Shuddering, I clung tighter and as I felt his hand slip to the top of my bottom, I was so tempted to climb astride him. What would he do if I did?
“Why are you still engaged to him?”
The question I should have expected, but while I was thinking about getting closer to him, he wanted to know that. The sad thing was, I should have told him when I talked about Patrick.
Lifting my head, I met his dark as midnight eyes and admitted, “I’m in a jumbled mess really.” I shrugged. “The wedding is soon, and yet I’ve stayed silent. At first I had planned on being honest and admitting that it wasn’t what I wanted, but then I had access to the gym because of Patrick. If I spoke out, then all that would have been taken away and I wouldn’t get to see you. I know it’s stupid, but that’s my reasoning.”
He cupped my face and kissed me. His lips hovered over mine while he kissed me again. “I know where you live, Evie. I can come to you.”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t want any trouble for you because of me… I could call you. We could arrange to meet.”
“I don’t have a cell phone.” He seemed almost ashamed at that confession. Perhaps I was naïve because I thought everyone had a cell these days.
“We need to get you one.”
Now it was his turn to shake his head. “I’m not sure.” He looked away and then back to me. “Let’s get out of here. I want you to myself and there’s too many people in here now.”
I wanted that as well. I wanted a lot more.
“Yes.”
My one word had him tugging me out of the booth with him, and with a quick goodbye to Julio I found myself outside the bar with his arm tightly around my waist. It felt good walking down the sidewalk with him holding me close. Feeling his side pressed up against mine caused my blood to thrum with more desire than I’ve ever experienced before.
His own desire looked hard and uncomfortable against his zipper, which caused a moan to escape my lips.
That was all it took to find myself shoved up against a wall, my legs around his waist and his hands on my bottom while his mouth hovered above mine.
I wanted this man with everything I had, but not in an alley again. I wanted and needed to see him. To be able to touch him where I wanted to as opposed to where I could reach. Where though? Where could we go?
Millie’s apartment.
“My friends apartment. No one knows she has a new place. We can go there.”
Even though I’d spoken the words, I wasn’t sure he’d heard because he didn’t move and stayed frozen against me.
“I want you. Badly,” he whispered against my lips.
“I know.” I pressed my hips against his and felt the pulsing length of him twitch. He was long and thick and, with another wiggle of my hips against him, his hands clamped on my bottom real tight so that I couldn’t move.
“I don’t want to come again in my jeans, which I will do if you keep doing that.” He blushed and wouldn’t meet my gaze.
All too soon he let my feet drop to the ground and stepped back, raking a hand through his hair in obvious frustration. His bulge, if anything, had grown and the thought of having all of him inside me caused my sex to clench with excitement.
He chuckled, groaned, and then mumbled, “Stop looking,” before he took my hand and tugged me down the sidewalk again.
“I’ve no idea where your friend lives, but it’s near the park, right?”
“Yes. It’s in the Regents building.”
Stryker pulled to a sudden stop. “Fuck.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong?”
He looked at me as though I had two heads. “I’m in the same building. Corner unit on the twenty-first floor.”
Stunned was an understatement. “Millie is on the nineteenth, 1908.”
“I’m 2110…we have to be careful, and enter separately. They watch me.” He looked away and although it felt like minutes had passed, in reality, it was probably seconds before he got us moving again. “When we get there,” he looked around us, the frown not leaving his brows, “you go in the front door as I presume you usually do, and I’ll find my own way up to you. Leave Millie’s door on catch so I can quickly enter before the camera picks me up.”
All the cloak and dagger stuff worried me, but I guessed we both had to stay off Patrick’s radar for now. But what would happen to Stryker once my engagement was no more? Would he lose access to the gym as well? Or would he be kept on because he makes them more money than any of the other fighters?
It was all a mess and I had a feeling that Patrick’s father might be the one to want the marriage between his son and me. He always seemed to have control, icily so. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was the reason Stryker was so isolated.
Ask…
She could. Quickly as well before she chickened out. “Stryker, can I ask you something?”
He looked wary, but agreed with a nod of his head. “Anything.”
“About Patrick, do you ever see his father?”
He pulled to a stop and frowned down at me, his fingers intertwined with mine.
“No.”
“So Declan has never been down to the gym or spoken to you?”
He frowned. “I don’t know the names of everyone who appears, but I get the feeling that Patrick is controlled by someone else so that’s possibly his father. The gym is family owned so it all makes sense.” We started walking again, about a block away from the apartment building, he asked, “Tell me about Declan…please.”
I blew out a breath because what the hell could I say about the man. I ended up saying the first thing that came into my head. “He scares me.”
Stryker flexed his fingers around mine. “Go on.”
“There’s something about him that makes me feel sick whenever I’m in his presence, which I have to say isn’t that often. He asks someone to do something, they do it without question. Even Patrick jumps when his father gives a command. It’s just a vibe I get. I mean he’s never done or said anything to me; it’s just the way he looks at me. Gives me a sick feeling.” I shrugged. “He actually terrifies me a lot more than Patrick, so I’ll be relieved to be free of their family.”
We continued to walk until the entrance of the building was visible, when Stryker tugged me into the doorway of another.
