by KL Donn
“It was a joke,” Mac defended.
“They were just being them. They had no idea who she was.” Soph helped Mac out.
“Who. Said. What?” Levi’s voice was damn near deadly by then.
Sighing, Soph finally answered him. “Joey joked you were probably at home banging some girl from the weekend.”
Blood rushed through him at her words. “Fuck!” he yelled, slamming his hand on the counter making Soph jump and Nox come screaming out of his office.
“What the fuck?”
“I’m gonna kill Joey,” he warned and was off into the shop, fully intent on stringing the little bastard up by his neck on one of the hoists.
Shoving Joey across the room had Asher stepping back.
“What the hell, man?”
“You have a big fucking mouth, Joe, and in a second here, I’m gonna make sure you never open it again.” His snarled words dropped lower the more he advanced on the man scrabbling backwards.
“I didn’t fucking do nothing.”
Levi didn’t give him a chance to get anything else out as he pounced on him. His mind cleared, and instinct took over as he levelled the man with punch after punch to the face, ribs, kidneys, anywhere he could. It wasn’t until Nox pulled him off and slammed him to the ground that he realized what he’d done. Joey was on the concrete next to him bruised and bleeding.
“Are you fucking stupid, Levi?” Nox growled in his ear from above him. Anger laced his words.
“Fucker needs to keep his goddamn mouth shut,” he snapped back.
“He okay?” Nox ignored Levi, asking Asher about the bigmouth cocksucker.
Groaning, Joey sat up with help. As he spit the blood from his mouth, he shot a glare at Levi and hissed, “Fucker hits like a damn girl.”
“You son of a bitch!” Levi bucked under Nox’s weight, wanting to go at the other man again.
“Levi?” Her sweet fucking voice.
Nox wouldn’t let up off his body. “Get the fuck off me, Nox!” Rolling over, he was able to dislodge his brother from on top of him.
Jumping to his feet, he bolted for the door between the office and shop, and there she fucking was. Standing with Soph, looking worried as fuck.
“I wasn’t with anyone else. I swear to fucking God, Hayes. It’s only you.” His voice was feral as his hands delved into her gorgeous red hair, her hazel eyes full of shock. Before she could respond, his mouth was on hers. A need to claim her drove through his system.
She responded immediately, opening up for him, touching her tongue to his as he plundered her. Bruising her soft lips with his own. He couldn’t help it, not with the way he was feeling. He was raw like an open wound.
“Levi?” She pulled away, and he growled at the loss. “What’s going on?”
“Boy needs to be on a leash.” Joey yapped off at the mouth behind him.
“You shut your fucking mouth before I break it!” Levi promised him. He would, too.
“Swearing,” Hayes admonished him in a whisper. Soph laughed. “Did you do that to him?” She sounded amazed.
“He lied to you.” He shrugged.
“Apologize.”
He turned to look at her, wondering about her sanity. “I know what you were thinking when you left here, Hayes. No fucking way.”
“Yes.”
Stubborn woman. “I won’t. He made you doubt me, and frankly, I should put you over my knee for that alone. I settled for smashing his face in.” He crossed his arms defiantly.
She stared at him.
When tears began pooling in her eyes, he started to waver. “Son of a bitch.” He turned to Joey, who had a smug fucking look on his bloody face. “I shouldn’t have bashed your mug in.”
“Levi,” she prompted him again. Nox and Asher were fighting back their laughter at his unease.
“Fuck. Fine. I’m sorry, Joey.” Her arms wrapped around him from behind. Her hands roamed up his chest, and he was done. Turning around, he bent over, draping her body over his shoulder and carried her out. “I’m out for the day, Nox!” Levi called over his shoulder as Hayes laughed and smacked his ass.
They nearly crashed through the front door of Levi’s house as he carried Hayes in, legs wrapped around his hips and mouths fused together.
