She smiled and rolled her eyes. “I think you and Devon will get along just fine. He’s at the age where he needs a man in his life, a good man, Joe.”
“Baby, I’m a good man, and I’ve found a good woman. I want to work on what we have.”
“The drinking, the little drug thing, and the women you’re willing to give that all up?”
“I’m so over it all. I’ve never felt like this before, Darlene, ever. I’ll be good for Devon, and even better for you. What have we got to lose?”
“Joe Murphy, I think we have everything to gain. You’ve swept me off my feet.”
“Have I, Darlene Russo? By the way, I never did thank you for helping me that night you found me drunk.”
She smiled broadly at him. “You are such a bad boy; do you know that? I could get used to helping you.” She giggled and wound her arms around his neck.
“Funny, I’ve been looking for stars, silver ones, but they tarnish. Now I aim for gold, that, baby, lasts forever. Just like the sparkle in your eyes, like diamonds, and again, they last forever. I do believe with you in my corner I can go all the way to the championship.”
“I’m there, Joe,” she said then kissed him.
“Come on. Let’s celebrate. I’d like everyone here to meet my lady.”
He took her hand and was excited facing the future with her. He was ready to shine again. He had six weeks to train for his first big fight. He’d train like a son of bitch. He wanted the win, and he knew he could beat Rod Genaro, who was fighting his way up for the championship. His next meet was with Daynard Richardson, a huge fighter, who was being hailed as the next heavyweight champion. Joe would change that course.
He held Darlene’s hand. “Babe, the training for the next three months will be intense. I’d ask that you give me those three months.”
“Joe, I’m willing to give you the rest of my life, and Devon’s, I’m that confident in you. I believe you’re a man who can move mountains once he sets his mind to it.”
He scanned her lovely face. Where the hell did she come from? She’d surely fallen from the sky, yeah, from heaven. Darlene was a gift. With her by his side, he felt like a King and like he could conquer the world. He’d been given a second chance, a chance he wasn’t going to pass up.
Epilogue
Joe Murphy fought the next two heavyweight contenders and won the bouts, as well as the adoration of the crowd. He’d trained harder than he’d ever trained before, and his hard work paid off.
Darlene and Devon spent every moment they could with him. Joe and Darlene’s love grew and deepened. Knowing he had a future with her and Devon, completed him. He was ready to take on Tiger Desmond and the championship title. Win or lose, he considered the future a complete win.
It was easy to give up his bad habits. It was even easier to look forward into the future. People can change, and for the better. Love does change a person. Joe Murphy learned love could remove the tarnish and make him shine. .
The End….not really…hehe
When readers demand more, a writer must deliver. I am honored, and humbled by the response to this story. Most read it in one sitting and almost all who read the story wanted more. There is more. Tarnished II will complete this short series
Thank you
Ethan Radcliff
Tarnished II
Ethan Radcliff
Copyright Ethan Radcliff 2015
Published by Bitten Press LLC
Tarnished II
Written by Ethan Radcliff
Prelude
Darlene wanted to cover her eyes each time he took a punch to the face. Blood dripped from his nose, and one eye swollen, but not completely shut. He sat in his corner letting the water run down his face as turned to look at her. His smile was slight, but the intensity of his stare overwhelmed her. She smiled back but couldn't hide her worry. He mouthed the words, 'I love you', and she tried hard to hold back her tears. The bell for the next round rang, and he was back up on his feet, sweaty, hard, and undefeated. He turned one more time in her direction, made eye contact, and mouthed, 'I will win'. She had her doubts but gave him her biggest and brightest smile, mouthing back, 'I know'.
He was Joe Murphy, and the confidence he’d lacked for months had finally returned. Win or lose, he’d gained back his respectability and was now the leading contender.
She’d fallen deeply in love with him. Their meeting had been unexpected and rather unconventional, she mused, but dynamic just the same. She’d seen Joe Murphy box many times behind the scenes as part of the large cleaning crew at the Coliseum. She’d seen every ripple of his well-toned boxer’s body, but what drew her to the man, was his face. He was classically good looking, model material, and yet he chose to box, exposing his face to possible ruin.
She knew what was on the inside and what made him tick. She had also become very close with his ailing mother. The woman was battling breast cancer, and Darlene was there for physical and moral support. Tonight’s fight was important, and his mother had wanted to attend, but after her round of chemotherapy earlier that day, Darlene thought she needed to rest. The fight was televised around the world, and his mother would be far more comfortable watching it from home.
Darlene checked her phone and saw there were no messages from his mother or her babysitter. She let out a sigh of relief and raised her head to watch the fight. Every time Joe took a hit, she flinched as if she were the one being battered. She often wondered how he withstood the beatings. She loved the sport, but being in love with a heavyweight boxer put a new twist on everything. She must have blinked because when Joe’s glove landed on Jason Hatfield’s jaw, he went down like a ton of bricks. Joe moved back as the referee counted down ten, nine, eight−there was no movement at all. The referee kept counting. It was over. Joe had won the bout. Jason Hatfield still hadn’t stirred. She saw the look of worry on Joe’s face, and then he smiled as one of Jason’s legs moved. The unconscious fighter came to.
