He gave me a playful smirk. “You never need to worry about me, babe. I got him in the end.”
I smiled in spite of the situation. “Of course you did.”
He grinned back at me, and I sat up in the hospital bed, wincing at the aching in my back.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever really asked you this before, at least not properly. Why do you still do it? The fighting, that is,” I asked. “I mean, I know why you started doing it in the first place—because of your dad—but you don’t need to worry about him anymore now that you’re older. Is there another reason you keep at it?”
“Yeah. I started it as a way to look after myself, but I discovered that I love it. The prize money doesn’t hurt either,” he said with a wink. He looked at me for a brief second before casting his eyes back down to the ground and taking on a far more serious expression. “When you first came back into my life, I actually worried that you’d think I’d become the same as him. That my fighting made me an abusive asshole.”
“What?” I gasped, completely blown away by this insane statement. “I would’ve never thought that. I knew you’d never become anything like your father.”
I willed him to look up at me, but he didn’t. “You’re great at it too. You’ve become one of the best. I may not like it very much, but you clearly do. It’s just a little too scary for me,” I continued.
“Yeah,” he said, finally meeting my eyes. “It is nerve-wracking sometimes, but that adrenaline keeps me going.”
“What if you get hurt badly one day?” I asked.
Of course I didn’t want to make him quit his dream, but I wanted him to be realistic. His career could be dangerous. His last fight had almost proven that, and we had more than just ourselves to think about now.
“I’ve been hurt badly before,” Kaiden replied, reaching around and rubbing his lower back. “I still have that scar. You remember, right?”
I nodded. I remembered it all right. When we were eleven, Kaiden’s father had thrown him across the room one night, and he’d smashed right into a glass cabinet and obtained a large cut across his back. I’d helped him clean it up, and my Mom had made him stay the night with us. We’d both wished we could do more, but CPS had made it clear that they weren’t getting involved, and we couldn’t exactly kidnap Kaiden from his father and make him come and live with us.
God, how could a man do that to his own child because he was blind drunk and didn’t like something he’d said? And how the hell could Kaiden think that I would assume he’d ever become like that? There was just no way.
“Where’s your Dad now?” I asked.
I knew I probably shouldn’t ask this, because it was likely to dredge up more pain, but I needed to know all the same. I had to know if his father was going to become an issue for our family in the future, and if so, I wanted to be fully prepared.
“He came to me a couple of years ago, when I first became famous. He wanted money, of course,” Kaiden replied. “I wanted to kick the shit out of him, I really did. I was so fucking mad, but I didn’t. I sent him away instead. Told him to leave me alone and cut off all ties for good. I don’t know where he is now. He could be anywhere. He keeps away from me, at any rate, so that’s all I need to know.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“What about your Dad?” he asked. “Did he ever come back?”
“No, we started to drift apart when he and Mom got divorced, and the last time I saw him was when I was about eighteen. He didn’t even get in touch when Mom got sick. He could be anywhere in the world, and to be honest, I wouldn’t want him to come back now. It’d be too little, too late.”
Kaiden grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes. “Well, we might not have much left in terms of family, but we have each other.”
I smiled. “Yeah, we do. And we’re family now.”
“True.”
He wrapped his arms around me, and I allowed myself to get lost in his embrace for a few blissful seconds before a coughing sound interrupted us.
“Ahem. Riley Solis?”
I pulled away from Kaiden’s arms to see a doctor in blue scrubs standing in the doorway to my hospital room.
“I’m here to give you your ultrasound,” he said. “Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath, hesitating before I replied. I didn’t think I’d ever be ready to do something like this, considering there was a chance my baby wasn’t okay, but it needed to happen.
Finally, I nodded. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Chapter 26
Kaiden
Time seemed to slow down as the doctor set up the ultrasound equipment, and I grabbed Riley’s hand and squeezed it hard. I knew she was as terrified as me, and I couldn’t bear to see that in her face. I never wanted her to experience any pain, especially not when it was my fault. After all, I may not have been the one to push her down the stairs, but it was because of me that Serra had done it.
