CHAPTER 8
ACE
I wake up to the feeling of my woman being pressed against me. She snuggles deeper into my side like she can’t help herself. The smile that stretches across my face is so wide that it starts to hurt my cheeks. As much as I hate it, I know I need to get her up for the day.
The tournament is today. I’m up to date on the schedule since I made protecting Quincy my business. I should still turn her ass pink for walking into Donald’s game last night.
But can I really be mad about it?
Considering where I am right now and the contented little sigh Quincy just let out, maybe I can let this one go.
Now the next time she puts herself in danger? All bets are off and that’s a fucking promise.
“Hollywood,” I rumble my nickname for her and nuzzle her neck, trailing kisses along her skin.
She stretches and makes a sound like an engine trying to start up and mumbles, “Not yet.”
I keep kissing her skin as a chuckle rumbles out of my chest. She makes a sound like her body is already begging for more.
“We have time,” she murmurs.
“Of course we have time,” I assure her. “I’m not going to let my woman rush on tournament day. You need to get your head in this and have time to relax and get ready. You also need to eat something,” I insist, my mouth turning down in a frown because I should have fed her last night.
Quincy rolls over to face me and giggles when she looks at the scowl on my face. “It’s kind of adorable that you get all gruff and growly because you want to take care of me,” her voice is soft as she runs her fingers along my beard covered jaw.
“I do, you know,” I whisper the words, afraid to say them too loudly.
I’ve never really cared about taking care of anyone other than myself and my brothers. This is all new territory for me, and I’ll do my best not to fuck it up. While trying to understand Cowboy and the love he found with Brielle, I’ve been watching him closely.
You could call it scientific observation, if you want to, but I honestly didn’t get it. Why did he want to treat Brielle like a queen when he didn’t do the same with the woman who carried his baby, even if she was trying to trap him?
I had to dissect it and try to understand it.
But I was never going to understand. I see that now.
Not before Quincy stepped into that room last night. Now I understand it all perfectly.
“I know,” her tone matches mine, like saying anything too loud right now could ruin the fragile peace of the morning.
Her fingertips run along my shoulders and my muscles twitch at the contact. The smile on her face is one which holds a multitude of secrets. I want to be privy to each and every one.
“Will you,” her words are tentative, like she’s afraid to voice them, “come to the tournament?” She closes her eyes briefly before opening them and meeting my gaze.
“I’m sure I can get you tickets.” The way her eyebrows pull together in confusion is adorable as fuck.
“Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how to get you tickets, but I’m sure I can call the guy who was here when I arrived and ask him. ”
“Don’t worry about it,” my voice is rough; every moment I’m this aware of the way her body molds to mine is testing my control.
Her face drops in disappointment and my heart fucking stops. For probably far longer than is medically advised.
“Right, of course,” she sounds so damn dejected and it causes my chest to ache.
“Whatever you’re thinking I meant, you’re wrong,” I rumble.
The tentative way she meets my gaze cracks something in me. Until this moment, I didn’t realize how truly broken down by her life she is. Not until right fucking now.
I’m about to lose my fucking mind from the pain I see swimming in her dark brown eyes. She tucks strands of hair behind her ear as if the movement could hide her.
The thing is, what she hasn’t realized, is I’ll always see her. Even when she’s trying to hide.
My voice is softer as I tell her, “I just meant I don’t need you to get me tickets, Hollywood.” Her eyes widen with surprise as I smirk. “I’ve got connections in this town. I had tickets the same day I found out you’d be playing.”
Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, and she gapes at me for a moment before she gets herself under control.
“You already have tickets?” When I nod, the look on her face turns contemplative.
“I guess that makes sense. I noticed how people nodded at you last night as we were walking through the hotel, like they knew and respected you.”
I shrug my shoulder and tug her gorgeous body just a little bit closer, even though we’re practically touching from head to foot.
“I already told you my club owns Elysium. It’s one of the more exclusive casinos.
Membership is required to play at our tables, but there is a club everyone can get into.
Still, it’s the casino that really drives the business. ”
“So,” her voice turns sultry, “you’re kind of a big deal around here, then, huh?”
“I don’t know that I’d go that far,” I scoff, but my woman is smiling at me and no longer believes I don’t want to be there for her while she’s playing. That is a fucking win as far as I’m concerned. “But I know people in the right places and am willing to use those connections when it suits me.”
Her eyebrows pull together and I already know she’s thinking big thoughts. I watch as her face changes with whatever she’s thinking, just taking her in for a long moment.
“What’s going on in that head of yours, Hollywood?” I can’t help but ask the question and her eyes snap to mine before she gives me a sheepish smile.
“You don’t need me,” she whispers the words like a confession. I rear back from her slightly and she grimaces. “I just mean you have your own notoriety, your own place in the world that has nothing to do with me. There’s nothing I can bring to the table that you don’t already have yourself.”
“Were you worried it was any other way?” I can’t keep the slight edge of hurt out of my voice, even though it probably isn’t fair for me to feel it.
Her hand comes up to rest on my cheek, and I allow myself a moment just to soak up her touch. Fuck, I don’t ever think I’ll get tired of the way it causes tingles to cover my skin.
“It’s not because of you. I’m sorry I learned not to trust people long before I sat next to you at that game,” she sighs and I can see the apology in her eyes.
“I learned a long time ago I can’t trust people’s intentions for the most part.
