Fierce Fighter: Single Mom Second Chance Romance (Steel Series Book 9)

by Victoria Pinder

  He rode me harder, and I held on to the bed as a rush toward nirvana made me see stars. I was swept up in a whirlwind and only held on until I knew he’d joined me in oblivion.

  Once he finished, he cuddled beside me and kissed my cheek. For a few moments, we lay still, bliss filling every cell of my body. But he broke the spell when he reached for the phone then sat up fast. I quickly sat, but he stepped off the bed and fixed his pants.

  My heart pounded differently now as I tugged my hair behind my ears. “There is something important I need to tell you.”

  He rolled his T-shirt over his head. “I have a match. Do you want to come?”

  “No.” I held my breath.

  I swallowed, but he kissed me fast and said, “Tell me when I get back from the fight.”

  He then ran out of the room, and I hoped he won. In high school, he always came home with some wicked bruises after a match, whether he won or not. A quick memory of how randy he would be after a match hit me as never before.

  Finally, I was feeling myself and ignored the dangers in my mind. He had to know, so I called my mom. When she answered on the second ring, I asked her right away, “Mom, can you pack Rocky’s things?” I stood and grabbed my clothes he’d had sent to the room for me so that I wasn’t only in my bridesmaid dress.

  “Pack? Why?”

  The truth wasn’t that far. I squared my shoulders and said, “I’ll be at the house in half an hour to forty-five minutes. I need to take him somewhere.”

  “I’ll have his backpack ready, though I hope you can tell me how you came back early.”

  The questions of real life started. I hugged my clothes in my hand. “Later, Mom. I promise.”

  I hung up and quickly headed to the shower. I had a key, and when Stone came back, he would see the truth with his own eyes. Then I’d go home and reexplain to my mother and hope she didn’t toss us out of the house. I loved Stone, and it was past time I told him everything.

  Chapter 9

  Stone

  Never have sex before a match. High school had drilled that into me. Every coach I’d ever had had screamed it into my ear whenever a woman walked past me, not that I ever looked. Yet Vanessa had my heart, and I’d been afraid she would leave me.

  However, with my head in the mat and a knee in my face, I’d been pinned like a fucking beginner. The buzzer said the round was over. Maybe I’d been doing more performance wrestling since my professional contract these days and I needed to double my Greco-Roman training when I got back.

  The delay in the Olympics had shifted my focus. Now I fixed my shirt as the crowd cheered for my opponent. It was time, so I took a breather, and as the second round started, we both reached for each other’s head and neck.

  His grip was strong, and I couldn’t breathe. Then he knocked me down and walked around with my head in the headlock. If I fucking humiliate myself this bad in the old-school style, I could lose my contract. I’d be destroyed.

  I went for the legs, but I miscalculated and was held down like a fucking whale until the buzzer. One more round, and I would be out.

  Get it together. I stared into the other man’s blue eyes, then he reached underhand. I refused to give up like that. With forty-five seconds left, I tossed him over. I pushed down, but he grabbed my neck. Then he used my head to pick himself up, and the crowd booed.

  The whistle went off, and the referee said he’d done an illegal throw. Two minutes on the clock for me and a point deduction for him. Fuck yeah.

  I needed to refocus. If I didn’t, I would never have the chance to pay for anything good in Emily’s or Vanessa’s life.

  I returned to position, and this time, I lunged and picked up the blue-eyed devil like a baby, hands under his legs and cupping his neck. His turn to feel my choke hold. But as I moved, he dodged, so I clutched his leg and held him down. That earned me a point when the buzzer went off. Finally, we were fucking tied.

  Then he knocked my head back with a punch, and the referee called it. Blood poured out of my nose, but I didn’t care. As the buzzer sounded, I used my weight to pin him and hold him down for the remaining forty-five seconds. With a single-leg takedown, I won.

  We shook hands. The kid was good and deserved an Olympic shot but not by taking mine. And I had my dignity, so my professional contract was secure.

