Crash

by Amity Cross

  “Books, huh?” I licked one of her hard nipples softly before tugging the sensitive bud with my teeth.

  “Uh huh.”

  “I better buy you some more, then.”

  Rolling on the condom, I coaxed her legs open wider and rubbed the head of my cock up and down her opening.

  “Lincoln.” She gasped, moving her hips up.

  “Monster,” I replied with a grin.

  “Please.” Her fingers dug into my ass, and her boldness was all it took for me to bend to her will.

  Pressing into her, I imagined what it’d be like to take her bare and how warm and tight she would be around my cock—moaning as she took me all the way. The thought was good enough for now. Maybe we could talk about it, but I didn’t want to overload her with questions that would probably do nothing but instill new fears into her. We’d only just crossed the hurdle she was most afraid of last night.

  Usually, I’d refer to it as fucking, but what we were doing didn’t feel like that at all. I stroked my cock in and out of her, taking my time and enjoying the fact that I could finally have all that she was.

  My name was on her perfect lips—her swollen, thoroughly kissed lips—as she came undone. Her thighs tightened around my waist, her fingers dug into my back and her pussy clenched around my cock. All too soon, I felt my own release building tightly in my balls, and she took it greedily. There was no way I was holding on, so I let it go and came with her.

  Yeah, it did feel better this way.

  Trailing my lips across hers, our labored breathing mingled as we returned to ourselves. Her tongue darted out and licked softly at my skin. I covered my mouth over hers, taking her deep and slow until finally, I pulled away.

  “Linc?” she asked, her eyes hooded.

  “Hmm.” That was the first time she’d called me that.

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  “I’ve never been thanked for sex before,” I replied with a grin. “Especially not when I’m still in there.”

  “Shut up,” she said, trying to hold in laughter. The movement made her squeeze around my cock. “You know what I mean.”

  I did, but she didn’t have to tell me for me to know that’s how she felt. I could see it in her eyes, in her smile and the way she touched me. Violet Fuller was waking up like a sexy as fuck Sleeping Beauty, and the world was at her feet. I still didn’t know if I was her prince, but at least I was the one who helped her open her eyes…and her heart.

  I pulled out and peppered kisses over her breasts before rolling over. She instantly followed and lay across my chest. We had five minutes before we had to get up to go into Pulse, and I was going to enjoy every last second because now that I had her, I didn’t want to let her go.

  Yeah, this was a guy’s idea of heaven.

  Twenty-Eight

  Violet

  I was happy. Carefree, light, confident and all of the above times ten. I was bouncing off the walls.

  Things were going great with Lincoln. My fears were beginning to become a thing of the past, and people didn’t scare me as much anymore. Dr. Ormond would be proud.

  I was pretty sure I was going down the road where the L-word lived, but I had squashed those thoughts away with the ones that bothered me about our future together. Things were great as they were, and I was more than happy to let them be. If he never said it, it wouldn’t matter. I mean, I was pretty damn lucky as it was.

  The kitchen at Pulse was empty this morning, but I was coming in earlier and earlier. Usually, mornings never sat well with me, and it took an iron will to get out of bed, but Lincoln’s enthusiasm for the dawn was rubbing off on me.

  I fired up the coffee machine and made myself a cup, enjoying the silence of the gym for once. A couple of people were already in and working out on the machines, but for the most part, I was alone. It had been a couple of weeks since I’d seen Andrea, but apart from her catty looks, I hadn’t really noticed. Man, I was really getting used to this badass confidence thing.

  Stepping out of the kitchen, coffee in hand, I almost ran into Bobby, and I gasped as I nearly tipped my morning energy boost over us both.

  “You beat me in,” he exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.

  “Is it such a bad thing I know how to work the coffee machine?” I asked, righting the cup before it could spill.

  “Nope, but I like to keep the pot hot for the ladies.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

  I knew he was only playing, so I laughed at him. “So what’s your deal, Bobby?”

