And I’ve never been able to get over him.
It was my fault, all my fault. I ran from him. I let my parents choose my mistakes for me, too afraid to make my own. And in the end, all I got out of it was a whole lot of misery and a broken heart that won’t heal. The achy breaky thing has had years.
“Why?” Brett asks and his left hand leaves the wall to softly stroke my cheek.
His touch is soft and light but it feels like all at once the little nerve endings in my body are roaring to life.
Thankfully, I don’t break but I’m very aware. Aware of his heat and just how close to me he is. Aware that wall is cool against my back but Brett’s chest emanates warmth.
It takes every ounce of self-preservation I have to keep from closing my eyes and leaning into his touch. “California didn’t work out for me.”
“Good,” Brett says and then suddenly he’s kissing me.
Good? Does he think it’s good that I’m back or good that I failed, I wonder just before shock and realization sets in.
Brett is kissing me. He’s fucking kissing me. His soft lips are pressing against my lips and he’s groaning deep inside his throat.
I throw my arms around his neck and immediately begin to kiss him back. He tastes just as I remembered, so sweet, so warm, so him. My little moan melds with his groan.
His warm chest brushes against my breasts and he presses harder, pulling back deeper as if he’s drinking from my mouth. I feel the tip of his tongue and the flare of warmth inside my belly is so hot I relax against him, afraid I just might melt in his arms.
It’s all so familiar, the taste of him, the feel of him, and the yummy way he smells. But it’s also all so new. He’s harder, firmer and more aggressive as his tongue seeks entrance into my mouth.
“Mandy, open for me,” he demands against my lips and when I don’t immediately obey the command he growls.
I’m just so dazed, my body is tingly and my thoughts are fuzzy, it takes me a long second to realize what he wants.
Brett’s teeth sink into my bottom lip and my mouth opens as I gasp. His tongue thrusts inside me, conquering me with just one touch. Our tongues tangle, falling into that desperate, hungry dance of our youth.
Heads slanting, hands grabbing, it’s almost as if we’re fighting against each other. I feel almost feral with my want.
“Brett?” someone says, and it’s obviously not me because I’m too busy attacking him with my lips.
Brett’s knee nudges its way between my knees. My heels scrape against the floor as my thighs spread. He grabs the sides of my face and bends me back with the force of his kiss.
“Brett? Demon?”
Brett suddenly stiffens against me and I swallow back the whine that wants to escape my throat. He stopped kissing me and now he’s pulling away. My fingers ache and feel tight. I open my hands, realizing I was clutching at his shirt.
My lids feels so heavy but I manage to lift them. I peer into his face. His lips are swollen and wet from my kisses. They’re parted ever so slightly as he breathes. There’s shock in his eyes quickly followed by confusion. Then his brow pulls together and he looks angry.
Brett leans back and his hands release my face, palms slapping against the wall. He turns his head and looks over his shoulder. “What?” he asks harshly.
“The Boss wants to have a word,” the voice says.
“Fuck,” Brett curses.
Boss? Oh, right. We’re not horny teenagers making out in a dark corner between classes like we used to do back in high school. We’re in the back of the arena and it sounds like Brett might be in trouble with the Boss that wants to speak with him.
Brett just stands there, keeping me trapped and catching his breath. My mind races, playing catchup as I process all of my senses. It’s dim and cold. I feel chilled and cross my arms tightly in front of me.
“I need to go,” Brett says and frowns. I just can’t tell what he’s thinking. Does he regret the kiss? Is he pissed at me, or because we were interrupted?
This was such a bad idea. If we weren’t interrupted who knows where that kiss would have ended. I need to get away before I say or do something stupid.
Brett and I are history. Only pain can come from trying to relive our past.
“I need to go, too,” I say and duck under Brett’s arm, scampering quickly away before he can stop me. Thankfully, I know where I am. The dressing room is just down the hall.
“Mandy?” Brett’s voice calls out but I don’t look back.
I broke my heart for him once, to save him from me.
God help me, who’s going to save me from him?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brett
My god that ass is fucking magical, and so is that stomach of hers. I don’t know if she made a deal with the devil but she looks so fucking good now. When we were in high school, and I finally saw her in all her glory, I thought she was perfection.
Now, though? I have to admit to myself she is a walking, talking celestial being.
Her body doesn’t have anything hidden by that small little bikini top or those things they try to call shorts. She looks so damn good, and tastes even better than before. Those lips have not lost their softness, and she hasn’t acquired that hard, jaded look her mom had.
Mandy looked so good and it felt so good to have her in my arms again, to call her mine and kiss her without hesitation. I could tell she was hesitant to fully embrace me when we started kissing, but I as soon as she surrendered, a small part to me knew I could have had her right then and there. Fuck!
I follow Vincent, to meet in Jeremy Blackman's office.
My thoughts keep swirling around though. From Mandy not responding to me when she darted away, to how I could feel the heat rising from her body, almost burning into me.
She wants me, I know that. But I need to figure out what the fuck I just did. Because I know for a fact that I am going to pursue her to the absolute fullest of my abilities. One fucking kiss from that fucking woman and I am all of a sudden feeling like I am eighteen again.
