by Marci Fawn
“Make me proud, man.” Daniels claps me on the back and pushes me forward. I step outside with my hands up in the air and the crowd goes wild. I’m what you might call a public sweetheart – I know I have my fair share of fans. I also know I could fuck any one of those girls in the front row, raising their banners for me to see. We’ll see what the night brings…
I flash a grin at the fans and climb up into the ring. My opponent is one who’s beat me before, when I was just a rookie starting out. His name is The Bomb, and he holds true to that name. He doesn’t fight too rough, but when he gears up for his big attack, it’s like a bomb laying waste to his opponent’s body. Thankfully, I’ve studied him. I know his cheap tricks, his weak spots and his strengths.
I lock eyes with my opponent and I flash him a smile. He’s a hulk of a man, but then again, so am I. I’m ripped as fuck, my broad body inked to the last inch. I know I can take Bomb. I know I can beat him. I know I’m a fucking winner.
The bell clangs, signaling the start of the round, and I roar into action. Forget that ‘save the best for last’ crap. I’m going to fucking destroy this guy as fast as I can. And I bet it only takes me one round.
In moments, I have a death grip on the guy. I see the mist descended on my vision and I’m fucking ready to go. He resists, he fights back, but I’m in top form tonight. There’s no beating me, and the Bomb knows it. He’s struggling. I’m going to fucking humiliate him.
But not before I have my share of fun.
I let go and the crowd goes wild, knowing I’m playing a game of cat and mouse. I let Bomb come at me, duck away from him and tease him mercilessly. I deal a punch here, a blow there. I’ll fucking destroy him, but not before I rip his dignity to shreds.
I’m an animal. And just like a beast, I have no mercy. I have no feelings. All I want is to hurt, destroy, damage, wound. I’m in it for the win, and I’ve had enough of the game. Now, I want to taste something else… Sweet, sweet victory.
Oh, and this guy’s blood.
I beat the Bomb into the ground. It takes mere seconds, and the crowd goes wild. I’ve redeemed myself. I’ve made sure the guy will never forget who humiliated him. I’ll make sure the public remembers me as the winner and forget all about that first fight where Bomb beat me.
I’m declared the winner, my hand raised in the air. The crowd goes wild, including Daniels who barges into the ring and starts shouting some shit about his new hot tub.
Jesus fucking hell, this is why I do it. The rush. The madness. The pure, crazy adrenalin making me want to jump right now.
I catch the eye of a pretty eye with glasses. She smiles and looks away shyly.
The hot girls that come with the job… I always was a sucker for glasses.
I motion for her to come closer, and she only hesitates for a second before climbing over to me. She’s wearing Daisy Dukes, her sweet ass on perfect display for me.
“Hello, sweetheart,” I tell her with a devilish grin.
“Hi, I… I’m Candy.” She’s so shy. I’ll have fun breaking her in. By the time I’m done with her, she’ll be shouting my name and begging me to make her cum again. “Hi, River. I’m such a big fan!”
“Of course you are.” I grin at her, take her hand and place a kiss on it. She’s blushing. Fucking adorable. “How about we go celebrate, sweetheart?”
“Okay!” she nods eagerly. “Can my friends come?”
She points towards a gaggle of eager girls with wide-smiles on their faces. No more glasses, but they’re all pretty hot.
“I don’t know, Candy,” I say doubtfully. I grab her chin and make her look at me with a serious look on my face. “What are your friends like? Will they play with me, too?”
She’s blushing something fierce now.
“Oh.” She realizes what I mean, and in a second, that innocent look turns naughty. “Yes, River… I’m sure they will…”
“Good.” I grin at her and smack her ass. “I want my prize now, sweetheart. And a fair warning…”
I grab her hair and pull her head back. Her throat’s exposed to my hungry mouth now, her sweet scent filling up my nostrils. “I play harder than I fight.”
She gulps, hard.
My head is fucking pounding. Oh god, I’m never drinking again.
I get up and wince at the intense pain in my temples. Fucking hell! What happened last night?
