Doomsday Love: An MMA & Second Chance Romance (36 page)

“Kylie?” I call.

“Yeah, babe?” Her voice is light and tired.

“Do you think Drake and I are really meant to be together?”

I hear her shift in her seat. I don’t look her way, but I can feel her watching me. “How can you even ask that question?”

I shrug.

“Jen.” Her voice is exasperated. “Not too long ago, you didn’t even know where Drake was. You didn’t know that he would be here or that you would come face-to-face with him ever again. I haven’t forgotten when we were teenagers. You were there for him just as much as he was there for you. You two were amazing together—and you still are. I haven’t seen you smile this much since being with him in Fox River.”

I look over at her and when I do her mouth spreads to smile. It is gentle and sweet, and it warms me up inside. I draw in a thick breath and it sticks in my chest, dwindling to my lungs.

“I’m scared to be with him again,” I confess.

She’s quiet for a moment, and when the wheels of the cab run over a pothole, my body bounces. “I’m scared too, Jen. We never know what they will do next.” She grabs my hand, continuing a smile. “But that’s the fun of having a Davenport. They may be reckless, wild, and their next action unknown, but they love us. And that is for sure. Oscar has been saying it ever since he held me in his arms again.”

“He has?” I grin as she blushes. “Aww, Kylie, that is so sweet!”

She laughs. “I think you’re just afraid of what Drake can provide. You didn’t think you’d ever see him again, but now that he is here—and with more money—you aren’t sure how to go about it. I say stick with him. Work it out. Try and get on the same page again. Something tells me the Hulk isn’t going to let you go this time, no matter what you say or do.”

I snort. “He is like the Hulk right? All crazy and wild—and those damn eyes. That should be his fighter name right there!”

“Right!” She snickers. “He went all
Doom
Smash
on that Slayer guy.” We bust out laughing, falling into each other. “But, hey, I wouldn’t mind him going Hulk on Shane. I really wouldn’t. I know this is bad to admit, but deep down I wanted to come into this hotel just to see Drake beating the ever-loving shit out of Shane. Now that would have been the fight of a lifetime.”

I groan. “I feel so stupid for letting Shane do what he’s done to me. But you know my situation with my parents…”

“Yeah, I know. Things aren’t going as planned with your life. But that’s okay. What you should have done was press charges, babe. Seriously. Just because he can’t do it to you anymore doesn’t mean he can’t with another innocent girl.”

“That’s true. Maybe I should.” We are quiet for a moment. “You want to know something weird?”

“What?”

“I know I told you my parents and I aren’t on good terms, but my mom has been calling me for like two weeks straight now.”

“What?!” she gasps.

“Yeah. She’s been saying that she really needs to talk to me but I don’t know what she wants. She seems a little… desperate.”

“So why haven’t you answered? It could be important.”

“Because I can’t help her, Kylie. What am I going to give her besides my ass to kiss?”

“That’s beside the point, Jenny. I know your mom was a mega bitch, but when has she called you non-stop? Never. Not since we were teens and she used to demand you get home.”

“I—I can’t answer, Kylie. What if she needs me to come to Fox River? I can’t go back to that city—that
house
.”

“Jen,” she murmurs. “I’m going to tell you something and I mean it with all of the love in my heart. Get over yourself, babe. You are twenty-three years old. You’ve just graduated college and you’ve gotten the love of your life back. To me, things are starting to look up for you. What’s to say they can’t with your mom, too?”

She gives me a look—one with way too much hope and faith. It shouldn’t bother me, but it does. But only because I wish I had as much hope as she did. I wish that I could just be happy for the life I’ve lived—to still be alive.

Kylie has changed drastically and I’ve loved witnessing her growth. She’s much stronger, mentally and physically. She’s a sweetheart, and she’s one of the most selfless people I know. I can’t even count how many times she’s put me before herself when I most needed her.

I’m trying to get to the level she’s on… but I’m not quite there yet.

“You’re probably right,” I murmur as we pull up to the front of the hotel.

“If she calls and needs you to see her, I can go back with you.” She pushes out of the cab and I walk around the back to meet up with her.

“Would you really?”

