Fight (23 page)

“
Easy
now,
”
Aldo said.
“
See, we
’
re not supposed to accept any kind of family that
doesn
’
t have the rich blood
of our heritage. Any kind of mixing? What a fucking shame. But there
’
s always an exception to things.
In this case, if Endo were to die
…
I have no other children, so the closest I
’
ve
got to keeping my legacy, my name, was Autumn.
”

“
What
are you saying?
”
I asked.

“
The
night of the fight. It cost me a lot more than some cash on the actual fight.
It cost me my son. My only son. But it had to be done.
”

“
You
killed your own son?
”

“
I
didn
’
t kill him,
”
Aldo said.
“
Skull X did.
”

“
Ray,
”
I whispered.
“
Christ, that
’
s what he was saying. I shot
him, Aldo. I shot him out of respect for Endo
…”

Aldo put a hand to my face.
“
No. You did for me. For my
family. And now my family can continue to live and survive. It
’
s tragic what happened to my
son. But he has a child to bear the name. Some of the blood.
”
Aldo grinned.
“
And it
’
s you who did it all for me, Tripp. The only man I
could trust with such a heavy burden.
”

“
Trust,
”
I said.
“
You trust me?
”

“
Of
course I do. That
’
s why I
sent you. I knew you
’
d
figure something out. I knew you
’
d
find a way inside Winter
’
s
panties.
”
Aldo stepped
back.
“
Don
’
t get mad at me for saying it.
Because it
’
s true. You
figured it all out.
”

“
Well,
whether it matters or not, I love her,
”
I said.
“
And if you kill
her, you better kill me.
”

“
I
should kill you for losing that fight,
”
Aldo said.
“
But it was my
doing. I cost you the fight. So how can I kill you? What kind of man would that
make me?
”

“
A
murderer,
”
Winter said.

“
Exactly.
”
Aldo turned toward Winter.
“
And you, beautiful Winter. Tripp
says you knew nothing. You were just a sidelined casualty to everything.
”

“
It
’
s true,
”
Winter said.
“
I
can tell you anything you want to know. I have nothing to hide from the world.
”

“
And
you love Tripp?
”

“
Yes.
I do.
”

Aldo nodded.
“
So I
’
m going to lose my best fighter.
”

“
I
never said that,
”
I said.
“
Just don
’
t kill Winter.
”

“
So
if I offered you one favor,
”
Aldo said.
“
Anything in the
world. A million dollars. A mansion. Never the need to fight again. One thing,
Tripp.
”

“
I
want Winter,
”
I said
without hesitation.

“
She
means that much?
”

“
More
than anything you could ever understand,
”
I said.

“
Done,
”
Aldo said. He grabbed another
glass and poured scotch. He sipped and nodded to both me and Winter.
“
Salut. I
’
m going to be leaving for the evening. The house is
yours. Tomorrow, I want you to get your keys and get out of here. Take a
vacation, Tripp. I
’
ll be
out of town myself. I have to get Andrea and Autumn somewhere safe.
”

“
They
’
re alive?
”
Winter yelled.

“
Yes,
”
Aldo said.
“
Of course they are.
”
He smiled.
“
While you were fucking around
with Skull X, I had my guys get them.
”

“
You
set that entire thing up?
”
I asked.

“
Nobody
fucks with my family, Tripp. Ever. Have a good night.
”

Aldo slowly walked from the room.

I stood frozen and listened to the
door open and close. I turned, just in time for Winter to jump into my arms.

38.

(Winter)

We kissed.

I thought it would never happen
again. My lips touched Tripp
’
s.
Our tongues gently came together. My hands tore at his shirt, playing with his
hair. My body lost all its control as my hips grind against him, wanting him.

“
Fuck,
darling,
”
he said as I kept
kissing him.
“
You need to
calm down.
”

“
Then
make me,
”
I teased.

That was all I needed to say.

Tripp turned and rushed to a door.
He opened it and, lucky enough, it was a bedroom door. He kicked the door shut
with a hard thud and locked it.

He took me right to the bed and put
me down. His lower half pressed hard to my body, the rest of his body hovering
over me. His right hand climbed up my shirt, cupping my breast. His other hand
on the bed, holding himself up.

I put my hands to the back of his
hair and pulled him down. I needed to taste his mouth again. His wicked and
amazing tongue darted all around my mouth, sending tingling signals to all the
right places in my body.

Slowly, his hand crept from my
breast and around to my back. I arched my back and he unclasped my bra. He then
pulled away and sat me up, taking my shirt off and letting my bra fall forward.
I sat there topless, hands on the bed, slightly leaning back.

