by Missy Blue
As her orgasm barreled into her, a strangled, raspy groan vibrated out of her throat and her eyes squeezed shut. Her entire warm little body convulsed below and against me, as tremors of pleasure coursed through her. Internally, I felt her walls and pelvic muscles flutter tightly, rapidly around my near-exploding cock. And before hers was even over, my climax was slamming into me like a freight train.
This time, I did bite her.
I couldn't help it, my deep grunt of extreme, body-shaking, soul-rattling, intense pleasure, muffled against her flesh.
My body slowed its movements, although my hips kept thrusting, shallowly, gently, as my seed drained from my body and into hers, and I felt her walls twitch with the aftershocks of her orgasm. Her hands were stroking over my back and her eyes were shut tight.
"You good?" I managed, exhaustion and satisfaction like I'd never known before settling deep into my bones.
"I'm....so good," she whispered back, a soft smile curving her lips. Watching it, I suddenly felt like I knew the secret of the Mona Lisa. I started to withdraw from her, but her hands pressed against my back. "Don't...not yet."
I lowered my face to hers and slowly kissed her swollen lips, feeling her tongue slip forth to find me. We kissed slowly and deeply for several long moments until I actually felt the stirrings of arousal ghost through my lower belly again. After a moment, I withdrew from her and lay on my back, enjoying the feeling of the cool sheets against my hot skin. Jewel rolled onto her side to face me and I turned my head toward hers, the hand closest to her reaching out to play in her hair.
Her eyes searched my face and her lips parted to speak, but as before, she couldn't seem to find words. Instead, she bit at her lower lip then smiled widely at me, her eyes lowering. I always got a kick out of the fact that she could never seem to meet my eyes after we were intimate, but also couldn't keep the telltale smile off her face that let me know she was, undoubtedly and decidedly, satisfied.
I let a half-smile tug at one corner of my mouth before I reached out to take her chin between my fingers and brought my mouth to hers. "Come here," I murmured and rolled her onto her other side so she was facing away from me. I arranged the sheet around her and then pulled her tight against my chest. I dropped my lips onto the side of her neck as she sighed contentedly and snuggled into my embrace. I stroked whatever skin of hers I could touch as I listened to her breathing.
I wedged a leg in between hers to pull her closer still and buried my mouth and nose in her hair, closing my eyes and letting my body relax fully for the first time in as long as I could remember.
“I don’t feel so afraid anymore,” she whispered.
“You’re my girl,” I whispered back.
“I’m your girl.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Her
“JEWEL,” HE MUMBLED. "What's going on? Where’re you going?"
"Just need to go to the bathroom," I whispered back, leaning over to kiss his temple. "Be right back."
He grunted in reply and his hand relaxed, allowing me to slip away. I glanced at the clock on the nightstand as my bare feet hit the carpet. It was 4:00 AM. I was naked, so I plucked his sweatshirt from the floor and wrapped it around myself, zipping it up. I padded into the bathroom, the tile cold against the bottoms of my feet.
I shut the door and the silence in the room was too much to handle, so I flicked on the water for noise. I splashed cold water on my face and leaned against the counter to examine myself in the mirror.
The sensitive flesh between my legs throbbed dully with soreness, the muscles there not used to stretching or conforming around something the way they had last night. It reminded me of the pain I'd felt days after my attack, a terrible pain that, even after it left my body physically, still ghosted through me for weeks, months, afterward.
I fought back the memories clawing their way to the surface of my mind, trying to focus on the pleasures of last night. I thought of warm, gentle but rough hands on my body. Full, sweet lips against mine, and the waves of pleasure—beautiful, amazing pleasure—that coursed through me nonstop for the better part of an hour. I had climaxed three times, each one better than the last, and it had been because of Asher Prince.
