by Alta Hensley
I slipped my fingers back through his, ignoring the radiating hot pain, and moved forward as Mateo hailed the nearest cab. We really needed to get the hell out of there. To somewhere more private where we could be alone.
12
Mateo
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion’.”
– Muhammad Ali
I still couldn’t get my head around it, even a short while later when we were at Julep’s apartment. My mind was still reeling with it all. This cute, petite girl turned into a feisty firecracker, and she hit that asshole for me. I was going to just leave it, to let that little twat get it out of his system and then just leave, but Julep took things into her own hands. And I had to admit that I was impressed. It was kinda nice to have someone sticking up for me and showing that they cared. I could have knocked the guy out with a flick of my pinky, and had grown accustomed to shits approaching me like that. But to see Julep in all her glory… I was definitely going to make a point of trying to get her back in the ring. The girl had a great right hook.
“Nice place.” I grinned at her as we walked through her home. The girl had a way of making me smile like a love-struck schoolboy. “You have this set up great.”
I knew that she told me she was a boxing fan, and that she turned her passion into a career, but now I was really seeing that up close. She had all kinds of memorabilia all over her home. A collection like I had never seen before. She was a real hardcore fan. I didn’t think I ever really realized how much until now. Framed pictures were everywhere. Gloves hung off shelves that were stacked full of boxing memorabilia. The apartment was its own museum.
“Thank you.” Her eyes sparkled and her perfect pout smiled proudly. “You like my collection? I know it might be overboard, but it’s become an obsession of mine. I love history and boxing, so combined…” she giggled. “Let’s just say it can be an expensive habit.”
“Some of it is seriously rare.” I stared at a signed picture of Mohammed Ali. “And valuable too. I’m blown away. How in the hell were you able to get your hands on all this?”
She must have searched long and hard to get a lot of it, which excited me even further. The fact that we had this bond, this deep connection for the love of the sport. I felt like we’d always have something to bond us together no matter what.
“My dad collected a lot of this. We both loved it, so when he died, he left me a majority. I think my brother would have just sold it off. He never really appreciated what it meant to hold on to priceless treasures like this.” She pouted out her lip, pointing towards her signed picture collection. “There’s only one thing missing that I’ve been searching for. I’ve always wanted a signed Joe Louis to be my centerpiece, but so far I haven’t had any luck in finding it.”
In that moment, all I wanted to do was find that signed picture for her to complete her collection. She deserved it, and she had really done so much for me. But, of course, I already knew that it was damn near impossible. Anything Joe Louis was difficult to get a hold of, and if Julep – who had all this memorabilia – couldn’t get it, then chances were no one was selling it.
“Come on, let’s sit down and have a drink. I think that we deserve it after that horrendous night,” she said.
I moved over to her couch, and I knocked back half the tumbler of whiskey she handed to me, allowing the heat of the liquor to warm my insides up.
“How’s your wrist?” I asked, noticing her rubbing her arm. “You fucked that guy up pretty badly.” I chuckled as I sipped the drink. “With just one punch. I can’t imagine the damage you would actually do in a real fight.”
“That asshole had it coming.” She smirked at me. “It’ll be fine in the morning. I’m sure of it. What about your face though?” She leaned in and ran her fingers over my cheek. “That bruise isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Don’t worry about that,” I said as I tried to reassure her, even though I was wincing with the pain of her touch. “I’ve been through worse.”
What I wasn’t telling her was that not long after the throwing the fight incident, I got jumped and beaten by a gang of men so badly that I ended up in the hospital. I was punched, kicked, attacked all over, and as I lay there in the hospital bed, there was a part of me that wanted to die. The only thing that kept me going was my dad who needed me, and I’d always be grateful to him for being the one thing that kept me going.
“You should have just knocked him out.” Julep laughed. “He had it coming.”
“Can you imagine the headlines?” I said wryly. “I would have been slaughtered and pulled from the line up for Vegas for sure.”
“I would have stuck up for you,” she said, and I knew for a fact that she would have. In fact, I imagined she stuck up for me in the promoters’ meeting too. “I wouldn’t have let anyone say anything bad about you. I think people paint a picture of you that isn’t true.”
There was a look in her eye, one that was begging me for more information. The fact that I knew she would never actually outright ask me, had me wanting to tell her even more. I felt like the moment was finally right to give her my side of the story. To tell her the truth about what happened because she’d definitely earned it. She was one of the only people in the world who hadn’t outright judged me for my past, and that really meant a lot to me.
“I know that I deserve a lot of the shit that comes my way, but I’m really not the bad guy that the media seems determined to make me out as.” She looked up at me in silence, just waiting for me to tell her more. “It all happened because I had just found out about my dad’s first round of cancer. I needed more money than I had available to pay for his treatment, and yes, admittedly that’s because I squandered a lot of my money in the early days by partying like a rock star.”
Julep reached over to touch my hand, trying to let me know that she was in this with me, and that gesture really made me want to take her into my arms and never let her go. I had been rejected for so long that it was a bizarre sensation to have someone actually wanting me, yet here I was, seemingly getting just that.
