by Simone Elise
“I’m interested in a massage!”
“Not that type, you perv.” I winked at him, and it only occurred to me as I walked into the shower that I hadn’t grabbed clothes.
I always felt this need to run and hide who I was and the demons. Everyone usually strived to be the center of attention, or at least, the club girls here did. I hadn’t met anyone like me, and it was days like this I longed for someone who understood what I was going through.
However, I also didn’t want anyone to be cursed with the disease I carried every day.
The demons were quiet for once, and my thoughts were drifting to the fact that Maiden was in my bedroom.
I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around me, but then I caught sight of the wounds on my leg. They were ugly and bright red on top of the ones I already carried. I wouldn’t lie, they were painful with a burning sting, but as twisted as it was, I enjoyed the pain because it took my mind off the demons.
“Emmie?”
I froze in the bathroom. Maiden must have heard the shower turn off. How long had I been standing there staring at my marks?
“Um, yeah?” I replied back to the closed door while tightening the towel around me as if it were possible for him to see through the door.
“I need to clean the cuts.” His words were straight to the point.
Dread flooded me. Great. So Maiden got to look at the ugliness again. I knew I couldn’t prolong it, so I opened the door and stood there in just a towel and dripping wet hair.
He inhaled sharply, which I didn’t understand. I didn’t have my usual flawless makeup on, nor was my hair done. I was fresh out of the shower.
But the look on his face told me it was taking all his willpower not to strip me free from the towel.
I stuck my leg out of the part in the towel, and his hand went to it, holding it back as he looked at them.
Maiden was more hands-on with me then Grit or Dad.
“Do you mind lying on the bed?” he questioned me with hesitation.
I didn’t even think about it twice, I just headed for the bed and lay down. He slowly ran his hand up my leg, pushing the slit of the towel open to reveal my leg. He worked his hand up, making the slit bigger so my thigh was now revealed.
I knew with the way the towel was parted he would see my waxed naked skin, but his eyes didn’t even glance there. They were glued to the wounds, and it was moments like this I was reminded just how much of a gentleman he was at heart.
Slowly, he dabbed and began cleaning them.
“What do you want to watch tonight?” He made small talk while I couldn’t take my eyes off him, off the sharpness of his jaw and the defining features of his body. Even kneeling beside the bed, I could still admire his body or at least his strong arms.
“Don’t know.” The delay in my reply caused him to glance at me. I was taking sharp breaths in and but it wasn’t out of pain, it was because his hand gripped my lower thigh as well as he was so close, and the fact I was lying there naked wasn’t helping things.
Then his left hand moved slowly until it was resting on the middle of my inner thigh, causing my breathing to become sharper.
Maiden and I had chemistry, and we always had. He was the first man I really had feelings for, but I knew those feelings would never be returned. However, as Maiden touched me so intimately, those feelings for him, which I suppressed, were boiling to the surface. I couldn’t stop my body from reacting and spread my legs just a tiny bit wider so his full hand could fit between my legs, and I hoped he would take advantage of the space.
Our kiss from this afternoon ran through my mind, and then delight washed over me as his hand slipped between my legs. His hand was still on my thigh, and I wanted—no, needed for it to move up but it didn’t.
I wasn’t someone who acted on impulse, I thought things through, but I right then, the rules could get fucked. Even though he was a man who would never feel anything back for me, I didn’t care.
Instead, I raised my arms up behind my head and gripped the couch, spreading my legs wider until the towel completely separated.
My heart was pulsating as I wondered what his reaction would be. I was basically lying there, wanting him to take me. Then I felt it, the softest kiss on my hip, and his hand moved up until his fingers touched me right where I was aching to be touched.
Slowly, his fingers began to move in a circular motion, rubbing me. His breathing was sharper than mine at this point, and then his lips were on mine. I wasn’t expecting soft, and it was rough just like him. Though his touch was soft and intense, there was no holding back as his lips claimed mine.
