Fight 3 (2 page)

Chapter 2

Eddie

This woman is the strongest woman I’ve ever met. She’s nothing like my mother, and I’m nothing like my father. I love her with every fiber of my being. I’d never do anything to hurt her. I’ll make damn sure that she knows that every single day of her life, as long as she will have me.

The ring is burning a hole in my pocket, but I can’t give it to her now. Not when she’s recovering, and not now that we have to deal with finding a new place to live, as well as finding the person that burned our place down. It shouldn’t be like this. When I propose to her, it will be the best fucking thing ever, because that’s what she is to me. The best fucking thing. Ever.

“So, where are we anyway? This hotel is probably way out of my price range,” she asks as she looks around the room.

I didn’t have the heart to check us into a hotel when I knew of a place we could stay for free. Sure, I’ve got the funds, but it’s a waste of money if it’s not needed. All it took was one phone call and we were in. The Savage family would do anything for me, really.

“Ah, well it’s not a hotel, babe. Tatum’s parents, Al and Alice Savage, own a few places around Texas. This one happened to be sitting empty, so they are letting us stay here.”

“The Savages? I guess I never realized he was THE Tatum Savage. Jesus, Tex, you really know who to keep on your good side. Shit, that family is nuts!” She shakes her head and lays it back on the pillow she has propped behind her.

“Nah, they’re good people. Intimidating as all hell, but as long as I stay on their good side and don’t fuck around with them, I’m not worried. Al Savage treats me like his own son.”

“Well, I’m glad you have rich connections. I’d hate to have to worry about getting bed bugs from a gross hotel mattress,” she quips, eyes still closed, grinning.

I let out a stressed chuckle, but I can’t shake the funk I’m in. Maybe it has to do with seeing her so beat to shit, unable to move properly without being in pain, or maybe it has to do with the fact that the one thing I held onto from my life growing up is now in ashes, but I just can’t shake it. I also can’t shake the feeling that this fire was a personal attack against us, which has been making me insanely uneasy.

I can’t stop thinking about my grandma’s chair, either. That damn chair has been on my mind ever since I got the message from the landlord that the building burned down. The one thing that I treasured, the one happy part of my childhood that I remember, is gone. I know it’s just a fucking chair, but it’s more the memories that that chair held. My grandma was the only kind person in my life, and I know how much it pained her to leave us with my father after my mom died, but she didn’t have a choice. We spent every weekend at her house, summers we would stay for weeks on end. That chair was the one thing that I was able to get out of her house before my dad sold everything, just to have more money for his booze. She died right after my sister moved out of the house, leaving me to grieve by myself. I took the chair the day after her funeral and moved it into my room at my dad’s house. I needed that happy connection, since everything else in my life at the time was turning to shit.  Now there’s nothing left of it. 

According to the landlord, the entire building is a pile of rubble and it’s going to take days to sort through everything. I didn’t even bother driving by it last night, and instead headed straight to the Savage’s house to get Red inside and get ice for her wounds.

This morning I heard the news when I turned on the TV. They had video of the fire, blazing out of control. Flames were shooting out of my kitchen window, and the wall on Red’s side of the building looked like it collapsed early on. The images tore at my emotions and added fuel to my anger over the situation.

Then the news came through that ripped a hole in my heart.

The fire had killed someone.

Apparently everyone but one person in the bar got out when the fire started. They’re still trying to contact family members, so they aren’t releasing a name, but I have a bad feeling about this. Something isn’t sitting right from everything in the last week. From Mac forcing Red to fight a girl way out of her class, to the man at the bar that I can’t get out of my mind, to Jase and his stalking tendencies. Something bad is going to happen. Something worse than a fire.

I can’t tell her yet that the fire killed someone. It could very well have been one of her patrons that she served every night, or it could have been a complete stranger. Tragic either way, I don’t want her worrying that it was someone she knows until we have a name.

“You’re being awfully quiet over there,” she says, eyes still closed, head still resting on the pillow. Even beat to hell, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever been with.

I take her hand in mine and start gently massaging. Just the touch of her skin calms my nerves. Knowing she is here with me, safe and happy, is enough to calm me down. I want this every day.

