Chapter 8
ACE
The moment I step into the stadium, I know I shouldn’t have come. I should have created an excuse, pretended I was sick, anything to stay home. Even if this game is so important. Even if I might screw my team up.
I should not have left her.
Then I tell myself it’s nothing. I should move on, put it out of my head, and do my best in the game.
No use. With every passing second, the weariness inside me grows.
Twenty minutes into the game, I race to the coach, come up with the lamest excuse ever, and I run out of the stadium.
I hear the screams, the questions. The flash of the photographers chases me out of the place as people ask me what’s wrong. There’s no point in trying to explain.
I need to see her. Right now.
I jump into my car and drive out of the stadium, burying my foot in the gas pedal to get home faster.
This might be foolish. I might enter the place to find her lounging on the couch, reading a book or drawing.
Doesn’t matter. I need to see her. Leaving the car door open in the garage, I run to the elevator and pace from side to side as the metal box takes me up.
When the doors open, I know I made the right decision.
A man steps out of my place, a white gown under an arm.
Ivy’s cries hit me like a truck, making me stumble.
Holy shit, what’s happening? What is this fucker doing to her?
I watch her step out of the apartment, his hand gripping her arm tight, tears streaming down her face.
She looks up, her gaze locking with mine, and there’s so much pain in her orbs it shatters me.
I move, fire burning inside me. Pulling an elbow back, I punch the fucker, dragging her even before he turns to glance in my direction. He’s smaller than me and perhaps I shouldn’t be this violent with someone older, but nothing stops me. I can’t fucking believe he touched her.
Another punch. He hits the wall. “Do. Not. Touch. Her,” I roar, every word followed by a new punch.
The man coughs blood, dropping to his feet.
He lets her go. Ivy stumbles into the living room.
My chest heaves as I try to calm myself down.
If I don’t, I’ll kill him in front of her, and she’d hate that. “Who are you? How did you get here?”
“This is Eaton,” Ivy replies in a fearful whisper, and though she never named the man she’s engaged to, I’m sure this is him. He acts like he owns her. He acts like she and the freaking ugly dress have the same value.
It fucking infuriates me.
I whirl around, ready to kick him when a second elevator door opens.
Victor steps out of it, and the second he sees the scene ahead of him, his jaw drops.
“What’s going on?” he cries out, racing to the man in front of me.
Once he makes sure the man is alive, he glares up at me.
“What the fuck are you doing? Have you gone mad?”
“He was kidnapping Ivy,” I spit back, my hands shaking.
“He only came to get her!”
“She didn’t want to leave.”
“I didn’t,” Ivy agrees, still clinging to the doorjamb. “And he made me.”
Victor gets to his feet, shaking his head. “You’ll ruin everything, Ivy! This guy was the only one willing to marry you. Why do you have to ruin every chance Mom and Dad give you?”
My brows drop over my nose. “Victor. What the fuck are you saying? They never asked for her opinion.”
“She doesn’t know what’s good for her,” is his lame excuse. He helps Eaton up. “Come on, Ivy. Don’t make me drag you.” And he makes to grip her arm.
I step in between, glaring at him. “Get out of here,” I spit.
He pulls his hand back. Wise. “She’s my sister.”
“She’s not going with you if she doesn’t want to.”
“What the fuck, Ace? You don’t care about her. You don’t need to keep her any longer. I’m sure she was a bother and...”
“The woman of my life is not a bother, I can assure you,” I say, trying to sound rational, but it comes out full of rage.
I can’t put away the image of them trying to drag her out, the sight of tears on her face.
Victor’s eyes go round and he opens his mouth to complain but I shake my head once in warning.
“Get out of here. She will not leave if she doesn’t want to. ”
Victor stammers. “But... the wedding.”
“Call it off. She ain’t marrying him. And consider yourselves lucky I won’t call the cops on you for breaking in.” And I whirl around and enter my apartment, closing the door behind me.
Ivy looks up with wide, glittering eyes. She swallows. “I have so many questions.”
Bending, I pick her up in my arms and carry her to the couch. “Ask them away.” Once I’m sitting, I put her on my lap and wipe her tears away.
“Where were you? I thought you left so they could come to get me.”
“Never. I had a game.”
“Oh. And who won?”
“I don’t know. I felt something was wrong, so I dropped it and came after you.”
She gasps. “Really? You didn’t... have to...”
I arch an eyebrow. “You sure? Because it looked like you needed some help.”
She shrugs, but a small smile teases her lips. “Okay. Maybe you’re right...” Her smile disappears. “Ace, it won’t be this simple. My parents won’t leave me in peace.”
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll fight them together.”
“Why?”
I chuckle, pinching her chin between two fingers. “Didn’t you hear me? You’re the woman of my life. From the moment I put my eyes on you in the bakery, there was something different. You can say there was a calling. There’s no way I’m letting them take you from me now.”
She snuggles closer, her arms around my neck. “Really?”
I nod and bring her closer. “Call me a jerk, but I was afraid of what was going to happen. That you’d want to leave. That you’d find out who I am, not like it, and go back home.”
“Never. I would never do that.”
“I know. Now I know. We’re made for each other.” And I smile, staring into her eyes and seeing our futures there. “I love you so much. Things happened fast, but you made me fall like never before. You have me, Ivy. All of me.”
She sighs, then kisses me. Her sweet lips are everything I need. “I love you, too. So much. I was afraid you didn’t fuck me because you were going to kick me out.”
I chuckle. “God, no. I didn’t want to do anything that you’d regret.”
Her brows climb her forehead. “I’d never regret that. Quite the opposite. I’ve been dying to do it with you.”
My cock hardens, poking her butt. “We can solve that right now.”
She smiles and nods. I pick her up again and walk her to the bedroom, her lips exploring my jaw. Once I put her down on the mattress, I take my time undressing her. Thank God I can finally buy her all the clothes. She won’t have to use the same set over and over.
I knead on her perfect breasts and unhook her bra to see the perfection of her nakedness.
Hard nipples beg for attention and I lather them with it.
Beautiful Ivy parts open for me as I kiss down her stomach.
I get rid of her panties and eat up her pussy.
Shit, I’ll never tire of the sweet taste of her.
Once she’s come undone once, I ditch my clothes and let her explore my chest with her hands as I kiss her plump lips.
“You sure...” I start to ask, but she cuts me off.
“Yes. Take me already.”
How could I ever deny it?
I spread her open and angle my fat cock with her entrance.
Restraining the best I can, I kiss her some more and flick her clit with a finger.
She comes apart again, and I allow myself to buck.
My cockhead pops in, and Ivy digs her nails into my shoulders.
Pain crosses her face, and I can’t bear seeing it.
I kiss her again, massaging her clit until she’s all relaxed and ready for me.
Another inch, then one more. I sink slowly into her, giving her time to get used to it.
Once she drops her head back, eyes fluttering closed in desire, I know I can move.
Gripping her hips tight, I pound into her heat, letting the pleasure take me in.
We kiss as we become one, and the softness of her body is all I feel.
My blood burns and my mind goes fuzzy, and the one thing I see is her.
She is the woman of my life, no mistake. I want to do this every single day of our existence.
I fuck her harder. Ivy moans my name, clinging to my shoulders.
She parts her lips, eyes burning for me.
When I paint her insides white, she comes apart with the fierceness of a hurricane.
But I don’t stop. I keep pumping until I’ve dragged a second and a third orgasm from her.
Only after she’s exhausted do I stop, picking her up and walking her to the bathroom.
After cleaning up, I sit her inside the tub and join her for a soak.
The game? I don’t even think about it. It’s all about her now. Now and for the rest of my days.