Fighting for Desire (20 page)

Her hips lifted again and this time he didn’t stop her.
Instead he pulled her closer to the edge of the counter and continued his
skilled movements. Her stomach tightened and her breath hitched. Dev’s fingers
left her throbbing pussy and he grinned up at her for a moment before he began
fucking her with his tongue and mouth.

His warm tongue lapping at her pussy was her undoing and she
screamed out his name as an orgasm ripped through her body. Wave after wave she
released her tension and he drank every last drop.

When she stopped shaking, he stood and picked her up.
Without saying a word he carried her back into the bedroom and placed her in
the bed before crawling in right behind her.

She nestled against him and whispered, “Do you want me to
return the favor?”

His erection rubbed thickly against her back and she wanted
him to find his own release.

He pulled her closer. “No, babe. Right now all I need is to
hold you.”

Her heart leaped and she nodded. She wanted so badly to say
how much she loved him.

Instead she said, “Thank you, Dev.”

Shannon sat in the large chair near the window in the
library. She put the book she was reading against her chest and stretched. God
she ached but in a good way. After falling asleep in Dev’s arms she was
awakened the next morning to small kisses on her shoulder.

When he climbed on top of her and slid into her aching
folds, she felt something was different between them. Could it be possible Dev
was starting to feel the same way about her that she felt for him? Mutual
feelings seemed almost too good to be true but the look in his dark eyes said
otherwise.

When he came he started to cry out something but pressed his
face against her neck. As he said her name over and over she found her body
responding. God, would they ever get enough of each other? She prayed not.

The door to the library opened and Mrs. Ingram came in,
carrying a tray of hot tea and cookies.

Shannon set her book aside. “You didn’t have to bring me
anything.”

“I wanted to, dear. I know how it is to get caught up in all
these wonderful books.”

Shannon glanced at the grandfather clock that sat against
one of the walls and gasped. “Is it really three? Holy cow, where has this day
gone?”

Mrs. Ingram chuckled. “Just as I thought. You did lose track
of time.” She set the tray down and went on. “I also brought your cell phone. I
kept hearing it ringing while I was cleaning and figured it might be
important.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out Shannon’s phone.

Shannon took the cell with a smile.

“I’m sponsoring a friend through AA. He’s probably checking
in.”

Mrs. Ingram nodded. “My late husband lived to be twenty-two
years sober. He sponsored people as well. In fact I still keep in touch with
some of them even to this day.”

Hearing stories such as that always gave Shannon a ray of
hope. Sometimes day-by-day life became hard, and knowing there were people out
there who were sober over twenty years provided her with inspiration.

The length of her own sobriety seemed small by comparison
but she hoped one day she could say she had been sober for twenty years or
more. One day at a time. That was the only way.

“I am sure you are proud of your husband.”

“Oh yes. I always get sad when I hear of those who didn’t stick
with their sobriety though.” Mrs. Ingram smoothed her apron. “Well I had better
run. Dinner will be served at eight tonight since Mr. James is at a meeting.”

Shannon nodded. Dev had mentioned having a meeting with a
few of his sponsors. He seemed nervous but wouldn’t tell her why.

Mrs. Ingram left the room and Shannon unlocked her phone so
she could see who had been texting or calling her. She didn’t really think Joe
was trying to reach her. If she were betting, she’d guess Johnny.

She scanned her text log and her stomach dropped. Johnny had
sent several messages to her. They all said pretty much the same thing—
hold
up your end of the deal. Don’t fuck this up. Keep your boy toy in bed
. She
set the phone down in disgust just as it began ringing.

“Hello?” she answered.

She didn’t want to talk to him right now but she didn’t have
a choice. Johnny remained too unpredictable to be left to his own devices.

“Well, well,” he purred. “Look who is finally answering
their phone.”

“What do you want?”

He chuckled. “You know what I want but since you swore you
would never give that to me again…”

Her body shook in revulsion and she held back a smart
response.

She didn’t say anything and he went on.

“Aw, not going to play with me today?” He laughed. “Guess
not.”

“Johnny, is there something you wanted? I’m kind of busy.”

An outright lie but he didn’t need to know that.

“See I might believe you were busy if your boy wasn’t
sitting on the other side of this window I’m standing in front of.”

“Window?” she echoed.

Her heart pounded. How in the hell had he weaseled his way
into Dev’s meeting? She could hear voices in the background and the occasional
phone ringing so she didn’t doubt his word.

“And I find it funny he is even at this meeting when I
specifically gave you orders to keep him so busy his head would spin.”

She sat forward in the chair. “John—”

“No you listen to me, you fucking bitch. I gave you one
fucking job. How hard is it to spread your legs and let him fuck you until he
can’t even think about getting out of bed? I thought it would be easy for a
slut like you!”

She gasped, his insults hitting her as if she had been
slapped.

