Chapter 13
E mmeline
The rest of my first week with Malachi fell into an easy pattern. We talked, he cooked, we spent a lot of time in bed. He worked out most days, which I enjoyed watching so much, and we went for runs together.
It always ended in more sex.
Against trees in the woods behind his house, in his gym over the weight bench. There wasn’t a surface he didn’t claim me on or over, and I was entirely hooked. All he had to do was beckon, catch my waist, or even say my name and I was a puddle.
The version of him I’d discovered by mild stalking was nothing compared to the man I was getting to know. I couldn’t believe how simple it was with him. There was nothing I didn’t like. His personality excited me. I adored his thatched cottage home. He was entirely possessive but in a way that made me feel protected and safe.
He told me he loved me more than was required. He’d link his gaze to mine and lay down the words. I almost believed it.
Friday rolled around, exactly one week after our claiming game.
In his big bed, I snuggled in his arms. “From today, we’re allowed to spend more time apart, according to the rules.”
Our two-hour maximum changed to four hours for the rest of our thirty days.
He brushed my hair from my eyes. “Is there something you need to do?”
“Without you? Nothing.”
Relief swept over his expression. He pulled me onto his chest and kissed me. “Thank fuck for that. I have to get back into the ring, but I need you with me.”
I folded my arms under my chin so I could see him better. “I get to see you fight?”
“Yes, angel. If I have my way, you’ll be at every bout and training session. I know that won’t fly when you’re back at work, but until then, I want you to see me.”
Desire pulsed inside me. Not only from the thought of him in the ring but his casual reference to our life after the thirty days had expired. I didn’t let myself think that far ahead. We’d agreed not to discuss it. To even think about it was terrifying. He apparently didn’t have the same problem.
Malachi’s eyes flared, and he flipped me over so I was face down on the mattress. “That turned you on. You pictured me pounding some asshole to the floor with my knuckles bloodied, didn’t you?”
“Y-yes.”
“Sweat. Muscles taut. People screaming my name.”
I moaned, and he’d barely touched me.
He spread my legs and knelt between my thighs. “You’ll have to get good at hiding that in public. Or I’m in danger of getting hard while at work and imagining doing this.”
Malachi hiked up my backside and kissed me right between the legs. Open-mouthed, I fisted the sheets, so ready for him.
He sucked my clit gently and played with me, teasing his tongue at my entrance then sliding back to my ass.
My eyes flew open. His voice returned in a rumble.
“I want to try something.”
“Anything.”
He gave a dark laugh. “I love how willing and obedient you are. Such a good girl.”
I shuddered at the praise.
“I want to dominate you in every way. Flip over, angel.”
I did, gazing up at him as he knelt over me. Malachi cupped my head and guided his dick to my mouth. I’d already done this once or twice over the week, but he preferred to be the one giving.
I sucked him lightly. He rolled his head back and let me take him in deeper for a minute. When he throbbed in my mouth, he pulled back so I was sucking on just the tip.
He held my jaw. “You’re so good at that. Seeing you take me in your mouth with your big brown eyes watching me is the hottest fucking image ever. Which brings me onto what I want next. To own every one of your holes. Your mouth is perfect.”
He withdrew his dick then moved down to between my thighs and thrust in.
“Your pussy. God, I could fucking live in here. You’re so hot and tight. But next… On all fours, angel.”
He gave me the space to arrange myself as he’d asked. I shivered at what I guessed was coming.
Malachi eased a finger into me. “You’re so wet, I need to borrow some of that for your ass.”
“I haven’t, I mean…”
“I know. I’ll take it slow. Right now, all I need is for you to relax and let me play.”
Need eclipsed my senses again. That soaked finger of his rimmed around my back entrance, and I quaked even more at his touch. I always thought I was vanilla in the bedroom. Until him. Until his dirty mouth and demands. For Malachi, I’d try anything.
He kissed my backside then reared over me to slide his dick into my pussy, at the same second, pushing the tip of his finger into my ass.
“God,” I bit out at the strange sensation.
“I know I’m your god, but I’d prefer you cry my name.” He thrust into me again, that finger going deeper. “Tell me how it feels.”
“Strange. Good.”
“Good enough for more?”
Reddening, I nodded.
Malachi groaned approval then reached for a small bottle I hadn’t noticed on his bedside table. “Then we need lube,” he explained.
The cap popped, and slippery liquid drizzled onto me.
Malachi held still in my pussy but drove the finger in a circular motion, spreading the lubricant into me. A new and startling wave of desire broke over me, and I clenched around him.