“Of course,” she sings. “You’re my best friend, Jen. I’d chop a guys balls off for you. Speaking of, don’t let me see Shane again. If so, I’ll have my knife ready.” I bust out laughing and she slings an arm around my shoulders, yawning. “But that can’t happen until I get some sleep. So come on, baby love.”

I
hear
a deep voice and some mild grumbling coming from a distance.

Shifting on the bed, I look towards the alarm clock. The neon blue numbers are bold, bright, and they nearly burn my damn eye sockets out.

9:14 a.m.

Groaning, I roll over and see Kylie sprawled over the left side of the bed. She’s in the same position she fell asleep in. I know because I watched her up until about an hour ago. I was trying to stay awake as long as possible.

One: I couldn’t sleep knowing Drake is out there somewhere and not answering his phone. And two, I was hoping to get a call from Oscar saying he found him.

The second part didn’t happen, and with each ticking minute passing by, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

The deep voices grow a little closer and then I hear the doorknob jiggle. I sit up groggily, rubbing my eyes before fixing my gaze on the door.

When it swings open, Oscar walks in and following right behind him is…
Drake
.

“Oh my God. Drake.” I climb off the bed and rush for him as he walks in. My arms bolt around the back of his neck and his go around my whole body to hold me close. “Where in the hell were you?” I demand over his shoulder in a whisper.

I feel him shake his head and then I lean back to study his face. He seems free of scars and scratches. He seems calm. Something tells me he never got to find Shane.

“Found him at the damn Aria,” Oscar grumbles, crossing his arms as he steps forward.

“What? Where? We looked everywhere.”

“By the pool—the only place of the hotel we didn’t bother to look because, you know, it closes at six.”

My face screws up a bit. “Why were you by the pool?”

Drake pulls away slowly, running a hand through his hair. “Needed some air.”

“Don’t worry,” Oscar sighs. “He didn’t do anything crazy. Trust me, we would have heard about it by now. A good thing happened though. This guy finally attended something on time. I found him about an hour before he had his photo shoot with the belt.”

Drake looks towards the window.

I smile. “I’m glad you found him, Oscar.”

“Yeah.” He yawns and then looks over at Kylie, slowly walking towards the bed. She’s snoring like a bear. I know she won’t be up anytime soon. Oscar kisses her on the cheek and then stands up straight. “I’ll leave you two alone to talk. Jenny, tell Kylie to call me when she wakes up. I’ll send someone to pick her up and bring her back to my hotel. She needs as much sleep as she can get.”

I nod. “Okay.” He walks to the door, but before he can go, I call after him and then grab Drake’s hand. With a warm smile, I murmur, “Thank you, Oscar.”

He looks down at our entwined fingers before meeting my eyes. “Anytime, Jenny.”

When he’s gone, I put my attention back on Drake. He looks me in the eye for a brief moment before pulling his hand away and walking to the bathroom.

“Drake?” I call. He enters the bathroom, pulling the black T-shirt over his head. “Drake, can you talk to me?”

He looks over at me before starting the shower. “I don’t feel like talking right now, Jenny.”

“Well…” My voice is hesitant. “Can you at least tell me if you are okay?”

“Of course I’m not okay,” he grumbles. “I’m far from it.”

I should have known that. He didn’t find Shane. I knew he wouldn’t, and I know he’s pissed that he couldn’t.

He looks at me, running his eyes from mine to my feet. My pajamas were dirty and during my shopping adventure with him, I didn’t think about buying more so I dug through his suitcase for something comfortable.

I’m wearing a pair of his black Nike socks and one of his white T-shirts. The shirt is big on me, clinging to my breasts and butt. I can tell he likes what he sees because his face lights up and he blinks slowly, as if he didn’t notice what I was wearing before.

Walking towards me, Drake takes my hand and brings me into the bathroom with him. He shuts the door behind us, and then squeezes my hand in his.

“Take a shower with me.” His voice is husky. I know he’s exhausted.

“Will it help you relax?”

“It will do more than that. Believe me.” He studies my face and then his hands fall into a steady slope. He grabs the hem of my T-shirt, gradually pulling it up. The cotton collects around my neck, I lift my arms, and he tugs the shirt off.

