Fighting For Grace: Worth The Fight Read online

  I pull my shoulders back. “Let me take care of you, Evan.”

  His body goes firm. “I don’t need taken care of.”

  I smile at him, because I would normally say the same thing. But there’s something about him that makes me want to let him. “Let me?”

  He stares at me for a minute and finally nods his head.

  “I’m going to get some ice for your knee. I’ll meet you in your room.”

  Surprise springs to his eyes, but he nods his head.

  When I gather the supplies, I walk into his room and he’s lying back on the bed, propped up on pillows against the headboard.

  I set the tray on the dresser and walk over to him with pain medicine and a glass of water.

  “It’s just Tylenol,” I tell him as he looks at the pills skeptically.

  He takes them both and I set the glass down on the bedside table.

  I reach for the ice pack, wrap it in a small towel, and set it on his knee gently. He opens his arms and I sit down next to him, leaning into his chest.

  “Do you have to fight again?” I ask him.

  He sighs. “I don’t have to, but I want to. It’s what I enjoy.”

  We sit there for a few minutes. I’m running my hand along his taut stomach. His arm tightens around me. I want him, but I don’t know if this is only going to further complicate things or what. I lean my head back and place a kiss on the pulse of his throbbing neck.

  He sucks in a breath, but I don’t stop. I know I’ve made mistakes before, I’ve chosen the wrong man, but I can’t imagine not giving Evan a chance. He’s already proven to be the best man I’ve ever known. And if I only have him one night, so be it. I can live forever with this memory.

  “I want you, Evan,” I whisper against his neck between kisses.

  He tries to hold himself back, I can feel it. When he finally gives in, he picks the ice pack off his knee and throws it across the room. “God help me, I want you too.”

  My heart is beating madly in my chest. We are barely touching each other, but it’s teasing me, enough to cause my heart to race. A whimper escapes me when he pulls me to him.

  There’s no room for second thoughts. His kiss wipes out every doubt I could possibly have. He’s a live wire, zapping me, taking everything I offer him and I’m willing to give it all to him.

  He pulls my shirt off and slides his warm hands across my bra straps, unfastening it and pulling it off my shoulders. I shiver at the light touch of his hand as he cups my fullness in his needy hands. When he strokes his thumbs over my hard peaks, my back arches, pushing myself further into his hands. He leans into me, his warm mouth taking me in as his hands slide gently down my body. His touch is like nothing I’ve ever felt before and before I know it, I’m underneath him naked, his hair-roughened legs sliding against my softer ones.

  He quickly sheds his clothing, tugging at his shorts and shirt until he pulls me against his length. With his hand sliding down between us, he parts my swollen slit, drenching his fingers with my sweet heat. A yearning is building inside me and my legs tremble. But he doesn’t stop. He cups my sex and I shamelessly rub myself against his large hand. I gyrate back and forth, his thumb stroking my swollen clit until I’m rasping for breath and uncontrollably begging him not to stop.

  But he doesn’t. If anything, he pushes me further and further until I’m pulling at him, wanting him closer, riding his hand until I peak and my body flexes in ecstasy.

  He starts to climb on top of me, but I remember the pain in his knee. Pushing him backwards, I climb up top of him until I’m straddling his torso. He moves me then until I’m straddling his swollen cock and he’s sliding into me, inch by aching inch. I open to him, my pussy weeping, wanting him inside me.

  He fills me completely and when I’ve finally adjusted to his girth, I start to move. His hands dig into my hips and he pushes and pulls me until I’m riding his cock, seeking the pleasure that’s building inside of me.

  When my body jerks with the first sign of an orgasm, I freeze over top of him.

  “No. Give it to me, Gracie. I want it,” he grunts against my swaying breasts.

  All at once I feel it, a need like no other that is pushing me, pulling me to the edge of the cliff. I jump then. Full force into oblivion. I bear down on him with an endless shiver, frozen in place, my whole body taut. And only then, when I’m completely satisfied, does he unleash inside me, prolonging my orgasm until I think I will die from the pleasure.

