When we’re called, I hold my head up high and step back out into the main area, shaking off Ax’s hand as we walk to the side of the cage. “Remember what I told you,” he whispers in my ear. “I saw you earlier. You can do this.”
My opponent is announced into the ring first. Demolition Girl looks like she’s ready to bulldoze me into the ground. She’s way shorter than me, but she’s built like a tank. A tank full of muscle. There isn’t an ounce of fat anywhere on her body, but she is ripped in a way I’ve only seen with those female bodybuilders on TV. My slender frame works against me, but at least I’ll have speed on my side.
“What’s your name, sweetheart?” the burly guy in charge asks.
I wrack my brains for an appropriate stage name and blurt out the only name that comes to mind. “Katniss.” I inwardly cringe when he makes my introduction, but there’s no time to backtrack now. In a way, it’s fitting. Katniss had to fight to survive, and while our circumstances may be different, that’s exactly what I’m doing tonight.
The bell dings, the crowd hollers their approval, and the fight commences. Demolition Girl charges at me, and I only just manage to duck down in time. She reacts faster than I gave her credit for, grabbing me by the hair and yanking me upright. Her arm goes around my neck, but I lash out before she gets me in a chokehold and it’s lights out. I’m guessing the usual elbow jab to the gut won’t work, so I take the only action I can. Reaching behind me, I grab one of her boobs and squeeze it hard.
It works.
She yelps at the unexpected pain, letting go of me. The crowd is going wild, screaming all manner of disgusting suggestions at me.
Ax said the fights are dirty and to play the same game, so I am.
I smirk at Demolition Girl as she comes at me again. I wait till the last second, flip my wrist up, and smash my palm into her face, flattening her nose and pushing her back. She stumbles, and I lift my leg, planting my foot in her stomach and pushing hard. Her abs are like a frigging wall, and it doesn’t have the required impact, only throwing her off for another few seconds.
When she comes at me this time, she looks like she’s ready to throttle me. Her fist crashes into my jaw, and my head whips back as stinging pain rattles around my skull. She hits me again, and I stagger back, my vision turning blurry. Behind me, I can vaguely hear Ax shouting. The one thing he told me to avoid at all costs was hitting the ground. A fall on that hard floor could cause serious damage. No doubt, he’s shouting instructions at me, but I zone him out, channeling all my pent-up emotions and using that to refocus.
We trade blows, swinging and punching, ducking and diving, dancing around one another. Sweat glistens on my skin, causing tendrils of damp, wispy stands of hair to come loose from my ponytail. My jaw throbs and my stomach hurts from the few punches she landed, but the pain doesn’t shut me down; it spurs me on.
She tries to get me in another chokehold, but I do everything to avoid that. I know once her arm wraps around my neck I’m done for, and I’m not ready for this to end yet. I’ve still got far too much aggression inside me.
My back is against the steel bars before I realize what she’s done. She’s backed me into a corner, and I need to think fast. Her fist comes at me, and I grab hold of it, my biceps strained to bursting point as I work hard to contain her punch. Before she can figure it out, I slam my forehead into hers, instantly seeing stars. She lets loose a string of expletives before stumbling away, clutching her head and screaming at me. Blood trickles down my forehead from an earlier cut, and I swipe it away as I clutch onto the bars, trying to stop myself from passing out.
I watch as she climbs to her feet, recovering and coming at me again. I’m almost out of juice, and I either end it now or let her take me down. I feign movement to the left, and she angles her body in that direction, reaching for me. Swinging from the right, I deliver a sharp, swift jab to her neck right in the place where her carotid is. My self-defense instructor was ex-military, and he taught me how to hit in the precise point to weaken my opponent. You have to be careful, to strike with enough force to disable someone, but applying too much force could actually kill someone. We practiced for weeks, perfecting the move, but this is the first time I’ve used it in a real-life situation.
Demolition Girl staggers back, her eyes fluttering before they close, and she starts falling. I jump into action, catching her before she crashes into the ground.
I don’t want any other death on my conscience.
