by Dee Garcia
“It's the same for me, baby, but I need to sort things out at home. Yes, Luis agreed to take over my clients, however, I still need to speak with them personally and answer any questions they may have. If I don’t form a mutual understanding with them then there’s a great possibility this can blow up in my face later. I also need to meet with my landlord, get all my bills sorted...” Dropping his forehead to mine, he rubbed our noses together. “Fourteen days, that's it. Then I'll be right back here where I belong. You're going to finish off this season with me by your side, with me in your corner. I need to you to be strong though and push past this shitty situation with your head held high. Train, stay focused, and kick some ass while I’m gone. It’s what Bernie would have wanted and it’s what I want too. Think you can do that for me?”
“I can try.” I said softly.
Knox shook his head. “It’s not a request. No trying, just do it.”
Scoffing through my nose, I smiled and rolled my eyes. “So demanding, Mr. Carr.”
“When I want to be, yes.”
“And now happens to be one of those times?”
“Damn right, now quit evading. Can you do that for me?”
I tilted my head to one side and slipped my arms around his neck, giving him a small smile. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy because we know how easy it is for me to get lost in my head, but I promise you I’m going to do everything in my power to keep busy and make the best of our time apart.”
Warm lips met mine again in the most tender of kisses that nearly left me breathless.
“Thank you.” He murmured and I nodded, my eyes fluttering shut at the feel of his hand running down my body.
“No, thank you.”
We spent the remainder of our time together lost between the sheets of the bed. While it was nothing like the feverish, hungered fucking from Friday night, it was still equally as passionate, if not more.
By the time we made it into the shower, I was far too sated and quite spent to even allow myself to feel a spec of sadness over the coming weeks ahead. All I could do was live in the moment and relish the feel of being wrapped in his arms until it was time to say goodbye.
Afterwards, Knox went about packing his bag and I took my time getting ready for the day ahead. Just because he was leaving didn't mean I could or would skip the gym. If anything, the gym would be my refuge while he was gone.
I could blow off steam and train my life away harder than ever before. If my opponents were scared in the past then they would be absolutely terrified now because Lioness was going to annihilate. No mercy.
A few hours later, Emmanuel pulled the SUV up to the drop-off area of Austin–Bergstrom International. The mere sight of the departures sign shot my stomach up to my throat in a thick lump but I swallowed it down, hoping to keep it together for Knox’s sake.
With his bag in hand, we made our way inside the building and despite our conversation earlier in the morning, every step closer to check-in felt like another piece of my heart was being ripped away.
I couldn’t help it. I wanted to be strong, to see this for what it was, to be supportive of his choices as he had always been of mine, but the truth was, I didn’t want him to go.
Stopping just before the check-in line, I looked away from his penetrating gaze as fresh, unbidden tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision.
“Come here,” he rasped, pulling me into the warmth of his chest, his arms nearly crushing me from the strength of their grip.
“Please don't.” My voice wavered.
I could hear the thump of his heart, feel it hammering beneath my cheek as frantically as my own.
His throat bobbed with a swallow. “Don't what?”
“Don't say it. I can't handle it.” I admitted, clenching the back of his tee for dear life.
“I won't.” He said softly. “Look at me.”
I shook my head, unable to face what I knew would likely be such an intense expression, it would break me.
“Baby, look at me.” He implored gently, taking my face in his hands to meet his fierce blue-eyed stare.
“This isn’t goodbye. It's I’ll see you later, remember?”
That was all it took. Just the mere mention of the word broke the dam wide open, rolling white-hot tears down my cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumbs but they reappeared anew.
“These tears,” he wiped them away once more, “watching you cry, for me of all things… It's breaking my heart. Please don't cry.”
My lip quivered uncontrollably. “I can’t help it.”
He regarded me for the briefest moment, his eyes flickering between mine. “Fourteen days.”
“Fourteen days.” I repeated. “And not a minute later.”
“Not a second later.” He countered before sealing his mouth over mine with a kiss that took my every last uneasy breath away and filled me with nothing but hope, strength… And maybe even love.
I remember Bernie raving about how much he loved the city of Atlanta. When we picked up my schedule on registration day a few weeks prior to the start of the season, he had been ecstatic that our usual stop in Charlotte was swapped for the ATL instead.
His excitement was utterly contagious, so contagious I had instantly been thrilled to fight in a new city but now that I was here, I hated it. Not the actual place of course, just the fact that my time here was soured by my old man’s death and Knox’s absence.
The days in Atlanta went by as quickly as paint dries, regardless of the fact that Jason had crammed my schedule with hours of training, followed by back to back interviews for different coaches. God, I hated those damn things. None of the men who showed up fit the bill in any way, shape, or form.
Either they were newbie coaches with limited experience, or they hadn't coached a female fighter, or it was quite obvious they were only interested in the position because of my status on the League.
They sucked, point blank, and I wasn't afraid to kick their ass out the door as quickly as they'd shuffled in. That in turn was working the best of Jason’s patience, especially with the Board’s deadline fast approaching.