“Just thinking.”

“About?”

“Everything. We don’t have a place to live anymore, Red.”

She opens her eyes and lifts her head to look at me. Finally, I see something other than pain in her eyes. Finally a see a curiosity there that I hadn’t seen before. Finally I see hope.

“I’ve realized that. It’s ok. I’m sure there are other apartments to rent in Texas.” She shrugs and cocks her head at me. “Right? There are other apartment complexes. I’m sure there’s other places to move. I’m not even worried about it.” She’s lying. I see the worry in her eyes, I can tell she’s tense. Even beat to shit, her face gives so many emotions.

“Right. There are other apartments to rent....” I trail off, watching her eyes start to understand what I’m saying.

“But.... ” she urges me to go on. To actually say the words that I want to move in with her. Not only move in, but buy a place together, a home. I want to live with her, forever. I want her always to be there when I wake up. I want her there when I go to sleep at night. I want all of her.

“What if we got a place together?” I finally ask.

Her eyebrows shoot up, she’s hesitant with her movements, and I assume it’s because she still hurts, but she has to be getting tired. Those meds I gave her were extra strength, prescription shit. It’s really not fair of me to bring this up right now, but all I want to do is move on with our lives.

Maybe losing everything was a blessing in disguise. Maybe starting over together is exactly what we need.

“You mean rent a place together?” she asks.

“Do you have anything against owning our own home? Because renting is cool and all... but I’d kinda hoped we could buy a house.” This is a massive step, and I know we haven’t been together too long, but it feels right to me. This all feels so fucking right.

She looks hesitant, but slowly, and as best as she can, she smiles at me.

“You can’t get enough of me, can you?”

“Fuck no, Red. I’ll never get enough of you.” She is still smiling at me and it’s taking everything I have not to pull the ring out of my pocket and propose right now. “So what do you think? I’ve seen how you live, you could learn a thing or two from my awesome organizing skills.”

She laughs, then immediately cringes.

“Fuck that!” She laughs as her hand goes to her bruised ribcage, wincing. “I’ll have you broken and sloppy in no time.”

“So is that a yes? You really want to do this?” I feel like my heart’s going to beat out of my chest at any minute. Every second she stares at me I get more nervous that she’s going to tell me no. That she’s going to decide it isn’t a good idea.

Finally, she takes a breath and I hold mine, waiting for the words to come out of her mouth.

“You think it’s a good idea? We just met, Eddie.” She’s hesitant, but she hasn’t told me no yet, so I still have a chance.

“Hell yes, baby. You’ve done something to me. You’ve made me want, you’ve made me need. You’re everything I never wanted, and everything that I need.”

Her eyes start to glisten and she smiles at me again. Reaching over, she rests her hand on my cheek.

“Okay,” she whispers, barely loud enough for me to hear.

“Okay?” I can’t get my heart to slow down. Is she really saying okay to this?!

“Yes.... But PLEASE, no computers set up in the living room.”

I laugh and hug her, forgetting in the moment how much pain she’s in. I’m quickly reminded, though, when she gasps and stills.

“Shit. Fuck, Red. Goddammit, I’m sorry.” I pull away fast, feeling like an asshole.

“It’s ok. It’s fine. No worries.” She yawns and I know the medicine is starting to take effect.

“I’m so tired, Eddie,” she says, slowly laying back down in bed. “Will you lay with me for a bit?”

Happily, I push off my shoes and silence my phone. Crawling into bed opposite her, she curls into me gently and lays her head on my chest.

“Love you, Tex,” she whispers.

“Love you too, Red,” I tell her, gently rubbing her arm.

Soon I hear her gentle snores and smile to myself. How in the world we found each other, such a random meeting, but one of the luckiest days of my very unlucky life. Maybe my luck is finally starting to change. Things are finally looking up. I have my girl, we will have our home soon, and I have the ring. Now I just need the right time to give it to her.

