“The pain is gone,” I reassured him, running my palms down his back to dig my nails into his butt cheeks. “And I want more.”
“Then more is what you’ll get.” Heat flared in his eyes as his hips drew back until only the tip of his cock was lodged inside me. “So much of me that you’ll still be able to feel where I’ve been inside you tomorrow.”
I had no doubt he’d fulfill his promise when he drove back inside me over and over again. His eyes never left mine as he continued to move, his chest heaving with exertion and sweat dripping down his face. He slid his palm up my belly to cup one of my breasts, his thumb toying with my nipple.
“Yes. Michael, yes!” I moaned and writhed beneath him, my nails digging into his skin as I held on while he powered in and out of me.
He gave my pebbled nipple a final tweak before his hand slid lower. His fingers hovered over my pulsing clit. “I can feel how close you are to coming again with your pussy clenching around my dick so hard. Give it to me, Angelique.”
He switched up his long strokes for short ones, circling his hips until he hit me in a spot that made my eyes cross. I gasped, my legs tightening around his hips. “Right there, huh?” Saint grunted as he thrust against me again. I threw my head back, and his mouth crashed against my damp skin. His teeth scraped against my throat while he drove into me. Then he pinched my clit between his forefinger and thumb. White-hot pleasure ripped through my body, making my toes curl. Having him inside me as I came made the incredible orgasms he’d given me earlier pale in comparison. My entire body tensed as I shuddered. I’d never felt anything like it before, this never-ending bliss as he continued to thrust in and out until he finally anchored himself deep inside and followed me over the edge. Hot streams of his come filled me to overflowing as I collapsed against the pillows.
Cuddled between his soft mattress and hard body, I felt boneless and was so relaxed that I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up again about thirty minutes later, Saint wasn’t in bed with me. A feeling of abandonment crept over me—something I was used to—but it was different this time. Not just because I’d given Saint my virginity but also that I hadn’t expected him to walk away from me so easily after everything he’d been saying.
Pushing my disappointment deep down inside, I rolled off the mattress and pulled on the shirt I’d worn to bed last night and padded into Saint’s ridiculously large closet to grab a pair of his boxers. After rolling them at my waist, I headed for the bathroom to brush my teeth and clean up a little. Once that was done, I went off to search for Saint.
I found him in the kitchen, stirring something in a saucepan on the stove. He was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and nothing else, looking just as sexy as he had in the ring last night. I jerked my head up so I wouldn’t visibly drool as I asked, “Could you give me a ride back to the stadium?”
His shoulders tensed at my question. He turned off the burner, moved the pan to the other side of the stove, and turned to stare at me. “What?”
It felt as though I was pinned into place by his dark gaze, making me nervous. “I really appreciate you letting me crash here last night.”
“Crash?” he echoed softly as he stalked toward me. “What the hell do you think is going on between us?”
Taking a small step back, I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never done the morning after thing before.”
“You need to get something straight in your pretty head, angel eyes.” He reached out to grab my hand and tugged me close. “This is forever.”
9
Saint
Just the thought of Angelique walking out of my life had my throat closing up with panic. I wasn’t used to feeling any sort of weakness, and it made me a little gruffer than I’d intended.
I fisted a hand in the hair at the back of her head and used a firm grip on her hip to plaster her body to mine. Using gentle force, I pulled her head back so I could cover her mouth with my own. Just before I lost all control and took her to the floor, I pulled back and stared into her lust-fogged eyes. “Do you understand me?” She nodded, but I still caught the hint of doubt clouding her gaze. I knew she’d been on the end of plenty of broken promises, and though I wanted her acceptance immediately, I reminded myself that talk was cheap. I would have to prove to her that I would always be by her side.
Sighing, I kissed her again, just to reassure myself that she was real, in my arms, and protected from the evils of the world. Namely, that motherfucking brother of hers. The thought tarnished the moment, and I reluctantly released Angelique’s lips. I had a lot of shit to accomplish, and if I didn’t stop, we’d spend the rest of the day fucking on every surface of our home.
I didn’t want the situation with her brother hanging over our heads, especially once we had a family. And I intended to put a baby in my woman as soon as humanly possible. I groaned and pushed the image of her round and swollen with our child out of my head. It was yet another path that would lead me away from what needed to be done.
“Let me finish making you breakfast, then we can talk about what comes next.”
Angelique’s eye brightened, and she peered around me to look eagerly at the stove. “You were making me breakfast?” I could see the hope that sprung into her eyes. Obviously, if I was cooking for her in the morning, I’d intended for her to stay.
I gave her a quick kiss, then turned her toward the island and gently patted her on the ass. “Go sit, angel eyes. Do you want some juice?”
She nodded as she practically skipped over to take a seat. “Yes, please.” The smile she gave me when I placed the glass in front of her was breathtaking. I wanted to see it every day for the rest of my life, and I had every intention of making sure that happened. I was a man who went after, and got, what I wanted. Keeping Angelique safe and by my side was no exception.
I asked her about the foods she liked and if she was allergic to anything, so I’d know what to cook for her and also to simply get to know her. Once I’d finished making us omelets, I set hers in front of her and sat across from her to dig into mine, which was easily twice the size of hers.
