Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
ADIRA
T he fights are bloodthirsty, and I find myself jumping and yelling.
“Damn, Short Stuff. We are definitely bringing you to more of these,” Duncan says with a laugh.
Each fight, I choose a fighter to cheer for. Funny enough, I tend to find myself drawn to the underdog.
“Hush, oh crap! Come on, get up!” I yell after the fighter I’m cheering for is hit hard under his chin.
Ugh, the poor guy isn’t getting up.
“I think he’s done,” Callum says, amused at my antics. I’ve jostled both of them with my jumping around, but neither of the brothers complain. “You’re adorable, and the box smells amazing.”
“Hush,” I hiss, flushing. While the fans keep scents from flowing in, it does nothing to help the fact that I’m perfuming. “Ignore me.”
“Can’t,” Callum says. “You’re too much fun. Look, they’re dragging the poor guy away.”
“I really thought he’d get farther,” I pout.
“All of your choices have lost, Adira,” Duncan says smugly. “We should place bets on the next one.”
“I don’t want to spend money if I’m just going to lose,” I complain. “I work too hard for it.”
“You heard Corbin,” Callum whispers in my ear. “Maybe you won’t have to soon.”
“Wishes and prayers don’t pay for things,” I grumble.
“You there, I’d like to place a bet,” Duncan calls out to one of the men who is lurking in the stands.
Striding over to us, the bookie pulls out a notepad with a nod. “Who would you like to bet on?” he asks.
“Place a hundred on one of the fighters and a hundred dollars on the other in Adira and my names,” Duncan says. “I don’t need to know who they are.”
“Seriously?” I groan. This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen him do. “You don’t even want to know who is fighting?”
“Nope,” Duncan says, peeling off two hundred dollar bills and handing it over. The bookie takes the money and our names with a shrug and moves on.
“Last chance to place bets!” he crows.
“This feels like a silly way to spend money, but at least it isn’t mine,” I mutter, turning to face the ring.
The ring is sunken into the ground so it can easily be covered when there isn’t a fight happening. Duncan told me it becomes a dance floor on the weekend. This place is really intriguing, and I’m having more fun than I expected.
Since Duncan, Callum, and I walked around to talk to people, the mystery of who I am isn’t as interesting. We’re being left alone, which is how I like it.
“It’s not, now choose your fighter, Adira,” Duncan grunts as two large alphas climb into the ring.
One of them moves in a way that feels familiar, but I can’t see his face yet. There’s a few tattoos on his arms, yet I’m high enough that I also can’t get a good look at them.
“Why do I feel as if I know who that is?” I ask absently, leaning forward.
“Oh fuck,” Callum whispers as the announcer begins to speak.
“We have someone new to fight for us against the Hawk Jones,” he begins. “Kane Dresmond is fighting tonight to fill in a spot after the other fighter broke his leg in a freak accident. Let’s see what he can do!”
My lips part as I shiver. I feel as if I’ve just been dunked in a large bucket of water. I’m having a hard time believing the universe isn’t enjoying fucking me over.
“Do you want to go?” Callum asks, leaning so he’s inside the periphery of my vision.
Breathing deeply, I force myself to hold onto what’s real. Dizziness is threatening my stability, and I need something to ground myself. Callum’s scent of coconut and oak fills my lungs, helping me to keep from spinning out.
“No,” I whisper, my gaze trained on Kane and Hawk.
Maybe Hawk will beat the hell out of him. It’s a wishful thought, something I doubt will happen, because no matter how well prepared the other fighter is, Kane is strong and insane. There’s a special kind of strength gained when you don’t give a flying fuck.
Kane’s gaze happens to look out into the crowd, landing on me with a wide smile. I’m positive he didn’t know I was in the box or here at all before this, but he touches his chest and then points at me with a chuckle.
“Well, now he’s seen you, so leaving makes it look as if you’re running away,” Duncan mutters. “Are you going to run, Short Stuff?”
“No,” I repeat. “We’ll stay. I don’t know why he’s here. I didn’t think he was a fighter.”
“He’s a crazy ass fuck,” Duncan sighs. “Who knows why he does anything.”
“Maybe I’ll ask him,” I say without realizing it.