My legs widened, and he got up and kneeled between my legs. His fingers moved at a magical, nerve-pitching speed, and his lips didn’t leave mine.
The towel fell to the sides, then was completely off me, showing my breasts. I saw Maiden glimpse at them, desire and need spreading across his expression as he brought his other hand to my face to cup my cheek and hold me still as his fingers slipped into me. A moan escaped my lips and was swallowed by his mouth on mine, his lips twitching up slightly in approval. My hands went to his shoulders and gripped him tightly as the rhythm he continued caused my body to pulse with involuntary movements. At first, it was just my feet, but the increased speed and rhythm he unleashed on my body, the less control I had over my body, and I didn’t fight it.
His lips broke from mine for a moment. “Good girl.”
The need in his voice, mixed with approval, was clear. Knowing I was doing just as he wanted, sent more pleasure through my body.
He knew I was about to come and was quick to kiss me passionately, silencing me. My back arched, and my nipples hardened, and he brushed one of his fingers over them. By the time I finished, I was shaking and sweating.
When he pulled back, I knew there was little to no chance that any guy would beat what he just gave me.
I didn’t know what I expected, but when he pried himself off me, and his hands left my body, I felt disappointment flood me.
I clenched my eyes shut tightly, my body still shaking slightly from the stimulation.
When Maiden cursed, I immediately knew he was regretting it.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out and locked eyes with him. “I’m sorry, for making you. Please, don’t be mad.”
I could tell by the way he handed me clothes he just wanted me covered, but I wasn’t expecting the confusion to cross his face after I spoke.
Then his lips twitched slightly up. “Sweetheart, Grit is at the door.”
It was only then that I heard the banging on the door.
It was my time to curse as I scrambled to my feet, now realizing why he wanted to cover me up.
Chapter 4
Libby
I let out a gasp, and my steps faltered as I took in the sight before me, overwhelmed with how many people have actually shown up. There had to be close to a hundred people inside, all scattered around a decent-sized ring that sat in the center of the building. The air was buzzing with shouts from the onlookers engaged in the current match that contained two buff-looking men. The one on the right already had blood running down his face as he took a jab to the ribs. I looked away, flinching slightly, and took in my surroundings, looking for all the exits. I saw one way in the back and another on the right side, and taking deep breaths, I tried to stay calm as we bumped into peoples’ shoulders as we made our way through the crowd, getting closer to the ring.
Glancing behind me, I noticed the serious expression on Critter’s face as he scanned the crowd like he was searching for someone. My paranoia reared its ugly head as I glared at him, stopping altogether and causing him to bump into me.
“Okay, stop right there. Who the hell are you looking for? I know that expression on your face, the ‘I need to find this bastard and beat the shit out of him’ look.” I then put together the pieces of tonight’s events. “Oh, my God, you’re not here for the fight, are you? You’re here on club business! What the hell,
Critter, you promised nothing bad would happen, and you’ve brought me here knowing full well your priority was to find whoever it is you’re looking for!” I was beyond furious! I couldn’t believe he would put me in this position.
“That’s it, I’m out of here. We are leaving. There’s no way this is going to end well for me!” I screeched frantically, throwing my hands up in the air as I attempted to go around him and back out the door.
“Hey now, hold up, Libby. Let me explain,” Critter said frantically, grabbing my arm and spinning me around to face him.
“Let you explain? Let you explain how you lied to me? You lied. Why the hell would I let you explain? You know damn well you’re not supposed to involve civilians in club business, Critter. I’m so pissed off at you right now that I could straight up murder you.” I growled and shoved him away from me, scowling.
“Fuck, sometimes, I forget how damn observant and perceptive you can be. Okay, just calm down and hear me out. Emmie, your cousin, well, someone’s been stalking her, and now everyone’s looking for the guy, and that guy is going to be here. Hammer needed a few extra pairs of eyes, so I volunteered.” When he mentioned my cousin, my expression dropped.