I’m struggling to hold her, and my legs are trembling, but I manage to place her carefully on the ground.
An arm lifts around me from behind, and I’m put back on my feet. Then the beefy guy in control of the cage lifts my arm aloft screaming out my victory. The noise of the crowd is almost deafening.
At some point, I’d actually tuned out all the background noise, but now it blares so loud, as if one hundred trumpets are blasting directly into my eardrums. I wince, looking around for Ax, only my eyes lock on a clearly furious Heath. He’s standing with Skeet at the front of the cage, and from the expression on both their faces, I know I’m in serious trouble.
Chapter Nineteen
“Are you out of your ever-loving mind?” Heath roars once we’re outside, away from the main entrance and inquisitive ears. His fists clench and unclench at his side as he shoots daggers at Axel. “Why the fuck would you think it was a good idea to take Blaire here?!” He jabs his finger in my direction. “Look at the fucking state of her! How is this helping?” There was only enough time to change into my clothes, and I didn’t even look in the mirror, so I’ve no idea how bad I look.
“It has helped,” I interject, feeling like I need to defend Axel. “Please stop shouting at him. It was my choice. He didn’t force me into anything.” Skeet places a cautionary hand at my hip, keeping me in place.
Heath throws his hands up into the air. “Great. Now we’re saddled with another screwup to fix.”
My stomach lurches to my toes at his hurtful words. I don’t blame him for coming to that conclusion, and it’s not that he’s wrong, but it’s still painful to hear it articulated.
“Fuck you, asshole.” Axel shoves Heath in the shoulders, and he stumbles back. “Don’t spout crap about shit you know nothing about!”
“And you do?” Heath pushes Axel this time and he almost falls to the ground, righting himself at the last minute.
“You know I fucking do.”
“Did you tell her?” he challenges. “Does Blaire know about the stealing and the drugs and juvie?”
Skeet releases me, planting himself in between them. “Quit this shit. There’s nothing to gain from rehashing the past.” He puts his face in Heath’s. “I know you’re pissed. I’m pissed too, but throwing that shit in his face isn’t cool. We all know he’s paid the price, and bringing it up in front of Blaire is a low blow.”
He doesn’t wait for Heath to reply before turning around to face Axel. “And bringing Blaire here was the fucking wrong move, dude. I know you think you were helping, but this isn’t the way to solve anything. You know I’m right.” Both guys glare at one another over Skeet’s shoulders, and it’s clear no one’s backing down tonight.
This is all my fault, and I hate myself for it. I never wanted to cause issues between them, and I’m already doing it. I step up to the guys. “Be angry at me, not one another. This is all my fault.”
“Assigning blame isn’t helping anyone,” Skeet says in a calm, controlled voice. “Fuckups happen. It’s not the end of the world. We need to go home and sleep it off. We’ll figure this out tomorrow.”
“Fine.” Heath snaps, rubbing a hand around the back of his neck.
“I’m out.” Axel stalks off, pushing Skeet away when he reaches for him. His face is contorted in pain, and I glimpse a host of competing emotions. Heath’s words have hurt him more than he’ll ever admit.
“Fuck. Shit. Crap.” H
eath kicks the side of the barn, resting his head along the corrugated iron.
I watch Axel’s retreating form, concern for him overriding concern for myself.
“Go.” Skeet jerks his head to the side. “He can’t be alone, and I know you get him. He needs you.”
“I’m sorry. For everything tonight.”
He walks to me, clasping the back of my head and pulling me to him. He presses a quick kiss to my forehead. “I know you are, sweetheart. Don’t sweat it. We’ll thrash it out tomorrow, and all will be good.”
I’m not so sure I share his confidence, but I don’t stop to debate it because Axel is almost at his bike. I race over to Heath, wanting to say something to him before I leave. “Don’t.” His gruff voice spits out the word before I’ve even said anything. “Just go.”
Skeet sighs, shaking his head sadly. Then he points at Axel’s retreating form, and I don’t need to be told twice. With pain spearing me on all sides, I run after him, pushing my limbs to the limit in my quest to reach Axel in time.
