Ruined: Loving An Alpha Male: BWWM Romance (2 page)

****

“Alright, West. You can hit the shower,” Lou said to me finally.

I looked at Lou’s tall, thin frame and nodded with exhaustion. Alex told me that Lou had been around boxing all his life. He was a middleweight boxer in his day and had a pretty decent record. He gave it up, though, to raise his two boys. After they grew up and left home, he got into training upcoming boxers.

When Alex was young and used to work for his uncle and Lou, Lou was the one that taught him everything he knew about boxing and training. What surprised Alex the most was the knowledge Lou had about MMA. Since they opened the gym, they’ve trained some successful fighters.

I flopped down on the nearest bench while Alex started removing the tape from my hands. All I wanted to do was hit the shower, eat, and sleep.

“Hey, you remember Rachel from last weekend?”

I vaguely remembered, but I nodded as I knew where he was going.

“Well, she called asking if we wanted to do another foursome. I told her…”

I cut him off and shook my head. “No, Alex.”

“Aw, come on, Reap,” Alex pleaded, calling me by my SEAL call name. “She said she had the girl that would be perfect for you.” He chuckled at the painful look plastered on my face.

“Come on, man. The last time she said she had someone perfect for me, she was the dumbest broad I had ever met in my life. How the hell she thought any sane man would be interested is beyond me.”

“Aw, come on. She was willing to put out with no fuss.”

I looked at Alex about to say something else, when I saw the most beautiful being I have ever seen in my entire life flash in the corner of my eyes. I sat up straight and watched as she glided across the floor. Man, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She wore high heels that did her beautiful, shapely legs extreme justice, not to mention the jeans that looked painted on her body. The shirt she wore left nothing to the imagination, showing her flat stomach and beautiful round perky tits. When my eyes finally met hers, all I could do was smile, since I knew I was caught eye-fucking her. She gave me this perfect smile that made me react in a way I never thought was possible for my hard ass.

“She is way out of your league.”

I finally turned from her angelic face as she approached one of the fighters also working out in the gym. Then I looked into the eyes of the traitor next to me. I stood exhaling, realizing I was holding my breath that whole time. “What the hell do you mean?”

Alex grabbed my bag and started following me to the locker room. “You know what I mean. She is way out of your league. She’d run circles around your country white ass.”

I laughed. “Oh, so you’re just saying that because I’m white and she’s black?”

“Exactly,” Alex stated.

“Well, I’ll have you know that I’ve been approached by plenty of black women,” I told him.

He looked at me skeptically. “Yeah right. When? I don’t know no sistah that would willingly go looking for your vanilla ass.”

“I prefer pecan ass over vanilla. I’m not that pale,” I pointed out to him. “And I’ll have you know I’ve been approached by plenty of
sistahs,
as you call ’em. Remember Sally from NC?”

Sally was a Petty Officer Second Class on the USS Truman. There were many times where we stayed on a particular carrier for a while, until we got our orders to deploy to someone’s backyard.

Alex scoffed, “Please. Sally doesn’t count. She grew up in the suburbs with a silver spoon up her ass. No, I mean a round-the-way sistah.”

I smiled brightly, as I stripped and then headed to the shower. “Oh, you mean someone like Latricia Jones?”

I knew the moment I said her name Alex would shit bricks. Latricia was another Chief Petty Officer 2 and had been on Alex’s hit-it list since the moment he saw her. With brown skin and curves everywhere, she was on the list to be hunted and conquered by most of the men on the carrier.

“No fucking way.”

I didn’t reply. I simply shrugged my shoulders. The shower area was set up with private stalls only covering the body from the chest down. So I saw Alex follow me inside, which I knew he would do.

“Nah, come on Reap. Spill it. Are you saying you and Latricia hooked up?”

I shrugged again. “Look, Latricia is a lady, and I’m a gentleman. I’m not going to give you blow by blow.”

“The hell you aren’t,” Alex said incredulously.

I laughed. “All right, I can tell you this. She was impressive in some ways and average in others.”

“What the fuck does that mean? Come on, man. Just tell me. Was the pussy as good as it looks?”

I shrugged again, which I knew was pissing him off.

Alex growled, which made me laugh again and say, “Look, man. Was she a good lay? Eh. I’ve had better, but she was cool. Great head, though.”

I knew that would make Alex smile. Alex was a firm believer that a woman that could give good head was a plus and a must in his book. The rest of the shit didn’t matter to him, he would always say, which I thought was bullshit. Any woman that couldn’t work what she had wasn’t something that I wanted to invest my time in.

