FIGHTER: An MMA Romance Novel (8 page)

M
en in suits
never moved so fast. Unable to stop the fight, Nicole video recorded it instead. If there were injuries done or lawsuits, evidence would be invaluable. It didn't feel like enough, but it was all she could do. Sick to her stomach, she watched through the screen of her phone as the fighters tried to break up the fight.

Seconds that felt like minutes passed before the crowd cleared. Wes, each arm held by a different fighter, struggled to break away and get back at Jax. The champion's nose was bleeding, but it didn't look broken. Another two men held Jax back, but he didn’t struggle to break free. Although there was a deep red mark along his jaw from the punch, he wasn't bleeding.

"Cool the fuck off, Wes," one of the guys demanded as the champ continued to struggle. "It's not worth it, man. Don't be a dick."

"It's fine," Jax replied, tone cool, like sharp diamonds ready to slice through glass. "Let him be angry. Let it build up. We'll work it out in the ring soon enough."

Wes' laugh cut just as sharp as Jax's tone. Eyes on fire, mouth twisted with rage and spite, he didn't take his sights off Jax.

"You got a long way to go before you step into my ring, rookie. Next match, when you get dropped in the first round, I'll be sitting fucking ringside laughing."

Something dangerous flashed in Jax's eyes, and the muscles in his arms tightened. If Wes kept goading him, Jax would fall for the bait and lunge at him, and the fight would continue. Now that they were separated, Nicole knew she couldn't let that happen.

Ending the video, she crossed the floor and made her way through the crowd of fighters. The fibers of her dress caught the light and shimmered against the plain blacks and whites the men wore. When she grabbed Jax's arm, she was afraid it was too late. He started to shift his weight from foot to foot, pulling against the men who held him. A few steps away, Wes smirked, pushing his buttons further.

"Fuck you, McCarthy. You're all hype and no substance. I'm going to love watching you crumple at your next fight."

"Jax!" Nicole insisted, squeezing down on his arm. The whole thing was solid, his muscles tensed to fight. She’d never felt a man so sturdy. As desperate as the situation was, a thrill fluttered through her. Their touch was electric, and from the startled way Jax turned his head to look at her, she knew he felt it too.

"Nicole," he uttered. Some of the tension in his shoulders and arms eased away.

"Got yourself a black beauty, McCarthy?" Wes asked, snide. "She the one telling you you're gonna make it to the big times? She gonna hold your hand and make it all better?"

"Stop it, man," one of the other fighters cut in. "This is a
party
for fuck's sake. If you're gonna be a douche, go home. This isn't the time or place, man."

"Ignore him," Nicole insisted, keeping her voice low. What Wes had said was offensive, but she'd been called far worse. Nothing Wes said was going to drag her into this. That was exactly what he wanted. "Let's get away from him. Come with me."

To her surprise, Jax didn't argue. Instead, when Nicole guided him by the arm, he followed her. Several fighters grinned at him, and Nicole recognized their expressions well — they thought she was Jax's girl. Like Wes, Nicole did her best to ignore them. Proving them wrong wasn't worth her time, especially since she wished it was true.

On the way through Kade's estate, Jax grabbed several more drinks and downed one after the other. He passed Nicole a glass, and she accepted the drink without question. The hammering of her heart eased and returned to normal as the alcohol ate away at her anxiety.
What if the other fighters hadn't been so quick to close in on the fight? What would have happened if she didn’t drag Jax out of it before it started again?

Wes 'The Killer' Kidwell hadn't earned his stage name from nowhere, he slaughtered men in the ring. Some were simply knocked out, while others sustained career ending injuries.
Outside of the ring, without paramedics on hand, what would’ve happened to Jax if he went through with the fight?

"I could’ve taken him, you know," Jax said as if he'd read her mind. Fourth shot downed, he placed the empty shot glass on a table as they passed through the room. The further Nicole directed him into the mansion, the thinner the crowds got. By the time they'd arrived at the back sitting room overlooking the backyard, there was no one else around.

"If you did, you could kiss your career goodbye. You're supposed to fight inside of the cage, not outside of it. What if he sued you?"

Nicole didn't stop. Double glass doors opened up onto a back patio, the peaks of each wave of an in-ground pool caught the moonlight and glistened like diamonds. A pool house waited near the pool side. If Wes was still looking for trouble, he wouldn't come outside. They’d be safe there. She led Jax through the doors and towards the pool house, never releasing his arm. The fighter struggled to find a reply.

"Well, I mean, uh. What does it matter? Did you hear what he said about me? No judge in the world who heard the shit he spewed would side with him. I was defending myself."

The night air was surprisingly crisp. As the glass doors closed behind them, Nicole shivered. Even after two years in Nevada, it still surprised her how cold the desert could get after sundown.

"It doesn't work like that," she told him. The points of her heels clicked against the stone patio and across the outskirts of the pool. "His lawyer would’ve drained you dry and when you were too poor to represent yourself anymore, he would have hit you harder. You can't do that to yourself, Jax. After what I saw in Brazil, I know you've got a lot going for you. You've got a big career heading your way, but you won't have anything if you give it all up because someone got you mad. Don't fall for it. Wes is a dick. Forget him."

