Zel: Markovic MMA (12 page)

And—
fuck
—when she wrapped her wet lips around the head of his cock, she owned him. Anything she wanted, he would give. Anything. Diamonds? A new house? A new car? A trip to the Caribbean? A weekend in Paris? Hers. Done. Without question.

But she never asked.

She gave and she loved and she supported him without holding out her hand or running a tab. She was totally selfless when it came to her love for him—and he would spend the rest of his life working hard to deserve it.

With a mischievous grin, she flicked her tongue along the sensitive underside of his cock before sucking him deep and hard. He gripped the edge of the marble vanity behind him so tightly he was shocked it didn’t snap. She hummed enthusiastically around his dick and took him even deeper. His heart slammed against his ribcage. She sucked and fluttered her tongue while stroking him.

During their earliest days together, he had experienced such guilt in moments like these. He had put her on a pedestal, elevating her above all women and denying himself the rougher pleasures he liked from fear of hurting or disgusting her. When she had finally asked him to play rough, to spank her a little harder, to tug her hair, to nip at her neck or breast, he had been floored. It had taken him a while to accept that she wanted everything he had to offer and that she enjoyed it just as much as he did.

So when she dragged his hand away from the counter and toward her hair, he knew exactly what she wanted. He threaded his fingers through her silky hair and gripped a handful of it, pulling just enough to sting but never enough to harm. She smiled excitedly around his cock before relaxing her jaw. He thrust into her mouth. It felt so fucking good. He wouldn’t last long.

When Erin reached between her legs to touch herself, he lost control. He groaned her name before the first burst of his orgasm punched the air right out of his lungs. Erin moaned enthusiastically and took him deep into her mouth, greedily swallowing his seed. When she’d milked him dry, she left him shuddering by gently sucking and licking his sensitive cock until he was soft and slipped from her mouth.

Looking thoroughly pleased with herself, Erin sat back on her heels and licked her lips. She reminded him of a naughty kitten, and he couldn’t help but smile down at her. He helped her stand and then dragged her tight to his body for a kiss that left her breathless and shaking. His hand traveled the curve of her spine to her bare bottom. He squeezed a handful of her plump ass before giving her a sound smack that made her press even harder against him.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door of their suite. He traced his thumb along her lower lip and held her smoky gaze. “Fuck those pancakes. I’m going to have you for breakfast instead.”

“I don’t know. I think I’d rather have my mimosa and English muffin instead.” With a daring smile, she crept away from him and out of the bathroom. Knowing his wife as well as he did, he understood this was a bit of teasing and foreplay. She would go all the way to that door in nothing but that see-through nightgown.

All right
, he thought with a surge of desire.
Challenge accepted
.

In seven quick, powerful strides, he caught up with his wife and swung her up into his arms. She squealed with laughter, giggling even louder when he buried his face along the curve of her neck and nipped at her throat. He carried her to the bed and dropped her onto it. She tried to sit up, but he pushed her back down, using his big hand to gently hold her in place. Her breaths quickened as he opened her thighs and bared her pussy to his approving gaze.

There was another knock at the door as he lowered his face and kissed her right there, brushing his lips against her soft pink heat. Holding her gaze, he said, “You stay right here.” He dragged his mouth down her slit. “Just like this.”

She gulped and nodded shakily. “I won’t move.”

He rose to his full height and snatched up the pair of pajama bottoms he had shucked earlier. After slipping into them, he headed left the bedroom. He made sure the door was open just a few inches, enough for Erin to worry that another man might see her in that exposed and vulnerable position. Ivan would never let that happen, but he liked the idea of teasing her with the possibility.

The hotel porter’s eyes widened at the sight of all his tattoos, but the young kid seemed to know better than to stare or ask stupid questions. The porter quickly uncovered the dishes to make sure everything was there and handed over the room service ticket. Ivan added a tip, signed the bottom and handed it back. He practically chased the kid out of the suite and locked the door behind him.

Back in the bedroom, he pounced on Erin. She laughed at his enthusiasm and then moaned as his tongue did wicked things to her. He forced her thighs wide open, holding her right where he wanted her, and went wild on her pussy. She was soaking wet for him.

