The Fighter's Prize

“I loved what we did,” I say, going toward him. “A lot.”

“Your pussy is all red and puffy, kotik. I don’t like seeing your pain and knowing I am responsible. Pain is what I deliver to men. Opponents. Not my sweet girl.”

I stop in front of Maxim and lock my arms behind his neck. “Maxim, you are…large. I was a virgin. I don’t think there was any way around it. Throw in your month-long sabbatical…”

“I also jacked off on you while you were sleeping last night.”

“Oh.” God help me, I just want to laugh. “And now you feel guilty?”

Another grunt. But this time he wraps his arms around my waist and yanks me up against his hard body, inhaling with gusto in the crook of my neck. “I am very worried I will fuck this up. Make you angry or sad.”

I could fall in love with this man.

Whoa.

Deep breaths. “I think the fact that you’re worrying means everything will be all right,” I whisper, lifting up on my toes to press our mouths together. Maxim groans, his tongue demanding entry to my mouth, his hands already sliding up beneath the back of my dress to capture my bottom, his blunt fingertips exploring the line of my G-string. Between us, his hard-on extends, curving behind the zipper of his jeans, and I rub my belly against it, producing a harsh, panting sound from his mouth. “Can Daddy come out to play?”

“Yes, little kitten—” His cell phone starts to ring in his pocket. “Fuck.”

“You should answer,” I murmur, kissing his chiseled jaw. “It could be about Scout.”

“No,” he says, looking at the screen. “Is my manager. He has been trying to reach me all morning.”

“Why didn’t you take the call?”

Maxim looks at me like I’m crazy. “I was busy thinking about you, kotik.”

He starts to toss the phone aside, but I stop him. “This could also be important. Especially after a big win.” I cut off his protests with a slow, meandering kiss. “Come find me when you’re done.”

His chest shudders up and down. “I will be very quick.”

I can feel his gaze on me until I turn the corner out of the room. As soon as I’m in the hallway, I let the hot shiver pass through me. Who knew my life could change so much in a matter of days? I met a man who makes me feel…happy. Safe. Confident. Sexy. Very sexy. And my sister is all right for now. I’m not going to rest until I confirm in person, but I know her voice and she’s not hurt or scared. Now all I have to focus on is my acting audition at the end of this week. If I do well and get cast in the play, I’ll be able to afford a chunk of Scout’s tuition.

God knows my father won’t be able to pay it after the loss he sustained last night.

He’d put a fair bit of money on Banner.

Not to mention his second-born daughter.

Where is he today? And what about Banner? Is he angry?

Surely he won’t try to pursue me any more. Not now that Maxim made his intentions clear to the entire population. No. He definitely won’t.

Reassured, I head to the bedroom and take out my script, intending to practice my lines until Maxim can join me. But I’ve only scanned the first page when my MMA champion appears in the doorway. He licks the corner of his mouth when he sees me, his attention dropping briefly to the script.

“What is that?”

“I have an audition this week. A part in a play.”

“Yes, this is right. My kotik is an actress.” He glides into the room, fingers hooked in his belt loops. “I did some digging before the fight. But I should have known after you lied so convincingly about your broken down car.”

“Was I convincing? You didn’t seem to believe me.”

“You were good. It was just hard to believe I could be so lucky.”

“Oh,” I breathe, my skin prickling with awareness when he sits down beside me on the bed. “Do you want to run some lines with me? It’s only fair since you turned me into an MMA champion this morning.”

“Da,” he says, crowding closer. “I would like this.”

I press my lips together. “Okay. So I’m auditioning for the role of a teenage daughter. She’s kind of rebellious. In this scene, she’s arguing with her father about curfew.”

He arches a dark brow. “What is curfew?”

“Your deadline to return home at night. Say, after a party or a date.”

A grunt and a head bob tells me he understands.

I scoot closer until the outsides of our thighs are pressing together and I hold the folded script so we can both see the words. “I’ll start here. And these lines are yours.” I shift a little, getting into character, then I begin at the top. “Dad, what are you so worried about? It’s just a party with friends.”