I Am Lioness (The Bloodshed Series Book 1)

by Dee Garcia

  “I'm proud of you, baby. So damn proud of you.” I added, prompting her to ease back.

  “Thank you, Coach Carr.” She said, one corner of her blood-stained mouth hiking up in a smile. “Now take me home.”

  I grinned, admiring every facet of her being, from her beauty to her bravery. “Your wish is my command, Miss Perry.”

  The fight in Miami left me stunned for days. I couldn't get over the fact that Ashley Fierce had almost taken me out. I hadn't admitted it to Knox, but for the first time ever, I'd experienced bone-chilling fear in the cage that night.

  The blinding white haze that clouded my vision was the scariest part of it all. I didn't know what to think. I could hear the crowd chanting for me, could hear Knox practically roaring his in fear, but nothing could get me to refocus.

  The clock was ticking and I knew if I didn't move, the ref would count me out soon. Just when I thought I was seconds away from defeat, a little voice inside my head urged me to breathe, to focus, to get on my feet and show the true extent of my strength.

  It was too familiar and while it shook me to my core, I took it as a sign from my old man himself, and with that thought in mind, I was able to deliver to stun punch that took Fierce out cold.

  Our next stop on tour was D.C. and I could not have been more happy to leave Miami behind, my fear along with it.

  The Capital was a beautiful place to visit, although I’d never actually done any sightseeing the last three times I’d been here. Bernie loved traveling and exploring but he treated the season as business, which essentially it was, and I never protested because he was right.

  It was more important for me to spend several hours training versus spending them amidst large crowds to stare at buildings and memorials we’d seen many a times in print.

  Knox had never been to D.C. though and I could tell he was intrigued, so we dedicate one day to visiting all the usual touristy spots and doing all the typical touristy things before jumping back into beast mode.

  Three days after arriving, we hit the gym for the first time after my fight with Fierce. I was eager to get things going again after some time off but for whatever reason, Knox was going easy on me.

  I wasn’t having it though which lead to us hashing it out in the middle of the gym, my case being semi-finals were just two stops away and his being that I took some pretty hard hits to the head.

  I knew he was still worried about the whole white-out issue, hell I was too, but I couldn’t let that slow me down or stop me forever. Taking hits like that were part of my world and while they weren’t the norm for me to be on the receiving end, Knox was going to have to come to terms with the fact that I risked a repeat every time I stepped into cage.

  Thankfully he didn't argue with me long, obviously realizing it was a good thing I was intent on moving forward, and soon enough we were back to training as usual.

  At the end of the first week, we made it to the gym sometime after lunch. It was surprisingly busy for a Sunday and with no sparring ring in this facility, Knox and I headed our separate ways for a little while.

  I loved training with him, really I did, but it was nice to have some alone time and just get in the zone on my own. Forty-five minutes in, after hitting the treadmill and the elliptical, I was mid-sumo squats with the help of my trusty kettle bell, when a voice I was all too familiar with boomed behind me.

  “Heard you almost got knocked out in Miami, Lioness.”

  Lexi.

  My blood instantly boiled. I pivoted to face her, meeting her beady black-eyed stare.

  “Heard you actually got knocked out on opening night. Way to go, champ.” I retorted.

  Lexi’s lip curled at the reminder. “She got lucky.”

  “Yeah, that's what they all say.” I said sarcastically.

  She took a step toward me, narrowing her eyes. “I'm taking my title back this year, Perry.”

  Wrong.

  “Yeah? Isn't that what you said last year and the year before that as well? Less talking, Panterra. More action."

  She growled, the sound vibrating from deep within her chest, but it didn’t phase. She was all bark, no bite.

  “Now if you'll excuse me, I'm here to actually get shit done, not hide away in the shadows and run my mouth behind the safety of my phone screen.”

  “Who said I was hiding?” She snapped.

