Maze (The Ballerina Series #2)

by Ursula Sinclair

  His silence didn’t prevent the man from continuing to talk like Maze had replied. “Yeah. Saw you fight the other night. I lost a shit load of money. But you already knew that.”

  Still Maze said nothing.

  The guy smirked. Clearly, he planned to bait Maze. “Since you are Maze and I don’t see that name here, as far as I’m concerned this table was reserved for me.”

  “I don’t see your name on it either,” Maze countered.

  “Yes, you do. It’s reserved,” Maze’s tormentor said. The other guy sitting beside him and the one hovering in the back of the couch laughed their asses off. Just then the waitress showed up.

  “Excuse me,” she said. “That seat’s already taken.”

  “Yeah, by me,” Asshole answered, snickering.

  “It’s okay,” Maze said, “We’re checking out.”

  I slipped my hand off Maze’s shoulder and entwined our fingers. He squeezed them.

  “Oh…okay,” the waitress replied. “There’s no charge, Vin took care of it. Excuse me,” she said. She leaned near asshole to grab the jacket I’d left on the sofa. She had to tug it because the dude leaned back against it and didn’t seem to want to budge. Maze squeezed my hand even harder, but the waitress managed to yank the jacket and handed it to Maze.

  “Thanks,” he said and he turned around. I didn’t have to be told twice to get the hell outta there. I almost stumbled when I heard the last taunt.

  “Pity you turned out to be such a pussy and quit the arena before I could cut your ass down.”

  I didn’t dare slacken my hold on Maze’s hand. I kept moving and he remained walking alongside me. We took the elevator to the exit level. Maze pulled his phone out and texted Terry. We made it out of the club and the car was there to greet us. I wasn’t sure Terry even moved from the spot. It wasn’t until Maze and I sat safely in the car that I was able to exhale. I turned and stared at Maze. His gaze remained straight ahead, his profile rigid with anger. That was okay. I was fine with that, and it was understandable. But I was proud he hadn’t given into it. He’d told me the truth; he wasn’t fighting any more. I leaned against him and he turned his head looking right at me.

  He sighed. “I’m sorry about that. Sorry our night out got ruined.”

  Raising his arm, he placed it over my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. I lifted my leg and placed it over his. He leaned into me in response, kissing my neck.

  The rigidness of his body relaxed more as he leaned against mine. I put my palm on his face, and his warmth rushed into me. “No. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. I had a great evening with you. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” He shifted and pulled out his phone. “I’m just texting Vin to let him know we bounced and I’ll catch him later.”

  “I liked him.”

  “Yeah, he’s one of the good ones.”

  “Did you…did you know those other guys?”

  He raked his fingers through his soft silky hair. “Only the one doing the talking and only by reputation.”

  “Is he a fighter?”

  “Yes. But I never fought him. And won’t now.”

  I smiled at the grim expression on his face. “I’m glad you didn’t let them get to you.”

  “It wasn’t easy, but it’s time for me to learn to walk away.” He combed his fingers through my wavy curls. The man had a hair fetish. “I have you to thank for that. I know you don’t like me fighting and I promised you I won’t outside of training.”

  “Yes, you did, and I see you’re a man of your word.”

  “I promised you something else, too. Someday I want to give you everything. Don’t give up on me, okay?”

  I smiled and nodded. I glanced out the window to see where we were and realized Terry was taking us back to Chinatown. “Are we headed to Chinatown tonight?”

  “Yes.” He nuzzled my neck. “I got text confirmation earlier and forgot to tell you. The mattress got delivered this evening. I had one of the managers at the gym let them in. So we have a mattress to break in.”

  “I do like the way you think.”

  My phone rang. It was a call from my mom. I glanced at Maze and mouthed, “My mom.” He kissed the side of my neck as I accepted the call and sat quietly next to me rubbing my thigh. Mom just wanted me to know she’d arrived home safely. They all did.

  I hung up and smiled at Maze. “Mom said to tell you hi and that she enjoyed meeting you again.”

