by Abby Niles
“So are you two over?”
Dante glanced over at Caitlyn. She threw her head back and laughed. The musical strum of her amusement engulfed him and he closed his eyes.
“I still have some fight in me.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cait took another sip of the piña colada. The slushy coconut and rum mixture melted on her tongue, leaving behind the sharp taste of liquor.
Dante’s gaze drilled a hole into the side of her face and the stare grew increasingly difficult to disregard. Thank God for sunglasses. Her uncooperative eyes sought the one thing they were supposed to ignore. Fortunately, the darkened lenses gave her the ability to watch him without being caught.
He’d mesmerized her, standing there in his blue Hawaiian board trunks, his arms crossed over his impressive tanned chest, the black lines from his tattoo teasing her, begging to be traced. He made no secret about watching her. No surprise there. After all, he was Dante.
Today would be much harder than she anticipated. How could she pretend Dante didn’t affect her? Just knowing he was nearby fluttered her stomach and did hot things to her body. She refused to concentrate on his proximity or she’d give up this crazy plan.
She couldn’t do that.
“Earth to Cait.” Paul snapped his fingers in front of her face.
Cait jumped. “What?”
“You’ve been staring into your drink for the last three minutes. What’s up?”
Amy hooked an arm around her waist. “I’d say it’s a certain fighter looking mighty fine in just his shorts.”
She didn’t know the half of it.
Cait hadn’t told Amy about her plan—or rather, Paul’s plan. Her friend would blow a gasket, spill the truth to Brad, who’d tell Dante. She wasn’t going through all of this for nothing. Yet, Amy and Brad’s presence presented a certain complication. How was she supposed to garner Sentori’s attention without making Amy go ballistic?
On top of that, what if she couldn’t get the guy to notice her?
“One can’t help but look,” Cait said.
“Girl, you could do much more than look and you know it.” Amy nudged her.
“I think I’m going to hit the hot tub.” Talking about Dante and his to-die-for body wasn’t helping her cause—or her restraint.
“Those things are heated cesspools.” Amy grimaced and stepped away.
Cait hid her triumph. “You want to join me?”
Paul glanced at the tub. Two beefy fighters sat on the edge with their feet in the bubbling water. “Girl, I’m supposed to be acting all straight and shit. How am I supposed to do that with such goodies to gawk at?” Then he shrugged. “What the hell?”
Cait laughed and hooked her arm through Paul’s. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“Promise?”
“On my heart.” She glanced at Amy and Brad. “We’ll catch up with you in a bit, okay?”
“That’s fine. Brad wants to go inside and play some poker with the guys, so once you’re done with your bacteria-laced soak, that’s where we’ll be.”
Cait strolled to the whirlpool with Paul and stepped down into the hot tub. The churning water tickled her legs as she waded toward one side. Placing her arms along the top, she sank into the bubbles. Paul sat beside her. She could feel Dante scowling at her. She refused to acknowledge him and glanced around the pool.
“Have you seen Sentori?” she whispered to Paul.
“Not since he walked away from your man.”
Cait grimaced. The conversation hadn’t appeared to be a pleasant one. “What do you think they were talking about?”
“Beats me. But from the tension between those two, I suspect pissing off Thor won’t be that hard.”
An understatement if there ever was one. If Dante had gripped his water bottle any tighter, the thing would’ve popped its cap and spewed water like a geyser. “There’s a lot of tension already, don’t you think?”
Paul shrugged. “These men are OD’ing on testosterone. I figure it only gets worse the closer a fight approaches. That’s why this plan will work. I promise.” He sent her an encouraging smile.
She hoped so. If this failed, then it might distract Dante more.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
Paul’s foot hit hers. Sentori stood at the edge of the tub exuding predatory determination as he stared down at her. The air around him was thick with calculation and coldness. She swallowed her dislike as her doubts ballooned tenfold.
His lily-white skin shone bright in the sun. His green hair cast a sickly glow to his face. Yes, his body was nice. Ripped and trim. But in no way did it compare to Dante’s.
