Chapter 47
FORTY-SEVEN
Despite Zia’s wound, he won’t slow down. If anything, he seems to be busier than ever. There have been no further attacks, so it’s quiet on that front, and every time I ask about what’s going on, he simply distracts me with his mouth or body until I forget what I was saying.
On a night when he thinks I’m not looking, I see his mind whirring. He’s quiet and withdrawn. At first, I worry it was something I did, but I think there is just something on his mind—not that he will tell me.
It makes me feel like he doesn’t trust me, but he must be doing it for a reason—probably to protect me. If there is one thing I’ve come to learn about the man I love, it is that he will do anything to keep me safe.
He still doesn’t like that his life invades mine. I know he feels guilty, thinking it brought evil into my world, but he’s worth it. He’s worth anything they can throw at me, and I’m not letting go. I just hope he can find his way past it, and I’ll be here whenever he is ready to talk.
I sprawl on the mat, covered in sweat and exhausted from my dad’s training regime, and try to rest before I’m up again.
The match is drawing closer, and with it, training is ramping up.
My dad and I both want to win. It also means Zia has been working here a lot more despite his multiple properties and offices.
His guards are with him, their numbers doubled from before, and I see him pacing outside as he talks on the phone.
My eyes track him as I take a swig of my water.
“Everything okay?” Charlie murmurs, nodding at Zia as he walks past with some towels.
“Just work.” I shrug.
“I can’t imagine running all the shit he does,” he commends. “He must not even be human. His name is on everything.”
I nod, and Charlie keeps moving. The truth is, Zia works really fucking hard, and it’s paying off, but dating someone who owns most of the city can be a little bit intimidating at times, and a lot fucking sexy.
Knowing the man everyone fears and looks up to is on his back and knees for me every night?
Yeah, I shift in my shorts, trying to ignore my desire, which only seems to increase the more I’m around him. I thought it would subside, but it never does. If anything, my obsession with him only seems to grow with each passing day. It probably isn’t healthy, but I don’t care, and neither does he.
“Find out,” Zia snaps as he steps inside the gym. When he finds me watching, he smiles, but it’s tight. “I thought you were practicing.”
“Taking a break,” I reply as I wipe my mouth and put my water bottle down. “You okay, baby?”
He looks stressed.
“Fine,” he answers as he heads my way.
Despite it all, he tosses his phone away and collapses on my lap, putting his head on my sweaty knee. His eyes close as my hands slide through his perfect hair. His face relaxes, and I finally understand what he spoke about the other day.
He called me his safe place.
As I watch him unwind, trusting me to keep him safe, I know it doesn’t matter what else is happening as long as we have each other.
“My beautiful boy,” I murmur as I stroke his hair, and his dazzling eyes open and lock on me. “You know you can tell me anything, right? We are in this together.”
“I know,” he murmurs as he lifts his perfect, soft hand and cups my cheek. “I’m okay, promise. Just being with you is enough.”
Turning my head, I kiss his palm, and the soft smile he aims my way is real and stress free. “I love you so fucking much,” I admit as I lean down and steal a quick kiss.
He pushes me away with a laugh. “I love you too, even when you’re all sweaty.”
“Baby, we both know you like me sweaty,” I tease, and his laughter makes my smile grow.
“Get a room!” someone shouts with a laugh. The others here have started to include Zia in their ribbing and jokes. At first, they were hesitant because of the social divide between us, but he’s just one of us now, and I know he appreciates it.
“I have one upstairs!” Zia calls back without lifting his head, but he wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Want to go use it?”
“No hanky-panky, he needs to train,” my dad barks as he stops above us.
“Hanky-panky, old man, really?” Zia teases as he looks up at my dad.
“Yes, hanky-panky. Boy, get back to work. The match is drawing closer, and you need to be ready. You, kid, are with me. You look skinny as hell. You haven’t been eating right.
I ordered you dinner, and you are going to eat every bite while I watch,” he tells Zia, pointing in his face.
My dad’s anger is how he shows he cares, and the fact that it extends to Zia warms my heart.
“I am eating,” Zia protests.
“I don’t want to hear it. Office, now.” He looks at me. “What are you waiting for, a hand up? Get moving!”
Zia looks at me as if he’s asking me to save him, but I just give him a swift kiss. “Do as you’re told.”
“I’m a grown man,” he grumbles, but he gets to his feet with my help and, under my father’s stern glare, ambles to the office. I stand and wink at my dad as he turns to the door where Yuki lingers.
“You too!” my dad adds. “You never eat. Get your ass in there.”
“Oh, I’m working,” Yuki hedges.
“Well, you can work and eat. Move it!” he orders like a drill sergeant, and with wide eyes, Yuki follows after his boss, making me chuckle. Wrapping up my hands, I duck back into the ring as Trent wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“I guess I was wrong about you being his type,” he says as he bounces at the other end, since he’s my sparring partner this time. They are all taking turns, everyone focused on getting me ready, which I really appreciate. “You look happy.”
I move closer, and we touch fists before I throw the first punch. He ducks under it, and I jump back to avoid his swing. “I am,” I reply, trying to carry on the conversation while practicing. I don’t want to deal with my father’s ire, after all.