  * * *

  Evan

  Everything I thought I knew is wiped from my mind. I thought I knew what sex was like, but I’ve never had it like that. I look over at Gracie asleep in my arms, and I know right then that I would die right now to protect her. That wasn’t sex that we just had. That was our souls joining together. That was love of the best kind.

  I want to wake her up and have her again. I want to spend the rest of my life buried inside her, tasting her, taking her, loving her.

  I pull her against me and tug the covers up over our naked bodies. I last two hours of lying here holding her until I can’t fight it any longer. I pull her against me, spooning her, my cock resting against the silky skin of her ass. After a few minutes, I separate her thighs, pushing my hardening cock between them.

  Even in her sleep she wants me. Her butt presses against me, seeking my touch. I reach around her then, parting her slick folds. She turns her head and I can see her face in the moonlight shining in through the window. Her beauty takes my breath away.

  I know she’s questioning the look on my face when she says my name curiously. “Evan?”

  I kiss her then, parting her lips with my tongue.

  I fist my girth, pushing into her swollen pussy from behind. She opens to me, taking me in, and I slowly move in and out of her. She rears her ass backwards and spreads her legs wider to accommodate me. She’s moaning, working her hips back and forth until I’m gripping her hips tightly and I have to force myself to soften my hold.

  It isn’t long before I’m filling her with my seed, and we’re groaning our releases. We lie there then, as close as two humans can be. It isn’t until much later that I pull out of her and clean us both up. Her soft snores remind me of everything she’s been through and how worn out she is.

  I make a promise to myself then. I will not let anything happen to her. It’s only been a short time, but I already love her more than I ever thought possible. She’s mine now and there’s nothing that will stand in my way of protecting her… of loving her.

  9

  Gracie

  Days go by and we don’t hear anything from Buck. I should be worrying about everything – a job, money, the whole thing with Buck – but really all I seem to think about is Evan. I’ve woken up in his arms every day since that first night with him. He barely lets me out of his sight unless we’re at his house. I should be complaining, but man, he’s making it easy for me to forget all of my independent ways and lean on him.

  I know that I need to find a job, but every time I mention it, Evan changes the subject. I think he got tired of me asking that and somehow he’s talked Teddy and Maria into hiring me to work the front desk. There’s not much to it, but at least it keeps me busy. And it keeps me close to Evan. He has been teaching me self defense every day and already it has me feeling more confident, more able to protect myself.

  I’ve watched him the last few days and my heart hurts for him. The limitations from his injured knee is killing him and he seems wound pretty tight since he hasn’t been able to locate Buck. I hear the sounds of the men fighting in the ring and I flinch with every punch thrown. I have to admit that I’m glad Evan’s not fighting now. I don’t know how I’ll handle it when he does.

  Evan walks toward me and when he sees my face, he just smiles and shakes his head. “It’s not that bad, Gracie.”

  “I just don’t get it. Why would anyone want to do that to themselves?”

  He looks from the ring and back at me. “I’ve got an idea. How about
you let me take you somewhere tonight?”

  I eye him skeptically. We’ve pretty much only been to the gym and to his house the last few days. I know he’s wanting me to lie low; it’s his way of protecting me. But if he wants to go out, I’m all for it.

  I shrug my shoulders. “Sure. What do you have in mind?”

  He pulls me into his arms. One of the fighters whistles and hollers, “Get a room,” but that doesn’t stop Evan. If anything, he holds me tighter, like he wants everyone to know I belong to him. “Go watch a fight with me. If you see it firsthand, you’ll feel the adrenaline, you’ll see what I’m talking about… well, I think it will help you understand a little more where I’m coming from.”

  My forehead creases and uncertainty fills me. “Is this important to you, Evan?”

  He shrugs his shoulder, but hope flares in his eyes.

  I reach my hand around his neck, pulling his face to mine. “Okay,” I whisper to him right before I touch my lips to his.

