by M. Sinclair
The drive felt like it took forever, my fingers tapping the wheel nervously as I may have pushed the speed limit a bit, really wanting to get there. I finally saw my turn, and my car jolted slightly over the gravel path as I began to see vehicles parked on the grass outside of the quarry. My eyes widened at the large amount of people and the drinking and partying that I could already see going on, in just the parking lot.
Tailgating at a fight? Alright, I guess that made sense.
I parked away from everyone and in a dark enough corner that my car wouldn’t stand out, then slipped from my car and pulled my hood up. I let out a small surprised gasp as I began to move through crowds of people towards the quarry. My eyes widened at a couple that was… well, they were fucking on top of their car as some others watched, most people ignoring them. The grunts coming from their rather athletic movements had my skin breaking out in chills, both because, I mean, they were having sex in plain sight, which was surprising, but also because it left a charged sensation in the air. I was glad, suddenly, that I had worn such a shapeless outfit.
I had no urge to get involved in any of this. I was here for one reason. Stratton.
I had no idea how this was going to go, and I worried it could go the exact opposite of how I hoped. Stratton could end up being really pissed at me. But what other option did I have? I wanted him in my life, even if only as a friend, so this was the way I would prove it. I would take the ‘dark’ and ‘dirty’ side of this life, even if it was more dangerous. I knew he believed that actions spoke louder than words, so I was hoping he understood this message really clearly.
Because if I came again, I was so bringing some of the guys. I was out of my element here.
I knew I was nearing the ring when the rock music began blasting from a speaker and the scent of cigarette smoke and pot filled the space around me. I tried to keep my expression neutral as I ignored the energy around me, both aggressive and angry in nature. I am sure it was justified in their mind, but it was very off-putting. I pushed forward to where the land dipped as cheering started, finding myself at the front of a ring, my eyes widening at the people around me betting and screaming loudly. I put my hands over my ears as I squinted through the construction lights that flooded the space, making every speck of dry blood on the mat visible.
It was a bit difficult to focus on any of that, though… no, I was completely focused on Stratton Lee. Holy hell.
His massive, muscular chest was gleaming with sweat as he stood at the edge of the ring, his hands taped and eyes focused on the other large man across from him. An announcer was talking about placing bets, and I found myself gravitating closer, hating that he had no one in his corner like the other man. I wasn’t worried about Stratton—he was clearly good at fighting, and honestly rather terrifying right now—but I still found myself wanting to be as close to him as possible.
The energy radiating off him was almost unnatural. It was lethal and dominating as he moved his muscles, his tattoos shifting with them, and cracked his neck. I was really torn between telling him to put on a shirt—because I could literally feel other women staring at him—or crawling on the stage myself and attacking him.
“Alright, you filthy bastards!” the announcer’s voice echoed through the space. “Place your final bets before we begin the round. Remember, it’s three rounds, two out of three wins the overall prize.”
I didn’t listen to whatever else the man was spouting, because I could see Stratton’s entire energy shift as he went from his normal temperamental brooding expression to something far colder. Where on earth was his head at right now?
I wasn’t positive I wanted to know.
The bell rang, and my head snapped to the center of the mat. Round one began and was over before I even knew it, my mouth popping open as Stratton knocked the man onto his back with several hits. Everyone exploded with excitement as I found myself bouncing slightly, feeding off the energy. I could feel bodies pushing against me, but they were easy enough to ignore, honestly.
Well, until some chick literally elbowed me and said, “Get the fuck out of my way.” Loudly. I scowled at her and looked back at the ring.
Oh no.
Stratton’s blazing blue eyes were locked right on me, and I felt myself shrink back slightly. Crap. I had no idea what to call the expression on his face, but it was filled with heat and a not so little bit of anger and concern. The bell rang again, and something in him seemed to snap into place.
In a fast movement, the guy who had been trying to advance on him was knocked out cold. Okay then. That was it.
The crowd went wild, those who had bet two matches on Stratton clearly thrilled. I watched as he grabbed the envelope from the announcer and made his way to the edge of the ring in a predatory movement. That was right about when a logical sense of fear hit me, and I backed up slightly, his gaze never leaving mine. Some chick tried to grab his arm, but he was over the ring and walking towards me, shaking her off easily.
Alright, he was pissed. Wow. This may have been a horrible idea.
“Stratton!” I chimed as he got closer, “So crazy seeing you here, you did so great— crap!” I yelped as he literally scooped me up over his shoulder, my stomach uncomfortably wedged over his muscular frame. I didn’t bother telling him to put me down, though—that’d be a waste of breath.
I deflated slightly as he walked ahead, the noise dying down with each step. Wherever we were going, we’d be somewhat alone. Let’s hope he wasn’t mad enough to kill me, because at this rate there would be no witnesses.
I was suddenly plopped down onto a bench as I looked around, realizing we were on one side of the park, far away from the match now. Who would have guessed they had a park here? Fascinating.
“Angel.” Stratton’s low, rumbling tone had me looking at him as I offered a small, hopefully innocent, smile.
“Hey you, Mr. Winner,” I teased, punching him lightly in the shoulder, hoping he wouldn’t actually be mad at me.
