Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection

by Parker, Kylie

  56

  I have had a total of five matches now, and I’ve won every one of them by a landslide. It’s starting to get people’s attention. The money is not great, but between the matches and my job at the gym I’ve managed to put a little bit aside. I’ve decided that it’s high time I get out of Tyler’s apartment.

  Today is one of those lazy Sunday afternoons, so I’m hanging out at Laurels apartment reading through the classified section of the paper, circling a few possibilities in apartment rentals. I cringe slightly at what I learn. “Dang,” I say under my breath as she puts a plate in front of me on the coffee table. She had been kind enough to make lunch, and I see that we are having turkey sandwiches. Not bad.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks as she takes a bite of her meal.

  “I didn’t realize how expensive apartments are around here,” I say. “I mean, I’ve always had plenty of money. I lived in a mansion. Now that I’m pinching pennies, well, it doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to afford anything better than where I’m at now.”

  “Sorry, but I’m not letting you get a place with a toilet in the kitchen,” Laurel says, taking another bite and then a long sip of soda.

  “I don’t want that either, trust me,” I say, “But I don’t make a lot right now. I’m going to be stuck in a worse situation than I am now. And Brandi is going to use that against me, I’m sure. She was really pissed the last time I talked to her. I’m never going to be able to see my kid if I’m living in a hell hole.”

  Laurel puts her hand out, “Let me see that paper.”

  I pass it to her and she skims through it. ‘You know, they have apps for stuff like this now. Didn’t know you were so old school.”

  “Cut me some slack, would you?” I say.

  “Sorry,” she skims through the newspaper for a minute. “You’re right. All the ones in your price range are in some pretty sketchy neighborhoods.”

  “Not much sketchier than where I’m at now,” I grumble.

  “Well,” she pauses for a moment to fold the newspaper up and lay it on the coffee table. “Maybe… maybe you could move in here.” She looks down when she says this as though she’s too afraid to see my fascial reaction.

  “Laurel, are you serious?” I ask.

  She glances up, suddenly acting a bit shy –not at all like the Laurel I’m used to. “Yeah, well,” she fiddles with a lock of hair for a moment, “you’re pretty much here all the time anyway. You’ve already taken over my spare closet. I mean, if you want to, I’d like to have you here with me.”

  I smile at her, and she grins back at me –still waiting on a response. “Laurel, I’d love to move in with you… I just, I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking advantage of you. I don’t know if I can pull my own weight money wise, so I’d hate to-”

  “It’s the twenty-first century, Jonathan,” she coos slightly, “No one cares if we’re not splitting the bills fifty-fifty.”

  “You’re amazing, you know that?” I say, and I stand up.

  “What are you doing?” she asks wryly.

  I pull her up out of her chair, and she laughs at me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kiss her long and hard. Laurel drapes her arms around my neck as we kiss. After a moment she pulls away, “so are we moving in together or…?”

  “Yes, of course,” I say, and I pick her up off her feet. She laughs, and I carry her back to her bedroom and throw her down on the bed.

  “Easy, Jonathan,” she says when I toss her.

  I jump onto the bed and hover over her, staring down at those beautiful blue eyes of hers. I take my time, kissing her slowly while I coax her out of her t-shirt and shorts. She hadn’t been wearing a bra, I see, and it makes me grin. “Hello, gorgeous,” I say, and she giggles. For such a rough and tough woman, she has the girliest little giggle. I love it. I lick her nipples and trace my fingers around the contours of her body. Slowly, I move my way down her stomach –my tongue leading the way –until my head is between her legs.

  “Oh, God!” I hear her squeal, and from the corner of my eye I can see her gripping the sheets. She bends her knees and arches her back slightly as I work my magic. She moans and cries out several times. I’m not sure how long I’m down there, but soon her cries become more vocalized. “Oh! I’m cumming!”

  I drop my pants and jump up on top of her, unable to wait any longer. Listening to her pleasurable cries like that really does it for me. “Oh, God, don’t stop! Don’t stop!” she screams and pulls me in further with her legs.

