Kings of Denver - COMPLETE BOX SET 1-4

by Sheridan Anne

  “The pleasure’s all mine,” she says with a sultry tone as her eyes travel up and down his body, probably remembering exactly what’s underneath those clothes from the picture in the calendar.

  Aarons' eyes light up with interest and I know my great night is about to get even better. “What are you guys up to?” I ask, knowing they always end up somewhere as a team after a game.

  “Jaxon’s having a party at his place,” Xander says, “And you’re coming.”

  I grin at his assumption as I turn to Zara. “You up for a party?” I ask.

  She turns towards Aaron with desire in her eyes as she answers my question. “That depends if Aaron’s going?”

  A cocky grin crosses Aaron’s face and I know there’s no chance in hell he’s missing the party tonight. “Fuck yeah, baby. I’ll be there.”

  Xander rolls his eyes at their display. “Right, we’ll take my truck,” he says and without another word, Aaron slips his hand into Zara’s and leads her out the door.

  Xander and I follow behind and he pulls me into his arms as we head out to his truck. “She seems nice,” Xander comments. “You like this one?”

  “Yeah,” I say as I look up at him with a fond smile. “I think I do.”

  “Good, I’m happy for you,” he says, giving me a squeeze.

  A thought strikes me. “Do you have a fight tonight?” I ask.

  He cringes as he looks down at me. “I do,” he says, cautiously, clearly knowing where I’m going with his.

  “Can we come?” I ask.

  “I don’t know, babe,” he says. “It’s dangerous.”

  “What if Aaron came along? I mean, it’s not like he isn’t going to go anyway,” I challenge.

  He’s thoughtful for a moment and I know the idea of taking me anywhere like that kills him, but he’s my man and I want to support him. “Fine,” he grunts finally giving in, though, it’s damn clear he isn’t happy about it, but on the other hand, I know he loved it when I saw him fight last time, like it gives him an extra rush knowing my eyes are on him.

  I grin up at him in victory and he rolls his eyes in surrender. Score one for me.

  We all pile into his truck and we’re half way there when Aaron and Zara start making out in the back seat. Yeah, it’s definitely turning into the best and most interesting night ever.

  ---------

  A few hours later, we pull up at an abandoned warehouse and Zara looks around, completely confused as to why we’ve brought her to a place like this. “You fuckers aren’t bringing me here to kill me, are you?” she questions.

  “No,” I laugh as we hop out of the truck. “Just wait and see. I have a feeling you’ll actually really love it, but if you don’t, we can leave.”

  Her eyes narrow in curiosity as she walks around the building following Xander’s lead to the back entrance. We head in and find Cole, Xander’s trainer, and by the way Zara latches onto Aaron’s hand, it’s clear she’s beginning to work out what kind of place this is.

  There are people everywhere and I have to admit, it’s pretty interesting seeing the ‘behind the scenes’ part of a night like this. There are big bulky men everywhere and I have no doubt these are the contenders for tonight.

  We pass this one guy whose eyes instantly lock on mine. A shiver runs down my body as something screams at me to stay away. I don’t know who this guy is, but there’s no doubt in my mind he’s dangerous.

  We pass by him, but I can’t shake the feeling that his eyes are still on me. I glance back over my shoulder and sure enough, his stare is piercing right into me. “Who is that guy?” I ask Xander.

  “That’s ‘Pitt Bull’, he’s on top of the leader board and he’s pretty pissed that I’m right up there with him.”

  “He looks dangerous,” I murmur.

  “He is,” Xander grunts holding my hand a little tighter.

  The shivers shoot down my body once again. “Are you against him?” I ask, nervously.

  “Not tonight,” he clarifies. “But I will be eventually. He has a… unique style.”

  “Huh?” I grunt.

  “You’ll see,” he says then stops in the hallway to look back at Aaron. “Listen, I don’t like the way ‘Pitt Bull’ keeps looking at Charli. Can you take the girls out to the ring?”

