart ring slid perfectly onto the third finger of her left hand. The little doll I’d save until the time was right.

She studied the twisted silver. “I love it so much,” she whispered, catching my neck and kissing me. Holding her hand up, she tilted it side-to-side, and then she paused. “What about the necklace I bought you?”

I kissed the side of her jaw, taking a deep inhale of sweet mint. From there my lips moved behind her ear, and she shivered. “I love how your breathing changes when I touch you.”

She reached for me, and we kissed deeply, tongues uniting. We held each other in an awkward embrace around the Thanksgiving dinner spread in front of us, and I wanted to be inside her. I wanted to make up for all the time we’d lost. “I have my necklace,” I spoke against her skin, “but it’s not accurate. I’ll never be free as long as you’re in the world. Even after.”

Her hand moved to my cheek, her thumb tracing the line in my chin. “I want you free from those old scars. I’ve forgiven you.”

Kissing her once more, I turned my back to the headboard and pulled her against my chest. For a few moments, I only held her, feeling our hearts beating as one. “We need to finish this dinner so I can make love to you.”

She sat up facing me, eyes shining in that gorgeous way, and rested her head on her hand. “First tell me more about being at sea. Did you run into any storms? I’ve heard they can be really scary.”

Taking a deep breath, I told her the news I’d been holding onto since I’d found her. None of it would’ve mattered if we hadn’t made it to this place.

“We ran into a pretty significant storm on the way back.” Her hand dropped, her blue eyes full of concern. “Yeah, it was a big one. McKinney guessed we hit thirty-foot waves.”

“Slayde! Oh my god!” She sat straighter in the bed.

Reaching for her hand, I lifted it and kissed it. “You see I’m here, right? Still, conditions got pretty critical.” Looking down, I decided just to tell her. “I wasn’t sure you’d ever see me again, so I didn’t think I had anything to lose.”

Her voice was touched with fear. “What did you do?”

“The waves were so strong, the ship was in danger of breaking in two. They needed someone to lighten the load, cut some of the bigger boxes free so they’d wash overboard.” Clearing my throat, I looked at the fresh, new scar across the back of my hand. “I volunteered.”

Her eyes slid closed. “Oh my god.”

“They tied a rope around me to help stabilize. I made it out to the bow, and I had to cut the lashes of the largest boxes on each side—enough so they’d slide off and lighten the ship.”

“Oh, Slayde.” Her shoulders dropped and I collected the plates from in front of us. Setting them on the side table, I slid down in the bed, pulling her tight against me.

“The first box was hard, but I got it free. The second one threw me back, and another of the crates flew forward and hit my head. I had a concussion.”

Her head snapped up, eyes wide. “No!” She smoothed her hands on each side of my face, and I couldn’t help but reassure her.

My voice was low and strong. “I’m fine. I was out for a few hours. We took a few days, the ship’s medic was more than prepared.”

“Why do I feel like you’re holding something back?”

“Ahh,” I growled, dropping back against the pillow.

She was on me in an instant. “What is it?”

Slipping my palms to her beautiful face, I held her. Then I rolled her onto her back. I kissed her left cheek, her right cheek, her nose. I moved higher to her right eyebrow, her left, then back down. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

She flushed soft pink. “Are you going to tell me?”

I kissed her mouth once more, tasting her. “They want to give me an award—I think it’s a medal. They’re saying I saved every man’s life on the ship.”

“There were no women?” Her dark brow arched, and I laughed.

“No, and trust me, you’re glad.”

“I think it’s amazing that you’re a hero. I’m so proud of you.” Her voice was quiet, and I knew she was serious.

“Will you be my date to the award ceremony?”

“I hope to be your date to everything forever as long as we both live.”

When she talked like that, I couldn’t help myself. I leaned down to cover her mouth with mine. I might never deserve the gift of this woman I was sent to protect on the beach one stormy fall night. The truth was, I’d spend my life doing my best to protect her, and to love her, and to try and prove to her I was the one to love. As long as she lived.

