Fighting for Flight

by J. B. Salsbury

  My attention is drawn from Blake to the sound of the shower being turned off.

  “What the fuck is Eve thinking?” His angry question jerks me back to the conversation.

  “Don’t know, don’t fucking care. This douchebag’s been on Raven’s ass from the get-go. I’m putting this shit to an end.”

  “Fuckin’ A, brother,” Blake says under his breath.

  The bathroom door opens and Raven walks out in nothing but a towel. My mind clears of everything that happened tonight at the sight of her wet skin. I imagine drying her with my mouth as my eyes devour her legs and move over her towel to her arms. Her arm. The angry bruise brings me back in a violent rush.

  I glare at the color on her arm. “Gotta run. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Right. Tell your girl to stay strong.”

  “Will do. Later.”

  Tossing my phone on the bedside table, I watch Raven put on a short pair of drawstring sleeping shorts, no panties, and a thin tank top. Blinking, I tell myself that my body can wait but the conversation we need to have cannot.

  “Baby, come here.”

  I make room for her on the bed, and she quickly takes her place at my side. Her cheek is pressed to my chest and her finger traces lazy circles on my abdomen. My dick responds immediately. I place my hand over hers to stop the stimulation before I forget my own name and bury myself inside her.

  “Um, you’re going to have to stop that so we can talk. Shit happens to my body that short-circuits my brain.”

  I feel her smile against my chest. She pushes her hand out from under mine, down past my belly button. I groan as her delicate fingers slip beneath my shorts.

  “I, ah . . .” My mind goes fuzzy and my heart pounds in my chest.

  Her soft hand grasps me in a firm hold and my hips jerk in response. Fuuuck.

  “I know you want to talk, Jonah, and we will. But right now, I need you.”

  I can’t remember what we were going to talk about, and I don’t care.

  Her hand picks up its pace and pressure. My eyes fix on her forearm as her lean muscles flex with each stroke. The fruity smell from her clean hair makes my mouth water. My lips burn with the need to kiss her.

  “Baby, I want your mouth,” I say, panting.

  She kisses my neck, a tease with her full wet lips that has me achingly frustrated. I wrap my hand behind her neck, sifting my fingers through her hair, then grip tight. She moans.

  I bring her luscious lips to mine, taking what I want. Our tongues crash together as I convert my anger from earlier into passion. The feel of her teeth as she nips impatiently at my lips makes me think she’s doing the same. My mouth is flooded with her pure, clean taste. I flex my hands in her hair as her sweet mouth moves against mine in a sensual rhythm.

  She presses her breasts into my chest and her stroke quickens. I’m fighting not to roll my eyes at the perfection of her touch. Reaching down, I release my button and zipper, freeing myself for her. She smiles against my lips then sucks on my lower lip. I can’t help but imagine she’s sucking on something else, and I groan.

  She breaks the kiss and locks her blue-green eyes on mine. Her eyebrows raise a fraction as if she’s asking a question. Then her hand releases me just enough to slide her hand lower.

  “Mmm . . .” My head falls back and my eyes slam shut. She’s never done this before, and I marvel at her growing confidence. Her gentle play and tender touch are both teasingly sweet and erotic as hell. My stomach muscles contract as I let her explore.

  Desperate to feel her, I slide a hand beneath her tank top. Her soft skin is pliable against my rough hands. I cup her firm breast then knead, rolling the tip between my thumb and forefinger. Her sexy curves push and rub against me, enticing my body.

  “I want you naked,” I growl.

  Pushing myself up, I straddle her knees, and pull her tank top off. She sucks in a pained breath and falls back to the bed.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My shoulder,” she says with a grimace.

  “Shit, baby. I don’t want to do this if it’s going to hurt you.” The thought alone is like dumping ice cold water on my crotch. “I already feel like an asshole not giving you more time to heal after last night.” I sit back on my heels and pray she doesn’t want to stop.

  “I can’t explain it,” she says and pushes herself up on one elbow. “All I know is that, after everything I went through tonight, I want to feel safe and cherished. Protected.”

