I didn’t bother denying it. His words flowed through me, making me tremble for real. I knew it wasn’t the fight that made me feel dizzy and warm. It was him, always him.
He gripped the back of my neck and used his thumb to angle my face up to his. “You're a foolish little fangirl who came to get a taste of a champion.” His other hand went to his towel and shucked it off, revealing his beautifully large cock. I struggled not to whimper at the sight, I missed it so much. Then he was shoving me to my knees and palming his cock. He bent it forward and brushed it against my lips. I immediately licked at it, wanting to taste him.
“Come on, my slutty fangirl, suck that dick like you mean it.”
I glanced up at him, pissed that he would call me that but also extremely turned on. I don't know what it was about the degradation that seemed to make my brain flood with lust. I opened my mouth, and Jordan pushed in deep. I used my hands to hold him while I suckled the head, savoring Jordan's taste.
He put his hands on the lockers behind me and leaned forward, watching me take him. He was so hard on my tongue and my mouth struggled to take him as deep as I wanted. I was out of practice.
“What’s wrong? Too big for you?” he said.
I drew my mouth back and glared up at him, seeing the challenge there. I licked my lips and opened wide, keeping my eyes on him as I opened my throat and took him as far as I could. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. I did it again and his breathing picked up.
“That's it, my little groupie. Take my thick cock into your slutty throat. Show me how much you want it.”
I moaned around his cock, his words creating a flood between my thighs. I picked up speed once I got used to it again.
It was strange, but I wanted to show Jordan what a good little slut I was for him. In this moment, Jordan was a god, and I was a mere mortal, just grateful that he would use my mouth for his pleasure.
Suddenly, I felt him grip my hair, and then he was shoving his cock into my mouth. He was fucking my face, hard and brutal. I could only take each thrust he forced on me. But this was how Jordan liked his head and I was always willing. In fact, I loved it as much as he did, his dominance and aggression.
He started to growl, which meant he was coming soon. I reached up and massaged his balls, making him grunt. Hot liquid coated my throat, and I moaned. I sucked down every drop and licked all I could from his shaft, like a good little slut.
I got to my feet, feeling happy for the first time in months. I leaned into him for a kiss, but Jordan stepped back.
“Thanks, babe, but that is all a fangirl gets,” he said.
I blinked.
I was frozen in place, and I had no doubt that my confusion and hurt were showing on my face. After all, I always thought he was the man I didn’t need to hide those feelings from.
But he had on his mask again. Indifference was on his face, but I could see anger simmering in his eyes.
Suddenly, I got it. He wanted to hurt me. He let me have this intimate act, making me think we were sharing it like before. But he was only using it to push me further away. Jordan knew all my weaknesses, and he was exploiting them. He was the only one I'd ever been physical with, so he was trying to convince me that it meant nothing to him.
Then I thought of something. Jordan and I hadn’t spoken since my date with Rafe. Was this payback for going on a date with another man?
“I'll remember that,” I said, giving him a smirk of my own. I walked toward the door and placed my hand on the handle. “I have to go. I think I’ll find Rafe. Maybe he's a little more generous as not to leave me wanting.”
Jordan lunged for me, but I bolted out the door and down the hall. His nudity kept him from pursuing me, but the look on his face promised retribution.
Jordan knew me, but I knew him, too. Jealousy was a weakness that I could exploit. As much as he pushed me away, he still couldn't stand the thought of another man in my bed. I walked back to the bar, feeling happy again. I’d been in Vegas for weeks without Jordan touching me. Then I go on a date with another man and he literally shoved his dick down my throat. I had been feeling guilty about going on a date with Rafe, but now I realized that it was exactly what I needed to do to make Jordan show his real feelings.
I knew I’d have to play this right. I would be using Rafe to get to Jordan. I knew it wasn’t right. But Jordan's possessiveness was the only real weapon I had in this battle, and I was going to use it until one of us broke.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jordan
“Good fight,” Rafe said as I sat next to him, still buttoning the cuffs on my dress shirt.
“Great fight,” Tristen said, coming up next to me. “Can I get the champion a drink?” She leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Or something else to take the edge off?” I knew what she meant, and even if Cece hadn’t just sucked me dry, I still cringed at the thought of Tristen touching me.
“Thanks, but someone already took care of that,” I said honestly.
She leaned back. “Who?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t catch her name. I’ll take a bourbon.”
She stood with a huff and walked away. Tristen’s eagerness to pleasure me just made me feel even worse for what just happened in the locker room.
I was always above jealousy until Cece came into my life. Now every man was a threat. My little brother had been nothing compared to Rafe though. Greg was young and stupid, but Rafe was rich, good-looking, and charming, everything a woman like Cece deserved. I hated him like never before, and I turned that hate on Cece. She was used to my domination, but I never went so far as degrading her. Not that she seemed to mind. I treated her like a whore, and she soaked it up, making me all the rougher when I was fucking her throat. If things were different, I would have cuddled her and told her how much I loved her after using her that way. Instead, I pushed her away.
I nearly took it back when I saw the hurt in her face. But I stood firm. She needed to hate me so much that she would leave.