She didn’t’ know what it was about him defending her honor that was such a huge turn on, but it did the trick. She couldn’t help herself when he went all caveman. Clothes flew from their bodies in every direction as they stumbled their way up the stairs. Not even half way up and Levi had her pinned down, one step digging into her back, yet she couldn’t care less about anything but the way he made her feel.
“After graduation,” he mumbled into her neck, “I want you moving in.” She froze, he continued his sensual assault on her body. “You’ll still go to school in the fall.” he murmured in her ear as he nibbled on the lobe. “When you’re done, you’ll be the nutritionist in my new gym.”
She wasn’t sure what shocked her more, the fact that he was thinking so far ahead, or the bomb he just dropped on her. “Gym?”
“Later, sugar. I need you now.” And that was the only answer she got as he slowly slid his pulsing cock into her tight channel.
They started out slow, eyes meeting, breaths catching. Light kisses to the chest and neck as he slowly slid in and out of her in a delicious rhythm. They grew more frantic when he rubbed a sensitive spot inside of her, making her scream and convulse around his cock as her back arched off the step.
“Hang on, baby,” he groaned as he hiked her legs around his waist and picked up his bruising pace. He dipped his head as he latched onto one of her nipples, sucking and biting gently.
Her body burned for more of him, for everything he could give her. “More, Levi, please,” she begged without remorse.
Her orgasm was quick and swift as it swept through her frame, triggering his release. He climbed over the edge of bliss right along with her.
Laying on the stairs in a tangled mess of limbs and sweat, Levi cradled Hayes to his chest like she was the most precious gift he’d ever been given.
“Gym, huh?” she questioned again. He laughed lightly against her neck.
Picking her up in his arms, he slowly made the way to his room. Collapsing on the bed on top of her and still embedded deeply inside of her, he began to explain his thoughts and ideas.
“Fighting was never going to be my life. The MMA, title matches, the spotlight, none of that shit’s for me.” She didn’t think he was a glory hound. “I started fighting on a whim. My winnings have always gone to charity.” She wasn’t shocked.
“Why did you start?”
He looked at her, really connecting with her soul as he answered. “It was just before Nox met Soph. I was in a bar with some girl I was seeing when I got into a fight. Casper hauled me out before the cops showed up and I could be charged with assault—the other guys were fine—but Casper saw a need for purpose in me and pounced like a lion.”
“He used you.” It seemed that way to her.
“I think it was mutual. I made him money, he gave me an outlet for the emptiness I’d been feeling. After Nox and Soph started seeing each other, I finally realized what it was that I was missing, and I wanted it for myself. I was jealous and bitter, and the fights got worse. I never lost, though.”
“And now? How do you feel about everything?”
Levi’s smirk as he flexed his cock inside of her caused her to emit a gasp from her lips that was sexy as hell. “I think you know how I feel, Hayes.”
About her, she did. Or she had a pretty good idea, but neither were ready to say it yet. “I mean about the fighting. The MMA. Is it something you’re considering now?”
He thought about it for a minute before saying, “Not anymore.” His fingers traced her face as their eyes met. “You’re a game changer for me, sugar. I’ve been a lucky son of a bitch so far, but there have been plenty of times I shouldn’t have walked out of that ring. I have three fights left, and I’m done
.”
“That’s where the gym comes in?”
“It is. I like the exhilaration and blood-pumping rush I get from a fight. I always will. But I want it in a more controlled and less volatile environment.”
“And you want me there?”
“Every step of the way.”
She couldn’t stop the smile from transforming her features. His confidence in them, in her, was worth so much more than any gift.
“I would really love to be part of it.”
“Good.” He kissed her lightly, pulling them both up off the bed. “Get ready for school, and I’ll drop you off since I assume you have to actually go today?”
She shrugged. “I’m done with the tests, it’s mostly a bunch nonsense remaining.”
He levelled her with a hard look. “I promised your folks you’d finish and go, and that I wouldn’t steal you away until after graduation. Just go. Don’t tempt me.”