“Woah, do you really think that’s a good idea?” Duncan asks.
His question isn’t answered as the announcer begins the fight. Kane’s incredibly graceful as he fights, his tall body still able to feint and get under the other man’s blocking. On and on they go, until Kane earns the first blooded blow. The punch makes Hawk’s head snap back, blood exploding in the air.
Whimpering, I find myself breathing harder, and Callum grunts in response.
“Fighting definitely gets you hot,” he says, teeth gritting. “How does it feel to know your body works just fine, Adira?”
“We discussed that I would not be taking questions about anything my body does tonight,” I reply, crossing my legs as I squirm.
“You’re such a brat,” Duncan says, his gaze on Kane as he picks me up and puts me in his lap. “Since we don't know which fighter the other has money on, I may as well stir the pot a bit.”
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” Callum snorts as Kane dances back.
Kane happens to look over at the box, his gaze darkening when he sees me. I can see his snarled lip, and when I imagine his growl, slick begins to slide down my leg.
“I’m going to leave a puddle on your pants,” I warn him.
“Worth it,” Duncan says. “I can enjoy it even though I don’t want you, Short Stuff. Maybe these guys will get their heads out of their asses.”
“Doubtful,” I sigh. “I shouldn’t find him so attractive.”
“I have a feeling the blood is helping,” Callum says mildly as Kane explodes into motion.
Hawk is pummeled with chest and stomach punches as he protects his face, and Kane shoves him back to get a little space. I have a feeling he’s trying to wear his opponent down, get his frustrations out.
Leaning back against Duncan, I watch quietly as they fight. Callum scoots over into the space I was sitting, leaning until his lips are against the shell of my ear. Not expecting it, I flinch with a gasp.
“Sorry,” he mumbles. “You need to breathe, Adira. You’re too still.”
Gasping in a breath, I nod, realizing he’s right. His heavy hand takes mine, and I squeeze it as I watch. It’s so odd to be this turned on while looking for support, but the Kelly brothers don’t bat an eye.
Duncan purrs behind me, his chin sitting on my shoulder as he watches. They’ve been a solid presence in my life, refusing to let me shut down. Every day it’s getting easier to manage things, but this wasn’t something I could have imagined happening.
Cupid has a sick sense of humor. I’m not a fan and want a refund. Valentine’s Day is practically around the corner, and the only reason I know is because the campus is covered in shit to remind me of it.
I feel grumpy, horny, and confused as hell right now.
“He doesn’t like that I’m holding you,” Duncan growls in my ear. “Poor Hawk is going to get a beating.”
The fighter being beaten unfortunately isn’t guarding his face well, and there’s a cut over his eye that’s bleeding profusely. It’s affecting how well he can see, and Kane is circling him like the prey he’s showing himself to be.
“Hawk isn’t doing his job well,” I murmur. “Shouldn’t his hands be up more?”
“Already an expert,” Callum teases, pressing against me.
My father used to tell me that all men wanted was sex, that I needed to stay in the house where it was safe and he could protect me. There are many things he was wrong about. The house was safe until it wasn’t, and there are good men in the world who see me as more than just a fuck toy.
After the auction, my mental health has been in the shitter for obvious reasons. The Kelly brothers won’t let me slip away, determined to keep me in the present.
Kane stalks Hawk, playing with him as Hawk attempts to escape and protect his face. I know this is an amateur night, but Hawk doesn’t appear equipped to fight in any form.
“I can hear you thinking from here,” Duncan says. I’m sitting on his thigh, and if I was anyone else, it wouldn’t be at all inappropriate. However, Pack Dresmond believes I belong to them, something Damon clearly forced me to see the first day of school.
“I wasn’t aware my thoughts were so loud,” I say, my eyes glued to the participants in the ring. “Hawk doesn’t look prepared to be fighting anyone. It doesn’t feel like a fair fight.”
“Waving a red flag in front of a bull still makes people run, even if they’ve been around them their whole lives, Short Stuff,” Duncan observes. “I’d behave in a similar manner if you were my girl. Kane and his brothers are going to have to understand that they’re going to have to share you with us. You’re ours in a way that’s completely different, but still important.”