Chapter 3

Gwynn

We’ve been in this house for six days now and I’m itching to do something other than sit here and watch TV. I feel so much better than I did when we arrived here, but Eddie still won’t touch me more than a hug or a short kiss. My body doesn’t ache, the swelling is gone, and even the cut on my lip is almost healed, but he’s treating me like I’m still broken.

Eddie won’t talk much about the apartment fire. There is no building left. The bar and everything is gone, there’s nothing left for us to try and recover. I still can’t really believe it’s all gone, and I don’t know why I’m not more emotional about it. Maybe because I’d only lived there for a year. Maybe because I wasn’t happy there anyway. Sure, losing all of my shit really sucks, but I have renters insurance, so I’ll be able to replace everything I want to.

Eddie finally told me about the life that was lost in the fire. It’s sad, thinking that it could have been one of my regulars, having a good time before the fire started. They still haven’t released the name of the victim, though. I don’t know if they ever will.

The landlord called and told us it was, indeed, arson that set the fire. They don’t have any suspects yet, but they haven’t given up yet. Eddie thinks it’s Jase, but I just don’t see him doing something like this. I mean, he did follow me half way across the country, but he’s not capable of doing something as massive as setting a building on fire and burning it down. Plus, he was at my fight the other night, at least the beginning of it, so he couldn’t have. Right? Maybe I just want to believe that someone so close to me wouldn’t do something like that, but there’s a nagging feeling in my gut that tells me Eddie is right.

Each time I bring up leaving the house we are staying in, Eddie gets defensive. I think he thinks that I’m going to break if I try and get out too fast, but what he doesn’t get is that this isn’t the worst I’ve been beaten before. I was only so bad this time because I didn’t have immediate care afterwards. I feel fine now, though, and I’m itching to get back to a normal life. Whatever that may be.

Mac has called one time since the fight. I think Eddie thought I was sleeping, but I heard him answer it. He told Mac to “take his fight and shove it up his ass”. He never told me about the call, and I haven’t asked. I know I’m eventually going have to talk to Mac, but it’s too soon. What he did was incredibly wrong and he’s lucky all he got was a punch in the face from me. I should have kicked his ass for it, but at the time I hurt so badly it took all my energy just to hit him as hard as I did.

“So, how long exactly are the Savages going to let us stay in their house?” I ask while Eddie is making us lunch. He’s surprisingly a good cook, and has shown me multiple times this week just how useful he can be in the kitchen.

“They didn’t say. Why?” He stops what he’s doing and turns to look at me.

“I’m ready to move forward, Eddie.” I stand and walk over to him, wrapping my arms around him and laying my head on his chest. God, he smells so good. “I want to start looking for a place to live. I want to move on. Together.”

“Okay, I’m ready if you are.” He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head gently.

“I mean... with everything. I’m not gonna break, you know. I feel great.” I smile up at him seductively, feeling the heat growing between us, among other things.

“You feel great, huh?” he growls as his eyes grow more and more intense.

I love this. I love the anticipation, the pre-game. This is the look I’ve been wanting all week from him. This is the look that tells me he can’t wait to have me, to taste me. To fuck me.

“Never better,” I whisper as I reach up on my tiptoes and kiss him softly.

A soft kiss, which turns into a much more urgent kiss the more I push my body against his. With the counter behind him, he lifts me and twists us around, sitting me on the counter. I wrap my legs around him, feeling his attraction to me pressing against his jeans.

“Jesus, Red. One week is a long fucking time to go without you,” he says as he nips on my neck. He stops, taking my face into his hands, and looks into my eyes. “You sure you’re ready for this? I’ve been watching you for days, hating that I couldn’t have you. I don’t want to hurt you, baby.”

“I want you, Tex. All of you, no holding back.” I smile at him and he leans in and kisses me with more love than ever.

“Shit, Red,” he curses as he pulls my top off and throws it across the kitchen.

Kissing his way down my neck, he takes my nipple in his mouth, and the warmth from his mouth makes me gasp. He pulls away and lets out a chuckle while his hands play with my nipples, squeezing just the right amount to send jolts of electricity to my core.