“I was trying my best to land advertising campaigns, to do all the media stuff which paid really well, but I just couldn’t seem to get enough quick enough, and things weren’t like they are at Shamrocks. The management team with my other gym weren’t exactly understanding when it came to things such as a personal life. They simply got annoyed with me for being distracted. As if my dad had gotten cancer on purpose just to spite them.”
I sighed, remembering all of the insults they used to throw my way when I asked for any time off. I knew that I was a commodity to them, a replaceable cog in the well-oiled machine. I understood why they had to get rid of me in the middle of the media storm after the thrown fight, but it still hurt how quickly they turned their backs on me. It didn’t matter that I was a damn good fighter. That I’d done so much right for them and made them a shit load of money. All they cared about was my one mistake, the one thing I’d done wrong.
“So when a man named Nero Rodriguez came into my life, it was the exact right moment. Of course, that was all part of his plan, but I didn’t see it at the time. He taught me that the quickest way to make big bucks was through gambling. I’m ashamed to say that I really was sucked in quickly. I made bank, and I lost bank. And whatever I didn’t lose gambling, I lost snorting up my nose or drinking in large quantities. Numbing the pain, I guess. I was losing my dad, and was too much of a coward to face it head on.”
She looked shocked, clearly realizing that there was a lot more truth to the story than she initially thought. I felt bad that the truth couldn’t be more of what she wanted. I was letting her down with this revelation. But at the same time, she needed to know it all. She had put her trust in me with bringing me into the gym, and she had opened up her heart and body to me. I needed to lay it all out on the table for her. To let her see it all. To find out if she still wanted me once s
he knew the man I was.
“What started off as a way to help my dad, soon became all that I could think about. I wanted to gamble on everything. I wanted to be in the casino at all times. I wanted to bet on absolutely every sport. It got a hold of me, knotting through my stomach, taking control of all of me.” Even thinking about that version of me now made me feel sick. I became obsessed. I honestly didn’t give a shit about anything else. “I earned the money to help my dad the first time, but that wasn’t enough anymore. All of a sudden I couldn’t stop. Dad went through the treatment, and it worked, which I was happy about, but I still couldn’t stop. The worse my addiction became, the more secretive I was about it.” I allowed my head to fall into my hands for a moment, not wanting to see the disappointment in Julep’s eyes. “And then the cancer came back, and that gave me an excuse to continue more out in the open. Of course, Rodriguez was there the entire time, encouraging me, egging me on, but this time I just kept losing. I fell into a big, deep black hole and I couldn’t seem to get out of it. And when I say a black hole, I mean the biggest pit of despair. My gambling had not only put my life in danger by getting into bed with the wrong men, but I even put my dad’s life in danger because they weren’t above using him as a pawn to get back at me for nonpayment.”
“Is that why you threw the fight?” Julep asked me gently when I was silent for a few moments. “To earn the money back?”
I could still remember that conversation now. The one where Nero told me throwing one of the largest fights of the year was the only way out of my mess. He told me that it would earn him enough in winnings to cover all of my debts to him and give me more to pay off others. It would also pay for Dad’s second round of treatment. I knew then that I had no choice. I had to take the offer. I felt like it could probably screw everything up for me career-wise—which, of course, it did—but it was my only way to escape everything that surrounded me.
“Yeah, that’s right,” I said. “I just couldn’t see any other way.”
Now was the moment that she was going to walk away from me. I could just feel it. I could almost sense her moving, and I tried to prepare my heart for the worst… but for some reason she didn’t go anywhere.
“So, why didn’t you ever tell the media that?” she asked. “Why have you always allowed yourself to be abused? If people understood your reasoning behind it, they’d be much more willing to forgive you. You made a mistake. People understand that. You wanted to help your dad. You grew addicted to gambling and substances. Those are valid reasons for what you did. Not right, but at least reasons some people would understand and maybe relate to. We all would do whatever it took to take care of a loved one.”
I thought about her words for a second. Why did I never try to defend myself? That was a good question. “I suppose because I never thought that I would be believed,” I said. “And because I knew I deserved their disgust and all that came with it. Plus, at the time, I was just focused on getting myself situated. I got into trouble over and over again, and I wanted to get my ass to rehab.” All of that felt like it happened to someone else now. “But it didn’t work the first time. I never went back to gambling, but I did sink into a hole of alcohol and hooking up.” Now that it was out there, I might as well tell her all of it. “I mean, I’m okay now, but it did take me a while.” I stared at her in the eyes for a few moments, wanting her to see how deeply honest I was being. “So I can understand why people don’t trust me anymore. I’m not sure I trust myself.”
“I trust you,” she whispered, sliding closer to me. “I’ve trusted you the entire time.”
She stroked her hand down my cheek, gazing at me with compassion in her eyes. Everything swirled around inside of me. All the emotions got tangled up and confused, and before I knew it, I found myself leaning in to kiss her. I knew that I was not supposed to, but I desperately wanted to. This was the first person who had taken the time to get to know me. To spend time with me and to actually listen.