“It’s all their fault too, which makes this even more fun,” Callum says with a chuckle. “I expect regular playdates after they properly grovel.”
“You’re expecting a lot,” I sigh, gasping when Kane makes his move.
The way his body flows between punches and kicks is beautiful, and Hawk crumples, his body pulled into the fetal position. Kane’s face reminds me of how insane he appears when he’s fixated on something shiny.
This time, it looks like he’s trying to determine how much of Hawk’s blood he can get to leak out of his body.
“He must torture people beautifully,” Duncan observes.
I will not be turned on by this. Absolutely not.
“Ah fuck,” I gasp, my head dropping back as my nails dig into Callum’s hand.
“You’re the one mangling my hand, Adira,” he says mildly. “I should be the one cursing.”
“Are you going to need to rub one out before we leave? “ Duncan asks.
“I hate you both so much!” I yell at them.
“Nah, you don’t. Not even a little. I’m sure we’ll have a much happier car ride home if you did,” Duncan says.
“You’re both incorrigible,” I mutter, wiggling out of their grasp to stand.
“Where are you going?” Callum asks.
“To get closer,” I say, beginning to leave them behind.
“Woah, wait!” Callum says, digging in his pocket to pull out a knife. “Please take this with you. Can you handle it?”
Carefully taking it, I gently pull the blade out until it clicks into place. It’s a wicked knife, and I look up with wide eyes.
“You just carry this around?” I ask. “Seriously?”
“There’s two guns on my person, too,” Callum says. “We told you that we would keep you safe. If you’re going to go off alone, then you need a weapon. Now put that big thing away before I think you’re excited to see me.”
Rolling my eyes, I push the blade back into the hilt of the weapon and hold it by my side as I step out of the private area to walk down the stairs. The full force of the club’s scents hit me like a freight train, leaving me dizzy.
“You okay?” a man asks, and I turn to see it’s someone I met earlier.
“Yeah,” I say with a nod. “It’s a hit to the nervous system to leave the box up there. It’s overwhelming.”
Glancing up, he nods. “Take it slow, princess. I’m surprised they’re letting you go somewhere alone,” he says.
Showing him the knife, I shrug. “Not completely alone,” I admit, finding his feral grin comforting in a way.
“Don’t hesitate to use it. Someone will help you clean up the mess,” he says, turning away.
Kane is kicking the shit out of Hawk on the ground as I make my way downstairs, and no one is doing anything to stop it. Walking quickly to the ring, I sigh.
“Stop playing with your food!” I yell at him, crossing my arms underneath my breasts.
Kane doesn’t look up, simply smirking as he steps back.
“Get up or you’ll forfeit,” the announcer says into the microphone. “Make your choice.”
Shakily, Hawk stands, his arms at his sides.
“Pussy,” Kane mutters, punching him in the face. The fighter falls back, passed out as the blood flies into the air, almost hitting me where I stand. I guess I was closer than I thought.
“Winner, Kane!” the announcer says, stepping into the ring to point at him. The alpha is covered in smears of blood that I’m sure aren’t his.
Hawk managed to get a few hits in, though, and Kane’s right eye is beginning to swell. Climbing out of the ring, he stalks toward me, lifting me while still in motion to throw me over his shoulder.
Almost losing my grip on my knife, I bang the hilt into his sore ribs.
“You fucking Neanderthal!” I yell, feeling air where there shouldn’t be underneath my skirt. “You’re showing my ass to everyone!”
“No one is looking, little rabbit, if they are, they’re marked for death,” he says casually. “No one look at my girl’s ass!”
For fuck’s sakes. That’s not really what I meant.
I can’t tell if anyone is looking at it, since my hair is in my face, and I swear my curls are determined for me to eat them. Banging on his back, I squirm to get him to put me down.
“Did you claim a prize?” someone asks, amused.
Pushing my hair out of my face and blowing a piece out of my mouth, I struggle to see who is speaking. A beta with cocoa skin and tightly cropped hair stands next to us in a tight dark blue shirt and black cargo pants.
“I’m more a captive than a prize,” I grumble as Kane snorts and keeps walking. “Kane, put me down!”