The doctor ran the probe over Riley’s belly and glanced at a screen which was facing away from us, and his eyebrows shot up. My heart began to race even faster at that, and I abruptly stood up.
“Is the baby okay?”
He smiled. “Yes. Everything looks just fine.”
“Oh, thank god!”
A radiant smile broke out across Riley’s face, and I felt my entire body sag with relief at the news. After all we’d been through, our tough little baby was still coming, and I couldn’t believe how lucky we’d been. Maybe this was our good karma finally coming around—after all, we’d been through about ten lifetimes worth of bad shit in the last few weeks alone.
The doctor kept staring at the monitor, and he looked back at me a moment later.
“Would you mind stepping out for a minute, Mr. Cross? I’d just like to discuss something with your wife.”
“Oh, I’m not his wife,” Riley said, a blush reddening her cheeks.
“Not yet,” I said with a wink. Her cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red. “I’ll be back soon.”
I had no idea why the doctor wanted me to step out, but I assumed he wanted to discuss gynecological stuff with Riley, and he probably assumed that I didn’t want to hear any of it. I didn’t care, though. I wasn’t one of those guys. I was happy to discuss ovaries and periods with the best of them. After all, just because I was a fighter didn’t mean I was a complete meathead idiot.
I was called back into the room five minutes later, and I arched an eyebrow as Riley flashed me an enigmatic grin. Hmm. Something was definitely up.
“Mr. Cross,” the doctor said. “I was just telling Riley that we’re going to discharge her now because there’s nothing else we can do for her here, and everything does look okay. However, I am recommending that Riley is careful for a few days and has someone to take care of her at all times.”
So that must’ve been why Riley was smiling. She had her own personal servant for the next week or so.
I grinned. “I’ll be there,” I said. “Your humble manservant.”
“Hey, don’t act like you’re doing me a huge favor. I’m the one who has to give birth in six months!” Riley said in mock anger before sticking her tongue out at me.
The doctor smiled at us. “You sure you two aren’t married yet?” he said in a joking tone. “Anyway, all kidding aside, as soon as your papers are written up, I suggest you send for a car and get yourself to bed. No heavy lifting or strenuous activities, Riley.”
No strenuous activities, huh? Judging by how sexy Riley looked right now—even though she was dressed in a faded hospital nightgown—that was going to be a lot easier said than done…
Chapter 27
Riley
It seemed to take hours for everything to be organized because the hospital was in mayhem after a pileup on the US-101, but we were finally on our way out. Kaiden had insisted that I go to his house because he knew that he had everything on hand, and he was on a mission to prove his worth to me.
“Are you absolutely sure you don’t just want to g
o to my place?” I asked as he helped me up the stairs of his beautiful home twenty minutes later. “It’s not that cramped there.”
I still wasn’t used to how lavish everything was in his house. I knew that this was what I had to look forward to once my own apartment was out of the picture, and I was incredibly grateful that our family would be raised in such a comfortable home, but I couldn’t help but feel that I’d done nothing to deserve it.
“You heard the doctor! All rest and relaxation for you, and where better to do that than a mansion?” he said with a wink. I grinned back at him and finally began to relax, and he continued. “I want you here. I want to take care of you and our baby. And I know what you’re thinking, but let me tell you—you deserve this. You deserve everything, and this is your home now. If that’s what you want, anyway.”
He rubbed my belly as he spoke, and my heart melted. “Thank you,” I said softly.
“Do you want anything to eat?”
“Not at the moment. I just want to chill out in bed for a bit. I know I’ve been lying in the hospital bed for all that time, but I’m still sore and tired.”