  I cleaned myself, though I knew my face was a mess. Hopefully, Vanessa was at the hotel. I hopped into my car and raced back the second I could.

  As I slipped the card into the door, I heard her voice. She’s here. Goose bumps grew on my arms, but as I opened the door, my gaze went down to a boy playing with a controller and using my TV for video games.

  My eyes widened, and my breath caught in my throat. He looked… like me. My heart raced as I wondered. The question swirled in my mind—could she have had my child and not told me? She’d said she’d been in the hospital.

  I silently closed the door to not startle the child. “Who’s this?”

  She stood in front of me like she meant to block my view. “This is my son, Stone.”

  I tapped my finger to my chest. Vanessa was a mom. The boy looked the same age as our child might be. I backed into the door, and my eyes widened. “You’re a mom.”

  She sucked on her bottom lip. “Yeah, and I brought him here to tell you—”

  “Who’s his father?” I interrupted her. She’d said she loved me and didn’t have another boyfriend, but my pulse zipped like I was being pinned. Was I right, or were there more secrets?

  Her face was red, and she lowered her head. “You.”

  Air filled my lungs. Thank fucking God. I took my first breath and stood taller. “What?”

  She held her forehead and chin with her fingers like she needed to hide from me, though she cried as she said, “When I had him, I thought I’d never see you again.”

  I hugged her. We’d have to work out details, but we were connected forever. She hugged me back and used my shirt as a tissue.

  “What’s his name?”

  “Rocky,” the boy called out without looking at me.

  My grandfather’s name. I let Vanessa go but took her hands in mine. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I wanted to.” She led me to sit on the bed.

  Once we were sitting and the TV showed an alien game flashing, I folded my hands between my legs. “But?”

  She let out a small sigh. “I was scared, and then it felt like I was lying, and I’d ruined my dream.”

  I’d been homeless when I left. I had no right to blame her, and she hadn’t betrayed me. She’d given birth to my son and raised him. “What dream?”

  Her face crumpled, and Rocky even slowed down in his game as she said, “That you’d come back, and we’d be a family.”

  I patted her back. “I almost lost tonight.”

  She curled her legs toward me. “I’m sorry. I never wanted that for you.”

  I pressed my forehead to hers. “Vanessa, I need you and Rocky in my life.”

  She wiped her face clean, and I kissed her cheek as I stood.

  I wouldn’t rip off her clothes because we had company, but then I glanced over at my son.

  He turned off his game and said, “Hi.”

  I went to sit on the floor next to the boy, who had my jawline. “Hi, Rocky. I’m sorry we didn’t meet sooner.”

  He smiled up at me, and suddenly I had a chuckle in my throat as he said, “It’s okay. What happened to your nose?”

  I shrugged. “I almost lost my match, but I promise you and your mom I’ll be here for you both, from here on out.”

  Vanessa sobbed, and we both stood.

  “Cool,” Rocky said. “You should probably let Mom help with your nose, though.”

  “I will.” She nodded. Then she hugged me. Soon, we would have to make all of this official, but I had a family. My sister was safe, and Vanessa and Rocky were now here to stay with me, for the rest of my life.

  Chapter 10

  Vanessa

&n
bsp; All my fears had been for nothing. Stone truly loved me. As the moon peeked out in the dark sky, we returned to the hotel. Stone’s sister was here. When he parked at the valet, I reached for the door. “My mom said she’s happy to babysit, though she wants to retire to Florida when we all move.”

  He tossed the key to the valet and pressed his hand on my back. “I promised my sister a couch, but it seems like we need to buy a house.”

  Adrenaline coursed through me. I didn’t need him to give up on his dreams. “Will that be bad?”

  He led me through the lobby and pressed the button for the elevator. “I’ve been saving every dime I ever made in the hope I got a second chance with you.”

  We stepped inside, and he chose our floor as light jazz played over the elevator speakers. As the doors closed, I said, “I’ll pick a reasonably priced one so you can continue training.”