I look around, trying to gather myself. Where the hell am I? I don’t recognize this apartment. Judging by the pink cushions on the couch, I must’ve crashed at some girl’s place. I vaguely recall a chick called Candy… Could she be the one?
I look around, but the apartment is empty save for my pounding head and the rest of me. Shit, I need to get my act together. I try to get up and realize I’m stark naked. My ass is getting chilly in the cold air, too.
“Fuck,” I mutter, trying to locate my pants on the floor. I finally spot them next to a closed door, and half-crawl, half-walk over to them.
I’m in the process of pulling my jeans up when the door to the bedroom opens and a pair of long, slim legs greets me. I get up awkwardly, zipping up my pants. “Um, hi,” I mutter stupidly, looking up into a blonde girl’s eyes. “You’re not Candy.”
“I sure as hell am not,” she says with an amused grin. “I do like to think I’m quite sweet, though!”
“Fuck.” I rub my temples, trying to place the girl in my head. She does look really familiar, but I still haven’t managed to remember her. Could it be she’s one of Candy’s friends from last night? I remember she had a few girls with her… Fuck, what did I do? My last memory is of doing body shots off of Candy’s stomach. After that, I’m drawing a total blank.
“Did we…” I look up at the girl desperately and she smirks.
“As if, River.” She rolls her eyes.
“Ah!” I say with a victorious smile. “But you do know my name… So we somehow know each other.”
“Why don’t you solve that puzzle while I make some coffee, stud?” The blonde grins at me and sashays into the kitchen area of the space. She busies herself with the coffee while I groan and drop back down on the couch. I’m still shirtless, but at least my pants are on.
“Are you really gonna mess with a poor man’s head like this?” I ask her miserably. “I’d really appreciate some help.”
“You’ll figure it out,” the blonde says unhelpfully, and I nurse my head in my hands. Fuck, it really is pounding. In moments, I’m sure I’ll have the hangover from hell.
I’m about to give up when it hits me. I jump to my feet, immediately regretting my motion as it makes me sick as fuck. “Sabrina!” I say exasperatedly. “You’re Sabrina!”
“Slow clapping. Imagine it, I’m too lazy to do it,” she says, smiling at me as she brings over a cup of coffee. “Thought you’d forgotten all about me, River.”
“You’ve changed,” I offer lamely. It’s true. Those tits didn’t grow by themselves – she got implants, and her lips and nose done, too, judging by the way I remember her from high school. She was pretty back then, but now she’s too plastic for my taste.
And of course, seeing Sabrina only reminds me of one thing… I guess she can tell, too, because she’s already rolling her eyes. “Go ahead, just ask,” she says with an exasperated sigh.
“Are you still in touch with her?” I take the plunge, knowing I sound desperate as fuck. Yet I can’t help myself. I’ve never quite been able to when it came to Faith.
Sabrina gives me a long, patronizing look. If I didn’t know myself better, I could swear I blush as she scrutinizes me. She’s still staring into my soul when I hear the click of a door and an all-too familiar voice say my name.
“Good morning, River.”
Fuck me.
I whip my head back and there she is, in all her glory. Faith Collins, the be–all, end-all of all the women I’ve ever liked, loved, fucked or kissed. Not that I’ve done all of that with her… Just a few things.
She’s stunning. And I’
m not just fucking saying that, she’s an absolute fucking vision. Long brown hair, bright eyes, tall and willowy. Her face is just as freckled as it used to be, and it’s the perfect combination of sexiness and that girl-next-door vibe Faith has always had. She’s just… stunning.
“Faith,” I manage to get out. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Her eyebrows go up a notch in amusement and she stares me down. Her eyes linger on her name tattooed across my chest just a fraction of a second too long, and I can tell she’s remembering the night I got it.
She’s leaning on the doorframe, her arms protectively crossed in front of her body. She’s wearing this silk robe that looks like liquid against her tanned skin, and I want to feel her, touch her so badly it aches.
“You’ve really just asked me that?” she says with a grin. “You’re in my apartment, River.”