Stratton crouched down so that we were face to face as he searched my expression. Whatever anger had been there before was now gone, replaced by something far more delicate, and I had the urge to protect that. See? This was the reason I was here.
“It is very dangerous here, Dahlia, way more than you realize,” he said softly. “The gang I was talking about? They aren’t here tonight. But you being here is going to reach them, angel. This entire place is infested with fuckers that only care about one or two things. You shouldn’t be here, you deserve better than this.”
I straightened and looked him directly in the eye. “I am exactly where I want to be, Stratton.”
“Why did you show up?” he asked, his eyes darting across my face as if trying to find the truth there. I couldn’t help what spilled out of my mouth next.
“Because that’s what people who love one another do. They support one another. I know you think you have to do everything on your own. But you don’t. I am going to be here no matter what you are going through, no matter what you have or don’t have. None of that matters to me. I just want you. I’m here as long as you want me to be.”
Please don’t break my heart.
His blue eyes melted into navy as he kissed the top of my hand that he was now holding. His gaze shot up from my hand to my face as he tilted his head. “Did you say ‘love’?”
“Did I?” I blinked at him, not knowing how to handle this. “Love, you know, like care for—”
I sighed into a light, almost hesitant kiss that Stratton laid on my lips, my fingers brushing over his jaw. His large hands ran down my waist, cupping my ass as he tugged me forward so that I was completely wedged against him, our kiss showing our mutual dependence. It was a slow, almost careful kiss, and I could feel how tense he was, as if it was hard for him to keep it like this. I deepended it further, my fingers threading through his hair as he let out a low, almost pained sound in the back of his throat. I shivered, my toes curling as his fingers tightened on me.
When he pulled back, I offered a small smirk. “I’ll give you that one, but only because you won.”
He barked out a laugh and shook his head. “Christ, woman, what am I going to do with you?”
Lots of fun things, I hope…
“Are you done for the night?” I asked softly. He nodded, looking tired.
Something seemed to occur to him, because he examined me curiously before asking a question that had my stomach tightening. “Have you eaten today? Be honest.”
“I had a small smoothie and some dinner with my parents,” I whispered. He nodded, his concern apparent as he pulled me up against him. Despite how lethal he could be in the ring, the man had such a soft emotional spectrum. I absolutely loved it.
Although, that was literally the only part of him that was soft… the only part.
“Do you want to meet me back at the house? I’m going to order delivery. MeMaw will probably want something later—she sleeps a lot during the day lately.”
“Yeah.” I squeezed his hand as we began walking back towards the ring. I had so many questions, and I wanted to ask him about being in my room, but when he tugged my hood up and wrapped an arm around me, I decided they could wait. Voices rose around us, and people congratulated him as he grabbed his jacket and walked me towards the parking lot. I pointed out where I was parked and only tugged my hood back down when we were far enough away from everyone. My brows raised as we passed his bike, making me realize we had actually parked close to one another. I hadn’t even meant to do that.
I scowled as he put on his hoodie, but when he tucked the money in his wallet, I kept my gaze on his face, noticing that he looked more stressed than ever before. I wanted to fix that so bad. His hands came up as he gently held my face, his thumbs running over my cheeks, making me melt into him.
“Next time,” he spoke softly, “if you want to come to a match, we can try to figure something out. But not by yourself. You practically sent me into cardiac arrest seeing you jostled about in that damn crowd.”
See! That man was a total sweetheart.
“Deal,” I promised.
Grabbing the keys from my pocket, he unlocked the door and opened it, pressing a kiss to my lips before letting me get into the car. I buckled myself in as he watched me expectantly and closed the door, walking towards his motorcycle. I smiled slightly, noticing that his helmet was hanging from his handlebars. Thank the lord for that.
As I began to drive home, I realized my instincts had been right.
This had fixed and fundamentally changed something.
Chapter Nineteen
Stratton Lee
Mark my words, Dahlia was going to be the death of me.
I shook my head, following her on my bike as the humid night air blasted across my hoodie, making me wish I had worn something lighter At least I hadn’t forgotten my goddamn helmet this time—I swear, Dahlia would have killed me yesterday if she hadn’t already been so upset with me. Was it wrong that I loved how much she worried about me? Probably.
I frowned, knowing I needed to start keeping the helmet I bought for Dahlia with me, because even watching her drive was making me a nervous wreck. She wasn’t a bad driver at all, but I preferred her in a controlled environment when it came to her safety. Like on the back of my bike. Maybe I needed to consider getting another car. One that was safer so that when we went places… I needed to stop myself.
The woman was clearly driving me to the point of madness. Not that that was anything new. She had always had that type of effect on me. An irrational one.
I couldn’t believe she had gotten in her hundred thousand dollar car and drove out to the goddamn quarry to see my fight. After I told her not to. After I told her to stay away from me. The woman was so goddamn stubborn, and of course I found that more attractive than anything else, which showed that there was something severely wrong with me.