“Someone is stalking Emmie?”
“Yeah. Hammer had put it down to her hallucinations, but then he checked the cameras, and sure enough, someone was standing at her window.” Critter let me in on what was clearly club business as the club was handling. “Emmie doesn’t know the person who is stalking her is real. Maiden is keeping an eye on her. I was planning on coming here, anyway, so I didn’t lie, I just didn’t tell you the whole truth,” he explained, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
I paled slightly, nausea bubbling up in my stomach as I digested his words. My eyes darted around the building before glancing behind me to the ring where I was just in time to see the guy with the bloodied face punch his blond-haired opponent in the face, causing him to stumble back into the ropes. Looking back at Critter, I chewed on my bottom lip before nodding slightly.
“Emmie has a stalker, and no one fucking told me. What the hell, if you had just stated that from the very beginning, I would have come along a little more willingly. Fuck, she’s probably terrified. I need to tell my father to take me to her as soon as he’s finished with business here, and as for you?” I exhaled sharply. “I’m so frustrated with you right now it’s not even funny I knew, I just knew you were up to something. I should have stayed at the hotel so you wouldn’t have had to worry about me. You’re going to be in such deep shit when the guys find out you brought me here when you’re supposed to be working. You know what, let’s just go and get this over with so we can leave. I’m so pissed off at you right now. You shouldn’t have brought me here when you know damn well that shit could hit the fan.” I gritted my teeth, then turned back around, completely ignoring everything he was saying.
Eventually, he stopped talking and guided me through the crowd—once again.
Once we reached the front left side of the ring, Critter stopped and grabbed his phone, shooting off a quick text before nodding toward the fighters.
“That one there, the big guy with the short brown hair, is Mack, and the other one with the longer blond hair is Diesel. They are members of the Feud, a support club over in Alabama. Not bad, hey?” He winked, watching the match and glancing at his phone occasionally.
Shooting him a glare, I ignored him as I watched the fight, grimacing as Mack landed a pretty nasty punch to Diesel’s head, causing the man to fall onto his back. Mack quickly jumped onto his opponent’s back and pinned him, quickly ending the match.
“Come on, don’t be like that. I’m only here to enjoy the match and see if I can get a glimpse of this guy, not to act on it. I’m just helping to keep watch. Nothing is going to happen. We have a few minutes until the next fight, and I swear I’ll keep annoying you until you talk to me,” Critter stated with a grin on his face as he nudged me with his shoulder.
“What you really should be saying is, Libby, I’m extremely sorry for being a liar. I should have just told you the truth from the beginning. I should have trusted you to make your own decision especially since I’m asking you to do something I know makes you extremely uncomfortable in the first place,” I shouted. I smacked him in the chest and turned away from him, flinching every time someone bumped into me. As my agitation rapidly grew and my heart beat faster, I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, and I shut them tightly, clenching and unclenching my fists. The air got warmer, and the room started to feel smaller as I tried not to bolt from my spot. Bile threatened to make its way up my throat.
Just as a full-blown anxiety attack threatened to take hold of me, a firm hand clamped down on my shoulder, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. A gasp escaped my lips as my eyes flew open to see a devilishly handsome man with long, dark-blond hair—which was pulled back into a ponytail—copper-colored eyes, and a cut that had Grit with a patch that said enforcer on it, looking back at me with concern etched on his face.
“Hey, you okay there?” Grit asked, frowning while looking past me at Critter.
Opening and closing my mouth, I debated telling him the truth or not. Fidgeting with my hair, I looked at Grit and saw the genuine concern on his face. An overwhelming feeling of calmness washed over me, and I knew I could trust him, at least to a certain extent. He had an aura to him that just screamed protector.
