by Amity Cross
Ren curled her hands into the front of my T-shirt and pulled. I stepped forward and she melted against my chest.
“What?” she whispered, knowing that something was eating me up. Something more than the shit that just exploded out in the studio.
“You knew all this time?” I asked. “After everything…”
“I gathered you would’ve worked it out all on your own, but I guess not.”
“When—”
“The moment Hammer grabbed me.” She said it with an air of nonchalance that got under my skin.
I opened my mouth but shut it again, clamping down on whatever I was going to spit out at her. I wasn’t in my right mind back then. I wasn’t in a good place until she’d come back. There was nothing I could say.
“You never ratted her out?” I asked. “Why?”
She shrugged. “It was my leverage.”
“For what?”
“A lot of things. She never made my life here very welcoming,” she said. “It was manipulative, but I used it to get her out of my face. And Dean—”
I hissed.
“Ash,” Ren scolded, “he was only trying to protect me and I tried to protect him too in a way. She’s not good for him.”
“Nothing will ever keep me from your side,” I said, swallowing my anger. “Least of all pansy ass fuckers like those Twins. I don’t give a shit about what’s good for him.”
“What is it with you men?” She shook her head at me, her pretty brown hair tumbling around her shoulders.
“Dean hates me because of Monica.”
“That much I gathered, but it’s more than that.”
It was a statement and as per usual Ren hit the nail right on the head.
“It was competition, nothing more,” I said. “I was good, Dean wanted to be better, but he could never match me. Monica was the wound and everything else was the salt.”
Ren stared at me like I was a puzzle. Couldn’t blame her. I couldn’t figure out most of the shit I did myself.
I ran my palm across her waist, tugging her against me. “I never looked at her like that. Not even once.” I didn’t know why we were even talking about her. I’d told Ren time and time again, there was no one else. Not then, not now, not ever. “I love you.”
Her face began to light up and my heart began to thump erratically in my chest in answer. She was either going to give me a heart attack or I was going to come in my pants every fucking time she looked at me.
“I love you, you animal,” she said and crushed her mouth against mine.
It was my thing to dominate and take from her, but this time, I let her kiss me the way she wanted. Her tongue swiped greedily at mine, delving deeper with each caress and I held her against me, rubbing my hands up and down her back. I’d never get tired of kissing her, tasting her, fucking her… Ren was mine.
She moaned into my mouth and I pulled away slightly, sucking softly at her bottom lip.
“Spitfire,” I muttered between kisses.
“I need to cool down,” she said, her lips curving against mine.
“Fuck, I want to do you on the kitchen table.”
Ren began to laugh and it was the most fucking intoxicating sound… I could get drunk on that shit.
“Maybe we can revisit that notion tonight.”
She stepped away, but I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her right back. “Do you think they’ll let me stay?”
She nodded, her arms snaking around my neck. “They better.”
“It’s all out there now,” I said with a shrug. “Who fuckin’ knows what’s going to happen.”
“The Twins will come round,” she said. “Dad will eventually.”
“I fuckin’ hope so,” I mumbled against her mouth.
She pulled away slightly and said, “I’ll talk to him. It’ll be better coming from me.”
“He won’t let you go back to The Underground,” I said. “I’m not sold either, Spitfire.”
“Too bad, so sad,” she said, her lip curling into a wicked smile. She shoved her hands down the back of my jeans and dug her fingernails into my ass cheeks.
Groaning, I flexed into her lower stomach. “You’re bad-ass Ren Miller.”
She gasped as she felt my hardening cock and muttered, “And don’t you forget it.”
23
Ren
I lingered in the doorway of the kitchen, watching for Monica’s exit. Ash had begrudgingly allowed me to talk to my dad first and break the news that we were going back to The Underground.
This was the easy part, right? All the bad things were out in the open, so one more shouldn’t tip the balance, right? Famous last words.
The office door slammed overhead and a moment later Monica was running down the stairs, tears streaming from her eyes. I wanted to feel satisfied that she’d gotten what she’d deserved after all this time, but I just couldn’t. She brushed by me without a word and disappeared out the front door and onto the street.
Dean caught my eye from across the studio and I shook my head. The look on his face said everything. He wanted to go after her, but she didn’t deserve it. He needed someone else to come along and sweep him off his feet. Monica Miller wasn’t worth his time and it was a match made in hell as far as I was concerned.
“Let her go,” I heard Lincoln say.
I cast my gaze up the stairs to the office where Dad was still inside, probably reeling from all the heartfelt confessions. Talk about family drama.
Without glancing back, I climbed the stairs ready to get this over with. Dad had to be on the same page and for some stupid reason, I wanted him to approve. I’d forgiven Ash for the things he’d done to me and somewhere along the line I’d forgiven Dad, too. I’d more than forgiven him. He was a part of my life now.
How’s that Mum? I thought. I found the family you wanted after all.
