The Fighter Duet: Two Full-Length, Red-Hot New Adult Fighter Romances

by Tia Louise

  His eyes hold a look, and I know what he’s thinking. Would that be so bad?

  “No,” I answer quietly. “If only…”

  “Back to your story. You said Mercedes taught you to spin bowls.”

  “The technical term is throwing, and she did teach me. After repeatedly saying she wouldn’t. Every day I went back. The snow cut into her business, and I offered to pay. It wasn’t long before she caved.”

  “You’re really good.”

  “It’s a craft, so the more you do it, the better you get.” A server puts small plates of salad in front of us and a basket of sourdough bread with anchovy spread in the center. I lift my fork and take a bite of the bitter greens cut by balsamic vinaigrette while Koa samples the bread.

  “Salty,” he says. I reach out and he hands it to me. A small nibble and the sting of fish fills my mouth, teasing my inner cat.

  “I love it!” Handing it back, I take my own piece, covering it with the spread. “Tell me when you started boxing.”

  He leans back in the booth, exhaling. “In middle school I started getting into fights. I don’t know why I was always at war with everybody. My mom was a gentle lady.”

  “Shifter?”

  “No—that came from my dad’s side. She taught me to keep it a secret, and she tried to teach me about our ways. The legends.” I watch as he toys with the triangle of bread on his plate. “I didn’t like being different. I didn’t want to know about the man who ditched us. I guess I listened to her more than I realized.”

  My chest aches at the thought of him growing up that way, alone without an alpha. “I became an alpha, even though I didn’t know what it meant,” he says, addressing my feelings. “Both of my parents were tall, and by the time I was in high school, I was a head above everyone else.”

  “So you started boxing?”

  “My dad was a boxer. It came naturally to me. My nickname was mostly a joke.”

  “Stitch?”

  “Yeah. As you can see, I’m somewhat oversized.”

  Salads gone, our entrees are placed in front of us. The warm, green pancakes are in front of me with an assortment of soft cheeses, asparagus, and wild mushrooms. Koa’s duck is in a deep brown gravy with rice and fennel.

  He catches me eyeing his plate and laughs. “Here.” He puts a thick slice of duck on mine, and I quickly eat it. The bird is meaty and rich.

  “Mmm,” I groan.

  “You’re a cat. You need protein. Not whatever that is.” He waves his fork at my plate.

  “I just wanted to try it.” Taking a bite, the combination of nutty pancakes, soft cheese, and savory mushrooms forms an interesting flavor. “It’s not bad, actually.”

  “Hmm, I’ll stick with the duck.”

  Settling in, I cut another bite of my food. “So were you famous? I’m sure you had to be.”

  He nods. “We were getting there, but I’d only been at it a year when… That night.”

  Trying to steer the conversation away from our dark times, I point to the ink on his forearm. “What does this mean?” I put my fork down and slide my finger over a black, pointed network of swirls. It’s like an anchor combined with a scythe.

  “Polynesian symbol for strength.” He turns his arm up, and I see the black panther on the inside. It’s a gorgeous design with sharp claws and teeth.

  “I love it.” With the tip of my finger, I follow the line from the panther’s head down the swoosh of his back along his tail.

  Koa watches me in a way that warms my insides. “I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all of you. No marks?”

  Shaking my head, I look down at my palm. “I have the pack mark on the back of my neck. It’s covered by my hair.” I touch my neck, right in the center at the base of my hairline where a small network of three circles is hidden.

  “I’d like to see it.”

  A naughty smile curls my lips. “Why don’t we go to your place, and I’ll show you everything?”

  He signals the waiter, who brings the check. Several minutes later, we’re out on the sidewalk, headed for his apartment. I’m curled into his side, holding his arm, but I can’t help looking up at the moon. The faintest crescent of white is still visible in the sky, and a wave of fear tightens my chest. This time tomorrow, it will all be over.

  In an instant I’m in Koa’s strong arms. “Stop.” He holds me by the shoulders, giving me a gentle shake. “I can’t feel that in you. We’re not giving up.”