“I don’t like what they make you feel, and I sure as hell don’t want you alone with either of them…but right now you need to quickly get up to Millie’s apartment and wait for me.” He gave me a shove.
My legs carried me inside the Regents building and up to the nineteenth floor. At my friend’s apartment door, I used my own keycard and security number to enter.
The smile on Millie’s face as she turned to look at me made me feel better after the conversation about Declan and Patrick.
“You know, I’m waiting for you to move in with me,” Millie laughed. “And I’m serious about that. You already have a room here.” She came toward me, her arms wrapping me in a warm embrace.
“I know and I love you even more for that.” I bit my lip. “But, um, right now I need you to show me how to stop your door from locking so that Stryker can get in.”
Her mouth hung open before she swallowed hard as a light appeared in her eyes. “Stryker? As in the hot piece of fighter from the gym Stryker? He’s coming here? To my apartment?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes to everything. Now hurry.”
“Yes, Mom.” She strolled to the door and did something with the locks and closed the door. “That’s it, and you better explain before he gets here.”
“That’s what I planned to do.” I took a deep breath and quickly glanced at the clock on her microwave. I doubted that I had much time before he slipped inside and I wanted to be alone with him. “We discovered that he lives in the same building. The twenty-first floor. That’s why we didn’t come here together. Neither of us wanted Patrick to know that we entered together, but I just want to be alone with him. To talk. He appears so lonely, Millie.”
“I get that. There’s certainly something between you both. That became apparent earlier at the gym, even Carter noticed.” She brushed the hair back from my face. “I’ll give you some space.”
“Thank you, but this is your apartment. We’ll go into the other room when he gets here.”
“Your bedroom you mean.”
I smiled. “My bedroom.”
No sooner had the words left my mouth than I was shoved from behind when the door opened. I turned and grinned like an idiot when Stryker entered, closing the door behind him.
Chapter 11 ~ Stryker
I’D USED THE BACK entrance to the building, and even though my card would have come up on the system as being used, they wouldn’t be able to find me. The camera in the service elevator worked but was easily covered. So I’d pressed lots of different floors and sent the elevator up, down, up, and then back down once I’d gotten off on the nineteenth floor. The cameras on the floors had a narrow view, and moved slowly from side to side. Luckily for me, Millie’s apartment was close to where I was.
The minute the camera changed direction, I ran to the door and shoved inside, quickly closing the door behind me. With a bit of luck, hopefully, I hadn’t been caught on the closed circuit video.
It made it all worthwhile though, when I came face to face with my beautiful Evie. I’d been so hard since the minute she’d touched me that I hadn’t been sure that I’d be able to walk back to the apartment, but through gritted teeth, I had.
Even as I stared at her, my eyes moving briefly to greet her best friend, my dick had stayed hard as a rock. I blushed slightly at the fact that it was evident for all to see.
Her friend looked between Evie and me, her eyes alight with mischief, but before she could do or say anything, Evie led me to a bedroom. Closing the door, she sat on the bed, her back against the headboard before giving me a shy smile and patting the space beside her.
I sure as hell didn’t need telling twice.
Especially when she snuggled against my chest, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. My fingers tangled in her beautiful hair as a sigh of contentment escaped my mouth.
I kissed her forehead. “What I’m going to tell you, I’m trusting you to keep to yourself.”
“You can trust me, Stryker.” She kissed my chest and my heart swelled with longing.
“My real name is…Jake Rivers and I’m twenty-four years old. I want you to know that. I’ve trained to fight since the night my life was taken from me when I was fourteen. It’s all I know how to do. How to live.” My voice broke, but I continued because it was important that she knew the real me, “I’m not educated, Evie. I’m no good for y—”
“Don’t say that.” She covered my mouth with her small fingers. “Don’t ever put yourself down. You’re perfect for me. We fit together just fine, and,” she straddled my waist; I nearly swallowed my tongue as her pussy rubbed against my cock, “I’m sure we’ll fit together when we venture into other positions.” She smirked.
I closed my eyes but that made it worse. All I could see and feel was Evie against me. All I could imagine was making love to her in the bed we currently laid on. She’d be my first, my last…my only, woman.
My hands slid up her thighs and kept her against me. I ignored the pain of being hard and swollen, trapped behind my zipper because having her so close made my heart lighter.
“Stryker,” she whispered, her breath tickled along my lips.
Opening my eyes, my whole body tensed with the heat I saw in hers. My breath stuck in my lungs and shards of pleasure teased beneath my skin, making me twitch and tingle…lengthen. It wouldn’t be long before I spilled my release.
She reached up and, gripping my shoulders, wiggled on my lap as she moaned.
“Fuck,” I hissed, pushing her away from my dick. “I need distracting.”
Evie smirked. “I know just how to distract you.”
“Although I’m certainly up for that kind of distraction, we still need to talk.”
“I know.” She wiggled against my groin and got comfortable. “That’s better. I want to be close to you.” Her arms went around my shoulders and her head rested against my neck.