  We pull apart just as Teddy and Maria come in. Teddy tsks us, talking about kids today, but not Maria. Oh no, Maria is sure she had something to do with us getting together and she goes on and on telling us what beautiful children we’ll have someday. I always duck my head and act like I’m working when she says it, but today, I look over at Evan and the smile on his face takes my breath away.

  But it doesn’t last long. Teddy slaps him on the back, telling him to get back to work. Evan walks away from me and I can’t take my eyes off his hard, muscled body. He’s pushing himself… hard. He wants to be in tip top shape again and I know why. I know when he does find Buck, there’s going to be a fight. And don’t get me wrong, I want this to end, but I can’t help but worry what is going to come of Evan and me when we don’t have this hanging over our heads.

  * * *

  Evan

  Later that night we walk into the backyard of Papa Pain. He holds underground matches in his back yard. Looking at the place through Gracie’s eyes, I realize it was a mistake bringing her here. The place is electric and the music is blaring. People are everywhere, and once we’re in, I spot Buck and his entourage in the corner. Instantly, my body freezes and my body fills with rage at the sight of him laid back, having a good time.

  Gracie must sense there’s something wrong, because when she follows my gaze and sees Buck, her body freezes and fear fills her face.

  She pulls on my hand trying to get me to leave, but I tug her to a stop. “Gracie, honey.”

  “Did you know he was going to be here?” she demands.

  “No. I didn’t. But we’re not going to run. I’ve watched you all week and I know that this is eating you. I need to take care of this. I need to finish it so we, me and you, can move on. I’m not going to keep having you watching over your shoulder.”

  She’s staring up at me, and love is shining in her eyes. I know she doesn’t want me to do this. I know she thinks with my injury, that maybe I can’t do this. But I know I can. I know that if I have her here with me, I can do anything.

  “Evan, your knee… I don’t want you hurt.”

  I lean down and kiss her then, wanting the taste of her on my lips as I take revenge on the man that has hurt her, threatened her and filled her with fear.

  When we finally part, I promise her that I’ll be okay.

  She wants to argue with me, I know she does. But instead she simply nods her head.

  I spot Grizz in the crowd and wave him over. He’s one of the fighters at the gym and I know I can trust him to keep an eye on Gracie for me. I tell him briefly what I need and then I introduce him to Gracie, give her one more kiss, then walk toward Papa Pain. He’s the ring leader of the backyard brawls and when I tell him what I want, I know he’s going to be thrilled to have a surprise fight.

  After I talk to him, I look over at Gracie and her heart is in her eyes. I have to win this fight for her. I need her to know that I will never let anyone mess with her again. I need her and everyone else to know that she’s mine.

  10

  Gracie

  I watch as Evan talks to the man and he nods his head over and over before patting Evan on the back. The excited look on the man’s face lets me know that this is going to be a big deal, and not just to us.

  Evan walks into an empty pool and it’s then I realize that the fighting takes place there. The music stops when the man gets on the microphone. “You know Papa Pain. I bring you all the big stuff!” The crowd goes silent and starts to gather around the empty pool. Papa Pain draws it out and I can feel the excited electricity beating off everyone around me. “We have a challenge!”

  The crowd roars, cheering and pumping their arms in the air. Papa Pain motions his hands for them to calm down, but you can tell he is eating it up. “Okay, okay. Buck Jamison, you have been requested in center ring. Evan Michaels has issued a challenge to Buck Jamison. Gather ‘round people, this is going to be a good show.”

  All eyes go toward Buck as he walks to the edge of the pool and looks down. The crowd is silent, watching him, waiting on his response. He bangs his fists together and throws them in the air. A “fuck yeah” ignites out of him and he struts to the entrance.

  Once he and Evan are both at the bottom of the pool, Papa Pain gets on his microphone. “All right, you all know the rules… There are no rules, anything goes.”

  I cover my face with my hands. I can’t watch.