  He tilted his head to the side. “My deal?”

  “Yeah, your deal.”

  Bobby leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, before Pulse, I was working shit kitchen jobs trying to land a gig like this.”

  “How did you manage to get Ash to give you the job?”

  He ran his hand over his face before tucking it back under his arm. “I was working at a little place on Sydney Road. Long story short, I caused a scene, got fired and literally ran into your brother on the way out the door. We almost got into a punch up I was that pissed, but we got to talking and he offered me the gig.”

  “Just like that?” I narrowed my eyes. I knew with Ash that there were always terms and conditions, but he was also good at reading people. It came with the fighter thing, being able to spot tells in your opponent.

  Bobby shook his head and smiled. “From that look, I can see that you know there is more to the story than I’ve let on, so I’ll leave it at that.”

  Taking a sip of my coffee, I glanced across the gym and spotted Ash weaving through the weight machines.

  “I like this version of you,” Bobby said kindly. “Linc’s a good guy.”

  I flushed and glanced into my coffee cup. “Yeah, he is.”

  Turning back to Ash, I saw that he’d stopped and was watching our exchange. He smiled as our eyes met, and he moved away, disappearing upstairs.

  “I’ll catch you later,” I said, my gaze on the stairs.

  “No problems,” Bobby replied, and I began to move away. “Hey, Violet?”

  I paused. “Hmm?”

  “I don’t know what happened to you before you came to work here, but whatever’s happened since…” He shrugged. “Don’t let anything change you again.”

  He spoke like he knew a little something about life-changing experiences. It wasn’t my place to press, so I just smiled. “Thanks, Bobby.”

  Following Ash upstairs, I left my coffee in the office and ventured down the hall to the apartment space. I hadn’t seen much of my elusive brother in the last few weeks, and for us, it was strange. Life was changing, and it was a good thing, but I didn’t want my relationship with my brother to suffer for it. After all, he was my only family.

  I found him in the kitchen, bent over the counter and looking at some paperwork with his phone in his hand. My footsteps echoed in the empty space, and he looked up. When he saw it was me, he shoved his phone into his pocket and walked over for a hug.

  “Hey,” he said, grasping me tightly.

  “Hey.” I pulled away and spread my arms out. “The apartment looks great.”

  I cast my gaze around the gigantic open space, taking in all the things that had changed over the past six weeks since Ash and Ren had gotten back from Thailand. There was still a way to go, but the kitchen had been installed and the plaster was up and rendered through the dining and living room areas. The wood laminate flooring had been laid even though it was currently hiding away underneath plastic sheeting to protect it from scratches.

  “The painters are coming in tomorrow to give the place a lick of color,” Ash said. “The bathroom and laundry still need to be done. That’s the big one, but other than that, we’re just looking at finishing touches. The skirting and windows, a couple of door handles…”

  “Quick turn around,” I said, peering into one of the bedrooms. There was a nice inbuilt robe and a door that lead through to the bathroom, that was still a shell waiting
for waterproofing to go in.

  “You know me, Vee. All or nothing.”

  “Yeah, all or nothing meaning right now.” I threw him a smile and moved over to the kitchen, running my hand over the marble countertop. “Does Ren like it?”

  “Loves it.”

  “Good,” I murmured, opening a cupboard and looking inside.

  “You look happy,” he declared.

  I gave him a look and closed the door gently. “I am happy.”

  Leaning against the kitchen counter, he asked, “I gather things are going well with you and Lincoln?”

  “As well as they can be, I guess.”

  “He treatin’ you right?”

  “Ash.” I scowled at him.

  “You knew I was gunna ask, squirt.”

  I pretended to throw up. “What did we agree about you calling me that?”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “Old habits die hard. Just don’t settle for anything less than amazing.”

  “You owe Lincoln an apology,” I said, and Ash rolled his eyes.

  “He should be happy I didn’t knock his head off.”