“Wait, you’re being serious?” the beta asks, taking a step forward.
“Gabriel, meet my little rabbit,” Kane says. “She and I need to have a little chat to remind her she’s mine.”
“I belong to myself,” I growl, hitting Kane in the ribs.
“Ah, fuck. Adira, why do you hit harder than the guy I just fought?” he grumbles, walking quickly away from Gabriel. I remember that he’s the one who trains the fighters, and I also recognize his name now, since he does the self defense class at Omega’s Haven .
I’ve never met him before due to the classes clashing with my work schedule.
Pushing his way into a locker room, Kane looks around to make sure we are alone before locking the door. I’m unfortunately forced to hang over his shoulder until he puts me on my feet.
“Ugh,” I groan, dizzy as I weave on my feet.
“Sit,” Kane grunts, pushing me onto a bench before crouching down in between my thighs. I struggle to close my legs, and he shakes his head. “Relax, I’m looking at your pretty, pretty face and not your gorgeous pussy. Why are you here, little rabbit?”
“Duncan and Callum invited me out,” I sigh. “I met a lot of people, learned some things. Also, if your father starts poking around to see if the brothers are using me for the intended purpose of pretty arm candy, he’ll hear about how I attended.”
“What about the other intended purpose?” he growls. “Are they fucking you? You seemed very cuddly.”
“Do you think I want anyone fucking me?” I ask him, rolling my eyes.
Kane’s brow raises as he shoves my skirt up to gaze down at the cream between my thighs. Dipping his head, his tongue drags up my thigh, my breaths coming faster as he sucks at the skin, attempting to clean up the mess my panties failed to catch.
“You tell me,” he says. “Who is this for?”
Taking away my knife, he flicks it open as he waits for my answer.
“The fighters,” I half-heartedly lie. “I seem to have a newfound enjoyment for boxing, especially when there’s blood flying in between punches.”
“You’re saying your cunt is a slut for dirty, hot fights?” Kane croons, the knife moving to my thigh as he slowly drags the sharp point up my skin.
I whimper, feeling how easily it would be for him to cut me, my eyes glued to the assent of the knife.
“Yes,” I whisper, holding tight to my lies. I may have started out excited by the fighting in general, but all bets were off when he stepped into the ring.
“Do you like how this feels?” he asks, the back of his hand rubbing over the goosebumps left by the blade of the knife. “I should fuck you with the handle of a knife given to you by another man. Maybe I’ll even give it back to him smelling like your sweet cunt.”
“Kane, you’re being ridiculous,” I admonish, my back arching as I get pleasure from his words. A gush of slick pushes out of my pussy, and I wonder what the hell is wrong with me. I don’t actually want him to fuck me with a knife, right?
God, I think the truth of the matter is that I don’t fucking know what I want or need. I’m swimming in a pool of uncertainty and trauma. It would be nice to stop thinking, just for a little while.
“I’m no such thing, little rabbit,” Kane growls, his other hand fisting my hair to keep me from moving. “You’re too cozy with the brothers. Men like that don’t do things for altruistic reasons.”
Screw the knife. I’ve already been shot, what’s another scar? My boot is rising without thought, kicking the asshole alpha in the knot.
“I’m worth more than what my pussy can do,” I snarl, enjoying the way Kane’s eyes roll back as he groans. His hand tightens on my hair instead of releasing it, his dark eyes filled with pain and pleasure.
“What I said didn’t come out right,” he gasps. “Seeing you with someone else makes me insane. You’re ignoring us, and you fucking smile for Duncan Kelly. It’s not right.”
“I didn’t have ‘being sold at auction’ on my life bingo card, if we want to discuss things that aren’t right,” I croon.
Kane gives a pained sound before shoving my legs further apart, so I can’t kick him again.
“I know you didn’t,” he says. “You’ll never know how sorry I am. It’s making me insane to catch glimpses of you in his lap.”
“He did it to make you jealous,” I tell him, unable to move my head without losing hair to his tight grip. “Duncan and Callum are both invested in my continued existence. For some reason, they feel they are responsible for making sure I don’t drift away in despair or overwork myself. It would be easier if they weren’t.”
