by Sam Crescent
“I don’t know what you’re—”
“Just fucking stop. You may fool everyone else, but not me. I know the man under the cheap suit. You remind me of my father, and that’s not a good thing, I promise you that.”
She wanted to kill him. Maybe it was the only way to end this once and for all. But then she’d be on the run, and ending up in prison wouldn’t help her daughter.
“Listen…”
“Where’s Ava?” she shouted, pounding the table again. “Where’s Ava? Where’s Ava?”
The muffled sound of a walkie-talkie pulled her from her thoughts. They were calling security, so she needed to get out of the restaurant. She’d come without a plan. So desperate to get to her daughter. Part of her wanted to kill, to use the training she’d been given for death matches. But she had to use her head and do things right.
She should have listened to Drago.
Belle felt lost and confused as she left the side door of the restaurant. She didn’t want to be alone. This whole ordeal was stealing the life from her. If only she could just close her eyes and wake up in paradise—a simple home, her daughter, Drago. A life without fear.
She got into the backseat of her Uber. “One more stop,” she said. Belle gave the driver the address of her childhood home—if she could even call it a home. A chill already chased up her spine just remembering the cold white walls, the gym in the basement, the bloodstains. Her father pushed her to the point that she hated her workout sessions. They were brutal, grueling, and no matter how much she begged for a break, she never got one.
By the time they arrived on her street, she asked the driver to stop several houses away.
Belle walked to the side of the house, planning to get inside through the side entrance. She’d use the leverage they’d dug up and demand he return Ava to her. He’d have to respond to her threats, at least long enough to give her daughter back. She’d worry about the aftermath afterwards. She’d turn a blind eye to everything else if it meant getting her little girl back. It was time to be the woman she’d needed when she was a kid. No one had ever been there to save Belle.
The neighborhood was uncomfortably quiet, each of her footsteps sounding too loud. Her father would never speak to her if one of his guards found her first. She needed a face to face.
The dryer vent on the side of the house created clouds of steam just ahead. She wondered if they still kept the spare key behind the loose brick on the wall. Or maybe she’d be lucky and it would be unlocked.
Before she reached the door, a hand slapped over her mouth from behind. Another wrapped around her chest, pinning her arms to her sides. The man was huge and strong as an ox. She could feel his strength and determination. It only brought her beast to the surface.
Belle used her legs to push off against the brick wall, unbalancing her attacker. She bent down and gave a swift right punch to his groin, making him howl and clutch his stomach.
Even though she’d gotten out of his grip, she was still pinned in the narrow walkway along the side of the house, and she’d just pissed off this giant.
****
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Drago pounded his fist against the counter after reading Belle’s note. They’d just fucked each other last night, and he swore they’d made strides in their relationship, but he had a deep-seated feeling that she was breaking lately, growing more desperate to get Ava back. It was the reason he’d met with Carlos. David Vent had found an address where he believed they were keeping Ava. Why couldn’t she have waited a few hours?
Drago knew where Belle would go. She wanted to get her daughter, and felt he was holding her back. God knew he’d tried to find her location for weeks. Every time he thought he’d found a door, it would close. The revelation today was huge. He’d already sent someone he trusted to scout out the house. The wheels were already in motion, but Belle was gone.
She’d go right to the dragon’s den and get herself killed. He had to get to her father’s house before she did. Or was he already too late?
He raced down the highway, weaving around cars with disregard. Every minute could count.
Why did he leave her alone when she was so emotionally fragile?
He kept playing different scenarios over and over in his head. He should have been a fucking man and forced her father to give up Ava at gunpoint on day one. Playing by the rules had never served him well. Drago should have shown Belle he was capable and given her exactly what she needed. But he had to be a fool and play it safe. Now Belle’s life could be in danger. Her father had cops and government officials on his payroll. If a single mother with no known address suddenly went missing, no one would care or notice—even if it all pointed to Randal Aiello.
He tore off the highway exit and parked right in the fucking driveway. Drago wasn’t there to play games. He may be retired, but his lifelong career had made him notorious for handling himself in and out of a ring. His name was still spoken with whispers and fear.
Drago bounded up the steps to the front of the house.
“Drago!”
He stopped in his tracks and followed the voice to the side of the house. The first thing he noticed was the body on the ground, then Belle standing over it.
“You kill him?”
“Head lock. He tried to tap out, but this isn’t the ring,” she said. “He’ll live.”
Drago raised an eyebrow. The guy wasn’t exactly a lightweight. He was reminded that Belle was a force to reckon with.
“I thought you’d need my help. When I read the letter, all I could think about was losing you,” he said. “I’m sorry for taking so long getting Ava back.”
“No, you’re right. We have to find her before they’re on to us in order to keep her safe. My father and Donald Ford have to die.” She looked up at him with those big blue eyes. He noted a shimmer of tears, but she fought to hide her emotions. As soon as they were out of harm’s way, he’d tell her the good news about Ava.
