Fight Me, Baby

by Fiona Davenport

  “Home?” Angelique’s soft echo and brow furrowed with confusion, twisted my heart.

  “Yeah, angel eyes. Home. Here with me, where you belong.”

  I waited for her to say something, but she just beamed at me and went back to eating. She finished her breakfast with gusto, only pausing here and there to ask questions, obviously wanting to know more about me. I answered each one honestly and told her she could always ask or tell me anything.

  After we cleaned up the kitchen, I led her to the master bath and told her to take a shower. She looked at me expectantly, and when I shook my head, she pouted adorably, almost causing me to give in. “The next time I make love to you, I’m going to take my time and worship every inch of your gorgeous body.” I winked, and she blushed before scampering into the room and shutting the door. I’d already hopped into a quick shower before making breakfast, so I headed to my closet. Digging around, I managed to come up with a T-shirt that had shrunk in the wash that I hadn’t gotten around to getting rid of. It was still pretty big on her, loose and hanging off one shoulder, but it didn’t look like a tent or go all the way to her knees. She giggled again while I rolled up some sweats so she wouldn’t trip on them and pulled the drawstring as tight as it would go. Satisfied that she was covered and wouldn’t lose her pants, I quickly ushered her out to my car, anxious to get everything taken care of so we could put it all behind us.

  She gave me an address, and I smothered my frown, not wanting to upset her, but I was familiar with the neighborhood. Thinking about my woman living in that drug-infested hellhole only ratcheted up my need to drain the fucking life out of her brother.

  When I pulled up in front of a building that looked as though it should be condemned, I squeezed the steering wheel so hard it creaked. After a few deep, calming breaths, I shut off the engine and climbed out before going around to the passenger side and helping Angelique.

  It took a monumental effort to keep my grip loose as I held her hand while we approached a door on the ground floor with an eviction notice taped on it. The dirty window beside it was cracked and duct taped, the door was barely hanging onto its hinges, and the jam was a mess, obviously having been kicked in multiple times. When we reached it, she pulled out a key, and I was surprised the door didn’t simply collapse inside from one light touch.

  She pushed it open and started to enter, but I held her back. “Stay here for a minute, angel eyes.” I didn’t like the thought of her outside by herself, but I was more concerned about the possibility of danger inside. She nodded her acceptance, and I did a quick check of the living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. By the time I returned to her, I was seething with untold fury.

  The “apartment” was littered with molding food and old take-out containers. There was trash and drug paraphernalia scattered all around. A dirty, ragged old couch and a busted coffee table appeared to be the only furniture, other than a dingy and probably disease-infested mattress in the bedroom. What infuriated me the most, though, was the small corner of the bedroom that was neat and tidy, with several clean blankets made up to look like a bed. A few books were stacked next to a desk lamp on a little wooden table, and a canvas knapsack was stowed underneath.

  The sink in the kitchen had been scrubbed clean, as well as the microwave, though the rest of the room was in the same condition as everywhere else I’d seen. It was clear that someone had tried to keep the bathroom, which was the size of a stall in a public restroom, clean, but from the stains on the toilet, sink, and shower floor, the effort had been in vain.

  I schooled my expression and gentled my tone when I spoke to her. “Let’s get your things, baby.”

  Angelique shrugged as she walked inside, sidestepping all the shit in a way that told me she was used to it. “I don’t really have much. My brother sold everything to pay the rent.” I bit my tongue to keep from retorting that it was more likely he sold everything to pay his bookie and dealer.

  We went to the bedroom, and she grabbed the bag and started filling it with her things. While she folded up some clean clothes from the closet, I stepped into the hallway, staying where I could see her, but she wouldn’t hear me. I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and hit one of my speed dials contacts.

  It rang twice before Knox picked up. “Saint. I was just about to call you.”

  “Whatever it is, it can wait,” I growled. “I need your help.”

  “Shut the fuck up for a minute and listen, man. My information more than likely applies to your request.”

  I grunted in response.

  “I did some digging into the situation with Sam. Turns out my guy was right. Sam was jumped by a bunch of thugs who work for Benton. I talked to some sources, and the word is that Butler is in deep with the bookie, as well as Marlan Leek.”

  “Son of a bitch,” I growled. Marlan was the lowest of the low. He had a hand in everything from drugs to human trafficking.

  “There’s no way to confirm it one hundred percent, but I’d stake my reputation on the fact that Sam was taken out so that Vince could win the purse.”

  “But he lost,” I murmured.

  “Right,” Knox agreed. “He’s on the run.”

  A sinister smile crept onto my face at Knox’s smug tone. “You know where he is, don’t you?”

  “I’m insulted you had to ask.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure your fragile ego can handle it. Now send me the fucker’s location.”

  “I’ll text it to you.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hung up and immediately shot off a text to a friend of mine. My phone dinged with the message from Knox just as Angelique exited the bedroom. Curling my arm around her, I kissed her head as I tucked my phone back into my pocket. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  She nodded and leaned into my side as we made our way back to the car. On the way home, my phone chirped with a text alert, but I waited until I’d parked in my driveway to look at the message. My friend had come through. I forwarded him the information he needed and a time to meet.

