by Sam Crescent
“You okay, babe?” Drago asked, startling her.
She turned her head to see him wearing absolutely nothing, his cock hanging down as he rubbed the back of his head. The man wasn’t shy, not that he had anything to be ashamed of.
“Don’t you want to put some clothes on?”
“No, I’m good.”
He moved to sit beside her, lifting her feet and putting them across his lap. His hard, muscular body was a distraction she really didn’t want. She had to think of her little girl, not this man. It was so hard to do, and part of her wanted to indulge again.
“You don’t look happy.” He took the coffee from her and had a sip. He wrinkled his nose. “This is not good. Not even a little bit.”
She chuckled. “It was the best I could do. I was a little distracted.”
“Oh yeah, that distraction have anything to do with me?”
“A little bit.”
“Ava?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Come on then, tell me what you’ve been thinking.” He sipped at her coffee again even though it tasted really bad.
“I don’t know if it’s something I should say. You may not like it.”
“A problem shared is a problem halved. Besides, you’re not going anywhere. I’ve got you at my mercy.”
“I was thinking about Ava. How much I love her and then I was considering doing the right thing for her.”
“The right thing?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, I’m going to need to know what this right thing is because getting rid of the bad guys, that’s the right thing to do.”
She took a deep breath. “I was thinking that it might be in her best interest if I considered adoption.”
Silence met her suggestion. She tucked some hair behind her ear and felt the tears once again well up in her eyes.
She couldn’t look at him. Just thinking about it made her feel like an utter failure.
“I want you to think about something right now, Belle.”
“I’m a horrible person?”
“No, and don’t even think for a second like that. I don’t want to hear it. I can see the tears in your eyes, hear the pain in your voice. You’re in serious agony just by thinking about giving Ava up. Just imagine what it would be like after a week, a month, a year of not being able to see her.”
“I can’t see her now,” she said, looking him in the eye.
“But you will one day. That’s the point here, Belle. You give her up, you’ll never be able to see her. To watch her smile. To make all her firsts. To hear her talk. To complain about a boy that hasn’t noticed her yet. These are all things you can look forward to and more. So much more. How can you give that right up? You love her.”
“Look at me, Drago. I can’t … my own father wanted her so that he could have someone else to train to enter the ring. He was going to kill me. Unless he’s gone, I’m not going to have a normal life with her.”
“You will.”
“Please, just listen to me.”
“I am listening, Belle. I won’t let any of them think for a second that they’ve got leverage over us. Your father’s going to wish that he never messed with you, and then he’ll wish he never messed with our daughter,” he said.
She looked at him then, taken aback by his words.
“She’s not yours, Drago.”
“I know I’m not her biological father, but she’s part of you. I’ll do anything for you, and seeing the way you love that little girl and how I feel about you, she’s going to be ours. Once all of this is done. Do you really think I’m going to walk away from you? That I’m going to be able to do that?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”
“I promise you, Belle. I give you my fucking vow, whatever it will take. I will protect you. I will keep you and your daughter safe. You’ll both want for nothing. Do you believe me?”
The tears that had been flooding her eyes spilled down her cheeks.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“You don’t need to thank me. You need to realize that you’re not alone anymore. You’re never going to be alone again.”
She threw her arms around him, holding him close. She didn’t want to let him go. He was like a lifeline she didn’t want to give up. Closing her eyes, she let the tears continue to fall as Drago ran his hand up and down her back.
In all of her life, she’d never had anyone that she could rely on. Her father had been a monster, and she was only just seeing the full scope of it now. A complete and total monster who needed to go.
Even if it meant going to prison, she was going to kill him because that was the only way she’d ever be able to sleep at night and know her daughter was safe.
“Now, how about I make us some breakfast?” Drago pulled away. He cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her skin. “No more tears. You’re not alone anymore.”
This man.
What was she going to do with him?
He’d come out of nowhere, and now she didn’t want to give him back. She loved him, and that alone terrified her.
After he wiped away her tears, he ran his thumb across her lips. The hunger in his eyes was clear to see.
“How are you feeling today after last night?” he asked.
“Fine.”
“You’re not sore?”
“No.” That was a lie, but it was a good sore. It was the kind of sore she could live with and certainly wanted to feel again.
****
Hearing Belle considering putting her daughter up for adoption really broke Drago’s heart. Belle was being pushed to her limit, and because of it she was making rash choices. He needed to keep her on the straight and narrow, to make sure she didn’t plummet over the edge. This life had never been for the faint of heart.
He’d learned that early on in life.
For most people, they were happy to pretend the horrors didn’t exist. For others, they wanted the money that came with it. There was only a small percentage of people who hated what was going on in the underground fighting circuit—a very small percentage.
He cracked some eggs into a bowl and measured out some flour. Glancing across his kitchen, he saw Belle still on the window seat, staring out, watching the world go by. She was so beautiful, so amazing and loving, and in some way, her father and this piece of shit Mikey had tried to ruin that.