I didn't really give a rat’s ass though. He could sit and stew for all I cared. When the right coach came along, I would know. Until then I was perfectly content flying solo.
Jason himself was another hellish ordeal on his own. It was beyond difficult to work alongside him now. His attitude was almost intolerable and there were several times I'd come close to burning the final thread and firing him.
Truth be told though, Jason handled a lot for me, and deep down I knew that firing him at this point in the season would be a huge mistake. Regardless, the tension between us was at an all time high and unless it was in relation to my schedule, we barely spoke to one another anymore.
I'd contemplated banging on his door and demanding an explanation for how drastically our relationship had changed but I was certain he'd simply throw the blame at Knox’s feet and wash his hands of it, so why bother? Why work myself up in a feeble attempt to salvage something that clearly meant so little to him in the first place?
As for Knox and I, we had reverted back to our old habit of talking on the phone almost nightly before bed. Some evenings we opted for FaceTime instead, which was a welcome change to the monotony that came along with routine.
It was nice to see his face, see that smile and those eyes I loved so much rather than just hear his voice. At times, I found myself wondering why we hadn’t done this before but my answer was clear as day the night our conversation took a steamy turn. That was definitely new territory for me, new, unchartered territory that I quickly became a fan of.
It also wasn’t the only sliver of unchartered territory Atlanta granted me.
For the first time since starting my career with the League, I left the cage without another victory. Reyna was my opponent and while we weren't the best of friends, we had developed some sort of kinship with Knox being the common factor.
I'd never had an issue tak
ing her down prior, but this time around, it was troublesome. Whenever my fist made direct contact with her face or I pummeled her in the gut and heard her struggle to breathe, I felt a sharpest pain lance through my being, forcing me to retreat far enough away to allow her a moment to gather her bearings.
Everyone in that arena was shocked to silence, befuddled even, and after fighting the full twenty-five minutes without a knock out or tap out in sight, the ref wrote it off as a tie.
Later that night, Knox and I discussed what exactly went down inside the cage. He both understood why I'd gone easy on her and why Reyna was so upset. Apparently she was livid, so livid in fact, she'd called Luis in hysterics after leaving the arena and Luis had called Knox shortly thereafter.
I felt terrible as he paraphrased everything Luis divulged on the matter but it’s not like there was much I could do. The fight was behind us and quite honestly, I was satisfied with the tie. I’d rather give up a win than beat the life out of my boyfriend’s childhood friend.
August finally melded into September, taking us from historic Atlanta to the multi-cultural and overpopulated streets of Miami. The tall palm trees and constant traffic always reminded me of home.
The perpetual Summer weather that lingered all year around, however, did not. I almost preferred the dry desert heat to the humidity that greeted me whenever I stepped foot outside.
Nonetheless, I ecstatic when the plane touched down on the tarmac because it meant I was just hours away from the moment I’d been counting down for weeks.
Our first two days in town were lost amongst preparing for Knox’s arrival and meeting with another handful of potential coaches, none of which made the cut.
Jason was furious and I was beginning to think I would never find someone worthy enough of the title, a worrisome thought indeed due to the fact I was required to have a coach. My contract stated it in bold print and The Board had made themselves quite clear in the letter I’d received just days after Bernie’s death.
The argument that ensued after the last man I turned away escalated so rapidly and with such ferocity, Manny had to step in and put an end to it before either one of us could act irrationally. By the time the middle of the week finally came around, I was way beyond frustrated, overwhelmed, and overly anxious to see my man.
An hour before Knox’s flight was scheduled to land, I climbed behind the wheel of the SUV and threw on my seat belt before pulling out onto Collins Ave.
With typical Miami traffic, it took me about forty-five minutes to arrive at Miami International and after parking inside the concrete confines the parking garage, I took off for the building as though someone was chasing me at gunpoint.
For over twenty minutes I waited not so patiently near baggage claim until finally, finally, I saw his massive frame towering high amongst a small group of people. When they cleared the way, scattering about to retrieve their bags, I bolted toward him and pounced straight into his arms, feeling a grand sense of relief wash over as he enveloped me tightly.
“At last.” I squeaked, clinging to him as though he could disappear at any moment.
“At-fucking-last is more like it.”
I smiled brightly and eased back to look him in the eye, taking his face in my hands. “God, I missed you.”
He nodded, flashing me a sly grin that set me ablaze. “Believe me when I say I know the feeling.”
“Know what else I really missed?”
“Go on…”
“Your lips on mine,” I said with a smirk.
“I quite missed those too”—his grin widened—“come here.”
Keeping things PG in the middle airport proved to be a challenge because once he kissed me, I couldn’t seem to get enough. If it weren’t for the heard of people who began bumping into us with purpose, I could’ve happily stayed within our little bubble and allowed him to kiss me senseless.
We took the hint though and with one last peck that promised many a filthy things to come, Knox set me on my feet and together we made our way through the airport to wait for his bag at baggage claim.
