by Sweet, Izzy
Though with the way she's dressed, she could fit in here more than I think she does.
It's just this place doesn't look like her at all. She may be dressed like another easy ring girl but her attitude and the way she is carrying herself doesn't strike me as if this is the way she usually presents herself.
Shutting off the car, I quickly get out and walk around the front of the car, trying to get to her door.
I'm don’t think she even understands what I am trying to do as she opens the door up and gets out before I even get close to her.
“Thank you... Chase,” she says quietly as she moves to walk around me and into the apartment building.
“I'll walk you to your door.”
This place isn't exactly a dump but damn I wouldn't feel right about leaving even most of the guys I train with at the gym in a place like this.
“What’s up girl,” one of the young guys sitting on the steps of the building says to Avery, but thankfully he doesn't sound like he's hitting on her.
“Not much, James. Tell Maria I said hello,” she responds as she steps around the guys and walks up the stairs in front of me.
Damn she is sexy looking in those short shorts, her long legs showing their smooth lines. If she was into me at all, and this was my place... I would be running my hands up the back of her legs trying to see just how long they are and just how soft her skin is.
I give my head a shake as I continue to follow her up and into the building, watching her open the buildings front door and take the stairs up to the second floor. Her ass is swaying seductively the entire time, but this has to be the first time I have ever seen a woman's ass move like that without it being intentional. Damn, she can move. I bet in bed she isn't built for speed…
Fuck, I gotta get my head straight.
She walks to the back door on the right side and looks over her shoulder at me. I can't tell what the look she has on her face is as she turns to face me, but it’s definitely not one of desire.
“Mind if I check inside before I leave you here?” I ask.
Shit, I don't feel good leaving her in this kind of neighborhood. I wouldn't even feel comfortable being here all the time much less at night by myself.
“There’s no need,” she says with a smirk and she shakes her head at me. Those long black locks of hair flutter. “Anyways, Sebastian watches over the apartment when I'm not home.”
“Look, I…” start to say, but trail off not really sure where I’m going with it.
“Thank you for the ride home. Ethan, he's never done something like that before.”
She looks uncomfortable and in pain. It's all I can do not to wrap her up in my arms. She’s small compared to me, but she looks like she would fill my whole world.
“No man should ever hurt a woman,” I say quietly.
“He's not normally like that.” Shaking her head, she frowns then looks up into my eyes. ”But thank you for bringing me home tonight.”
Turning towards the door, she unlocks it and steps in without another word.
Well, fuck.
I shake my head and turn back around. Taking the stairs slowly, I walk out to my car and get in. Starting up the engine, I give it a couple of seconds while she starts to purr. Pushing the peddle down, I pull out of the driveway and leave her, cursing myself the entire time.
Avery
“No man should ever hurt a woman,” Chase said and the words just replay in my head like a broken record as I lean against my door.
I listen to him walk out, his footsteps thumping down the stairs. Then a moment later there’s no mistaking the purr of his car. He’s leaving, good. Because damn if he didn’t look like he wanted to come inside.
And for some crazy reason, I almost invited him.
But it wasn’t a date, and he’s not interested in me… well the real me anyway. Hell, he probably just looks at me as some poor battered bimbo.
He swooped in, rescued me from Ethan’s moment of insanity, and now that he’s rescued me Chase probably expects me to repay him in sex. Or a blow job. Or both. But I’m just not that kind of girl.
And hey, even if he is a really good guy and all he wanted to do was check my place out, what would I have done anyway? I don’t have any tea or coffee. I doubt he would have wanted some water and a ketchup packet.
So it was good of me to send him on his way. It’s good to get this night over with. So why does it feel like a mistake? Why does it feel like I just missed the boat?
My head throbs with each step it takes to get to my bathroom. Thankfully, I have half a bottle of ibuprofen. After brushing my teeth, I toss a couple of pills back then chase it with some water directly from the faucet. My head pops up and my eyes lock on my reflection in the mirror. The girl staring back at me, I hardly recognize her. She looks so tired. Her mascara is running and her black eyeliner is smudged. Her red lipstick is now only a stain on her lips. I watch as she wipes the water off with the back of her hand.
God, she is such a mess.
I walk into my bedroom. After kicking off the ankle-breaking heels, I strip down to my underwear and climb into bed. I snuggle underneath my covers, pulling them tightly around me. It takes forever for me to fall asleep though. For whatever reason, I just can’t get Chase out of my head.
My head aches and I know I should let it rest.
I squeeze my eyes shut, but all I see is him. He looked so concerned, so honest. When he came out of nowhere, pulling Ethan away from me, enacting vengeance with his bare fists, he looked like some savage, bloody, avenging angel. For a moment, I could have sworn I was hallucinating. It didn’t look real. I watched as Chase punched Ethan in the face and body, over and over again, telling him “Never. Hit. A. Woman.”
And I felt safe. For the first time since my grandmother passed, I felt like there was someone out there looking out for me. Someone who would protect me. Someone who would do bodily harm for me.