“Don’t say that,” he says, eyes wild. “You can’t just disappear on us, we haven’t had a chance to fix this yet! Promise. Adira, come on.”
“Even if it means you have to deal with Duncan and Callum forever?” I ask. “You can’t control who I’m friends with, Kane. I need to do things my way.”
“Does your way involve blood, knives, and violence, little rabbit?” he asks, making my head spin with the change of subject. His lips are close enough to mine that I can feel the puffs of his breath.
His scent of strawberry shortcake is thick, his shorts showing off his tented erection.
“Yes,” I whisper.
Kane’s head moves to drag his tongue down my neck, sucking on his brother’s bite.
“I’ve never been so jealous of my little brother,” he mutters.
Opening my lips to ask something, the words evaporate as I feel the blade move up my thigh again.
“Kane,” I gasp.
“No thinking, just feel,” he grunts. “When was the last time your pretty pussy felt this needy? I want to see it, did you fill that private box with your scent?”
“Yes,” I gasp. “The last time… your brother asked me if I wanted to kill your father, and play in the blood.”
“Your skin would be so pretty painted in Dad’s blood, little rabbit. I would love to eat your pussy while you’re getting fucked in it,” he growls.
Fuck. It’s so difficult to stay still as my pussy clamps down on nothing, pulling a low moan from my lips.
“Yeah, I want more of those pretty little noises, sweetheart,” he whispers.
I don’t think he meant for me to hear his words, but I moan in response as the blade gets closer and closer to my pussy. I don’t know how committed he is to this. Is he serious?
Will he push this until I beg for his knot? I don’t think I’m ready for that.
“Stay with me,” Kane barks. “I know you’re a stubborn, special little rabbit, but hold onto my voice. Don’t go back. Feel the way the knife moves over your skin. Notice the way it’s now dragging over your sweet cunt. Should I cut you there?”
Whining at his words, my chest heaves as I imagine it. I don’t know what I want. The feel of the sharp tip of the blade as it drags over my panty-covered clit makes me even wetter, which is hard for me to understand.
“Stay,” he moans. “That’s a good girl. I need to fucking see.”
I don’t know what he means until the knife slides under my panties along the side, and the slight protection of them against Kane’s attention falls away.
“Hands on the bench, baby,” he commands, but I’ve already placed them there to have something to anchor myself. Leaning back, he pulls on my hair until I’m arched even further back and he can enjoy the view.
“This outfit should be fucking illegal. You’re making such a pretty mess on the bench. Were you placing bets with your new best friends?”
“What?” I ask, my brain short circuiting. I can’t…
“Bets, Adira,” he says impatiently. “In the private club seats, did you place any?”
“Yeah,” I breathe. “I made one with Duncan.”
“I don’t like his name on your lips while I’m looking at your dripping pussy,” he grits out. “It makes me want to do really dirty things to you until you’ll only scream mine.”
Should I ask him what kind of things? I have so little experience, I shouldn’t want to even think about what he could possibly mean. However the blade in his hand is moving lazily up my leg again, and the handle is turning to face me for some reason.
I don’t understand why, and now I can’t see his hand at all, because my face is looking at the ceiling due to the grip of Kane’s hand.
“You’re going to come on this knife, Adira,” Kane says calmly. “If you do, you’ll get to walk out of here like nothing happened. If not, you’ll have the pleasure of riding my face until you’re dripping down it. Everyone will hear your screams.”
A low keen is ripped from my lips, because my body is very excited by these odds. I want it, I need it, I don’t care about the outcome. He never mentioned his cock, and I mostly trust him not to change the rules midway.
He may be a crazy alpha, but his pride won’t let him cheat on this. It’s completely focused on his ability to make me come. My body isn’t under the influence, I fully understand that what I’m feeling is me.
“Yes, baby. I wish I could see more of you, but I’m not going to push,” he rasps. Kane’s voice is like smooth molasses, sweet and sultry. When he says things, it’s difficult to focus on the words, because I want to bathe in how his voice makes me feel.
The snick of the knife closing makes me flinch, and Kane purrs to help me relax. I never would have imagined him on his knees, purring as he promises me things I didn’t think were possible.
The cool wood of the knife touches my pussy, and I gasp as I feel the way he’s collecting my slick.