Giving head excited her so much that he always had an easy time of giving her pleasure when it was her turn. This morning was no exception. She arched her back and rocked her hips as he fluttered his tongue over her in the way she loved best.

“Evie,” she breathed his name. The muscles in her legs flexed, and she began to inhale deeper, faster breaths. “Evie!”

She came hard while shouting his name. His ego enjoyed the exaltation, and he made sure not to let up until she was inching away from his mouth and gasping from the aftershocks. He spent a little time licking and nibbling her pussy and clit until she sagged, boneless and spent, atop the messy bed. He trailed his mouth along her inner thigh and across her belly, pushing the see-through nightie out of the way as he crawled up her body.

Eye to eye, they smiled at one another, sharing the intimate looks that married couples did. Mornings like this, he couldn’t quite believe he shared his life with this incredible woman. She cupped his face in her hands and caressed his cheek with her thumbs. She seemed so fragile to him, her fingers so elegant and fine. He felt like a brute next to her, all muscle and brawn and rough edges.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked softly. “You look so serious.”

“I’m wondering what the hell you see in me and my horrible face.”

“Your face is not horrible! You’re handsome.” She kissed him lovingly. “You’re the sexiest man in the world to me.”

“
Angil moy
.” He laughed and kissed her back. “My face is like an old potato.”

She scoffed and traced the dip in his nose where it had been broken twice. “I love your old potato face.” She ran her finger along the dent in his forehead and the scar on his cheek. “I love everything about you, Ivan. These scars, these old wounds, your tattoos—you’re perfect to me.”

No matter how many times she professed her love, he couldn’t eradicate the fear that someday she would wake up and realize she could have done so much better. He had talked to Dimitri about it once, after too many beers, and Dimitri had helped him understand that being abandoned as a child had left a dark, ugly hole inside him. Erin’s love had poured into that hole, but he feared it would never be completely filled.

As if reading his mind, she embraced him and kissed his cheek. “I love you so much.”

Closing his eyes, he hugged her back and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Erin.”

When he dropped onto his back next to her, Erin snuggled up close. She traced the inked lines on his chest. “I don’t say it enough, but I’m so proud of you. I’m so proud of everything you’ve built.”

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” he admitted, turning his head so she could see the sincere look on his face. “Everything I’ve built since we got together? That’s all you, Erin. That’s you pushing me and forcing me to see the warehouse as something bigger than just a local gym.”

“That warehouse is your future,” she insisted. “It’s your legacy.”

“
Our
legacy,” he corrected. “It’s ours.”

She touched his jaw. “Is that why you’re so stressed out today? Are you worried that we’ll have a setback if Zel loses tonight?”

He expelled a troubled breath. “If he loses, we’ll be fine. We have two other fighters showcased tonight. Kir will win in the first round,” he said with certainty. “TKO,” he added. “You know what he’s like once he steps in the ring.”

She nodded. “He’s a beast.”

“And Javi will be walking out of his fight tonight one step closer to the featherweight title match,” he continued, thinking of the former Hermanos gang member who had wandered into his gym two years ago with big dreams and an explosive kick. “We’re going to have a strong showing tonight.”

“Even if Zel takes a loss?”

“The possibility of Zel losing isn’t my main concern. If he loses? He loses. It happens. No.” He sighed. “I’m worried he’ll get hurt.
Bad
,” he added. “Zel’s head is all fucked up. He’s so torn up about Sara he’s not thinking straight. Mace is dangerous. That man can
hit
. He’s like Sergei. That punch? It’s deadly. If Zel isn’t right up here,” he tapped his skull, “he might not block and defend.”

Erin lifted up on her elbow and rested her head in the palm of her hand. She studied him carefully. “Are you going to pull him from the fight?”

Ivan met his wife’s questioning gaze. “No.” He had made that decision and would stick with it. “Physically, he’s fine. He’s not anymore banged up than any other fighter that steps into the ring on fight night. They all come to their matches with bruises and mild injuries. It’s part of the life. He says he can get his head right before tonight.”

“Do you believe him?”

He didn’t answer immediately. “I trust him to know if he’s ready.”

“He’s been through so much,” she said quietly. “He’s lost so much. He might not be thinking clearly, Ivan.”

