Chapter 26
MARTINA
My heart ricochets against my ribs. “What?”
“You and me in this room again.”
“What do you mean? You just said—”
“I just said I wanna be with you, but not here in some sleazy room where a hundred other guys have been. I want you special, sprawled out for me in my bed.”
I huff out a long-held breath. “I thought . . . never mind.”
He pulls me close and nuzzles my neck. “Let’s go upstairs and celebrate the right way.”
He pulls me up off the couch, and in another second, he cradles me in his arms. The overall strength of this man is crazy. He pushes through the door, and the bouncer gives us a look but says nothing. We make our way through the back of the club toward the hallway.
“Hey, Diesel,” Maxie calls out, “make sure you treat our girl right.”
I laugh at Maxie and Marisol standing with their hands on their hips, in full mama bear mode.
Diesel rolls his eyes. “You got nothing to worry about with those two looking out for you.”
He practically jogs up the flight of stairs like I weigh nothing, unlocks his door and heads straight for the bedroom. He lays me on the bed, then hovers over me. “I was so proud of you tonight winning your first fight.”
“Really?”
“Shit, yeah. You were fire in the cage. You moved like lightning. She couldn’t even get close. You fuckin’ took her out.”
“It was amazing. Not just winning, but being in there by myself, fighting for myself and using all my techniques and the skills Maxie taught me. I felt alive and powerful.”
“Good feeling, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“And I’m about to make you feel good all night.”
“That sounds like an interesting promise.”
He makes fast work of shrugging off his cut, laying it on the chair, tugging his t-shirt over his head and pushing his jeans over his hips until they hit the floor.
“Gotta love a man who goes commando.” Before Diesel, I had no idea humans were actually built this way. Aside from his enormous cock, the definition and contour of his muscles is . . . yup, no words.
In one smooth move, he slides onto the bed with me, peels my tank top up and over my head, then nods. “Cool shirt.”
“Maxie gave it to me tonight. She said I would’ve gotten it after my first fight whether I won or lost.”
“You deserve it, either way. You’ve put everything you’ve got into training hard, and that always makes a winner, even if you lose in the cage.”
I cup his jaw. “I like that.”
“Fuckin’ true, babe. There are lots of ways to win.”
“Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me.”
“Same way I feel about you. You’re constantly blowing me away with your fearlessness.”
He flips me over until I’m straddling his hips, then he drags me over his bulge. “See what you do to me?” He slides his hand up my back and pulls me to him. “I can’t resist you.”
He licks his lips, then flicks his tongue over my pebbled nipple. He hums against the sensitive flesh, and my hips grind over him like it’s survival—and right this minute, it is.
I look away, but he tilts my chin back. “Don’t look away. Eyes on me and all the pleasure I’m giving you.”
I couldn’t deny it or him. This man could light me up like no other.
He licks at my nipple, then sucks hard, and something inside me breaks. My hips gyrate faster, and my fingers dig into his shoulders like a lifeline.
“It’s too good.” Tears prick my eyes. “This can’t be real.”
“I’ve never been more real in my life, babe. And neither have you.”
He undoes the button and zipper of my jeans. “Stand up.”
I stand on the mattress with my feet on either side of him, and he peels my jeans over my legs. I step out of them, and he flings them to the floor.
He runs his palms up my legs, gazing at me. “You are so fuckin’ beautiful, and you’re all mine.”
I straddle him again, and his middle finger finds my center. He plays with my nub, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger. I rise up onto my knees, moaning, needing more, wanting more.
“Fuck, babe, you’re soaked for me.” The rasp of his voice hits me deep.
He works me with the heel of his hand while his thick finger curls up onto my G-spot.
“Fuck, babe… you feel that?” He grinds against me, and I swear the whole room disappears. He hooks his finger and presses deeper. My thighs clench, my knees shake, head spins, and my insides pulse and clench around his hand. My breath saws in and out of my lungs, but I need more—much more.
His mouth presses against my skin. “You okay?” His voice is gravel-soft, and I know we’re far from done.
I reach between us and circle his pulsing thickness. Hot and ready and everything I want—now.
His eyes connect with mine. “I need you.”
Those three words like a plea and a promise all wrapped up in one.
He digs a condom out of his pocket, sheaths himself, then grips my hips and slams me over him. The sensation is electrifying and potent. He fills me up, and I take every inch, needing more of him and knowing it will never be enough.
I buck against him, riding him to the edge. My body contracts with each thrust. I love how we fit together, move together. Perfect passion.
Diesel cups my face with his hand. “I’ll never hurt you, but I’ll wreck you for anyone else.”
I grind and shake against him, then whisper, “I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
His eyes narrow, his voice low and deadly, “Damn fuckin’ straight.”