“Shit,” he drawled while waving at me. “You probably didn’t know what the hell to do with her, anyway. If I had the chance, I would definitely put it on her so good she’d be dreaming about me for a lifetime.”

I turned off the water and wrapped myself in my towel. “Well, I have her number. I can give it to you so you can call her. She did say she would be coming to Philadelphia permanently.

“Are you fucking kidding me? And you haven’t mentioned this before now? What kind of friend are you?”

I laughed and looked at him. “My bad, man. I didn’t know you were still interested.”

“You didn’t know I was still interested? She’s my Mt. Everest.”

I got dressed and grabbed my wet workout clothes. “So does this mean I don’t have to go with you and Rachel tonight?”

“Oh hell no. You’re still coming with us.”

As we headed out of the locker room and walked through a now-quiet gym into the front hall of the facility, I couldn’t believe what was standing in front of me. The angel that I had seen earlier was there in front of Lou, smiling and talking as if they’ve known each other for years.

I tried to concentrate on breathing this time as I approached the pair. She was even more beautiful close up. Her smile was indescribable. Her skin was milk-chocolate in color and looked smooth to touch. Her eyes were oval in shape with lashes for days. Her face was the perfection of beauty, and I couldn’t stop staring into her eyes. I sighed loudly, and I heard Alex chuckle next to me.

I was hoping by the time I got to them that I could at least get to talk to her, but as we got close, she turned around and ran right into my chest. I instinctively placed my arms around her waist to steady her, and she in turn placed her hands on my chest. Her touch sent fire all through my body.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as her eyes traveled from my pecs up to my lips and then to my eyes.

I just about fell apart with just the sound of her voice. It was so smooth and seductive. I knew I had to have her. Just the thought of hearing her say dirty shit to me in my ear while I’m balls deep in her... Holy hell.

I finally found my voice and smiled, “No, it was my fault, darlin’. I was completely distracted.”

We stared at each other for a second longer before I made the first move and let go of her. She seemed to step back reluctantly from me. Could that really be true? I watched her leave the building, focusing on her hips and beautiful apple-shaped ass sway as she moved.

I shook my head involuntarily and said out loud, “Who was that, Lou?”

“Max,” was all he said.

Max turned and smiled at me again before she completely disappeared from view, and I knew at that very moment that I would do anything for that woman.

I felt Alex lean into me, “Yeah, she’s definitely out of your league.”

“Come on, Max. Will you do this for me?” Mimi asked.

We were in the back of a place called “The Bar,” getting ready for our shift, when she asked if I would sing with her and two of her friends tonight. Michelle “Mimi” Waters and I have been friends for four years now. We’ve been roommates the entire four years, while each of us attended school; me in nursing and she an arts major at Drexel University. I filled out an ad for the room on the bulletin at school, and it’s been great ever since. She found this job here at “The Bar” as a bartender first. Then when I needed the extra money, she got me hired too. What helped me get the job as well was me knowing the owner personally.

Typically there are various bands that play at The Bar on Saturday nights, but Fridays are open mic. All you have to do is let the manager of the bar know—his name is Keith, by the way—and he’ll give you three minutes to perform. We have had some very hilarious people get up there and sing or dance and even recite poetry. Almost every Friday, Mimi and her two friends Laura “Lulu” and Teresa “Tiny” get up on stage to sing and dance for the patrons. Most of the time, when it’s known they’re singing, this place gets packed with crazed horny men and even some women. They know that Women’s Dream Men’s Desire, or WDMD, as they like to call themselves, are typically half-dressed and usually give the crowd a hell of a show and view.

Mimi told me her brother was getting married, and they were just going to stop in to have a few drinks before they went bar hopping. But since he called her complaining about his strippers, she changed the plan. She told me they were supposed to have strippers come to their hotel earlier, but whoever was in charge of the extra-curricular activities did a piss-poor job picking the women; her words, not mine.

I frowned and shook my head, “Aw, Mimi. Why can’t you three just sing?”

I didn’t mind singing, but I didn’t feel like being half-dressed. I remember the last time I sang with them, and my boyfriend saw me. He had to be escorted out of the bar for fighting.

“Because you can sing better than the three of us put together, number one. Number two, I really want to make sure my brother’s friends have a good time with four very hot ladies singing for them.”

I groaned. “You know I would love to. I like Mikey. I really do. But remember the last time I sang here, and Trip saw me?”

Mimi frowned. “You haven’t broken it off with that psycho yet? Come on, Max. What are you waiting for?”

