Faking It To Survive
Chapter 16

Ryan

I dodge the flying fist aimed at my face, duck my head under my opponent’s arm, and land a punch right in his unguarded gut. I watch in satisfaction as he stumbles back, and without waiting for him to recover, I aim for his neck. He falls to the ground, totally paralyzed.

I don’t take any chances. I pounce on him and strike him right in the chest with a flying hammer fist before the referee steps between us and announces me as the winner.

I back off, pounding my fists into my chest as the audience erupts in cheers and shouts. I spot Travis punching the air with a loud, “Yes!”

I only have eyes for the dark-haired woman with her arms folded across her chest. She’s smiling proudly at me from outside the cage.

I ignore the referee handing me the belt as I duck out of the cage. I wrap my arms around Rose, pick her up, and twirl her around, making her giggle. Then I drop her to her feet, bury my hand in her gorgeous, silky hair, and pull her close for a k**s.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, beats kissing Rose. We haven’t been together long, but I’ve already mastered every curve of her sensual lips, the mesmerizing taste of her mouth, and its softness against mine.

Immediately, she goes slack in my arms when my tongue sweeps her bottom l*p, and her mouth opens for me to explore inside.

Being able to hug and k**s her in front of these people is a privilege I don’t take for granted. I don’t just get to show them all that she is mine. She trusts me enough to be this vulnerable, and that makes all of this even more worth it.

I get lost in her embrace, her touch, the little sounds she makes as our k**s grows deeper by the second. This feeling … it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt in my life.

She might not know it, but Rose owns me, body and soul. The thought of this ever ending is too much to bear, so I just don’t think about it. I’ll always fight for this woman and cherish her the way she deserves. I’ll make damned sure she never leaves me.

My hand slides down to her a*s, and a soft m**n escapes her when I squeeze. Then someone clears their throat near us, and Rose quickly pulls away. That’s when I remember we’re in front of thousands of people, celebrating my victory.

I lick my lips, still enamored by Rose’s riveting taste. I love watching her face flush.

The reporters crowd around. “Your victory today was phenomenal, Ryan,” a ginger-haired man tells me. “Would you say it had anything to do with your awful defeat last time? Should the public be expecting the undefeated Ryan Baker anytime soon?”

I lean forward and stare right into the camera, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I rest my mouth against the mic in his hand. “All I’m going to say is … you better watch out. The old Ryan Baker is back and better than ever.”

I show all my teeth in a smirk, and the reporter nods enthusiastically. Then his gaze slices over to Rose, whose delighted expression vanishes instantly. “I’m assuming this victory had a lot to do with your present trainer. Care to share a few things with the public, Miss Bloom?”

“No, she would not.” I grab Rose’s hand and block her from the camera just as Travis shows up to distract the reporters and their crew.

Travis has warned every reporter several times to keep Rose out of the limelight, but this guy seems particularly interested in her. He’s practically foaming at his mouth for her attention.

Rose and I head into the locker room for some privacy and to wait for Travis to finish handling the press before we leave for home.

Rose gets me a bottle of water from the locker room fridge and brings it to me, beaming broadly. “You were amazing out there. You weren’t thinking too much, and your attacks were perfectly seamless. Everyone thought he was winning, and then bam!” She punches her fist into her palm.

I can’t help but smile back at her. “You know, ever since you and I got together, you’ve been pretty easy with the compliments.” I toss the empty bottle of water in the trash, grab her by the waist, and pull her right against my sweaty body. “Not that I’m complaining or anything.”

Rose rolls her eyes. “I guess I should stop now before your head gets too big. It will explode at the rate you’re going.”

“Don’t act like you don’t enjoy it,” I whisper into her ear and let my lips trail the sensitive spot behind it down to her shivering neck.

She tilts her head farther to the side so I have more room to explore. Her hand tightens on my arm while the other presses against my bare chest. She m***s, and that sound drives me completely crazy.

“Not here,” she whispers. “Someone could walk in on us.”

I’m too far gone to care. I let my hand caress her a*s before I lead her to the nearest bench and pull her down on my lap. I g***n loudly when her pelvis settles right on top of me, and she grinds against my arousal.

“You little minx,” I gasp and smack her soft, curvy a*s.

She seems to like it because she m***s louder. She does it again and again until we both get completely breathless and ready to collapse.

She was right about anybody being able to walk in on us. Just as her thighs clamp around my h**s and she starts shaking with so much intensity, the door swings open and Travis walks in.

He takes one look at us, rolls his eyes, and turns away, pressing his hand over his eyes. “You guys really need to learn some self-control.”

“And you need to learn how to knock,” I counter.

Rose giggles as she tugs herself out of my arms and climbs off my lap while I try to hold her back.

“Sorry, Travis. Someone refuses to keep his hands to himself.” She shoots me a pointed look from over her shoulder on her way to my locker to get a hoodie for me.

“Don’t blame it all on him,” Travis tells her. “You’re just as guilty as he is. Unless you want pictures of you two butt naked all over the internet, I suggest you wait until you get home before you devour each other.”