I smoothed my hands in her hair, thinking about what Anders had said. “I have a new idea for matching tattoos.”

The corner of her mouth curled. “Okay, what is it?”

“Have you ever heard of the Red String of Fate?”

T
he scene
I left in Montana was heavy on my mind as I rode in the car from the Wilmington airport. Stuart was battling some serious demons, and I wasn’t sure Patrick and I were enough to help him beat them.

Leaning forward, I rubbed my palms over my eyes thinking of Melissa and Dex. I had my own fucking demons to sort out, and the more time that passed, the harder it would be to negotiate a compromise solution. If there even was one.

Picking up the folded
USA Today
from the black leather seat, I flipped through Section A, not looking at anything until a small, black-and-white photograph under the headline “Hero at Sea” caught my attention.

I pulled the page closer to examine the postage-stamp sized image. I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. “What the
fuck
?” I whispered.

Slayde “Slayer” Bennett, former boxer-slash-ex-con apparently risked his life in a monster storm at sea to prevent the merchant ship
Sea Empress
from breaking in half. I quickly scanned the details. He’d been injured in the process, suffered a concussion, but was fully recovered. He received an honorary medal, an award of sorts…

What made me stop was the writer’s editorial slant in her last sentences. A murderer, someone who callously took another man’s life in a bar fight five years ago, went on to become a hero, to risk his life to save twenty-six crewmembers.

Leaning back in the car, I looked out at the changed scenery. I’d helped build the case against Slayer Bennett and Stitch Alana five years ago. Both professional middleweights, Slayer was in a rage after being passed over for an exhibition match, according to the story I’d put together. He and his buddy Stitch had gone to that bar looking for a fight. They’d waited for anyone to cross them. Blake Woods and Max Marconi had been the hotheaded suckers to follow their taunt into the parking lot where they’d fought a bare-knuckle street fight they were destined to lose. A fight to the death.

The court psychologist spoke for Slayer. I was wrong, she’d said. She argued he suffered from intermittent explosive disorder, whatever the fuck that was, and needed anger management therapy. He could be rehabilitated, she’d said. He was the product of an abusive home, an alcoholic father. I didn’t give a shit about any of that. He’d broken the law, taken a life, and he had to be punished. Eye for an eye.

All of it was so long ago. Before I’d ever met Melissa.

The black-capped driver turned to the side. “We’re here, sir.”

Pulling out four twenties, I passed them through the glass and grabbed my large duffel before heading up the walk. I’d taken the red-eye, so Melissa and Dex were likely still asleep. Standing for a moment, looking out at the grey sky over the ocean, I thought about Blake Woods, the boy Slayer killed. He was a little punk who’d done time himself.
Did that change it somehow? Did the crime change if the victim was equally guilty?

Rubbing my neck and those thoughts away, I unlocked the door, pausing to slip off my boots. Carrying my bag through the quiet house, I paused at a stack of thick bridal magazines in the living room. On the cover of one was a brunette model, who would never be as beautiful as Melissa, in white lace. After pushing the date back twice—once so Dex could be born and again so her mother could attend—our wedding was firmly scheduled for the spring, and she was so excited. I couldn’t wait for the day she’d officially be my wife.

Continuing on, I stopped at the first door I came to and peeked inside. Dex’s dark little head was sweaty, and his favorite blue blanket was twisted all around his legs, but he was out like a light.

I breathed a smile. My longing to see Melissa was the only emotion stronger than the swell of pride in my chest at the sight of our little guy. I pulled his door closed and went down the dark hall to our bedroom. Sunrise was lighting the light-green walls, and she was asleep on her side, curled in the center of our bed. A sharp ache hit my lower stomach at the sight of her long, dark waves spread on the pillow behind her. My questions of fate would have to wait. I wanted her in my arms with that soft cascade falling all around us.