I hate and feel almost sad that after all these years I can feel something like love again.
Jeremy is the president of the company, and he is one of the original big names of the sport. He was around and fighting when it wasn’t exactly legal in all states. He’s big, loud, abrasive and one of the coolest guys I have ever met. Even if he is worth almost a billion dollars.
“Brett, what the hell was that? You know you aren’t allowed to interfere with a ring girls work.”
“Sorry, Mr. Blackman. That’s my ex… I mean girl… Ah, hell, I don’t know exactly what she is. But she’s mine and Charlie can piss up a rope.”
Mr. Blackman laughs loudly. “Well you could have at least warned the camera guys you were going to go for Charlie. We missed a bit of it but sure saw you guys ready to go at it.”
Shaking his head, he points to the crowd outside his window in the stadium. “The fans were eating that shit up.”
“Did I cost Mandy her job?”
“Nah, just don’t screw with the ring girls when they are working. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
I drive home after the fights with a clouded head. I didn’t get to see Mandy again, and I tried talking to Jill and one of the others to help me out but they just laughed at me.
Traitors.
Not really though. I know Jill through that cop Emily, who I still saw and talked to often enough that she had become something like a really close aunt or older sister. Emily is Jill’s older sister, and I was thoroughly warned away from the girl with the implicit clarity that a gun could easily and accidentally remove one of my testicles.
Heh, that didn’t stop Jill from coming after me, but it made it easy for me to let her down quite gently. I was glad I only told Emily about all of my past instead of Jill as well. I didn’t want any cattiness that could happen from it.
I am going to see her again, I know it. I just nee
d to find her.
Me: Hey, Jilling off!
Jill: Hey, small dick!
Yep, she might have figured it out. I can’t help but shrug, she’ll forgive me. Maybe.
Me: It’s like a real penis, but smaller.
Jill: You are so full of shit, asshole. I’m mad at you.
Me: Want me to send you a dick pic? I can make it stand up for you.
Jill: You send me a dick pic and I’ll show Emily.
Me: Fair enough, so… How mad?
Jill: Not really, but you couldn’t have warned me anyways. It’s ok. Are you ok?
Me: Yep, aren’t I always?
Jill: Liar. Ok, what do you want?
Me: I don’t know, but I want to see her again.
Jill: Friday at the club? Bring the boys?
Me: You are such a good little girl. I think I can get Niklaus to give you a bone if you need it.
Those two have been flirting off and on for the past year and a half. I don’t know their hesitation, but they both circle each other and our hangouts but never hook up. And Niklaus is a fucking slut.
Jill: I really do hate you.
Friday night. Fuck yeah!
Shit, it’s only Sunday.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Brett
I call Max when I am about two minutes away from his house.
“What?” he asks, and I can hear Britney thumping through his living room speakers as he growls into the phone.
I must be interrupting his special time.
“I’m just about there.”
“And?”
“Well…are you ready to go?”
“Why the hell are you calling? You don’t ever call before you show up.”
“Shut up, asshole.” I hang up my phone as I hear Britney get turned up a notch.
Pulling up in front of the house, I see the front door is open and Bear is pacing back and forth on the walk in front of the house.
He stops when he sees me and puts his hand on his hips. “Dude, where have you been? It’s like I have no clue about you anymore. I mean you don’t call, you don’t write, you don’t even email…” he makes a loud whiney voice and grins sadistically at me.
“Shut the fuck up, cock,” I growl as I walk past him and open the front door. I feel the blast of bass and Britney thumping me in the chest.
“What’s got your panties in a bunch?”
“Mandy,” I growl at him.
“Okay.” He just shrugs and walks to the hall table, picking up his keys and wallet.
“Ready?” I ask as I walk to his door and push it open.
“Yep. It’s time to get my swirl on.”
* * *
The music is thumping, and the atmosphere is hot as hell in the club. I can feel the temperature. It’s gonna be a good night. The bodies are already sweating and the clothes on both men and women are revealing a lot flesh.
In this city we aren’t the biggest celebrities, but we are fighters and we are known. I like that. The doors part for Max and I right as we walk up, we don’t bother with lines. I haven’t really ever had to use the line to get into a club. I know too many people, and I have spilled a lot of other guys, and a lot of my own blood to get to where I am.
I walk over to the cute little bartender and get two bottles of water for myself and Max. I am within the month window, no more drinking for me. If it’s not water it doesn’t go in me right now.
I walk a bit away and look for Mandy when all of a sudden I feel Bear grip his hand tight on my arm. And when I say tight, I mean the fucker is cutting off circulation.
I look quickly to where Max is staring, and almost fall on my ass and laugh. I see my sexy doll Mandy, all of the ring girls with Jill shouldering Mandy in a friendly way, and then I see a person I totally forgot: Grace. Yep, she still looks like she did in high school, and I can see why Max is about to take my arm off.
I snicker and pull my arm away from him.
“Is that…” Max stutters and I laugh at his absolute shock.
