Toxic (The Crossover Series)

by Kathy Coopmans

  “What are you doing, Maria?” His icy stare rips me apart. “You’ve never acknowledged this is yours, and until you do, you’re not touching it.”

  “Alex.” His name falls from my lips.

  “Thinking this shit right here is black and white. There shouldn’t be any damn questions.”

  The heat from his want sears my being. “You’re mine, Alex. Rage like I’ve never experienced before hit me. I don’t like feeling out of control. I put that bitch in her place because I was staking claim to what is mine.”

  I don’t recognize my own voice. It’s so confident and sure. Fire ignites in Alex’s eyes. It’s easily recognized through the darkness streaming in from the alleyway.

  “Say it again.” He drops his lips to my forehead.

  “This is mine.” He lets go of my wrist, allowing me to clutch his throbbing dick.

  I get his zipper then his slacks pushed down just far enough. I stroke him in my palm. The feel of his cock in my hand is nearly sending me over the edge. Something breaks in Alex as he hovers above me. Within seconds, he slams into me.

  I scream out his name. My nails are digging into his crisp white dress shirt. My hips buck up to get more of him.

  “Stop,” Alex mutters out. “Condom.”

  “I’m on birth control,” I plead, begging for more.

  “I’m clean. Had to get tested in rehab.”

  He doesn’t say another word as he pounds into me. It’s completely opposite from our first time. There’s nothing slow or tender about it. He takes everything from me. His pelvic bone rubs my clit with each slam. As he promised me, I’m left screaming out his name.

  19

  Alex

  Waking up with Maria’s warm, naked body draped across mine this morning is the only thing that’s calmed me since we stumbled into my house last night. It’s a memory I’ll keep tucked close throughout the workday. I’d give anything to stay between the sheets with her for the rest of the day. I still wanted to lash out at her after I fucked the anger out of both of us. I was hoping the sly bastard, Lance, who has her fooled, would walk by my car and see me taking what’s mine.

  I’ve never been a jealous man, never had a reason. Until her. My possessiveness boiled red-hot flames that licked up my spine, attacked my brain, and left something darkly adhesive all over me.

  The difference between Lexi and Lance is a no-brainer. I’m not interested in the crazy bitch who needs more help than I did with my addiction. She’s whacked out of her head and can’t seem to get the clue I don’t want a damn thing to do with her. It pisses me off I was so lost that I fucked anything that crawled, and believe me, that bitch is crawling. Begging on her hands and knees for me to talk to her.

  Thing is, I should have never fucked her. Doing so turned her into a greedy, warped woman. Worse than a bitch in heat. I don’t dare tell Maria that Lexi blew up my phone all night long asking me to come to her place. Well, maybe I should; seeing her go all raging mad got me hard as hell. Fucking in a car where we could have been caught wasn’t smart by any means. Especially with me owning a football team. The last thing I need is the press all over my ass. It would ruin what the entire team has worked their asses off for.

  We both took our rage out on one another while claiming each other, and even though an angry make-up fuck turned us both crazed, it can’t happen that way again. I need better control, and so does she.

  Lance, though, I got him pegged. He wants what’s mine. Surprised he didn’t try getting her underneath him while I was gone. Playing that friendship card, betting on her kindness, and I’m sure as hell he tried his hardest. Bastard needs to know I’m the son of the King of Diamonds. I have more tricks up my sleeve than he’s dreamed about. Learned from the best how to roll the dice and win.

  Fucking Christ. I escaped the life of violence, and here I sit right in the middle of something unsettling. Not with Maria; what we have is solid. I know it is. It’s with these people who think they can swoop right in and act like fifteen-year-olds. Lance, he’s hiding something that no one knows about. Even though I’ve never been elbow deep in the family business, I know the look, and this bastard is out for something. My girl. He’s going to end up a loser.

  “You’re deep in thought over there and gripping the steering wheel like you want to choke someone. What’s on your mind?”

  A snake trying to play you for an idiot. I want to beat Lance’s face in twice as hard as the punches she landed on Lexi.

