Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2) (20 page)

“Stop.” He gripped my wrists, pulling them in front of me. “Are you willing to do this, or not?”

I shook my head, swallowing hard. “I am, but my shirt stays on.”

His eyes narrowed and then realization transformed his face. “‘Your scars?” At my nod his lips slid up, but his smile was dark and crushing. “I want to see what she did to you.” He met my eyes, challenging me. “Take it off.”

SOMETHING IN MY FACE MUST HAVE GIVEN away my next move. He was able to use the momentum of my escape against me. He moved with me as I tried to stand but then forced the movement, and in the blink of an eye I was under him, back flat on the couch but feet still on the ground. He was half straddling my legs, one of his knees bent on the inside of the couch, standing on his other leg off the couch. He pinned my wrists to my chest as he leaned over me, his position giving him all the power.

“Get off of me.” My voice was loud and clear as I tested his grip and tried to move my legs up for leverage, but I couldn’t budge.

“Shhh.” He dropped his head close enough that his warm breath fanned over my neck. “I’m not going to hurt you.” His voice was low and strained as he shifted more of his weight onto me, pinning me tighter into the leather couch.

The excitement brightening his face didn’t give me any confidence in his words. I stayed completely still, but met his wild eyes as I repeated, “Get off of me.”

All of my senses were turned up, ready to fight if need be, but I didn’t want it to come to that.

“I won’t make you show me, not today,” he spoke slow and soft.

The strain in my chest eased slightly, but my blood still surged through me, pulse pounding.

“Is that the promise you need?”

My breaths were shallow and I was at a loss for words, unsure of how he had taken all control in this within seconds. I was a fool to think I ever had any to begin with. Closing my eyes, I nodded my head and barely resisted as he moved my hands, pinning them above my head.

I had walked into this willingly, and now he was going to let me have my way. But it still felt like I had lost everything, the already broken ground disappearing from beneath me.

He gripped my wrists with one hand, the other sliding down my arm in a light caress. He tilted my head back, and then his lips were on my neck.

“You are going to be fun… so… much… fun.” He spoke between kisses and licks that shocked my skin and made my stomach twist. His hand ran over my shirt, squeezing one breast, almost painfully, before continuing its path down my body to my hip, fingers dug into my skin. “But I want you more than willing; I want you begging for it.” He nipped at my collarbone and groaned as he shifted his hips into me. “I want you begging for me.”

I opened my eyes, confused if I was hearing right. Should I beg now? I couldn’t. Bile burned my throat just thinking about it.

He licked his lips and stared down at me with lust filled eyes. “You’re not ready yet and I don’t have the time right now to get you there. But believe me sweetheart, you will be begging me.” He released my wrists and pushed himself off of me, just as quickly and smoothly as he had pushed himself on.

Unsure about the sudden change, I sat up and ran my hands through my hair, trying to calm my pounding pulse and even my breathing. I’d built myself up to go through with this and now it wasn’t happening. The cool rush of relief tempered the hot sting of rejection.

He strolled across the room, seemingly unaffected, and slipped his shirt over his head, creamy skin stretching over lean muscles. I dropped my eyes to the floor, but not before I caught a glimpse of the silvery scar that only a bullet could cause, on the lower right side of his back.

“Sweetheart.” He stood directly in front of me.

I raised my eyes, traveling over his long body. He was buttoning the top two buttons of a pale blue dress shirt.

“Are you ready to go?” His smile was satisfied, smug, like he had gotten exactly what he wanted today.

And I realized, I wasn’t sure I was walking away with anything.

“What about Nick?” I stood to my feet, trying to cover my nerves about bringing this up again.

He cocked his head as he tucked his shirt into his pants. “What about him?”

“I don’t have to go through him anymore?”

“We talked about this.” He grazed the back of his fingers over my cheek, speaking as if I were a confused child. “From now on, you’ll deal with me. What just happened doesn’t change that.”

His other hand came up and he cradled my head in his warm hands. “I can give you what you want. I can make you happy.”