  I hold out as long as I can. “God, I love you,” I say, and I cum into her.

  I feel a nervousness inside me after letting those words slip, but she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me in for a long, drawn-out kiss. When our lips part she smiles up at me. “I love you too, Jonathan.”

  I rest my head on her chest, a sense of relief floods through me. I cannot believe I’ve found someone like her. I cannot believe I am able to feel this happy again.

  57

  I lift another box and toss it out of the back of Marty’s truck over to Britany who places it out on the curb. “Is that the last one?” she asks.

  “Last one,” Tyler says and hops out the back before grabbing one of the boxes from the curb and heading up to Laurel’s apartment.

  The whole gang is here today helping me to move in with Laurel: the female fighters, Marty, his now fiancé Amy, Tyler, and Bobby. I didn’t really have that much to move apart from a ridiculous amount of clothes that I hadn’t ever unpacked over at Tyler’s, but they all came out anyways. Laurel had cooked, so that probably had a lot to do with it. Britany, Marty, and I grab the last of the boxes and head up with the others to Laurel’s apartment.

  Laurel is in the kitchen pulling out some hot wings she had cooking in the oven. The girls Katie, Eleanor, and LaWanda, and Marty’s girl Amy are all standing around greedily waiting on the wings. I glance over in the corner and see Marianna and Tyler sitting on Laurel’s couch together, each with a beer in hand; they’re both acting really flirty, and I smile and wink at them both to let them know I’ve caught on.

  Britany, Marty, and I drop the boxes we brought up –all quite eager to get a hold of some of those hot wings. Everyone digs in, and once the plates all start looking empty, Laurel calls out for some entertainment. “So,” Laurel says, propping her elbows up on the kitchen island, “what’s the plan for tonight, boys? Looks like everyone is free.”

  “Yeah,” Marianna chimes in, her eyes fixated on Tyler, “we should all go out.”

  “We actually have plans,” Marty says, checking out his phone to double check the time.

  “Oh,” Laurel says, “Well, Marty and Amy are out. What about-”

  “No, he means we,” I say while pointing at all of the guys in the room as well as Amy.

  Laurel frowns. “Really? Our first night moved in together, and you made plans with the guys?”

  “You ladies can come,” Bobby says.

  In response to that Marty, Tyler, and I all shout, “No!”

  Amy laughs. “You guys embarrass too easily.”

  This sparks the interests of every one of the fighters. “I’m sorry, but what exactly are you all up to tonight?” LaWanda asks.

  “Nothing,” Marty says quickly.

  “I agree with Bobby,” Amy sings, grabbing a hold of Marty’s arm. “We should invite Jonathan’s friends. Bobby, why don’t you call and see-”

  “No,” Marty says again.

  “What are you boys up to?” Laurel questions. “Because I can’t decide if I want in or not.”

  “You don’t,” Tyler says.

  “Hold on, guys,” I say, “I say we let them come. But, they have to go right now and take a chance on what it is. If they come, they gotta play along.”

  The women exchange glances. “He’s sketching me out,” Katie says, “I don’t want to go.”

  “They’re just being stupid,” Britany retorts, “They’re probably just going to a bar and don’
t want us to come.”

  “Okay, your loss,” I say and look at the time. “But we have to get going.”

  “Screw it!’ Katie makes a full 180, “I want to go. I’m going. Who else is going?”

  “I don’t know what we’re going to,” Laurel complains. “Quit being so mysterious, and I’ll go.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” I tease. “Come on, you might actually have fun, but you better make up your mind quick –because we’re going to be late if we don’t leave now.”

  It takes about thirty seconds for all of them to decide to go with us. I suppose curiosity got the better of them; Marty and Tyler do not look at all amused that we have some uninvited guests. The look on all of the fighter’s faces when we pull up outside of this high end costume shop is pretty priceless. “What the fuck?” I hear LaWanda say, and I continue to play coy –Marty and Tyler get in on the fun, having accepted their fate for the evening.

  “Now, now, LaWanda,” Marty sings, “you agreed to come on our guys night out without asking any questions. You chose to came, so you have to play.”

