“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 fin
gertip. “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.
Epilogue
Saint
“Wake up, angel eyes.” I kissed Angelique’s forehead and ran a finger down her soft cheek. I hated to wake her, but people were about to arrive, and if she missed any part of this party, I would pay for it with her tears. My wife had been planning this event for months, and I wasn’t going to be the reason she missed it.
I’d won the championship right after we were married and had taken her on a month-long honeymoon to Hawaii. I hesitated to fight another season, not wanting to be away from my wife. But Angelique wanted to travel with me, and since she’d never been anywhere besides Las Vegas (and now Hawaii), I was happy to give in to her request. As much as I enjoyed simply having her with me, it was incredible to watch her wonder and excitement at each new place we went.
When we found out Angelique was pregnant, we agreed that I would finish out the season and then retire for good. My wife then decided that we needed to have a huge party to celebrate my retirement and hopefully, another championship. I didn’t want her to overdo it, but she convinced me by assuring me that she would have help from Knox’s sisters, who ran the wedding chapel at the Lennox.
I took home my final belt with my sexy wife, round with our child, cheering me on from the first row. She’d been practically vibrating with excitement over the party, so here I was, about to wake her when I knew, at eight months pregnant, she was exhausted.
After tenderly kissing her lips, I pulled back to find gorgeous turquoise eyes beaming up at me sleepily. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You should have been resting all day instead of running around on your swollen feet,” I admonished her with a mild frown.
Angelique rolled her eyes, and her lips started to curve up, but then her mouth suddenly flattened for a moment, and she rubbed her belly. “Are you in pain?” I asked suspiciously.
She grunted and sat up on the couch. “Nope. It’s just getting hard to maneuver with your giant offspring inside me.” She laughed as she held out her hand so I could help her to her feet. When she saw my furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, she clucked her tongue at me like I was a naughty child. “Don’t be such a bear, Michael. I’m completely refreshed from my little catnap.”
Shaking my head, I sighed but lifted her to her feet. Before she could try to walk, though, I swept her into my arms and made my way out to our large backyard where everything was set up for a barbecue. I set her down on one of the overstuffed loungers and ordered her to stay put. The doorbell rang just as she was opening her mouth, no doubt to argue with me, and I pointed a warning finger at her before heading back inside.
When I opened the door, a wide smile split my face at the sight of the man and woman standing there. “Justice?”
Justice Kendall and I had been friends for a long time but rarely got to see each other because he lived in New York City. He’d also been my investment manager since he started his company with his brother, Thatcher. They’d flown out for my final championship fight, but I didn’t know Justice and Blair were still in town.
He grinned and shook my hand. “Your wife is very persuasive, and somehow, she convinced us to extend our trip to be here for your party.” It might not seem like it to some people, but this was a big deal for these two. They hated being away from their children for more than a few nights.
“Thank you for coming,” I said gruffly, trying not to sound like a pussy even though I was touched by their gesture. Blair went up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek, ignoring Justice’s growl. I almost laughed except for the fact that I was just as possessive of my wife.
“We wouldn’t have missed it. Thatcher and Imogene aren’t far behind us.”
I nodded, again trying to repress the pussy I was apparently becoming. I showed them out to the backyard where they greeted my wife, who had been obedient for a change and stayed in her seat. Blair rubbed her large belly and smiled. “Not long now, huh?”
Angelique beamed and shook her head. “We can’t wait to meet the little guy.” Her face twisted in pain for half a second, but it was long enough for me to notice.
I rushed over and crouched down at her side. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she assured me brightly. “He just likes to practice his boxing moves a little too enthusiastically sometimes.”
My eyes searched her face, looking for any sign that she was still in pain, but I didn’t find any. I slowly straightened up, and when the doorbell rang again, I reluctantly went to let in the next guests. By the time everyone arrived, the backyard was filled with people.
Angelique convinced me to let her mingle a little, but I watched her like a hawk until she scolded me for being rude and ignoring everyone else. I didn’t want to listen to her because every once in a while, I caught that same little hint of a grimace, and she would rub her tummy. However, she teared up, and I immediately went to talk with Justice, Thatcher, and Knox, just to get her to stop crying.
I finally relaxed a little when Blair and Knox’s wife, Addilyn, promised to keep an eye on Angelique. Not twenty minutes later, Addilyn sidled up to Knox and whispered something in his ear, making him frown. She glanced at me, making me narrow my eyes on her and look around for my wife. When I didn’t see her, my scowl swung back over to Knox and Addilyn.
“I’d be pissed as fuck if no one told me, baby. I’m not going to risk my pretty face by distracting a champion MMA fighter,” he said with a shake of his head. He flinched when she glared at him but turned to look at me. “Apparently, Angelique isn’t feeling well. Blair took her inside and instructed my wife to request that I distract you so you would enjoy the rest of the party.” Addilyn huffed, and Knox pulled her into his arms. By the way she melted into him, I assumed she’d already forgiven him.
Rolling my eyes, I sighed and mumbled my thanks before sprinting back to the house and into our bedroom. Angelique was sitting on the side of the bed, bent over, holding her stomach, while Blair rubbed her lower back.
My chest squeezed at the pain I saw in Angelique’s face. Since no one was around, she wasn’t bothering to try to hide it, and it struck fear into my heart. “What the fuck?” I almost shouted but lowered my voice at the last minute so I wouldn’t upset her even further. “What’s wrong?”
She tried to smile at me and panted, “Nothing, babe. Go back to the party. I’ll be down there in a few.” Blair rolled her eyes and silently shook her head.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, and knelt in front of Angelique before I took her face between my palms. “Have you been feeling like this
all day, angel eyes?” Her eyes began to widen with innocence, and I knew she was about to lie her pretty little ass off but was derailed by another grimace and groan of pain.
“Maybe a little,” she conceded when the pain seemed to let up. “But I didn’t want to spoil the party. Let’s go back out there. I’m fine.”
“Um, Angelique,” Blair murmured, “I’m pretty sure you’re in labor.”
My wife bent over with another wave of pain but managed to turn her head to the side and glare at her friend. “Traitor.”
“Let’s go,” I stated firmly as I got to my feet. She protested weakly as I swept her into my arms, and I scowled at her as I stormed from the room. “Not another word, angel eyes. You’ve already earned yourself a red ass for keeping this from me all day.”
Angelique gasped and smacked my chest. “You can’t spank a pregnant woman!”
I glanced down and despite my worry, I smirked at her. “I can wait until the doctor gives you the all clear.”
We reached the car, and as I was helping her into the passenger seat, she mumbled, “It’s not like you’ll remember in six weeks.”
I scoffed and carefully pulled the seat belt over her large belly. “I will never forget this, angel eyes.” After shutting the door, I raced around to my side and got in. I headed toward the hospital, and with every mile, my worry increased. Especially as Angelique’s moans became more anguished. To take both of our minds off the situation, I blurted, “And don’t think you’ve gotten out of the spanking you earned for last week.”
Her head popped up and swung in my direction. “What, are you keeping a tally or something?” she asked incredulously.
“Yup,” I replied simply.
Before she could respond, we pulled into the emergency room drive, and I hopped out to grab someone with a wheelchair.
Vegas, Baby: Complete Series Page 60