Moving quickly, I shrugged out of my coat and pulled off the light sweater I wore underneath. Jeans gone, I placed a knee carefully on the side of the bed. The indentation rolled her forward, and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked quickly before pushing up against the mattress.

“You’re back!” A flash of brown, and she was in my arms, kissing my cheeks and eyes, making her way up to my brow.

My hands moved to her thighs, catching the edge of the short, white nightgown she wore, sliding it up her body.

“Five seconds.” She skipped away so fast I didn’t have time to stop her before she was in the bathroom. In the half-minute it took her to brush, I lost my boxer briefs and arranged the pillows. She was running back, pulling the nightgown over her head and tossing it behind her as she crossed the room.

“I like how your mind works,” I laughed, catching her slim torso as she dove into my arms. We rolled over so she was cradled against me, and for a moment, I simply looked down at her smiling face, blue eyes shining.

“I’ve missed you so much.” She leaned up to kiss my neck. “You said we’d never be apart again after Princeton.”

“I know.” I leaned down to kiss her jaw, moving my lips up behind her ear so I could take a deep sniff of ocean-touched roses. “You smell so good.”

My hand moved up to cup her firm breast, and she let out a little moan. “Take it easy,” her sigh mixed with desire.

She’d been nursing Dex for several months, but her breasts were still full and sensitive in the mornings. I knew this. Circling my thumb over her tightening nipple, I caught her mouth, pushing it open and getting a fresh blast of mint as our tongues collided.

Her arms were around my neck, holding me close, and the hand that was on her breast traveled down her stomach to the line of her panties and lower. Her mouth broke from mine in a moan as I slid two fingers inside her, using my thumb to massage her clit. She was already so wet.

“I’ve missed you,” I breathed, rotating her all the way to her back as I gently kissed one nipple then the other before tracing my way to her stomach.

Her arms rose over her head as I quickly hooked my fingers through her lace bikini, pulling it down and off. “I like this, or I might’ve ripped it.”

“Oh, god!” Her back arched as I opened her thighs, covering her with my mouth. My tongue swirled over the little bud that quickly sent her into spasms. She let out another, louder cry as I ran my tongue full over her, down and back up to make a circle, giving her a little suck. She tasted so good.

Her fingers were in my hair, and she was pulling, arching against my mouth. I couldn’t help a smile as she started to come. She was gorgeous falling apart for me.

“Derek, please…” Her fingernails scraped against my shoulders, and I rose up to fill her with all the love and desire that had been building in me for the last ten days.

She cried out as I drove deeper, pulling her body up so that our chests were together. I held her as I sat back on my feet, letting her ride as I moved her. Her beautiful, full breasts were right at my mouth, and I gently caught one, giving it a light kiss rather than my usual, forceful pull. I’d have to save that for later.

“I want to go deeper,” I spoke into her neck.

“Yes, yes,” she nodded, dropping back onto the bed.

Turning her over quickly, my hands slid to her hips, lifting her so I could position myself at her entrance. She was on all fours, her beautiful ass perked, thighs parted. One hard push, and she cried out, arching up. I reached around, massaging her clit until she started bucking against me, sending me even deeper. Closing my eyes the intense need, that primitive hunger took over. It was relentless and strong and so fucking good.

Melissa and I usually made love, but sometimes, we’d let go and truly fuck. This was one of those times. Her hand stretched out to hold the headboard, and I continued massaging between her legs as the force of my orgasm rose in my pelvis, tightening my ass.

“Fuck,” I shouted, my fingers closing over hers in front of us. I had to hold onto something or I’d crush her. The jerking in my cock had me going blind. Three more hard drives, and we were both flying.

“Oh, god, yes.” Her body trembled, and I held onto her a moment longer, allowing the last remnants of our high to fade. We were both breathing hard as we slid down to the bed. Her face turned into my chest, a slender arm went around my waist. I wrapped both my arms around her before bending down to kiss her head and inhale another deep breath of her delicious scent.