Every time he got close to her, he saw the fight she had with herself. He hated it.
Getting back to his pancake batter, he added in some milk, and let it sit for a few minutes while he grabbed a pan.
Pancakes, like waffles, were a personal favorite of his. He did have to enjoy his with lots of warm maple syrup. Grabbing the maple syrup from the fridge, be poured most of the bottle into a saucepan, and placed it on low heat.
Next, he got to making the pancakes.
The scent lured Belle to him, and she came to stand at the counter, watching as he flipped each small pancake.
He made the entire batter, and that made for a lot of pancakes. He used two pasta bowls, and piled the pancakes up into two towers, finishing it all off with a knob of butter, and drizzling lots of maple syrup so it pooled in the bottom of the bowls.
“Wow, that’s a lot of syrup,” she said.
“I have a sweet tooth.”
Carrying both bowls to the table, he put them down, and before Belle could sit down, he held out her chair.
His stomach growled, and the moment that sweet maple hit his tongue, he was in heaven. Well, food heaven. He still loved the taste of Belle’s pussy.
He watched as she ate. Every now and then, he caught sight of her tight nipples pressed against the front of his shirt.
It didn’t exactly help the state of his arousal.
He covered his erection with the apron he’d quickly pulled on to do breakfast. The one taste he’d had wasn’t even enough to sate his hunger for her. He wanted her again. To feel her tight cunt wrapped around
his length.
Taking another bite of his pancakes, he couldn’t look away from her. He wanted her again, right here on this table.
He finished all of his breakfast, and she left a few pancakes.
“That was delicious.” She licked her lips, and he thought about how good her lips would look wrapped around his cock.
He reached out, taking her hand. He ran his thumb back and forth over her wrist, staring into her eyes.
Did she feel this as intensely as he did? He felt consumed, starving for more of her, horny, and he wanted her again. Taking her wrist, he tugged so that she got to her feet and moved around to perch on the edge of the table.
“What is it?” she asked.
Putting his hands on her thighs, he slid them beneath the shirt, rubbing against her flesh. She moaned, the sweetest sound, and he lifted the shirt up and over her head until she was naked. As far as he was concerned, she had the perfect body. Nice full tits, rounded hips, a little stomach, and strong arms. The few stretch marks on her body showed she’d been pregnant. He found her body a turn-on.
“You know, I love maple syrup.”
He dipped his finger into the bowl and spread the syrup-slicked tip across her nipple, coating her. When she was wet, he leaned forward, and sucked the hard bud into his mouth.
She cried out with a gasp. Belle sank her hands into his hair, holding onto him as he licked every last remnant of the syrup off her tit.
He did the same with the other one, spreading the syrup over the nipple.
“You tasted good already, but the syrup just makes you even sweeter.” Leaning her back on the table, he spread her thighs wide, staring down at her.
“There’s no way you can ever think of yourself as undesirable, Belle. You’re so fucking sexy I can’t even think straight.” Stroking his hands over her hips, he glanced down at her pussy with a growing hunger. She was all his—now and forever.
With her legs spread wide, he stared at her wet cunt. The lips of her pussy parted slightly, giving him the perfect view of her. He wanted inside her again, to flood her hole with more of his cum.
Damn, this woman was driving him crazy with need. He’d never been this attracted or this attached to a woman.
Maybe it was their shared past?
Or chemistry?
He didn’t know for sure what it was exactly, just that he couldn’t get enough of her. He’d nearly lost her. If he hadn’t stopped that fight, he may not know the kind of pleasure they could share.
That one moment had granted him this chance, and he wasn’t going to let her go.
He would die protecting her and Ava.
Other than Carlos, there was no one else of any importance in his life. It was all about Belle and Ava. They would be his family, and he would make sure they both got the life they deserved.
He even understood why Belle could consider giving Ava up. Their world didn’t allow for them to have anything for their own. Fighters were pawns, used and discarded. They had no choices, no life beyond their next match.
The thing was, he was a selfish bastard, and he didn’t like to share. Had no intention of ever sharing anyone again. It was time for him to live the life he wanted.
She would belong to him, completely.
When all of this was over, he intended to marry her. To take her as his wife, to fill her womb with his kid, and they were going to be a happy family. It’s something he’d never expected to have. Now it was all he could think about.
Running his fingers along her slit, he slid two fingers inside her, feeling how hot and wet she was for him.
She arched up, moaning his name. It sounded perfect. The morning light rays highlighted her blue eyes. Her lips were swollen, her body a feast on his kitchen table.
Stroking his thumb back and forth across her clit with two fingers deep inside her, he felt her cunt tighten around him. He groaned deep in his chest. With his other hand, he slicked up both of her nipples, leaning over to lick the syrup from her tits. She looked so sexy, so wanton, and he was going to take pleasure as well as give it.
It was time to forget the world again.
Kissing down her body, he pulled his fingers from her pussy, and replaced them with his tongue, tracing across her clit, gliding back and forth over the precious nub. She writhed, panting, crying out his name.