“We are all behind you, you know that, right?” He groans as I hit his chest, smacking back into the ropes as I dance away, waiting for him to recover.
“I know, and I appreciate it.” They’ve never once made me or Zia feel less than welcome.
In fact, they are all very protective of us and our relationship.
It’s circulating on social media, and there was even a hate video aimed at Zia, saying being gay is wrong and all this stupid shit.
You bet every single fighter in this gym instantly blocked the person and had their own responses.
It doesn’t matter if they are straight. They were ready to ride at dawn to defend us.
I had a family right here all along, and I never let myself understand that before Zia. I’ve grown closer to them since he’s come into my life, and it’s another thing I owe him for.
“You’ve got this, Nikko. Win that fight and lock down that sexy as hell man before one of us steals him,” he jokes, and I might hit him harder than I need to. He staggers back under the blow, a mischievous grin curling his lips.
“I’d like to see one of you horny fuckers try,” I snap. “I’m a better fighter than all of you. I’ll kick your ass.”
“Remember that during your fight.” Trent laughs as he comes at me again. For a bit, we don’t talk as we spar. “We’ll all be there, supporting you. Maybe to make sure you win, I’ll sit by your boy and flirt.”
“I will break your face,” I warn as I drop my hands. “He’s mine.”
“Oh, possessive, are you? Come on then, big guy, try,” he taunts. I know why he’s doing it, and it fucking works.
I dive at him, attacking until he’s on the ropes protecting his face. My hits are harder than ever, and when I’m finally pulled off him, the crowd that gathered is laughing.
“Well, I guess we know now how to get you to win.” Charlie laughs at my side after he pulls me away. I glance around, seeing everyone smiling, and I roll my eyes until they land on Zia, who is watching.
“Hey, Z, are you taking applications for backup boyfriends?” Trent begins, and I swing my gaze to him, glaring.
“Fuck this.” I point at Charlie. “I’m taking a dinner break.
” I duck under the ropes and advance on Zia, who sees me coming.
His eyes widen at the feral expression on my face.
I bend as I reach him, scooping him up and throwing him over my shoulder, then I head out of the gym to their cheers behind me.
Taking two steps at a time, I rip open my apartment door, letting it bang shut behind us before I slam him against it.
I shove my hand into his pants as my mouth meets his.
My hands are still wrapped as I grip his cock and stroke as he gasps into my mouth.
I don’t relent, deepening the kiss and tightening my hold until he thrusts into my fist. His tongue tangles with mine until we are both heaving and struggling to breathe.
“Baby, baby—” He tries to turn his face away.
“You need to practice—” His words end in a moan as I take my hand away long enough to shove his pants down and spin him.
His cheek hits the door, but I don’t care as I struggle with my own shorts.
I grab my rock-hard length and line up with his pretty ass before thrusting into him.
“I’ll go back. First, I need to remind them you belong to me,” I snarl into his ear as he tries to get away as he cries out in pain and pleasure.
I should be gentle and slow down, but the thought of someone trying to take him away from me .
. . I hammer into his tight ass until he’s scoring his nails down my door and pushing back to take me.
“Nikko!” he begs, his head falling back to my shoulder.
I slide my hand down the front of his body and work his cock hard and fast, loving the feel of his silken steel running through my fist as I claim his perfect body.
He’s so fucking tight and hot, gripping me like a glove, and my pleasure is already growing to unstable heights.
The door bangs loudly, and Zia startles, but I don’t stop.
I tug him away, carrying him across the room and bending him over the couch.
He grips the cushions as he falls forward and widens his legs, allowing me to thrust deeper.
Leaning over him, I nip his perfect skin, leaving my marks all over the creamy perfection as the banging on the door continues.
“Damn it, boy,” my dad shouts, but we both ignore him. “Get your ass back in that ring. Zia, tell him.”
“Yeah, tell me,” I tease as I bite his ear until he hisses. “Want me to pull out and go back?”
“Don’t you fucking dare,” he hisses as he grips the cushions and pushes back, then he raises his voice. “We’re busy. He’ll be down in five—” He groans. “Make it ten.”
“Good boy,” I praise before straightening.
I slide one of my hands up his back and grip his throat, pinning him as I dive into his body.
I don’t know if my dad walks away, but I don’t care.
I lose myself in Zia until neither of us can take any more.
I bury myself as deep as I can just as my release rips through me.
Yelling his name, I pump my cum inside him as he jerks below me, crying out as he finds his own release.
Shivering, I let the pleasure roll through me as I bask in the afterglow. As I take in his red, marked back, possessive glee fills me.
I finally smile. “Now when we go back down, they’ll know you are off-limits.”
“They knew anyway.” He laughs breathlessly. “They just like to wind you up since they never could before.”
“That’s because I never cared about losing anything before you,” I murmur as I kiss his neck.
“Softie,” he teases as he turns his head and kisses me as I roll my hips.
“Need me to remind you I’m not soft at all?” I mutter into his mouth.
“Shit, I should have told your dad thirty minutes,” he whines.