Awakened (The Fighter Series Book 3) Read online

  Finally, his touch again—his hands pulling my thong down and off my legs gradually.

  I’m naked. Legs spread open. My whole existence is being shattered into pieces of sexually charged nerves.

  I gasp when the soft, silky item floats across my clit and then down beside the folds of my vagina.

  I reach out to feel him.

  “Lie still,” he says lowly.

  “I want to feel you,” I whine.

  I hear his lips part. “You will.”

  My mind has gathered the pieces and I’m for sure it’s a feather. It tickles across my chest as he sucks my clit into his mouth. Immediately, I push forward, but he stops and traces his tongue behind the trail of the feather. Lapping between my breasts, he flicks my nipples and gently nips at them.

  He moves back off the bed, and I hear the shuffling of his clothes. My body is losing control, shaking from the rousing titillation.

  He drags his hands up my body as he climbs back onto the bed. Smooth skin crosses my lips and I shove my tongue out to get a taste. I open and he slides into my mouth slowly. I suck his shaft, tucking my teeth. But then he’s gone.

  “Please…” I beg for him.

  “Please what?” His voice is thick.

  “Do it again.”

  “Do what again?”

  I don’t respond, unsure what to say.

  “Do you want to suck my dick?” he says huskily. I nod. “Tell me so,” he says.

  I swallow my nerves and push myself to say it. “I want to suck your dick.”

  Immediately, he’s back, leaning above me, pumping slowly into my mouth, testing his boundaries. Hell, I don’t even know them. He continues thrusting, sliding out far enough where the skin of this thick tip slides against my lips and then pushes back in.

  Quickly, he backs out taking a shaky breath, moving to my lips and kissing me hard. His tongue swipes across mine and he squeezes my breast.

  “I love fucking your mouth,” he grunts against my lips.

  And this time, I know I blush at his dirty bluntness.

  He pushes away from me. All I can feel is his weight again, but his touch is completely gone.

  I start to reach for him.

  “Don’t. I’m right here.”

  “This isn’t fair,” I say frustrated. “Can I take this off?”

  “I’ll make it fair. Not yet. Leave it on.”

  His fingers slip inside me, and I’m embarrassed from the amount of arousal soaking him. He presses hard and suckles my clit. My orgasm heats my body from every corner, and he hastily begins working my clit and pushing into me faster. I arch, my body beginning to go ridged, bracing for the orgasm.

  He stops. Leaving me deprived from his touch.

  “Please…” I whimper.

  He chuckles sinisterly and then grips my legs, lines up his tip, and pushes just enough to stretch me around him. He pulls out and slides his dick against my clit and I jerk.

  “Ah!” I cry out as he fills me with one quick, unanticipated thrust.

  He drives into me, and my orgasm approaches again, but he stops, dropping to his elbow.

  “Is this what you wanted?” His breaths are unsteady.

  I nod.

  He begins again, this time with eagerness. I dig my fingers into his back, pulling him into me, but he braces.

  “No touching,” he states.

  “This isn’t fair,” I whine again.

  He rocks forward. “You sure?”

  “I want to touch you.”

  “You are.” There was something hidden in that—passion, lust, want—I heard it clearly. “You’re throbbing for me. If I fuck you, I won’t be able to control myself.”

  My body is trembling, blazing with sexual greediness. My brain is in a euphoric haze, leaving me unable to express words.

  Slowly, he retracts and pushes forward. “Tell me again, Kelsie.”

  “I want you,” I push out from around the lump in my throat.

  “Not that.”

  His thrusts are torturously slow.

  “I-I…” I don’t know what he wants to hear.

  “What do you see?” he asks. “Do you still see blackness?”

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “What do you see?” he repeats.

  And I tell him the honest truth. “You.”

  He sinks into me deeply and begins pumping earnestly. They’re long strides, retracting to the tip and then plunging and giving me every inch. Pleasurable, heated tension zips into my limbs and I fall…fast…hard…off the edge and into the seas of ecstasy.

  I cry out, gripping the sheets at my sides. He holds my shoulders and pumps into me hastily, powerfully, mind-bendingly beautifully.

  “Fuck, Kelsie,” he growls, rooting himself.

  I’m being slammed with euphoric waves. Phenomenal heat splinters my limbs—profound bliss exhilarating my very existence.

  He’s lying beside me, slowing his breath when he pulls the blindfold off. I don’t open my eyes. I don’t think I can. I’m on the most ultimate body high—relaxed, happy, overwhelmingly emotionally raw.

  Chapter 25

  It’s getting pretty fucking difficult to leave Kelsie. This is the second time in a row she’s not been able to come with me and I loathe leaving her behind. And I don’t care how strong she acts as I’m leaving, I can see the hurt in her eyes and I hate it too.

  Thankfully this weekend went pretty fast. Levi stayed the majority of the time in the gym, which keeps my mind occupied. It was the hotel I feared. It was empty. Without her. At night I craved her scent, her touch, her skin.

  The old me would head to the clubs, have a few drinks, find a chick or two to fill the craving, but that doesn’t set well with me any longer. I can’t do that now and I don’t miss it. I prefer to rub one out in the shower and hit the sack pretty early, just to wake up and talk to my girl. I’ve got something to look forward to, and it feels pretty spectacular—a feeling I’ve lost along the path of my life.