She forced a smile. “Come on in.”
He lowered himself into the tub, sliding close to her. Too close. His thigh brushed hers. She jumped. To increase the distance between them, Cait scooted away.
Sentori slipped his arm behind her, his fingers toying with her hair. She wanted nothing more than to slap his hand away, but she smiled and feigned interest.
“How have you been, Caitlyn?”
Acid burned her throat. Dante was the only person who used her full name. She liked it that way. It was like an endearment.
“Call me Cait.”
His eyes narrowed. “But Caitlyn fits you so much better.”
“I prefer Cait.”
“But Inferno calls you Caitlyn.”
How did he know that?
Her unease tightened, but she pushed it aside. She needed him to believe she wasn’t interested in Dante. This presented a perfect opportunity to prove just that. She forced the next words out. “Dante is an arrogant bully who never listens to anything I tell him. I’ve asked him repeatedly to call me Cait.”
Dear God, please don’t strike me dead for that lie.
Sentori smiled. “Then Cait it is. I would never want to be a bully.” He nodded toward Paul. “And who’s your friend?”
“This is Paul. Paul, Sentori.”
Paul gave him a tight smile. “Pleasure.”
Silence descended on them. Cait fidgeted. How did she initiate chitchat with someone she didn’t want to talk to?
“How’s the training going?”
Thank you, Paul.
“Easy enough. The fight will be a cake walk.”
That wasn’t even cool. “You didn’t seem so sure of yourself at the bar.”
“I’ve found humility is overrated. I’m the best fighter in the organization. No reason to pretend otherwise.”
She exchanged glances with Paul, whose brows had drawn into a straight line. This man was completely different from the one at the bar. Not that she necessarily liked that one either, but he’d at least seemed humble, legitimately concerned over whether Dante would hurt her. The man before her was overloaded in conceited bullshit.
Sentori’s fingers played with the knot at the back of her bathing suit. She whipped her head around and stared at him, jerking away from his touch. His brows rose. Interest gleamed in his eyes. “Jumpy, aren’t we, Cait?”
His gaze strayed past her, and his lips twisted in a triumphant smirk. She followed his focus and collided with Dante’s furious blue eyes.
“What’s going on between you two?” Sentori asked.
“N-nothing.”
“Don’t look that way to me.”
She couldn’t turn her gaze from Dante. At any moment, the vein pulsing at his temple would surely explode. She scooted farther away from Sentori. He followed, leaning in close. “I can make you forget him.”
She dragged her eyes from Dante to Sentori. “There isn’t anything to forget.”
“Really? Well then, would you care to join me for dinner Saturday night?” His finger traced the strap of her top, stopping just below her collarbone.
Distaste induced a shiver. She didn’t want to go out with this man. She remembered why she was there.
Dante.
“I-I would l-like that.”
He lifted her hand from the water and kissed the back of it. “Until S
aturday, then.” He rose and left the tub.
“I don’t like that guy,” Paul said.
“Me either.” She chanced a glance at Dante. “Oh, shit.”
“What?”
“Here he comes.”
Paul glanced up. “Oh hell, Cait, he looks ready to do murder.”
“God, he does, doesn’t he?”
Dante stormed toward them. The fierceness of his expression made it clear he was seconds from exploding. He stopped at the lip of the tub and placed his hands on his hips. “Out,” he ordered Paul.
Paul started to scramble out. Cait gripped his arm. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Her friend glanced between Cait and Dante. “But Cait, The Hulk has requested my absence. I believe it best if I cooperate.”
Dante glared at her. “Listen to your friend, Caitlyn. We need to talk.”
“He’s not going anywhere.”
“Scared of being alone with me?”
A challenge. A huge one. She rose, thrusting her chin high in the air. Everything she did from this point forward was vital. A confident woman would never back down. But she felt anything but confident. At any moment, her heart would beat out of her chest or she’d hyperventilate. “Lead the way, Inferno.”