  “Me, too. I noticed you didn’t mention your new living arrangements.”

  I sighed. So much was going on with my folks and their best friends right now. I didn’t want to discuss my new living arrangements on the phone. “The surgery is confirmed, so I’ll be there next week. I’m thinking it’s best to tell her in person.”

  He nodded. “I can be there on the day of surgery. Do you want to wait until I get there?”

  “No. I need to talk to them first on my own. Besides, I want to tell them as soon as I see them. It will be at least another day or so before you can get there right?”

  In truth, I wanted to tell my mom right away. Not sure about my dad. And it was probably best I tell him alone anyway. Even though Maze wanted to do this with me. But I needed to let my mom, at least know sooner rather than later. Maze couldn’t be with me the entire visit. He needed to be in town next week for some of the deliveries, and to make sure the work got done so the gym could reopen under new ownership in a couple of weeks. Not that his being there would help or hurt when I told my parents we’d moved in together. I knew mom would be okay but dad. Not so sure.

  “Yeah,” he said. “But if you need me to be there when you tell them then I’ll reschedule the deliveries and be there.”

  I smiled. “Thanks, but it’s fine.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.” And I was surer than anything in my life. No matter what, I belonged with Maze.

  The limo pulled up to our building. Maze helped me out of the car. For the first time we used the street entrance. When Maze opened the door of our new home, he scooped me up in his arms. “Put your arm around my neck.”

  “Maze, what are you doing?”

  “Carrying you across the threshold of our new home.”

  I grinned. “That’s for brides.”

  “One day you will be. Mine that is.”

  The motion of my heart paused between beats. That’s what he did to me. “Maze...”

  He lowered his mouth and kissed me. At the same time I heard the door slam shut, I assumed he kicked it closed. Turning around he had me flip the dead bolt to lock the downstairs entrance. I held onto my crutch and Maze, while he held onto me. He walked us up several flights of stairs. Once we got to the landing, he went down a short hallway to stop at our door. He shifted me so he could get the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the apartment. He carried me across the threshold, then kicked this door shut, too.

  “Lock this one also, will ya, babe?” he directed me.

  I reached down and did as he asked. Not once did he put me down. Not that there was any place to put me. The apartment was practically empty. He headed straight for the master bedroom. The mattress sat on the floor. Beside it were three suitcases Terry had dropped off for us earlier. Two of them belonged to Maze.

  He placed me gently on the mattress, then took the crutch away from me and rested it on the floor. Returning to me, he removed my jacket and shirt, kissing my skin every time he saw it exposed. He moved to kiss my belly button before reaching down with his hand to remove my black stretch yoga pants. They were the only kind of pants I could wear with my cast. He carefully got them off my legs, leaving me only in my gray lacy underwear, which he himself had placed on me earlier that morning. He seemed to love dressing and undressing me. I was totally fine with that.

  I enjoyed watching the way his muscles rippled as he raised his arm to remove his own clothing. He took off everything a little too fast for me, but the view of a stripped down Maze was delectable and nothing to
complain about.

  He placed one knee on the mattress, and his dick twitched, brushing against the side of my thigh. It appeared eager to touch me, as eager as I was for its touch. I smiled as he pulled the last barrier between us off, my panty.

  Chapter Eight

  Maze

  “You are so beautiful.” And she was, every luscious curve, her kind heart, every part of her. All mine. I don’t know what I ever did in my life to be granted someone like her. I knew I’d fucked up in the past and I’d try not to again because I couldn’t lose her. I’d do whatever I had to, to deserve her love.

  She moved her arm and wrapped it around my neck, drawing me to her. I covered her body with mine. I intended to go slow but wasn’t sure either of us wanted slow right now. This was our first night in our place. I smiled. Plenty of time to do slow later.

  She opened her legs and I kissed her at the same time I lowered my hand to cup her. I ended up moaning into her mouth. She was so fucking wet and ready for me. My dick didn’t have to be told twice.