I thought about his mouth on my flesh, the magical things he'd done with his tongue, and the delicious feeling of being filled to the brim with him. His length and his thickness had filled me as no one had ever done before, gliding inside me, tapping some sort of hidden well, deep within. I'd never known my body was capable of becoming that aroused, that excited, that consumed with bliss. I felt a little smile tug at the corners of my lips that were still a little swollen, and my sex tingled and twitched.
He might have just created a monster. A sensual, hungry, aching, insatiable little monster.
I let out a shaky, involuntary sigh and opened my eyes, surprised to see myself touching one hand to my lips, while the other had fallen between my thighs. My eyes were bright and my cheeks were suddenly flushed.
Yesterday had been a day from Hell. Between the violence I'd suffered at the hands of the women at the gate, to my terrible secret being revealed to everyone—my mental state had been fragile and damaged. Once I'd made it back to my hotel room, I'd literally hidden under the covers and sobbed uncontrollably, my body wracking as I had screamed my anger and anguish into the pillows. I wanted to call someone—my family. I had even reached for the phone. But I drew my hand back as reason took over. There was no need to alarm my parents. I knew that if I called them in this state, it would only panic them. I wanted to call Ruby, but I felt that all I'd been doing lately was unburdening myself on my best friend. So, instead, I'd wrapped myself in the comforter and texted the only man who could take away the demons in my head.
And he did.
Sex with Asher had set my body on fire, had made me feel alive. He'd taken my mind completely off the horror, forcing me to concentrate only on him, and our bodies, and our pleasure. Everything else had been blocked out of my mind during our time together.
All I could focus on was Asher.
But now...my thoughts were coming back to the situation at hand. I was humiliated yesterday, but now rage was beginning to stir in my gut. How had they found out about me? Who had told? Who could do something so heartless and cruel?
All these painful thoughts pinched at my brain, made my stomach tense. Bailey had rung Asher last night. His brother had somehow persuaded the judges to let Asher back into the fight. So I'd promised Asher that I'd be there for him throughout the whole tournament, and I wanted to prove that to him. I wanted to prove that no matter what happened, I would always be there to support him the way he did me. But as the thought of what that would entail—walking back into an arena full of people after being labeled a rape victim—came over me, and I instantly regretted my promise. I would go through with it, I had to, but I wished I had listened to Asher when he’d told me he thought it might be too much.
I thought back to the reporter that had tried to speak to me. Marty White. He'd been slippery, slimy, and altogether sneaky. Then there was Blaise Colton. Aside from touching my backside, and leaving me behind in the crowd, I hadn't missed the look of cold anger on his face when Asher fired him.
But Asher did that for me.
He had risked the tournament for me.
He had risked everything…for me.
I shuddered as a wave of anxiety went over me. I couldn't help feeling responsible for this nasty turn of events. I knew that was silly, that I hadn't done anything directly. But if hadn’t disguised myself as a man and gone to his gym, Asher would never have gotten mixed up with me, and none of this would ever have happened.
A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts, and I quickly turned the water off and went to open the door. Asher stood there, his sweatpants tugged on haphazardly, rubbing a hand tiredly over his face.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice deep with sleep. "You been in here awhile."
"I'm...okay," I replied, deciding it was t
he only word I could use. Thinking about the situation surrounding us had dampened my mood considerably. But the sight of him, shirtless, in a pair of low-slung sweatpants, and nothing else, was distracting me and making me feel horny again. I licked my lips.
"You feel...all right?" he asked, folding his arms. "You're not in any pain or anything? Did I hurt you?"
I smiled and reached out, unable to stop myself from touching his impressive eight-pack. "Not, like, in a bad way."
He looked mystified, his eyes following the movement of my hand as it stroked along his tight, firm skin. I didn't miss the slight jerking movement just under the fabric of his pants. It didn’t take much to get Asher hard for me. "Is there a good way to be in pain?" he asked.
I looked up at him as I allowed my fingers to brush ever so lightly over the front of his sweatpants. His large member was swelled and ready for me the way I craved, my sex instantly wet for him. I pushed him backward out of the bathroom, turning off the light.