“It’s ‘Inferno’ now?”
She shrugged, refusing to answer. She wasn’t certain why she’d used his fighter name. It’d gotten a response, though. Perhaps one she didn’t want.
Dante stormed to the pool house. She hesitated before following him. Being alone with him, especially in his current mood, was a bad idea. This Dante was dangerous. Unrelenting.
Not good. Not good. Not good.
He opened the door. As she swept by him, her breasts brushed by his naked chest, and her nipples instantly hardened.
Yeah, really not good.
The door slammed shut. The room instantly dimmed with the door closed. She was thankful—the less she could see the better.
“What the hell is going on, Caitlyn?”
She closed her eyes, wishing she could block out the hurt in his voice. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Sentori.” His darkened figure stalked forward. “He’s my opponent.”
He was going to touch her. And if he did, everything would be ruined. She backed up. “So?”
“So? Why are you getting all cozy with him?”
“H-he seems like a nice guy.” And to get it out there and over with, she blurted, “We’re going out Saturday night.”
He went utterly still, then curled his hands into fists. “You’re going out with him?”
“Y-yes.”
He pounced, pressing her against the wooden wall and raising her hands above her head. Cait gasped as his chest rubbed against hers.
“Why?” he asked.
She looked into his shadowed face. A mistake. Pain shone there, bright and potent. She faltered, yearning to caress the tension from his clenched jaw. She’d seen so many different emotions clench his jaw: rage, stubbornness, determination. This was the first time she’d ever seen pain—caused by her—and the knowledge of what she was doing to him ripped at her insides.
The championship.
She used the reminder as strength and said, “Why not?”
Oh, that had been the wrong comeback. She knew it the moment she saw his gaze rake over her.
“Because you’re mine. That’s why.”
As if to prove his point, his lips were on hers. Demanding. Dominating. And heaven help her, she couldn’t deny him. When his tongue probed her lips, she opened for him, begging for his possession. She tugged at her captured wrists, and he released them, his hands gliding down her arms, the sides of her breasts, before settling on her hips. Cait wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
Dante growled, grabbed the backs of both knees, and wrapped her legs around his waist. Wood bit into Cait’s back, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was this man’s touch. She rubbed her fingers against the short stubble at the nape of his neck. The rough texture felt exquisite against her skin.
“Caitlyn,” he whispered into her mouth.
Desire colored his words. What was she doing? This was wrong. So very wrong. But the darkness in the room allowed her to feel him without worry he’d reach for a light. It felt so good. So right.
His hand skimmed up her leg to her waist, then cupped her breast, lightly pinching the erect nipple. Cait broke the kiss, gasping. Dante’s lips moved down her neck, to the vee of her bathing suit where he licked the valley between her breasts. She had to stop him, but couldn’t find the strength. This was everything she wanted.
“Dante,” she whispered as his fingers fumbled with the tie at the back of her neck.
“That’s right. Say my name. My name,” he commanded.
The cool air touched her nipples as the material fell around her waist. His mouth warmed one as he drew it between his lips. She tightened her grip around his neck, thrusting closer to his suckling mouth.
“Cait?”
The sound of Sentori’s voice had her eyes popping open. Dante stiffened. Reality seeped in. She pushed at his shoulders. “I can’t do this.”
He didn’t release her. Instead, he leaned closer, rubbing his cock against her mound. She bit her lip and stifled a moan.
“Groan, Caitlyn.”
He rubbed, harder. She bit, harder. His fingers slid down her body to the edge of her bathing suit. “I can check. Do you want me to?”
Without waiting, his finger slipped beneath the material and grazed her flesh. She closed her eyes and moaned low in her throat.
He moved his finger again, circling her. “You can’t deny you’re wet. So wet. So ready.”
“Cait?”
Dante snarled. “Say you’re mine, Caitlyn.”
“I-I can’t.” She took a shaky breath, knowing what she had to do. “It’s just sex, Dante.”