  I’ve told Levi how I feel about her, only because the bastard can read me like the back of his gloves. He’d nudge the conversation slowly until I’d slip up and say something he could take hook to. After that, regardless of how much I tried keeping it away, I broke down and told him I care for her deeply and plan on keeping her beside me.

  I won’t be disposing of her. I need her and want her.

  Me: I’m coming straight to your house tomorrow.

  After a long training day with Levi, we went to Tonic to see Paige for a bit. Yes, I know I just said that I wouldn’t go to clubs, but Kelsie knew I was going, and Levi wanted to see his girl. I wasn’t there with any ill intentions. Matter of fact, I was uncomfortable. A place I used to go to find some fun now is a little mundane. The very same torture I put Levi through dragging him into clubs without Paige is now being reciprocated.

  Kelsie: Can’t wait to see you.

  Fuck this texting shit. I want to hear her voice.

  “You miss me that much?” I ask when she answers.

  She giggles. “Apparently we’re on the same page.”

  “Yeah. How was your day?”

  “Sarah came over with lunch and stayed for a bit, but other than that, I’ve done nothing but clean. How was Levi’s stuff today? Was he in a better mood?”

  Yesterday, Levi was in a shit mood. Cory had called him about the charity event he’s got two weeks prior to his big fight and tried to get Levi to go without Paige, saying it was a “fighters event only.” He’s got something nasty up his sleeve. He’s known to stir up drama to get more publicity. What’s the saying—even negative publicity is free publicity? Knowing Cory as I do, Allison or Ryker will probably show.

  Levi flew off the damn handle. They exchanged a few choice words and it left a sour taste in Levi’s mouth. Thing is, Cory can’t afford to drop Levi, and Levi is only with Cory under contract. I don’t understand why Cory tests his limits. Once his contract is up, he’s free range. I would be kissing Levi’s ass every s
tep he takes. Especially since Levi has some dirt on the shithead.

  You know who won the argument, right? Paige will be on his arm.

  “Yeah, he was better.”

  “I don’t want to sound stupid, but I know if I get into an argument like that with Dave, I could possibly lose my job. Is there a different standard for that?”

  “They have a love hate relationship. Cory is a bit of a greedy bastard with a short man complex.”

  “I just don’t see Levi putting up with that. I know I’ve only met him twice, but with the things you’ve told me…I don’t know.”

  “Contracts make you deal with fuckery.”

  “I’d be finding a way out.”

  “Not always that easy.”

  “What time will you get here? If you get here early enough, I can have dinner ready for you.”

  I smile. I’ve hit the fucking jackpot with her. Caring, loving, sexy as hell, considers my needs and goes above and beyond for me. She takes care of me, both physically and mentally.

  “What time will that be and I’ll make sure I’m there,” I say.

  “Six? Seven? I’m not sure what time you’re leaving.”

  “I’ll be there at six.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m going to head on to bed. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “I love you,” she says.

  I grin, humming in pleasure hearing the words. “Sweet dreams,” I croon.

  We hang up and I slip in the bed, staring at the ceiling…smiling. That’s about all I do nowadays.

  I bounced out on Levi about an hour early, ran by my house, took a shower and headed straight for Kelsie. I knock on her door and push it open. She knew I was coming. I’m not waiting any longer. She beams from the kitchen with her hair up, wearing a pink t-shirt and a pair of black yoga pants that suck tightly against her ass. She strides to me, meeting me half-way and wraps her arms around my neck.

  I crash against her lips before pulling back with a grin. “Hi.”

  She looks up under her lashes. “You’re just in time. I made lasagna for the first time. I hope you like it.” She pats my chest. “I’ve got to get the bread out of the oven.”

  There’s a hesitation in her voice and I grab her arm, twisting her back to me. “You alright?”

  “Yeah. I think Sarah’s lunch isn’t settling right. Haven’t been feeling well today.”

  I glance over her face, and she’s pale, eyes heavy with a weak smile. My excitement to see her blinded me to it all.

  “I’ll grab the bread,” I tell her and head to the kitchen.

  I place the bread on the stove and out of the corner of my eye, I see her wobble. “You sure you’re alright?”

  “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  There’s the fake fine.

  “No you’re not. Don’t lie to me.”

  “Really I’m fine. We had chicken salad sandwiches yesterday. There was something that didn’t taste right to me.”

  I watch her push her food around her plate but not take one bite as I devour mine. She glances up and notices and then pushes her plate away from her.

  “You can have mine. I’m not hungry.”

  There’s no apprehension as I reach for it and begin eating it.

  She giggles softly. “You’re a food whore.”

  “If you’d taken a bite, you’d realize it’s pretty damn good,” I say.

  “I will.”

  If she were feeling better, I’d fuck her all over the house to play catch up, but instead I’m satisfied with her curled into my side on the couch, watching some shit about vampires and werewolves.

  She squeezes into me. “I missed you,” she says quietly. “I love this.”

  I kiss the top of her head.