I met my boyfriend, Travis “Trip” Weeks, during my internship last year at an amateur MMA fight. I was helping Lou, who is like an uncle to me, with his fighters last year—taping up injuries, stretching, and doing physical therapy for his fighters. Travis was so sweet and attentive when I met him. He swept me off my feet so fast that I didn’t know what hit me. He showered me with gifts,  time and attention. I was really happy, and even the sex was pretty good. He was my first interracial relationship, and I had reservations about it. But he never made it awkward. Travis was about six feet and weighed at least 270 pounds. He had brown eyes and short brown hair, with a body that was something to dream about.

A few months ago—after our one-year anniversary—things started to change. He started to get more agitated and aggressive with me. It has only gotten worse since he started training extra hard for this MMA season. He started accusing me of cheating on him multiple times, and I was getting fed up. Travis’ brother, Train, keeps telling me that Travis is under a lot of stress trying to go pro in MMA, but I think it’s more than that. I keep telling myself that it will get better. But as the weeks have gone by, it is actually getting worse. Sometimes he scares the crap out of me and gets very aggressive with me physically.

I cringed. “I know, Mimi. I was planning on doing it today, but he was really off his game tonight and pissed at me. So I didn’t want to make a scene.”

Mimi put her hands on her hips. “Yeah, when does he
not
make a scene?” she asked me and then started to leave the room.

I smiled at a memory. “Well, today was slightly different.”

Mimi sensed the change in my demeanor and turned to look at me. “What do you mean? And why do you have that silly grin on your face?”

“Today I was running late to Trip’s practice, as usual. I told him I had a test today, but he kept blowing my phone up as if I was out with someone. Anyway, as I was stomping up to him, I had this feeling come over me, and I slowed my pace. It was so weird that I can’t truly explain it. All I can say is, I felt goosebumps all over my body, and my heartbeat started to increase. I started to breath heavy, and it was that moment that I felt a pair of eyes on me.”

I watched her as she sat down next to me. I could see that she felt the excitement that was radiating from me. I mean, I felt wild right at that moment just talking about him.

I asked her, “Have you ever seen someone that completely affected you just by looking at you?”

“Well, yeah. I can say that Amy did,” she told me.

I knew Amy was Mimi’s first love. But two years ago, she left to join a band and travel leaving Mimi brokenhearted. I smiled at her, knowing she may have an idea. But I was certain she hasn’t felt what I did.

I explained, “I mean, as soon as I walked in the room, I felt his eyes on me. Then when I met his gaze, I felt him all through me. He had a complete effect on me that I never thought was possible. It was odd for me, you know. I mean, I’ve been around plenty of men with great bodies; working around fighters all the time and all that. Some have even tried to push up on me, even though they knew I was with Trip. But this guy—this specimen of perfection—was the exception.”

“Really?” That piqued Mimi’s interest.

“Yes, girl. Now I know you’ve never had this feeling about a man, of course. But all I wanted to do was lick him from head to toe. He had tats on his chest and tribal art on his shoulder blade. He had some anchor type tattoo on his chest, but I couldn’t quite see it from where I was. His body was glistening with sweat. I imagined what it would be like to be under him, with sweat glazing his body because of me instead of because of a punching bag.”

I touched my neck, feeling my own heart about to burst out of my chest while trying to slow my breathing and calm the need growing between my legs.

Mimi laughed. “Well, holy shit. You mean to tell me that you are talking about someone other than Trip?” I nodded as she clapped her hands. “Do you realize that this is the best news I’ve heard in forever? Girl, you’ve been wrapped around Trip for so long that knowing someone else is making you hot under the collar is music to my ears. Now, of course, I have no idea what you see in men. But hey, I can acknowledge if a guy is cute or not.”

“Well, sweetheart, cute is what puppies are. This man is like a Greek God of some kind. And his voice…”

“He spoke to you? What did he say? Did you get his number?”

“No, nothing like that. So, I was talking to Lou, you know, asking him if I can get more shifts there. This guy is actually one of Lou’s fighters. Anyway, girl, I started to feel my heart beating faster, and goose bumps started forming on my arms again. I started getting this feeling in between my legs; this
need
or something. I needed some air. So I quickly tell Lou I had to go. I turn and smacked right into him.” I smacked my hands together for effect. Then I closed my eyes and hugged myself. “He wrapped his arms around me, and I’ve never felt so safe and warm in my entire life. Then to open my eyes and inhale him….I thought I was going to faint.”

Mimi started fanning me with her hand. “Do I have to hose you down?”

I laughed and nodded. “Oh, yes. Because when that man smiled at me again, and I saw the most beautiful pair of blue eyes you have ever seen, I almost creamed my panties; especially when he hit me with his Texas drawl.”