  “Ash, seriously?” I complained.

  He crossed his arms over his chest, a defiant look on his face. “It still stands, Vee. He hurts you and he’s dead.”

  “Then you better teach me how to throw a punch.”

  Ash narrowed his eyes and gave me the once over.

  “He was the one who did all of this,” I said, gesturing to myself.

  “All of that was already in there, Vee.”

  “Yeah, maybe, but he gave me the courage to bring it out.”

  He stilled and sighed, his shoulders rising and falling. “Are we finished with this deep and meaningful conversation?”

  “Am I making you embarrassed?”

  He shook his head and was silent for a moment. Just as I was beginning to worry, he spoke. “A while ago, you said to me that I wasn’t your father,” he murmured, casting his gaze across the room.

  “Ash, I didn’t—”

  “I know I’m not, but after they left us like that…” He shook his head and sighed. “You may not think it, but I do. I wanted to be the people they were supposed to be for you. Maybe I deserved it for how I handled things, but you never did.”

  Striding forward, I threw my arms around him, fighting back tears. Damn it all to hell. Why did he have to be an ass one second and totally amazing the next?

  “Anything you need, you’ve got it,” he said firmly. “You’ve just gotta ask.”

  I already knew he would take care of me, but he obviously needed to hear me acknowledge it. “Okay.”

  “Now get back to work,” he declared, letting me go. “I’ve got a bathroom to plan.”

  “Slave driver,” I retorted.

  “You love it,” he shot back with a grin.

  Pausing, I glanced around and took a deep breath. “Yeah,” I said, my gaze meeting his. “I do.”

  Twenty-Nine

  Lincoln

  I sat in the specialist’s office at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, staring at the wall.

  Today was considered a final meeting to discuss my prognosis for going back to Sydney. I hadn’t told Vee about the appointment, and the thought stewed around in my gut. I hadn’t exactly lied to her, but I may as well have.

  My shoulder hadn’t bothered me for a week or so now, and my exercises had been getting pretty easy, so I knew this day was coming—a full two months earlier than planned. I should be excited. We all knew what the doc was going to say. Get your ass back to Sydney, champ.

  “Lincoln?” the doctor asked.

  I blinked hard. “Sorry?”

  He placed the scans back into the huge orange envelope on his desk. “You’re cleared to go back to full-time training. Congratulations.”

  I sat up straight. “I can go back to Sydney?”

  “Yes,” he said with a nod. “Pending any residual tenderness, you should be able to resume your normal regime soon enough.”

  “Great,” I murmured, my mind going to Violet.

  “I’ll forward your scans and details to your physiotherapist in Sydney so they can be clued in to your condition. I wouldn’t go into training too hard just yet. Ease back, but you’re certainly welcome to do a lot more than you’re doing now.”

  “Thanks, doc,” I said, rising to my feet.

  I shook his hand and scooped up my jacket before letting myself out of his office.

  I walked back to my car in a daze. Sitting behind the wheel, I stared at the concrete wall in front of me and wondered why the good news I’d been dying to hear pissed me off so much. This is what I’d wanted my entire life, fighting with the big guns in the AUFC. I’d had it, then I was out for injury, and now I could go back. I’d cut two whole months off my recovery time. I should be happy.

  Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I pulled up the favorites list. For a moment, my finger hovered over Vee’s name, but I changed course at the last second and pressed Dean’s.

  He picked up after what felt like an age.

  “Hey, Linc,” came my brother’s voice. “What’s up?”

  “Doc says I can come back,” I replied.

  “No way. Two months early?” He sounded as surprised as I felt.

  “Yeah, he seems to think it’s not a problem.”

  “When can you get back on the canvas?”

  “Didn’t say, but I can start training full-time again if I want.”

  “Shit, that’s awesome.” The line rustled, and then I heard him calling out to someone. A moment later, he was back. “Coach is here, lemme put him on.”