Angelique giggled, and a smile automatically curved my lips. “Something funny, angel eyes?”
She pointed at my eggs and laughed a little harder. “It’s just...everything about you is big. Even your breakfast.”
I smirked and winked. “As I recall, you were pretty happy with my size this morning.” Her eyes heated while she blushed to a deep crimson. I chuckled and pointed at her breakfast. “Eat, baby. We have a ton of shit to do today.”
She shoveled a few bites into her mouth, moaning with each one and making me hard as fuck. Thankfully, she distracted me after a few minutes. “We have stuff to do? Like what?” she asked as she glanced at me with curiosity.
“First, we’re going to go grab your shit and bring it home. I’ll send movers over to get the big things tomorrow. Once you’re settled, I need to run a couple of errands. I won’t be long, but it will give you a chance to take a nap. You’re going to need your strength for what I have planned for you tonight.”
“Home?” Angelique’s soft echo and brow furrowed with confusion, twisted my heart.
“Yeah, angel eyes. Home. Here with me, where you belong.”
I waited for her to say something, but she just beamed at me and went back to eating. She finished her breakfast with gusto, only pausing here and there to ask questions, obviously wanting to know more about me. I answered each one honestly and told her she could always ask or tell me anything.
After we cleaned up the kitchen, I led her to the master bath and told her to take a shower. She looked at me expectantly, and when I shook my head, she pouted adorably, almost causing me to give in. “The next time I make love to you, I’m going to take my time and worship every inch of your gorgeous body.” I winked, and she blushed before scampering into the room and shutting the door. I’d already hopped into a quick shower before making breakfast, so I headed to my closet. Digging around, I managed to come up with a
T-shirt that had shrunk in the wash that I hadn’t gotten around to getting rid of. It was still pretty big on her, loose and hanging off one shoulder, but it didn’t look like a tent or go all the way to her knees. She giggled again while I rolled up some sweats so she wouldn’t trip on them and pulled the drawstring as tight as it would go. Satisfied that she was covered and wouldn’t lose her pants, I quickly ushered her out to my car, anxious to get everything taken care of so we could put it all behind us.
She gave me an address, and I smothered my frown, not wanting to upset her, but I was familiar with the neighborhood. Thinking about my woman living in that drug-infested hellhole only ratcheted up my need to drain the fucking life out of her brother.
When I pulled up in front of a building that looked as though it should be condemned, I squeezed the steering wheel so hard it creaked. After a few deep, calming breaths, I shut off the engine and climbed out before going around to the passenger side and helping Angelique.
It took a monumental effort to keep my grip loose as I held her hand while we approached a door on the ground floor with an eviction notice taped on it. The dirty window beside it was cracked and duct taped, the door was barely hanging onto its hinges, and the jam was a mess, obviously having been kicked in multiple times. When we reached it, she pulled out a key, and I was surprised the door didn’t simply collapse inside from one light touch.
She pushed it open and started to enter, but I held her back. “Stay here for a minute, angel eyes.” I didn’t like the thought of her outside by herself, but I was more concerned about the possibility of danger inside. She nodded her acceptance, and I did a quick check of the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. By the time I returned to her, I was seething with untold fury.
The “apartment” was littered with molding food and old take-out containers. There was trash and drug paraphernalia scattered all around. A dirty, ragged old couch and a busted coffee table appeared to be the only furniture, other than a dingy and probably disease-infested mattress in the bedroom. What infuriated me the most, though, was the small corner of the bedroom that was neat and tidy, with several clean blankets made up to look like a bed. A few books were stacked next to a desk lamp on a little wooden table, and a canvas knapsack was stowed underneath.
The sink in the kitchen had been scrubbed clean, as well as the microwave, though the rest of the room was in the same condition as everywhere else I’d seen. It was clear that someone had tried to keep the bathroom, which was the size of a stall in a public restroom, clean, but from the stains on the toilet, sink, and shower floor, the effort had been in vain.
I schooled my expression and gentled my tone when I spoke to her. “Let’s get your things, baby.”
Angelique shrugged as she walked inside, sidestepping all the shit in a way that told me she was used to it. “I don’t really have much. My brother sold everything to pay the rent.” I bit my tongue to keep from retorting that it was more likely he sold everything to pay his bookie and dealer.
We went to the bedroom, and she grabbed the bag and started filling it with her things. While she folded up some clean clothes from the closet, I stepped into the hallway, staying where I could see her, but she wouldn’t hear me. I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and hit one of my speed dials contacts.
It rang twice before Knox picked up. “Saint. I was just about to call you.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait,” I growled. “I need your help.”
“Shut the fuck up for a minute and listen, man. My information more than likely applies to your request.”
I grunted in response.
“I did some digging into the situation with Sam. Turns out my guy was right. Sam was jumped by a bunch of thugs who work for Benton. I talked to some sources, and the word is that Butler is in deep with the bookie, as well as Marlan Leek.”
“Son of a bitch,” I growled. Marlan was the lowest of the low. He had a hand in everything from drugs to human trafficking.