“You’re so damn wet, your pussy is begging to come. If only you could see yourself, baby, goddamn,” he groans as if in prayer. “Your clit is so swollen, and I can’t ignore how much you need to be touched.”
The hilt of the blade rubs over my clit, my hips jerking forward for more. The noises emitting from me should be illegal, and the entire locker room smells like Kane and I.
“Feel how nice and hard the handle is, baby,” he says. “Fuck yeah, you want more, but this is what you get, sweetness.”
“Harder,” I beg, my head thrashing already as he steadily rubs my bundle of nerve endings.
Slowly he gives me more until my legs begin to tremble.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs. “Do you need my fingers buried in your pussy to come, or can you do it like this?”
There’s something strangely intimate about this. Our rasping breaths are syncing, my body heating up until sweat beads on my skin to match Kane’s blood streaked sweaty chest.
Thoughts are really hard, and Kane keeps asking me questions!
“What?” I gasp, crying out as I shudder. Slowly, I understand what he means as he rocks his knuckles through my arousal. “I don’t…”
My pussy spasms so hard, I have to clamp my lips down on a half scream. Shit, I guess I have my answer then.
“Yes, Kane, please,” I whine, knowing how needy I sound.
“I’ll give you fucking everything if you say my name like that again,” he groans, pushing thick fingers inside my slick channel.
“That…yes,” I cry out. I force myself to just feel. I will not allow my mind to overthink this.
“Good girl,” Kane growls. “You’re strangling my fingers so good, baby.”
I don’t know how he’s able to work me over so well with both his fingers and the handle, but it feels too good to care. The alpha is still gripping my hair tightly as if he’s afraid I’ll run away, but I need to come too much to move from this spot.
My body feels like a tightly strung bow, begging to be released. I’m closer and closer to exploding for the alpha, because I can’t bring myself to call him mine right now. The handle feels really fucking good, and I gasp as my body begins to tremble.
“Let go for me,” he rumbles. “One day you’ll come on the handle as I fuck you with it and suck on your needy little clit. We could have so much fun together.”
Kane’s words push me over the edge, and I scream as I come, gushing all over his hand. I’m struggling to regulate my breathing as Kane removes his fingers from my pussy and releases my hair, sucking up my cream greedily as he groans. He’s mesmerizing to watch as he enjoys the fruits of his labor, and I can’t look away.
A heavy knock pounds on the locker door, and I startle as my gaze tears away from Kane.
“I know you locked the door, but I would still rather people not see me like this,” I hiss, my breaths still rasping in and out.
“Fuck,” he mutters. “I’ll have to kill people if they do, and it’ll be a whole thing. Coming!”
Lithely standing from his kneeling position, he cleans off the knife and hands it to me before helping me stand. His hands carefully fix my clothes until they look perfect, nodding as he walks to the door to open it.
Raking my fingers through my hair, I sigh, knowing it’s probably a lost cause.
“Where is she?” Duncan growls, and I cover my face as I walk over.
“Really?” I ask him, dropping my hands as I stand in front of him.
“Oh, so you decided you needed more than to just rub one out. Cool, cool,” he says with a nod.
Kane will probably kill Duncan if he decides to high five him. Thankfully, he does not, and I feel as if we’ve just averted a crisis.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Kane asks, confused.
“Adira has discovered that she’s very turned on by things that revolve around blood and violence,” Callum chimes in, breathing in deeply. I swear, I think I may ask the floor to swallow me up!
“Judging by how it smells, it looks like you gave her a good time. We’ll take her back now.”
“I’m so confused,” Kane says, shaking his head as I squeeze past him.
“The Kelly brothers have that kind of power,” I mutter, waving awkwardly as they tug me away.
“How are we feeling?” Callum asks.
“I don’t know,” I admit, glancing at the knife in my hand. As Callum goes to take it, I shake my head, hugging it to my chest. “You may not want to touch this until I wash it… a lot.”
Duncan and his brother blink at me before Callum glances over his shoulder.
“Kinky fucker,” he mutters. “Damn, Adira. When you jump in, it’s into the deepest part.”
I’m not certain if that's a compliment or not.