  Bobby leads the way into the costume shop, and the women all remain in the back of the crowd –all looking incredibly sketched out about being here as though we took them down a back alley to buy drugs. “Hey, Bobby!” the guy behind the counter waves, “I was wondering if you boys were going to show. I got your costumes ready.”

  “I need a favor, man,” Bobby says and winks back at the women, “we have some last minute guests. You think you can hook us up?”

  “I’m not wearing a fucking costume,” I hear Britany hiss.

  “She’d make a pretty Belle with that long brown hair of hers,” the shop owner says, “Let me see…” he does a head count of the women, “You know, I think I might have just enough. I’ll be right back.”

  “Did he say Belle?” Britany snarls. “If you think we’re all about to get decked out as damn princesses, you’re out of your damn minds.”

  “I agree,” I say, “I think Britany will make a charming Belle.”

  “You all did agree to play along, remember?” Tyler jokes.

  “What in the world are you guys doing tonight that requires you to wear costumes?” Mariana questions.

  Tyler smiles, “She’s got to be Ariel. She’s got red hair,” he smiles at her.

  “No asking questions. Its do or die tonight, ladies,” I say.

  They look at each other; as a bunch of die-hard athletes, they probably haven’t done anything this goofy and girly since they were five. Laurel shakes her head, “Fine. I’ll do it. We’ve come this far. So are you boys being princes, is that it?”

  “Prince Charming,” I say with a wink and a bow.

  “Of course you are,” Laurel says. “Fine. I’ll do it, but I get to be Cinderella if you’re Prince Charming.”

  “Fine. Deal,” I say.

  The other women laugh, but Laurel’s compliance gets them in on the game. Marty and Amy dress up as Sleeping Beauty and whatever her prince is –Prince Phillip? I don’t know. Tyler dresses as Prince Eric to go with Marianna’s Ariel. I do Charming, and Laurel is my Cinderella. Bobby, ironically the scrawniest guy of the group, does the Beast while Britany is his Belle. When I tell LaWanda to be Tatiana she flicks me off, calls me a racist, and chooses to be Pocahontas instead. Katie and Eleanor dress up as the new princess sisters –Katie the blonde one with the weird ice powers while Eleanor does the younger sister. I forget their names.

  The shop-keepers wife is kind enough to help all the women with their hair; they’re pretty legit costumes, and I’m glad Marty offered to foot the bill for all the extra costumes we’re renting. I hear Marianna groaning, “A pink dress? Why couldn’t I wear Ariel’s mermaid costume –you know, the purple shells and like some green pants or something?”

  “The pink really clashes with your hair –who designed a redheaded princess with a pink, fluffy bridesmaid dress anyways?” LaWanda teases; everyone is checking out her legs in that Pocahontas outfit.

  “Looking good, ladies,” I say while I finish buttoning up my Prince Charming costume. “All right, we got to go.”

  “God, I hope we don’t run into anyone we know,” Laurel says; she looks adorable as Cinderella. “You realize we have a reputation, right? Could you imagine what would happen if someone saw a bunch of female boxers and MMA fighters dressed like Disney Princesses?”

  We load up and drive out to the suburbs, pulling up into a driveway. We all crowd out. “Remember, everyone,” I joke, “You have a role to play.”

  “Are we at a fucking kid’s birthday party?” Britany groans; she actually looks gorgeous –who would have thought?

  “Pretty sure Belle doesn’t cuss,” Bobby says and hooks her arm; he smiles, “you good with being my princess tonight, Britany?”

  “I will punch you,” she warns.

  We head inside, and I instantly hear Mary, Gabe’s little sister, scream bloody murder to see who has shown up for her birthday. The other girls in the room who are sitting around waiting for the bouncer to be blown up in the back yard are equally excited. Mary comes running up to us; she’s wearing a little princess tiara on her head and a pink boa. “Hey!” she squeals when she sees me. “Jonathan, you’re Prince Charming!”

  I laugh and bend down to give her a hug. “Of course, didn’t you know that, Mary?”

