My heart drops with those words.
Then he turns around and the look he gives me, makes the entire world stop. I hold my breath but he steals it from me when his lips land on mine.
The kiss is saturated with need, longing and desire. His tongue probes every inch of my mouth, his teeth crash against mine, and his hands touch my body like it's his possession.
My back hits the surface of the pool table and I moan when I feel Jackson move on top of me. I wrap my legs around his waist and grab onto his shoulders. “My apartment's upstairs,” I pant.
Jackson doesn't waste another second, he picks me up and we make our way up the staircase.
He slams me against the door to my apartment and his teeth nip at my neck while his hands dig into my ass. “Hope you have another t-shirt,” he growls.
I'm about to ask why, but I soon find out when he shreds the material right down the middle and buries himself between my breasts.
“I need these perfect fucking tits in my mouth,” he rasps as he yanks down the cups of my bra and pulls my nipple into his mouth. He lavishes it with his tongue, sucking on it like it's his favorite thing in the entire world.
I whimper when he pauses. But then he moves on to my other breast and pays it the same attention. Bolts of pleasure jolt me when he reaches down and pops open the button on my pants.
He’s sliding them down when he stops abruptly and bangs on the wall beside my head. “I can't.”
“Can't what?” I ask, still in my delirious fog. He puts me down. “I can't do this to you.”
I don't understand how one second he's tearing my clothes off and the next he's walking away. He quickly backs up. “I need to leave.”
“Why? I thought...I thought that we were—” I pause because I realize that maybe I misconstrued the situation entirely and this wasn't what I hoped it was after all.
“I thought we were trying again,” I say.
He gives me the coldest look I've ever seen. “Well, you thought wrong. I'll stay out of your life for good from now on. I promise.”
What the hell is going on with him? None of this makes any sense.
He heads for the exit stairs but I stop him. “No. I don't want you out of my life. I want you, Jackson. Talk to me, don't run away.”
“Yeah, because you know all about that. Don't you?” he scoffs.
I want to punch him for being so callous right now. With the exception of his drunken episode. He's never been this cruel to me without reason. “Yeah I do. So, take it from me when I tell you that it will only make things worse.”
He begins walking down the stairs and I'm right behind him. “I know you. Something is—” I start to say before he cuts me off.
“You don't know me, Alyssa. Trust me.”
And with those words he walks away.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jackson
“You straight?” Ricardo asks.
I look at myself in the mirror. “As a motherfucking arrow.”
“Big fight tonight.”
“It's always a big fight.”
I know he's on edge because we just got word there was a last-minute change regarding my opponent...but unlike Ricardo, I'm not worried.
Ricardo meets my stare. “The guy fights dirty and he's almost three times your size. He's not a boxer or an MMA fighter. He's a pure street fighter, which means he's a wild card. I don't know how much fucked up shit you have stored in that reserve of yours, but as your coach...I need you to tap in and empty it.”
His gaze shifts from one of concern to nervousness. “And as your friend, I'm telling you...I need you to give it everything you got. DeLuca's got a lot of money riding on this tonight.”
“He always does.”
“Not like this, Jackson,” he says before he walks away.
I close my eyes and force myself not to think about Alyssa.
I almost faltered, but I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
It's been a week since I pushed her away on purpose.
I was harsh, but I don't regret it one bit.
I knew the best way to get her to stay away for good, was to make her believe that for a fraction of a second we had a chance...then dash all her hopes.
My blood burns for her and I want her every second, of every day. But, you have to be cruel to be kind...and there's nothing kinder than saving her from who I really am.
And of course, the devil himself, DeLuca.
On second thought, maybe it's best that I use the fact that I can't have her as my fuel tonight...because there sure as hell is nothing and no one that I want more than her.
I open my eyes, suck in a breath and give myself one last look in the mirror.
Then I punch it, watch it shatter and walk out to the cage.
I turn into the machine.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Alyssa
“You putting money on any of the fighters tonight, little lady?”
I look up at the big man and hand him my wages for the past week. “Five-hundred on Jackson Reid.”
“You mean Jack the Ripper?”
“Yeah.”
“Good pick, he doesn't lose. Go on in.”
I smirk. “I know.”
I gave Jackson a week. A week to come and find me, a week to make it right. A week to talk to me about whatever it is that's going on with him.
His time is up.
I didn't want to go back on my promise to him, but there was no other way I could track him down. He pulled a complete Houdini act, so I'm pulling one of my own. I know he won't be happy when he finds out I came here, but if I have to provoke him just so I can get some type of response from him, well, then so be it.
I'm not giving up on him and I'm not letting him run away from me.
He's seen all my demons...now it's time to see his.
The large room is full and the crowd is already going crazy by the time I make my way in.
I look up at the steel cage and fight back a shiver. It's monstrous, barbaric and to be honest, it intimidates me a little bit. There's something so unsettling about it. I can understand why Momma doesn't like watching the fights.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Tyrone in the crowd. I turn away and flip the hood on my jacket up.
I have every intention of Jackson finding out I'm here, but not until after the fight. I already know that he looks to Tyrone before he starts and he'll spot me right away if I walk up to him.
Besides, there's always the chance that Tyrone would kick me out because Jackson told him to.
I study Tyrone's profile for a bit and I can immediately tell that something is wrong. He looks unsettled and he's biting his fingernails while looking up to the sky.
I'm a little worried myself after seeing that now. I mean, what could be so different about this particular fight than any other fight?
The crowd's cheering picks up and I focus my attention back on the cage. This time, I see Jackson walking out in his green trunks. I take a moment to admire his 8 pack abs, muscular arms, and the rest of his beautifully toned physique.
I also notice his demeanor. He looks completely in the zone. His expression is controlled, his posture resembles that of a brick wall, and well, he looks a little frightening.