"There is definitely a way to be in pain in a good way," I whispered, and reached up to unzip the sweatshirt from around my body, letting it fall to the floor around my feet. His tongue swept out over his lip, his eyes moving over my naked body. I gave him another push and he sat down on the edge of the bed, his hands reaching for my hips and sliding up my sides. "Let me show you."
Him
“WHAT IS IT?” I asked Bailey quietly.
My brother sighed and motioned for me to come closer. "I…went to go look for Blaise this morning." A surge of anger hit me like a bolt of lightning. I looked over at Jewel who was standing a few feet away, still talking with Tess. We were outside the hotel patio.
"You did what?" I hissed, struggling to keep my voice low so Jewel wouldn’t overhear us. "The fuck, Bailey?"
He held up a hand. "Look, get mad at me if you want to, I was just being a big brother. None of that sat well with me yesterday. Asher, Blaise worked with Marty to leak the story to the commentators. He said he gave Marty Jewel’s name, and Marty did the rest."
I shook my head and grimaced. "I’m going to fucking kill him. Marty White has been after me since I told him to go eat shit when he tried to interview me at Sparta. He fucking destroyed Bethany when that shit storm—he created—came out."
Bailey nodded. "Yeah, I remember. And Marty’s also got a huge part in this too. Don’t know what can be done legally yet, but I promise, I won't let him get away with this." He paused awkwardly. "Er…there's more." I frowned at him. "Blaise fired you and he spoke to his lawyer to get your business partnership dissolved. Says you signed a contract allowing him to retain the rights of the business, should you leave for any reason." Bailey reached out and gripped my shoulder. "Asher—you're out of a job, man. I'm sorry."
I sighed heavily and shook my head. I rubbed the scruff of beard, raking my index finger back and forth over my bottom lip. I shrugged. "Probably for the best. He was always a dirty bastard anyway." I glanced up at Bailey and a self-mocking smile tugged at my mouth. "Guess I'll have to come off my high horse and do those fucking endorsement deals after all."
"The mighty have fallen," Bailey teased back. Our faces both grew serious then. "Asher, you'll be okay, though," he added reassuringly. "You've got options, you've got savings. You're fine."
"I'll be fine, yeah," I said. I shrugged again. "I'm just thinking about Bethany and the kids."
"I’ll pitch in whatever’s needed," Bailey said firmly. "Seriously."
I shook my head. "No, man," I said firmly. "They're my responsibility. Not yours. I'll figure something out." I shook my head again and looked off. "Fucking bastard, Colton. Son of a bitch."
"You!"
The loud gruff shout pierced the stillness on the patio and my head snapped around in its direction. "Fucking hell," I muttered under my breath.
"Dad?" Jewel called at the same time, sounding shocked.
"Baby, you okay?" her father demanded, cupping her face in his hands before glaring angrily at me. "You!"
I stepped forward toward him. "Sir—"
"Don't 'sir' me!" Jewel's father bellowed back. "Don't give me any of that shit! I told you—keep my daughter safe from this bullshit and what happens…? I get the news that her identity’s been shared with the general fuckin' public two days before she testifies. How in the fuck does that happen?"
"Sir, I take the blame," I said quietly. "I should’ve—"
"You should’ve, but you didn't!" Mr. Mucciarone pulled Jewel toward him by her arm, her eyes going wide.
"Dad, what—"
"You're coming with me and your mother. NOW," he shouted. "I'm not leaving you with this man for one more second."
"What happened yesterday was a mistake," my brother interjected, lifting both of his hands. "Asher had nothing to do with that. It was a journalist who's had it out for him since day one—"
Mr. Mucciarone seemed to notice Bailey for the first time. "I don't care what business he has with journalists. I do care when my little girl gets caught in the crosshairs!" He pulled Jewel along as she protested, completely confused and upset. "Don't you ever come around my daughter again!” he yelled at me. “Not in New York and damn sure not in Pittsburgh. You're done!"