Almost an hour later, we pulled into the valet of the Delano and without warning, I all but dragged Knox upstairs to our suite. Slipping the card into the slot, I peered at him over my shoulder as I pushed down the handle and opened the door.
“Welcome home, baby.”
I made it all of five steps into the room when I heard the door shut, the lock click in place, and then Knox was scooping me up in his arms. His mouth was on mine before I could speak and with little effort, he sauntered through the suite and deposited me on the back of the couch.
“Hungry?” I questioned against his lips.
“Starving,” he growled, deftly undoing my belt and popping open the button on my jeans.
His hand slipped beneath the denim to cup the swell of my ass and I had to stifle a giggle as I mentally counted down the seconds until he noticed my surprise. Didn't take him long in the slightest. He froze for the briefest moment and eased back to regard me, his palm stilling against my bare skin.
“No panties, kitten?” He asked, arching a curious brow.
I smirked and offered him nothing more than simple nod.
“You've been walking around like that all day?”
“Perhaps…” I grinned, tapping a finger against my chin. “What if I said yes?”
He chuckled, the sound amused yet decadently dark, and seconds later I found myself on my feet, slamming into his hard body. Large fingers curled around my throat with just enough pressure to subdue me, fierce blue eyes glowing brightly.
“Then I'd say you're definitely asking for it.”
I awoke the next morning a sore, sated blob of bones. Stretching my arms above my head, I mewled in delight when I felt Knox stir and tighten his arms around me.
He nuzzled the bare skin of my stomach and pushed up onto his hands, trailing feather-light kisses up the center of my body as he crawled over me. Teeth sank down softly on the sensitive curve of my neck and I hissed through my teeth as he nipped and sucked along the column, hitting all the erogenous zones that were guaranteed to make me squirm.
“Good morning,” I purred, winding my arms around his neck.
He settled himself between my legs and propped all his weight onto his arms, his lips sealing over mine.
“Mmm, it is a good morning.” The words were mumbled into my mouth before he caught my lower lip between his teeth. “God, I missed waking up to you.”
“Agreed. Feels surreal that you're really here though, like at any given moment I'll blink and you'll be gone again…”
“Not happening, baby. I'm right...” His hand roamed over the curve of my figure down to my leg, hips rolling into my heat. “Here.”
I clenched my eyes and hummed appreciatively as the head of his length taunted me. “That you are.”
Not today, Satan, not today.
It took every ounce of restraint I could muster to shove him onto his back “Later…” I said but he took me right along with him, pulling me into his lap, my legs pinning him to the mattress.
Shamelessly bared for him, I felt the heat of his gaze as he drank in every inch of fair skin on top of him. His palms danced up my thighs…
Over my waist…
The swell of my breasts…
They fit in his hands like they’d been made with him in mind.
“You can’t do this to me,” he all but groaned. “Fifteen minutes, I promise.”
I leaned forward, wild blonde curls falling around us like a blanket, and pecked his lips, tapping the very tip of his nose with a finger. “Lies. You know damn well we’ll be at it for at least forty-five.”
With lithe speed, I was on my feet beside the bed throwing on my black robe before he even realized what was going on.
“C’mon fiend, we have a lot to do today.”
“Shower with me then.” He called out as I padded into the bathroom.
Stepping beneath the threshold, I peeked over my shoulder. �
��Sorry, stud, you’re on your own.”
I was bent over the counter rinsing the toothpaste from my mouth when Knox sauntered into the bathroom. The very second I shut off the faucet and reached for a nearby hand towel, he slapped my ass and wrapped my hair around his hand, pressing my body flush against his front. “Sorry is exactly what you’re going to be screaming later on tonight when I get your sweet ass back in that bed.” He growled, a hairsbreadth from my ear, leaving me a whimpering mess when he released me to go shower.
My little threat left Hazel shivering in anticipation against me. I released her from my grasp and hopped into the shower without another word, chuckling to myself.
My girl was a sore loser when it came to our shenanigans and it was cute as hell. When I finished my daily routine in the bathroom and came back into the bedroom, Hazel was nowhere to be found. I assumed she’d gone out into the main area of the suite to order breakfast or lounge around until I was ready, but as I was dressing and packing a small duffle bag for the gym, shouting erupted from somewhere in the suite.
Freezing in place beside the bed, I listened intently, straining to hear bits and pieces of the heated exchange that soon was taking place just on the other side of the bedroom door. I quickly recognized the two irate voices to be Hazel and Jason.
What the hell?
Slipping on a t-shirt, I padded over to the door and stopped close enough to hear the escalating altercation yet far enough away to go undetected.
I’d never been one to eavesdrop but seeing as though it pertained to my girlfriend and the man who quite obviously had some underlying feelings for her, I couldn’t help myself.
“Two days, Hazel! That's it, two!”
“You think I don't know that,” she snapped.
“Then what the hell do you plan to do? A new coach isn't going to magically appear overnight, much less out of thin air.”
“Tell me something I don't know! Just leave it be, Jay, I've got it under control.”