A thousand questions are about to spill from my lips, when Sabrina jumps down from her chair with an exasperated sigh. “Okay, kids, I’m heading to work. Try to be good while I’m gone. No shenanigans, okay?”
She gives me a pointed look and I stare back in defiance. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Unless…
Sabrina and Faith chatter as Sabrina gets ready to leave, and my eyes are following Faith around. My gorgeous girl, prettier than ever. Did something happen between us last night? As far as I see it, there are two options…
Either I fucked Sabrina last night (disastrous, horrible, must be averted) or I slept with Faith. But I’m sure if it were the latter, I wouldn’t have completely blanked on our night together. Not when I’ve been dreaming about it for the past few years!
Finally, Faith walks Sabrina to the door and the two girls embrace. Sabrina gives me one last look before waving. Then the front door shuts, and it’s just Faith and me. My Faith… Fuck, how the hell am I supposed to hold back now? And how the hell can she be so indifferent?
Yet as she gets a cup of coffee for herself, Faith seems to be just that. She doesn’t even look in my direction once, and finally settles on the couch with her mug and her feet up on the ottoman. Her legs are so long and shapely, it’s hard to avert my eyes. And my heart is pounding like fucking crazy, having her so close to me.
“Faith,” I croak, awkwardly clearing my throat, which is sore from whatever it is I got up to last night. “Faith… How are you?”
She gives me an amused look as she flips through the channels. “I’m just great, River. We had this conversation yesterday, remember?”
Fuck me if I do. But I can’t resist for much longer, I need to be closer, need to smell her, need to taste her. I sit down on the couch next to my girl, and she finally looks over to me. Her lips are full and plump, her bright blue eyes lined with dark lashes. So beautiful. And almost mine, finally…
“Baby,” I murmur. “Baby, I missed you so much.”
She’s about to say something when she leans forward to me, her hand so close to my knee. And in that moment, her robe falls open, revealing barely an inch of perfect porcelain skin, with cute freckles marking the skin above her tits. Fucking hell.
“Shut up, Faith,” I tell her pointedly, pressing a finger to her lips. “I don’t fucking care. It’s been too long, baby. You never responded to my calls, I went to your house… Did we talk yesterday?”
She’s about to speak again and her lips part. I’m staring like a fool, and then I can’t take it anymore. It’s Faith, my Faith, and we’ve wasted so much time already. So I just slide closer to her on the touch, my palm finding its way on the small of Faith’s back.
She gasps lightly, but I don’t give her a chance to do much more. I lean closer, my mouth demanding her full attention. Finally, I’m getting a taste again… and it’s even sweeter than it was our first time.
Faith’s lips are soft and willing under mine, our mouths molding together to create something perfect… and fleeting. Because in the next moment, her slap hits me out of nowhere, so hard it sends my head spinning.
She jumps off the couch and glares at me, breathing heavily. I clutch my burning cheek and stare, just stare at her fury. I don’t fucking care, I needed to do that.
“Baby,” I start, but she grabs a TV guide off the coffee table and throws it at me.
“Fuck off, River!” she yells. “Get lost!”
“Faith!” I say in horror. “I’m sorry, I… I couldn’t stop myself. Didn’t we, you know, yesterday?”
Faith rolls her eyes, crossing her arms defiantly in front of her body. “No, you jackass. You called me, crying about your ex, and I picked you up in a fancy ass hotel with three drunk-as-skunk blondes.”
Fucking hell. Of all the days to reconnect with Faith, I sure picked a good one. Great job, jackass.
“Faith, I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “It… none of that matters. Not the girls, not the booze… Only you.”
“Save it.” She shuts me up right away, her eyes throwing daggers.
“But I’ve been so desperate to see you,” I tell her. “I need to know, Faith, how’ve you been?”
She walks over to me furiously, and sticks her left arm in front of my nose. There’s something huge on it, glinting in the sunlight and almost blinding me in the light of day.
“Very much engaged, you prick,” she hisses at me, and only then do I realize what the object on her hand is.
A fucking diamond ring, as big as a rock.
My Faith, engaged.
But she won’t be the one that got away.
Faith will be mine.
