It’s the second week of December—final exams week—about a month and a half after our confrontation with Charlie. Victor and I are lying in his bed on our sides facing each other. I take the earbud from my ear. For the last half hour, we’ve been listening to music, taking turns choosing songs from the app library on my cell. It’s become a habit of ours. The earbuds are something we share. I used to use my earbuds to tune out the world, but now I use them to tune in to Victor.
“Not really. I’ll take plenty more exams at the police academy.”
Victor takes out his earbud and gives me a warm look. I love it that he can easily read me when I want to talk to him, when I want to cuddle up to him, and when I want to make love to him.
The day after Charlie was arrested, Victor told me that the moment I walked out of the room in the arena, he’d made a decision. He could never live without me by his side, so he quit his dad’s team and told his dad there wouldn’t be a rematch. Victor admitted he doesn’t love MMA as much as Alek loves football. He likes the competition and the challenge that comes with the sport, but he’ll be also very active as a police officer.
I snuggle closer to him, drawn to his body heat. Victor had a busy week—not only did he study for exams, but also he moved his mom to a different apartment complex as a precaution. His dad wasn’t happy with Victor’s decision and threatened him and his mom.
“Aren’t you going to miss fighting professionally?”
Victor smiles. “You are the only fight that matters.” He kisses my forehead. “Thank you for teaching me I don’t have to throw punches to win a battle.” He kisses the top of my nose. “Thank you for reminding me what is worth fighting for.” Another kiss on my cheek. “A big part of MMA was an outlet for anger toward my dad. When I first saw you, you reminded me of my mom—her struggle against my dad. But with time I saw how different you were from her. You grew stronger and tougher. A true fighter. I’m proud of you, Tia.”
He kisses my lips and the jolts of electricity are back, full force, just like that. I smile at this man who has a scary bull tattoo on his chest and could kill someone with one look but has a gentle heart.
“Would it sound really weird if I admit that I actually like the kickboxing and self-defense classes? I like how my knuckles hurt, how my legs get wobbly, and my arms heavy from punching the bag.”
“Totally normal. For you. And nothing else matters.”
I’ve learned that sometimes I just have to roll with the punches and lower my guard to accept help and love. I’m worthy of love. And when life gives you lemons… you take the lemons and throw them back.
I can’t control certain things that happen in my life, but I can control my reaction to them. And I know I won’t go down for the count without a fight.
I turn to pick up my phone from Victor’s nightstand and snap a picture of us. I put my phone down, but Victor gets up.
“Where are you going?” I protest with a groan.
He chuckles as he walks to his closet. He comes back with an envelope and hands it to me. I open it and read over the four tickets.
“We’re going to New Orleans? All of us?” I shriek.
Victor places his hands over his ears. After the final incident with Charlie, Victor asked me a question he said had been burning in his mind since he met me. Where would I have run away to?
“I take it you told her about the airplane tickets.” My brother’s loud voice comes from downstairs.
“Alek, it’s rude to yell from downstairs, you know,” I shout back, and I imagine Alek rolling his eyes.
Victor walks to his bedroom door, closes it, and locks it. I giggle.
“They already know because I had to ask them about their schedules for the beginning of January and then I looked up your class schedule and when the police academy training starts. I made it all work.”
Victor saunters back to me, and I have a chance to ogle him with no shame this time…well, because he’s mine. I’ll never get enough of his muscled fighter’s body, radiating power. He lies down next to me again and rests one strong hand on my thigh. Warmth spreads up to my core. He leans in and kisses my neck.
“Mhmmmm… don’t stop,” I whisper, and reach to stroke his handsome face.
While kissing my neck, Victor lifts up the hem of my T-shirt and trails possessive fingers to my breasts. He cups one of them and gently massages the hardened nipple over my bra. My response is automatic and needy—my lips find his mouth, my tongue demanding entrance. Victor parts his lips, which I swear are curved in a smile. Our tongues entwine, tasting and exploring.
He pulls his lips away, his breaths still caressing my face. “I’m never stopping,” he says in husky voice.
Only this man can make me pant so hard with one touch and one kiss. And he’s my man. Victor pushes himself off the bed and with one quick move is on top of me. He’s supporting himself on his elbows while he leans in and kisses around my collarbone and the place between my breasts. I inhale Old Spice, and waves of desire course through my body.
“Your shirt is in my way.” He chuckles and sits up. Victor helps me pull the shirt off.
“Now with one less obstacle, keep going,” I tease and pull him down to me.
“I like how impatient you are in bed and how you demand love from me. It’s sexy and it turns me on.”
And he proves it by lowering the straps of my bra, pulling the entire thing down to my stomach. I’m exposed for him. The flutters in my stomach are from delicious anticipation and not from being self-conscious. Victor takes one nipple in his mouth and sucks on it gently. He circles his tongue around the hardened bud. Pressure builds in my core, and I arch my back, moaning.