“I’m not okay. This asshole fucking lied to me, said we were just here to hang out and enjoy the fight and that he would stay by my side the entire night. I found out he’s really here for club business. You’re an enforcer, enforce the rules!!” I exploded, telling Grit all the details. “You’re not supposed to bring civilians along for club business. Just you wait until my father hears about this, Critter. If anything happens to me, you’re a dead man. Hell hath no fury like my father when you put his baby girl in danger, and that’s exactly what you’re doing. I still can’t believe you would do this to me!” I spat, turning to glare at Critter, who had gone pale as the truth in my words sank into his brain slowly.
“Wait just a minute, you’re not a civilian, you’re just as much a part of the life as I am, if not more being Rusty’s daughter and all! You can’t tell him I brought you here. I told him we were staying in all night, and if you tell him, he’ll skin me alive. Plus, you have Grit and me here to keep an eye out for you, isn’t that right, man!” Critter practically pleaded, glancing back and forth between Grit and me.
“Whoa, wait, you’re Rusty’s daughter? Hammer’s niece? Just wait right here while I have a word with Critter,” he grumbled as he stepped past me and grabbed Critter by the shoulder, shoving him just out of hearing range but close enough I could still see them.
“That will teach him not to fucking lie to you again, Libby. Yes, yes, I know that was a low blow, but Critter’s got to learn that actions have consequences. I wonder who’s up next,” I spoke to myself, scoring a few looks from people around me, which I was used to. The atmosphere in the whole building changed drastically as more people stumbled in, filling up the area around the ring.
I cursed to myself as I frantically tried to push my way through the drastically increased crowd. Everything seemed louder pushing closer to the ring, and people were bumping into to me from all angles. I had lost sight of Grit and Critter a few moments ago
A hard shove from behind sent me flying to the ground face first, and I barely had time to catch myself before a hand latched onto my arm, yanking me back up before the hard concrete rearranged my face.
Instantly, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and with eyes wide, I whipped around and yanked my arm out of his grasp, stumbling back a few feet. My left hand clutched my chest as I got a good look at the man. He had to be only five foot eight with greasy short brown hair and pale skin. He wore a black hoodie and dirty, ripped jeans, his eyes glassy and bloodshot like he was strung out on something, and he reeked of booze.
>
“Hey, be careful, darling. Wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face of yours,” the man said as his eyes ran up and down my body slowly, lingering a little too long on my chest before staring directly into my eyes.
“Th-thanks, I’ll try to be more careful,” I stuttered out. I quickly turned around and rushed away from him. When I glanced back to make sure he wasn’t following me, I saw him staring at me with such a determined look on his face that it made me want to vomit. It almost looked like he recognized me, but I had never seen this man before. I made my way to the opposite side of the ring where there were fewer people. Once there, I paused and leaned over, pressing my hands against my knees. Taking deep breaths, trying to soothe the feeling of nausea that had crept into my stomach due to my rising anxiety over the encounter with that man, I zoned out and tried to compose myself and think rationally.
I shook my hands out, trying to ease the tension, then once I’d somewhat calmed down, I looked up and glanced all around me, trying to catch a glimpse of Grit or Critter in the crowd. Standing on my tiptoes, I turned toward the ring, and my breath caught in my throat, not at all prepared for the sight in front of me.
In the center of the ring, stood the most feral man I had ever seen. He was tall, at least six-foot-three, with long messy blond hair that was completely buzzed to the scalp on the sides and back, then there were his eyes, cold, dark, and calculating, almost crazed. He had an unkempt longer beard that you just wanted to run your fingers through and tug on and his body… His broad, chiseled body was tattooed from head to toe, and you could hardly see the color of his skin through all the tattoos that covered his perfect, deliciously toned arms, chest, and abs. As my eyes trailed down, following every contour of his beautiful abs, I bit my bottom lip, mouth going dry as I reached the waistband of his black and red shorts, which had hints of tattoos peeking out, leaving no doubt in my mind that his body was indeed a work of art. There was something about this man, this beast, that completely pulled me in.