  He shook his head. “No, let’s not be cheap on where we choose to live. We should get your mom an in-law suite.”

  I bounced. My heart was full. The man I loved was back, and nothing was wrong. As the doors opened, I curled my lips higher. “Sounds perfect. And your sister?”

  He guided me toward our room. “She needs her own bedroom, and one for Coco, my stepsister, if she doesn’t want to go back to Lana’s.”

  His sister was his only family, and he’d sworn to pay for her college. My eyes widened, but I said, “Four bedroom with in-law suite.”

  My heart raced—this was too much to ask. We headed inside, and he opened his phone to a website and typed an address on a real estate page.

  “Near the gym, as I spend a lot of time there.” He handed me his phone and almost-million-dollar places were on the screen.

  Heat rose in my cheeks as I handed him back his phone. “This is pricy.”

  He took off his shoes and headed to the bathroom. “I can afford it. Make the appointments for when we get there, and then get in the bed, beautiful.”

  My job definitely wouldn’t afford this type of home. I followed orders and requested showings of three as I said, “Guess no more ringing up customers for me. I’ll have to get a new job.”

  He came out, completely naked, and winked at me. “You can do whatever you want, but tonight, you’ll be ringing this bell.”

  I went onto my knees and stroked his dick as requested. My pulse zapped with desire. And he kissed my forehead as he tugged off my shirt. I let him go and lifted my shirt to help him, and then he fondled my breasts.

  I arched back to give him room, and he stripped off my bra, pinched one of my nipples, and suckled on the other. He was insatiable.

  Once he stopped, I batted my eyelashes and pursed my lips. He helped me lie down, then we made out like we were teenagers. Steam came out of my toes. He sat beside me and kissed my forehead.

  My body was excited, and he grazed my skin as he unbuttoned my jeans. He curled one hand around my neck and pulled my pants off with the other. I kneaded his cock, but then he returned to my peaks and feasted until my nipples were smaller than pebbles.

  I squeezed his sides to get him to let me play with his dick, but he slid down my belly, kissing me and making my skin ache for his touch. He first went lower to the apex between my thighs, but then he went up my side, kissing my lower back and ass.

  I hungered for him and moved to let him do whatever he wanted, but as my heart fluttered, he slipped a finger into me. I bit my lower lip and squeezed, but that only made him chuckle.

  I yearned for him and reached for his wood, and he teased my nipples. I sighed. Then he found my bottom, and I grew hotter. He flicked my center as he used his tongue. I trembled with him licking my core, stoking my fire. I opened my legs wider, and he used his tongue. Then he sucked my clit and used his tongue to find my secret button.

  Fuck. I bucked as he nuzzled me deeper, like he knew my girly parts better than I did. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Please, Stone.” I begged him to ravage me and reached to guide his groin.

  He drove his bulge into me. He pounded me harder and faster, and I didn’t care if he impaled me or not. I was his, forever, though if he continued to drill me like this, then maybe he’d been right that I would never walk straight again.

  I had Stone, who made my life erupt and made me soar with him, still inside. And this was our life, forever now.

  Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading this fun side story. Next is the full length book of the Steels in Treasured where Mary falls in love with a former Navy Seal.

  I hope you start on my new story set in Virgin Cove called Honey Bun.

  First Look Honey Bun

  Coming Soon! Editing will be finished when book releases.

  Arman

  The smell of the ocean at the end of Long Island was salty and fresh. My father, Bâbâ, had bought our beach home twenty minutes from the Hamptons. Everyone who was anyone escaped to the Hamptons. The beach house was on Virgin Cove, a small island with a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Virgin Cove was hard to find on maps, but it was poised to be the next hot spot. That meant the way we lived there like princes might end.

  As I drove up to the mansion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the small town, I sighed. This was my favorite place. I preferred the slower pace it offered to the Manhattan condo or even my parents’ penthouse in Beverly Hills. The sea air reminded me that I’d once been denied by a beautiful girl when I was a boy.