He nodded and quickly guided me towards the bedroom, and I watched his face relax as I felt the Egyptian cotton bedsheets against my back a moment later. He’d obviously been stressed as hell and even more worried about me than he’d let on, but now that I was safe at home, he was finally comfortable again.
Home. That was a nice word, and even nicer when I knew my family would be living here in just six months.
Kaiden perched next to me as I reclined on the bed, running his fingers through my hair as he did so. I smiled up at him, my heart filled with love, and resting suddenly didn’t seem like such a fantastic idea. I needed more. I needed him.
I leaned forward and started to kiss him, and his scorching lips felt perfect against mine, filling me with wanton heat as our tongues entwined. Kaiden clearly wasn’t sure if this was a good idea, though, and he pulled away a moment later.
“Wait, wait. The doctor told us we have to be careful,” he said. “And aren’t you sore?”
My eyes lit with mischief. I had no idea why I was so horny, but I was running with it. “Oh, we’ll be careful,” I said, flashing him a lascivious grin. “And yes, my body aches quite a bit…but I hear an orgasm is nature’s painkiller.”
He smiled and shook his head. “Well, sorry, but you’re going to have to settle for the kind of pleasure you get from a foot massage. That’s all you’re getting from me right now.”
“Too bad I don’t have a foot fetish, then,” I said, watching as he stood up and headed over to a nearby drawer.
He returned a moment later with a small bottle of lavender-scented massage oil. He poured a little into his hand and began rubbing it all over my poor tired feet, and with every touch, my desire for him heightened.
“Kaiden, I really appreciate the massage, but I…” I trailed off, biting my lower lip, and he grinned up at me, knowing exactly what I was hinting at.
“Now, now. Be patient.”
I groaned and lay back, enjoying the massage but not-so-secretly wanting to be massaged in other areas. These pregnancy hormones were seriously turning me into a crazed sex addict.
Kaiden’s hands eventually moved up from my feet and began to caress my legs, and I tried not to squirm as his teasing touches reached my thighs, sending electrical jolts straight to my clit.
That was it. I’d been teased and tormented enough, and I sat back up and grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to pull him closer to me.
He gave me an impish smirk. “I thought I told you to be patient.”
“I’ve been patient enough. Now take off your pants!”
His grin grew wider, but it eventually faded into a more serious expression. “Are you sure? I mean, you’ve really been through a hell of a lot after what Serra did. It might not be for the best…”
He trailed off, knowing I was going to call him out on his argument.
“Our family is even stronger than you think, Kaiden. It’ll be fine. I promise.”
Deep down, I knew I was right, and Kaiden finally relented, leaning forward and kissing me again. We needed this—both of us did—and no one was going to take it away from us, especially not an evil, vindictive bitch like Serra.
We carefully slid out of our clothes, both of us trying to avoid our bruises, and when we were both naked, I stared at our matching purple and yellow bodies.
“What a pair we are,” I said. Kaiden chuckled, but I could tell he didn’t find it all that funny.
He was right; it wasn’t funny, but we needed to remain in good spirits, or Serra would get what she wanted in the end—for us to be unhappy and divided.
“I hate that she did this to you,” he murmured, gently kissing my neck.
“I hate that you got hurt in your fight too, but I’m not focusing on our cuts and bruises. I’m looking at the unharmed bits of skin in between—the bits that survived, the same way we’ll always survive.”
“You’re right,” he said. “Why are you always right?”
I grinned at him, and without another word, he crushed my mouth with his in another kiss, hungry and deep. I melted into him instantly as he wrapped his arms around me, his mouth opening and flooding mine with his perfect taste as our tongues entwined. As we kissed, all the aches and pains in my body seemed to fade away, and for a moment, I almost forgot I’d been pushed down a flight of stairs less than a day ago.
Finally, we pulled apart, and he looked down at me with that burning gaze of his; the one I could never resist. I could feel his cock already swelling against me, and I wrapped my fingers around him. I couldn’t believe how starved for his body I had been, and as he broke away from the kiss, I felt his eyes wander over my body, lingering on my breasts. My nipples were stiff and perky, and I was practically trembling with how badly I wanted him.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he said.
