Fight for Me (11 page)

I shivered like a fucking girl as she caressed me. My dick was as hard as stone—heavily pressed against her thigh. The sexual tension was thick. My finger twirled around her navel ring and across her smooth skin. She slid her hand down my lower back, slipped her hand into the edge of my briefs, and I slowly pulled away, leaving her alone in the bed.

She sighed then ran a frustrated hand over her face. The longer she slept in my bed, the weaker my resistance became. I’d give her anything she wanted, so it wouldn’t be long before she broke down my defenses and got me to give her what she was asking for.

A knock at the door kept me from engaging in the awkward conversation that was bound to come after what just happened between us. I saw the time on the way to the door, and realized I’d overslept. I needed to focus on the fight next week. Ty was on the other side of the door, and he was pissed.

“You’re never late,” he said.

“I know. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

“I don’t like this, Ryder. Jacob told me what happened last night. You’re not focused and you’re going to throw it all away.”

“No, I’m not. Now get the fuck out of here and let me get ready.” I pushed the door shut in his face and used the bathroom off the kitchen to shower. I didn’t want to run into Alexis again.

My workout was shorter than usual because I had a few things to do before my dinner with my mom. I showered at the gym and left from there. I didn’t want to deal with whatever was happening between Alexis and me. I texted her on the way out of the gym and let her know I’d be out late.

~*~*~

“So I hear you’re hanging around Vanessa’s daughter.” My mom’s tone was accusatory, like I was betraying her by being around Alexis.

“She’s staying a couple days at my place.” I took a forkful of my dinner and kept my gaze trained on my plate.

“Ryder, you can’t be serious about this girl. She’s Vanessa’s daughter.”

“She’s not her mother.”

“Of course she’s not. She just sleeps in your bed when you’re practically engaged to Leah.”

I dropped my fork and looked up at her. “Mom, just because you want me to marry Leah doesn’t mean I will.”

She threw down her fork and it clattered against the plate as she glared at me. “You and Leah were fine before you saved that girl. You threw away the championship and a good relationship, all for that tramp.”

“You don’t even know her!” I never yelled at my mother. Ever. But her judgmental bullshit was really pissing me off. She rose from her seat and leaned over the table toward me.

“I don’t want to fucking know her. I’ll never accept her, so unless you’re ready to walk away from me like your father did, I’d suggest you reevaluate your options.” She walked down the long hallway and slammed the door to her room.

I pushed the plate away and leaned back in my seat. I was a grown man, and my mother didn’t make decisions about who I fucked or who I loved. But she knew I’d never isolate her from my life. We made it through the tough years together, and it made us closer. Alexis may have been a non-issue at that point, but I hated that my mom was judging her without giving her a chance.

I walked down the short hallway to her room and knocked on the door. I bought her this condo after my first championship fight. Since she was alone, it was a lot more efficient than the place we used to share. She pulled the door open, then walked back to her bed.

I followed her in, sitting at the edge of her bed. She leaned against the headboard, ignoring me as she continued to sulk. Her short brown hair framed her oval face. Her blue eyes were misty. We didn’t argue often, and she was fighting to hold her ground. I climbed farther up the bed and pulled her toward me. She leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed.

“David’s using her to take you away from me.”

“You know that’s not possible, Mom. Don’t push me away, and I’ll always be here.”

“It’s been me and you for a long time. If she pulls you into that family, David will have what he always wanted, and I’ll have nothing.”

“Stop worrying so much. Alexis and I are just friends. No one can take me away from you.” I hugged her, kissing the top of her head.

“Leah’s a nice girl.”

“Mom…”

She looked up at me with a smile. “What? I just want the best for you.”

“I know, Mom. Let me live my life the best way I know how.”

“Fine, but when that girl hurts you—”

“Mom, she’s just a friend.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, just a friend. We’ll see.”

Chapter
Fifteen

Alexis

I spent most of the afternoon in Ryder’s apartment, talking myself out of going down to the gym. Midafternoon, his text came through.