  I look into her eyes and watch them brim with tears.

  “I want you . . . I need you to love me. Please.” She’s beautiful all the time, but the vulnerability in her eyes as she pleads robs me of speech.

  I lean forward and she lies back. My tongue licks at the crease of her mouth, requesting entrance. We have plenty of time for rough passion. Tonight, I want to love her at a deliberate pace.

  I slip my hand beneath the drawstring of her shorts and she breaks the kiss, gasping at my contact. Her hips move in rhythm with my fingers. I brace myself above her on one elbow, mesmerized by her response: her lip sucked into her mouth, moaning. White knuckles grip the sheets as her hips push and roll against my hand.

  Perfect.

  Her hands move to her shorts, and, with a lift of her hips, she pulls them down. I do the same, ridding myself of the stifling confinement. She’s naked before me, chest rising and falling erratically, and knees wide in invitation. I caress her thighs, taking in all that is mine. Only mine. She stares openly at my hard-on, making it twitch, and I watch her eyes widen.

  From my kneeling position between her legs, I grab her hips and pull her up so her ass is resting on my thighs. I spread my knees, bringing myself lower and pulling her higher until we meet. Her legs wrap around my waist, and I slip my hands below her ass and tilt.

  “Jonah.” There’s an edge of concern in her voice.

  This is a new position for her, and I’m sure she’s nervous. My chest swells with the knowledge that every position will be new to her and I’m the one who gets to teach her.

  “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of you.”

  Her expression relaxes with a tiny smile.

  I push forward, and just like last night, my stomach is gripped with the urge to thrust. Slowly. I repeat it in my head. Inch by inch I ease into her. My eyes take in the sight of our bodies connecting. The silky heat, gripping pressure, and visual stimulation turn me into an emotional live wire. I pull out an inch and push in two more. Over and over, slowly until I’m buried deep. I pause and fight the explosion coiling in my body. Think of something else. I go over a list of choke holds. Triangle choke, gator roll, rear naked choke . . . Oh, no, not that one.

  The image of my body connected to Raven’s becomes too much. I fall forward, bracing my weight with my arms and straighten my legs. Raven immediately responds to the closeness of our mouths by devouring mine. I move above her in lazy strokes, taking in each sensation. My chest brushes against her breasts with each painstakingly slow thrust. She squirms with impatience beneath me.

  “Faster, Jonah. Harder,” she says, grasping at my ass.

  “Baby, you’re sore. I need—“

  “Take me, please. I want you to.” Her words are breathy and hot as hell.

  My body responds by thrusting in deep. I bite my lip to keep from calling out in blissful satisfaction as her gripping heat pulls me in. Fuck. She gasps against my neck. I check her face to see it’s not pain she’s feeling. It’s pleasure. Pulling out slowly, I push in again, harder this time. She moans and coaxes me on.

  My girl.

  Overwhelming emotion and raw need push my hips deeper. I keep my eyes locked on hers and roll my hips. The sounds coming from deep in her chest take me to the edge of my control.

  A familiar twinge in my chest warms my skin as I continue to love Raven. My strokes increase in strength and her fingernails dig into my ass. She meets each thrust with a push of her own. Her dark hair is splayed wildly around her face. She ar
ches back in the way that I know is her signal. She’s close.

  Not ready for this to end, I roll to my back, keeping our connection. A light sheen of sweat clings to our bodies, her torso lies atop mine. Her face is buried in my neck where she kisses and licks below my ear.

  She pushes herself up, straddling my hips. Her eyelids are low, and her lips part as she seems to absorb the sensations of the different position. My eyes roam her body from her hips, up her slightly rounded feminine stomach, to her perfect full breasts. Gloriously naked and towering over me like an angel without wings.

  I circle the tips of her breasts with my fingertips, teasing the sensitive flesh. She presses them into my hands and sucks in a breath. Her heavy-lidded eyes sparkle and she begins to move above me.