But Cece knew me well. She saw right through my cool attitude and threw Rafe back at me.
“You still look a little amped,” Rafe said.
“Yeah,” I responded, without looking at him.
“How about we go out after the last fight? The tail around here is a little stale,” he said casually.
“I thought you were after Cece?” I said, trying to keep the growl out of my voice when I said her name.
I looked over at him and he shrugged. “I don’t know. Our date went well, but she wouldn’t let me do more than kiss her.”
Cece let him kiss her. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling so guilty about the locker room. “Sounds like the friend zone to me,” I said.
“I think she is just hung up on her ex. The asshole messed with her head and now she’s got walls up.”
The asshole. Sounds like me.
“Plenty of fish, man,” I said as I took a sip of the bourbon Tristen just handed to me.
“Yeah … but not with that ass,” he said, smirking at me like the devil.
Well, that is true.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Cece
After the night in the locker room, Jordan and I went back to our cold war. No words were spoken, or actions taken, but the tension was there, making every room feel like a pressure chamber if we were both in it. And I don’t think the hostility went unnoticed by our fellow employees. In fact, it was confirmed when Joni came up to me after a fight one night.
“What is up with you and Jordan?”
I paused while drying glasses. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, the way he looks at you. It’s like he wants to kill you and kiss you all at once.”
I avoided her gaze, going back to my task. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Come on,” she said as she picked up a towel to help me. “Is he jealous that you are dating the boss?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you think he is jealous?”
“All I know is that Trist
en is frustrated as hell with him.”
I felt a stabbing pain in my chest. “Why? Are they together?”
“No, but she has been chasing him. She says he is the only man who hasn’t flirted with her while she has been here, and she has made it her mission to make him fall in love, like every other man she has ever encountered,” Joni said, rolling her eyes.
The pain lessened a little bit. “Maybe Jordan is gay. I mean, I haven’t seen him with anyone,” I suggested.
She shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. But I definitely don’t get that vibe.” She sat down a glass and leaned against the bar. “Whenever I even stand near him, I get this tingle through my lady parts like he might bend me over a flat surface at any moment.”
I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. “Are you crushing on him, too?” I asked jokingly even though the ache was back.
“No, he is a little too much for me. He may be a sex god, but I can see there is more going on with that man than he would admit. I can see it.”
“What do you see?” I asked quietly.
“Pain,” she said with a sad smile.
I turned away, unsure what to say knowing that I might be the cause of that pain. Jordan hurt me first, so I should be happy, but I was finding revenge to be bitter and empty.
****
It was the day after Thanksgiving when Rafe held a staff meeting for the first time. We all gathered in the gym, not sure what to expect. When Rafe entered the room, Jordan was right behind him. I looked at him for just a few seconds. It seemed strange that I couldn’t see the pain that Joni mentioned. He looked strong, confident, and handsome as always. Maybe she was wrong. Or maybe my eyes refused to see it.
Rafe climbed into the ring so he could use it as a stage. “Thank you all for coming,” he said to the room, giving me a small smile when his eyes met mine. We’d been on a few more dates. Two were just dinner while another was a movie. He was still pushing for a romantic long-term relationship whenever he could. He held my hand every chance he got, asked me intimate questions about my childhood, and listened to me vent about my day without a hint of boredom. He even invited me to spend Christmas with him and his family. I politely declined, knowing I wouldn’t be here that much longer, but he insisted that I keep the option open.
Rafe had also been a gentleman on every date, taking the time to know me without even hinting at taking thing to a physical level other than the hand holding. I’d admit that it was extremely confusing. With Greg, he had always been pushing for the physical. Every effort he made at talking had the expectation that he would be rewarded with at least a hand-job at the end of the conversation. Then there was Jordan, who had established our relationship on the physical, using my own urges to make a relationship where I didn’t want one.
I stole a glance at Jordan to see him looking at me. He expression was unreadable. I saw only a businessman looking over his employees. I had been hoping that my dates with Rafe would push Jordan into action again. But he did nothing, which couldn’t hurt worse than him tearing out my heart straight through my chest.
I returned my attention to Rafe as he began to speak. “I called this meeting because I wanted to invite you all to dinner tonight. We have had a great beginning to this venture, and I want to show my appreciation for each one of you. We’ll have our own little Thanksgiving feast.”
Everyone clapped, and I joined in.
“It will be at Villiano’s at eight o’clock, so everyone dress your best. I expect to see every one of you there,” he said and then left the ring.
I went to follow the other girls back to our rooms, but my hand was snagged by Rafe. “Hey, don’t leave. I have plans for you,” he said before he turned to Jordan. “I’ll meet you at the restaurant at eight. Call me if you need anything.”
Jordan just nodded and turned away.
“Come on,” Rafe said, tugging me toward the exit.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“I’m taking you shopping. I want you in a gown tonight,” he said with one of his debonair smiles.
I rolled my eyes. “Rafe, I don’t need—”
“I insist,” he said.
I followed him to the hallway but glanced back just for a moment. Jordan was standing in the doorway of the office, watching us go.