“
Off,
”
I purred at him.

Tripp ripped his shirt off. When I
saw his shoulder, I gasped. I jumped up, my boobs bouncing, my eyes focused on
the cut from the knife.

“
Your
shoulder
…”

“
It
’
s fine for now,
”
he said.
“
I
’
ll
patch it up later.
”

I gently touched the wound and
stared into his eyes.
“
Does
it hurt?
”

“
Nothing
hurts when I
’
m with you,
darling.
”

I melted everywhere. My panties
were getting wet.

I reached forward and grabbed his
jeans, quickly opening them. My hands touched his hard stomach muscles and I
slipped down into his jeans, pushing them right down. I wasted no time in
moving my hand around his thickening cock, tugging at him, finally feeling okay
with the world.

“
Fuck,
”
Tripp groaned.

He brought his mouth down to my
neck and climbed down to my chest. His mouth and tongue slid over my left
breast, circling around my nipple, then suckling until I cried out.

I squeezed at his dick until he
groaned.

Then we looked at each other and
smiled.

Fuck, I had never experienced a
love like this before.

I took my hand off his body and
stepped back. My legs hit the bed and I stopped. I reached for my own jeans and
opened them. I shoved my hands along the side of my jeans and panties and
pushed them down. As I leaned forward, Tripp
’
s
big and strong fighter hands were there to cup my breasts. I was so tender and
achy, my breasts and sex connected in such a wild way.

I stepped out of all my clothes and
put my hands to Tripp
’
s
waist. I pulled at him, bringing him to me. I fell back to the bed, his hands
quick to grab at my back as he eased me down. He came forward with a beautiful
force, touching me, thrusting, entering me.

The sudden jolt stole my breath and
I cried out in a dry voice. I shut my eyes and put my head back. I felt Tripp
’
s mouth against my neck, down to
my chest again. My hands slowly reached for the covers, curling around them,
bracing myself.

He thrust again, finishing me off
that quick, holding deep as my pussy tightened around him. I pulsed with a warm
gush, whimpering at the rush of pressure.

“
Oh,
darling,
”
he whispered, his
hot breath against my right breast.
“
You
’
re fucking coming already.
”

“
I
can
’
t help it,
”
I said.

I rocked my hips, wanting him
again. Tripp slowly pulled back and thrust forward again. He eased himself into
fucking me, allowing my body to react to his touch the way it needed to. I was
a mess for him and I loved it.

As he fucked me harder and faster,
one of his hands cupped behind my head, keeping my mouth close to his. His
other hand cupped at my ass, holding me right where he wanted me. He loved me,
he fucked me,
he had all of me.

The sound of his body pounding in
and out of me, our bodies hitting together, the wetness, the groans, sighs,
whimpers, and grunts
…
it
was easily the hottest sex of my life. My nails dug at his back, slid down to
his ass, pulling at him.

“
Harder,
”
I groaned.
“
Fuck, Tripp, harder.
”

He gave it to me harder. Each
thrust threw me back on the bed more. When I started to get a little out of
reach, he paused for a split second to climb up on the bed. He was then before
me, on his knees, his hands touching my inner thighs. He held my legs open and
picked right up where he left off. Pumping and thrusting, bringing a pleasure
upon my body that left me shuddering and burning, unable to figure out when my
climaxes began and ended.

Tripp grunted as he slowed just a
little.

He was getting ready to go.

I touched his chest, then moved up
to his face. I held his face and pulled, wanting to kiss him as he came inside
me.

But then Tripp had a wild move of
his own.

He pulled out of my tender body and
pulled me on top of him. I cried out as I rolled right over, now on top of him.
My hands were at his chest. His hands were at my ass. He guided his cock right
back to me and thrust up, burying deep inside me. He then lifted and lowered me
on him, until I took over. I fucked and rocked against him hard, desperate to
feel him release.

I lowered my mouth to his with a
sense of control. I felt his cock getting more and more ready by the second
until he started to come. That
’
s
when I came down on him and just held there, moving my hips left to right.

Tripp hissed and bit at my neck,
kissing me, groaning each time my pussy squeezed against his pulsing shaft. I
couldn
’
t stop rocking
against his body. I then collapsed completely down to him, losing everything to
Tripp. His arms went around me and he held me tight.

“
You
’
re amazing, darling,
”
he whispered to me.
“
I
’
ll
protect you forever.
”

I groaned and kissed Tripp
’
s neck.