  “He’ll be okay.” I look up at Grizz, forgetting that he was standing there the whole time. I nod at him, but don’t say anything else. I can’t.

  “Where are the gloves?” I ask him over the noise of the crowd.

  “This is bare knuckles,” he replies, turning back to the match.

  When the fight starts, I can’t take my eyes off them. They seem to be evenly matched but even so, with every jab and punch I’m cheering when Evan is the giver and grunting when he is the one getting hit. I get so caught up in the match, I don’t notice Buck’s friend Rig until he’s stepped up to me and grabbed my arm. Immediately, Grizz starts to put himself between us but I shake him off. He takes a step back, but doesn’t take his eyes off me.

  Rig tries to pull me again and I do the move that Evan taught me. I pull him toward me by pulling on my arm and I can’t knee him, but I lift my leg and kick him straight in the nuts. He falls to the ground, moaning in pain and Grizz pulls me away. He’s laughing when he says to me, “Remind me to tell Evan to never mess with you.”

  I smile briefly, feeling in control for the first time in a long time. When I look down at Evan, his eyes are on me, concern etched on his face. Buck then punches him in the face since he was watching me instead of him. He goes staggering backwards and I know he hits the concrete of the pool hard.

  I scream, begging him to get up. He’s lying there and every dream I had of a future with him is playing before my eyes. I lay down on the edge of the pool and holler down to him. “Evan, I love you, you have to get up!” I bang my hand against the concrete. “Get up, Evan. I love you!”

  He opens his eyes, and his sight lands straight on me. He smiles broadly and it’s then I know that he heard me. He heard me screaming my love for him at a backyard brawl with a huge crowd that’s going crazy as witnesses.

  He stands up then, and I notice he’s favoring his knee. When Buck comes at him this time, though, he’s ready. Evan steps to the side and catches Buck in a punch, a kick and another punch. He doesn’t stop. He pummels him then like a man fighting with so much to lose. He doesn’t stop until Buck is a bloody mess lying on the bottom of the pool. Papa Pain counts and the crowd counts with him. Evan doesn’t wait, though. He climbs out of the pool and works his way through everyone until he’s standing right in front of me. He doesn’t take his eyes off of me, but he tells Grizz, “I got this. Thanks for your help.”

  Grizz laughs and I hear him mutter before he walks away, “I don’t think she needed it.”

  Evan starts to reach for me and stops himself when he sees the blood covering his hands. He put
s them down to his sides. “Kiss me, baby. I need your lips on me.”

  I cup his jaw in my hands and reach up to kiss him. I put everything I have into that kiss and when I finally pull back, we’re both breathing heavily and the crowd is still cheering.

  He leans his head against mine. “Say it… tell me again.”

  I smile at him cheekily. “What?”

  He reaches behind me, fisting the hair at my nape and forcing my head backwards. “You know what.”

  His eyes search mine and I realize then that this isn’t a game to him. He wants to hear it. He wants me to tell him.

  I thought it would be harder. I’ve been on my own for so long that I didn’t think I could ever love someone else and depend on them. But with Evan it’s easy. “I love you, Evan.”

  He grunts, a manly grunt that vibrates his chest. “Fuck yeah you do. I love you too, Gracie.”

  Epilogue

  Evan

  Standing under the spray of the shower, I watch through hooded eyes as Gracie washes the dirt, sweat and blood from my bruised body. She takes special care in washing me, but when she wraps her fist around my hard girth, I stop her. I walk her out of the shower, drying us both off as I lead her to the bed.

  Pushing her down, I want nothing more than to be between her legs. But she stops me. With a hand to my chest, she shoves me backwards. “Lie down, Evan.”

  I fall backward and watch as her curvy body climbs up on the bed. She sits between my legs and stares up and down my bruised and battered body.

  I know my fighting tonight scared her. I know that watching it was unlike anything she’s ever seen before and it wasn’t easy for her. I know it’s like she feels every punch I take. It would be the same for me. I’m asking a lot of her, because I know I would never be able to watch her get hurt like that.