He thrusts up into me over and over, and I take every inch knowing I will never feel this with anyone else but Diesel. I groan out my passion when my body lets go again and again. Shivers and electric jolts trip through my veins.
He throws his head back and howls at the ceiling, shouting, “You’re mine, mine.”
His hips slow, I collapse against his chest, and he gathers me in his arms, still inside me. We stay that way, my head pressed against his chest. His heart beats fast and strong.
“I don’t think I can move,” he whispers.
“I don’t think I want to move.”
After a few long minutes, he rolls me to his side. He threads his fingers through my hair, a smirk plastered over his face. “Ya know, there are gonna be a few things we have to work out when we’re in the gym together.”
“Like?” I narrow my eyes.
“I’m gonna treat you like any other fighter.”
“So that means you have to stop checking out my ass every chance you get.”
Diesel rolls his eyes. “Only if you stop checking out mine.”
“What?”
“Shit, I see you looking at me when I’m in the ring sparring.”
“Busted.” I laugh around the word.
“And when we’re alone, you have to keep my cock happy.” He squeezes me tighter. “And I have to keep you wet at all times.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of pressure.”
“Nah, not since you’re all I think about whether we’re in the gym, at The Tropics or snuggled up in my bed.”
“Mmmm, now that sounds nice. The snuggled-up-in-bed part.” I cock my elbow and rest my head in my hand. “You’re the first person to ever make me feel safe.”
“You’re the first person to ever make me feel worthy of something good.”
“Not to sound like a bad Hallmark movie, but I guess you could say we complete each other.”
“Corny, but true.” Diesel rolls me under him. “And now, I’d like to complete you in another way.”
I narrow my eyes. “So soon?”
He hovers over me. “Baby girl, when I’m with you, my cock is in a constant state of pain and pleasure.”
“Well, I can’t have my man in pain.”
He fills me again, and my body responds, loving the scent, strength and overall presence of this magnificent man.
After falling into the deepest sleep I think I’ve ever experienced, I wake to the delicious smell of fresh-brewed coffee.
Luckily, Diesel’s addiction to coffee mirrors mine.
He even grinds special beans he finds at an outdoor market a few blocks away.
Then he brews them in one of those coffee machines that costs as much as a new laptop.
I roll out of bed, throw on one of his t-shirts, inhale his scent and know everything is right with my world.
I make my way down the short hallway, and stop short when I hear him on the phone.
I refuse to make this mistake again, so I have two choices.
Make my presence known or go back into the bedroom.
As I’m making this split-second decision, Diesel says, “I don’t care how you do it, I don’t want Martina to know about it.”
Why does he have to make doing the right thing so hard?
I turn toward the bedroom, and he follows it up with, “Yeah, that sounds good.” Then he says, “She’ll never know about it, and that’s how I wanna keep it.”
Silence on his end, then, “You do this for me, and I promise you something real special.”
Now I’m leaning against the wall for support as my mind spins with crazy scenarios.
“Whatever you do, don’t tell Martina. Just make sure this stays between you and me.”
The call ends, and I’m still plastered against the hallway wall. I can’t un-hear what I just heard, and I can’t admit to eavesdropping again, so I yawn loudly, then shout, “Wow, that coffee really smells good.”
“Hey, I didn’t know you were up.” He shoves the phone in his pocket.
That’s because I was hiding in the hallway.
He busies himself pouring me a mug of coffee. Does he seem nervous, or am I projecting?
He hands me the cup with a nervous smile, and I’m tempted to just spit out what I heard, but maybe I misunderstood. Maybe he’s not going to kick me to the curb again.
He finishes his cup of coffee, puts the mug in the sink, and his phone buzzes. He swipes at the screen, darts a look at me, then disconnects the call.
I cock my head, and he says, “Stupid spam calls.”
I call bullshit in my head but say nothing.
“I gotta go out for about a half hour.”
“Okay.”
He rushes out of the kitchen, and five minutes later, he returns dressed and heads for the door. “I won’t be long.”
The minute the door closes, I speed-dial Maxie, and the minute she answers, I say, “He’s breaking up with me again.”
“What?” I hear the rustling of sheets and realize she might still be in bed with Blood. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
“No, what’s the matter?”
“Diesel and I were together last night, and he just flew out of here.”
“Okay.”
“And there’s something else. I heard him on the phone talking to someone—maybe a woman. And he said, ‘Don’t tell Martina. Let’s keep this between you and me.’”
“Huh, well, that could mean—”
“That he’s breaking up with me.”
“Not really.”
“You don’t believe it’s innocent either,” I counter.
“Just don’t spiral. Let me get dressed, and I’ll come over.”
I should’ve told her not to, but I was desperate, and I was spiraling. Big time.