  I grasped the pulsating length and guided it straight to where it throbbed to go, to where it needed to go. As soon as I entered her she sighed, a sound of pure pleasure humming from her throat, and she grabbed my ass. She flexed her hips upward and I pushed inward, diving deeper into my haven. I pulled out just to her entrance and she shifted one leg farther up on me. I moved my arms under her knees and raised them until they were over my shoulder, leaving her very open and vulnerable to me.

  I surged all the way inside her, then out again, and then in again. Soon we had our rhythm, and she met me thrust for thrust. When she reached between our bodies and grasped my balls, my entire body clenched. I roared while I released everything into her. My frame kept shuddering until all the liquid seemed to be drained from my cock. And still I wanted to give up more. I didn’t care how many times I’d made love with Ivy, I always wanted more. Finally, my trembling stopped and the quivers coming from her sex slowed to the point I could breathe again. Barely.

  I lowered her legs then rolled to the side. My dick had softened and slipped out of her. My breathing evened out more as we lay side by side staring at each other. I pushed the hair off her face and leaned forward to kiss the tip of her button nose.

  “Love you,” I whispered and settled my head on the pillow next to hers. More content than I’ve ever been in my life.

  “I love you, too.”

  An annoying sound kept playing in my head, trying to drag me out of the cocoon of peace surrounding me. I attempted to ignore it, but Ivy moving out of my arms had me opening my eyes and awareness coming that made me realize the noise came from my ringing cell.

  I sat up and glanced around. Floor. The phone was in my pants pocket on the floor.

  I rolled over Ivy and reached down to answer the call but it stopped ringing as soon as I touched it. It was a missed call from Uncle Tsang, and my fuzzy brain also registered the time. A few minutes after three a.m. Nothing good could come from a phone call at this witching hour, something Joe used to say about late night calls. I sat up, but before I could hit redial, the phone vibrated again. My hand was fucking trembling when I hit the answer button to take the call my gut screamed would change everything.

  I held the phone up to my ear and listened. Blood exploded in my head and the phone fell from my icy fingers to the mattress. I couldn’t think. I watched as Ivy picked up the phone and spoke quickly to Uncle Tsang. When she hung up there were tears in her eyes.

  “Yes. We have to go.” I didn’t recognize the dead voice coming from my mouth. I still hadn’t completely processed what I’d heard. Somehow she got me out of bed. I don’t know what I would have done without Ivy. I’m not sure how I even managed to get dressed and downstairs to the car. Terry was already there in the driver’s seat, and there was another large guy waiting for us on the sidewalk, long black hair pulled back into a braid and built like a soma wrestler.

  “This way, sir,” he said gesturing toward the open car door as he kept glancing up and down the street. He helped us into the limo then got into the passenger seat.

  It wasn’t until I stuck my head in the car I realized that wasn’t Terry behind the wheel but Will. The other bodyguard I’d seen a few times at Tsang’s side, he had Asian features but seemed to be more of a mix. But he had the same muscular built as the others but kept his hair short cropped.

  His presence brought me a little out of my stupor. “What’s going on, Will?” I asked as I sat down. “Where’s Terry?”

  “I’ll have you there in five, Maze. Hang on,” Will said. “Mr. Tsang will fill you in. This is Mark and he’ll be with you for awhile, too.” Mark sat in the front seat and glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

  I put my head back, shut my eyes and shut down my thought processes. Ivy spoke, I think she said thank you to Will. My mind returned to its daze. One word kept ricocheting around in my head—shot. Joe had been shot and Terry wasn’t driving us.

  The pressure of Ivy’s hand in mine caused me to open my eyes and turn at the same time to stare at her. The fear and worry I saw in her eyes reflected in my own emotions, but I couldn’t reassure her or comfort her. And she couldn’t comfort me. We’d both been here before almost five years ago. I knew she hurt back then and I didn’t know how to take the pain away. There were no words we needed to share now. We only needed each other.

  When she leaned forward I took her mouth and devoured her. My fingers dug into her arms, and my chest rose and fell to the point of pain. She became the only thing keeping the darkness threatening to engulf me in check. She must have known what I needed and didn’t deny me. Instead, she placed her palms on my face and kissed me back just as hard as I kissed her. I relaxed my manic hold on her, pulled back and took a deep breath. After a moment, I placed my head against hers.

