CHAPTER TWENTY
BLAIR
I watch as Shay finally pulls himself off the floor of the ring, then slides out between the ropes. I keep my place as he pushes through the crowd casually, ignoring all the confused looks. When he makes it to the back, I move next to him.
“What happened out there?”
He shakes his head. “Just wasn’t feeling it tonight.”
I raise a brow, but he doesn’t elaborate. Instead, he keeps trekking toward the locker room, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him.
“Weren’t feeling it? I know I haven’t seen you fight a ton, but that doesn’t seem like you,” I comment as we break the threshold into the locker room.
He drops my hand and shrugs. “I’m good, Dollface. My mind was just other places, is all.”
“Other places?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
He flashes me a smile, then slinks up to me, pressing his chest into mine, forcing me back until my back hits the wall. Suddenly, we’re right back where everything started—where we started.
He moves his face in, hovering his lips just above mine. “Other places.”
Suddenly, I don’t need an explanation because I know exactly what he’s talking about.
I should have known. His eyes kept catching mine during the fight, but I didn’t think I could be such a distraction.
I mean, the only difference now is we aren’t trying to rip each other apart at every second. Or are we?
Shay’s lips brush mine, and instinctively, my hands uncross and move to his ribs, pulling him as close as I can. No, we aren’t trying to rip each other apart with our words or insults, but we definitely may be in other ways.
His kiss deepens, and with it, my body turns to mush.
It feels so much easier, so much more exciting, to have him this way without the guilt of hatred.
His palms press against the wall, framing my head, and I can’t help but get giddy.
I can taste the blood on his lips and feel the heat of his breath, and it does nothing but make me want to be even closer.
Moving my hands down, I grip his hips and tug. His pelvis nudges into me, and I can feel just how much he wants me too. He’s all hard muscles and sweat, and something about it sets me on fire.
Moving one hand, he slides it behind my head, then tangles his fingers into my hair, giving it a soft tug. “Maybe we should move this home,” he whispers between kisses.
My eyes open with his words. Home . For a second, I forgot all about who we are to one another and the fact we’re under the same roof. Now, though? Not at all.
I roll my eyes and push him away from me. “Definitely not going to risk any of this at home. The last thing either of us needs is to give our parents a heart attack.”
He lets out a sigh. “Another thing we can agree on, I guess.”
As he moves across the locker room, gathering his things, I linger by the door. Peeking through a crack, I notice the crowd has dissipated, and not many people are left. Only two familiar faces stand out. Austin and that weird dude who has been around the gym the last few times we’ve been here.
Shay moves in behind me, pushing the door ajar the rest of the way, then nudges his chin toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
As we walk, Austin jogs away from the man and tries to stop us, but Shay just holds up his hand. “Another time, bro. I’m tired.”
“Blake wants to talk.”
“I don’t care. It can wait. I’ll call him tomorrow.”
Austin throws up his hands as Shay keeps walking. “Dude!”
When we make it to the parking lot, I let Shay open the passenger-side door of his Jeep, then climb inside. I buckle quickly, then twiddle my thumbs as I wait for him to round the front and climb inside.
After he closes his door and starts the car, I let him back out before I start asking more questions.
“Who’s Blake?”
He glances at me quickly, then turns his eyes back to the front. “He’s a promoter.”
“They have promoters for fights?”
“More like for fighters. Think of him like a talent agent of sorts.”
I nod. “Okay. And he just popped up out of nowhere? Is that normal?”
“It isn’t really uncommon but a little odd for Saint Bipal. We’re small in the fight scene compared to other places.”
“So what does he want, then?”
I can see the slight uptick of his lips as he says the next word. “Me.”
I scoff and raise a brow. “Doesn’t seem like he was too happy tonight, though—about you losing. So, are you sure about that?”
“He’ll get over it. Everyone has their days.”
Don’t I fucking know it. Hell, I’ve seen Shay’s good and bad days. Been the target of both too.
“So what’s his endgame, then? Get you signed or whatever and scoop you away?”
The thought enters my mind as quickly as I say it, and I don’t like the way the words even taste. I feel now Shay and I are at a decent spot. Where we’re going, I don’t know. But I know I don’t want to lose him. Not yet anyway.
Shay laughs. “Don’t worry, sis. We’re family, remember? Even if he does manage to get me a big break, I won’t be going far.”
I gag, promptly forgetting the conversation and the nasty feeling the thought of Shay leaving evoked. “Ew. Don’t ever call me sis again. Fucking nasty.”
He laughs again, making one last turn down our road, then creeps into the driveway.
Most of the lights are off sans the porch light. As soon as the Jeep is in park, I open the door and slide out. I move slowly, letting Shay catch up to my side before I start up the front steps and open the door.
Everything is quiet as soon as we step into the foyer. Mom and Henry must already be in bed. We pad up the stairs quickly, then move across the landing until we’re outside my door.
Even if we’re on good terms now, right now feels awkward.
Do I go to bed? Do we stay up and talk? The last few nights were different.
My mom had me helping with various wedding tasks, so by the time I made it to bed, Shay was already locked away in his room.
Now, though? We’re both here, just standing, waiting for the other to say something. And for once, I’m speechless.
“I, um—” I start, but Shay cuts me off.
“Sleep with me.” His statement is simple, said coolly and effortlessly.
I glance down the hall, making sure no one is watching or listening, even though I know for a fact it’s just us.
“What?” I laugh.
“In my bed. Sleep with me.”
I let out a sigh. “We can’t risk them finding us together tomorrow.”
Shay rolls his eyes. “I don’t like when you’re right.”
I shrug and bat my lashes. “But I do.”
He studies me for a moment, looking at me down the bridge of his nose with a small smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then, Dollface.”
Leaning down, he presses his lips to mine. As much as I don’t want to break the kiss or let him leave, I know we can’t do this. Not here.
“Tomorrow,” I breathe, pulling away.
I don’t even open my eyes. I just reach behind me blindly, grip my doorknob, and turn it, then back into my room swiftly.