I knocked softly on the door before opening it and stepping into the office. Dad was standing in the middle of the room, pinching the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb, obviously at his wits end. When he heard me at the door, he glanced up.
“Ren…”
“Hey Dad.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were attacked?” he asked. “I could’ve helped you. We could’ve gone to the police.”
“You did help me,” I said, closing the door behind me.
“How Ren? Because right now I feel like a failure as a father. To both my daughters.”
“You let me train with you. You told me the truth about you and Mum. We got to know one another.”
“But that never let me protect you.”
“Dad…”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked again. “Why didn’t you tell the police?”
“Because of this, Dad,” I cried, gesturing towards the window where below, three beefed up fighters were on tenterhooks with one another. “Mistakes were made on all sides. I should’ve done a lot of things. Same goes for you, Monica, Ash…everyone. There was nothing I could’ve done. It would’ve been my word against his and with no evidence and the guy’s history with Ash… They would’ve thrown it out of court. Nothing would’ve been solved.”
He shook his head, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “Since when does my twenty-three year old daughter know more about life than I do?”
I cocked my head to the side. “You’re really asking me? After all the shit we’ve been through?”
He ran his hand over his face before slumping down into the office chair.
I didn’t know if I should ask the question, or even care after what my sister had done, but I asked it anyway. It seemed like the classy thing to do. “What are you going to do about Monica?”
Dad sighed, spinning to face me. “She’s had a talking to, but I’m not done with her.”
“She’s been punished all this time, Dad,” I said. “I’ve made sure of it. She understands that what she did was wrong.”
“It’s going to take time Ren. I’m so disa
ppointed in her.” He shook his head yet again.
Monica had been the apple of his eye, his beautiful princess who could do no wrong. It wasn’t until I came along and shook things up that everyone realized just how bitchy the princess could be. Monica Miller was not the angel he’d believed she was and that had to fuck with his head.
“Maybe now,” I said carefully, “she can become a better person.”
Dad glanced up at me. “I hope you’re right Ren. What about you and Ash? Is it really fine between you two now?”
Dad was the only one besides Josie who knew I’d been seeing Ash all this time. Not even the Twins knew where I’d been disappearing to now that I wasn’t going to Sydney. It was amazing the way I could talk to my dad. After so long hating him for abandoning me and Mum, shit, it was just amazing.
“We’ve worked through a lot of stuff,” I said. “It’s a lot better.”
His lips thinned with disapproval. “But why did you even bring him here?”
“Dad, you respected him once. After all the things he confessed downstairs, you still want to be on the outs with him? He thinks the sun shines out of your ass by the way. I know enough about Ash Fuller to know he’s still the kid that found his way in here off the street. He wants to do the right thing.”
Dad drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll never forget that day. He just wandered in and that was it. I couldn’t get rid of him. He told you about that?”
I smiled, perching on the edge of the desk. “He’s told me a lot of things.”
“That man would literally kill for you Ren,” he mused. “I won’t pretend that doesn’t worry me.”
“I know Dad.”
“Why is he back at all?”
This was the moment I was waiting for. “We’re going back to The Underground and we’re going to fight.”
Dad shoved to his feet, his face reddening with anger.
“You are not going back there,” he exclaimed.
“You don’t have a say Dad.”
“Like hell—”
I held up a hand, facing him off and his eyes cleared for a moment. “Like I told those assholes down there, I’m a grown ass fucking women. I’m not made of glass, I don’t need a man to protect me and I don’t need a father in this. I can fight, I can win and I’m going to get my revenge.”
“Ren…” Dad breathed, his expression crumbling.
“Ash and I are going to be together forever. We’re a team in this and everything life throws at us. We are going to take back what’s ours and you can either be a part of it or not.”
“And that’s it?”
“Yep.”
“Nothing I can say will change your mind, will it?”
“The money alone could set us up for life. It could help Beat, Ash’s sister…”
“Violet?”
I wasn’t surprised Dad knew about her and I could’ve been angry with him about not mentioning her to me before, but that was water under the bridge. “She’s as much a victim in this as all of us.”
“This isn’t about money or doing the right thing Ren,” Dad said shaking his head. “It’s about revenge.”
I snorted. “If I’m going to get payback, wouldn’t you rather me do it this way?”
“Fight in an illegal underground tournament?” He shook his head, obviously disappointed that this was the life I’d left the AUFC for.
I grimaced. “Better than driving round the guy’s place and beating him to death.”
Dad grunted. “That’s exactly what Ash did, Ren. Twice.”
“Ash has issues, I know that. His past is—”
“A problem.”
“Dad,” I hissed. “I know everything. I know every fucked up detail and I’m still here. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care that he was in prison. I don’t care about his anger. We’re working through it. I trust him. I’d like to trust you, but it goes both ways.” I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his neck. We hardly ever showed affection, so when he stiffened slightly, I didn’t think anything of it. “Please Dad. Trust me.”