“Now I am going to give you one more chance. I’m not even
going to ask you to sleep with him this time.”

She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “Whatever it is
I’ll do it. Just leave Dev alone.”

“I knew you would come around, Shannon. You always do in the
end. Now here is what you are going to do. Ask the kind housekeeper to borrow
one of Dev’s cars but not the flashy new one your boy bought you. Get something
that will blend in.”

She swallowed. “It’s going to be hard to leave…”

“I am sure you will think of something,” he sneered. “Drive
into town and look for the Embassy Suites. You won’t miss it. Go to the front
desk and tell them you are visiting a guest named Baby Bray. They will give you
a room key and you will then go to the room. Understand?”

“You bastard,” she whispered. “I should have never told you
about the baby.”

He laughed deeply. “I would have found out, even if you
hadn’t told me. Unlike some people, my private investigators always find things
for me to use against a person. You just saved me a step by divulging the
information yourself.” He paused then added, “Now do you understand?”

“What time do I need to be there?”

“One hour from now. Don’t be late.”

“What will I be doing?”

“Oh, you’ll see…”

Johnny hung up the phone and Shannon rubbed her forehead. If
she was late, there was no telling what he would do. Why did he have it out for
Dev? As far as she knew they had no prior knowledge of each other. But
something made Johnny go after Dev.

She took in a deep breath and went in search of Mrs. Ingram.
Shannon found the housekeeper in the kitchen, playing with Alice on the floor.

“I hate to ask but is there a car I can borrow?”

Mrs. Ingram smiled. “Actually your car was delivered just
this morning.”

“My car?” she echoed.

“Yes, Mr. James said it was a gift. He said you knew…”

She smiled. “Oh yes…how could I have forgotten?”

“If you look out the window over there, you can see the car
parked outside the garage.”

Shannon walked over to the window. The sporty car gleamed in
the sunlight and her heart leaped at the sight. She couldn’t wait to get behind
the wheel and see what the car could do.

Johnny’s warning flashed through her mind and she bit her
lip. She couldn’t drive her new car. The bright red Mercedes was too flashy.

“What’s wrong, dear?”

“Uh, I hate to ask but is there something more…normal
looking?”

Mrs. Ingram smiled. “Afraid to drive such a beauty on the
road? I understand the feeling. I’ll have the SUV brought around. You are
probably more accustomed to driving a vehicle like that.”

“Thank you so much.”

She glanced wistfully at her car. The SUV would have to do
for now.

* * * * *

Nearly an hour later Shannon stood in the lobby of the
Embassy Suites. She smoothed her shirt as she walked up to the front desk.

“Hi,” she said to the man behind the counter. “I am here to
see a friend and I believe they left a key for me.”

“What is the name of the guest?”

“Baby Bray.”

Her teeth clenched and she fought to keep her expression
neutral. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to herself than needed.

“Ah yes. Here is the keycard. Room 719. Just take the elevators
to the left and go to the seventh floor. This is also for you.”

The man handed her an envelope, which was so light it felt
almost empty. She tucked the package into her purse.

“Thank you.”

Once on the elevator she pulled the envelope back out and lifted
the flap. Three photos fell out and she held her hand to her mouth in shock.
The first photo was from the Sunset Café. Dev sat at the table and she stood
before him with her hand on her hip.

The next photo was of her and Dev at his house in Miami. They
both stood on the balcony that overlooked the gardens. Her skin began to crawl
as she looked at the last. Taken at the airport in Colorado, she exited the jet
with Dev right behind her. How in the fuck did Johnny have these photos?

The elevator chimed as she reached the seventh floor. Okay
she could do this. She walked down the hallway and found the room. She slid the
keycard into the door and then opened it.

The room was dark except for a lamp near one of the beds.

“Hello?” she called out.

She turned on another lamp, which cast the room in a yellow
glow. She sat on the bed with an angry sigh.

“What in the heck are you playing at, Johnny?” she asked the
empty room.

The phone next to her rang and she jumped.

“Hello?”

“Well look who is following directions now. How did you
manage to leave the house?”

She rolled her eyes. “I said I wanted to go to a bookstore.”

“Nice cover,” Johnny said. “I taught you well. I see you
drove a SUV. Good girl.”

His knowledge of what she drove creeped her out but she
shouldn’t be surprised.

“Did the front desk give you the envelope?”

“You know they did. How did you get those pictures?”

“I have my ways, Shannon. You know better than to ask.”

She sighed. “I have to get back soon so can you stop
dragging this out. Why aren’t you here?”

“I knew you missed me.”

She huffed and counted to ten before replying. “Please just
tell me what you wanted.”

“What I want and what I’m going to get are two different
things but have the same outcome. Devlin James will not win.”

Her heart ached at the thought of Johnny using her in some
way to make Dev lose his fight. She
had
to find a way to tell Dev the
truth soon. She wouldn’t tip Johnny off, though.