  “No one said it, the fact you've made yourself very scarce after that KO says it all. It's okay to be scared, Lexi. You should be, especially since you know damn well you're leaving the finals empty handed…. again.”

  “Remember that when you're coming to after I beat the shit out of you.” She snarled.

  I laughed, actually laughed out loud. “Whatever you say. Now do me a favor and get the hell away from me before I give you a preview of what the finals will really be like.”

  Her lips thinned, her hands clenched into fists, but she backed away, glaring a hole through my head. I flipped her the bird and took a deep breath, refocusing my attention on my workout rather than allowing her unexpected appearance to throw me off and sour the rest of my day.

  Continuing where I left off, I bent my knees and kept my back straight as I squatted low. Counting the reps in my head, I watched two young women hop on the leg press machines not too far away from me.

  They were loud, chatty, and clearly here for all the wrong reasons. After one set of ten reps, they moved over to the leg curl machine, taking turns this time since there was only one. Once again, they went through one set, ten reps each.

  Talk about a record timing work out. I had to bite back a laugh as I watched them high-five each other and wipe down the machine with a clean towel and some disinfectant.

  “He's a beast.” I heard one say abruptly in an unnecessarily breathy tone.

  From the corner of my eye I caught her fanning herself with her hand, because you know, apparently it was scorching hot in here.

  “He's hella fine is what he is.” Her friend corrected her.

  “Mhmm. And those tattoos? Yum!”

  They giggled in unison with a hand at their mouths.

  I rolled my eyes, bending down in another squat, my kettle-bell flying up with the motion.

  “He's lifting those chains like they weigh nothing! Are you seeing him?!”

  The squealing that ensued was absolutely ridiculous. I had every urge to spin in a circle and clock them both with the weight in my hands.

  They went on and on and eventually I grew very intrigued. Out of pure curiosity as to who this so-called beast was they were gushing over, I stole a peek over my shoulder.

  OH. HELL. NO.

  At the back of the gym—where they had been gawking—was Knox with a monstrous set of thick, silver chains in his hands, his lips curved in a concentrated snarl each time he brought them back up toward his chest in a curl.

  Even from my vantage point, I could see his arms flex and ripple with the fluid movement, his pecs hardening under the strain of all the weight. My mouth may have watered a little.

  “Look at those arms! God, can you imagine what he's like in bed?” Said one of the floozies.

  “Yes, vividly. I'd let him pound me into next week, I swear.” The other one groaned.

  Andddd I snapped, my blood boiling over at the thought of Knox in bed with another woman, a raw sense of propriety surging through me at lighting speed like never before.

  Through a red hot haze of tunnel vision surrounding only Knox, I dropped the kettle-bell onto the ground with a loud thud and hauled my ass to the back of the gym.

  As I approached, he caught my form bounding toward him and that cocky little grin tilted up one corner of his mouth as lifted and dropped the chains once more.

  Show off.

  When I stood a mere foot away, I yanked them from his hands and let them fall to floor at our feet in a clunking heap.

  Their weight was nothing with all the adrenaline coursing through my being but hearing them jangle on their way down was satisfying kno
wing I'd lifted them in the first place.

  The confused expression on his face was priceless.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up, winding my legs around his waist in a vise-like grip. He caught me effortlessly, caging the swell of my ass in his large hands.

  Picture-fucking- perfect.

  “What's this about?” He asked rather amused, leaning back to catch my heated stare from beneath the black bill of his cap.

  “Just kiss me. Now.” I growled, shoving it off his head to rake my fingers through his now damp hair.

  Without hesitation he wound a hand around my ponytail and smashed his mouth against mine. Like a savage, I tore his lips apart, biting and sucking them between rough, possessive kisses.

  My hair was still strung around his hand as he pulled me back, severing the connection of our lips.

  “Baby, what the hell is going on?” He was no longer amused, concern laced in every nook and cranny of his inquisition.