The sound echoed off the walls. When she was so close to orgasm, he refused to tip her over the edge. Keeping a firm grip on her, he held her in place, sliding his cock along the outside of her pussy, making her exhale on a moan.
He did this for a couple of thrusts, bumping her clit each time. Drago gripped his cock, moved to her entrance, and inch by inch, pushed deep. He watched his cock disappear inside her, and knew he had to make her safe.
He wanted this woman for life, and he’d do everything in his power to keep her.
Chapter Ten
They’d been holed up in Drago’s condo for too long. She’d been growing impatient. When Drago said he had to meet with Carlos in the afternoon, she took the opportunity to get down to her own business.
Belle got dressed, then walked to the large windows off the kitchen. She stared down at the bustling city. There were two worlds, one that everyone could see, and the seedier side hidden in the shadows. She wanted out of that twisted world. Belle wanted to be one of those oblivious people rushing around on their lunch hour.
Drago had been kind to her, too kind. His sacrifices were too great. Why should he suffer or put himself at risk because of her? It wasn’t fair, and she wouldn’t have it. Once she had her life sorted out, then she’d deserve a man like him. Maybe. Building a relationship out of desperation and emotion wasn’t healthy, and Drago mattered to her enough that she wanted to do this right.
He thought she was a delicate flower. That he needed to protect her. Had he never watched her fight? Belle was capable of shutting out the world and turning off pain in order to win. She was a machine, a beast, feared in the ring since she was a kid. She’d turn off her emotions, leave any remorse outside the ring and deliver a brutal attack to ensure she came out the winner.
Winning was all that mattered.
Today she’d do the same—win. No more feeling sorry for herself or relying on others. She’d deal with her father firsthand. Before she left, she wrote a letter to Drago, asking him to take care of Ava if anything went wrong. She trusted him, and knew he’d make an excellent father. If only Ava was Drago’s real heir and not that bastard Mikey’s.
Once outside, it felt foreign to walk the streets on her own, the cool breeze on her cheeks. She’d never take her freedom for granted. She’d been her father’s minion for far too long. And Drago had shown her what life and love could be like. After her experience with Mikey, she’d assumed all men were assholes. She’d never known a good one. Drago showed her how a real man treated a woman, and how delicious good sex could be.
She pulled out her cell and scrolled through the information they’d gathered. There was a tracker on Donald Ford’s car, the creepy politician Drago said wanted her dead. That was her first stop. And then the family home she grew up in, though it had been anything but traditional. She’d practically lived in the basement gym, never knowing affection or unconditional love from either of her parents. Just thinking of the loveless house made her stomach turn sour. She didn’t want that lifestyle for Ava. Anything would be better.
Belle didn’t have a gun, just her fists. They’d always been enough. She hadn’t trained in a while, her growing curves proof, but she was still strong, and nobody could take away her deep-seated skill set.
Donald’s car was parked outside a restaurant. The place looked expensive. She could see people eating at their tables from beyond the large glass windows. Most of the men were in suits. It was the type of place her parents would frequent.
Belle couldn’t stand rich snobs. They reminded her of all the heartless pigs making bets around the ring. There were so many things more precious than money, but not to them. Mon
ey was everything. They believed the dollar was more important than human life.
Belle asked her Uber driver to wait for her outside.
She entered the restaurant, feeling a sense of unease as people turned to look at her. Belle looked out of place, but she wasn’t there to impress anyone, just make a statement. She took a cleansing breath and ignored the staff questioning her as she scanned the room for Donald. He was sitting near a back window with one other man.
He had to know where Ava was. Her father was using her as bait to protect this pig. They wanted Belle dead, but they didn’t realize what she was capable of. She imagined choking the life from the rich asshole.
“Excuse me? Can I help you?”
Belle ignored the waiter, bumping him with her shoulder as she headed for the far table. Once next to Donald Ford, she waited until he noticed her standing there.
He squinted, putting on an act of being confused.
“You know who I am,” she said.
“Do I?”
“You’re very cozy with my father. Don’t remember him? Randal Aiello?”
He smiled. “Of course. You must be little Belle. I remember you fighting when you were this high.” He motioned with his hand at her waist level.
She shook her head. “You want me to play along? To pretend I didn’t see what I saw? I know a lot about you.”
“Let’s talk outside.” His demeanor changed, his smile fading away. Did he think she was afraid of him? Intimidated? She knew for a fact she could take him down within seconds if she had to.
She slapped her hand on the table when he attempted to stand up, the water in their glasses sloshing. A hush settled over the entire restaurant, making her hyperaware of everything from her breathing to the countless people staring. “You can run for office and pretend to be anyone you want,” she whispered. “I really don’t give a fuck about you, your fetishes, or the demons in your closet. I just want you to know that if anything happens to me or my daughter, you’ll be the first person the cops turn to. Keep out of my life, or I guarantee I can ruin yours in less time than a three-minute round.”