Having
dinner
with my mom. Don’t wait up.

OK. Need to go home and pick up some stuff.

He replied almost immediately.

How are you getting there???

It’s funny how he hadn’t said a word to me this morning but had no problem talking to me behind the safety of his phone. I sent him a reply.

I’ll figure it out.

I picked up my purse, threw on a sweatshirt, and headed out of the apartment. I should’ve just taken all my stuff and gone home for good, but I wouldn’t. My phone chirped. Another message from Ryder.

Ty
will take you.

That’s not necessary.

He’ll be ready in five minutes.

Ty lived in the apartment across the hall from Ryder, so I waited in the hallway until he came out, and we walked down to the garage together.

He drove the sleek sports car I’d seen in the garage days ago. I was an anxious person, and Ty’s silence spiked up the tension in the car. He looked at me when I tried to turn on the radio, so I didn’t. He looked at me when I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, so I sat still. He even looked at me when I yawned. Whatever was on his mind, it was about to burst free, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what he thought of me.

When we got to my place, I jumped out of the car and raced up the stairs. I grabbed my laptop and iPad off my desk. As I left the room, I stopped to glance at the picture of Alec on my bedside table. People thought it was harder when I saw his pictures. I think my mom hid his pictures from me. In reality, what really hurt was not being able to see his face. I was constantly afraid I’d forget what he looked like. So I always kept his picture close to me. I picked up the small frame and put it in my carrier before I left the room. The faster I got back into that car, the sooner I’d be away from Ty.

Ty remained silent on the ride home. Big surprise. It was getting dark, and Ryder’s car wasn’t in the garage when we pulled in. I reached for the handle as soon as the car came to a halt.

“Don’t hurt him.” I stilled at Ty’s words, then glanced back at him. He was staring out the windshield with two fingers worrying his lips.

“You don’t like me because you think I’ll hurt your friend?”

He looked at me, his hazel eyes a little less wary. “I never said I didn’t like you. I’m just being cautious for Ryder. He’s like a brother to me, and after he saved you, it’s like you stayed with him. It took him weeks to rehabilitate his arm, but that wasn’t the worst part. He’d show up at my house in the middle of the night drunk. He was so anxious and would ask to crash on my couch. I couldn’t figure out what was up with him. He’d never been much of a drinker before that.

“Then he’d begin calling out to you in his sleep, and I realized he was reliving the whole thing. At the time, Leah lived with him. I’m guessing him calling out to you didn’t sit well with her, hence him ending up on my couch. Now he’s obsessed with being your protector. I heard what happened with Jacob. Ryder doesn’t fight anyone outside the ring. He’s getting attached to you, and if anything happens to you, he’ll lose it.”

It was weird hearing about Ryder struggling over what I’d done. It was a little disheartening to think I’d caused trouble in his life.

“Ty, I respect that you’re worried about him, but it’s not possible for me to hurt him. He won’t let me close enough for that.”

“He probably thinks he’ll hurt you, so he’s backed off. I know he wants you, and I want him to be happy, but please don’t do anything crazy, because he’d never recover.”

I nodded my head, grabbed my things, and got out of the car as fast as possible. I was in a different place back then. It bothered me when everyone thought I still had one foot over the ledge.

Alexis

My fifth day at Ryder’s place felt more like a lifetime. Being around him made the days fuller, vibrant, and longer. I was beginning to be so centered in his universe my sense of real time disappeared.

I was in bed, restlessly waiting for him, when he came home the night before. He showered, slipped under the sheets, and pressed his warm skin to mine until we fell asleep in each other’s arms like lovers.

We woke as dawn broke over the night sky. I knew he was awake because he held me tighter, and his soft breath changed to something more erratic. The sexual energy was so hot that sweat beaded on my skin, but neither of us made a move. I was tired of getting rejected but almost frustrated enough to do it. He was attracted to me, I was sure of it, but he wouldn’t let things progress.