He pulled her against him. At first, she was hesitant and stiff, but then she leaned into him and rested her head against his chest. “Does he know you’re here?”
She shook her head. “He’s not home.”
“Probably for the best.”
“I’m guessing he knew I was coming. I stopped and talked with his politician buddy, and I’m sure he called my father the minute I left.”
Belle was going to be the death of him. “What exactly did you say to Ford?”
“I threatened him. Told him I knew everything, and if anything happened to Ava, I’d spill it all.”
“You know those kinds of men don’t look the other way.”
“I know. I thought I’d be able to scare him. I actually wanted to kill him.”
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” said Drago. Time wasn’t on their side now. He checked his messages and smiled to himself. He typed the address into his GPS.
Once they were on the road, he released a stressed breath. He had her back, and everything felt right with the world again. This time he had to handle things differently. He wouldn’t have Belle risk her life again.
“Where we going?” she asked when he skipped the highway.
“Getting your daughter.”
She shifted in the passenger seat. “What? How?”
“I found out her location this morning. This is the day we’ve been waiting for,” he said.
“No, we can’t. They’ll probably be expecting us after my stupid stunt. It’ll be dangerous. I’ve made everything worse.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll wait in the car.”
“The hell I will.”
Drago looked to the side and glared at her. “You may be good with your fists, baby girl, but I can still take you down. I won’t let you get hurt.”
“And then what?”
“At least we’ll have her with us. Safe and loved. Then we can worry about keeping it that way.”
She sighed. “It shouldn’t be this complicated. Why can’t they
leave us the fuck alone?” Then she put her hand on his thigh. “This isn’t even your fight, Drago.”
He stopped the car on the side of the country road and put the car into park. He shifted to his side and stared her dead in the eyes. “How isn’t this my fight? She may not be my daughter, but I’m invested here, sweetheart. In you. Before you came into my life, I had everything—retired with a shitload of cash and the world at my fingertips. But it all meant nothing. I was drifting, lonely, fucked in the head from everything I’ve done and seen. You changed all that. You know me, just like I know you, Belle. You make me feel whole, make me want to be a better man. I’d give you the world if I could.”
“Drago…”
He meant every word. Child fighters were disposable. He’d always felt that deep-seated emptiness, never belonging anywhere, never mattering to a soul. Belle meant everything to him. She gave him strength, and he knew without a doubt that he loved her with every fiber of his being.
“Why can’t you feel the same way?” he whispered.
God, he felt vulnerable. Did she even care about him beyond what he could do to help her?
She cupped his cheek, her fingernails gently scraping his rough stubble. “I’ve always felt like a lost cause. The only person I could ever count on was myself, and it was scary to trust anyone. I trust you, Drago.”
He wanted more than her trust. More than her body.
Belle leaned over and kissed him. He kissed her back harder. The high of having her back hadn’t let up. And now the taste of her lips…
Drago pulled her over the center console until she was straddling his lap. He slid his hands up her shirt, smoothing them along her back. “Did he hurt you?” he asked.
“He tried.” She kissed him, her tongue dancing with his. He closed his eyes, his cock uncomfortably confined in his jeans. The weight of her body, her soft curves, and fighting spirit made him desperate to take her.
“I want you, baby girl. Right now.”
He expected her to back away, to get pissed off for distracting her from getting Ava.
She reached down and unzipped him, pulling his hard cock free. He groaned as she manhandled him.
Drago pushed his seat as far back as it would go as Belle wiggled one leg out of her pants and underwear. Her little pussy was hot against his cock. He pushed up her shirt and peeled the cups of her bra down exposing her big tits. Drago rubbed his face against the soft flesh, then suckled her nipple into his mouth until she begged him to fuck her.
He held her waist and hoisted her up, then dropped her down over his stiff erection. The rush of pleasure had his eyes lolling back in his head. She began working him with her strong thighs, pumping his cock up and down, the entire car rocking along with them. Only the odd car passed them on the lonely country road.
“You drive me crazy,” he said.
“Do you like me riding you, Drago?”
He smirked. He didn’t expect her to talk dirty, but it fucking turned him on. Her pussy was wet, the slippery sound of flesh on flesh filling the car. She worked him hard, not tiring, not slowing. He was going to blow his load before her.
“You’re too good at this, baby.”
“Don’t get used to it. I like feeling you on top of me. Your hard muscles slick from sweat, just like in the ring. I’ve always fantasized of having you between my legs.”
He groaned, holding her hips as she picked up the speed. She knew exactly what to say. He combed his fingers into her thick blonde hair and tugged hard, her head craning to the side. “Come, Belle. Make yourself come on my dick.”
She gritted her teeth, fucking him hard, ignoring the pain of her hair being pulled. It was beautiful, dirty, and perfect. She dug her nails into his shoulders as she reached her peak.
“Drago…” She cried his name as they came together. First her, then he pumped a few more times before filling her with his cum.
“I needed that. I thought I’d lost you,” he said, his flaccid cock still inside her. “But you can take care of yourself.”