I grunt. “I seem to recall walking in on someone devouring my sister on our kitchen counter when we were only eighteen,” I chime in.

Rose’s mouth drops open as she stares at Travis. “No way! How did you not punch his face in?”

I bite back a smirk. “I kinda like his face the way it is.”

Rose shakes her head and chuckles. “You two!”

Travis claps his hands together after a few seconds. “Very funny. If you two are finished clowning around, I need to get the two of you home so we can be ready in time for the house party at Ryan’s tonight.”

“That’s still happening?” I ask.

“You know the drill, Ryan. We throw a party after every victory so the sponsors can feel good about the money they’re pumping into your career. The rest of the team needs to share your victory, too, especially considering how rough this season has been for you.”

“Fine,” I grumble. I guess I won’t be spending the night alone with Rose. Rolling around my bed naked with her will just have to take a backseat for now.

My penthouse is swarming with people by the time we get there. I barely get the chance to talk to Rose once the party starts. I haven’t had time to tell her how sinfully sexy she looks in that white bodycon dress that accentuates her breathtakingly curvy h**s.

She looks so gorgeous with her dark hair flowing to her shoulders, and she sports a permanent smile. Her eyes sparkle with joy. That smile gives her whole appearance such an ethereal look. I’m not surprised at the sheer number of male eyes following her every move.

I fidget while one of the sponsors congratulates me on my victory. She keeps telling me about how she knew I would bounce back even when the rest of the world had their reservations. I cringe when she trails her painted fingernails up my arm, and I take a huge step back to get away from her.

I instinctively look back toward Rose. Her eyes tell me she saw the exchange.

She stops sipping her drink, puts it down on a nearby table, and then walks away down the hall leading away from the living room.

“Excuse me,” I say quickly to the sponsor then take off after Rose.

I replace her in one of the guest bathrooms.

“Rose …” I begin as I step inside. “It’s not what you think—”

I don’t get to finish before Rose pulls me in all the way and locks the door behind us.

“Hi,” she whispers. Her voice sounds so sultry that it makes me weak in the knees. She stares up at me through haunted eyes. Her cheeks flush, and I can tell she’s slightly drunk. “Why don’t we finish what we started earlier, Baker? I need you.”

“Shit,” I growl. Even an earthquake going on right now wouldn’t be able to stop me. “You make me insatiable. You know that, right?”

Rose just grins and pulls me back against the bathroom vanity. “Ravish me,” she whispers. “Show me what all the other women who want you are missing. Show me what they’ll never get to experience because you’re mine.”

I growl again and pull her all the way against me, but she turns around. I g***n as she pushes her a*s into me, facing the mirror so we can both watch ourselves. I’ve never wanted anything more than to make her mine right now.

My lips descend on her neck, and her eyes flutter shut. She shivers when I graze my teeth against her neck. Her m***s get louder when I clamp down gently, and she whispers my name in a way that makes me come undone.

My hand glides to the end of her dress, and then I dart my fingers between her thighs as I slowly slide her dress up.

“Open your eyes, Rose,” I whisper in her ear. “See what I’m doing to you.”

Her eyes fly open then blur with deep, dark l**t. She’s completely attuned to me as she widens her stance. I drag a finger over her aching flesh, and she gasps when I sink it into her heat.

Our eyes remain glued together as I move my finger in and out slowly, never going too deep, until her h**s begin to chase my shallow plunges.

“You have no idea how beautiful you look right now, Rose,” I breathe in her ear.

Her soft lips part as she keeps her eyes fixed on me. “Tell me,” she whispers, and I replace myself smiling. I like drunk, uninhibited Rose.

My breath scorches against her neck as I whisper how stunning she looks and how I can never get enough of her. I begin to thrust faster and deeper now, and when I add another finger, her knees stiffen as she rises to the tip of her toes. She pants faster and shorter.

My hardness presses against her. I’m straining for release, but I ignore it as I continue to drive her senseless with pleasure. Her muscles tighten on my fingers, and her thighs clamp around my hand. Her head falls back to my shoulder as she rides out the rippling climax overwhelming her.

She writhes in my arms, still trembling, when I turn her around, lift her onto the counter, and spread her thighs so I can stand between them. “Are you ready for me, Rose?”

She nods. Her eyes devour me in so much passion that I can’t hold back anymore.

I grip her h**s and tug her to the edge of the counter. Her legs curl around my waist as my lips skate down her throat, over her chest, and close around the tip of her hardened nipple pointing through her dress.

I pull open a drawer, slide on a condom, and my entire body spasms when I feel her around me. My hand clamps on the edge of the counter as I drag in a shaky breath. Then I let go and devour her.

Her screams escalate with every pump of our h**s. Good thing this apartment is soundproof.

Soon enough, we both collapse in each other’s arms, m**n each other’s names, and hold each other tightly.

Being with Rose this way is the best feeling in the world. My stomach flutters and my heart beats faster than ever before. It’s in this moment that I realize the exact emotion I’ve been feeling the past few days.

It’s not attraction or just caring about her as the woman I’m with. I am in love with Rose Bloom, and it is the most wonderful feeling in the world.