by Holt, Leah
Breathing heavy, I grabbed his face. Pushing my lips onto his, our teeth hit briefly till our tongues wrapped together. The smooth muscles glided angrily over each other with the intense heat radiating between us.
I couldn't tell if it was the water or the electricity of us together that made my skin boiling red. I've wanted nothing but him since he stood up for me. He weakened my defenses, yanking down the cement wall I created from the world around me.
I didn't want to admit it- Quinn had become the image inside my head, the dream that plagued me at night, the air I needed to survive.
Coiling my fingers at his roots, I ripped his head away. “Fuck me.” Licking my lips I met his gaze.
His mind seemed to turn inside his head. Silence sat across his mouth, his brain taking in my demand. I felt his cock jump as prickles flooded his body. His chest lifted forcefully with each inhale.
My pussy was soaked in my own juices, I didn't want to wait anymore, he needed to be inside me.
The brief thought that my father could be home any minute flashed into my skull. A second of fear hit my stomach. The ball of knots loosened quickly as he curled two fingers into my cunt, his thumb tapping against my nub.
Slowly, he caressed my clit. My walls gripped his fingers, not wanting him to stop, not letting him remove them completely.
My juice dripped over his hand, as he pulled his fingers out quickly, he lifted them to his lips. “Mmm,” he moaned, draping my cream over his tongue.
“Fuck me.” I demanded.
I was standing on my toes, as he released my thighs, the loss of support caused me to sway. My legs were shaking and warm with desire, gripping the wall, I regained my balance.
Quinn leaned out of the curtain, the reminiscent sound of a wrapper tearing broke into my ears. Turning to face me, his large cock now wrapped like a present.
All he needs is a bow. I thought to myself, giggling lightly under my breath.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing, just had a thought is all.” My eyes shifted from his cock, to his face.
“Really? A thought?” His brow raised, unsure of where my smirk had come from. “Time to wipe that thought off your face,” he said, inching towards me, eyes smiling.
Yanking my wrists into one hand, he spun me around. The wet strands of hair whipped against his chest with a smack. Forcefully, he tugged my hands down into the small of my back, my ass lifting up on reflex.
“Let's see that smile now.” His lips brushed against my ear with his whisper, tingles danced across my body as a gasp filled my tongue.
The smooth swollen tip of his cock pressed against my pussy. Spreading me wide open, he slowly glided inside. My cunt tightened around him, squeezing harder the deeper he went.
Thrusting himself all the way, his balls hit my clit. “Shit, doll. You're pussy is tight. Can you handle all of this?” His hand gripped my ass, digging into the tensed muscle.
Palming the cold tile, I moaned loudly as his pace quickened. Each thrust being followed by the slap of wet skin.
Grunting with passion, his hand coiled inside my hair, snapping my head back his cock drove deeper. My body became fuzzy as he pushed me to climax, thighs shaking, every piece of me writhed under his control.
“Fuck, Quinn! Mm.” Biting my lip, teeth piercing the dampened skin. My pussy pulsed around his cock, milking him as I came.
“That's my favorite part, fuck,” he groaned. His stiffened cock thickened inside me, with one final thrust he lost it. Even behind the condom I felt him shoot his cum, his length jolting inside me, throbbing as he filled it pulse after pulse.
Twisting to look up at him, his muscles were tensed as he let his head fall onto my shoulder. Breathing heavily, he held us both up against the wall.
If he had let me go in that moment, my knees would have buckled, legs would have given way to the shaking in my thighs.
Lifting his head, he peered into my eyes. “Thanks for breakfast, babe.” Chuckling under each inhale, he smiled.
Bursting out laughing, I turned to smack his shoulder. “Yeah, real sweet.”
Pulling me in, his massive size engulfed my body. Quinn draped his finger down my cheek. “There's something about you, Cadence. Something that keeps me wanting more.”
Batting my lashes, I stood speechless. His boldness kept words from forming on my tongue, his touch left my skin aching for more.
Quinn had been everything I've wanted and nothing I expected.
I knew my father wasn't going to let this happen. He wanted me to himself, for his own sick games to mess with my head. All my life he had his fingers tightened around a noose just for me.
But now, that was all going to change. I deserved to be happy, to live my own life. Why did I have to spend every day striving to keep him placid, keep him tamed enough to seem happy?
“Quinn, My dad is going to force you to fight for him. He won't let this happen.” Dropping my head, my fingers teased his elbows, reading the ink wrapping his arms.
Fire surged over his face, his lips tightened, chest puffed out. “He can't control everyone. And he certainly can't control me.”
Quinn sounded so sure of himself, but he didn't know my father.
No one really knew my father; not like I did.
The strength of his fingers tipped my chin up, his gaze set firm. “You don't understand, my father is dangerous. He always gets what he wants,” I said.
“I am not going to fight for him, it doesn't matter what he wants. The only thing that matters is what I want, and that's you.”
For the first time ever, I felt safe. I felt untouchable in his arms.
Gripping my chin, he raised my lips to his, kissing me with such force, my heart beat deafening thumps inside my chest. The pounding silenced the horns from outside, the loud street below was nonexistent, numbness stopped the world around me.