  Her hands brace at my chest, and I continue to caress her breasts. I watch in amazement as she commands her body with practiced ease. She moves with confidence and control, and it’s hard to believe she was a virgin a day ago. Her pace quickens. She rolls her hips in bliss-ridden waves. I fight every urge to flip over and pound into her. She shifts, searching it out, desperate for the perfect combination.

  I’m so close. Her cries alert me to the fact that she is too. I flex my hips into her. She grinds down hard against me. My toes curl and my stomach tightens.

  “Fuck, baby . . .”

  “Me too, Jonah . . .”

  We’re panting and pushing. Grinding and moaning. Her beautiful eyes lock onto mine and bore into my soul. Wound tight, we reach together, pushing toward the edge. Her mouth drops open, and I bite my lip, our orgasms ripping through our connection together.

  The shockwaves push through my body, lifting my shoulders from the bed. Her hands move to my knees, bowing her back. I hold her hips in place and continue to grind into her. She throws her head back, calling out my name as we ride out our climax.

  Fucking amazing.

  Her body falls forward against my chest, pressing her warm, balmy skin to mine. Heavy from the aftershocks of our lovemaking, we lay silently, breathing as one, our hearts beating together.

  “Wow,” she mumbles against my neck.

  “Mmm.”

  She pushes herself up, resting her elbow on my ribs, and her chin in her hand.

  “Is it always like this?”

  Beautiful and cute.

  “No. It’s never been like this. And, yes, with us, it’ll only get better.”

  Her eyes grow a fraction before her lids drop lower. “Really?”

  I run my fingers through her hair, from root to tip, the long strands falling against my chest. “Yeah, baby.”

  She bites her bottom lip and softly moans. Her hips start to move again.

  I smile. “My girl wants more.”

  “Yeah, Jonah,” she says in that breathy way that makes me instantly hard.

  “I aim to please.”

  ***

  After another round of lovemaking, Raven is curled in my arms. Her head rests against my chest and her leg is thrown over my abs. I run my hand through her long, silky hair, twirling it around my finger. My other hand lazily traces patterns on her hip while her finger outlines my tattoo.

  “You loved up enough to talk now, or do I need to give it to you one more time?”

  She smiles, but doesn’t laugh. “I would love to do it again, but I’m too tired.” The yawn that follows confirms her words.

  “Tell me about this Vince guy.”

  She huffs out a frustrated breath. “I met him that day I went to see Dominick. He acted like he knew me, but I didn’t think much of it. Guess he’d been milking Eve for information about me for weeks. Then I ran into him at Eve’s. I wanted to tell you, but forgot with everything that was happening with us.”

  This all makes sense. Now for the tough question. “What happened tonight at the club?”

  She cowers against my chest.

  What the fuck?

  “We were at the bar after dancing. We had a little too much to drink, and before I knew it, these guys were harassing us—“

  “Harassing you? Fuck, Raven! Why didn’t you call me?” My words are flying before my brain has time to consider what I’m saying. And I wonder why she’s cowering? Not wanting to lose my shit, I push my anger down and take a deep breath. “Sorry, baby. Go on.”

  She continues to tell me about her night. I try not to dwell on the motherfucker that put his hands on my girl then pressed her up against the bar. I swallow the angry retorts that bubble up from my all-consuming frustration. I nod and listen, unsuccessfully suppressing the occasional growl.

  “Did he say where he was taking you?”

  “No, he called me a slut and told me it was none of my business. He said that if I didn’t shut up, he was going to make it my business, um . . . allnightlong.” Her chin drops again as she ends the sentence in a whisper.

  Did she say all night long? He called her a slut!

  My head starts to buzz. “He’s fucking dead,” I say with a calm I am not feeling.

  “Um, I’m pretty sure you got him back. I didn’t even recognize his face when you were done with him.”

  Her body shivers in my arms. I hold her tighter.

  “I can’t let this go, Raven. I’m going back to talk to Dominick. If he doesn’t get his boy in check, we’re going to the cops.”

  “Jonah—”

  “I’ll do this Dominick’s way. I’ll throw my fight. He’ll get his money. But the moment his goons put their fucking hands on my girl . . .”