I shut my eyes and fell asleep. In
the arms of the man I loved. The man who protected me.

~ ~ ~

I woke up and was alone in bed. I
threw the covers off and grabbed my clothes. A sense of dread went through my
body. I didn
’
t trust anyone
in the world except Tripp.

I opened the bedroom door and crept
out. I looked to my left and saw Tripp standing on the balcony. He was alone.

I sighed and smiled. A weight
lifted off my shoulders.

I opened the door and joined him
out on the balcony.

“
Morning,
darling,
”
he said without
looking back.

I slipped my arms around his body
and squeezed.
“
Morning. I
love you, Tripp.
”

“
I
love you,
”
he said.
“
Now we have to figure out where
to go. Together.
”

39.

(Tripp)

I stood at the car and waited for
Aldo. He finally showed, in a black car, as always. Someone opened the back
door for him and he climbed out. He adjusted his tie and then grabbed a bag. He
walked it to me and handed it to me. I went to touch the zipper and he smacked
at my hand.

“
Put
it in your trunk,
”
he said.
“
That
’
s a thank you. From the entire
family.
”

“
Money?
”
Winter asked.

“
A
gift,
”
Aldo said.
“
You have protection wherever you
end up. Just don
’
t be gone
long. I heard about a guy down near San Diego that has the underground taken by
storm. He
’
s got fast feet.
Real smart and technical.
”

“
I
’
ll kick his ass,
”
I said.

“
I
know you will,
”
Aldo said.
“
I know you will. And we
’
re going to become rich from it.
”

I threw a hand out and waited for
Aldo to take it.
“
I can
’
t stand you, Aldo. For all you
did to me. But I have to respect you. Because it brought me Winter.
”

Aldo shook my hand.

Another vehicle pulled up. The back
window went down and when I saw the face, I tried to shield Winter.

She pushed me away.

It was a little face in the open
window. Just sitting there in her booster seat. Curly hair, big blue eyes,
casually smiling with all the innocence a child could possibly have.

Winter
’
s eyes filled with tears.

“
Oh,
shit,
”
I whispered.

“
Just
to show you she
’
s okay,
”
Aldo said.
“
She
’
ll be taken care of the way she deserves. She knows
she
’
s moving. She
’
s excited to start a preschool
program. Taking her to a nice small town where she and Andrea can settle. They
never have to live in fear again.
”

Winter nodded. A tear escaped her
eye.

I put my hand to her lower back.
“
Do you want to go say something?
”

“
No,
”
Winter said.
“
I don
’
t want to confuse her. She has a mother, right? A
good mother.
”

“
A
very good mother,
”
Aldo
said.
“
I spent the night
with both of them. Andrea is a good person. I trust her with my granddaughter
’
s life. Andrea is being escorted
to the new house right now. We
’
re
taking Autumn there next and it
’
s
going to be a big surprise for her. She has no idea what
’
s happened, what
’
s
been happening.
”

“
The
innocence,
”
Winter
whispered.

“
You
’
re a strong person,
”
I whispered to Winter.
“
Anything you want to do right
now, just know how strong you are. What you
’
ve
done and given to the world.
”

“
She
’
s beautiful, Tripp.
”

“
Just
like you, darling.
”

Autumn looked out the window and
smiled at us. Winter lifted a hand and waved. Autumn waved back. She then
looked down and started to play with a stuffed unicorn in her lap.

That
’
s
when Winter turned to me. She came to me. She needed me. It was an amazing
feeling.

“
You
’
re all set,
”
Aldo said.
“
Remember, no leaving the damn
country. I
’
ll be touch when
I need to be. Go be free. Go live.
”

Aldo went back to his car.

The window went up on the other car
and Autumn was out of sight.

The two vehicles left us there, me
hugging Winter. In the background was the crash of the waves, the call of the
gulls, the end of the world that I had always obsessed with.

“
Say
something,
”
Winter
whispered.

I took her by the face and wiped her
tears.
“
You fixed my world
with your eyes. You fixed my heart with your love. You fixed me, as a man, with
your honesty. You
’
ve given me
life in many ways, darling, and I
’
m
going to spend the rest of my life giving it back to you.
”

I gently kissed her and then took
her by the hand. I turned, Winter by my side. We had a car, cash, and roads
that could take us anywhere we wanted.

Life would never be easy because it
wasn
’
t meant to be.
Sometimes you just had no choice but to make a fist, put it up, and fight.

I made a fist around Winter
’
s hand, pulled it up, and kissed
it.

Sometimes
…
the fight really
was worth it all.