“You really love him, huh?” he asked gruffly, hugging me back.
“I love him more than you can imagine.”
We stood for a while, hugging like fools, letting the events of the day sink in. Finally, Dad said, “You want to use my gym?”
I nodded.
“Then use it.”
That was his seal of approval and I was taking it before he could even think about snatching it away. Pulling back I kissed him on the cheek, another out of the ordinary display of affection.
“Thanks Dad.”
“Renee Miller!”
I glanced up at Ash who had just come out of the kitchen to grill me about my conversation with my dad, when Josie stormed across the studio, coming right for me in a whirlwind of destruction. I would know the tone her voice carried anywhere. She was in a rage alright.
“I heard,” she exclaimed, standing before me and putting her hands on her hips.
“It’s all out now,” I said as Ash began to back away. If things weren’t so on edge, I would’ve laughed at the fact that Maverick was wary of Josie of all people.
“Let me guess,” she declared, tapping a finger on her chin in mock thought. “You’re going back to The Underground.”
“Yes,” I retorted. “We are.”
“You gave up pro for that?” she shrieked, the Twins coming into my line of sight. Great, round fucking two.
“I don’t want the spotlight,” I cried. “I don’t want fame or fortune. I want to fight on my own terms, no one else’s. Mine.”
“You want revenge, right? That’s what this is about?”
“It’s about a lot of things.”
“You’re letting her go back?” Dean exclaimed, fixing his anger on Ash again.
“I don’t approve,” he replied. “I never have.”
I spun on my heel and fixed my gaze on Ash. “You’re not fucking serious. I told you…”
“I never agreed Spitfire,” he murmured like he was trying to calm a wild beast.
Casting my gaze over the assembled throng of discontent, I threw my hands up in exasperation. “What is this? An intervention?”
“If it has to be,” Josie declared.
“You of all people should understand,” I pleaded with her. “This is something I have to do. I have to go back.”
I didn’t need anyone’s approval to do what I wanted with my life, but deep down I wanted it from them. I’d been alone for so long and now that I had a family and friends… I needed their approval. I was tired of doing it all on my own.
When Josie shook her head, I turned back to Ash.
“We’re a team, Maverick,” I murmured. “You of all people understand how much I need this.”
He looked conflicted. “Ren…”
“Please don’t take it away from me.”
“Ren—”
“It’s us together and that means what’s mine is yours and yours better be fucking mine, too.”
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I don’t want to see you get hurt,” I said sullenly. “But it’s going to happen to both of us.”
“I should never have let you go there in the first place.”
I shook my head, wanting to beat my fists against his chest. “I want to help you create a life for us both. I want to help Violet and Beat too. Let me.”
Ash’s expression began to crumble and I knew he was coming around.
“We just don’t want to see you get hurt,” Josie said, her anger softening. “I understand why you want to go back, but I’ll never stop worrying.”
I glanced at the Twins and Dean shrugged. “I never thought I’d agree with Fuller. You know my stance on this Ren. Shit, I went there and saw how brutal it was. I saw you fight.”
“And what?” I asked. “You still want me to stay away? You saw me, I’m good.”
“Maybe he’s right, Ren,” Lincoln added.<
br />
I shook my head. “I’m going back.”
“I don’t agree with it Ren,” Ash said, winding his arm around my waist. “But I know you’re just going to ignore us, no matter what we say.”
“You’re giving in?” I breathed.
His green eyes searched mine. “Reluctantly.”
“You better look after her Fuller,” Dean said, jabbing a finger at him in warning.
“You’re the one fighting Hammer,” I said to Ash, ignoring Dean. “I’m going to give them the middle finger and to show them that I won’t be intimidated.”
“Well,” Josie declared. “You better hand that asshole his ass, Ash Fuller, or I’m coming for yours.”
Despite the frustration I felt towards everyone for trying to keep me wrapped up in cotton wool, I began to laugh. Josie always had this flair for the dramatic, but the image of her wedging her six-inch heel up my hulk of a boyfriend’s ass had me in fits.
Josie’s face began to crumple and then she started laughing with me. “You’re thinking the exact same thing as I am, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Women,” Dean exclaimed, turning on his heel and striding across the mats.
“You better get out of here before I decide to lock you in your room,” Josie said, waving her hand at the door.
Ash grabbed my hand and began dragging me across the studio. “Good fuckin’ idea,” he muttered.
Knowing that I was on tenterhooks with everyone myself, I let him be all caveman superhero and drag me away from Beat. There was nothing left to say, so it was about time for some separation. We could come back and train tonight. I told Ash as much, as we stepped out onto the street.
He grunted in approval and I slapped him on the ass.
“The work starts tonight Maverick,” I declared. “Prepare for total domination.”
He chased after me, slapping my ass in return. “That’s my line.”
24
Ren
We spent the afternoon in the coffee shop around the corner talking and getting Ash reacquainted with the world again.