My breasts bounce when I drop my arms, and he studies them, a fire present in those green pools of his. Unbuttoning his jeans, he slides them down and then kicks off his shoes. When his socks and pants are off, he walks to the shower. There is no door, only glass blocking half of it to keep the water from spattering out.

He doesn’t step in right away. Instead, he extends an arm, gesturing for me to come. I bend down to take the socks off and then I walk forward, grabbing onto his hand.

Allowing me to step in front of him, he lets me get beneath the stream of warm water first and then follows in right after me. He presses on me from behind and I feel his cock rubbing across my ass.

He’s so hard, and I am stunned. I turn around and look down at his thick member. Drake’s eyes travel down too, and he blinks slowly before dragging his gaze back up to meet mine.

“Tell me what happened,” I whisper, cupping his face. “I was worried, Drake. I could hardly sleep.”

“I didn’t get to him. That’s all that matters, right?”

“No. Well, I mean yes, I’m glad you couldn’t get to him. You didn’t need to. You’re better than that.”

“Am I?” He holds my wrists and gently forces my hands away. “The one thing I realized last night is that I haven’t fucking changed much of my ways, Jenny. And who’s to say that because of how I acted out last night, you won’t leave me again? That’s what made me stop looking for that piece of shit. I was worried that I was going to make you question who I am, and that you’d run away again.”

My brows fuse together as I study his face. Water coats his long eyelashes, and they touch his cheekbones as he looks down, away from me.

“Drake—are you kidding? I know how you are. I would never leave you over something like that! When I first met you, that’s what I signed up for. Your wild side. Your rough personality. I’m not an idiot.”

“But it’s because of this rough personality that I ended up breaking your heart in the first place.”

My lips twist. “That’s the past. You’re back now, and you have all the time in the world to make things up to me.” I grab his chin, forcing his eyes on mine. “Start now. With me. Don’t think about anything else.”

His eyes flash up to meet mine. His face softens a touch, and then he steps closer, closing the gap between us. My body presses on his hot skin. There is a huge difference between him and I.

He’s hard, hot, and sculpted everywhere. I’m soft, slender, and so familiar to him. The two of us like this—it’s dynamic. It’s beautiful, and I, of all people, know this connection can’t be denied.

Drake holds me around the waist, reeling me closer, his mouth only a sliver away from mine.

“I can’t lose you again, Jenny. I want to be better for you. Because I love you, and I don’t want you to worry. I do some crazy shit, yeah. I’ve been known to do crazy shit my entire life.” He draws in a ragged breath. “I’m unsure about a lot of things, but the one thing I’ve been sure of since I was ten, is that I love you.
I love you
and I want you in my life, for the rest of my life. I don’t want to lose you again.

“If I lose you, I will spiral, Jenny. I don’t want to lose sight of who I am and what I can be when I’m with you.” His voice cracks as he drops his forehead onto mine. “You are the only person I have left that makes me face reality. You are the only one outside of family that sees me for who I am—that accepts my flaws, that cares about me despite my foolishness. You are the reason I held onto my humanity.”

My eyes prickle as he watches my face, stroking me behind the ear.

“I love you, Jenny. I fucking love you. And if you don’t want me to beat the shit out of that guy, I won’t. If you want me to be good and stay safe, I will. As long as it makes you happy, I will do it. And that’s my word. I love you too damn much to lose you over quick tempers and petty actions. I did it once before. I won’t do it again.”

My throat is tight and thick with emotion. I don’t blink as I look at him. I can’t even speak. He is in this vulnerable state—one that I am so surprised to see. He is so raw and open with me that it almost seems unreal.

I don’t have much to say. I really don’t know where to begin. So much is running through my mind right now, but all I want is one thing.

His touch. His affection. His love.

My heart beats heavily. I hear my pulse whooshing in my ears, along with the sound of water. I don’t think before I react.

Throwing my arms over his shoulders, I press my lips on his and moan as he clutches me tighter in his embrace. As soon as our lips are connected, Drake grunts and picks me up.

The water streams down on us, passing through our lips, between our bodies, through my hair, and down my back.

This kiss beneath the shower stream is like none other.

