In It to Win It

by Ella Jade

  “Fine. I’ll take you home,” Silvio said with an indifferent tone.

  “What? You’re going to choose them over me?”

  “Listen here, princess. I like you. And when it’s just you and me you act like a normal girl and we have a good time, but as soon as we step out, your crazy shows. I’m going to go see my friends. I’d like for my girl to come meet them, but I’m not taking you if you’re going to embarrass me. You can sit in the car if you don’t want to go home.”

  “You jerk. You can’t talk to me like that!”

  “Why? Did it hurt your feelings that I’m not going to play your games?”

  Sabrina thought about it. Was that what was happening, he wasn’t playing her games? She knew she had a tenancy to act snobby, and pouting seemed to work when she wanted to get her way. Most of the time it didn’t even come to that. She just asked for something, and batted her eyelashes, and it happened. She’d lived this way for so long it seemed to be engrained. Maybe I don’t need to play games with him? This was the first real time that Sabrina examined what she was doing with Silvio. He didn’t really fit into her plan of furthering her empire.

  And apparently she was his girl, and she liked the sound of that. They hadn’t discussed it, but that was Silvio. He was an in-or-out kind of guy. Strong and confident, and he made her feel alive, especially when they argued.

  “Fine. I’ll go, I’ll be nice and whatever. I mean, since I’m your girl and all, it’d be pretty rude not to,” Sabrina said quickly before getting out of the car. Leaning against the closed door, she let out a puff of air and watched as the warm breath collided with the cold night. She had said the words, she had agreed to play nice, but it was easier said than done.

  Silvio came around and reached his hand out for hers, and she easily accepted it, trying to wipe the remaining pout from her face.

  “Yeah, it would be rude. And as bitchy as you might act, you’re not that girl.” Silvio placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and the pout was completely gone. Tonight she wanted to be the girl Silvio saw.

  * * * *

  Silvio was impressed, it seemed their little chat in the car worked, now Sabrina was holding his hand with a smile on her face. Silvio felt the subtle movements of her body with each deep inhale and exhale of what he assumed were cleansing breaths. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and led her toward the table where his friends where sitting. The guys quickly stood when they approached.

  “Guys, you remember Sabrina.” The pride in Silvio’s voice was obvious. “Sabrina, this is my brother Antonio, and this is Tyler. Where is Kev?” Silvio asked his friends as he looked around.

  “He’s over at the pool table,” Antonio answered.

  “Oh, you can meet him later,” Silvio said as he pulled out a chair for Sabrina. Once they were sitting down, he poured them each a beer from the pitcher on the table. He knew she wasn’t much of a beer girl, but his buddies were beer snobs so he knew it would be good.

  “So, Sabrina,” Tyler called from across the table, “you gonna go to Silvio’s fight this weekend?”

  Silvio slipped his arm around the back of her chair as he turned to look at her. He hadn’t come out and asked if she wanted to go, but he had mentioned when the fight was a couple of times, hoping she’d take the hint. Chicken. Silvio liked the way things had been going between them and was nervous about asking her. He’d known from the start that MMA wasn’t her thing. Even with her brother being a fighter, he wasn’t sure how many fights she had actually seen.

  “Oh. Uh. The fight is this weekend already? I don’t know why I keep forgetting that.” She looked at Silvio with a sheepish smile.

  He gave her a half-smile, raising his eyebrows in question.

  “I’ll check with my friends and see if they want to go. It might be fun.”

  “Me and the boys would love to take you and your girls,” Tyler offered with a wink as he sat back in his chair, crossing his hands over the back of his head.

  Silvio watched Sabrina roll her eyes before pressing her lips together. “Aren’t you just the sweetest thing—”

  “Sabrina,” Silvio interrupted her before she could throw any more sass at his buddy. “I’m gonna get a tequila, you want a vodka?” he asked as he stood from his chair.

  She looked up at him with narrowed eyes and a hard smile on her face. “A double, on the rocks, please.”

