Always Yours

by Kennedy Fox

  “Really?” Tyler asks, grinning. “Who?”

  “Liam,” Maddie tells him matter-of-factly. “You know how much cock he’s blocked over the years? Tons!”

  “Baby, I live to guard your body,” I say.

  The teapot is squealing, and she runs off but not before giving me attitude. “Hardy har har har.”

  “I’ll make sure she’s okay. Won’t let her out of my sight,” Tyler tells me. “Wouldn’t let you down, especially now that you’ll be a better fighter than me.”

  I smile. “Thanks, man. I appreciate all you’ve done for us.”

  “Over the years, I’ve learned that we may not be able to choose our family, but we can choose our friends who become our family. I don’t have a brother, but I’ve found a brother in you,” he admits.

  “Means a lot, Tyler. Really I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you for all that you’ve done.”

  Maddie comes back in the room, blowing on her tea, and sits on my lap. “What are we talking about now?”

  Wrapping my arms around her waist, I kiss her neck, and she nearly spills the tea. “Stop!” She giggles.

  “Just discussing how we’re going to repay Tyler,” I say.

  “Oh, I’ve thought of something. When we have our first kid, if it’s a boy…”

  My eyes go wide at the mention of having a baby, and the moment she sees my reaction, she starts laughing.

  “That’ll work,” Tyler says, adding to my mini heart attack. “Firstborn gets my namesake. Love it.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  MADDIE

  It’s been eighteen days since Liam and I have had sex, and I’m moodier than ever.

  Tyler’s ridiculous no-sex rule is making me insane.

  I might be going crazy because it’s all I think about. I knew once I lost my virginity and really learned what I was missing, I’d be one of those sex-crazed women who’d want it all the time. And I wasn’t wrong. Another reason I was determined for Liam to be my first and hopefully—only.

  It wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t look hot as sin all the damn time. Maybe if he’d pull back his witty comments and snarky charm, and I don’t know, wear a freaking garbage bag over his perfect face, then I’d be immune. But the asshole likes to torture me—something he’s probably enjoyed for the past four years—and wears cutoff T-shirts that show off his biceps and tattoos.

  Then there’s his fuck me smile he flaunts around that makes me squeeze my thighs together. Every time he looks at me that way, I have to stifle a moan that threatens to release.

  Good lord, who have I become?

  My sisters, that’s who.

  Those horny bitches teased me during my teenage years, and I was front and center of their white-hot relationships with their now husbands.

  It’s totally unfair.

  “Are you alright?” Sophie asks as I grind my teeth and pout on the couch.

  “I’m fine,” I snap, then clear my throat. “Why?”

  “Because you look like you’re ready for a fight.”

  I growl at the word fight and narrow my eyes at her. “I’m done with finals, and I’m bored as hell. Liam’s training every day, then works in the afternoons and is keeping me at arm’s length. Last night in bed, he wedged a pillow between us so our bodies wouldn’t touch! A FUCKING PILLOW!”

  Sophie chuckles as she grabs the remote and sits down next to me. “Sounds like you need some trashy reality TV to get your mind off getting laid.”

  “There’s nothing that powerful,” I retort.

  “Not even Love After Lockup?” she taunts, waving the controller in her hand.

  I scowl, not giving in to temptation. Though it doesn’t work. Five minutes into the show, and I’m hooked. Dammit.

  After two episodes, Liam and Tyler walk in, dripping with sweat.

  Lord have mercy. Why?

  He always looks sexy after a workout, but since he’s been training, his arms and chest are bulkier.

  “Hey, baby.” Liam peeks behind me and smacks a quick kiss to my cheek. “Whatcha girls doin’?”

  I inhale sharply, his sweaty smell surrounding me, which I love. Knowing what he’s doing, what he has to do, makes me sick. Feeling this way is selfish, but I miss him.

  I miss us.

  I miss the connection we fought for so hard, and now it seems like we’re breaking all over again. Liam was mine in secret and was ripped away before I could comprehend what was happening. Now everyone can know we’re together and in love, but sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.