  Aaron nods but Zara cuts off his reply. “Ring? As in a fighting ring?”

  I grin at her reaction. “Yeah,” I clarify with a laugh.

  “Shit,” she says, wide eyed. “This is illegal, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, sort of,” I clarify, once again.

  “Sort of,” Xander scoffs. “There is no ‘sort of’ about it.”

  “Seriously?” she shrieks as she looks back to me. “This is bad ass.”

  Xander rolls his eyes at her excitement and nods to Aaron, gesturing for him to move us along. Aaron does just that, but has the decency to allow me to kiss my man good luck first.

  We head out to the ring and just as expected, the place is packed. This time around, I actually feel a lot safer than I had last time, though, I’m sure that has something to do with the company I’m keeping.

  An hour later, the drinks are flowing and Zara and I are positively wasted, but Aaron seems to have a handle on us.

  The crowd cheers as ‘The Widow Maker’ is announced and it takes me a moment to remember that’s Xander’s silly name. I start jumping up and down cheering as Zara follows suit, clearly working out that it must be Xander’s turn.

  Zara seems to have fallen right in with this crowd and admitted she was secretly impressed to find out I was sitting on a bomb like this. I was nervous that she might have turned out to be more like Lex than I had thought. I quickly dismiss that thought, she’s definitely a good girl at heart, just a little wild when she lets loose, which apparently, Aaron seems to really like.

  Xander appears in the pathway that leads to the ring with Cole right on his heels and from where I’m standing, it looks like he’s giving him a few motivational words or a game plan, who knows? Either way, it looks serious.

  Xander appears in the ring and puts on his little show. The girls in the crowd wolf whistle and call out crass comments, but it’s me he is looking at. “Shit, that’s hot,” Zara comments.

  “Tell me about it,” I say, moments away from needing to fan myself.

  His opponent is called next and this guy looks big. Worry shoots through me even though I know Xander can handle himself. I guess, I can’t help worrying about my man. His ribs are finally starting to improve and I don’t want to see him get hurt again.

  The fight gets started and the noise around me turns into a distant whir. My eyes follow each and every move, cringing with every blow the other guy lands on Xander, though, for every blow, Xander returns twofold.

  This fight seems more intense than the last one I saw and it’s obvious that Xander is making his way up the ranks. He has clearly already taken out all the easy fighters and is moving his way up the ladder.

  The fight carries on and the other guy starts to wear down, but looking at Xander, it’s clear he could do this all night and quite frankly, that knowledge gets me hot. Another few minutes pass before Xander is declared the winner and I feel I can breathe again.

  The crowd cheers around me and money is exchanged between hands.

  A few minutes pass by and Zara raves about how great that was, but I don’t hear a word. My eyes remain locked on the door leading to the backstage area, just waiting for Xander to come out.

  He doesn’t make me wait long before he shows his face. The moment his eyes lock on mine, a cheeky grin takes over his features and I can’t help but laugh. He quickly weaves his way through the crowd and before I know it, I’m wrapped in his arms and lost in his kiss.

  We watch the rest of the fights together with Xander’s arms holding me close. We see the guy Xander had referred to as ‘Pitt Bull’, and the cautiousness around him becomes dead clear. The guy is brutal and he doesn’t hold back. His opponent comes out of the ring with w
hat must be a broken eye socket, a split lip and a massive gauge in his thigh.

  I turn in Xander’s arms so I can look up at him. “You really have to go against that guy?” I ask.

  “Yeah, babe,” he says with a tight smile, trying to keep things positive as he knows, after what I just witnessed, I’m going to be shitting myself with fear when the times comes. “I’ve got a game plan. It’s ok.”

  I press my lips together, unsure if that’s enough to satisfy me, but it will have to do as there really isn’t a lot I can do about it. “The guy is a monster,” I tell him.

  “I know. He fights dirty,” he confirms. I nod my head, not sure what to say to that when he leans down and gently presses his lips to mine. “Come on,” he says. “Let me take you home.”