The pained look on his face had her laughing while she cleaned up and got ready. What she hadn’t been prepared for was the soul-stealing kiss he left her with on the front steps of her high school.
Chapter Twelve
Distance makes the heart grow fonder.
Levi was going insane. He hadn’t seen Hayes in two days since he dropped her off at school on Monday, and even though they texted throughout the day and talked on the phone at night, he missed her like crazy.
He wanted to get as much training in for his fight next Saturday against some new guy Casper, the fucking weasel, was bringing into the circuit. Levi figured it was the son of a bitch’s way of getting back at him for calling it quits. His match against Tiny was this coming Saturday, and while he knew the other man could easily beat him, they had a plan to put Casper in his place by allowing Levi to win. Knowing that Casper was likely going to bet against him.
Waiting outside Hayes’ school for her, he’d planned to surprise her with a workout at the gym before taking her to dinner at his mom’s place. Lorraine felt horrible for the way she’d treated his girl when they first met and had been badgering him ever since to bring her by so they could officially meet.
“Hey, man,” Brett, Hayes’ friend, called rounding the side of the school dressed in football gear.
“How you doin’?” Levi asked him, not taking his eyes off the front doors.
Brett stood next to him for a couple of minutes before clearing his throat and said, “Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.”
“A real one.”
“Shoot.”
“This thing with you and Hayes,” he had Levi’s full attention now. “How do you deal with the age difference?”
Levi got a good look at the younger man, assessing him, and what he saw was a need for acceptance. He just didn’t know about what.
“Thing is, Brett, Hayes is eighteen. Legal in every sense of the word. I don’t give two shits what anyone thinks, and I’m pretty sure the only people she gives a damn about are her folks.”
“But you did.” The prick. “How’d you move past that? How’d you know you could?” He got the sense Brett wasn’t trying to be a dick but was genuinely interested.
“Who is she?” Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the man was interested in a younger girl.
“Her name’s Allegra. She’s barely fifteen, and I can’t knock her from my mind.”
“Damn, boy.” He whistled. Quite the predicament. “You going away for college?”
“Got a full ride to Notre Dame for football.”
“She know this?”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “We’ve never spoken.”
Levi couldn’t help the bark of laughter that erupted from him. “You’re worse than me, kid. Talk to her, find out what the hell her plans are. See if she’s interested in you.”
“Can’t get her to stop shuffling when I try and talk to her. It’s like she doesn’t see the world around her.”
“Then you’ve gotta make her notice you, man. Give her a reason to.”
Before any more could be said, the bell rang, and Hayes came darting out the front doors. Dustin hot on her heels.
“I’m gonna whoop that boy’s ass,” Levi muttered as he walked forward, Brett following along.
“Shit,” the other guy said.
Hayes hadn’t seen him yet; she was occupied with trying to ignore the fool who was going to be eating his teeth for a month.
“Come on, Hayes, surely you don’t want some reject.” Dustin pleaded with her.
She spun so fast her knee tweaked, but she ignored it to blast Dustin. “You moron. How can you be so stupid to even ask again? I’ve said no to any date with you about a dozen times now, and yet you still continue. Why? Do you enjoy the rip to your ego? Do you like being emasculated? Do you get your jollies off by annoying girls? What is your damn problem?”
Dustin took an antagonistic step towards her, and Hayes growled at the much larger kid, actually fucking growled. Levi had to hold his laughter in so he didn’t piss her off.
“Don’t you try and intimidate me you son of a bitch. I will hand your ass to you on a rotten fucking platter,” she snapped.
Levi couldn’t help it any longer. He placed his hands on Hayes’ hips and pressed his chest to her back, whispering in her ear. “Careful, sugar, you’re starting to sound like me.”
Dustin’s snort, followed by, “Fucking pussy,” had Levi’s head whipping up to glare at the guy.
“You’ve seen me in the ring, right, Dusty boy? You know the damage I can and will do. So, tell me why you keep coming after my girl?”