  Angelique had fallen asleep on the drive home even though it had been less than a half hour. She’d already been tired yesterday before I wore her out, so I hoped she’d continue napping while I transferred her to our bed. Luck was on my side because she didn’t even stir, other than to mumble my name as she curled up to my pillow. I was so tempted to crawl in beside her, but I wouldn’t truly be able to relax until this was done.

  Writing her a note and then sending a text to her phone to make sure she saw it, I instructed her to rest, then unpack and explore the house. I added a winky face before suggesting she snoop all she wanted. Then I told her that if she stepped one foot out of the house unprotected, I would spank her ass raw.

  I changed into an old pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt that should probably have been thrown out long before now. No sense in ruining perfectly good clothes with blood. After giving my girl one last kiss on her forehead, I grabbed the keys to my Harley and locked the house up tight.

  An hour later, I drove my bike into the parking lot of a rent-by-the-hour motel. It was mostly empty, with the exception of a few other bikes and a couple of trucks. When I parked and shut off my engine, the drivers of those vehicles headed my way.

  I held my hand out to a beefy guy with a buzz cut and dog tags hanging over his white tank. “Bik,” I greeted him. “How’s Sam?”

  “He’s a stubborn motherfucker, as usual. Won’t do what the doctor tells him, but he’s on the mend.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Sam and Bick had been together for five years and were engaged to be married in the summer. I figured if anyone had a right to be here as much as me, it was Bik.

  The rest of the small group were other fighters. Friends of mine and Sam’s, most of them had trained with and had their asses kicked by me. There was a running bet to see who could best me, but so far, no one had won, and it was usually something we ribbed each other about. However, the mood tonight was dark and intense. We we
re here to right some wrongs.

  “Room twenty-seven,” I murmured, then I pivoted and prowled in the direction of my prey.

  After tossing the bloody clothes into the motel room trash, I then washed my hands and pulled on the spare clothes I’d brought with me. I exited the room and walked toward the group of men who’d helped me mete out a fitting punishment for Vince Butler.

  “Should we take him to a hospital?” one of the guys asked, his tone dripping with disgust.

  I shook my head as I stepped over the beaten and bloodied rat sniveling on the floor, begging for help. “Leave him. Just like they left Sam. Somebody will come along eventually.” I stopped beside Vince and bent over to look him in the eye that wasn’t quite swollen shut yet. “I suggest you get the fuck out of Dodge. If I can find you, so can Benton and Leek.”

  Vince cried and begged for help, but I ignored his pleas. “And Butler”—my tone hardened to steel—”if you ever so much mutter Angelique’s name ever again—and trust me, I’ll know—I will return to finish the job. Got it?”

  He glared at me and muttered, “Fuck you, Saint.”

  “Not the answer I’m looking for,” I sighed. Then I put my boot on his groin, making him scream in pain. “Got it?”

  “Shit! Yes, I got it,” he cried as he curled into the fetal position.

  “Good.” I turned to face my friends and gave them a lift of my chin in thanks. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”

  With that taken care of, I breathed a little easier with every mile that took me closer to my forever.

  10

  Angelique

  Waking up alone in Saint’s house should’ve freaked me out, but the note and text he’d left had soothed any nerves I’d had about him not coming back. After unpacking my meager belongings, I explored the house, snooping in all of its nooks and crannies. I liked that he didn’t feel as though he needed to hide anything from me, and I felt a surge of relief when I didn’t find a single hint of another woman in his home. All of the colors, furniture, and decorations were ultra-masculine, just like him.

  I was about ten minutes into a recently released action movie, comfortably settled into one of the reclining seats in his home theater, when Saint returned. I paused the film and jiggled the bowl of popcorn in his direction as he dropped into the seat next to me. “Want me to restart this at the beginning so you can watch the whole thing with me? I haven’t been watching long.”

  “Sure,” he agreed before taking the remote from my hand and setting it on the armrest between us. “But first, I have something I need to tell you.”

  I braced myself, expecting bad news based on his tone and serious expression. My fear must’ve shown on my face because he took the bowl of popcorn from me, set it on the chair next to him, and lifted me out of my seat and onto his lap. Wrapped up in his embrace, I felt safer as I asked, “Where were you? What happened?”

  “I went to see your brother.” He dropped his verbal bombshell as though it was no big deal, while my mind was blown.

  I twisted in his lap to stare up at him in shock. “You did what?”

  He cupped my cheeks in his palms and gently brushed his lips over mine. “Vince needed to be taken care of, so I had Knox hunt down his location. Some friends and I paid him a little visit to make it painfully obvious that he needs to get out of town and stay away from you.”

  “It doesn’t matter how clear you made it, I can’t see Vince leaving Vegas unless there’s something in it for him,” I warned. “And he’s always thought of me as...a tool he could use when he needs me. He won’t let go of that without a fight.”

  “Then I guess it’s a good thing there wasn’t any fight left in your brother after I was done with him.” He traced a finger down my cheek.