  Perhaps this is part of the relationship stuff I wasn’t prepared for. I’m supporting him the best I can, though I hate what he has to do with a passion. I want to handcuff him to me and run away, take him from all this pain and drama he doesn’t deserve. But even I know leaving wouldn’t help anything. It’d only make it worse, just like before. He has to face this head-on, but I don’t trust JJ or his word. What if this isn’t the last of it, and he’ll want something else after? If Liam wins him a lot of money, will he want him to keep fighting and winning? Will I always be what they use against him?

  I can barely deal with what’s going on as it is. JJ’s nearly killed us with that car explosion, and I don’t doubt he would go even further if Liam doesn’t follow his orders.

  But I hope this doesn’t kill us and our relationship in the process.

  “Watching TV, waiting for our men to come home and entertain us,” Sophie teases.

  “Feelin’ like the fifth wheel over here, so off I go to take a shower,” Tyler quips.

  “Liam’s not putting out, so trust me, you aren’t wheelin’ nothing.”

  “You poor girl…” Liam mocks. “You waited twenty-one years, I think you can wait a couple more weeks.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, then walks to the kitchen.

  “Perhaps Tyler can take your place until then?” I shout, knowing both of them are within yelling distance.

  Liam stomps back into the living room, his eyes narrowed as he scowls at me.

  “God, leave me out of this before Liam breaks my jaw.” I look over my shoulder at Tyler who’s shaking his head and chuckling. “Trust me, he would.” Then he walks upstairs, and Liam stares at me.

  “What?” I fake innocence. “I was kidding.”

  “Mm-hmm.” Liam studies me. “Can you put on some clothes? You wearing that isn’t helping.”

  I look down at my tank top and sweat shorts. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

  Sophie stands and groans. “Quit torturing the man.” She takes my hand, then pulls me up. “Go put on a parka, so he’s not tempted to break the rules.”

  Groaning, I stomp around the couch. “He used to love breaking the rules with me!” I shout, walking to my room.

  Liam returned from Vegas four days ago with double black eyes, sore ribs, bloody knuckles, and a cut lip. He looked worse than when he came back from the mob boss’s guards kicking his ass. I nearly cried when I saw him, but he reassured me he was fine, though I knew he wasn’t. He iced his entire body for two days straight before Tyler made him get back into the gym. Apparently, this Dice guy didn’t take it easy on him and taught him how dirty they fight in the underground world, which meant teaching him how to defend himself if he ended up on the ground and couldn’t get up. He even had a shoe imprint on his back.

  Just the thought of what he went through made me want to puke. If something happens to Liam, and we don’t get one last opportunity to be intimate, I’ll always regret not showing him how much I love him. I can show him in other ways, but hardly touching each other or being close feels like the opposite. I hate the distance.

  Instead of changing like Sophie demanded, I strip off my tank top so I’m left in my sports bra. Then I take off my shorts and replace them with my spandex leggings. After I fix my hair and put it up into a high ponytail, I grab my yoga mat and go back into the living room.

  “What are you doing?” Sophie asks as I roll out my mat.

 
“My daily yoga routine,” I tell her casually, getting myself into a sitting position.

  She snorts. “I haven’t seen you do your routine in days.”

  “I need to catch up,” I say, but I know she’s not buying it.

  “This isn’t gonna be good…” I hear her mutter before she walks upstairs.

  I move into an upward-facing dog and hold it while my back arches and legs stretch. After a moment, I switch into downward-facing dog and exhale.

  “What the fuck are you doing?”

  Turning my head, I grin when I see a pissed-off Liam.

  “You’ve seen me do this a hundred times,” I say innocently. “Should we do another yoga bet? See if I can beat your ass this time?”

  “I asked you to put some more clothes on,” he says firmly with a plate in one hand and a sandwich in the other.

  “And I asked you to get naked and fuck me last night, so it looks like neither of us is getting what we want.”

  Liam nearly chokes on his food and smacks his chest before it goes down his throat. “Jesus, woman.”