  “Work. I wanted to talk to you about something. Something that I’m going to make sure happens.”

  Sweat forms at the back of my neck over my half-truth. I was planning on asking her this before I went into rehab. Thought it might be the coolest thing for her. I know I’d be proud as hell watching her shine. Use up that gifted talent she has.

  “I think we’ve discussed that I don’t know a thing about football.” She turns my way, crosses her arms over her chest. Her sultry voice hits my dick. He screams out a hundred different ways she could get to know everything about him. Starting with those lips wrapped around his throbbing base. Damn, I’m addicted. She’s a much better drug of choice. An addiction I’ll never kick now that I’ve had her. Witnessed exactly how much every inch of her was made for me to worship. Call it pussy whipped or whatever clever word you have... She’s mine.

  Pulling to a stop at the entrance to the university, I take my white-knuckled hands off the wheel, locking on her loving eyes.

  “I thought about something while I was away. We don’t have a permanent person to sing the national anthem at home games. I told everyone at the board meeting the job is yours for the rest of the season. It’s a paid position. Before you say you won’t take my money, it’s non-negotiable, Maria. I won’t pay you any more or any less than we have everyone else.” I pause. “Nothing else will do in the Diamond stadium. Perfection is the only thing we accept.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see her eyes go wide as I turn the corner. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if she tries to decline the money. Especially after me tossing it at her the way I did. Hell, she could decline the money and do it for free. That’s exactly the way Maria Richards would spin this. My fucking girl on the emerald-green turf wearing the team’s jersey is all I need. Gets my dick stiff every time thinking about her sweet voice serenading our arena.

  I crave it. Need to see her fine-ass body out there knowing there’s nothing but love for me. Addiction at its best.

  “That’s it?” She quirks up an eyebrow.

  “Yeah.” I jerk my chin in a confident move. “Just like singing at The Shade Tree, babe.”

  She doesn’t say a word. She doesn’t have to; I can see her excitement.

  “Say yes.” My voice comes out more pathetic than I’d like.

  She shrugs. “Maybe.”

  “Think I remember a certain woman saying something along the lines of believing in me. Pretty confident you can do this, Maria. The team is on the road this weekend; we have someone for the next home game. The one after that is all yours.” I’m not about to let her talk herself out of it. Not when I know she’s sitting there trying to mess with me. She wants to do it; I know she does.

  As she directs me to where to drop her off for a day full of classes, my anger pushes through my veins quicker than lightning strikes when I see Lance standing with a group of college cocks. I pull up right next to them, not giving a fuck if what I’m about to do looks like a man pissing a circle around his territory. The guy needs to learn I’m not buying his bullshit friend excuse.

  “You okay?” I ask, take her gently by the jaw, and turn her to face me.

  “I’m fine, why?” Maria holds me tighter to her, as if she doesn’t want to let go.

  I gaze down at her torn-up knuckles expecting to frown like I did last night when she cleaned them off. Instead, a smile creeps across my face.

  “I wasn’t exactly easy on you last night.” I lift a brow, my smile widening further when she clenches her thighs together.<
br />
  “I’m inexperienced, Alex, not fragile. I don’t like the reason why we did it the way we did, but I’m not going to deny I loved it.”

  I did, too. Taking this girl hard and fast was a fucking dream come true.

  Her short breaths, plump mouth, sex-hazed eyes. This woman never ceases to amaze me. Country girl has shown her roots. She’s owned who she is. Maria showed me that last night at the bar. My woman fought for what she wanted. Fuck me. I’ve never felt so at home. Her flesh is my temple.

  I clear my throat and carry on. “I think my sweet Maria likes it rough. Would it make you think about me all day if I told you I’ve thought of taking you in all kinds of ways?” I drift my hand down the middle of her chest, hit the harsh denim of her jeans, and cup her pussy. Her heat flares straight up my arm.

  “It might. I guess you’ll have to wait until later to find out.”

  She shifts in the seat, reaches down to grab her bag, and places her hand on the handle of the door. I catch her wrist before she can jerk the door open.