He wiped a hand down his face. She was right, of course. “I told him to stay away from Sara, but I let him guilt me into cutting him some slack. I feel sick thinking about the way I encouraged him to be with her. I knew better!” he exclaimed angrily. “I fucking knew better. That woman is like poison.”

“Why would you say that?” Erin sounded upset. “She’s a lovely person. I enjoyed her company last night.”

“One night isn’t enough to get to know someone.”

“Oh really?”

He knew exactly what she meant, and he didn’t care for the comparison. “That’s different, Erin.
You
were different.”

“Why? How? Because I’m not a dancer?”

“No.” Turning on his side so he could maintain eye contact, he said, “You were innocent when you came into my gym for help. You didn’t steal. You didn’t deal drugs. You lived a good, clean life. You were just trying to save your sister.”

“Unless there’s something else about Sara you haven’t told me, the only mistake she made was falling in love with the wrong man. She was young. It happens. She shouldn’t be punished for that for the rest of her life.”

He grunted roughly, not wanting to admit that his wife was right.

Erin interlaced their hands. She brushed her lips against his temple and cheek. “Listen, I nearly got you killed. I brought a mess to your doorstep, but that didn’t stop you from helping me. Everyone warned you. They told you to stay away and to be smart. Did you listen?”

He sent a mock annoyed glance her way. “I’m beginning to think I should have.”

She playfully bit his earlobe. “Hush! You know that you’d be miserable without me.”

“I would,” he agreed. “There’s no argument there.”

She kissed him, her lips lingering on his. “Ivan, you protected me. You took care of me. You loved me.” She squeezed his hand. “What’s wrong with Zel doing the same thing for Sara?”

“I don’t know,” he grumbled.

“What if she’s the one, Ivan? What if he feels the same way about Sara that I felt about you?”

He perked to that. “How did you feel about me?”

She actually blushed. “You were so wrong for me, but when I walked out of your office, I knew you were the man that was going to change my life.”

“I knew that I was going to marry you by the end of that first night,” he admitted. “I felt it here.” He touched his chest. “I’d never felt that until you.”

“What if that’s the way Zel feels about Sara?”

Ivan sighed. “Then I suppose you’re going to cook up some plan to get them back together.”

“I’m already on it,” she confessed with an impish smile. “I texted Besian first thing this morning. We’re working out the details now.”

His eyes widened with concern. “Erin, I don’t want you text messaging Besian. Have you forgotten that he wanted to hurt you?”

“I haven’t forgotten. It was a long time ago. It was different circumstances. I’ve forgiven him and moved on from that night.”

“Not that long ago!” Ivan scoffed. “And how the hell did you get his number? Has he been bothering you?”

“I got it from Vivian. She—”

“—is trouble!” he cut in sharply. “I can’t wait to tell Kolya that his wife is hooking my wife up with a loan shark.”

Erin rolled her eyes. “Are you done acting ridiculous?”

“No.”

“Fine.” She surprised him by pushing off the mattress and sliding her leg across his hip. Straddling his lap, she grasped the bottom of her little nightie and dragged it up and over her head. Naked and wanting him, she planted both hands on his chest and leaned down to kiss him. “I guess I have no choice but to distract you and make you forget all about my scheming.”

“Erin,” he said, his voice rough with need as she stroked his cock back to hardness. “If we keep this up, you’ll have a belly as big as Vivian’s by summer.”

Laughing, she sat up and wiggled her backside until she had him right where she wanted him. She bit her lower lip as she sank down on his rock hard shaft. “I’m counting on it…”

Chapter Nine

Black hair whipping wildly, Sara shook what her mama gave her center stage at Vegas’ hottest punk club. Queen’s
Fat Bottomed Girls
blared over the sound system as she performed her brand-new number for the thirtieth birthday bash of BJ Barnes, the lead singer of the infamous punk rock band Blue Sunday.

Dressed like a sassy fifties pinup, Sara worked the crowd into a frenzy as she teased them with the slow removal of her polka dot dress. The sight of her plump curves in vintage cherry red lingerie set them off. She smoothed her hands over the swell of her breasts and along the satin shaper hugging her tummy and hips. Tipped forward in her red heels, Sara sashayed to the antique convertible parked stage left and crawled onto the hood. Her catlike movements showed off her best assets and had the crowd catcalling.