“There’s no way to confirm it one hundred percent, but I’d stake my reputation on the fact that Sam was taken out so that Vince could win the purse.”
“But he lost,” I murmured.
“Right,” Knox agreed. “He’s on the run.”
A sinister smile crept onto my face at Knox’s smug tone. “You know where he is, don’t you?”
“I’m insulted you had to ask.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure your fragile ego can handle it. Now send me the fucker’s location.”
“I’ll text it to you.”
“Thanks.”
I hung up and immediately shot off a text to a friend of mine. My phone dinged with the message from Knox just as Angelique exited the bedroom. Curling my arm around her, I kissed her head as I tucked my phone back into my pocket. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
She nodded and leaned into my side as we made our way back to the car. On the way home, my phone chirped with a text alert, but I waited until I’d parked in my driveway to look at the message. My friend had come through. I forwarded him the information he needed and a time to meet.
Angelique had fallen asleep on the drive home even though it had been less than a half hour. She’d already been tired yesterday before I wore her out, so I hoped she’d continue napping while I transferred her to our bed. Luck was on my side because she didn’t even stir, other than to mumble my name as she curled up to my pillow. I was so tempted to crawl in beside her, but I wouldn’t truly be able to relax until this was done.
Writing her a note and then sending a text to her phone to make sure she saw it, I instructed her to rest, then unpack and explore the house. I added a winky face before suggesting she snoop all she wanted. Then I told her that if she stepped one foot out of the house unprotected, I would spank her ass raw.
I changed into an old pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt that should probably have been thrown out long before now. No sense in ruining perfectly good clothes with blood. After giving my girl one last kiss on her forehead, I grabbed the keys to my Harley and locked the house up tight.
An hour later, I drove my bike into the parking lot of a rent-by-the-hour motel. It was mostly empty, with the exception of a few other bikes and a couple of trucks. When I parked and shut off my engine, the drivers of those vehicles headed my way.
I held my hand out to a beefy guy with a buzz cut and dog tags hanging over his white tank. “Bik,” I greeted him. “How’s Sam?”
“He’s a stubborn motherfucker, as usual. Won’t do what the doctor tells him, but he’s on the mend.”
“Glad to hear it.” Sam and Bick had been together for five years and were engaged to be married in the summer. I figured if anyone had a right to be here as much as me, it was Bik.
The rest of the small group were other fighters. Friends of mine and Sam’s, most of them had trained with and had their asses kicked by me. There was a running bet to see who could best me, but so far, no one had won, and it was usually something we ribbed each other about. However, the mood tonight was dark and intense. We were here to right some wrongs.
“Room twenty-seven,” I murmured, then I pivoted and prowled in the direction of my prey.
After tossing the bloody clothes into the motel room trash, I then washed my hands and pulled on the spare clothes I’d brought with me. I exited the room and walked toward the group of men who’d helped me mete out a fitting punishment for Vince Butler.
“Should we take him to a hospital?” one of the guys asked, his tone dripping with disgust.
I shook my head as I stepped over the beaten and bloodied rat sniveling on the floor, begging for help. “Leave him. Just like they left Sam. Somebody will come along eventually.” I stopped beside Vince and bent over to look him in the eye that wasn’t quite swollen shut yet. “I suggest you get the fuck out of Dodge. If I can find you, so can Benton and Leek.”
Vince cried and begged for help, but I ignored his pleas. “And Butler”—my tone hardened to steel—”if y
ou ever so much mutter Angelique’s name ever again—and trust me, I’ll know—I will return to finish the job. Got it?”
He glared at me and muttered, “Fuck you, Saint.”
“Not the answer I’m looking for,” I sighed. Then I put my boot on his groin, making him scream in pain. “Got it?”
“Shit! Yes, I got it,” he cried as he curled into the fetal position.
“Good.” I turned to face my friends and gave them a lift of my chin in thanks. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”
With that taken care of, I breathed a little easier with every mile that took me closer to my forever.
10
Angelique
Waking up alone in Saint’s house should’ve freaked me out, but the note and text he’d left had soothed any nerves I’d had about him not coming back. After unpacking my meager belongings, I explored the house, snooping in all of its nooks and crannies. I liked that he didn’t feel as though he needed to hide anything from me, and I felt a surge of relief when I didn’t find a single hint of another woman in his home. All of the colors, furniture, and decorations were ultra-masculine, just like him.
I was about ten minutes into a recently released action movie, comfortably settled into one of the reclining seats in his home theater, when Saint returned. I paused the film and jiggled the bowl of popcorn in his direction as he dropped into the seat next to me. “Want me to restart this at the beginning so you can watch the whole thing with me? I haven’t been watching long.”
“Sure,” he agreed before taking the remote from my hand and setting it on the armrest between us. “But first, I have something I need to tell you.”
I braced myself, expecting bad news based on his tone and serious expression. My fear must’ve shown on my face because he took the bowl of popcorn from me, set it on the chair next to him, and lifted me out of my seat and onto his lap. Wrapped up in his embrace, I felt safer as I asked, “Where were you? What happened?”
Vegas, Baby: Volume 3 Page 18