  My eyes heat, and I fight against the tears burning in them. I haven’t cried since that first night in the mansion when Dylan told me my fate. I’ve fought tears ever since. I’m not weak. I’m not giving in. And yet…

  “It’s not just us, Koa,” I say, defeat thick in my voice. “If it were just us, I would be reckless. I would say yes, let’s run away and keep running. Run until he’s tired of chasing us. But it’s not us. I can’t sacrifice Dylan and Penny for my happiness, and what if the other part is right? What if he terrorizes the town?”

  “He’s not going to do that.” His grip on my arms loosens, and he’s rubbing my shoulders with his warm hands. “Something like that would attract too much attention. This isn’t the nineteenth century.”

  We start to walk. I’m holding his arm, resting my head on his enormous bicep, and I feel his frustration in my chest. Koa is a fighter. Nothing infuriates him more than helplessness.

  “You’re right, but he could still make my family pay. I can’t let that happen.”

  We’re at the corner, where the sidewalk ends, and he turns to face me, his green eyes serious. No smile is on his face, and the force of his emotion stills my heart.

  “I’m going to fight him, Mercy.” His green eyes glow with intensity. “If we can’t find another way around this, I won’t let him take you without a fight.”

  “NO!” I lose my battle with the tears. They’re spilling onto my cheeks now. “You can’t! We’re strong, but we’re no match for him. He’ll kill you.”

  “I know,” he nods. “I felt his strength in the woods. Still, I know myself. Watching him take you from me is more than I can handle.”

  My breath hiccups in my chest, and I pull myself into his arms. “Then you have to go. Tonight.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Incredulity fills his voice.

  “I’ll return to the mansion. You stay away. Stay at your apartment.”

  “Fuck that—”

  “Koa, LISTEN to me.” I’m shouting, squeezing his forearms with all my might. “I can do this. If I have no choice, I’ll go with him. I’ll figure out a way to live.”

  “No.” His voice is full of rage, and a fresh flood of tears burns my eyes. The force of his love hits my chest, and it doesn’t matter if it’s fast or we’ve never said it.

  I reach up for his face and press my wet cheeks against his. His arms are around me, surrounding me in such strength and warmth. Our bond is so beautiful and good. The first night I saw him flickers through my mind. With my eyes closed, I see his sleek black form moving like a shadow in the forest, enormous and graceful, silently gorgeous.

  “You took my breath away,” he says, reliving the memory with me.

  Turning my head slightly, I kiss his cheek. “I can’t live if you’re not here,” I whisper. “Our memory will warm me when I’m cold. It will give me hope when I want to give up.”

  “Mercy.” He growls, holding my arms again. Anger is all over his face, but not at me. His green eyes glisten, and the muscle in his jaw flexes. “You’ve given me back everything I lost. I didn’t know why I was drawn to this place, but I’m here to save you or die trying. I can’t live without you, Mercy. You’re my life.”

  Emotion tightens my chest. His words are beautiful and heartbreaking, and I can only answer them one way. “Take me home, Koa. If this is our last night together, I want it to be a night we’ll always remember.”

  His expression is still tense, but he nods, pulling me to his side and turning us in the direction of his apartment.

&n
bsp; Koa

  Candles fill my room with soft light. My windows are closed for the first time, shutters drawn. I don’t want to see the waning moon. I don’t want a reminder of how little time we have left.

  Sitting alone on my bed, I wait for Mercy to finish in the tiny bathroom off to the side. When we arrived, I expected to take her at once, spend the next eight hours making love to her. I didn’t expect her to put a hand up and tell me to wait. Wait for what?

  I’m looking down at my lap, thinking of the time slipping away. I never told her I love her. I worried it would be too soon. Now I feel like a jackass. I’m sitting here on the eve of losing her forever, and I’ve never told her how much I feel for her. How much I don’t deserve her.

  A slight squeak breaks the silence, and I lift my chin. Jesus, the sight before me floods my veins with heat. The bathroom light casts her body in a silhouette, and it’s a shadowy curve of the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.

  “I didn’t know what to do…” her voice is a soft whisper, and my dick perks up at the sound of my woman.

  “Everything you do is perfect.” I move to the foot of the bed in awe of her beauty.