Darlene let out the breath she’d been holding. She was worried that one day it would be Joe down for the count and unconscious after taking a serious beating. She pushed the thought aside. Tonight he was victorious. Tonight they’d celebrate.
Chapter One
Joe Murphy used two fingers to walk up Darlene’s back. He wanted to wake her slowly, but he needed her to turn over. It was five a.m., and he was due at the gym by 6:30. His cock was hard, and his body was aching. He needed a good morning fuck, and she was always ready.
She moved slightly under his fingers but still kept sleeping. He needed a better plan. He smiled and let his tongue lick his bottom lip. He pushed her gently onto her back, yet she continued to sleep. He had a great idea, one he was sure would rouse her.
He moved between her legs and lay on top of her for a few minutes. “Baby, you’re a sleepy head,” he whispered.
“Joe, what do you want?” she moaned softly, but he heard the slightly aroused edge to her voice.
“Baby, I want you,” he said, moving slowly down the front of her body. “I want to suck those tits.” His head was now beneath the covers, and his tongue swirled around each swollen nipple. “Want to taste your skin, mmm.” He licked between her ample breasts. He moved down further, letting his tongue lead the way, finding her navel and stopping to swirl around inside. She arched her body and grabbed his full head of hair.
“Oh. God, Joe,” she moaned.
He wasted little time as he moved down her body to her soft mound and spread her legs. Moist and glistening, her body beckoned him. He ran his tongue over his lips, the sight, and scent of her spread throughout him and down to his hard cock. Few women had ever affected him the way she did.
He began his quest, letting his tongue taste her. His body trembled with need as his cock swelled and ached for more of her. His tongue searched inside the lips of her wet cunt. He found her clit and sucked it gently into his mouth. There, inside of her, between her soft female lips, he always got lost. His mouth, his tongue, all fit in he
r soft nether places perfectly. It was as if she was made for him. He’d never experienced such intense need with any other woman.
Her hands, still entwined in his hair, pushed his face into her. Her moans and sighs filled his head. He loved every sound of her need. His cock was bursting, aching for more. His tongue flicked at her clit furiously. Her body rose off the bed, and his tongue felt the small quivers of her first orgasm as her juices flowed. He rained little kisses up her torso as he listened to her rapid heartbeat and smiled at her small cries of lust.
His lips and tongue found hers, kissing her deeply, mingling her juices with his saliva. Her hands grabbed his head again, bringing his mouth closer to hers, deepening their kiss. His tongue delved deeper into her mouth as his cock found its destination and plunged deep into her body, bringing them together in utter ecstasy.
Her legs tightened around him, and he pushed into her hard. A few strokes and sweat broke out all over his body; he was ready and knew there was no way he was holding back any longer.
“Babe,” he whispered.
“Oh, yes, Joe, now, now,” she whispered breathlessly, urging him on.
His orgasm roared over him, making him grit his teeth. As amazing as it was, there was that momentary lapse, a second of incredible need, and then relief. He could fuck her all day with orgasms like that.
He stayed inside her, savoring the tightness of her around him. He loved how she held him close, whispering naughty little phrases in his ear.
“Joe, no man can fuck me like you do and give me such amazing orgasms.” She giggled. Then she said, with an inquisitive edge “Joe?”
“Yes, baby.”
“Want to know a little secret?” she asked in her sexiest voice.
He was grinning. “Yes, I do,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“You’re the only man who can make me come like that.”
“Darlene, do you want me to get hard again? Baby, I’ll have to fuck you again. Keep talking like that and I will.” He let one of his fingers walk up her bare thigh.
She gently pushed his hand away and whispered in his ear, “That’s not going to happen. They’re waiting for you at the gym.”
“You’ve got that right, but you do temp a man,” he said, moving from her and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He kept his head down, “You do know I’ve never been happier.” He continued to keep his head down, always afraid of letting her see just how much she really meant to him. Still, realizing how much she loved him, exposing himself completely to anyone scared him.
She came up behind him and put her arms around his back. “I know, and I never imaged being this happy. It’s almost seven o’clock, and you’re due at the gym, like now,” she said.
“Right,” he said, walking toward the shower. Her eyes never left him as he entered the bathroom. Once inside he turned on the shower and leaned against the vanity, going over what his manager, Mack Robins, had told him the night before.
“I think your mother’s bills are just about paid off. You did a good thing, taking care of her debts. Now it’s time for you to live Joe, to move on with your life.”
“I have moved on, Mack. I have a woman that I love, and I’m fond of her kid. I’m happy, Mack, really happy.”
He wasn’t thrilled with the face Mack had made back at him and even less thrilled with his little speech.
“Come on, Joe, you can have any woman you want, and there are plenty who want you. Darlene is one hell of a woman, but she’s no chick. Has she any idea what it’s like to be a boxer’s wife? Of course, she doesn’t. I was thinking, maybe you two shouldn’t be an exclusive thing. Maybe you should make the relationship a little more open. You have the bucks now to party whenever you want to.”
Joe turned from him to give him an answer. He was afraid if he were facing him, he’d punch him in the mouth. “You’re fucking kidding, right? You want me to go back to my old ways and fuck up everything. What the hell has gotten into you, Mack?”