“Get dressed. I want to show you something,” he said, tossing me the blue towel draping the hook on the wall.
“What?” I asked.
“You'll see, just meet me outside in ten minutes.” He pulled his jeans over his hips, a subtle jump shook them into place. Small droplets of water still rested on his shoulders.
I watched one trickle slowly over his skin, following the curves of muscles. I wanted to lick it off, taste it over my tongue before it disappeared.
The door closed behind him, his feet thudded across the floor and the front door shut with a bang. Standing in the bathroom, curiosity began to wrap my belly.
What the hell could he want to show me?
Chapter Nine
Quinn
Leaning against the mailbox secured out front, I waited for Cadence. Nerves riddled my gut, driving my hands into my pockets, I kicked the gravel at my toes.
I was about to bring her into my world, show her a piece of me that had been mine, only mine, since I moved here.
The wind jostled my hair into my eyes, cocking my head to the side, I tossed it from my face. It was chilly out. Forcing my hands deeper inside my jacket, my neck pressed into the collar.
Come on, let's go. What the fuck is she doing? Glancing at my phone, it was almost time. They would be starting in fifteen minutes.
My palms clammed up with sweat, a cold trickle of water sent a shiver through my bones as it traced my spine.
Wow, I haven't been this nervous since my first time in the ring.
What the fuck has this girl done to me?
I knew she did things to me that no woman ever has. She got my blood flowing, made my knees weak. And my cock harder than any other pussy I've ever had.
Cadence, her body, even her fiery tongue when she gets heated, made my muscles surge with electric sparks. If there wasn't something about her that stuck to me with such force, I would have fucked her and left her screaming for more without thinking twice about it.
The rotting metal door swung open, her face retracting into the hood as the breeze hit her cheeks. Her smile heated my body, the white o
f her teeth shimmered with excitement.
Crossing the pavement, she walked towards me, her eyes darting between me and the crowd around us.
I knew what she was doing, or should I say, who she was looking for.
A check to see if her dad was around. What she didn't realize was I had already been keeping my eyes open for him myself.
“Took you long enough,” I said. Leaning off the mailbox, I straightened my back, ready to go.
“Where are we going?” She asked. The wonder sat on the shining blue eyes staring up at me.
“It's a surprise, come on.” Nodding my head, I turned and started up the street.
“A surprise, huh? You don't strike me as the type of guy who deals in surprises.” Her hands were curled tight by her thighs, slinking up into her sleeves.
“Oh, no? Well there's a lot about me you don't know, sweetheart. Here's your first lesson in the book of Quinn, don't ever assume anything about me.” Slanting my grin up towards my eyes, my lip curled playfully.
Giggling, she said, “The book of Quinn?” Her brows shot up, sarcasm rested in the back of her voice.
Her laugh sent my stomach into my throat, she was radiating standing beside me. Her nose was tinged pink at the tip from the cold wind. Her delicate form shivered in the breeze, the gentle wisps of hair that jetted out from her hood tickled her skin.
It was in that moment I knew where she belonged.
Right by my side, always.
Tugging my hand from my pocket, I curled my fingers into hers. Gripping tightly, I pulled her in closer. A gust of wind pushed her perfume into my nostrils. It was intoxicating, sending the blood straight back into my cock.
I had her twice in less than twenty-four hours, and all I could think about was yanking her into an alley and fucking her again. I wanted to make her hips sore, see her walk with a grimace from her cunt being beaten into oblivion.
Her fingers squeezed around mine. “Are we there yet?”
“Are you five?” The words filtered between laughing.
Smacking my chest, she shot me a sideways glance. “You think you're funny, don't you?”
Shrugging my shoulders, my teeth bared brightly, eyes set forward.
We approached a large set of steps, two metal railings decorated the edges. The door was adorned with a large white poster, two faceless figures intertwined each other in the center.
“Here we are.” Gripping the handle, I peeled open the door, and a loud suction-filled gust of air spilled out.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“It's where I spend my spare time. The other night, you claimed I wasn't ready to fight. You assumed that I've had no practice.” The door closed forcefully behind us, the loud clank of the bar fixing back into position echoed through the cement walls.
“Okay, but what is this? A gym?” Her gaze searched for a name, a sign, anything to tell her where she was.
“Not exactly, come see.” Pressing her shoulder forward, we walked down a corridor. There were two double doors rested at the end. Muffled yells seeped, out filling the hall.
Turning the knob, the door swung inward, a rush of screams speckled with grunting and slaps hit our ears.
“What the hell is this?” Her face contorted over the picture before her.
“This, is the youth M.M.A group.”
Her eyes widened, still unsure of what I would be doing in a place like this. “And? You do what here?”
“I volunteer with the kids. I've been fighting for a long time, Cadence, and since I can't get in the ring anymore, I do the next best thing. I teach them how to.”
Her jaw dropped to the floor, tongue practically hanging out like a panting dog. “Seriously? You volunteer here?”
“Yup, it gives these kids something to do, and I get to use what I know best, fighting.” Crossing my arms over my chest, my back became rigid. I had just shocked the shit out of her, her face was priceless.