I wasn’t alone.
Chapter Five
Avery
I wake up to a loud banging on my door. Is it the cops, I wonder as I bolt upright. Usually the cops only knock that loud in this neighborhood. And I should know, I’ve heard it more than a couple of times over the past year.
The knocking grows louder if that’s even possible.
“Just a minute!” I cry out. “I’m coming!”
Fuck, I hope I get to them before they bust my door down. I can’t afford to replace the door.
In my haste to get up, I end up tangled in my blanket and roll out of bed, on to the floor. By a stroke of luck I land on my ass and not my head. It doesn’t make the pounding hurt any less though.
The knocking starts up again, quicker, louder, and definitely impatient.
“Seriously! I’m coming, just a second!” I scream as I shake off the blanket and run for the door.
I twist back my deadbolt, pull open the door and my mouth hits the floor.
“It’s you?!” just flies past my lips.
Chase is there. One fist is poised in the air as if he was just about to bang on my door again. He looks just as surprised, just as shocked as I feel.
I bet he’s feeling even more shocked as I slam the door shut in his face.
I need clothes. Oh my god, I’m half naked. I run back to the bedroom, grab up my blanket from the floor and wrap it around myself.
What is he even doing here?
I run back to the door and reach out to pull it open. Just as I do, half the blanket slides off my shoulder.
“Hi,” I pant out and yank the blanket back up. “What’s up?”
Chase
The day after every fight is always the worst.
For every good fight I compete in, the next day, whether I won or lost, is almost always fucking painful. Normally I don't do much beyond very light stretching and a short run, and if I am not too sore, a long walk around the lake near my house later in the evening.
This morning isn't what I’m used to. It started with me not being a
ble to fall asleep after I got home from dropping Avery off. I must have thought of a hundred different things to say to keep her from shutting that door and maybe being invited in. I certainly didn't want to leave.
Groaning loudly as I roll out of my king-size bed, I stretch out my arms and wince at my left hand. It still hurts, but not nearly as bad as it did last night. My right thigh though is showing a giant fucking bruise. Ethan’s kicks last night left me a painful reminder. It's 6 am and I can't help but want to go back to sleep and I would, if only I could stop thinking of her.
All I can think of is Avery.
Standing isn't fun either but I know better than to just lie around in bed, vegging out. It may be all I want to do, but I need to get moving. When you get battered around like I did last night, you have to work your body out to help relax the tight muscles.
I wince slightly as I brush my teeth. My jaws is tight and swollen from last night’s punches.
Looking into the mirror, I see a man much closer to thirty than twenty with closely cropped dark brown hair and muddy brown eyes. The thick goatee around my mouth needs to go, I think. And the black eyes also make me look nice and fucked up.
It’s no wonder Avery looked so terrified when I was leaving the ring. I must have been bloody and swollen when I grinned at her.
Walking down the hall then down the stairs, I enter my living room and gaze out the front windows. Dale's car is gone so he must have got it some time after I got home.
Hopefully he asked Doc Miles out. He's been sniffing around her since she came to town and started working at the fights.
I walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the fridge, chugging it down as I go out the back door. I sit down on the stoop and tie on my shoes. It's time for my run. I may feel like shit but this is going to help.
***
Dammit, I think to myself as I look in the fridge. It’s the third time I’ve done so in the last five minutes. The fridge is full but I don't want anything in it.
I want Avery and donuts I have to admit to myself.
I’m not the biggest health nut of all the fighters I know, but I try to keep a good diet in place. Donuts though... Yeah they are one of those weaknesses I try to ignore.
I get dressed and head out of the house, walking into the garage. I look at my two vehicles. It’s either the Impala or my Jeep. With where I am about to go, I don't want to put my baby in too much danger. I get into the Jeep and pull out, heading for the closest donut place I can get to. They know me all too well there.
I'm surprised when I’m pulling in front of Avery's apartment when I swear I was intending to head straight home. But then again, two coffees, a bag of bagels and a bag of donuts might mean I had no intention of going home.
She has my head pretty wrapped up in those legs of hers. Holy shit, they’re fantastic looking.
I knock quietly a couple of times. Who the hell is Sebastian? I don't hear anyone moving inside her apartment.
A quiet meow echoes on the other side of the door though, and I can't help thinking the cat is calling out for help. I left Avery here in the slums and someone murdered her in the middle of the night. The cat is calling out for me to help his poor dead owner.
I have to shake my head at the absurd visual but that doesn't stop me from knocking a bit harder on the door than I intended. Okay, maybe I knocked hard more than a couple of times. I seriously consider either kicking the door down or walking away as I realize I need to get a grip.
“Seriously! I’m coming, just a second!” I hear her yell through the door.
I start to lower my hand as the door flies open.
There, standing in front of me is one of the sexiest women I have ever seen in my life.
Avery’s jet black hair is all over the place. Her eyes look like raccoon eyes from the makeup she must have slept in. I look down at her magnificent body and see her pale skin in contrast to the black cotton boyshort panties and the lacy black bra. My god, she is sexy. I just wish I was the cause of her waking up in such a state.