Without any words, he lifts me off the counter just enough to slip off my shorts, growling when he notices there’s nothing under the shorts that he needs to remove. I grin down at him as he lowers himself to his knees.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Red.... I’ve missed this.” His voice is deep, sultry. He lifts me and sits me back on the counter in front of him. His hands push my knees apart and his lips start kissing their way up my thigh.

God, this is what I’ve wanted this whole week. His fingers start playing me, like they know exactly where to go to put me right on the edge, then he pulls back the slightest amount so I don’t go over. He does this over and over, moving just the right amount. His tongue caresses over my clit with just enough pressure and movement to make me shivering with need. When his mouth comes around my clit and he sucks, I gasp and thrust into him. Jesus, he knows what he’s doing, but I need more.

“Fuck me, Eddie,” I manage to gasp when his fingers pull out of me again. I can’t take this much longer, he won’t let me come, but he keeps bringing me just to the edge. It’s torture.

He pulls back, smiling, his fingers lightly tickling me, enough to make me squirm.

“I don’t know, Red. I’m having a fan-fucking-tastic time tasting you.”

He leans in again and licks as slowly as he can all the way up me. He doesn’t stop his ascent, and soon his mouth is on mine. I taste myself on him and moan into his mouth, wrapping my legs around his waist, he cups my ass and lifts me off the counter. Carrying me across the kitchen and into the living room, he sits down on the couch so that I’m straddling him.

I pull back and look at him, still fully clothed, and frown.

“I need you to fuck me, Red. You are so fucking perfect and I’d hate myself if I hurt you. Please, just do this for me.” His hands are around my face, his eyes ripping into my soul.

He’s scared he’s going to hurt me.

I just need to show him I’m not as fragile as he thinks.

“You need a little less clothes on,” I whisper as I pull his shirt over his head.

He helps me in getting his pants off, and soon we’re skin on skin, so fucking hot for each other that when I lower myself onto him, I do it as slow as I can just to feel every glorious inch.

“MMM fuck, Red,” he growls, and his hands come to my hips to hold me down. “Jesus Christ, don’t fucking move. Fuck, I love this.”

I lean down and kiss him, still able to taste myself on his lips. Slowly, I start grinding against him, giving myself the friction just where I need it. He hisses when I lift up and push back down, and his hands reach around and cup my ass more firmly. I keep grinding, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. He’s not the only one that can make this torture.

His fingers snake around my ass tighter, then one slowly moves towards the one place no one has ever gone before. I still, noticing what he’s trying to do.

“What’re ya doin’, Tex?” I whisper into his ear, nipping his ear lobe.

“I need every fucking part of you, Red. Everything.”

“Mmm... sounds delicious. You know, that’s new territory for me, but good LORD that feels good,” I say as I slowly start moving again, loving the small amount of pressure he is adding down there.

“That makes it all more amazing, baby. It’s all fucking mine.” He kisses my neck, sucking hard enough to leave a mark.

Chills run down my body as I rock against his finger. The slight pressure he has added soon isn’t enough, and even moving as fast and hard as I can, it’s not enough. I need more. Eddie senses it and puts his forehead on mine, panting from the intense pressure that I can tell is building inside him.

“Fuck, baby,’” he moans as his fingers push into me harder, then slowly pull out.

“Oh shit,” I moan. Every time his finger pulls back, I get closer and closer.

Over and over, my senses are assaulted, and it doesn’t take long until I’m tightening around him, screaming out in pleasure. As soon as my orgasm starts, his finger pulls out of my ass and the level of pleasure skyrockets. With my head in the crook of his neck, I bite down, riding out my orgasm. Eddie curses and holds my hips, slamming up to me.

“FUCK!” he yells as he releases into me.

I stay on top of him, holding onto him as he comes down from his orgasm. Every time with him gets better and better, and my mind is officially pudding from this latest encounter.

With his arms wrapped around me, he leaves small kisses on my collarbone as I’m still trying to catch my breath.

“So, whatd’ya say about a shower,” he whispers, as he continues kissing my neck, moving up my neck to that spot right behind my ear he knows I love so well. “Then we can get dressed and start looking for a place. Together,”

Together.

“Together sounds perfect,” I whisper and hug onto him as he carries me to the bathroom.