  * * * *

  “So, I hear you make videos of yourself and put them on the internet?” Antonio asked from across the table in an unassuming tone.

  Sabrina gulped down hard on the shot of vodka she’d just taken, trying not to spit it out. She leveled her eyes at Silvio’s brother as a hush fell over the table. She wanted to be offended at the remark, she wanted to be irritated at the ignorance of the comment, but it was impossible. She had never heard her job described like that, and it caused her to burst out into laughter.

  “What! Oh man! I have to Facebook that. That’s too funny!” Sabrina said as she leaned into Silvio and continued to laugh. The mood lightened at the table as they all had a good laugh together at the ridiculous question.

  “No, you idiot,” Silvio started. “Well…I guess that’s kind of true.”

  “Hey!” Sabrina squealed as she pushed out of Silvio’s embrace.

  The roar of laughter was intoxicating, or maybe it was the liquor that had loosened her up, but she seemed to be having a good time with this group of men, even if it was at her own expense. Which never happened. Her heart dropped a second as she thought about her friends. If Lindsay or Ashley saw her with this crew, she’d never live it down. But tonight, in this dingy bar, that wasn’t a serious concern. She smiled and shook the thought from her head.

  “Guys!” She pouted a little. “It’s not like that! I talk about makeup, hair, and fashion trends.” When the group of eyes glossed over she knew she’d lost them. “It’s like being a sports reporter, but instead of talking about sports I talk about girl stuff,” she tried again.

  “Well…that’s less hot,” Tyler said. And the group broke out into another round of laughs.

  “All right guys, that’s enough,” Silvio said sternly, which only made Sabrina smile bigger.

  It felt nice having a man defend her honor, even at something so silly. The type of men she had been on dates with in the past would have never made such crude jokes, or any jokes at her expense.

  “How about we play some pool?” Silvio asked the group, effectively changing the subject as the men easily agreed. “What about you?” Silvio asked Sabrina as the other men headed over to the pool table.

  “I don’t think so.” She shook her head.

  “Come on. I’ll let you be on my team.”

  “I’m terrible at pool, and I refuse to lose at anything. I’ll just sit back and cheer you on,” Sabrina said, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his lips.

  Silvio’s hands wrapped into her hair, and before she knew it, he pulled her in closer as his strong lips took hers captive. She could taste the warm liquor on his smooth tongue as it teased and tangled with her own. She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull her body closer, wanting to ease the ache of lust pooling at her core. But Silvio pulled back, gently unclasping her hands from his neck, holding her hands in his. She felt a blush sweep across her face as she remembered they were in a bar, with his friends.

  “Come on.” Silvio lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed them. “I can play good enough for both of us.”

  * * * *

  “Just so you know, I’m never coming to one of your fights,” Sabrina said flatly as they entered Silvio’s apartment.

  Silvio was blindsided by her seemingly harsh comment. “What’s your problem? Do you have to fight me on everything? Fine, don’t come. It’s not like I even asked you anyway.”

  Silvio tossed his keys on the entryway table before shrugging out of his coat. He rubbed his hands over his shaved head. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was hurt by the fact she already ref
used to take an interest in his life, and fighting was most certainly his life. It never dawned on Silvio that he would date a girl who wouldn’t support him in his career.

  Sabrina was a handful he enjoyed most of the time, but tonight he was too tired to deal with her. He’d been spending most of his time training, and what little was left, with Sabrina. And tonight of all nights Silvio thought they’d made some real progress. She had hung out with his friends, and laughed and played pool. For him it was a fantastic night. Life was certainly easier when the person you dated got along with your friends. And until tonight he wasn’t sure that would’ve ever been a possibility with Sabrina.

  “Come on. Get your coat. I’m taking you home. I’m not in the mood to fight with you, princess.” Silvio grabbed Sabrina by the elbow and turned her toward the door, scooping up her coat as he ushered her out.

  “What?” She shook out of his hold. “Just because I don’t want to watch you fight you’re kicking me out?”