I dropped my eyes to avoid his green blue ones and bit my lip to keep in the insane laugh that threatened to spill out. What made him think I wanted, or needed, or deserved to be happy? I wasn’t searching for that, and if I were, I wouldn’t find it with him.

He dropped his hands and bent to pick up my gun on the table. I froze.

Stepping close to me, he hooked one finger over the front of my jeans and slid the gun inside the band. “If you’re going to wear it, wear it at the front, not back.” He pulled on the end of my shirt, covering the gun. Nodding to the door, he signaled for me to follow as he walked away. “Saturday we can go to the range again.” He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “At my place.”

“All right, Saturday.” I tried to smile. I had cooled off some, but the last remnants of adrenaline still tingled my muscles. I had two days to figure something out because there was no way I would beg.

Silas finally emerged from the building at the front of the docks. Rusnak had told me to wait in the car while he went in, assuring me that only Silas would drive me home. And sure enough, only Silas was walking out.

After several minutes of driving, Silas turned down the radio, regret deep in his voice. “Since that day in my office, all of this has gone further than I ever planned for it to.”

I wasn’t sure which day he was referring too, my first day or the last.

“I feel the same way,” I grumbled, already getting annoyed with where this was going. He had been giving me looks since he got in the car, disappointed and disapproving looks.

“Really?” His eyes narrowed and glanced towards me before focusing back on the road. “Because from where I stand, it looks like you’ve got one hell of a plan.” He shook his head with a laugh. “It’s actually pretty impressive, in just over a month you’ve managed to climb your way to the top. Got Rusnak doing things for you? But I ain’t mad, just be sure to keep Gage out of it now.”

Mentioning Gage took me by surprise and made my stomach hurt. “I don’t want him in it either.”

We were stuck in traffic and Silas used the moment to face me. “Good because he’s finally getting back on track.”

A bubble of hope rose in my stomach for him. “What do you mean? Is he getting back to just fighting?” I realized in that moment I would do anything to get Gage out.

Silas inched the car forward with the slow flow of traffic around us. “He’s fighting again, but I didn’t mean that. I meant in this business, he’s finally stepping up and getting somewhere, like he was always meant to.”

The bubble of hope burst painfully in my chest and I had to cover my mouth with my hand to silence the groan that wanted to escape.

“Jesus girl, you really don’t get it.” He shook his head. “I knew he didn’t tell you the truth about his past, he warned me against speaking about it when you started. But I thought you would have figured it out by now.”

I stared at him, holding my breath, waiting for him to continue.

“I got my start with his father and Nick when we were young. But Gage’s father, Aaron, he climbed fast and soon we worked for him. He had a few people between him and the main guy, Nikolai, Anatoli’s cousin. But then he went to prison, made a few connects there, and came out on top. After that, Aaron and Anatoli were Nikolai’s right and left hand.” His eyes flicked to me, checking that I was still listening.

I was hanging on every word.

“That’s when Gage came in. He had his father’s skill for getting jobs done, straight and quick, with very little mess. He rose up the ranks, especially when everyone saw his talent for fighting; he was notorious in the underground fight clubs. But about a year ago shit went down; Nikolai got locked up and Aaron was killed. Rusnak took over and Gage wanted out. But we all knew it wasn’t for good, he just needed time.”

He paused to look at me.

“That’s when you two started the boxing club and he went pro?” I was struggling to make sense of what I knew about Gage, the little he had told me. He claimed he left the past behind, but I hadn’t realized it had been such a recent past.

Silas nodded. “His father was my best friend. I promised to look out for Gage, that’s what I’ve been doing, that’s why I went in with him on the gym.”

I scoffed. “You were looking out for him by getting Dexter involved in your drug deal, making Gage have to go back to Rusnak?”

His jaw flexed and his voice came out low. “He was always going to come back. That was always the plan.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” I didn’t want to believe Silas. Gage had told me something different. He had said he wanted a different life, and I had believed him. But now, I wasn’t sure.