Malachi chuffed and started to fuck me in a slow and steady rhythm, moving his hand in time. He slipped another finger to join the first, stretching me, and going further until pleasure burst from somewhere deep inside.
“Your body wants me in all ways, doesn’t it, angel?”
I moaned as an answer.
“You’re ready for me to fuck this tight little virgin ass and make you come in ways you never knew possible. Do you hear me? I’ll own every hole. Every part of you, just like you own every part of me.”
“Please,” I begged.
When he said things like that, I crumbled. I badly wanted to own him.
He pulled out and fitted the end of his dick to where his fingers had been. Panic laced my pleasure, but I trusted him.
“I’ll start slow. Take the tip like you did with your mouth. Ah, fuck.”
With the help of the lube, he pushed the head of his dick into my ass then held still, panting. “You have no idea how beautiful you look doing this.”
He made me feel powerful. I peeked back at him, breathing through the strange sensations. I didn’t hate it. “More.”
Malachi swore and gently rocked his hips.
“I can take you,” I promised.
He went deeper, praising me with every inch. I wriggled on him, testing what he was doing to me.
“I’m halfway in. You’re fucking amazing.”
He thrust another inch and reached to take a handful of my breast, squeezing me and tweaking my nipple. I grabbed his hand and guided it between my legs.
“God, I love it when you show me what you need. Is this it?” He tapped my clit then rubbed it.
I keened, the report of pleasure rising and rising, starting with my clit and added to by my stretched ass. Malachi swore a blue stream and kept up the action, at the same time, easing into me more until his body was flush to mine.
“You’re doing it. You’re taking me. Fucking hell.”
The praise was so wonderful, yet I couldn’t answer, only moan. Malachi lost control. He fucked me slowly until I bucked against him, my face pressed to the sheets and my body his plaything. I never knew sex could be this good and I couldn’t imagine a world without it.
When I came, it rebounded in multiple places and shattered me into pieces I knew he’d put back together. It felt so good being his. I loved giving him what he needed.
He followed me with a groan, coming inside my ass and claiming me in the way he’d promised.
Then he held me, his heart beating so fast I could feel it on my back. “I love you so fucking much.”
If only I could keep that forever.
* * *
O nce showered and dressed—separately or we’d never have got out—we left for his gym and the sparring he had planned. On the drive into the city, Malachi filled me in on how his schedule worked. I listened as if I had no idea.
He usually only fought two big matches a year, and as his last had been in November, he wouldn’t get back in the ring until March. That didn’t mean he could slack off. Right now, he was on a low exercise regime to recover, though fortunately he wasn’t carrying an injury.
“I’ll introduce you around then get into it with my trainer. I want you ringside with your eyes on me.”
I scooted to the edge of my seat so I could rest against his arm. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be.”
“That’s my sweet angel.”
“I’m not sure I’m so sweet after what you did to me this morning.”
He choked on a laugh. “Talk like that and I’ll have to stop the car and fuck you by the side of the road again.”
I pressed my lips together, unable to recognise myself for how much I loved the idea.
We crossed Deadwater River to the side with my apartment, which we needed to stop in at later, then continued out into the suburbs then beyond to an industrial estate. Malachi parked outside a warehouse with only a small sign that read WARRIOR indicating that it was a sporting venue.
A passcoded door gave us entrance, and Malachi led me down a corridor, passing changing rooms, a small office, and opening into a wide gym.
The scent of sweat and cleaning products lingered in the air. Punching bags hung in a row, and there was a netted sparring ring elevated from the floor. Heads rose at our entrance, and other fighters and staff, both male and female, hailed Malachi’s name. A couple of well-made-up women, who didn’t look like they were here to train, gawked openly.
“Great game,” someone called.
“You fucking legend,” another added. “Got the girl, just like you said.”
I hid my face in Malachi’s arm. “Does everyone know?”
“This is my gym. I don’t hide my challenges and victories. They knew what I had planned.”
I zeroed in on the logos and emblems around the room. ‘The Warrior’ was emblazoned on sweatshirts and on banners.
“The whole gym is yours?”
He gave me a wolfish smile. “I own a whole lot of things, baby. We’ve been locked away together, but there’s a world I need you to see.”
He pointed out a number of men and women who were mid-training and all waved or called out a greeting.
A thick-set older man jogged over, his hair short and grey and his smile infectious. He pumped Malachi’s hand then turned to me. “Ah, sweetheart. Are we glad to see you. It’s about time someone tamed The Warrior.”
I couldn’t help a laugh. “It’s a pleasure, Mr…?”