He released her and jerked back as if she’d smacked him. Cait stumbled to get her footing. She grabbed the top of her bathing suit and covered her breasts, hating herself.
Dante spun then stormed outside.
She secured her bathing suit with shaky fingers.
“Cait?”
Sentori’s green hair appeared before the rest of him. She swallowed her distaste. “Yes?”
“I just saw Dante leave. Was he bothering you?”
“No.”
His eyes zeroed in on her mouth and he lifted an amused brow. Cait suppressed the urge to hide her swollen lips.
“Nothing going on, eh?” He stepped closer.
She stepped back, not liking his smirk. She straightened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you?”
Cait tried to sidestep him, but he blocked her path and backed her against the wall. The same wall Dante had her so passionately pinned to just seconds ago.
She placed her hands on the middle of his chest and pushed. “You’re crowding me, Sentori. Back off.”
She was relieved he did so without hesitation. But his hand came up and traced her lips. She flinched, and he tsked. “What are you about, Caitlyn?”
That he used her full name didn’t go unnoticed. She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued, “Do you think you can have us both, Caitlyn?” His gaze met hers. “I don’t like leftovers, Caitlyn.”
The taunting way he used her name twisted her stomach in disgust. This man knew exactly what he was doing. What words to use. Did he do this with Dante?
He bent and whispered close to her ear. “Would you like to play a game?”
Revulsion shivered through her.
“Who can fuck with Dante more? You or me?”
She gasped, her eyes flying to his. Her immediate reaction was to deny his implications, but Sentori shook his head, a grin splitting his lips. “You may win.”
“What is going on in here?”
At the sound of Paul’s voice, relief swept through her. Sentori lazily straightened. “Just having a litt
le chat.” He glanced back at Cait and winked. “I’ll pick you up Saturday, Caitlyn.” Then he strolled from the room.
Paul hurried to her side. “What happened?”
She wrapped her arms under her breasts. “I did what I came out here to do. Dante hates me.”
Chapter Fourteen
Dante hugged his fists to his cheeks, studying Mike’s every move. His coach mimicked Dante’s stance, fists up, as they circled each other. This was Dante’s final chance to prove to Mike he was here to win. He would not fail.
Mike shifted slightly to the left. The slight movement was exactly what Dante had been waiting for and he countered. Lunging forward, he thrust a shoulder into Mike’s stomach and slammed him to the ground. His coach’s shocked “Damn it!” let Dante know he’d taken Mike by surprise. Good. He needed every advantage he could get today, and taking down Mike was a great addition to what had already been a grueling but successful session.
Dante pinned him and lay across his chest. Mike shoved, but Dante braced his knees into his coach’s side, preventing any attempt at escape. He surveyed his position. The arm. Perfect. He tightened his grip. With each shove and twist, Mike’s efforts to break out of his hold weakened. Dante kept his grip tight, allowing his coach to exhaust out. When Mike’s moves became sluggish, Dante twisted. Clenching his coach’s wrist in a powerful grasp, he pried Mike’s arm out with his hand and bent it in a ninety-degree angle.
“Ah! Fuck! My arm,” Mike yelled. “Stop!”
Dante immediately let go, trying to keep from showing his satisfaction. Mike had no time to tap, just instant pain and the begging to be released. If this didn’t prove to his coach he was focused, he wasn’t sure what would.
Mike lay on the mat, breathing heavily as he rolled his arm in a circle and stared at Dante. “You’re going to fuck Sentori up.”
Dante sat back on his haunches and wiped his arm across his forehead. Pride welled in his chest. Finally, he’d done something right. It was about time. “You gave me another chance. I’m not going to disappoint you.”
The smile his coach sent him was full of approval. “Glad to see you back, my friend.”
Dante rose to his feet and shook out his tight muscles. “Good to be back.”
Mike clapped Dante on the shoulder. “That’s enough practice. Why don’t you go relax in the sauna?”