Despite the fear of seeing her jostled around in the crowd, I’d felt a surge of motivation, knocking the bastard I was fighting out just so I could get to her. The cold rage that I normally felt had been replaced almost instantly by the overwhelming desire to not only have Dahlia by my side but to keep her protected. I knew that I was failing in most regards after tonight, and that was just a loss I was going to have to handle.
I had tried so hard to be a good guy.
To be truthful with her. To keep my distance. To explain why I would never be good enough. All while I suffered in silence, needing her with a fucking irrational lust, to just feel her in my arms. To feel her lips against my own. For years, fucking years, I’d felt this way, and yet when I expressed all of this to her, warned her… she just didn’t care.
She didn’t care what I thought was best, and it had me wanting to take her over my goddamn knee and punish her for being so fucking reckless. It also made me want to get down on my knees and wrap my arms around her, begging her to say that she really meant what she had slipped out earlier. That she loved me.
Her bright green gaze, almost a jade shade, had pinned me with a frustrated expression as she told me flat out that nothing I had said changed her opinion of me. Her feelings about me. Feelings that I couldn’t even process, let alone express myself, considering it would probably come out in a blurted, awkward jumble.
But fine. I sure as hell wasn’t going to give her up now, and I was probably going to take anything she was willing to give me. I had tried so hard, for so long, that I felt weak in the presence of her determination and insistence. I couldn’t fight this any longer. I needed her, and if she wanted to fight against my best intentions, I would be all too happy to make it easy on her.
I just hoped she realized what she had started. Most days I felt like the luckiest sonofabitch alive to even be living next to her, just getting to see her every damn day, so the idea of getting to kiss and touch her… it was overwhelming. It was also far more like my ideal paradise than I would ever admit.
As we made the turn towards Wildberry Lane, I fought back the memory of seeing her in the grocery store yesterday morning, the guilt of the entire situation making the air around me thicken as I tried to breathe through it. I knew I had been trying to do what I assumed was the right thing, but all I had done was fuck up. Now I was in the touchy position of figuring out how to protect her from the people I knew who would go after her. She had forced my hand, and now I couldn’t leave her alone. I had to keep her safe, because mark my words, they would know by tonight that I’d been bullshitting in the store.
The bastards shouldn’t have even been there. I hadn’t been lying to her—those men were dangerous. Not the most dangerous out of all the possible options, but I knew who they reported to. The Denim Moths were a motorcycle gang from two towns over with a reputation for bringing narcotics across town lines and operating a prostitution ring in the city. I knew that they had probably been in town selling, especially since they were so low down in the chain, but there was an equal possibility they were trying to figure out a way to distract me.
Especially considering I kept beating the absolute shit out of the men they sent to fight. I also knew it bothered them that I had rejected their offer to ‘join’ their group time and time again. I hadn’t been rude about it, but I had also made it clear that I didn’t have time for that shit.
They also were well aware that despite where I lived, I was broke. In fact, they were probably the only people I reiterated it to so that they didn’t think they could use me for financial gain. If I had that ability, I wouldn’t have been in that damn ring to begin with. At least, not every other goddamn night.
That place was a cesspool.
They were greedy bastards, though, so if they saw Dahlia as a way to distract me and make me lose, then I had no doubt they would put her in danger. They also may find a way to successfully cut off my ability to make any significant amount of money if I had to stop going there.
Fuck.
I had no idea how to handle this bullshit.
I wish I could tell you that m
y concern was strong enough to push her away.
It wasn’t, and when I had seen the tears in her eyes as she fled from the store, I’d known she had heard the line of bull I’d fed them. If anyone was following or being needy, it was me after her. I was just so tired of trying to keep my distance, and my last stand had been telling her that I couldn’t be with her, be her friend or anything else, in her bedroom. I’d been so desperate to apologize and beg her to forgive me. To tell her how I loved her.
When I’d left, it had taken all my strength.
I had no excuse for sleeping in her bedroom last night. There was a broken part of my psyche that would always associate Dahlia with the comfort that she provided after I’d lost both my parents at such a young age. I could remember the sensation of her arms wrapped around me as I laid there sobbing in the dark, not understanding how they were just gone.
Day after day, I had started to associate my healing with her. Which was probably when I not only realized I loved her, but that I would forever be chasing after her.
After tossing and turning last night, I’d climbed up to her room, pissed she had left her balcony doors unlocked but feeling lucky that I could sneak in and sleep on the couch. Not only keeping my eye on her but also basking in her presence. I had nearly joined her in bed, but when the dawn light had broken across the room, I’d woken and stared at her like a total creep until she started stirring.
I should have told her that I’d been there, but I didn’t want to scare her. Something told me it may freak her out.
Letting out a small grunt, I realized that there were some overdue discussions that needed to be had. I wasn’t dumb—if I wanted to have Dahlia in my life, I knew without a doubt that I would have to talk to King and explain to my best friend why I’d been such a goddamn bastard. I knew they were pissed, and I deserved that.
I just had to figure out how I was going to explain to them that I was not only broke but that I was attempting to fix a problem that I hadn’t created. Shame washed over me as I let out a tired sigh, rolling through the gates that opened to let both of us through. I nearly rolled my eyes, seeing Kingston standing in the middle of the cul-de-sac with Yates, the twins, and his cousin.