“No,” I say as I walk ahead of him and smile to Mandy, Grace, and Jill.
Grace squints a bit at me before she gets a huge grin on her face and jumps up, giving me a huge hug. “Brett!” she yells and kisses my cheek.
I hug her tightly before lightly setting her down. She looks exactly like I remember now, and I can’t believe I forgot how amazing and striking it is that she looks like Britney Spears. I mean she could be a replacement of her and most people wouldn’t be able to tell.
I look to Mandy, she has a small frown on her face before Jill pokes her in the ribs.
Grinning, I give Jill a hug before I reach down and pull Mandy to me. Her eyes are staring up into mine and I have no clue what to say. I mean I really don’t know what to say at all.
She tries to say something to me quietly, but I shake my head. I didn’t hear her and I have to lean down to get her to repeat it.
“Why are you here?”
“I didn’t like you running off like that last time. I wanted to see you again and try to talk.”
Right then I feel a big paw of a hand on my shoulder, turning me towards someone else, and I snicker. “We need to talk later, but let’s have some fun for a bit.”
Turning to Max, I smile and he is staring at me like I just crawled out of his mother’s bed with a dirty condom in my hand.
“Who?” he asks and nods his head to the girls and Grace, who are all talking and laughing.
“That’s Mandy’s friend Grace.”
“Grace?”
“Yeah, I forgot how much she looks like your crush.”
He growls at me but turns towards Grace.
Mandy pulls at my shoulder. “What was that about?”
I smile to her and say, “He has a thing for Britney Spears. You would never guess it but that huge fuck is her biggest fan, probably quite literally.”
“Oh…” she says and then giggles.
“Yep.”
“Should I worry?”
“No.”
Max, like I said, is a huge guy. He is in the same weight class Reaper just retired from. He is big, hairy and as aggressive in the ring as an angry bear. But the fucker is one of the most kindhearted and gentlest souls I have ever met.
He walks past Jill and the ring girls, and just stands before Grace. The guy has I bet about a foot on her and at the very least a hundred or so pounds. She looks tiny. He says something to her and she beams a smile at him before walking towards the dance floor with him in tow. That’s another thing about Bear, he can fucking move.
“Holy shit,” Mandy says beside me as she watches Bear dance with Grace.
Like I said, he can move and dance like that old guy my parents talked about: Fred Astaire. Doesn’t matter if it’s club dancing or ballroom dancing, he can do it all.
“Yeah, she is as safe as you are with me,” I say and then mentally slap myself.
“So he is going to try and fuck her silly as soon as he figures out a place that’s close enough?”
“Um.”
Mandy
The things that come out of my mouth when I’ve had a little booze…
I’m not thrilled to see Brett and his friend, but I’m not exactly pissed either. I want to have fun, I was having fun. I just hope he doesn’t want to drudge up a bunch of stuff from our past and ruin the night.
Brett recovers quickly from his shock and laughs. “He might.”
I watch Grace on the dance floor. She has a smile on her lips as she wiggles her ass, and Brett’s friend looks like he’s really into her.
“Good,” I smirk and turn to find the group of ring girls. Magically they’ve somehow disappeared. “She needs it. She deserves to have some fun.”
My eyes scan the faces of the crowd until they lock on Lauren. The girls have picked up and moved to another table across the room. I have a feeling I’m being set up. Jill was way too excited to see Brett. When he found us in the crowd, he looked like he already knew we were here…<
br />
I need another drink and start to push through the crush of bodies, making my way to the bar.
Brett grabs me by the hand and pulls me back. “Where are you going?” he asks, and he looks worried, like I’m trying to ditch him.
“I just need another drink!” I holler over the roar of the crowd. He seems to relax and nods his head. Keeping ahold of my hand, Brett takes the lead, pulling me to the bar.
“What do you want?” he asks, head bending down, warm breath brushing against my ear.
I need something strong, something to relieve this ache in my heart. He’s so close yet even now it feels like we couldn’t be farther apart.
“Tequila!”
Brett frowns and repeats, “Tequila?” to confirm.
I nod my head. I seriously need me some tequila right now.
“Are you sure?”
I nod again.
Brett flags down the bartender. Two shots later and I’m feeling warm, buzzed and a good deal better. The lights start to blur together and I no longer mind the pulse of the crowd. Brett eases closer and I don’t mind his presence as much either. In fact, if I’m completely honest with myself, I’m kind of glad he’s here.
I grab onto his shoulder and lift up on my tiptoes to speak in his ear. “Why aren’t you drinking?”
His face turns, his cheek presses against mine as he speaks into my ear. “I keep myself clean before a fight. I’m in training mode.”
Oh, that’s right, he’s fighting that Charlie guy next month for a title. Brett pulls away just far enough to look in my eyes.
I get lost inside his eyes, warm swirls of chocolate mixed with honey that glitter back at me. I’ve always believed he has the most beautiful eyes in the world.
“Do you want to dance?” I just kind of blurt out without even thinking about it.
Slamming Demon: A Pounding Hearts Novel Page 17