“It's you?!” she says before slamming the door back into my face.
I stand there for a moment not exactly sure if she is coming back. I bend down and pick up the coffee and bag of food. Standing up, I wait for a few more seconds and frown. Should I knock again? I hope she’s coming back.
The door swings open.
“Hi,” she pants as if she was just running.
My mind tries to slide into the gutter but her asking “What’s up?” brings me out of it pretty quickly, just in time for me to notice her blanket falling off of her shoulder and revealing a black lace covered orb.
It looks full and heavy like it could fill my hand.
I drag my eyes away, lifting the food and coffee to show her. “Breakfast?”
“Oh my god!” she gasps as she grabs the coffee from my hands. “This is exactly what I need.”
She shuffles away from the door. I wasn't exactly invited in but I step over the threshold anyway. Shutting the door behind me, I watch her shuffle into the kitchen before she slumps down into one of two old but sturdy kitchen chairs.
“Mmm,” she hums. She must like the hot steaming liquid in the cup because her face looks almost happy. “Why are you here?” she asks quietly around the lip of the cup.
Her eyes look up to stare into mine.
“Well, I wanted to make sure you were alright from last night,” I say as I walk into the kitchen and sit down across from her.
In for a penny in for a fucking pound.
I look around the apartment quickly to see if I can spot anything that might belong to this Sebastian person. The only thing I see is a black cat slinking up to my legs and wrapping himself into a figure eight as he tries to rub himself all over my legs.
“Sebby, you don't even know him!” she remarks as her foot snakes out from under her blanket and she tries to pull him over to her.
“It’s alright,” I say reaching down and rubbing the cats head. “Is this your protector?” I ask while once again looking around the apartment, taking the shabby place in.
Nodding, she takes another sip then opens her mouth about to say something else only to be cut off when some jackass starts banging loudly on her front door.
A male voice sounding suspiciously like Ethan’s calls out, “Hey Avery, open up!”
Fucker sounds like he's slurring.
Avery
I take a sip of my coffee while watching Chase’s fingers stroke through Sebastian’s fur. I stare at those fingers a little too long, imagining what it would feel like if he stroked me.
I bet he could make me purr.
Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I’m just about to tell Chase that Sebastian is usually not so friendly with strangers when Ethan bangs on my door.
Shit. Ethan always has the worse timing.
I take another quick sip of my coffee and bite back the moan rising in my throat. It’s my favorite, though I don’t think Chase had any way of knowing it. It usually costs around three bucks a cup so it’s been a month or so since I’ve treated myself. Regretfully, I force myself to set the steaming cup down on the table and stand up.
“Want me to get rid of him?” Chase asks.
For a split second I’m honestly tempted. Especially since I know Chase is more than capable of getting rid of Ethan. Chase could probably kick Ethan’s ass right out the front door.
But seriously, the last thing I need is for a fight to break out here. My landlord would most likely kick me out and then where would I go?
I’m only here because it’s one of the nicer places I can afford.
“No,” I shake my head. “I should probably see what he wants.”
Ethan is my problem and I should handle him.
“Do you want me to go?” Chase asks, standing up. God, he’s tall. He looms over me. The expression on his face hardens, becoming something unreadable. I swear he looks just like he did last night when we passed in the hallway, but even worse
now that he’s black and blue all over.
“No,” I say right away. I don’t want Chase to go. Now that he’s here, with breakfast, I want to hang out with him. I want to get to know this avenging angel who rescued me. “No, please don’t go. Just give me a minute to get him out of here.”
Chase stands there, large and intimidating, blocking my way. For a moment I get the impression he’s not going to let me walk around him. Then he gives a sharp nod of his head and steps to the side, as if he’s giving me permission to answer the door.
I don’t know why that little power play doesn’t piss me off. I should be mad that he would even think of trying to stop me, but for some reason I’m not mad at all. In fact, I feel rather excited. My heart is beating a little faster and my cheeks feel warm.
Sebastian purrs all the louder and rubs himself through Chase’s legs.
I take a deep breath, willing my heart to slow then I wrap my blanket tighter around me and shuffle over to the door.
Now this is really awkward and embarrassing. I was just waiting for the right moment to excuse myself to my bedroom so I could put some clothes on, but now Ethan is here and I have to answer the door again without flashing my underwear.
I reach out and the blanket slips off my shoulder as I pull the door open a crack. Stupid blanket. Cursing, I yank it back up.
“Avery?” Ethan asks and his blue eyes peek through the small gap I’ve created between the wall and the door. A strong smell of alcohol wafts through the gap. I guess he spent all night drinking.
“Ethan,” I say. “It’s really early. What are you doing here?”
“I came over to apologize. I need to tell you I’m sorry about last night.” He moves forward, trying to nudge the door open more.
I block it with my toe. “You smell like you’ve been drinking. Have you been drinking?”
