Chapter 11

I’d beenat the Underground club for a solid month while Alice sat in the motel with Trent. He seemed to ignore her, but she didn’t seem ruffled by it. She and I texted often and were growing closer as the weeks wore on.

She was becoming one of my closest friends.

I’d been out of touch with Ryder. I knew I needed to reach out to him, and I would once I was more settled. His family life was worse than mine. His old man was who he lived with, and the guy wasn’t pleasant. A raging, violent alcoholic who’d beat his mother to a pulp before she’d ducked out. She’d been an addict, and lord knew where she’d gone, but wherever it was, it wasn’t with Ryder. He hadn’t heard from her in years.

Ryder was a survivor. A fighter. He had to be in order to handle the abuse he took.

We’d had plans to make a name for ourselves. I felt bad about leaving him alone, but I really needed to focus on getting my shit together. I had to make sure Trent was taken care of. It was my number one priority.

I finished wiping down the final tables and grabbed the mop before returning and starting the long, tedious job of cleaning.

“It’s getting shitty down there. No good fighters,” one of Everett’s men grunted, smoking a cigarette at the bar with another man.

“I was there last night. The fighters are piss poor. Competition could be good if we could get some fresh faces in. Real fighters. There’s money to be made. Even with the shit we’re betting on down there now makes me a shit ton. But I’d like to watch a real fucking fight every so often. Not all these pussies they have coming in off the street,” the second man grumbled.

“They’re talking about doing a to-the-death fight. Really ramp it up. Everett said he’s onboard with it,” the first man said.

I mopped closer to them.

“It will never happen. Can’t kill the competition. But getting some good muscle down there could make us all rich.” The second man took a deep drink. “Even the fighters. They make bank. I know Everett would pay big money for the right one.”

I licked my lips, wondering how the hell I could get cut into that. If I could win a few fights, I’d make enough money to move us out of here.

Fuck it.

“How does someone sign up to fight?” I asked, pausing my mopping to ask.

The men glanced over at me, sizing me up.

“You got grit, kid,” the first man said, eyeing me. “Everett would be pissed to lose the kid who cleans his floors.”

“I’m sure he would, but I’d like to think he’d be grateful to find a fighter who could make him money,” I countered, knowing my damn worth.

The second man laughed and nudged the first guy.

“OK, kid. You want to fight?” He got out of his seat and handed me a card with an address on it. “Take this with you. Tell them Georgie sent you to prove your worth. If you live, I’m sure you’ll make all the ladies scream. Pretty boy like you with eyes like that?” He licked his lips and adjusted his junk in his pants. “Yeah. They’d fucking love you.”

I swallowed my disgust and nodded at him. “I’ll be there.”

He chuckled. “I fucking hope you are.” He nodded for the first man to follow him. I watched them leave the club before I looked down at the card in my hand.

“Our ticket to freedom, Trent,” I murmured, knowing I could win a few fights and get us the fuck out of this shitty ass city.

* * *

I enteredthe motel room and made sure to lock the door behind me.

“Hey,” Alice greeted me, getting to her feet.

“Hey, how is Trent?”

“Sleeping. I ordered in Chinese for him. He has quite the appetite.”

I smiled, grateful he was eating more. “He’s always been able to put the food down.”

She chuckled as I went in and peeked at him, sleeping soundly in his bed, the TV on and playing some old sitcom.

“I’m going to grab a shower,” I said, looking over my shoulder at her. “You can go if you want.”

“I think I’ll just hang out for a bit more. If you don’t mind, that is.”

“No, that’s fine.” I went into the bathroom, got into the shower, and washed quickly before coming out in my pajama bottoms and no shirt.

I caught her gaze sweeping over me.

I went to her on the couch and sank down beside her.

“How was Trent really? He’s been quiet lately. I’m worried about him.” I’d spilled everything to Alice, telling her my life story. She’d listened and held my hand through the entirety of it, offering me support as I’d tried to keep it together during the shitty parts.

“He was. . . Trent,” she said with a little laugh. “He likes being alone, but he did ask me if I could get him Chinese, and then he let me watch some anime with him.”

I raised my brows at her. “You like anime?”

She laughed and wrinkled her nose. “No, but he seemed happy, so I thought having some company would help him just a little more.” She rested her hand on my thigh. “Can I ask you a question, Anson?”

I nodded, not bothering to push her hand away.

“Have you. . . ever been with a girl before?”

I lifted a brow at her. “Why? Do I look like I haven’t?”

She let out a little titter, her hand moving higher on my thigh. Butterflies banged to life in my guts.

She shrugged. “I don’t know. You’re an enigma to me.”

Her body was nearly touching mine as she leaned into me.

Our eyes locked.

Electricity.

An obvious attraction.

I closed the distance between us and brushed my lips gently across hers before cradling her cheek.

“I’m not a virgin,” I murmured, going back in for another kiss. Her lips parted for me, allowing me to sweep my tongue against hers.

She moaned softly into my mouth as her hand worked its way to my aching cock. Within minutes, my pants were off, and she was sucking my dick deep into her throat.

I let out a soft groan, enjoying how she worked me.

With my fingers in her hair, I guided her up and down on my shaft so she’d give me what I wanted, how I wanted it.

Her gagging and choking on me wasn’t really working, though. After a few minutes of her not being able to fully take me into her throat, I yanked her up.

“Take your clothes off for me,” I grunted, eyeing her.

She curled her lips up into a smirk and removed her clothes for me before coming to straddle my lap. I’d already rolled a rubber on and was more than ready to go.

I held her at the hips and jutted my dick into her heat, earning a soft moan for my efforts.

“Don’t wake my brother,” I warned, before kissing her deeply and continuing to glide my cock in and out of her.

I needed this. Badly.

I let everything go and railed into her, her soft gasps and nails in my shoulders telling me all I needed to know. Her pussy tightened around my dick, her orgasm evident, before I blew inside her, really fucking hoping my condom held out. I had enough problems. I didn’t need to be a dad at my age.

But fuck it.

It was worth the risk to feel alive again.

We both slowed to a stop, breathless.

“You’re really good,” she whispered, my dick still buried deep inside her. “Mm, lots of practice, huh?”

“Enough,” I answered, not bothering to tell her my numbers. She didn’t need to know. This was just sex. If she were someone I loved, I’d tell her anything she wanted to know. This was purely sex, nothing more. I couldn’t afford to get caught up in anything else.

“I’m not looking for a relationship.” She nipped my bottom lip. “But I won’t say no to friends with benefits. For now. Until you fall in love with me.”

“You think I could love you?” I asked softly.

“I think I could make you,” was her answer before she started moving on me again, bringing my dick back to life.

Fuck it.

I could use a little more love in my life.