  “Oh, nothinggg,” I lilted. “Just marking my territory.”

  At my admission, he visibly relaxed. His wicked grin was infectious.

  “Really now? And who exactly was threatening your territory?”

  “The entire fucking world but more specifically those floozies over there by the leg machines who were telepathically begging you to let them suck your cock.” I snarled angrily.

  Knox chuckled and peered around my arm to see exactly who I was referring to. Through the mirror I could see the little twigs blatantly staring in our direction, their eyes widened like two tea saucers, mouths popped open.

  Keep looking and I'll snap you bitches in half.

  A minute later I was gasping for air as a harsh sting spread through my ass cheek, followed by Knox’s mighty death grip. He yanked my ponytail downward with force, exposing my throat.

  His lips were there in an instant, peppering sloppy, wet kisses all over, his teeth scraping against my skin as he bit down along the column.

  “Am I missing something?” I said on a breath.

  He mauled me one last time before righting my head to meet his feral blue eyes, his nostrils flaring, devilish grin in place. “You think you're the only one who needs to stake their claim?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I don't have enough fingers or hands to show you how many guys slobbered over you while you were over there squatting this perfect ass in the air.” He squeezed so tightly I thought his fingers would rip through material of my pants and dig into my skin.

  “That's not even a little bit true.”

  One dark brow quirked. “It's not?”

  I shook my head, though I knew it was pretty accurate. I'd just learned to ignore it.

  He gave me a knowing look. “Are you done for the day?” He asked, blue eyes darkening to that lust-filled, smoky shade I’d become very familiar with.

  I nodded without hesitation.

  “Then go get your bag.” He demanded, setting me on my feet.

  “Why?”

  His head dipped low beside my ear. “Because suddenly I’m feeling threatened and do you know what happens when I’m feel threatened?”

  I shook my head.

  “I stake my claim all over again.”

  Oh my.

  A white-hot shiver rolled down my spine at the feral bite in his tone, anticipation flaring through me in an instant.

  This was about to get very, very interesting.

  We’d barely made into suite before Knox was stripping me off my clothes, his mouth peppering my body with hungered kisses.

  I was burning with equal desire, ripping his off in a hurry with antsy hands. A trail of clothing was left behind us as Knox led us to the bathroom.

  That was over half an hour ago.

  Now, with my hair tangled in his fingers, Knox spun me around and pressed me up against the glass of the shower, the entire upper half of my body colliding into the cold, hard surface.

  My nipples pebbled instantly from the sudden contrast in temperature, a fresh wave of goosebumps prickling over my skin as his warm front hit my back.

  His teeth latched onto my shoulder, his other hand gliding down my stomach to where I needed him most. He positioned himself with ease and slammed home in one thrust, curling a hand around my throat to arch me away from the cold glass.

  “This is what every man in that gym was thinking about while they looked at you.” He gritted out, a mere hairsbreadth away from my ear, plunging in and out of my throbbing sex. “Imagining you naked, touching this body, working you up, stretching this tight”—thrust—“perfect”—thrust—“little pussy of yours out.”

  His choice of words were absolutely filthy but holy hell did they turn me on. I whimpered and dropped my head back against his shoulder, white-hot droplets from the spray above pelting the side of my face.

  “What they didn't realize is that you are mine,” he growled, plowing into me almost punishingly. He wasn't holding back, had completely lost control, and I was soaring right along with him. Every thrust of his hips, every lap of his fingers on my clit had me sky-rocketing toward the heavens.

  The sounds of our skin slapping together was magnified as it echoed off the walls in the bathroom. My moans were louder, his grunts and groans were louder, it was sensation overload.

  “If it wasn't considered public indecency, I would've taken you right there against that mirror for all the world to see.”

  “Knox…” I said, more like moaned, as he continued on with his onslaught. “I'm gonna…”

  “Oh, no, not yet.” He husked out with a rumble in his chest and promptly pulled himself from within me, leaving me shocked and needy. I stood there clenching my thighs as my climax withered away into nothing.