  “I wanted to walk out and do a twirl or something you would think is sexy.” She pauses and does a little laugh. “Then I realized I don’t know what you think is sexy. I’m sure you’ve seen it all.”

  My voice is thick as I answer with all my heart and soul. “I’ve never seen anything as sexy as you right now.”

  Her shoulders drop, and the smallest smile curls her lips. Next thing I know her arms are around my neck, her lips pressed to mine. I only need a moment to recover. I grab her legs and pull her thighs over mine. She’s on me in a straddle, and my lips push hers apart. I taste her mouth, minty from the toothpaste but still with that hint of spring water in the background.

  I roll her under me and hold her steady with my hands. She’s still hugging my neck, and I kiss her once more. I want to kiss every inch of her skin, bury my nose in her body so I never forget her scent. Loosening her hold, I make my way down, pausing at her beautiful breasts. Holding them with both hands, I give them a gentle squeeze before covering one hard nipple with my mouth.

  She lets out a soft moan, and my dick is raging. I want to be buried so deep inside her, but I want to take my time. Moving to the other side, I repeat the process, kissing and pulling at that beaded peak with my teeth. I’m rewarded with another moan, and I slide my thumbs over her taut nipples before continuing my journey down her luscious body.

  Kissing the line of her stomach, I arrive at her small navel, which I circle with my tongue. A little laugh, and I’m traveling further down, to the place I know she wants me to kiss. I decide to tease her a little, draw out her pleasure.

  Sitting back on my feet, I lift her long, smooth leg, placing her foot on my shoulder. She’s open to me, and the sight of her lying on my white sheets, her dark hair fanned around her as her round breasts rise and fall quickly in anticipation makes my cock grow even harder.

  “This right here,” I nod toward her as I kiss the arch of her foot. Her leg jumps as I slide my fingers up the inside of her thigh. “This is the sexiest thing I’ve seen in my life.”

  “Koa, please,” she moans, and I put her other leg over my shoulder, leaning forward to get busy between her thighs.

  “Oh, god! Yes!” She wails as I plunder her depths. Her pussy is wet and throbbing, and I fuck her with my tongue a few times before returning to focus on her clit.

  Her hands are in my hair, pulling as she squirms in time with my movements. I feel it when she starts to come, but I don’t ease up. I want to hear her scream my name as she comes again and again.

  “Koa! Oh, Koa!” Her back arches, and her thighs jump beside my cheeks. I’m holding her hips tight in my hands, and I feel the pressure of her trying to squirm away. She’s pulling my hair harder now. “I can’t… I can’t take it anymore.”

  With that, I release her, kissing her flat stomach, the center of her chest, between her beautiful breasts, until I’m at her mouth just as I plunge straight into her core.

  “Oh, fuck,” I break away to gasp as her swollen insides throb around my erection. Scooping my arms under her shoulders, I sit back on my heels again, bringing her up on my lap and sending me deeper into her. “So good,” I murmur, reaching down to grip her ass.

  She’s rocking me, and I’m working her, lifting her up and down my shaft in a way that’s blowing my mind. My orgasm tightens in my pelvis, and my grip loosens. I realize she’s pushing up on her knees and bucking her hips over my thighs. Her arms are around my neck, and she’s going faster.

  My head falls back as my ass tightens. “Here it comes.”

  Just as her orgasm breaks, I go off, throbbing and pulsing inside her. My hands are back on her, gripping tightly as I move her, helping her insides pull out every last drop. My heart is pounding in my chest, and her movements slow. Her body is trembling, and she’s holding me as I hold her.

  “Nothing will ever be as good as that,” she sighs, as I guide us back to the pillows to rest a moment. This night is far from over.

  “It’s a little better when I taste your blood.”

  “Mmm,” she curls into my side, a sexy grin on her lips. “That does make it better.”

  “It’s up next, my love.”

  Her smile relaxes. We’re lying side by side. I’m on my back, and she’s on her stomach looking up at me. In that moment, it’s time. Her beautiful shoulder is up to her chin, and I reach out to smooth my finger down her soft skin.