Her voice was thick and sexy when she spoke. “I’ll overlook the occasional separation if you make it up to me like that.”

I laughed, tracing a finger down her back. “You’re so damned sexy, how do I ever leave you?”

She lifted her head then, resting it on her hand. A dark curl slid over her cheek, and I wrapped it around my finger.

“How’s Stuart?”

“He’s not doing so good. He’s got things… he hadn’t told anybody about.”

Her beautiful blue eyes were serious now. “How long before you have to go back?”

“I took the red-eye so I could be here as long as possible this weekend, but I need to head out on Sunday.”

My chest ached as her brow fell. I knew she wasn’t angry, but I hated to make her sad. “He’s your friend, and he needs you. It’s just, Dex misses you, and I…”

“Elaine’s talking about coming back for Christmas. What if we all spent it there, together? His uncle’s place is amazing.”

“You think you’ll be that long?”

I released an exhale. “Hard to know, but if I am, I want you and Dex with me.”

Her eyes traveled around my face as she reached up to run her thumb across my cheek. “We can be there with you now if you want. My job travels.”

Our last weeks on the horse ranch flickered through my mind—the late nights, the bad nights. The night I had to leave everything and ride across the plains until I found him alone, camped near one of the falls. Stuart was fighting everything right now, including his will to live, and our progress was slow and painful.

“I’m not sure he’d appreciate company yet, but a lot can change in a month.”

A small voice squealed down the hall, and we both stopped. “He’s awake,” Melissa said with a grin, and I was up before she could move.

“I got this.” Scooping my boxers off the floor, I jerked them over my hips. “Be right back.”

Dex was holding the side of his crib, blue eyes bright and baby mouth grinning big when he saw me. A flash of love warmed my chest. “Come here, little guy.”

Scooping him up, he jerked back toward the crib. I only paused a moment to grab his blue blanket, putting it in his arms before he lay his dark head on my shoulder. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered, kissing him and taking a deep breath of sweet baby smell.

Melissa was in bed with her nightgown back on, but she was unfastening the tiny buttons down the front as I climbed in beside her.

“He’s getting so strong.” Dex reached for her as soon as I sat. “How long before he walks?”

She laughed stretching up to kiss my lips before taking him and sliding down on her side. “At least two more months,” she said, pulling him close to her breast.

“Good. Don’t want to miss that.”

Dex latched on quickly, and I reached down to touch the tiny fingers now curled against her soft skin. “Even this is hard to miss.”

“Give me a kiss,” she whispered, and I gladly complied.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders as she gave our son his breakfast, I rested my chin on Melissa’s head. My eye caught the eagle and SF tattoo on my bicep, and that old secret I carried, the one that could take me away from her for a very long time itched at the back of my mind.

I thought about the news article. Slayer Bennett had gone from criminal to hero. I’d done just the opposite. At the same time, the law, the right thing, these concepts grew nebulous when I thought about what was at stake, the choice that was taken away from me.

Melissa had never pressed me for details about that night, and as yet I hadn’t given her any. Patrick’s advice was never to tell her. Not because she wouldn’t understand—she’d be hurt, but she’d understand. Rather, it was because she’d blame herself, he said.

Happy baby noises were in my ear, and my beautiful future wife was safe in my arms. The secret I carried was an issue only if I let it be, Patrick said. Our one other witness agreed with him. Yet the idea of hiding my crime grated against who I was, my status as a Marine, a retired officer. I was sworn to defend our laws. I’d helped prosecute criminals for a living.

Exhaling deeply, I pressed my lips firmly against Melissa’s head. My best friend was in trouble—his life could be on the line. My fiancée needed me here with her and my son. Questions of justice and atonement would have to wait. For now I had to focus on the ones I loved. My duty for today was with them, but that wouldn’t be the case forever.

* * *