Mimi’s eyes bulged out of her face.

“Wait, he’s white? Here I am thinking you gave my race a break and was talking about some chocolate being. And you think he’s from Texas? How do you know that?”

I stood and shrugged. “Girl, I’ve never been the type of girl who cared about race. If you’re hot, then you’re hot. And I’ve spent more time with Texans than I would like to admit. I can pick up on their accents easily. Come on, let’s get to work.”

“Wait!” She grabbed my arm as she stood. “So are you going to sing with us tonight, or what?”

I groaned, “What are you guys going to sing?”

She clapped her hands together and smiled. “
Buttons
by the Pussy Cat Dolls.”

I shook my head. “Mimi, I don’t know that one. Remember? You were supposed to show me the routine, and you didn’t get a chance.”

Typically when WDMD practiced, they did it at our place. I either helped with choreography or made up the entire routines, so I knew most of the songs they would perform. Mimi frowned and placed her shoulder-length, straight black hair behind her ear. I sighed, knowing that me doing this means a lot to her. I have to admit that, when I do sing with them, I have a ball. I completely escape who I am and become someone I only dream of being.

“Why don’t you guys do that song, and then we all can do a Rihanna song.”

I watched her smile and get excited. “Great idea! I’ll call Tiny to have her buy you an outfit too.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t say we are going to be half-dressed again.”

“Of course not. This is my brother we’re talking about. It’s weird enough I’m dancing for a bunch of horny twenty-somethings. Believe me, I have some dignity.”

I pushed her out of the back room. “Please, girl. You know you love all attention. Male or female, it makes no difference to you.”

She laughed. “You got that right.”

****

The rest of the night grew extremely busy. It’s like everyone on the South Side anticipated our performance. I rarely see this many people in here. I found myself so swamped with drinks and men hitting on me that I didn’t even notice a pair of eyes on me.

What I did notice is the goose bumps that were forming on my arms and the increase of my heart rate. This feeling has happened twice before. So when my eyes searched the crowd in front of me, they met those familiar ice blue eyes and an unbelievable smile.

Suddenly at that moment I heard nothing else as I moved towards him. When I got close, he simply smiled broader, and I couldn’t help but smile too.

I said, which I tell you right now was not my finest moment, “Are you following me?”

See? What did I tell you?

He wasn’t fazed by my fumbling self. He leaned in closer to me so he could be heard over the jukebox blaring some rock song I’ve never heard before.

He said, “If I told you that I was, would you give me your number?”

I blushed and shook my head. He shrugged. “Well, I guess I’ll settle for just a Scotch net. And none of that cheap shit.”

I frowned. “Never,” I said.

Then I smiled and turned from his gaze. Lou kept a stash of expensive Scotch behind the bar, so I reached for that and poured him a glass. I passed the glass to him, and he gave me his card.

“Keep that open for me, angel.”

I nodded and tried not to show how just those simple words and that smile of his was effecting me. I went back to work, trying to concentrate on my patrons and not his eyes that seemed to see right through me. I was glad at first when some blonde started talking to him because it kept the focus off me. But then I started to feel a little jealous.

Really, Max? How the hell can you be jealous over someone that doesn’t belong to you?
I asked myself, shaking my head at the notion.

I continued to busy myself, trying not to pay attention to him. But he was making it really hard. Even though everyone in the bar could tell this blonde was throwing herself at him, I kept feeling his eyes on me—undressing me, unhinging me. I saw him motion for me, and I walked over to him again, trying to control myself. But as I got closer to him, my heart started to beat faster…Damn him.

I smiled instinctively, but realized at that moment that the smile he gave me was totally genuine and honest. I felt myself completely relax. I poured him more Scotch.

Noticing that the blonde was gone, I asked, “So are you out by yourself tonight?”

I saw his eyebrows raise with my question, and I immediately realized my implication.

He smiled and said loud enough for me to hear without moving closer to him, “No, I’m waiting on a friend of mine.”

“Oh, so you have a hot date then? Huh?”

Damn, Max. Really?

It’s so unnerving how I’m acting around him. I shook my head slightly, hearing the disapproval pulsing through in my voice. I looked in his eyes and saw them drenched in amusement. Wait! Is he blushing? He looked down at his glass first, as if he was thinking about how to answer me.

He then smiled shyly, and said, “I wouldn’t call it a hot date.”

I nodded. “Oh, I see.” I was actually disappointed.

Take a deep breath, Max. Act natural. You are, after all, in a relationship. It shouldn’t matter if this guy is on a date or not.