  “Earlier you said you didn’t know what I found sexy—”

  “And then you showed me,” she whispers.

  Rolling onto my side, our faces are a breath apart. Her blue eyes blink up to mine, round and full of warmth. Leaning down, I touch my lips gently to hers, holding it the length of a heartbeat.

  “Do you think,” she whispers, her lips like butterfly wings against mine. “I’ll still be able to hear you?”

  My insides ache, and I place my palm gently against her cheek. “I hope so.”

  “Just in case we can’t…” Her eyes blink down then back to mine. “I love you.”

  I heard the words in her heart, but nothing compares to hearing them out loud. My breath stills, and my eyes drift closed as I pull her to me, holding her body in such a way that every part of our skin touches. Touch drew us together that first night, and I have to believe it will hold us together through this trial.

  Relaxing my grip, I reach down to catch her chin, lifting her shining eyes to mine. With all the intensity I feel in my heart, I look into her soul. “I love you, Mercy Quinlan.” Tears glisten in her eyes, and I lean down to kiss her once more. “You are mine, and I will never stop until I have you in my arms again. Don’t ever give up on that. If he takes you from me, I will come and get you. I won’t leave you in that place.”

  Her eyes close, and fresh tears spill onto her cheeks. I roll her onto her back and kiss her deeply, parting her lips so our tongues can curl together. Her fingers are in my hair, and I cup her breasts, tease her nipples before sliding my arm around to the arch of her back. With my knee, I nudge her legs apart, and reach down to position myself at her entrance.

  She readily complies, spreading her thighs wide so I can slide easily into her. We rock together, and I hold her, worshipping her body with my lips, my tongue, my teeth. My panther canines extend, and I slide up to her neck, grazing her skin as I continue rocking into her.

  “Oh,” she sighs, and I feel her insides tighten as I prepare to taste her. Her hands are on my shoulders, and her grip tightens, her back arches up to meet me.

  “You’re mine,” I whisper just before I prick her skin.

  A low moan shudders through her chest, and her insides break into spasms, massaging and milking me. Her blood is on my tongue, and I close my eyes, allowing the orgasm to pull through me, pulsing into her as she comes on my dick.

  Dropping my head against her shoulder, I wra
p both arms tightly around her body, and together we ride out the waves of intensity, the erratic beating of our hearts the only sound in my ears.

  We’re skin against skin, body to body. I’m focused on our touch when I feel her mouth open against my chest. The softest prick of her tiny lynx teeth, and she’s pierced my skin just above the nipple.

  Another burst of pleasure pulses in my dick. I almost can’t take the sensation. “Fuck, Mercy.” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “You’re trying to kill me.”

  She licks her lips and stretches up to kiss me. I haven’t let her go since we started this, and I hold her now as if my life depends on it. We kiss deeper, our mouths moving, tasting, sharing everything. I hear her desire, and I taste her devotion.

  The bond we share beats in both our hearts. Nothing can break it. I will hold onto this night, our love, this very moment, until I’ve freed her from this curse. It’s my solemn vow to her. I won’t let her go.

  15

  Crossing

  Mercy

  Koa is asleep beside me when I open my eyes. We made love several more times, not surrendering to sleep until early this morning. Now the sun is high overhead, and I’m sure it’s after noon.

  Our time is up. We haven’t found a way to break the curse, and Hayden is coming for me. Last night weighs heavily in my chest. Koa said he would fight for me. He said he would die to keep me from being taken. His long lashes are thick against his coffee skin. He’s the only thing keeping me together, and I won’t let him be killed.

  In that instant, I make a decision. Carefully, I crawl out of the bed and go to where my clothes lay discarded in the bathroom. I start to pick them up, but then I change my mind. Creeping back into the room where he sleeps, I tiptoe to the bedside. For a moment I gaze at his perfect form. He’s so beautiful. His face is relaxed, but his intensity never wavers.

  I want to kiss him, but I know if I do, he’ll wake. I can’t take that chance. All I can do is look at his full lips and remember how they feel against mine. I look at his strong arms and think of how tightly he held me last night, how our hearts beat in time as our bodies became one.