35
Faith
3 years ago
“Faith! Hey, Faith!”
I look around for the voice calling my name, pushing my glasses up on the bridge of my nose. My hands are full of books and I’m late for debate team. I really don’t have time for idle chit-chat.
My eyes find the source of the voice, and I shiver involuntarily.
River Xavier, the boy next door. He’s been my neighbor since we moved to town when I was four. My first memories include River, and my childhood wouldn’t have been the same without him.
Here’s the thing about me.
I’ve always been the good girl.
The boring, run-of-the-mill next door. The pretty, freckled girl with long brown hair and blue eyes, the one neighbor boys had a crush on when they were eleven, but quickly forgot once they got older.
Now I’m eighteen, and indeed, neighbor boy, River, has forgotten all about me. Last summer, his daddy got him enrolled in a boxing class and found a hidden talent in his son. In the course of a few months, River went from the scrawny boy I knew and had a crush on, to a selfish, muscled prick who only cared about the next piece of ass he could score.
“What do you want?” I scowl at River, who is sitting on the hood of his pickup truck. He’s grinning at me, his handsome face sending my heart rate into overdrive. God freaking damn it, why does he have to have this effect on me? I should be over him by now. Get your act together, Faith!
River mutters something to his jock friends and jumps off the hood of the car. And now he’s walking over to me and my heart will probably burst out of my chest any moment. Oh god, oh god. I haven’t spoken to River in months. After his newfound body and stupid handsome face, River decided I wasn’t good enough for him anymore.
Well… Maybe he tried to talk to me once or twice. Or even more. But by that point, he was so popular, so handsome and so freaking scary that I could only mumble and blush in response. So our friendship had gone down the drain faster than you could say ‘holy mother of God when did you get those abs’. Not for lack of River’ trying, I have to admit. But still, it felt like he’d traded me, his childhood best friend, for the jocks and cheerleaders he now hung out with.
“How you doing, Faith?” River asks me, stopping inches away from my stack of books. My face is getting incredibly hot and I’m sure I look like a lobster.
“Are you alright?” River gives me a weird look.
“Yes!” I bark in response. “Why?
”
“Err, your glasses are getting foggy,” he points out and I blush an even deeper shade of crimson. He’s right, of course – the heat from my face is making my glasses fog and I can barely see through the lenses.
“No idea what you’re talking about,” I say in what I like to think is my confident tone. I blow a strand of hair off my face, my hands too full of books. “What do you want, River?”
His smile fades a little and I curse myself for being so rude. It just seems impossible for me to act like a normal human when River is around.
“What are you up to tonight?” he asks, crossing his arms in front of his body. My eyes follow the motion and I practically start salivating at the view. His biceps are stretching the sleeves of his leather jacket and he just looks… “Faith?”
I realize I’ve been quiet for a moment too long, and I nervously look back up at him. “Sorry!” I clear my throat, nodding my head towards the stack of books in my arms. “Debate club every Friday, remember?”
“Oh, come on,” River laughs. “I meant tonight. You want to catch a movie or something? For old times’ sake?”
My heart actually skips a beat, but I’m not about to let River see that. I let out a weird sound and blush even more. “Aren’t you going to Becky Sterling’s party tonight?”
River’s my age and so is Becky. Of course, Becky hasn’t invited me. Her parties are famous – every time her parents go out of town, Becky throws a rager. And why would she invite me? I’m a stupid bookworm geek, she probably doesn’t even know I exist.
“Oh, right,” River remembers. He scratches his floppy head of dark hair and throws a charming smile my way. Oh, god, my knees are going weak. “Yeah, I guess I’m going. You should come with me, though. I’m sure your dad would let you, knowing you’re with me.”
He nudges me and winks, and I nearly drop all of my books. I look at the floor.
It’s not the first time River’s invited me to spend some time with him. He’s really a nice guy, and I’ve been avoiding him like the plague for no reason. But a thousand thoughts are racing through my mind right now, like what the fudge would I wear? Would Becky kick me out if I just showed up? Is this just hanging out or could it be… a date?