  The look on Sabrina’s face was sheer disappointment. Her eyes were big and round, and her face paled a bit. Silvio felt bad for getting so worked up, but he wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

  “I’m not kicking you out. I’m taking you home,” he said calmly.

  “Fine. I’ll come to your fight.”

  “No thanks.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  Sabrina lunged at him, throwing her arms around his neck. Surprised, Silvio caught her, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her firmly against his body. Her wild lips were on his, fierce and determined. He eagerly met the fervor as their tongues tangled.

  Her hands slipped under his shirt, and her delicate nails scraped up his body, pulling his shirt with them. Sabrina broke the kiss as she lifted the shirt over his head. Silvio tried to comprehend what was happening when she started to place light kisses on his neck. He hadn’t noticed her hand slipping down the front of his pants, until her dainty fingers wrapped around his almost erect cock.

  “Whoa, whoa, what are we doing here, Sabrina?”

  “I don’t want to argue either. I want to come to your fight. I’m sorry,” Sabrina said between kisses.

  “You don’t have to do this just because I was upset with you.”

  “I’m not.” Sabrina removed her hand and took a half-step back. “I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you at that dumb engagement party months ago. You’ve taken me on three dates, not including the lunch, and we’ve barely made out. If you’re not into me, just tell me.”

  Silvio fell speechless. It stroked his ego knowing she had been lusting after him for so long. He was totally into her too. If he wasn’t in training, he might have made a move sooner, but he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. Silvio found he really felt something for her, but she had a lot going on in that head of hers...rules and outlandish expectations. As soon as he thought they were on the same page, she pulled shit like this and threw him completely off.

  He smiled, watching Sabrina twirl a piece of her long blonde hair around her finger. The flush in her cheeks started to fade, but the fire in her eyes hadn’t. Silvio ran his hands over his shaved head, and around to his face, giving it a little slap, at odds with himself. There were rules: no sex before a fight. Some thought this a superstition, but either way it was a rule meant to be followed, not broken.

  “Princess, would you believe me if I told you it’s not you, it’s me?” Silvio stifled the chuckle in his throat.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Sabrina said curtly, putting one hand on her hip.

  “I fight in two days. I can’t have sex before a fight. It hasn’t been so bad waiting, has it?” He tried to sound convincing, but it had been hellish waiting.

  “Is this a fucking joke?”

  “Nope.”

  Sabrina let out a loud sigh and tossed herself dramatically to the couch. “We can’t break this rule?”

  “No.”

  “Not even for me?” Sabrina looked up and batted her eyelashes at him.

  “I want to. But I won’t, and I need you to respect that.”

  “You fucking jerk. You make it so hard to be angry at you.”

  “Do I? You call me jerk enough, I’m starting to think that I’m not treating my girl very good.”

  “Your girl is sexually frustrated.”

  “How long has it been?” he asked casually, but knowing his girl, she wasn’t about to let him get away with that.

  “What? Sex? Why?”

  “Just curious.” He shrugged his shoulder before folding his hands over his chest. There was no taking back the question now, but he was unsure if he wanted the answer.

  “How long has it been for you?” Sabrina countered.

  “I asked first.”

  “These types of questions never lead anywhere good. But I will tell you what I know you’re fishing for. I haven’t slept with anyone since we kissed that night at the bar. Can you say the same?”

  “Yes.”

  “Damn you and your good answers that only make me want you more! You have to take me home. This is turning into cruel and unusual punishment.”

  “Or you could stay, we could watch a movie, maybe do a little more of that making out you’re so fond of.” He gave her a playful wink.

  “Don’t tease me. These are your rules, and I have no qualms about breaking them.” Sabrina took a deep breath before hopping up off the couch. “Besides, it’s getting close to curfew and we don’t want to ruin your golden boy status.”

  Fucking lame ass, blue ball giving, fucking superstitious rule! Silvio shook his head, trying to push away the tempting thoughts of keeping Sabrina in his arms, and maybe just once, one time, breaking the rules. Those hips, those lips, her tits, and that ornery mouth...

  “Yeah, you gotta go, princess. Now.”