I lay in his arms for over an hour, torturing myself, before I slipped out from under his heavy hold. I felt his gaze following me across the room. I grabbed my bag and carried it to the bathroom on the other side of the apartment. I needed the distance. I needed some time to get my thoughts and my body back under control. Staying with Ryder might not have been a smart idea, but how could I resist his invitation when this was always what I’d wished for? No matter how aggravated I was that he kept pushing me away, leaving was not a plausible solution for me.

My reflection in the mirror frightened me. My hair was a tangled mess, and my eyes were red from exhaustion. I looked like I’d been in the middle of a battle. And I sort of was in a battle to keep control of my body and my heart. I was falling for Ryder, and I just hoped he’d be there to catch me.

I showered, pulled my hair into a tight ponytail, and threw on my workout clothes. Ryder was in the kitchen when I came out. His hair was wet from his shower. He wore a pair of black running shorts that were barely staying up on his slim hips. He was shirtless, and I gazed at the light dusting of hair trailing into his shorts. I thought I composed myself in the bathroom, but the heat level in the room was rising along with my body temperature.

I drank in the sight of his bare chest. The way the muscles of his abdomen stretched so smoothly into a delicious V shape accentuated how perfect his body was and gave me chills.

“Where are you going?” he asked, watching me drool over his body.

“For a run.”

“So let’s do this.” He picked up a shirt from the counter and pulled it over his head.

He wants to run with me?

He probably ran ten miles a day. There was no way I’d be running with him. I was more of a treadmill kind of girl, and Ryder ran outdoors. “I won’t be able to keep up.”

He looked at me and smiled. “I’ll run at your pace. You’ll be fine.”

Did he say he’d run at my pace?

Well, he did, but he pushed me to go much farther than I was comfortable with. By the time we made it back to the gym, I was panting for air, begging for water, and lying on the cushioned flooring with Ty laughing over me.

Ryder handed me a bottle of water while Ty continued to be amused at my exhausted state. I knew I would never run with him again. He’d tricked me into pushing further than I thought possible with his commanding tone and trainer ways. Once I caught my breath, I dragged myself to the women’s locker room. I showered and changed into the spare clothes I left in my locker a few days before.

Ryder was waiting outside the locker room door when I stepped out. He hadn’t showered yet, but he had removed his sweat-drenched shirt. We silently stared at each other until I couldn’t stand it anymore. If he was going to continue to ignore the energy between us, then I would, too. I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. My back was pressed against his bare chest for a few brief seconds before he spun me around. I pushed against him, but his body was as solid as the wall he’d me backed up against.

He reached out, and I flinched before he even touched me. I was tired of the game we seemed to be playing. I’d wanted him for so many years. He had to know how long I’d wanted him, but I never saw a flare of interest from him until he stepped back into my life last week. I didn’t want him to kiss me because I knew he’d pull away after bringing me to the edge. He moved in closer, his lips a mere inch away from mine. He ran his fingertips down my face and around my neck as he pushed his body against mine.

God, it wasn’t this hot a minute ago.

I quivered as those fingers moved across my skin. “I’m sorry about the other night. I was jealous, but I shouldn’t have thrown Leah in your face.”

I nodded at his apology because I couldn’t snap out of my lustful thoughts long enough to reply. My gaze was locked on his full lips. He leaned in, my breaths grew short and labored, but instead of kissing me, he skated his lips across my face.

“What are you doing to me?” he whispered, kissing the sensitive spot under my ear that made my body quiver. “Whatever you’re doing, I don’t want it to stop.” He pulled back and looked at me, his blue eyes dark with lust.

“Ever,” he said against my lips. He licked my lower lip, and I whimpered for more. I needed more. I grasped his head in my hands and slipped my tongue into his mouth. The moist sweep of his tongue against mine made me delirious. He groaned from deep in his throat. His hands slid down my sides, then slipped under my shirt. Shockwaves of pleasure flowed through me as he caressed my skin.

I felt the thick length of him pressed against my stomach. Our tongues battled to sate a hunger that had been simmering between us all week. A tingling began in my core, and if I didn’t get Ryder inside me soon, it would turn into an unbearable ache.