  She giggles. She about loses her mind over Katie and Eleanor. “It’s Elsa and Anna!” she screams. That’s right; I’m glad I didn’t call them by the wrong names.

  I’m actually surprised at how quickly everybody gets into character. By the time the party is underway Britany is in a corner with Bobby reading books to some of the kids, Marianna is trying to do Tyler’s hair with a fork, and Laurel has a couple of kids helping her find one of her missing shoes.

  Mary’s mother has me helping to cut the birthday cake once the party is really hopping. She smiles. “I really appreciate you boys doing this for Mary,” she says. “She didn’t want to have a birthday party, you know? Gabe always dressed up for her, so this was just perfect.”

  “Really?” I question as I cut into the cake, “I didn’t know he would do that.”

  “He and Mary were always really close; he loved her so much. I know he’d be really happy to know you guys are looking after her like this,” she woman kisses my cheek and then starts to pass out cake to the kids. I smile. I certainly hope Mary is having a good time.

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  58

  Laurel and I arrive back at our apartment building, still dressed in our Prince Charming and Cinderella get up. She is laughing, and she keeps laughing the whole way back up to the apartment. She can’t stop talking about the silly little party we had just been to. “I honestly cannot believe you guys did all of that,” she says as she starts pulling bobby-pins out of her hair. “That little girls face when we walked in there was just priceless! You guys are just so sweet.”

  I smile. “I’m glad you think so, Laurel. Mary is a sweet kid, and it’s been a rough year for her.”

  “It sounds like it. I had a chance to talk to her dad at the party; it sounds like Gabe and she had been really close,” Laurel finishes pulling pins out her hair and shakes her head out to check for any she missed. Is it weird that I’m really digging the princess dress on her? Probably. I swear, I get turned on by anything.

  “Yeah, they were. He was a good kid; he really cared about Mary,” I say.

  “You miss him, don’t you?” she asks.

  I nod. “Yeah, I do. Boxing hasn’t really been the same without him. He always had my back. And I’ve told you before that I feel like what happened was my fault. I was just supposed to come pick him up from the bar; he was celebrating his birthday. All the times he drove my drunk ass home… I couldn’t even manage to get him out of the bar without having some drinks myself. I mean, I’m not the one who pulled the trigger and killed him, but I can’t help but wonder if I hadn’t been drinking if he’
s still be here.”

  Laurel shakes her head. “You can’t think like that, Jonathan. You can’t keep beating yourself up about it. There’s only one persona at fault, and sooner or later the police are going to catch the son of a bitch.”

  “Yeah, well, my life kind of went down the drain after that night. I can’t help but wonder if it’s been karma getting me back for-”

  She stops me, cutting me off before I can continue accusing myself. “It wasn’t karma or God punishing you or whatever you want to call it. You made some mistakes, Jonathan. You were in a dark place, and you made mistakes. A lot of shit got thrown your way all at once. But the guy I saw tonight, that’s who you are. You’re a regular old Prince Charming. You’re the kind of guy who tricks a bunch of women into dressing up as Disney princesses just to make a little girls birthday special. You’re a good guy, Jonathan. And sooner or later, that bitchy ex of yours is going to realize that. You’re going to make an amazing father; I definitely saw that tonight at that party with the way you were with Mary.”

  I sit down on one of the barstools, and I pull her in tight for a hug. Her big, fluffy Cinderella dress circles around my legs. I kiss her chest. “Thank you for that. I hope so. I’ve been talking to Bobby about possibly fighting a custody battle, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. I think Brandi and I have already hurt each other enough. And Bobby was being real with me the other night; he’s pretty sure it’s going to be rough getting joint custody with my drinking record and with that video of me knocking Brandi in the face and fighting with Donte in the locker room. He says the goal is joint custody, but he’s pretty sure I’ll just get visitation for a while.”

  “Fuck, really?”

  “Really,” I say, “So I’m hoping Brandi will lighten up before the baby gets here. I just don’t want it to come to some crazy custody battle.” My phone vibrates; I pull it out of my pocket to see I have a text message from Brandi. “Speak of the devil,” I groan and open up my phone.