  Even though we were completely alone, I lowered my voice as I asked, “Wait. Did you go beat him up?”

  “Yup,” he confirmed with a satisfied smirk. “The beatdown I gave him in the ring wasn’t enough. An unquestionable message needed to be delivered in a way Vince would understand. Along with a reminder that the pain he endured tonight was nothing compared to what his bookie will do to him if he doesn’t either pay up or leave town.”

  “I can’t believe you did that for me.” I shook my head, trying to make sense of the lengths Saint had gone to in order for me to be safe. “What if you get caught? I wouldn’t put it past Vince to go to the cops just to mess with you. You could get kicked out of the UFC, or even be sent to jail.”

  “It’s not gonna happen,” he assured me. “Your brother knows how bad things will go for him if he tries to turn me in.”

  “He can be vindictive when he thinks someone has crossed him.” I wrapped my arms around the front of my body as I remembered some of the crap he’d pulled on me in the past few years. “He might file charges before he leaves town, even if he wouldn’t be here for a trial. Getting you arrested would be a major win in his book, even if you get bonded out right away.”

  “You’re worrying for nothing.” He loosened the hold I had on myself and twined my arms around his neck. “Even if Vince was that dumb, the cops wouldn’t be able to file any charges because your brother doesn’t have any proof of what happened tonight. The shithole of a motel I found him in didn’t have security cameras, his injuries can be explained away by our well-publicized fight for the UFC, and I have a group of guys who’ll serve as my alibi since I wasn’t alone during my visit.”

  The tension drained from my body, and I relaxed into Saint’s hold. “It sounds like you thought of everything.”

  “I tried to cover all the bases,” he murmured, giving me a little squeeze. “It was important to me that this shit didn’t blow back on you. Not when the reason I went after him was because of how badly he fucked up with you in the first place.”

  “I still can’t believe you went to all that trouble just for me.” I rested my cheek against his shoulder as I patted his chest. It was difficult for me to believe that we’d only met yesterday, and he’d already done so much to improve my life—giving me a place to live, making sure I had plenty of food to eat, and taking care of Vince so I didn’t need to fear for my safety. After my childhood and the crap my brother had pulled in recent years, I wasn’t a trusting person. The walls I’d built around my heart were sky high, but this incredible man had somehow managed to work his way past each and every one of them in record time.

  I was struggling a little with the realization of how strong my feelings for him already were when he blew my mind by admitting, “I get that it’ll take a while for you to really believe me, but I’d do anything for you. Even if everything had gone wrong tonight and I ended up in jail, it would’ve been worth it to know you’d be safe.”

  “You can’t possibly mean that.” I lifted my head to stare into his dark eyes in awe.

  “Of course, I do,” he insisted, cupping my cheeks in his palms as he claimed my mouth in a passionate kiss. Our tongues tangled until I was panting. If I hadn’t already been breathless, I would’ve been when he added, “I know most people would say it’s too early, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love you, angel eyes.”

  “You love me?” I whispered, tears filling my eyes and spilling down my cheeks.

  He kissed the wetness away before answering, “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were meant to be mine. But I still wasn’t prepared for how hard and fast I fell for you. You scored a knockout hit to my heart without even trying, just by being your sweet self.”

  “I love you, too,” I replied softly, taking a leap of faith because Saint had done more to prove I could trust him to catch me in one day than anyone else had done in my entire life. My heart thundered in my chest when his body tensed beneath me. It felt as though I waited forever for his response to my admission, but it was probably only a few seconds at most.

  “Thank fuck,” he breathed, shooting to his feet with me in his arms. He set me down and dropped to one knee. I didn’t understand what he was doing until
he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black jewelry box. My hand flew up to cover my mouth as I gasped in surprise. Then he flicked it open with his thumb, and my eyes widened at the sight of the three rings nestled inside.

  The diamond solitaire engagement ring had to be at least four carats, but it was the bands on either side that surprised me the most. I traced the wider one with my fingertip. “Is this turquoise? I don’t think I’ve ever seen wedding bands quite like these before.”

  “I wanted something special, and when I told Drew’s jeweler about how beautiful your eyes were, he suggested this set,” he explained as he pulled the engagement ring out of the box. “I love the idea of wearing something every day that reminds me of them.”

  “That’s so sweet,” I sniffled.

  “Does that mean you’ll marry me?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I cried as I held my hand out for him to slip the diamond solitaire onto my finger.

  He flicked the ring box closed as he surged to his feet. Tucking it into his pocket again, he said, “I better keep these close because I plan on hustling you down the aisle before you have a chance to change your mind.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” I assured him as he swept me into his arms.

  “I think I’ll demonstrate why I’ll make the perfect husband for you, just in case,” he suggested as he carried me through the house. When we got to the bedroom, he did an excellent job of showing me the orgasmic perks of being his wife. Over and over again.

  I hadn’t realized that when Saint said he wanted to marry me as soon as possible, he meant the very next day. But I didn’t hesitate to become his wife when he brought me to the wedding chapel at the Lennox the following afternoon. After a lifetime of bad luck, I was more than ready to start my happily ever after with my gorgeous groom.