  “Let me get the door.” My hand flexes around her heat. My cock jumps against my zipper. All I can think about is our angry fuck. I want to redo it like no other. Only in private. My craving for her is worse than for any sip of whiskey.

  Just like when I fucked her, I don’t give a shit who is watching. I climb out, round the front of the car, and help her out. Not sure if she sees Lance or not. I know he’s there.

  I grab her by the back of the neck, pull her to me, and fuck her mouth with my tongue. It’s as if our bodies collide against each other. Each of Maria’s muffled moans pushes me on. I need more knowing what she fucking wants. It’s a childish move on my part. She’s mine, and I’m hers, so it doesn’t matter. I’ll claim this woman on every corner in Idaho. It takes self-restraint not to strip her bare and claim what’s mine. I pull away and soak in her every feature.

  “Have a good day. No thinking about what I asked. You’re doing it.” I press my mouth to her swollen, pursed lips. “You sure you have a ride home?” I ask, whispering in her ear.

  Fucking guts me to know my little lady has a mind of her own. Part of me is proud as hell while the other part is a greedy bastard. I’d keep Maria Richards locked away in my house for the rest of my days. However, her quiet power and dominating beauty deserve to be seen by the world.

  “Yeah, study group tonight, remember?” Her lips graze against mine.

  Right. How could I fucking forget?

  “If you’re going to be bossy, do it in the bedroom, Alex.” For a moment, I do forget as I watch her tight ass as she walks away.

  My phone rings just as I walk through the door to my office. Pulling it out of my pocket, I see it’s an unknown number. I waste a couple of rings contemplating on whether to answer. One of the things I hate are the many burner phones my family uses. My brother is a fucking moron half the time for forgetting his phone and using a burner to call me.

  “This is your big brother, asshole. Forget your phone again?” I tease, shut the door behind me, and make my way to my desk.

  “Not your brother, fucking mafia king.”

  Lance, or soon-to-be I-can’t-play-soccer-because-my-legs-are-broken, has got some nerve calling me.

  “Well, you do have balls after all.” I fall into my leather chair wanting nothing more than to play with this fuck on the other line. “Not going to ask you how you got my number. Just going to come out and ask what the fuck you want. If you’re calling to drop a pussy threat, save your fucking breath, boy.”

  “You know why I’m calling. Unless, of course, you’re starting to hit the bottle the minute you drop her off, or should I say, after practically fucking her in front of me.” The whiny little bitch’s voice hitches. “She’s too good for a piece of shit like you. You need to back off before she winds up getting hurt.”

  Those red-hot flames from earlier are now incinerating.

  “And what if I don’t? You going to come after me?” I sling out of my chair. “You should have thought this through before calling me. You're the one who dropped the mafia bomb, you little fucker. Do you really want to go there with me? I mean, I’ve heard people disappear for lesser threats than the empty one you're trying to deliver.”

  “Stay away from her. I’m warning you once.”

  Wish he could see how the corners of my mouth lift at his measly warning.

  “Bit of advice, Lance. If you’re going to warn someone, threaten them, and expect them to take you seriously, you might want to do it to their face, you little bitch.”

  I don’t wait for his next comment. I am the king in this tug of war. Puke of life doesn’t deserve my response. I end the call and toss my phone across my desk. He wants to play? Well, then it’s on, motherfucker. The ball is in my court. Bad news. I have bigger players than he could ever dream of. Game on.

  I hit another number and wait for the one man who won’t fuck shit up when it comes to finding everything there is about a person to pick up.

  “Alex, man, what’s up?” Dilan Levy, my dad’s cousin. A man I sure as shit wouldn’t want to cross. He’s one of the most prominent enforcers out there. Dilan will make you disappear as if you never existed.

  “Need you to run a check on a guy for me. The name is Lance Huntington. He’s on the soccer team at Boise State. Need all the details on the little prick,” I clarify the last part.

  I’d like to say I hate doing this shit, but that would make me a liar. Maria is mine, and that makes her family business. We keep track of our own. If it pisses her off, I guess that means another round of angry fucking. Both of us will end up the winner in that bout.