She thought she could peg me in a category fitted for those dirty scumbags she was used to seeing at the Ground Game.
I'm not what she thinks I am, I never was.
It was my promise to my best friend that brought me here.
This place had been my refuge.
Working for free didn't pay the bills, but being here gave me a sense of comfort. It gave my passion an outlet that wasn't actually fighting.
And to be honest, these kids could have ended up in a gang, running drugs, popping each other with a gun, or who knows what else.
For a few of these kids, I made a difference. I gave them the hope that they can do something with themselves, and taught them how to protect themselves without a weapon.
This had been my secret, and I felt compelled to share with Cadence.
She needed to realize that as flawed as I was, there was one thing I was proud of.
Here, in this place, with these kids.
“You have got to be shitting me? You teach these kids? Just because you want to?”
Shaking my head yes to each question, she stood in awe on top of the platform looking down.
There was about twenty kids, all varied in age. Punching bags hung from the ceiling, a couple of small practice rings divided the center. Sparring mats were sprawled around the room to practice floor maneuvers.
Watching the commotion below, we saw kids hitting the bags, while others took turns sparring each other on the mat. Other volunteers guided them in their moves, correcting positions, encouraging them to keep going.
From the corner of my eye, one of the other coaches, a guy the kids called Sarge, sent a wave in my direction. Nodding my head up to the rafters, I said to her, “So, do you still think I'm an asshole?” My hands wrapped tightly around the bar anchored on the platform. “Maybe now you'll give me your number so I don't have to break in anymore.”
The muscles twisted in her face, barely a blink fell over her stare. “Is this why you can't fight? Because of this?” Her neck angled looking up, digging deep into my soul.
My tongue went numb, I knew she would ask again, still wondering 'why?'
Facing the kids, head trapped in a blank gaze, my mouth opened, trying to force it out. I wanted to tell her the story I've kept inside. The demon of my past, the boiling fire of my gut.
The reason I went ape shit on Steel.
Her delicate fingers traced my knuckles, their tender feel sliding over my wrist and up my arm. With that single act the story flowed off my lips like hot lava. “It was almost three years ago. I used to fight professionally, and was really good at it too. I had been making my way up the scene, taking out guys as easy as it would be to steal fucking pudding from the elderly. Back then my drinking was... In its prime, I guess. Well, I went out one night, got really fucking wasted, and was supposed to have a huge match the next day.” Pausing, I forced air into my lungs; the hot oxygen soaking into my chest like sharp pins.
Cadence drew in air as if she was about to speak, holding my hand up, I silenced her. “Let me finish.” My head fell down, eyes empty as I relived that moment in my head.
Shifting my feet, I said, “I never made it to the ring, I was so fucked up, I had slept through the whole day, missing my fight. When I finally came to, I had grabbed my phone and saw, god, I don't know... Fifty missed calls.” My body shuddered and Cadence saw it. Her hand tightened firm around mine. “I called back my coach, and let me tell you, his words still echo in my head every fucking day, Cadence.” They replayed in my ears, ringing off my eardrums with gusto.
“Quinn, you missed a fight. Who-” Slicing her words in half, my voice growled from the back of my throat.
“That's not it.” Heaving my chest furiously, a rippled blade dug into my stomach, twisting its sharp edge, peeling back the wound I have tried to close. “My friend, my best friend, Rainee, he stood in for me, took my place. He shouldn't have been in that ring, fighting that day, it was my fight.” My teeth ground together as the words hit them from behind. “He died, Cadence. He died in the r
ing that day, and it should have been me.”
Her face went taut, lips sagging downward, eyes darting between mine. “Quinn, I-I'm sorry. I had no idea.”
My knuckles were white, gripping the bar to the point of numbness. My muscles twitched under my skin, contorting with anger, rage, hatred.
But, not for my friend, not for the man who stole his last breath.
I hated myself for not being there.
It should have been me.
“Rainee, he was family. His mother treated me like another son, it was her I gave that promise to. I told her I would never step foot in another ring. She pleaded with me to walk away, save my own life.” Turning to face Cadence, my hands fell by my side. “And that's what I did, I left.”
Gazing up, she stepped in close, her arms walking around my waist. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry you had got through that. But, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known, Quinn.”
Resting my chin against her cheek, the warm apple washed across my skin. For that instant, that single second in time, I felt alive.
It had been years since I felt my veins course with any sign of life. That loss, having had my best friend taken in a flash, it struck me to the core. There wasn't a moment that passed
Rainee didn't cross my mind.
Emptiness had consumed me from the inside, then I found these kids, and now...
Cadence.
From the first time I caught her in my sight, I was going to make her mine; Now, even with the threat of her father:
She WAS mine.
And I was going to do anything to keep it that way.
No one would take her from me, ever.
That was a promise I made to myself.
Chapter Ten
Cadence
Pushing through the crowded street, I made my way towards Lee's Nails. If there was one thing I found relaxing, it was getting a good manicure.
I had to be at work in couple of hours and, with the week I've had, this afternoon of pampering was necessary.
Trying to force my mind clear, Quinn had settled right on top of every thought. I couldn't shake him off, his strong fingers had cemented their grip. He became my drug.