“No, Drago. I need you. You have no idea.”
That little confession was music to his ears.
After cleaning up and dressing, he continued on down the road, occasionally smiling in her direction. Such a wildcat. He’d never let go.
“Are we going to knock on the front door, Drago?” she asked. “This wasn’t part of the plan. We don’t even know what to expect.”
“You’re afraid. That’s natural. How do we deal with fear, Belle?”
“We push it away because it doesn’t help us. We put up our walls and win the match. No pain, no gain.”
“We’ll do it together. We’re not leaving without Ava. She’ll be having dinner in our condo tonight.”
“Our?”
“It’s you and me against the world, Belle. Everything I have is yours—my money, my body, my heart.”
“You’re crazy, you know that,” she said, letting out a laugh. Belle opened the passenger window and released the tie from her hair. The blonde locks whipped back, the wind blowing against her face.
“You make me crazy.”
She leaned close, her breasts against his arm. “My life has never been more fucked up, and I think I’m falling in love.”
Chapter Eleven
Falling in love.
What did that mean?
Belle had never been more scared in her life than she was right now. How long had it been since she saw Ava? A month? Longer? She knew it had been so damn long, but as Drago took them closer to her daughter, she couldn’t help the sick feeling spiraling within her stomach.
Drago captured her hand. They’d just had sex, and now her nerves were all focused on her daughter.
“You’ve got to promise me you’ll never go out on your own again. Trust me that I’ve got your back, Belle.”
“I really messed up, didn’t I?” It had seemed like a really good plan to her, but now it was just another plan that had gone horribly wrong.
He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. His touch was sweet, light, and it made her feel even more like a bitch for running from him. She shouldn’t have run from him. They were supposed to be a team.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t keep apologizing. It’s not your fault, and I don’t blame you.”
“But what if I’d messed up big time? What if I’d been killed?”
“You’re not dead, and I’ll never, ever allow anyone to kill you. You’re mine, Belle. You will always be mine, and I will never give you up.” His hand moved to caress her cheek. “This isn’t just some fling for me. This is permanent. You belong to me just as I’m yours. I won’t share you, not ever.”
Tears filled her eyes and began to spill down her cheeks. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t.”
“But look what a mess I am.”
“You’re perfect.”
She sniffled. “I don’t remember ever feeling so weak.” She shook her head. “I feel like a total fuck up.”
“You’re not.”
“I can’t wait for you to meet Ava. I hope she remembers me. Do you think she’ll remember me?”
“She’s a kid. She will. You’ll be all she can think about.”
“Oh, I hope so. I really do. I miss her every single day.”
“I know.”
Drago still held her hand tightly within his own, even as he drove.
“I want her to have a good life, Drago. If anything was to ever happen to me…”
“Nothing is going to happen to you.”
She wished she had his confidence, but she knew this world. When you started to make a go of it, to really take the life you wanted, it spat you back out, stomped on you, and left you for dead. That was the only life she really knew. Everything else was completely and totally fucked on every single level. Was it possible for her to ever be able to have a life that was normal? It seemed like her life was forever going to be full of deceit and lies.
�
��You can’t say that.”
“I can. I handle my own kind of pain, and anyone who tries to take me out, they better wish they do it with one blow. I won’t let anything happen to you, and now that we’re heading toward Ava, no one, and I mean no one, is going to get away with taking your child from you. I’m going to personally make sure your father pays. I’m done with this shit. This isn’t going to be the end for us, Belle. This is going to be the end for them.”
“And you really have the power to make them bow to your rule?”
“Yes.”
“Drago, we’ve been fighting for our lives. They took Ava.” She hated to have any doubts about him, but it was kind of hard not to.
Drago sighed. “You love your daughter.”
“Yes.”
“It wasn’t a question, Belle. You love your daughter, and you want her safe. I stepped away from the fighting life. Made my money by other means. I didn’t look back until that day, and I don’t regret it. Seeing you though, broken, bleeding, nearly dead, I couldn’t walk away, and I never will again. You think it was easy for me to not slaughter them all? With a single phone call I could have had my men kill every single man, woman, and child in that warehouse. Had them all dead, cleaned away within twenty-four hours, but they had your child. I’m not a fool. If I gave that order, Ava was as good as dead or lost to you. I’d never find her. Children are so easy to misplace, and I won’t do that. It would be easier to say she’s dead and to forget her, but I love you too much, and there’s no way I would ever look you in the eye and lie to you. So, I will always do what is needed to keep her alive. Once you have Ava in your arms, and she’s safe, and you’re safe, the rest of them better be running because I won’t stop until I kill them all. You shouldn’t have been fighting, Belle. The fact I didn’t come and look for you sooner is … I will never forgive myself.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I should have known you were too good for anyone to let go. You made too much money. You were worth more to them alive than dead, until you cut and ran.” He let go of her hand to run his down his face, clearly trying to clear the fog from his thoughts. “There are so many things I wish were different, that I’d done differently.”