  I release my hold and go into a warrior position. “Don’t watch me if I’m such a temptation then,” I quip.

  “You could make this easy and stop trying to get me to break,” he states, keeping his eyes glued to mine. “Wearing that and doing yoga in front of me is just cruel.”

  I hold back a smirk. “You didn’t seem to mind it when you kept me in the friend-zone all those years.”

  “That was different, and you damn well know it.”

  “Hmm…agree to disagree.” I shrug.

  “So what, this is payback for all the years I wouldn’t bang you?”

  “No, just the first time.” I adjust my sports bra, lowering it down my chest. “The time you nearly ripped my dress in two and then screamed at me to…and I quote…‘get the fuck out.’”

  “You’re not seriously still pissed I wouldn't have sex with a minor, are you?” He sets his plate down and walks toward me.

  “I was like, five months away from turning eighteen!” I argue.

  “Oh yeah, I’m sure that’s an acceptable excuse for the judge after they handcuff my ass for touching you,” he retorts, standing in front of me now.

  Instead of allowing his closeness to affect me, I move into dolphin pose so he can get a full view of my ass.

  Liam’s palm flattens on my lower back, and I inhale sharply at his touch. “Baby, if I had fucked you that night, there’s no way I would’ve been able to resist you when we were reunited. I would’ve hurt you because I wasn’t in the right headspace for something serious. We both had some growing up to do.”

  Then he slides his hand down my ass crack until it’s between my legs.

  “Your sisters would’ve found out what I did, and the guys would’ve killed me.” With his middle finger, he rubs my pussy outside my leggings. My eyes slam shut as I soak in his touch. “Then you and I would’ve had no chance at a future.” Then he rubs the pad of his finger against my clit, causing a groan to escape from my mouth. “So, trust me when I say waiting was the smart decision.”

  “Mmm…” I stretch out farther, giving him better access to my pussy.

  “Which is why waiting another couple of weeks is also the smart decision…” He circles my clit, my thighs burning as I struggle to hold myself up while my body aches for more of Liam’s touches. I feel the buildup as he adds more pressure, and my knees shake. Before I can beg for more, Liam removes his hand, then slaps my ass. “Two more weeks, baby. We got this.”

  Is he fucking kidding me right now?

  My arms give out, and I drop to the mat, turning to scowl at him. “Seriously? That was mean!”

  “Sorry, but you left me no choice.” He shrugs with a shit-eating smirk as he sits on the arm of the couch. “You wanted to play with fire, sweetheart. Showing off your sexy nipple rings, wearing tight as fuck pants that show off your curves, and eating whipped cream off your fingers last night.”

  I stand, roll my mat, and stuff it under my arm. “The whipped cream was a happy accident when it fell off my spoon, but the other two, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Liam’s head falls back as he bellows out laughter. “Mads, please. I’ve been watching this dance of yours for three years, remember? I know all your tells. Your flirty innuendos. And the not-so-subtle way you eye fuck me.”

  I growl. Damn him.

  “Baby, come here.” He waves me over, but I look at him cautiously.

  “Why? You want to almost finish what you started?”

  He chuckles and shakes his head. “Quit being stubborn and get your ass over here.”

  I walk over and stand between his legs, dropping the mat. Liam wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer until there’s no space left. Cupping my face, his thumb brushes my bottom lip.

  “Remember when you were ready to jump my bones and lose your V-card, but I made you wait?”

  I groan. “Yes.”

  “And a couple of weeks later, we took the time to get to know each other and really explore our feelings. Wasn’t making love that first time so much more special because we didn’t rush?”

  Shrugging, I answer, “I guess so.”

  “You guess so?” He lifts a brow, and I break out into a laugh.

  “Yes, of course. It was very special.” I wrap my arms around his shoulders. “But during those two weeks, we were still being intimate with each other, just not all the way intimate.”

  “And after the fight when we’re able to forget about JJ and the O’Learys, won’t waiting feel way more special?”