  Chapter 5

  Gav had come through and got her passes to the fight, no questions asked. She and her girlfriends had gone on occasion, mostly to the huge events in hopes of rubbing elbows with famous people who came to watch them. And that never required the girls to actually use the seats, but choosing to settle in at the classy cocktail bar.

  Tonight Lindsay and Ashley agreed to come with her after she’d convinced them that Jason Statham was supposed to be there promoting his new movie. Sabrina hadn’t told them about Silvio. In fact, the only person who knew about her dates with Silvio was Mama. Sabrina was amazed Gav hadn’t yet found out about them.

  They’d spent the first three prelim fights in the lounge. Her friends started to get antsy, they were bored. They hadn’t seen any celebrities and were ready to move on to something more exciting.

  “The main card is just starting. This is when all the famous people show up. Besides, I have a game we can play,” Sabrina said enthusiastically.

  “What?” The girls squealed with excitement.

  “Let’s rate the fighters on how hot they are.”

  “Oooh, yes!”

  Sabrina rolled her eyes as she turned to lead the group from the lounge to their seats, which were better than she imagined. In the past, the lounge was the only action she’d been interested in. Other than seeing a few clips of her brother fighting, and maybe glancing at the lounge monitors and seeing seconds of a fight, she’d never actually sat down and watched a whole one.

  “Look, look! There’s one coming out now.” Lindsay squealed, turning to Sabrina and Ashley.

  Sabrina barely kept her mouth from falling open. Silvio walked down the aisle to cage side to be inspected for the fight. She pressed her lips together, trying to prevent a smile as she enjoyed the view.

  Silvio wasn’t extremely tall, she’d guess about five foot nine, but he was taller than her. She smiled fondly, thinking about how nicely their bodies fit together. With clothes on. She sighed inwardly. Tonight was the most naked she had seen him. His naturally tanned skin was beautifully sculpted, with each muscle defined. As a featherweight he had to come in at 145 pounds, and that was all muscle. From her
seat Sabrina could see the scowl on Silvio’s face, and she giggled. It was the same face he made when he’d had enough of her shit. Poor bastard, she thought, feeling bad for his opponent. Sabrina felt confident from that look alone he would get the win tonight.

  “Oh, shit. Isn’t that the guy you know?” Ashley asked as she pulled on Sabrina’s arm.

  “It does kind of look like him, doesn’t it?” Sabrina tried to play it off.

  “It sooo is him! And he’s def a ten!” Lindsay smiled at them with both hands up, wiggling all ten fingers.

  Sabrina liked the approval of her friends. Well, the approval of his looks. Tell them now, you chicken. Sabrina cleared her throat. “I was thinking about going on a date with—”

  “Oh, date!” Ashley interrupted. “That reminds me, that guy I’ve been wanting to set you up with is finally back in town and wants to take you out. I just saw him today, and I gave him your number, so expect a call soon,” Ashley said with enthusiasm.

  Sabrina was caught off guard. It wasn’t unlike her friends to set her up, they knew her type, and had connections of their own, but now she found herself stuck having to choose. Why do I have to choose? Silvio isn’t my boyfriend, and what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Sabrina tossed her hair to the side, grabbing a strand and twirling it as she thought. In theory it might not hurt him, but she was feeling pretty shitty about the idea of going out with another man, and she’d expect Silvio to be pissed if he ever found out.

  “Why aren’t you more excited?” Ashley asked, studying Sabrina’s face. “He’s exactly your type. Unless…do you have something else in the works? Tell us everything!” Both girls squealed with excitement at the potential of new man gossip.

  “No.” Sabrina shook her head and put a smile on her face. “I think the cocktails are getting to me. Let’s see how number ten does in his fight.” She nodded to the ring just as Silvio came jogging by, doing a lap after entering the cage.

  When he winked at Sabrina, her friends squealed again. “It is him! And he remembers you!” Lindsay said.

  Sabrina’s cheeks heated. She didn’t know what to say to that, so she just smiled at the girls and shrugged.