  “Ok,” I murmur against his lips. We can have the ‘Pitt Bull’ conversation another time, for now, I need to finish this night off right.

  Chapter 16

  Xander

  I take Charli back to my place and I have to admit, the feeling of having her here, knowing she will be staying for a while has all sorts of emotions rising in me and makes me wonder if she might actually move in, though, I hope it’s not too early to ask because one thing I know for sure is this woman is my future.

  After a long ass night at the underground, we had come home and instantly crashed, well, right after I showed her just how much I appreciated her coming to the game and the fight.

  The sound of Charli stirring on Saturday morning wakes me and I pull her into me, not quite ready for this beautiful creature to leave my bed. “Good morning,” I grumble into her hair as I take a deep breath in, smelling the sexy scent of her shampoo.

  “Morning,” she says, turning in my arms so she can plant a kiss on my lips. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Like a fucking baby with you beside me,” I say as I roll us over so I hover above her, letting her feel my erection.

  “Hmm,” she groans as she closes her eyes and opens her legs. She reaches down between our bodies and wraps her tight fist around me, pumps twice and then guides me into her entrance.

  “Ready for me?” I smirk as I push deeper into her.

  “I was hoping for it,” she clarifies as she looks up at me with those smouldering blue eyes.

  Fuck me. I love this woman.

  I keep moving, right up until I’ve got Charli on the edge, ready to detonate, only then do I pick up my pace and watch her as she explodes around me. Her walls clench down as her nails dig into the flesh of my back. She screams out my name and the sound has me coming right along with her.

  I press my forehead to hers as we both desperately try to catch our breaths. “I could get used to waking up like that,” she murmurs.

  I press my lips down to hers. “That’s freaking music to my ears.” Her lips lift up in a smile against mine as those beautiful blue eyes shimmer back at me with happiness. “Got any plans today?” I ask.

  “No,” she says with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

  “Good. I’m taking you out for breakfast,” I say before I look over at my clock which tells me it’s past midday. “Make that lunch.”

  “You’ve got yourself a date.”

  An hour later, we’re sitting in a café, finishing off lunch when my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out, hating the feeling of being rude on our date and consider sliding it back in when I notice its Coach Harris calling.

  My stomach drops and I instantly lose my appetite. “Shit,” I murmur. Charli notices the change immediately, her eyebrows crease and she looks at me with concerns as I hit accept.

  “Hello,” I say into the phone.

  “Xander, It’s Coach Harris. I need to see you in my office ASAP,” he says.

  I press my lips together, knowing exactly what’s happening, though, I thought I might have had a little more time, well, hoped at least. There aren’t that many rounds left in the Underground, so I thought I could at least complete the competition before my world exploded.

  “Yes, coach,” I sigh, “I’m around the corner.”

  “Good,” he grunts before hanging up.

  “Everything ok?” Charli asks as she reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers.

  “That was Coach Harris. He needs to see me in his office,” I explain.

  “Does he know?”

  “He didn’t say, but there’s no other reason he would drag me in on a weekend,” I say. “Did you want me to drop you off at my place first?”

  “No, it’s ok. The rink is around the corner, it’d be silly to go home first. I can come, I mean… If you want me to,” she says, practically stuttering over her words.

  A small smile comes over my lips. “Sure, babe,” I say, “though, there’s no chance in hell Coach will let you in his office. He’ll make you wait outside.”

  “That’s ok,” she sighs. “Let’s go.” She pushes out of her chair and pulls me up out of mine. We head over to the cashier and settle the bill before stepping out into the street. “Come on,” she says, trying to perk me up. “He might let you stay on the team, you never know.”

  “Thanks, babe,” I say as we head across the road in the direction of the ice rink, deciding to walk rather than drive. “But if he knows about the fight, he literally has no choice but to take me off the team.”

  She lets out a sigh as she presses her lips together, clearly deep in thought. We continue walking in silence and before we know it, we’re stepping through the doors of the rink. I find Coach leaning up against the barriers talking schedules with the figure skating coach.