“Get the hell out of here Dustin before he kicks your teeth down your throat,” Brett warned. Dustin looked like he wanted to say more but decided against it and stormed off.
“I didn’t know you were coming today.” Hayes grinned at Levi as she turned around.
“Your knee okay?” he asked her instead. He knew what tweaking it could do to her.
“Huh?” She looked down like it would give her an answer. “Fine.”
“Good. Let’s go. I’ve got a mat with your name on it.” She blushed furiously at the innuendo. “Get your mind out of the gutter, girl, we’re going to the gym.”
“Later, guys!” Brett called as they parted.
Teacher’s glared at him as they walked back to his car. He didn’t’ give a fuck, but he knew Hayes was going to catch some flack for it, so he glared right back at them as he helped her into the passenger seat of the car.
“Christ, woman.” Cam panted as Levi continued his heckling on the edge of the ring. After Hayes had gone a round with Levi, simply wearing him out by moving around so quickly, Cam had wanted in on it.
He told her it was good for them if and when they fought a smaller guy. Someone quicker than their larger frames. She continued to duck, dodge, and taunt them both as they danced around the ring.
She knew they were letting her get away with most of the stuff she was doing. Oddly, she was okay with it because it meant she could tease them about it later.
“Wooo, you got chicks fighting in here?” A deep voice called from somewhere behind her just as Cam was taking a swing at her head. Pain burned through her skull as she was knocked to the ground. Her ears rang as Levi stood above her, worry lines framing his eyes.
“I’m okay.” She swatted his hands away as he tried asking her how many fingers he was holding up. “Cam hits like a girl, anyway.”
“I resent that,” he muttered helping her to her feet with Levi.
“Spell it, then you can say it,” she said jokingly.
“Hayes,” Levi gripped her face in his hands. “Are you okay?” He helped her take the headgear off that he’d insisted she wear before entering the ring.
“Cross my heart, Levi. Kind of glad you made me wear the gear now, though.”
His eyes searched her face for any marks or indications that she was in any way injured. It was sweet but unnecessary. Hitting the hard mat hurt more than the actual pun
ch.
“So, who’s the babe?” That voice again, only closer.
“Nice knowing you, man,” Cam commented to the stranger as he lounged against the ropes.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Levi snapped and snarled like a rabid dog as he spun on the man. “You don’t fucking walk in and make a bunch of fucking noise when there are people in the ring. Are you fucking stupid?”
Hayes got a good look at the newcomer as Levi stepped closer. While he wasn’t as tall as Levi’s nearly six-foot-two frame, he probably had thirty pounds on him.
“Levi, it’s not a big deal.” She tried to reason with him before his temper unleashed the beast.
“It’s a very big fucking deal!” he shouted. Not at her, but at the moron smirking at Levi’s loss of control, and she had a feeling that’s what the man was trying to do. Her gaze sought out Cam in the corner, pleading for him to step in. “She could have been fucking injured!”
Stepping in front of Levi, Hayes had a feeling she was the peacekeeper of the day as Cam shrugged at her. The bonehead wanted a fight.
Plastering her back to Levi’s front and knowing he wouldn’t keep advancing on the other man with her between them, she said to him, “Hi, I’m Hayes.”
“Rocko.” He folded his arms across his chest trying for a supreme stance. As his eyes travelled her body, she wished she’d put on something other than her sports bra and running shorts.
She sensed the exact moment his eyes locked on her scars. It was chilling the way he made her feel so insignificant with just the one scathing look. Disgust and revulsion masked his once cocky expression.
“You son of a bitch. I should fucking pound you here and now,” Levi threatened, seeing the same thing she had.
The jerk laughed like the threat meant nothing to him. As if Levi couldn’t do a thing to the other man.
“You’re Casper’s new whipping boy,” Cam commented from the corner as Tiny came out from the back room. The fighter’s spine straightened at the blatant mockery in the words.