  I parked my silver Audi R8 Spyder in the driveway and saw one of my brothers stepping out of a limo, which meant I wasn’t the last person to arrive. Cyrus waited as servants brought the bags in and I parked, but the moment I stepped out, he patted me on my back and said, “Arman, the favorite son, has returned.”

  I laughed and shook my head. As the oldest, I was teased by everyone. We stepped up to the house, whose wall decorations were recreated from ancient Persepolis. My favorite was the lion head that adorned a horn like it was the Thanksgiving feast and not various fruits.

  I said, “You’re the doctor, Cyrus, so you get that honor.”

  He winked as servants flung open the door for us. “No matter how many degrees I have, I’ll never be you, the oldest and most precious.”

  We passed into the foyer, and I could see my mother sitting at the dining room table with four of my brothers. She rose from her seat, came to us with her arms open, and smiled. “The last two, as usual, to arrive for my birthday.

  I hugged her and gave my feeble excuse, “My flight from LA and stopover in Manhattan took more time than I hoped.”

  The truth was, my business partner and adopted brother, Joel, had taken two weeks off for a honeymoon, and I was running the game company solo, which meant extra hours until we closed that day. But like my bâbâ, who was renowned on Wall Street, we never gave work as an excuse in my family.

  My mother looped her arms around us and steered us into the dining room as Bâbâ came in from the kitchen, carrying a fresh carafe of black tea. He took his usual seat. I sat down next to him.

  Cyrus took a seat on the other side. “Looks like your bet against buying the beach home in the Hamptons was right on, Dad. Looks like someone else is building a Persian palace in Virgin Cove.”

  I shook my head and grabbed the carafe to pour myself a cup of tea. “That’s so LA.”

  “Now she’s back on the East Coast with you…” Cyrus’s dark eyes didn’t blink. “Maybe this summer, she’ll refocus her attention on her oldest and pressure you to get married now that Joel here brought home a wife.”

  Joel—my partner, brother, and friend—was lucky, a successful heart doctor. I was more like our dad and had no time for dating. I winked. “I’m hopeless, remember?”

  Mom came in with dates and passed them out as three more of my brothers were laughing and coming down the stairs. Half of my family had been adopted, but that never mattered at the table.

  “You’ve been lucky.” Bâbâ took one of the dates. “Your mother isn’t a fan of being in New Yo
rk for long these days, but now that she has Joel and Kendal, she thinks you’re next and wants to be here more.”

  My mother brought me the dates as my two youngest brothers took their seats on the other end. Mâmân asked, “What are you two talking about?”

  I stood and scooted her seat out for her. “How happy we are to be here with everyone. Let’s sit.” She slid into her chair and I kissed her cheek as I said, “Happy birthday, Mâmân.”

  She put down the silver platter of the dates, and Bâbâ passed it down the table. The last three of my brothers came into the room and took their seats. My mother caught my eye and winked, looking excited. She reached for the pocketbook hanging on the back of her chair, brought it around, and rifled through it.

  She came out with a photograph. “Let me show you this picture.”

  “Of what?”

  She slid the photo across the table to me. It showed a dark-haired Persian girl who’d had a nose job. “I think Salma, here, is very beautiful, and she loves New York winters.”

  I chewed on my date and grimaced. Cyrus laughed and slapped his knee. Once I finished my bite, I shook my head. “No.”

  “No what?” She slipped the picture into my hand. I vaguely recognized the woman from one of my mother’s holiday parties. She invited about a thousand well-to-do New York Persians to her annual New Year’s gala. I handed the picture back as she said, “You need to get married like Joel and set the right example for the rest of your brothers and so your staff takes you seriously.”

  She implied that I, as the oldest, had some sort of duty. I took her hand. “You brought us here and raised us to be American, Mom. This means we all want to choose our own brides.”

  She sighed and put the picture back. “You’re not choosing anyone, working all the time in your office.”

  I refilled my tea and said to Bâbâ, “My business just passed our goals for the first year by leaps and bounds, and we need to ensure that we’re successful.”