  “On it. Give me a day.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  I rub my temples. Something is off with this guy. It’s glaringly obvious.

  Lance isn’t who he claims to be.

  20

  Maria

  “Dammit, Dixie.” I throw down the towel and chase after the soapy brat.

  I manage to catch her in the entryway to the bathroom right when my wet foot slips on the tile. I go down with a thud. I groan as a bolt of pain shoots up my spine.

  Dixie takes it upon herself to lay gentle stinky kisses all over my face as I catch my breath.

  “It’s a good thing I love you, damn dog.” I fight to sit up and wiggle over to the tub.

  She doesn’t see it coming. I manage to get her under running water and rinse her off. I don’t attempt drying her off. It’s just another battle. What was I thinking giving her a bath? Oh yeah, she stunk. Not my picture-perfect way to spend a free Saturday.

  After cleaning up the kitchen sink and bathroom, I plop down on my couch with a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream. It’s nine in the morning, and I don’t give one single fuck. Alex has been out of town the last three days on a business trip about some merger, acquisition, or shit, maybe it was checking out a new recruit. I don’t know. Learning all this football stuff is worse than doing homework.

  Honestly, the man is so damn busy and stretched in so many different directions I can’t keep up. I know what I want and need to do. I just miss him when he’s gone, but it’s something I’m sure I’ll get used to. I love the man and want to spend every spare minute with him. He did his best to talk me into going on the trip to New York with him. It was hard passing up the Big Apple since I’ve never been, and even harder saying no to a getaway with my man. He understood college couldn’t be put off for days. I didn’t miss the way his shoulders tensed when I explained about our group project presentation. Alex still isn’t keen on the fact I work with Lance at school. Don’t think he’ll ever be. I took care of his worry by sinking to my knees and blowing his mind.

  My body tingles remembering the way he’d glide his tongue through my folds, peer up at me waiting for an answer on whether I wanted him to stop or keep going. When I’d shake my head, he’d do it all over again. I was a screaming mess by the time he crawled up my body and gave me his dick.

  My phone dings besides me
. The picture of Alex and me kissing lights up the screen. It’s my favorite and was taken back at the pond. Tall wildflowers engulfed us as we lay back on the ground.

  Alex: Just landed in Boise.

  Me: A day early? Call me!!!

  Alex: Hustling to get off this private jet, baby.

  Me: Please, please, please tell me you don’t have to work today.

  Alex: A bit, but I can do it from my phone. You have any plans today?

  Me: Zoo! Let’s go to the zoo. I’ll pack a picnic.

  The bowl of ice cream lurches off my lap when I fist pump the air and squeal. Yes, squeal like a lovesick fool. Dixie darts for the cold dessert.

  “Shit.” I scramble to get it away from her, not needing a dog with an upset stomach. My phone begins ringing.

  I reach for it from my sitting position on the floor and blow my bangs out of my eyes. “Hey.”

  “The zoo?” Alex’s deep voice booms from the other end.

  A smile takes up my whole face. “Yes, I love the zoo. It’s a gorgeous Indian summer day here. I don’t want to be inside.”

  “I ain’t going to no goddamn zoo. Drawing the line.”

  Noise streams in from his end of the phone. I can just picture him in his white dress shirt with the top few buttons undone, sleeves rolled up, hair all a mess from his nervous fingers raking through it with the phone clutched between his shoulder and cheek.

  “Please,” I beg in a whiney voice. “It will be so much fun. We can feed the ducks and geese.”

  A spine-tingling chuckle escapes him. “Baby, you can feed my goose all night long.”

  My cheeks heat at the thought. “Hurry and get here. I’ll pack us a picnic.”

  “Maria,” he warns.

  “Bye, Alex.”

  He grunts as his form of good-bye. Alex would never admit it, but I can tell he’s exhausted. The man pushes himself twenty-four seven in and out of the office. From the nights he spends in the gym sparring with his family to the hours-on-end business meetings with Justice, it showcases the miraculous transformation he’s gone through. Alex Diamond is a force to be reckoned with.