"Dad, I want him there!" Jewel cried. "You can't do this!"
"Baby, this is for your own good," her father said roughly. "I-I…I couldn’t keep you safe back then…” My heart sunk into my stomach then. He was referring to Jewel’s attack. “You're my little girl and I couldn't protect you…But I refuse to allow any more bad happen to you—" His voice choked, and for a moment he said nothing, just blinking rapidly into his daughter's face. I felt a sudden surge of empathy for the man.
I stood silently; knowing that to say anything else, would be to say too much. I couldn’t do anything other than watch him take Jewel away from me.
"Let's go,” her father said finally. “Get your things. We're leaving for the city right now.” He tugged Jewel toward the glass doors of the hotel. But she shrugged herself from his grip, and ran toward me, wrapping her arms around my torso, tightly. Tears were streaming down her face.
“I-I don’t want to leave you,” she said, her words crumbling. I looked over her shoulder and stared at Mr. Mucciarone who stood only a few feet away. His eyes were angry, but they were also pleading with me.
I closed my eyes and sighed heavily. He was right. She needed to go with her father. I swallowed, knowing how hard my next words would be. Pulling away slightly, I looked into her beautiful glassy brown eyes. “I won’t be the man who rips you away from your family, Jewel. I won’t be that man. Go with your father.”
“You’re…just letting me go? Just like that?” The look she gave me then, cut me deep in my core.
“No, baby. I’m not giving up on you, okay—I’ll never give up on you. You’re my girl. You know that. But this isn’t the time to fight.” I’d seen how her family, her father, was her rock, her backbone, since the attack. I needed to keep the peace, for her sake. “You’re all that matters, Jewel. I don’t want you to be afraid—just focus on the trial, you hear me? I’ll fix this.”
Jewel's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at me. Her mouth opened to speak but she didn't say anything. We shared a long look before I nodded silently at her, telling her to go. Jewel uttered a choked sob and let her father pull her back into the hotel, the glass patio door shutting behind them.
I would fight for her, even if it meant giving up everything.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Him
I SAT IN my dressing room back at the First Niagara Center. I was laying on the floor with my legs against the wall. It was my favorite way to stretch, to relax, to focus on what was coming. It helped me calm my thoughts and get into the mindset I needed to be in to be successful.
The problem was, none of that was happening now. My thoughts were swirling and I felt anything but relaxed or at peace.
I hated the fact that Jewel had left. I hated the fact that I'd disappointed her father, an
d I really hated the fact that to some extent, I agreed with the things that had been said about me. Much like I'd told Blaise, I'd had one job, and that was to make sure my girl was taken care of. I had fucking failed.
I had failed…
Tess and Bailey seemed to be able to sense my mood and wisely left me alone. My brother would come in soon to wrap up my hands. Beyond that, I wanted to be left alone.
I decided I would open my own gym, and Blaise Colton could go suck dick. I was the one who made that gym what it was. I could do it all over again, but this time, have full ownership. And I’d make damn sure to drag Connor and Leon’s ass with me. They had no fucking choice in the matter.
There was a knock on the door, and I figured it was probably my brother. With a sigh, I rolled off the floor and went to the door. I pulled it open and when Bailey walked into the room, I could smell shit immediately. Trailing behind him were the Douchebag Duo commentators. I felt the same fury I'd felt the day before stirring in my gut as I went for them.
“Don’t. Asher,” my brother warned in a calm voice, pushing me back. “These two fucks are here to apologize. Don’t hurt them, yeah?”
I feinted a pounce on the one close to me, and he looked like he just shitted his pants. "L-Look," Jeff Goldstein began nervously, "I came to apologize. I was given that information about your girlfriend and we meant no harm."
"That's fucking hilarious," I said icily.
"Honestly," Bryan Reid chimed in. "Marty White was supposed to give us the scoop on your sex life. He was prepaid by the Network for that interview. So when he didn't get that, he got something else."