I know Drake loves me, but with this kiss alone, it proves to me only one thing: he is
fighting
for our love.

He is keeping me and he is never pulling away again.

He holds me snug against him, and my legs instinctively wrap around him. His cock runs across my belly, digging into my smooth flesh. I moan as he holds my face and my back hits the shower wall.

Our lips part for a split second, and in that mere second our eyes lock. Water spills over his face, through his hair. It drips off the tip of his nose, and he pants through parted lips.

His eyes are intense. Serious. Within them I see the devotion he is willing to give. The passion. Everything he has to offer, and it is more than enough for me.

I lean in and kiss him whole, and as I do, he slides himself right into me. My walls show no resistance. I grip him tighter, my fingernails digging into his skin. They slide down his watery back and stop just above his hips.

Drake grunts as he thrusts deeper, and my back arches against the wall. He greedily sucks on my bottom lip when I pull my mouth away from his, and it only heightens my arousal.

I bring my arms back up and hold on tight. Our bodies bounce, water splashing everywhere. Our skin is dripping wet but he still holds me snug. He is so thick, filling me up more and more with every stroke. My moans are heavy, feeding his ego.

His balls clap on my skin, and he groans, veins appearing on his neck. He sucks on the crook of mine and I sigh, allowing the back of my head to fall back and rest on the shower wall.

“You have no idea how much I love you, babe. I love you so damn much,” he grumbles into my wet skin. He tilts his head back and grips my face in his hands. “You love me?”

“Yes,” I pant. “I love you, Drake. I have loved you since I was ten years old and I will continue loving you, no matter what.” For the first time this morning, I see him smile. It is warm and full, and it makes my heartbeat stutter just seeing it.

With my face still clasped in his hands, he brings my mouth to his and crushes my lips. He forces them apart with his tongue and kisses me, his tongue rolling with mine, locking and then moving in rhythm.

He works his hips, slamming a little harder. I feel his body start to lock up, his chest tightening. His groans turn into light grunts, and his breathing quickens.

And then it comes.

He comes for me, and I quiver as he does, releasing what has been trapped inside me for years.

Drake grunts, unleashing years of pent up frustrations and regrets. His mouth is still on mine, his eyes squeezed tight. He cups two hands around the back of my neck, breaks the kiss, and drops his forehead on mine, shuddering as he spouts his last few drops of release.

“Shit, Jenny.” He breathes raggedly, looking me in the eyes. “Fuck, I’ve missed that, baby.”

I giggle, biting my bottom lip. I tip my chin to kiss him once. Twice. Then I move my lips over to kiss his cheek, and then the tip of his nose.

He shuts his eyes briefly as I do this, and when I stop, he looks at me with a lopsided, lazy grin.

“I love you so much, Drake. I am yours, okay? I always have been and I always will be. I don’t want anyone else.”

“Neither do I.” He places me on my feet. “I have a request for you.”

“What?”

“Will you leave Vegas with me?”

“I can…” I smirk.

“But
will
you?”

I gather my wet hair to one side. “I will. Just for you, Doomsday. If that’s what you really want.”

“Of course it’s what I want. You shouldn’t disappoint Doomsday. He doesn’t like that.”

“Oh, I know he doesn’t. Doomsday is so full of himself it’s not even funny.” I’m teasing him, but it makes my heart happy to hear him bellow with laughter.

He knows this too, but with Drake comes the almighty Doomsday. They are two different beings, coinciding in one body. His alter ego can get the best of him sometimes, but deep down his true nature will show up and let him know when he is being irrational.

Doomsday is a beast that needs training. I am his princess and it is my job to make sure that that beast never reveals himself outside of the cage—well, at least not too often.

I know I won’t be able to control everything about him, but as long as he is willing to listen and be open with me, I can honestly say we will be off to a good start. A new and better beginning.

Drake is the man I love. I can pretend he isn’t, but I would be a fool and a liar.

He is the man I have always wanted.

I don’t want to lose him again. I fear it so much.

I will do whatever it takes to make this work again. The past is the past. We have done wrong without each other. It’s time to make things right again.

He’s proved his loyalty to me. Now it’s my turn to show him that I really want this.