“How am I supposed to help Dev lose his fight?”

She imagined Johnny smiling as he said, “You have your ways,
my pet. Obviously sex is not one of those ways though.”

“Johnny…” Her voice held a warning behind it.

“I’m not going to ask you to fuck him to keep him
distracted. You are going to slide under the radar until the night of his
fight. Wear something revealing that will draw attention to you. My men will
handle the rest.”

“That’s it?”

After all his threats this seemed such a small request.

His tone darkened. “Yes that’s it. That is the last thing I’m
going to ask of you so you had better not fuck it up. Something slutty and
revealing. Got it?”

“Yes.” She took in a deep breath. “But how do I know you’ll
leave me alone after the fight is over?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head. After the fight is
over you will never see me again…as long as my plan goes according to
schedule.”

After everything he had done to her, trusting him would be impossible
but she had no choice. She thought for a moment. When the fight was over and
she knew Dev hadn’t been injured she could finally come clean to him. Hopefully
he would be able to forgive her and they could move past Johnny Ice and his
control.

“Okay. I understand. Anything else?”

Johnny laughed softly. “So willing to please. Yes there is
one more thing. Don’t wear white.”

“Why not?”

What a strange request, especially after everything he had
asked her to do.

“Because I would hate for your dress to get stained with Dev’s
blood.”

With those words the line went dead.

“Oh my god!” she cried out.

Head spinning, she struggled to process Johnny’s words. There
had to be something she could do to stop him from hurting Dev. Her chest burned
as she fought back tears. Nothing mattered but making sure Dev was okay… No
matter the price she had to pay. Even if saving him meant sacrificing her life
in place of his.

Dev sat back in the leather chair. He watched as Marco lit a
cigar and took a puff.

“I thought you quit?”

Marco ruefully smiled. “So did I.”

“Is it Katie?”

Marco nodded. “I know I shouldn’t let her absence at the
fight bother me so much. She’s never missed an event that I’m promoting
before.” He shrugged. “But what can I do? She’s not mine and I have no say.”

Dev took a drink of his water. His friend hurt right now but
he couldn’t say anything to make Marco feel better.

Marco sighed. “So how did it go after I left last night?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t even realize you had gone,
man.”

He thought back to Shannon’s tear-streaked face looking down
at him as he ate her out. God last night had not gone as he’d planned. He still
wasn’t convinced she had been okay and he hated feeling guilty.

Marco must have sensed Dev’s thoughts. “I believe she would
have used her safe word. Don’t you?”

“I’m just not sure…”

“I am. As I said last night, you get all fucked up when you
think your woman is hurting. Concern is a natural reaction. You did the right
thing by calling me in there though.”

His woman? His stomach lurched at the thought and he took a
drink so he didn’t have to reply.

Marco didn’t miss a beat and changed subjects. “What did you
think about today?”

The meeting with the sponsors had gone well until two of
them had walked out. They couldn’t get over his past record of hurting
opponents. Plus the fight being canceled in Vegas didn’t sit well with them.

“I think the talk went pretty good, considering they are
attacking my past. I was young when I took those fights too far and hurt my
opponents. My professional record shows I’ve grown and learned from my mistakes.
Hell my track record in UFC is enough to put my past to rest.”

Marco took another puff of his cigar. “I agree. I liked what
John Ice had to say though. He seemed to shut some of them up.”

In a room filled with doubt, John Ice stepped in and took
control, pointing out that the fight in Colorado was going to be one of the
highest profiting bouts to date.

“Yeah. He’s a good guy.”

Marco checked his cell phone. “Oh by the way, the PI sent
over a copy of Shannon’s cell phone record as you requested. As far as I can
see everything seems to check out with what she says.”

Dev had forgotten he asked Marco to check up on Shannon’s
cell phone but he wasn’t surprised she had been telling the truth. She had
nothing to hide from him and he wasn’t keeping anything from her. Wow…he hadn’t
felt that good about a relationship in a long time.

Marco chuckled. “I can tell by your face you didn’t hear a
word I just said.”

“Sorry, man. What were you saying?”

“There are a few things in the original PI report that are
starting to bother me. I am going to follow up on them.”

“Anything major?”

Marco shook his head. “My gut feeling is telling me to check
into this. I’ll let you know if I find out anything different than first
reported.”

Dev nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Speaking of Shannon, where is she?”

“Mrs. Ingram said she went into town to go to a bookstore.”

Marco rolled his eyes. “With the impressive library you have
I’m surprised she would ever have to leave to find a new book.”

Dev shrugged. “Must be looking for something in particular.”
He stood. “Okay enough bull-shitting around. Let’s go practice.”

“What?” Marco said in mock horror. “Devlin James actually
wants to practice? By all means let’s go.”

Dev laughed and followed his friend from the office. Things
were finally turning out in his favor.