Malachi jumped in. “My coach, Bill Trainer. That’s his actual name, believe it or not. He’s also about to kick the shit out of me as I haven’t been in the ring since my last fight. Let’s get to it.”
He gave me a very deep, very public kiss, then tossed his bag to a bench and crossed the gym to move into a warmup routine. I found a seat on the bench and did as he asked, keeping my attention on him as he worked through his exercises.
Malachi Hunan as my temporary boyfriend was incredible, but as an athlete, he was a thing of savage beauty. In no time, he’d worked up a sweat, thick muscles pronounced through the effort. I found it hard to drag my gaze off him.
I wasn’t the only one.
One of the women stared at him, too. She was stunning, with luxurious blonde hair in a high ponytail and a cropped t-shirt displaying a toned waist. She clearly felt my gaze on her as she peeked at me then darted her eyes away, her blush deepening.
This, I’d kind of expected. From what I’d watched and what he’d said about his ex, there were sports groupies in the same way that existed for rock bands. I didn’t doubt that Malachi had ex-hookups for days. I didn’t judge him or anyone else for that.
I also wasn’t great at making friends, but right now, I had the chance to make a good first impression with the people he was around every day. Mostly, they looked too scared to come over and talk to me.
Climbing up, I strolled over to where she stood with another woman. “Hi, I’m Emmeline.”
She stopped her whisper and peeked at my outstretched hand, her expression a little nervous. Slowly, she gave me a handshake with cool, manicured fingers. “I’m Tilly. This is Jess.”
She gestured to another woman of about the same age with a similar glossy aesthetic.
“Lovely to meet you. Oh, your nails are so pretty.”
Tilly examined her nails in wonder as if she’d never seen them before. “Thank you? I had them done for December.”
“The snowflakes are to die for. Now, I’m new here, if that wasn’t obvious. I wondered, could you help me out? Is there a coffee machine anywhere? Also, Malachi gave me the names of a few people around but not much else. To be honest, I could probably use a reminder of those if that wouldn’t be too much to ask?”
Tilly’s shoulders went down an inch. “I can do that.”
She gave me a tour of the mostly open space, including pointing out the bathrooms and helping me get a coffee.
Then Tilly joined me on my bench and her friend trotted over, taking the other side. Between them, they named everyone else there, including calling over some of the huge men and women who were training to fight, and clearly proud of their role in helping me out.
Malachi shot me glances every now and again, his lips curving in what looked like approval of me creating a court for myself. Which was exactly how it felt. Like he was royalty here, and being his made me some kind of queen.
Heat spread through me at one particularly sustained moment of eye contact that was only interrupted by Bill punching him in the gut.
Tilly snickered a laugh. “Your boy is enamoured.”
“I hope so. I know I am.” I ducked my head. I hadn’t meant to say so much, but it was nice to share the overwhelming feeling.
She exhaled and stared at me, clearly something on the tip of her tongue. “It’s real, then? What the game delivers? We’ve heard rumours, and it sounds so…intense.”
“It was. I’ve never experienced anything like that before and never will again. What we’ve found is beyond words.”
Both she and Jess sighed in wonder.
It had been a matter of weeks since I’d first heard of Malachi, then met him in the flesh, even if we hadn’t spoken, and only seven days since he’d been mine. But my life had changed completely. There was no going back.
A thought occurred to me that had completely slipped my mind. The very start of this had been me overhearing a conversation at the hospital then telling my best friend about it. Annie had no idea I’d even gone through with it.
I was a terrible friend.
I excused myself for a moment and trotted away to dial her, out the front door, and out of sight of Malachi because I needed the privacy for what I had to say.
Annie didn’t answer so I left a message, ending with an apology. “We had a dinner planned for next weekend. I’m so sorry, but I can’t go through with it. I mean the date part and the man you set me up with. Could you please apologise to Ian on my behalf? I’d love to introduce you to Malachi, though. Could we rearrange things so I can bring him?”
Footsteps thudded, and my huge warrior boyfriend burst through the doors with no small degree of worry across his features. He spotted me and glowered.
My lips parted, and I hung up the phone.
“What did I say about eyes on me?” he snarled.
I waved the phone. “I had to make a call.”
But he wasn’t listening. Malachi was on me in a second and throwing me over his shoulder. He marched me back into the gym with a hand to my backside. “Everyone out unless you want a show,” he yelled.
People scattered.
I shouldn’t be so excited by it. I should’ve thumped him on the back and demand he let me down. Yet as Malachi climbed into the sparring ring and tossed me to the padded floor, all I did was let him.