“I know you still care for him, that’s why I’m telling you. Gage knows to put this family in front of all else, including you. He’s shown that, and it would be best for you not to test it, you’ll only get yourself hurt.” His hard look softened as he sighed and added, “You’re a smart girl Regan. Stick with Rusnak. For some reason he’s taken an interest in you. He sent Dexter to be your corner man after I told him you two were friends. He moved up your fight, and now he’s told Nick to stay away from you.” Silas’s smile was distant “You’ve got a good thing going, don’t ruin it.”

I nodded and stared out the window, heart heavier than ever.

My path to my room was blocked as I entered the apartment. Kiera was in the entry hall with a man, her face full of surprise at my arrival.

The man pushed his dark curls back as he cocked an eyebrow at me. “This the girl?”

He was only a little taller than me and I met his eyes, challenging him to say something else.

Kiera pushed him to the door and turned to me with wide eyes. “He’s only a friend.” She dropped her gaze and added softly, “I’m sorry about the other night. Can we talk tomorrow?” Her busted lip was swollen and quivered as she lifted her eyes to meet mine, concern clear in her features. “Please.”

“Sure. Tomorrow.” I closed the door on her as she stepped into the hall, following the mystery man I didn’t want to know about.

I pulled the cord to my headphones, ripping the buds from my ears, silencing the beat as I walked towards Dexter.

He spotted me as he strolled into the gym, face brightening at first, then dropping as I stepped close to him.

“Go home. I told you yesterday you need to stay away.” My muscles vibrated with anger and hurt. He needed to get it together and put that baby first, earn the title of parent.

“Whoa, Rea.” He put his hands up in surrender. “I’m going to stick with you. I’m not getting involved in shit except boxing, it’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.” I wanted to physically shake him, my fingers clenched and my eyes burned. “Remember what happened to Leona? Now there’s a baby too. You’ve got to stay away from me and from boxing for Silas.”

He tentatively put his hand on my shoulder. “I need the money more than ever because of that baby.”

I pushed his arm away and he shifted on his feet, agitation rising.

“I can’t let Gage pay for everything. I’m trying to make my own way, and boxing helps.” His voice was rising. “Don’t you act like your actions are any better than mine. Last I checked, you fucked up more than I ever did, but I haven’t called you on any of it.”

I took a step back, wondering just how much Dexter knew and who he heard it from.

“Cool off before you lose the only friend you got.” He yanked off the towel that was draped around his neck, tossing it in a laundry bin as he walked out the front door.

I watched him leave, my body icy and tense. Then I put my buds back in my ear and let the heavy beat drown out my thoughts, leaving me to focus on training. But training only increased my tension. My muscles were jelly and my punches lacked the impact needed to knock out an opponent. I kept pounding until I literally couldn’t pick up my arm to swing again.

I held onto the body bag with both gloved hands, catching my breath, when a light touch to my shoulder pulled me from my desperate thoughts. Turning, I stepped back with surprise as my eyes rose over Gage, his muscles and dark ink on display in his sleeveless t-shirt. The room stood still as we locked eyes.

The corner of his mouth tugged up as he stepped towards me, arms open. “Come here. I missed you.”

Then I was wrapped in his warmth, surrounded in the comfort of his arms, body, breathing in his fresh scent—heart breaking from the pressure on it. I pulled away and took a step back out of his arms.

But he didn’t let me go far. He kept a hold on my hip as he tried to step back into my space again.

“What are you doing?” I put my hand up to keep him back as I looked around the crowded gym, muscles twitching from shock.

His eyes dropped over me, his soft, easy smile, infuriating me. “I told you when I got back things would be different, remember?” he pressed into my hand on his chest, closing the space between us. “I talked to Rusnak. This fight can be your last and then it’s over.”

My stomach was turning inside out, making it hard to speak. “You talked to Rusnak, when?” I didn’t understand, Rusnak hadn’t told me this fight would be my last. The idea made me dizzy, but seemed too good to be true.

Gage dropped his hands straight by his side and his face slowly began to harden, starting with his narrowed eyes. “I talked to him this weekend when he was with me.”

The blood drained from me. They had talked before my talk with Rusnak.

“But he had to leave.” He let out a huff and raised his chin, looking down at me. “He came back here to you didn’t he?” His voice was too quiet and the slow clench of his jaw made it clear he knew the answer.