He’s straddling his Harley, getting ready to take off when I reach him. I throw myself on the back of the bike, grabbing hold of his waist. He freezes for a second before glancing over his shoulder at me. We stare at one another. No words are spoken, but none are needed. Silently, he removes the helmet from his head, putting it on mine. Then he positions my hands more securely around his waist, and we take off.
The edgy, angsty feeling is still buzzing under the surface of my skin. Yes, the fight expended most of this reckless energy, but I’m still wired, still pumped full of indecipherable need. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this out of control, and it scares me. Ethan was usually the one to talk me down, but he’s not here anymore, and it slays me all over again.
Axel brings the bike to a stop at a curb close to our neighborhood. “Home or my place?” he asks.
“Your place.” There’s no hesitation. My parents probably haven’t even noticed I didn’t come home after work. Last I checked, I had no worried voicemails or texts. No one will notice I’m not there if I don’t come home.
Axel’s house is in complete darkness when we arrive, a little after midnight. His brother is obviously still at the bar. He flicks the light on in the hall, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs. A new layer of butterflies descends on my chest, and a throbbing ache takes up residence between my thighs.
Ax guides me into the compact bathroom, sitting me down on the closed toilet seat. I remove my jacket, tossing it on the side of the tub as I watch him removing several items from the cupboard over the faucet. Then he crouches down in front of me, attending to the injuries on my face first. I flinch as he dabs ointment on my skin. “How bad is it?”
“It could be worse.”
That’s not the most reassuring statement, but I don’t really care. I study him as he diligently treats my wounds, noting how long and thick his black lashes are, how plump his full lips are, and how sharp the angular lines of his cheekbones are. Axel is beautiful, and I’ve an almost overriding need to lose myself in him. It’s more than a simple desire. It’s an intense craving I must sate, so I have no problem going there. “Can I stay with you tonight?”
He looks up, piercing me with those stunning silvery-blue peepers. Lust washes over me, and I drag my lower lip between my teeth, squeezing my legs together in an effort not to squirm. His eyes examine mine carefully, and I hold nothing back, maintaining the intense eye contact. “Are you sure?”
I nod slowly, never taking my eyes off his. He doesn’t say anything else, but he doesn’t need to. His eyes do all the talking for him. His gaze rakes over me slowly, like a gentle caress. He gulps, and his eyes darken as he lowers his hands from my face to my torn knuckles. Electricity crackles in the space between us, and I close my eyes, soaking up his essence, enjoying the anticipation while he cleans the shredded skin on my knuckles before applying a couple Band-Aids.
Without uttering a word, he scoops me up into his arms, carrying me into his bedroom.
He places me down carefully on the bed, and I lunge for him, grabbing him down on top of me before he can guess the movement. His lips collide with mine instantly, and his hands creep under my shirt, inching upward. He grabs one of my breasts, kneading it roughly, and it’s exactly what I need to erase the last vestiges of this recklessness. I slide my hand down between our bodies, palming his erection through his jeans. He rocks into me, and I moan, throwing my head back to give him more access to my neck. His hot, wet mouth trails a path down my neck, along my collarbone, and in the crevice between my breasts. I rub his hard length through the denim, my movements growing more and more frantic until it feels like I’ll self-combust.
I shove him off me, and he falls back onto the bed beside me. Jumping up, I rip my sweater and shirt up over my head, kick off my shoes, and shimmy my jeans down my legs until I’m hovering over him in just my underwear. With a braveness I didn’t realize I possessed, I watch his every eye movement as I unpeel my bra and panties, standing buck ass naked in front of him.
A dark flash of desire glistens in his eyes, and the protruding bulge in his pants tells me he wants this too. I crawl up the bed, straddling his lap, completely naked. The denim rubs against my core, and I welcome the friction, moaning and licking my lips as I bend over him. “Fuck me. Please.”
He yanks my head down to his. “You never have to beg. Never.” He stares deep into my eyes. “I need to ask you again though because you’ve been through a lot tonight. Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes. I need you to fill me up, Axel. I need you to fill this empty void inside of me.”