  The car came to a screeching halt and the door opened. I stepped out and turned back to help Ivy out of the car. I didn’t realize Mark had hopped out of the car and stood by the open door. I didn’t know him but I figured since he was with Will and Tsang sent him it meant he could be trusted.

  He kept glancing around, scanning the area. He nodded at Will then he turned back to us. “Stay with me. We’re going straight in. I know where your uncle is waiting for us.”

  I was glad cause I wasn’t sure I’d be too coherent right now. My world was crumbling and I held onto the only thing that mattered in it any more, Ivy.

  He led us straight to the elevators and we got in. I have no clue what floor we got off on but when the elevator door opened a man slightly shorter than I, with his familiar bald head and round face stood there to meet us. I stepped off and Uncle Tsang hugged me then Ivy.

  “How is he?” Ivy asked. I’m glad she did. I couldn’t.

  He didn’t say anything. Just took my arm, and I gripped Ivy’s hand like a lifeline as I followed Uncle Tsang to some room that looked like a waiting area but it was small. It had two long couches, a few chairs, and a television set on the wall that was turned off. Someone closed the door behind us, another one of Tsang’s guards. Mark remained outside with him.

  “Sit down, Maze,” Uncle Tsang said.

  I shook my head. “No. Tell me.”

  Tsang’s gaze shifted to Ivy, a helpless look in his eyes before he focused on me again. It was then I knew. I saw it when he looked at me.

  My legs. Suddenly, I couldn’t feel them. Tsang caught me and helped me to a chair. I stared up at him, tears already fighting for space in my eyes. “What…is he…” I couldn’t finish the thought.

  “I’m sorry, Maze.” There were tears in Uncle Tsang’s eyes. He did nothing to hide them or stop them when they spilled down his cheeks.

  “No.” I thought the word came out as a scream. That’s what it felt like in my head but it sounded more like a croak, born of pain. “No,” I said, stronger this time.

  “He died before he got here. They worked on him the entire time in the ambulance and more when we first arrived but he never regained
consciousness. He’s gone Maze. Joe’s gone.”

  Sobs racked my body. My head dropped to my chest. I felt Ivy fall to my feet rather than saw her, but even through the pain, I knew she was there. I needed her so badly. Her hands tightened around my own and I gripped them. They were the only things keeping me from punching a wall.

  “Maze,” she wailed. “I’m so sorry.” She looked up. “Mr. Tsang, what happened?”

  My head snapped up, tears still coursing down my face. “What the fuck happened? What do you mean before he got here? Where was he? You were supposed to protect him. How the fuck did he get shot?”

  My breath hitched when I noticed the blood. All on the arm of Tsang’s jacket and I knew whose it was. I had to take a deep breath and almost choked on it. “Fuck. Fuck.”

  He gripped my shoulder. “You have every right to be angry. Let me explain. We made a mistake. I made a mistake. They…we were ambushed. I’d arranged for Joe to be moved from the hospital earlier this morning. I thought by doing it at an odd hour, there’d be less chance of any problems. But they must have been watching, waiting.”

  He paused and took a deep breath. “Along the way a trash truck blocked the road on a one way street and our car had to stop. I heard shots, they took out the tires. We decided to get out of the car because we were vulnerable. The windows are bullet proof but the entire body of the car isn’t. Only the doors. So we tried to make a run for it. But they picked their location well. They had a shooter on one of the buildings and men behind the trash truck. Terry and Jason, my other guard, were with us. We all managed to make it out of the car and huddled behind the open rear door using it as cover. We stayed low, kept the car between the sharpshooter and us. We were going to make our way to the parked cars to give ourselves better cover. But the sharpshooter fired off more shots pinning us there just as more men came from around the truck. Jason and I managed to shoot two of them, but while three came from the front one came up from the rear. He fired twice, first hitting Terry and Joe stepped out…”