  Knox had already shut off the water and was grabbing two towels when I stepped out of the shower on semi-wobbly legs.

  “I’m gonna get you back for that.”

  He wrapped the towel around his waist, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. “Try me, baby.” He smirked.

  I took the towel he offered and began drying myself off. “Trust me, I will. When you least expect it.”

  “I’ll be waiting then. I’m not nearly finished with you yet.” He said, sauntering out the door.

  Less than five minutes later, I emerged to find him laying on the bed, sans towel and still rock solid, his arm draped over his eyes.

  Perfect.

  I snickered and padded over to the bed quietly, ready to seek my revenge. Coming to stand between his legs, I set my hands down on the bed on either side of his body and dipped my head, flashing my tongue out along the base of his cock. He twitched against me in surprise, his head lifting off the bed.

  “Sneaky little kitten.” He hushed out, watching me intently.

  I nodded as my tongue continued its ascent up his thick shaft, swirling leisurely around the tip. He jerked against me once more and with that, I took him in mouth as far back as possible, using my hand to stimulate what I couldn't accommodate. Knox was far too large for me to deep throat even if I possessed the gift to do so.

  Sheathing my teeth behind my lips, my head began bobbing over him in time with my hand. The hisses and grunts coming from above me spurred me on in my feat. His fingers were in my hair, his hips thrusting every so often and I couldn't contain the moan that rumbled in my throat. Never before had giving head ever been so pleasurable for me.

  Suddenly, Knox wrapped my hair around one hand and tugged backwards, hard, the fluid movement sliding my wet lips off his dick with a loud pop.

  I peeked up beneath my lashes into devilishly dark eyes, the black of his pupils nearly swallowing the clear blue of his irises. Somehow they still blazed.

  I wasn’t sure for what reason he stopped me but now it was me who wasn’t anywhere near finished with him.

  With our gazes still locked, I tightened my grasp around the base and flicked my tongue out, circling it around the bulbous tip.

  “Hazel…” He warned, gripping
my hair with force.

  “Shhh”—I kissed a trail along the shaft—“Just let me. You know you like it.”

  “Oh, I love that little mouth of yours, baby, really I do, but if you don't get on that couch within the next ten seconds and put that sweet ass in the air for me, I'm going to shove my dick back into your mouth and fuck it until you see stars.”

  And just like that my evil little plan fell away. Not that I wouldn't have enjoyed him bringing his threat to life, but I was suddenly more interested in whatever he had in mind for me on that couch.

  The gleam in his eyes combined with the edge in his tone put me into action. I released him and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his feet. His lips were on mine as he walked us back toward the plush couch beside the massive window, and in one swift move, he picked me up and dropped down onto the couch with me draped over his body.

  One second his mouth was fused with mine and the next it was heading south, trailing down my neck, the valley of my breasts, my stomach… I don't know how he managed to fit his broad shoulders between my legs, but the next thing I knew, he was sitting on the floor with his head on the seat, wicked blue eyes gleaming when I glanced down. Hands glided up the backs of my thighs, a slow, lazy smile turning up one corner of his mouth.

  “Feed me your pussy, kitten.” He growled, the sound rattling the most exquisite shiver to course through my body, from the top of my head down to the tips of my toes.

  Holy fuck, he did not just ask me to…

  His tongue came out to run across his lower lip. “C’mon, let me have it.”

  I gripped the back of the couch and obliged, lowering myself just inches away from his face. That wasn't close enough apparently because he clenched my ass in his large hands and dropped me down the rest of the way.

  I gasped when I felt the first lap of his tongue caress me but it was when he started eating me as though I were his last meal that I couldn't control the sounds that slipped past my lips.

  It didn't take long for my climax to build again. I was flying up the mountain at full speed, my hips undulating against him, my eyes tightly clamped shut.