My body still ached, but it was more manageable as I continued, “My life isn’t easy, Evie. It’s difficult than most. I’m under…contract…” I winced at the lie but I couldn’t tell her the truth or I was sure she would involve herself regardless. “Which means that I have to do what they say. They hold me tight to their chest and, right now, there isn’t anything I can do about it except warn you to get away from Patrick. I don’t trust him with you, and if word should get out about us spending time together, I’d hate to think of what he’d do.”
“He’d go crazy, Stryker.” She kissed my neck. “I need to continue to think of you as Stryker so that I don’t slip up, but you’ve no idea how much I want to call you by your real name.”
“I look forward to the day when you can.”
I arched up and moved us down the bed, rolling Evie from her straddled position. I kept her tucked into my side, and caressed her thigh when she straddled it over my hip. “I’ve never laid in bed with a woman before.”
Her eyes widened and met mine. “Never?”
“Never.”
“So, I’m the first.”
“The first with everything.”
I gently tugged her head to my chest and rubbed soothing circles on her back. It wasn’t long before she slept wrapped in my arms. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to walk away from her. To do so would leave her vulnerable, but if I didn’t, I knew the men wouldn’t just let me leave and she’d then be caught in the crossfire.
Evie
WAKING, I REALIZED THAT I’d slept on Stryker. Used him as a bed and my smile couldn’t get any wider. I loved being so close to him, and the fact that he’d held me without pushing for more said a lot to me.
His confession of the night before raised questions that I didn’t know how to ask. I mean, what exactly did he mean ‘the first with everything’? Surely such a strong, handsome man would have some experience. Wouldn’t he? Trying to chase the thoughts away, I glanced toward the curtains, but couldn’t see anything with the light being off.
How long had we slept?
I frowned and slowly moved my head to the clock and realized I’d slept until four in the morning. I’d had about six hours of much needed sleep. The movement had woken Stryker and he caressed the hair down my back. “I love this,” he whispered, his voice husky with need.
How much he loved having my body against his was obvious with the constant erection that he couldn’t hide. I wanted to see him, pleasure him, to know what it was like to have him pleasure me.
Sitting up, I wiggled in his lap, knowing it made him harder. Cupping his face with my hands, I brought our lips together. I deepened the kiss, learning the shape of his mouth, his taste as our tongues slipped together. Before long, Stryker growled and flipped me to my back. Following me down, his jean-clad erection pressed against my wet panties with my skirt hiked around my waist.
He used his arms so that he didn’t crush me, but as he dipped his head to continue teasing my mouth, I wanted his weight covering me. My breasts ached to be touched. To be pressed tightly against his chest.
The moan that had been lodged in my throat burst forth, and Stryker finally lost control. His chest came down to mine, his hands held my head while he devoured my mouth. It was a kiss so wet and carnal that I seriously thought I’d come.
It was over too soon.
Stryker pulled his mouth away, cursed, and rolled to his back. His heavy breathing could be heard in the quiet of the night, and I felt his fist clench beside me.
Rolling to my side, I came face to face with his impressive erection. With a quick glance up to his hooded eyes, I took a chance.
I reached out and made quick work of his fly. Once I’d got that over with, I inhaled and kneeled between his spread thighs. His eyes glittered, his jaw clenched tightly toge
ther, but he didn’t stop me.
Taking hold of the top of his jeans, I tugged and, with his help, got them to his thighs where I stopped.
I swallowed and moaned.
He was long, thick, and so hard that I’d have been able to use him as a hammer. The more I looked, the more he twitched, and the crown leaked precum. Arching up, Stryker fisted the cover under him, but his eyes never left mine.
“I’m so close,” he growled. “You need to know something.”
“What?”
I bent my head and seconds from licking his balls, he admitted, “I’ve never been with anyone before. Ever. Sex. Blowjob. Nothing.”
My mind spun and I’d think about that later, but for now, I wanted him on my tongue. My mouth.
At the first swipe of my tongue, his body jerked as though he’d stuck his dick in an electrical socket. I didn’t want him coming before I got my mouth around him, but I wanted him to know what my tongue felt like.
I licked again, massaging his balls in my mouth. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught his hand moving to his dick so I reached out and held both of his arms down at his side while his hips strained. My tongue licked up along his length, circling around the bulging head, which was soaked with excitement.
I released one of his arms and used my hand to hold his erection straight up. As I held his gaze, I slid my mouth down his length. Withdrew to the tip. Sucked him back into the wet warmth. He trembled. I used my hand to cup and gently squeeze his balls, as I took more inside me. He tensed seconds before he started to spill down my throat. I sucked and swallowed. He came so hard that I nearly choked on the amount he’d released.
I didn’t though.
As soon as he relaxed, I licked him clean and grinned when he started to enlarge again. Stryker had other ideas, and I was suddenly hauled up his body with his lips sealed to mine. He held my head down to his mouth and ravaged me. That was the only word for it. He consumed me with his passion and the intensity of his kiss told me more than words ever could.
I was his.
He rolled me to my back, my skirt wedged around my thighs, and his hardness rocked against my wet panties. No matter how much I ached to be filled by him, I didn’t want that to happen tonight. My eyes stung with tears. He’d never been with anyone before me and I felt the excitement of being his first. I just struggled to get my mind around that fact.
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