He melds his mouth to mine, kissing me with an aggressive passion I can relate to. Without warning, he pulls back a few minutes later, and I cry out at the loss of his touch. His lips curve into an amused grin. “Relax, baby. I know what you need, and I’ll look after you. I promise.” He brushes his mouth against mine, and his kiss is more tender this time, warming me in a different way.
I watch him undress with my eyes out on stalks. He takes his time, watching my every reaction, in the same way I watched his when I was stripping. I’ve seen his naked chest before, but it doesn’t diminish the impact of his carved abs and chiseled torso. I lick my lips as I watch the trail of dark hair snaking into his jeans gradually revealed. Axel has those “V” indents on both hips, and they’re almost as sharp as the angles of his jawline. He pushes his jeans down his legs, taking his boxers with them, and his cock springs free, standing tall and proud. He strokes himself slowly, from root to tip, over and over, while he kicks his jeans away.
I’m a puddle on his bed, wet warmth trickling down my legs. I’ve never been so turned on in my life.
He walks to the table by his bed, removing a few silver packets from the drawer. He tosses a few on top of the table, ripping one open with his teeth. Saliva pools in my mouth as he slowly rolls the condom on. He climbs onto the bed, nudging my legs apart with his knees. Lowering his head, he looks down at me, urging my legs farther apart until I’m fully exposed to him. “Axel.” I whimper, writhing on the bed in desperate need.
“Shush, baby.” He runs the tip of his finger up and down my slit before pushing it inside. “Is this what you need?”
“Yes. God, yes.”
He adds another finger, and then another, and he starts pumping furiously inside me. I lean my head back, closing my eyes and letting myself get immersed in blissful sensation. When his mouth suctions on my clit, I almost buck off the bed, and the moans leaving my mouth would embarrass me if anyone else was in the house.
“Let go, baby. Fly for me.” He pinches my clit, pumping his fingers inside me at a rapid pace, and I explode, shattering into a thousand tiny fragments.
This, this is what I need. Nothing else haunts me in this moment. No horrid thoughts plague my mind. There is only pure sensation. Pure joy. Pure pleasure.
I feel him at my entrance, and then he thrusts inside me in one fast movement. I buck my hips up, crying out his name as he thrusts into me hard and fast. I open my eyes, needing to see him, marveling at the ripples in his abs and the throbbing of the veins in his arms as he fucks me into oblivion.
He’s not gentle, and a string of dirty words flies from his mouth as he thrusts harder and harder, sending me over the ledge again. Before I’ve had time to recover, he flips under me, pulling me on top and yanking me down on his dick. I scream, fisting my hands in the comforter as I roll my hips, bouncing up and down on him. Then he takes control, holding my hips in place as he thrusts up into me. I hold on for dear life as he fucks me furiously.
I get the sense Axel is exorcising some demons of his own.
Not that I’m in any way complaining.
He’s rocking my world, and if it was possible to stay here with him and never leave, I’d do it. He roars out his release, just as I climax for the third time, thrusting into my body continuously until he’s completely sated.
We collapse on the bed in a sweaty heap. My messy hair forms a coarse blanket over my face as I lie on my side with my back to his chest. He grabs my hip, pulling me flush against him. The only sound in the room is our joint panting. Brushing my hair aside, he runs his lips against my heated skin. “Did that feel good?” he asks in a gravelly tone of voice.
“Better than good,” I say with a grin as I shove the remaining hair off my face and twist around to face him. I scrape my nails down his chest. “But I’m still a little restless.”
His lips kick up at the corner, and he pulls my mouth to his, kissing me deeply. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he whispers against my swollen lips. “Just give me a couple minutes, and we’ll go again.” He gets up, disposing of the condom and disappearing. He returns after a bit with a glass of water and two pain pills. Perched naked on the edge of the bed, he holds them out to me. “Take these now so you won’t hurt as much in the morning.”
Surviving Amber Springs: A Stand-Alone Contemporary Romance Page 15