Rafe took me to a boutique in Caesar’s Palace that had all the high-end designers. I tried to refuse, but he wouldn’t hear it. I picked out three to try on, and Rafe picked six, saying he wanted to see each one on me.
It did make me feel a little like Pretty Woman, but I also felt the guilt that had been in my chest ever since I started dating Rafe. He really was too good for me. I dreaded the day that I would finally give up on Jordan and leave Vegas. It would be soon. And I would not only have to suffer my broken heart but potentially Rafe’s as well.
The last gown I tried on was royal blue with a V-neck and spaghetti straps that went over the shoulder and under the arm to leave my back completely bare. The waist was high, and the skirt was flowy and light, swishing around my legs as I walked. I absolutely loved it. When I came out of the dressing room, Rafe looked up from his phone and his mouth opened.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“Like it? You look ravishing,” he said. His eyes turned dark for a moment, and I’m pretty sure it was lust that I was seeing there. I couldn’t help but blush, and for a moment I let myself imagine myself with Rafe. Would he be gentle or rough? Which would I prefer? All too soon, I was thinking of Jordan and his roughness fringed with gentle.
I shook my head to brush the memories away and looked down at the price tag. “This is too much,” I said.
“I insist,” Rafe said for the fourth time tonight. He turned to the salesgirl. “She’ll need shoes, too.”
After the store, he sent me to the spa for a massage and then the salon to get my hair and make-up done. I kept the make-up simple and had my hair put up in a low bun that was made up of intricate braiding.
It was almost eight when Rafe picked me up. He was already dressed in a fabulous tux and drove us to the restaurant. He held my hand on the drive over, and I found my palm sweating. I felt like holding hands was too intimate for the lie I was telling. When the driver stopped, I reached for the door, but Rafe stopped me. “Wait. I have something for you.”
He handed me a jewelry box, and I immediately started shaking my head. I quickly handed it back to him. “No, Rafe. I’m not accepting anymore.”
“Then consider it on loan, just for tonight,” he said taking a necklace out of the box.
I turned and let him clasp it behind my neck. His fingers trailed down my spine, and I shivered a little. His touch wasn’t unpleasant, just different. I looked down to see a large diamond pendant in the middle of my chest. It was beautiful but felt heavy, like an anchor around my neck.
Rafe came around to my side of the car and opened the door. I stepped out to be greeted by Gary, Benny, and Jordan.
“Wow, Cece,” Benny said.
“Yes. She is truly a goddess amongst mortals,” Rafe said as he came to my side. “Shall we?” Rafe put his hand on my lower back, his thumb touching my exposed skin. I shivered a little, knowing Jordan was right behind us. I glanced over my shoulder to see his gaze zeroed on Rafe’s hand, looking deadly. When his eyes lifted to mine, I gave him a knowing smirk. His lip curled in a snarl, but he quickly hid it as we walked further into the restaurant.
Rafe had reserved a room for our party, and we all filed in. He pulled out the chair next to the head of the table and gestured for me to sit. I thanked him as he took his seat. I spotted Joni at the other end, sitting with the younger fighters and fought not to roll my eyes at her.
Jordan sat opposite me, and Tristen sat next to him. She looked gorgeous, as always, with a green strapless gown highlighting her beautiful skin and her hair in perfect curls around her shoulders.
This is going to suck, I thought.
I picked up a menu and felt a little queasy.
/> “Something wrong, dear?” Rafe asked.
“I’ve never eaten at a restaurant like this. I’m not sure what any of these things mean,” I said, gesturing to the words written in Italian.
He grabbed my hand. “How about I choose something for you? Would you trust me?”
“That would be lovely, yes.”
Jordan was speaking with Tristen, but I saw him glance at our hands and he didn’t look away until the waiter arrived.
After everyone ordered, Rafe stood.
“As you all know, we are here to celebrate. The last few weeks have been an enormous success, beyond our wildest expectations,” he said with a gesture to Jordan. “Tonight, I want each one of you to have fun. That means order anything you want and drink as much as you want. Tonight is on me because this business would not have been a success without each one of you.” He put a hand on my shoulder, showing me extra attention. I blushed, trying not to look at Jordan. Rafe raised his glass. “Here’s to you.”
Everyone raised their glasses before clinking them together for the toast.
I sipped a little at the wine. Sometimes taking drinks but mostly just letting it touch my lips before I put it back down.
I glanced across the table at Jordan to find him glaring back at me. I was so sick of that look.
I ate my steak, and I thanked Rafe for making such a wonderful choice. The conversation flowed, and everyone seemed to be having a good time, except for Jordan. He couldn’t seem to get into the spirit, and I knew why. Rafe was touching me every few minutes. Nothing overtly sexual but possessive and I could see the anger growing in Jordan’s face. It was like he wasn’t even trying to hide it. This was a terrible idea, I thought as my stomach twisted. I should have told Rafe I was sick or something.
After I was done eating, I stood up to go to the bathroom, needing a break from Jordan’s intense glare. “Excuse me,” I said.
Rafe, ever the gentleman, stood up as well and helped me out of my chair.
“I’ll come with you,” Tristen announced. She stood up, but Jordan didn’t bother to help her.
Battlefield (The Covenant Book 2) Page 19