Chapter 7

CHAPTER

SEVEN

Judy

I scroll mindlessly through Cedric's phone, waiting for him to finish up in the ring. It's a habit, him handing me his phone before a match, like I'm holding onto a piece of him while he's out there being 'Big Ced.'

But this time, my thumb stumbles across an album tucked away, and what I see has my heart thudding—a gallery full of… me .

My photos from social media, ones I don't remember sharing with him, some I've only shared with close friends.

"Damn," I mutter, the warmth of affection cooling into a shiver of unease. How did he get these? Why ?

The roar of the crowd announces Cedric's victory before he struts back, all sweat and testosterone. I tuck his phone into my purse and plaster on a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes.

"Great match!" I say, but my words are a touch too bright, too fluttery.

"Only the best for you, sweetheart." He grins, pulling me into his massive arms, but I'm still stuck on those photos—the obsessive archive of me on his phone.

"Judy, can we talk about—" His manager starts, but Cedric's arm is a vise around my waist, snatching me back.

"Later," he growls, his voice a deep rumble that has the manager backing off with a raised brow and hands up. Cedric's eyes flash a warning, animalistic, protective.

"Need to go to the restroom," I murmur, extricating myself from his hold. My mind screams for space, for a moment to think without his intense gaze pinning me down.

He turns to his manager, the distraction I need. I slip away, lost in the sea of bodies flooding the arena.

I just need…

I don't know what I need.

Just that I'm suddenly overwhelmed.

Cedric

"Judy?" The panic rises and thickens my voice as I whirl around.

She's gone—vanished like a wisp of smoke.

I bark at my manager, "Did you see where she went?"

"Thought she was with you, Ced."

"Fuck!" My heart's racing, pounding out a rhythm of dread. I push through the crowd, using my size, my presence, to carve a path through the masses. The city sprawls before me, hiding her, but I'll tear it apart brick by brick if I have to.

"Judy!" I shout, my voice breaking through the night.

Nothing.

I search, hours or minutes—I can't tell—until I turn into an alley and there she is, cornered, fear etched in her eyes as two guys loom over her.

"Hey!" The rage is instant, volcanic. They're touching her, and I feel the beast within unchain. Two punches, swift and brutal, and they're down, unconscious.

"Judy!" I scoop her up, and she clings to me, her body trembling. Her fingers dig into my shoulders, anchoring herself to me.

"Cedric, I..." Her voice trails off, eyes wide and glistening.

"Shh, it's okay. You're safe now," I say, my own relief crashing into me, nearly staggering.

I'm trembling and nearly crumble.

I could have lost her.

Judy

Tears glisten in Cedric's eyes, making the blue of his irises shimmer like the ocean caught in a storm. His breathing is ragged, chest heaving from the fight and the fear of losing me.

And that does something to me. My heart breaks for my huge giant, the fear in his eyes.

"Swear to me, Judy," he says, voice cracking with emotion. "Swear you'll never leave me again."

My heart clenches at the raw vulnerability in his voice. This giant of a man, my Big Ced, broken down to near tears for me. The possessiveness that had once seemed frightening now feels like the most intense declaration of love.

"Never," I whisper, my own voice trembling. "I swear, Cedric. I can't—I won't ever leave you."

"God, Judy," he breathes out, pulling me closer until there's not a sliver of space between us. "I'm so damn crazy over you. It scares me, how much I need you. You're my life...Without you, I'd die."

His admission sends a wave of heat through me, igniting every nerve. I was silly to run from him. I realize now that I love this. His possessiveness. His craziness.

It's us .

And I don't care if it's unconventional.

I rise on my tiptoes, my lips finding his in a kiss that speaks of desperation and desire. His tongue dances with mine, a tangle of passion that leaves no room for doubt or fear.

"Take me, Cedric," I gasp into his mouth, my hands roaming over the hard planes of his body. "Right here, right now."

He growls, a primal sound that vibrates against my lips. Without breaking our kiss, he lifts me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist as he presses me against the cold alley wall. The contrast of the cool bricks on my back and the heat from his body is electrifying.

"Fuck, Judy," Cedric groans as he enters me, filling me completely. The sensation is overwhelming, a perfect storm of pleasure that makes me cry out. He holds me in the air, my body supported by his strength alone, as we move together desperately. I throw my pussy down on him every time he thrusts his cock up into me, and I swear he goes deeper than I ever thought was possible.

Each thrust is a promise, a silent vow that echoes in the clench of our bodies. His grip is sure and possessive, an anchor in the swirling tide of ecstasy that threatens to sweep me away.

I cling to him, nails digging into his broad shoulders, marking him as mine as surely as he's claimed me.

"Yours," I pant, my vision blurring with the intensity of my climax.

"Mine," he grunts, his own release crashing over him, powerful and unyielding.

We stay locked together, panting and spent, the gritty texture of the alley wall a stark reminder of the reality we've just escaped.

But as Cedric holds me close, his heart thundering against mine, I know that this is where I belong.

In his arms, surrounded by his love, his obsession—our perfect, chaotic harmony.