  What? I have no options. I’m the one with everything to lose, not Dominick. The fucker’s backed me into a corner and he knows it.

  “We can’t go to the cops. Even you said he’s got them on his payroll. If Dominick feels threatened, he could leak to the media that you agreed to throw your fight. Even without evidence, the rumors could get you banned from the UFL.”

  Fuck. She’s right. My mind spins with unanswered questions. The most important thing is to keep Raven calm and safe. That’s where my focus needs to be, at least until this shit is over.

  “I’ll talk with Dominick again. He wants his money. I’m sure he’s not pleased that his boy got his ass handed to him tonight. Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take care of this.”

  She nods into my chest. “Please be careful.”

  “Always. Now go to sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”

  “Okay, Jonah. I love you,” she says through another yawn.

  “I love you too, baby.”

  After shutting off the light, I stare into the dark room. Raven’s breathing shifts to the rhythmic cadence of sleep. I hold her a little tighter, absorbing the contentment I feel from having her safe in my arms.

  This clusterfuck with Vince has complicated my deal with Dominick. He needs to know now, especially after I turned Vince’s face into ground beef, that I’m not going to allow him to fuck with Raven. There’s no way—

  My thoughts are redirected by the sound of my phone ringing. With a slight lean, I grab my phone from my bedside.

  I don’t check the ID, but instead hit answer and bite out a quick, “What!”

  Raven stirs, and I rub her arm reassuringly.

  “Mr. Slade.”

  Adrenaline floods my bloodstream, making my head buzz.

  “Dominick.”

  Twenty-two

  Jonah

  I kiss Raven’s head before slipping out from under her and into the hallway.

  “I see you and Vince had a little difference of opinion this evening,” Dominick says, sounding bored.

  “Difference of opinion? He assaulted her! He was taking her to God knows where to do God knows what! You call that a difference of o-fucking-pinion?”

  The usual buzz in my head has amplified to a roar. I’m vibrating from head to toe.

  “I’ve taken care of him. I’m not happy with what transpired at the club.”

  “I told you to pull your tails. That was part of our agreement.”

  “Yes, well it seems Vince has grown f
ond of this Eve girl. You can’t blame a guy for sticking around for a little easy pussy. I’m sure you of all people can understand that.”

  “I could give a fuck what Vince does with his dick, but I swear to God, if he comes near Raven with it or with any other part of his body again, I will kill him. You get me? I hope like hell you do because I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” I pace the living room, trying to keep my voice down.

  “I won’t apologize for Vince’s behavior.”

  “You want Raven so bad, but you’d let that animal put his hands on her?”

  “Vince knows the girl needs to remain unharmed. Whatever his plan was, I’m confident it wouldn’t have left any permanent—”

  “You sick motherfu—”

  “Our deal is still as it was agreed upon at Zeus’s.”

  “Only if you and your men agree to leave Raven alone.”

  “Mr. Slade, you are in no position to make threats.”

  “The fuck I’m not. Say it!”

  “I will protect what’s mine.”

  “She’s not yours!” The intense buzzing between my ears travels down my arms to my fists.

  “We will see, Mr. Slade. We will see.”

  The phone disconnects. My call log lists the number as unknown.

  “Fuck!” I throw my phone into a club chair across the room. It lands with an unsatisfying thud.

  My appetite for beating Dominick to a bloody mess claws at my nerves. I fall to the couch with my head in my hands, fisting my hair, and will my heart to slow.

  Fear from tonight comes rushing in. Flashbacks of Vince’s arms around Raven flood my mind. What if I hadn’t gotten there in time? I shove the question back, resisting the thought of losing her.

  She’s safe in my bed, where I should be.

  I stalk down the hallway to my room and throw open the door. It slams against the wall, making Raven jump then settle.

  Shit. Calm the fuck down.

  I fight the buzz in my head and crawl into bed with Raven. Her soft body, warm with sleep, curls into mine. A gentle hum vibrates from her lips, the soothing scent of her skin a salve to my fury. My heart rate slows and the riot between my ears recedes. I haul her deeper into my arms, silently promising to keep her safe and make her mine. Forever.