  Her body tenses and she sits up.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” Immediately I know it’s a lie.

  I furrow my brows. “You sure?”

  She goes to the kitchen, tossing things around and cleaning the stove.

  Now, I’m not ignorant. I do know that a pissed woman can make a spotless house. Make a woman mad enough, and you’ll be able to eat off any surface of the house, the cabinets will be cleaned out, walls will be washed…

  I pull her to me. “What’s with you?”

  “Nothing,” she says.

  The infamous nothing.

  I squint. “Did something happen?”

  She pulls out of my arms and starts back into the living room. I stretch, gripping her arm and stopping her in her tracks.

  “Kelsie, if something happened, I deserve to know.”

  “I don’t feel like talking about it,” she says with an attitude.

  My mind is racing, but has split straight to Nick. I shake my head. “Not that easy.”

  “What’s with you?” She pushes me away.

  Confusion engulfs me. “Do what?”

  Tears are pooling in her eyes and my pulse speeds up, bracing for the worst.

  “I understand everyone moves in different speeds, but what’s with the mixed signals? Do I have anything to worry about? I’m throwing my heart at you and you don’t want it.” She shoves her palms over her forehead. “You said you were falling. I thought we were on the same page.”

  “You have nothing to worry about.”

  By the look on her face, that wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

  “So are you in love with me?”

  “Yes,” I answer with hesitation.

  Her eyes glaze over with anger. “Then tell me!” she yells.

  “They’re words, Kelsie. My actions speak for me.”

  “I want to hear them. I want to know!” she slaps the counter. “You’re just playing with my heart, aren’t you?”

  I take a deep breath, steadying my nerves. “My heart is as far in it as yours.”

  “Why can’t you say it?”

  “I just can’t.” I advance toward her, but she takes a mad step backward.

  “Do you even want to be with me?”

  “You’re not listening to what I’ve been saying. My heart is in your hands. What’s the importance of me saying it?”

  Her eyes are slits with a murderous glare. “You’re underestimating the importance of all it!” She throws her hands up. “I need to know you care about me enough that you want me to know and not in actions, but with what you say. Do you not trust me with your vulnerability?”

  I clench my jaw, gritting my teeth.

  “I feel like a child begging to hear the words. Adam, if you’re not on the same page I am, you’ll never be and I think we should go our separate ways.”

  That.

  I’m furious now. Absolutely hating that I’m being forced to talk.

  “I…” I stop. Fear shudders my spine, but I swallow hard and rake my hands over my face. “I was madly in love when I was nineteen.” Grave and cruel violent flashes of the past burst behind my eyes. “You know what? Never-fucking-mind. I can’t do this right now.”

  A sudden realization settles over Kelsie’s expression, washing it with compassion. “She broke your heart?”

  I flick my eyes to her, glaring. “You can say that. I’m done with this conversation.” My voice is gutturally harsh.

  She blinks and starts to me. “I’m sorry,” she says. “This is so stupid. I let my imagination run wild. My insecurities fed on me not feeling well. I do. I know how you feel about me.”

  “I’ve got to go,” I tell her, placing a quick kiss to her cheek.

  And I do, before I snap allowing my wrath to been seen.

  She grabs my wrist. “Don’t,” she pleads. “I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up again.”

  Chapter 26

  I storm out the door and into my Tahoe before anything more can be said between us. Before damaging blows are dealt.

  I’m burning down the interstate.

  “I choked!” I yell as Levi answers the phone. “I fucking can’t.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”
r />   “I can’t tell her how I feel.”

  “Dude—”

  “It’s important to her and I can’t fucking do it,” I shout.

  “You have to let it go.”

  “Fuck you!” I growl, gripping my steering wheel.

  “They’re words. They don’t hold the bad luck you think they do. Think of how many times you’ve said it before.”

  “Danny squeezed me in tonight. Going to get Nora and get lost in the adrenaline.”

  Levi chuckles. “Ah, yes. The drug of my choice, but mine is a lot cheaper. You should try it.”

  “Does nothing for me.”

  “You’re doing it wrong.”

  “As many times as I have tried your way, you’ve never tried mine,” I say.

  “Mine’s cheaper.”

  “Mine’s more fun.”

  “Depends on whose eyes we’re looking through. Are we having a sword fight?” he chuckles.

  This makes me laugh and always has since we were kids. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Mine will win,” he yells out before hanging up on me.

  I pull into the driveway, rush inside to grab some cash, and get my keys to her. Instead of pulling her onto the trailer, I’m driving. She’s street legal…barely. Kelsie’s called once and left a message, but I’m not listening to it, and I toss my phone in the passenger seat before hitting the road.

  The purr of the engine does something to soothe my soul and calm my nerves. Frustrations dilute, fading away. I’m about five minutes away from the strip and my heart pulls for me to listen to the message.

  She’s crying. “I know you love me. You show me with everything you do. I just…I don’t know what came over me. I’m happy. You make me happy. I acted pretty childish and I’m really sorry. I love you the way you are. And if that’s to not hear you ever say it but only express it, I’m okay with it as long as you’re in my life.” There’s a pause full of her sobs. “I know you love me. I’m sorry.”