I’m not even sure I can trust the people on my team, the people who I pay to be close to me. ”
“That has to feel impossible,” my words are slow, my mind trying to process what she’s telling me, not just her words, but the meaning underneath them.
“It’s one of the things which has been bothering me lately about my life.
I’m surrounded by people, but none of them care about me beyond what I pay them to care about.
Margot was a great friend, but those aren’t always easy to maintain in this business, in that town.
She’s in Denver now and she’s so damn happy,” her voice breaks slightly and it shatters something in me.
“You can be happy for someone else and want what they have too,” I murmur, saying something out loud I hadn’t even allowed myself to admit.
Because I wasn’t just studying Cowboy and Brielle trying to understand it. I was watching because I wanted it. Not with Brielle, but with someone.
Now I know who.
Her eyes find mine and soften. “Exactly and I am so happy for her. She deserves the life she’s built for herself and the love she’s found.
Her family is adorable and I would never begrudge her that.
But for me it’s different. You know,” she pauses, her mouth twisting to one side before she speaks again, “even when you date other people in the industry, they might be using you. Or at least they see and understand the benefit when you’re together.
It feels manipulative and I’m just over the whole thing. ”
“But I don’t need you in any capacity other than finding you to be the most intriguing,” I tug some of the sheet away from her body and her eyes round, “blindingly brilliant,” I tug a little more, “and goddess level gorgeous woman I have ever met.”
Quincy sucks in a breath and I love the hitch. It’s the same feeling I get when the river hits and it’s exactly what I need. The cards falling perfectly at the right time.
I look deep into her eyes, my voice firm, “I’ll never use you, Quincy, and you better fucking believe I’ll destroy anyone who tries that shit. You can do whatever you want. If you want to build a different life, I’m there.”
“Just like that?”
One side of my mouth tips up and I roll us. Her limbs wrap around me and cradle me like we’ve done it a thousand times.
Maybe in a different lifetime.
“Just like that,” I grunt. Her smile is luminous and I growl softly. “Now, I’m going to fuck you and then we’re ordering room service. I’m going to make sure you eat before this tournament, and you better fucking believe that I’ll be there. Front row, Hollywood.” I wink at her.
“You’ve got it all planned out, huh?” I fucking love the challenge in her brown eyes.
I reach between us and plunge two thick fingers inside of my woman, finding her already soaking wet. I groan out my pleasure. “Always ready for me,” I growl.
After pumping my fingers inside of her, watching the way her eyes glaze over with lust when I circle her clit with my thumb, I replace them with the crown of my cock.
With rapt attention I watch the way her golden hair fans across the pillow as she arches her back while I slowly push my way inside her pussy.
Her walls cling to me, begging me to never pull out of her.
If fucking only.
“Look at you,” I grit out, “taking my cock so fucking well.”
I can’t keep the desperation out of my voice, and I don’t want to. It’s what this woman does to me. She makes me desperate; she makes me hungry.
Only for her.
The truth of it echoes through me. I fuck her hard and deep, the glide of my shaft as I pull out of her slowly before I plunge back in is maddening. My thrusts are punishing.
I know it.
And she fucking loves it.
Quincy writhes underneath me, her eyes rolling back in her head as her nails dig deeper into my back before scraping down.
Marking me. I gnash my teeth together, one lip curling up as I fuck her harder, my hips ramming forward, the sound of our bodies slapping together loud in the quiet of the room.
“You love my cock, don’t you?”
“Oh, fuck,” she groans, the sound coming from the back of her throat and it goes straight to my fucking balls. “Yes,” her voice is breathy, “I love your cock.”
“That’s right,” I growl.
“Please,” she whimpers.
I fuck her harder and faster and feel the way her body is tensing around me. She’s close. Fuck.
“Need to feel you squeeze my cock,” I rasp the words and moan at the way her heat wraps around me. “I can feel how close you are.”
“Hawkins,” she keens her hands gripping my ass, her fingers flexing with every thrust.
Her hips move to meet my movements, our moans mixing every time I’m filling her completely. I can feel the way her arousal drips down and coats my balls. The wet slapping sound as I plunge inside of her is fucking sinful.
I love it.
“Tight,” I growl. “So fucking wet.”
“Please,” her voice is strained.
“You’re going to come all over my cock. I need to feel you come because there’s nothing like the way your body begs for my cum,” I grunt the words.
I reach between us and flick her clit.
She fucking explodes and the only thing I can do is stare at her in awe as I pump inside of her, prolonging her orgasm.
Fuck, knowing her pleasure is mine, knowing I pushed her into oblivion, is fucking everything. My balls draw up and I know I’m not going to be able to hold back.
“Fuck, the way your sweet pussy squeezes my shaft,” I grunt. “Your greedy pussy is going to soak up my cum.”
“Fill me up,” she breathlessly begs.
And that’s all it takes. I slam into her a few more times before letting out a roar of satisfaction as I pump my load deep inside of my woman’s pussy.
We’re panting and messy when I kiss her. It’s sweet and surprisingly soft considering I’m still buried balls deep inside of her. She kisses me back, showing me a piece of myself I didn’t even know was there.
Softness.
Sweetness.
Only for her.
“Okay, Hollywood,” I murmur against her lips. “Time to feed you. It won’t be long before you’ll be raking in the chips.”
My woman giggles and I can’t help but kiss her one more time. She might not be willing to trust it, not yet, but she’ll figure out soon enough that I’m not letting her go.