  I lower my eyes. The emotions I’ve bottled up inside threaten to release, but I try holding them back.

  “Mads?” He tips my chin up toward him. “What is it?”

  “Nothing,” I whisper.

  “I know this isn’t nothing,” he says, wiping a tear that slipped out. “Tell me.”

  I swallow hard, feeling silly for getting emotional. “What if…” I start, then lick my lips. “What if there is no ‘after the fight’ because you don’t survive,” I finally croak out. “We abstain from sex and have no last time.”

  “Is that what this is? You’re worried something’s going to happen to me, and we’ll have missed out?” he asks, wrapping a piece of loose hair behind my ear.

  “Well of course, I’m worried!” I toss out my arms. “If you die, we wasted every last opportunity to spend together.”

  “Maddie…” he says slowly, grabbing my face. “I’m not going to die.”

  “You can’t know that. I looked up videos on underground fighting, and it’s really fucking ugly.”

  “Dammit, why’d you do that?”

  I lean back slightly. “Because I wanted to know what my boyfriend was getting into. I have a right to know just how dangerous this is and how to prepare myself for the worst.”

  “You’re right. It is ugly, but that’s why I’m training so hard, baby.”

  “That doesn’t guarantee the other guy won’t have just as much training or hell, more. There’s no way to know how this is going to turn out and—”

  “Maddie, stop,” he demands, then cups my cheeks. “I promise you, okay? I promise I’m coming back to you in one piece. There’s nothing in this goddamn world that will keep me from you. Got that? We fought way too hard to be with each other. I’m not letting anything come between us now.”

  Tears hang at the corner of my eyes and slowly fall down my cheeks. I know he can’t promise me that, but I hang onto every single word because it’s all that’ll get me through this until it’s over.

  I nod, unable to speak through my emotions, and Liam hugs me to his chest.

  “I love you,” he says softly.

  “Always?”

  His lips tilt up against my skin.

  “Always.”

  Now that I’m on Christmas vacation, my days are starting to run together, and when I wake up to another morning of Liam already gone, it takes me a minute to realiz
e it’s Friday. One more day until our family Christmas party here with my sisters and their husbands. And of course, Tyler as well.

  Too bad there isn’t a fourth Corrigan sister because Tyler could easily blend in with our family. The guys all love him, and he’s good with Lennon’s kids. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. Literally. There is nothing not to like about him.

  “Get up, Madilocks!” He pounds loudly on my door. “Soph’s trying to call you. Answer your phone!”

  Okay, except for that.

  After Liam left for Vegas and Tyler was put on “Maddie duty,” he gave me a nickname after Goldilocks just to fuck with me. He thinks it’s the funniest thing in the world since it annoys me. Then Sophie chimed in and said it was perfect since I moved into the house last and took over her bed.

  “You’re an asshole, Beanstalk!” I shout, whipping off my covers and marching to the door. “What?”

  Tyler steps back and blinks. His eyes glance down once before snapping back to mine. “Uh, Sophie texted me to wake you up because she’s trying to call you.”

  “Okay. I’ll call her. Anything else?”

  Tyler focuses on the ceiling and shakes his head. “Nope.”

  I furrow my brows, wondering why he’s acting so weird. Looking down, I realize I’m only in my sports bra and shorts. “Oh, now you’re shy?” I chuckle. “You walked in on me getting out of the bathtub naked, remember?”

  He squeezes his eyes shut. “That was an accident.”

  “Mm-hmm,” I tease. “Relax, I’ll get dressed.”

  “Good, because Liam is getting really strong, and I don’t want him kicking my ass for seeing you like this.”

  “What? Did he say something?” I jab my finger in his ribs so he’ll look at me.

  “Jesus.” He yelps, stepping back. “I’m leaving now. Get dressed and call your sister.”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Tell your possessive best friend that I’ll walk around naked if I want.”

  “I wouldn’t recommend that.” He peels open one eye and squints. “The last time I made a joke about you, he had me by the throat against the wall. Remember?”