“I trust you too,” I said against her mouth, wanting her to know my feelings were just as strong. “And I never trust anyone anymore.” I really meant it as I said the words. I did trust her. I did want to let her in, and that meant a hell of a lot to me.
13
Julep
“To become a champion, fight one more round.”
– James Corbett
There was a lusty, heavy atmosphere surrounding us. It had been brought on by Mateo finally opening up to me. I never wanted to push him to do it, and now I was glad for that because I think he respected me more for letting him come to me on his own terms. And then, when he told me that he trusted me too, something incredibly powerful shifted within me.
I pulled back for a second, just wanting to take a moment to check that Mateo really wanted to do this, and that he wasn’t just being swept away by lust like our first encounter in the ring. But the second I spotted the fiery passion behind his gaze, I knew I couldn’t resist no matter what. Mateo just seemed to see me in the way I wanted to be seen. He didn’t see me as the tomboy, or as someone’s sister he had to keep away from. He saw me as a sexy woman, and that was intoxicating to me. I never wanted him to stop looking at me with that passion. I wanted to feel this beautiful and desirable forever.
I yanked him back towards me, pulling him in for a deep and erotic kiss, nipping at his bottom lip. I knew him now, inside and out, and I still wanted him. Even the darker sides that laced all the good. I understood his mistakes. I got where he was coming from, and I still wanted to be with him. None of that bothered me at all. When it came to Shamrocks and business, I knew that he’d grown now. That he had matured, and all I really cared about was the man Mateo was today. But when it came to me, and my body… I wanted the man with the dark edges. I wanted the devil inside of him to emerge. I craved his black and wanted him to soil my white.
After only a few moments, his fingers began to trail their way down my body, tracing over my curves as if they were the most desirable things on the whole damn planet. My mind became consumed with desire, dizzy with lust, and I could sense my brain switching off. My body craved feeling only the sensations that he caused to rush through my heated core.
As the bolts of lust raced right down to my throbbing pussy, I grabbed onto him in a sex-crazed desperation, running my hands over those amazing abs of his. Although I had spent my life surrounded by athletes, and I’d always lusted after them, I never realized quite how turned on a sculpted body would make me by simply touching its rippled perfection. It was making me wild and animalistic. It drew another side out of me. One that I didn’t even realize was there until Mateo came into my life.
All of a sudden, the silky material of my top brushed over my hypersensitive skin, causing a small moan to gasp past my lips as he bared my torso. Everything that Mateo did to me sent me to new levels. It was almost like he could do no wrong, and the appreciative look that he gave me when my bra fell away from my body had my heart thundering in my chest.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured as he tugged and teased my nipples between his fingers. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.”
He moaned loudly and pressed his thick erection, still constrained by his pants, up against my leg, making me even more aroused by the reminder of how full his cock made me. I didn’t even know it was possible to experience such an intense passion with someone. I didn’t realize that I could feel this way. It made me feel like everyone I had ever liked before had been nothing, just a silly phase, a passing crush. Mateo really was the only one to have brought this out of me. A woman. A woman with needs and sinful desires. He made me feel no shame in being that woman.
“Tell me what you want,” he growled.
“You,” I whispered. “I want you to…” The memories of him pulling my hair, spanking my ass, and spreading my pussy so wide that I could feel him the next day flooded in. I wanted the bite of pain again. I wanted his burning touch.
“Tell me,” he commanded deeply.
“I want you to hurt me again. Punish me because I—” Who was this person I had become? I couldn’t believe these words were coming from my mouth. Would he think less of me for saying what I wanted? Would he question my sanity when he dipped his hand beneath my panties and felt how wet the mere thought of Mateo being rough with me had made me?
“Have you been a bad, bad girl? Do you need Daddy to spank your ass and make your pussy sting again?” Mateo whispered into my ear, which had me giggling with excitement.
I nodded coyly.
He wrapped his arms tightly around me and lifted me from the couch, causing me to cry out in excitement. He picked me up and carried me to the bedroom as if I literally weighed nothing. Entering the room, he sat me on my dresser behind me, pressing my hot back up against the ice cold mirror.
“Oh fuck,” I gasped loudly, actually enjoying the shocking combination of sensations.
Mateo pulled me closer to his chest until he was positioned between my legs. He kissed me harder and more passionately than I had breath in my body to handle. Gasping, I dug my nails into his strong, muscular shoulders as his hands moved tantalizingly closer to where I was aching desperately, pulsating, frantic for him. My wet, hot desire throbbed in my soaked panties, and I was not sure how much longer I could cope with him just standing there. I needed him now. I wanted him to slam into me. To just take me. I wanted it all. Hard, soft, hard, soft, but hard seemed to overrule in the end.
Mateo placed his palms on my thighs, which sent butterflies flapping all over my body, causing my stomach to twist up in knots of passion. The feelings that I had for this man were like nothing else. I loved every damn second of experiencing them. But he was too near to me now. Too close to not be doing more and it caused my breath to come out ragged, almost painfully so. I lolled my head to one side as his mouth claimed my neck and my collarbone. I was so frustrated that I could scream. But at the same time, I was simply enjoying how he was making me feel.