  The figure fairies skate around the ice and for the millionth time, I’m absolutely stumped with how the hell they do the shit they do.

  Coach’s eyes flick to me the second he notices someone approaching. As he takes me in, a furious scowl instantly takes over his features. Shit. This isn’t going to be good.

  His eyes flick to Charli and I have no doubt he’s wondering if this has something to do with her. “You,” he says, pointing me out. “With me. You,” he adds, turning his finger towards Charli. “Take a seat.”

  Charli lets go of my hand and I give Coach a nod as he turns his back and storms in the direction of his office. “You’ll be ok out here?” I ask Charli.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” she says. “I love watching ice skating. It’s beautiful and downright terrifying at the same time.”

  “You’ve got that right,” I murmur as I step away.

  She latches onto my hand and I turn back. “Whatever happens in there, just remember, I love you.”

  My chest fills with emotions as I look down at my future. “I love you, too, babe.”

  She gives me an encouraging smile and releases my hand. I head down the hallway leading to Coach’s office with an awful feeling inside my gut. I knock on the door even though he already knows I’m here.

  “Take a seat,” he grunts as he looks up from his computer.

  I do as I’m told and make it snappy. “What can I do for you, Coach?” I ask.

  His eyes shoot daggers at me and it’s clear he’s mighty pissed off. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You know exactly why you are here, Xander.”

  “Yes, sir,” I say, I may as well own it.

  “Underground fighting?” he confirms, his voice raising a notch in disbelief. I give a curt nod, letting him know we’re on the same page. “How the hell could you be so stupid? You realize I have no choice but to expel you from the team.”

  “Yes, sir. I realize this,” I say.

  “What were you thinking getting involved in fighting?”

  “Honestly, Coach, I was thinking that professional fighting is what I want to do. The NHL is my father’s dream, not mine and I was finally taking a step in my own direction.”

  “So, why the hell did you transfer here and spend half a season on my team if it is not what you want?” he questions.

  “I know it’s a poor excuse and I apologize for wasting your time, however, I was given no choice. Yo
u’ve met my father, you know what he’s like,” I explain. “My whole life, he has made it clear that my future is the NHL. I have never wanted that. I started MMA when I was eleven and instantly knew that’s what I wanted to do. My father practically kicked my ass when he learned I’d been training in fighting and made it clear that if I ever strayed from the plan, I’d lose everything.”

  “How so?”

  “Anything with monetary value would be taken to teach me a lesson. I’d be disowned. My father has pretty much set up my life that I am constantly depending on him. College is paid month by month, my trust account has a daily limit, and even my home and truck have been bought in his name all so he can use it as leverage against me. In my father’s eyes, If I don’t go through to the NHL, I’ll be disowned and lose everything.”

  “Go on,” Coach instructs.

  I take a deep breath and continue my explanation. “I sought out a gym early in the year so I could continue my MMA training and I was informed about the underground, which, with my skills, I knew I had a good chance of winning.”

  “How does winning an illegal fight have anything to do with hockey?” he asks.

  “Each fight, the winner takes home a sum of money, as you progress up the leader board that sum increases. So, with the winnings I have already earned, I can put a deposit on my own home and be out from under my father’s trap. If I was to win the competition, I could put myself through college, build my own gym and train for the professional circuit,” I tell him. “I know illegal fighting is not ideal, but it’s all I’ve got at the moment.”

  He lets out a sigh. “You’re one of my best player’s Xander and it kills me that this is the situation you’re in, but I have no other options. I have to let you go.”

  “I understand, Coach,” I nod.

  “What am I going to tell the boys?” he murmurs to himself.

  I look down at my hands, unsure how to answer that but I go on anyway. “Coach. It may not seem like it, but hockey has been a part of my life for a long time and I’m honestly devastated that I can no longer be a part of this team. I love hockey, but it’s not my passion and I hope you can understand that I need to do what’s right for me.”