My heart beat wildly in my chest as he gazed at me, and longing pumped through my veins, coiling in my core. The way he bit his bottom lip as he took in my curves had me feeling like the sexiest woman alive. Around him, I never ceased to feel special, wanted, and sought after.
He reached forward, grazing his thumbs over my nipples and tightening the tiny buds even more. Moving his mouth down, he licked and nipped his way to my breasts, and I sighed and arched my back, offering them to him. He laved my warm skin and sucked a nipple into his mouth, sucking and fondling until I squirmed like crazy, and then he let go, continuing his trek down to my soft, ever-expanding belly before kneeling between my legs. He glanced up and licked his lips, and my legs shook with anticipation.
I gasped as his fingers parted my lower lips and his tongue connected with my clit. Pleasure flickered through my core, sending waves tingling outwards. Languidly, Kaiden tasted and teased me, and the moment I knew what to expect, he changed it all, increasing his pressure, manipulating his speed, or alternating his technique. Before long, he had me wriggling and unashamedly begging for more, and his swirling tongue was relentless as it lapped over me. Then he carefully slid a thick finger inside me, letting out a deep groan of approval as he felt just how wet and ready I was for him.
His fingers were soon doing just as much to push me to the brink as his tongue was, and I cried out, desperate to have him inside me before I peaked. “Please, Kaiden! I need more.”
He raised his head from between my legs and gave me a devilish grin. “More what? Another foot massage, maybe?”
“Not funny!” I said, my voice practically cracking with urgency.
He moved himself up my body, all signs of mischief in his eyes replaced with lustful hunger, and when he finally pushed himself inside me, there was no holding back. My body seemed to have almost forgotten how big he was as it stretched to take him all in, and I pulled my knees back, widening my legs as far as they would go while Kaiden withdrew a little and then pushed the whole of his powerful cock back inside me.
“Am I h
urting you?” he asked, voice tinged with concern.
“No,” I gasped. “Keep going.”
My urge to climax continued to climb, reaching for that invisible cliff’s edge, and Kaiden pushed me further than I’d ever been pushed before as he slid in and out of me. Every breath became sharper than the last, and every stroke of his cock seemed to reach deeper into me, hitting sweet spots inside me every time. His groin bumped up against my clit as he moved against me, and the pressure on my clit had me on the verge of shattering.
And then I did shatter, into a million pieces.
My eyes blurred, my heart thundered, my legs trembled, my muscles pulsated, and my curves quivered as wave after wave of bliss slammed through every inch of me. I barely even recognized my own voice as I cried out over and over again.
Kaiden let out a groan as he finished inside me, and the room seemed to spin around us as we collapsed on our backs.
“So much for no strenuous activity,” Kaiden said as he caught his breath, and I giggled.
“That didn’t count. I’ve read that sex during pregnancy is actually good for babies.”
He turned over and started to stroke my belly once more. “It won’t be long until we start feeling kicks, right?”
“A few weeks, maybe,” I replied, also rubbing my bump protectively. “I can’t wait.”
“Same,” he said with a wide smile. He stood up, quickly slipping back into the boxer shorts he’d taken off earlier. “Anyway, I’m here to serve your every need. Doctor’s orders. For now, I’m going to sort you out with drinks and food, and after that, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Oh, I think you know exactly what I want...”
He put a hand to his mouth in mock horror. “I think we might need to check you into rehab for sex addiction, Riley.”
“Ha. Don’t pretend you don’t like my crazy hormones,” I replied, tossing a pillow in his direction.
He caught the pillow and smiled lovingly down at me, melting my heart all over again. “Okay, fine. You’re right again. Now let me go and bask in my wrongness while I make you a snack.”
Bad Boy Brit (A British Bad Boy Romance) Page 42