  “Dean—” I wasn’t ready to talk to Coach yet. I knew exactly what he was going to say, and I still had to talk to Violet about it.

  “Linc?” Coach Miller’s voice came over the line.

  “Yep.”

  “Great news, son,” he exclaimed. “We’ve missed you around here. We need you back and in the gym as soon as possible if you want to get any more fights this season.”

  I did want to fight, I missed the rush like nothing else, but I wasn’t sure anymore.

  “Linc? You still there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. I’m in the undercover carpark at the hospital,” I added like it was an excuse for my uncertain silence.

  “Does Ash have you tied up with anything at Pulse?” he asked.

  “No, not really…”

  “Good, then I’ll get Josie to book you a flight.”

  Fuck. They’d have me there by the weekend if they got their way.

  “It’ll be really good to have you back, son.”

  “Yeah,” I said, tightening my grip around the steering wheel. “Yeah, it will.”

  **

  I missed lunchtime at Pulse, but Violet had been bogged down with work anyway, so she didn’t miss me.

  When I ducked my head into the office, she just waved me away with a smile and told me not to worry about it. She hadn’t even noticed I’d been out all morning. I needed to talk to her before Josie got back to me with my plane ticket, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.

  Leaving Violet now…it didn’t feel right, but I didn’t really have a choice.

  Thumping back down the stairs, I walked across the mats to where Ryan and Cole were going through their repetitions on the bags. Ash gave me a look from his position to the side but didn’t say anything.

  “How was your appointment?” he asked, coming to stand beside me as the numbskulls finished their repetitions and swapped places.

  “Fine.” Last thing I wanted was to tell Vee’s over-protective brother about having to jet back to Sydney before I’d even told her.

  “So, we’ve still got you for a while yet?” He was looking at me like he already knew, and he probably did.

  I shrugged.

  “I’ve noticed that the exercises you’ve been doing are getting easier,” he declared.

  “Yep.” I watched Cole and Ryan, knowing exactly what Ash was getting at. He was tryi
ng to get a confession out of me with a good cop, bad cop routine.

  “The guys will miss you,” he prodded. “I know they’ve picked up some valuable stuff from your sessions, mate.”

  I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest.

  He gave me another look before backing away. “Suit yourself, but you better tell her.”

  I shot him a warning glance and nodded.

  “Let me know when you’re leaving,” he added. “For payroll.”

  Narrowing my eyes, I shook my head. Obviously, trying to keep shit from Ash Fuller was pointless, but as long as he didn’t tell Violet first, we wouldn’t have a problem.

  Shit. Things had been fucking great the past few months. I never expected to see her again—even with her brother as the owner of the joint—let alone start this thing with her. I’d wanted it forever, no other woman had stacked up to my idea of being with her, and now that I had the real thing? I’d been right all along.

  Violet… She filled all the little holes inside me that I didn’t even know were missing. I thought being apart from Dean and the AUFC was tough, but leaving her would be the hardest thing I’d ever have to do.

  It was then that I realized I might’ve fallen harder for Vee than I’d originally thought. This was the part where you told the woman who had your balls how you felt and planned for the future and all that scary shit I didn’t have any answers for. The only certain thing in my life was competing in professional MMA. I didn’t know how to have a relationship anymore than she did.

  My phone pinged with a message, pulling me away from my thoughts. Pulling it from my pocket, I glanced at the screen and dread settled into my bones as I read the message from Josie.

  Booked you in for Saturday. Check your email for the details.

  I knew she was no fuss about stuff, but she’d gotten onto that quick. It seemed like a no-brainer really. They knew I was keen to get back to training, and I’d complained until I was blue in the face about being stuck in Melbourne…but that was before Violet.

  There was no two ways about it. I was contractually obligated to get my ass back into the cage. I had to go back when I was told.

  Thinking about Vee and how far she’d come over the past couple of months, my heart swelled. Could she deal with this? Fuck, could I? I didn’t know.