Mack never answered his question and disappeared after he did his interview with the local channels. It bothered him. Once Mack met Darlene, he seemed overjoyed that Joe was with her and not out carousing. Joe was relieved in more than one way. He was tired of fucking one strange woman after another.
Mack saw the change and the difference in his boxing. Meeting Darlene had put him back on top, so why would Mack want to see all that turn to ashes? He wasn’t letting it go; he’d confront Mack and find out what the fuck was going on. Mack never did anything without a motive.
He let the steamy water clear his head. He had a bout coming up in two weeks, and they were all flying to Rio, including Darlene’s son Devon. Their passports had come the other day. He was so happy to see Darlene buzzing around, excited over this trip. She’d been packing for over two weeks. That made him smile; the little things she did. He stepped from the shower, grabbed a white fluffy towel, and began drying himself off. His mind flooded with her and the love he had found with her. His pleasant thoughts were broken as he thought of Mack and his stupidity.
He wrapped the towel around him and walked back to the bedroom. The bed was empty, and he could smell the aroma of fresh perked coffee. He smiled again; Darlene was up. He went for his gym bag and noticed it was neatly packed and ready to go. Again, he smiled. He grabbed the clean sweats she had already laid out on the freshly made bed. He rubbed his stubbled jaw; he’d shave after his workout. He grabbed his bag and walked into the kitchen where she stood before the stove in a slinky, pale pink robe.
“Scrambled or one over easy,” she purred.
“Scrambled,” he answered.
She turned with the pan in her hand, displaying a batch of scrambled eggs. “I must be a mind reader,” she said, smiling beautifully.
He sat down as she scooped him a hearty serving of eggs then took the remainder for herself.
“Is Devon still asleep?” he asked.
“Yes, he is. You let him stay up late to watch that movie with you last night, so he’s exhausted.”
“He enjoyed it. But not as much as you did,” he said and grinned at her.
“Excuse me, it was a guy movie; sorry that I fell asleep.”
“That wasn’t the problem; you fell asleep on my arm and by the end of the movie, I had no feeling in it.”
“You could have woken me, you know if I was that much of a bother.”
He scooped in a mouthful of eggs then grinned. “I’d never awaken a woman who looks that beautiful sleeping.”
She took a bite of the toast she’d made and smiled back. “You do know how to make a woman feel special.”
He grabbed her hands across the table. “That’s because you are special, baby.” He cleaned his plate then stood. “Time to take off; tell Devon we’ll get air in his tires after I’m done with my workout.” He bent and kissed her on the cheek. He watched her face light up at the mention of Devon, her little boy. He’d become very attached to Devon.
His life was good; actually, his life had never been better. Then why the hell did his manager want him back in hell, becoming that party boy he’d been before. He kissed her one more time on the cheek before he left. “See ya later, babe.”
Chapter Two
Bells rang in his head twenty-four seven. Each fight he’d lost, over time, attributed to his lack of confidence. His descent into hell had begun with his first big purse. Money was surely the root of all evil. Joe Murphy knew defeat, he’d experienced rejection, and he’d disappointed many people since becoming a professional fighter. However, that was then, not now.
Darlene had changed his life, along with her son. She believed in him. He had to admit it was an unusual love story. He’d seduced her when he was drunk. There was no force, just animalistic need on his part. She finally admitted, after months of being together, that once she realized it was Joe lying drunk on the floor, she couldn’t stop herself. The attraction to him had always been there, but she had never dreamed she’d have the opportunity to act on it.
“So what the fuck was that bullshit the other night about me returning to my prior lifestyle?”
Mack didn’t twitch a muscle as he continued wrapping. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Give me your hand.”
“Mack, stop it with the ‘I don’t know’ shit. Why would you want me to go back to my old ways? And tell the woman I love that I think we should see other people? First off, I don’t want to see other people. Secondly, I don’t want to lose my balls. And finally, have you lost your fucking mind?”
“I admit it was a really stupid thing to say. But I have my reasons for having certain thoughts.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. This I gotta hear,” said Joe.
“Don’t get me wrong, Darlene is a knockout and too good for you. With all, that’s happening now, you know the events that are coming up, the parties and such. She might frown on all that and she has a kid. How’s she gonna keep up with it all?” Mack said with a serious face.
Joe still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Darlene can run circles around me, and Devon is no trouble; he’s a great kid. Moreover, we can more than afford the best babysitters. She has a good friend who stays with Devon, and we pay her well. As far as the parties go, she is a lady, never overdoes it, and puts half the women that will be there to shame. So what the fuck is your point?” Joe demanded, feeling his anger rise.
“With your notoriety now, you can hook up with any of the gorgeous women out there. I usually get a few hits here and there; you know they do me because I’m your manager. Joe, imagine the possibilities.”
Joe had a hard time coming to terms with Mack’s reasoning. It took everything he had not to hit the guy. He loved Darlene. He was done with his old ways, sick of it all. His lifestyle had nearly ruined his career. He’d always wanted to be a boxer. Now his dreams were coming true, and the reason, the full-figured brunette back home.
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