The open face of the pool house allowed the pair to walk in without interruption. Only when they were behind its walls did Nicole let her hand drop from Jax's arm. The front of his shirt was soaked through, the green tie he wore stuck to the wet, white cotton. Clinging to his body as his shirt was, Nicole could make out the gorgeous contours of his abs. She did her best not to let her mind turn to mush. The buzz she had going wasn't helping.

"You think so? You think I got what it takes?" Jax asked. They stood face to face. In the darkness it was harder to make out his features. By the way the moonlight lit his face and shone in his eyes, Nicole thought he had loosened up, but she couldn't tell for sure.

She focused on the strong line of his jaw, studying how he looked beneath the shadow of night. Handsome. More than handsome, he was gorgeous. Her pep talk evaporated. Heat sizzled between them, thick on the air. It was just like in the locker room in Brazil. The chemistry had followed them thousands of miles to be rekindled out back behind Kade's estate. Nicole reveled in it.

"Yeah, I think so." She didn't know much about fighting, about technique, or about how Jax trained. Intuition told her that Jax had more than just good looks — he had the drive he needed to win.

"Maybe it's because I've had some drinks," Jax said, eyes on her face, gentlemanly even when inebriated, "but I believe you. It's crazy, all of this. You were taking pictures of my gym shorts in Brazil, we spent maybe five minutes talking. But now here you’re telling me I'm worth something as a fighter and I believe you."

"I don't think that’s crazy," Nicole reasoned, keeping her tone soft and low. A beautiful trust grew between them, and she didn't want to betray it by being too harsh. As tough as he was, Jax was being vulnerable with her, and she loved it

Jax shook his head slowly, lips pressed tight as though he struggled with something. At last, he spoke.

"You know, you don't feel like a stranger to me, and I'm willing to bet that I don't feel like a stranger to you, either. I feel like I’ve known you my whole life."

The declaration was unexpected, and Nicole hesitated. Jax was right, he didn't feel like a stranger to her. Just looking at him put her at ease and made her feel safe. The unspoken bond between them was nuanced. Nicole's gaze dipped, but Jax reached out and caught her by the chin, lifting her eyes back to his. The sensation of his fingers on her skin sent prickling delight down her spine.

"Tell me you feel it, too."

As she looked into those pale blue eyes, they danced, searching, begging, for an answer. Nicole's heart pounded again, but for a different reason than it did in the mansion.

"I do," she whispered.
Was it her imagination, or had Jax drawn closer?
The distance between their bodies felt tighter now than it had a second ago. Nicole became acutely aware that if she wanted to, she could reach out and touch him. One by one she could undo the buttons of his drenched dress shirt. She could ease the knot of his tie and slip it from around his neck. And his belt...

"I swear," Jax said, "that if you didn't already belong to Kade Holland, I'd do everything in my power to convince you to be mine."

The beating of her heart sped further, and heat rose to Nicole's cheeks. Jax's lips were thin and looked hard, but she could already imagine how wonderful they would feel against hers. Chin caught in his hand, unwilling to pull away, Nicole hungered for him to kiss her.

"I—"

"Who says she belongs to me?" Kade's velvet voice cut through the moment they shared and stirred both of them from the passion of the encounter. Jax's hand dropped from her chin, and both of them turned their heads towards the source of the sound. The billionaire leaned against the side of the pool house, hands tucked into either of his pants pockets as he watched. "A woman as beautiful and liberated as Nicole shouldn't have to choose between two handsome men. As far as I'm concerned, the lady can have her cake and eat it, too."

Kade hitched a brow and grinned at Nicole. The weekend they'd spent together in Brazil had been wild, but she'd never have guessed that a man like Kade would be this open.

"I don't think I get it," Jax said, speaking slowly so as not to misspeak. "Are you saying I can— that Nicole can, uh."

"Nicole can sleep with you, if she wants to," Kade cut through the modesty, "but I think we’d have more fun if I was there, too. A lady like that deserves the best of both worlds at once, wouldn't you agree?"

In his stupor, Jax's jaw fell slightly agape, and he looked to Nicole for guidance. Alcohol freeing her inhibitions, the heated moment with Jax moments before warmed her blood. Nicole reached out and wove her fingers between Jax's to lead him to where Kade stood. Two gorgeous men, one strikingly intelligent and successful, the other sculpted like a god and on his way to the top. They both wanted her. The truth was, she wanted them, too. If this was how Kade wanted to have fun, she wasn't going to pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"Where can we go to make sure we'll be alone?" she asked. The way Kade grinned in response was devilish.

"My bedroom," he replied. " Business is almost finished for tonight. Then all that's left on my schedule is pleasure."

“
Y
ou two go
up to my room. It’s the fifth door on the left. Don’t wait for me, I need to tie up a few loose ends down here and then I’ll join you.” Kade instructed Jax and Nicole. They didn’t hesitate, rushing up the stairs like a couple of teenagers with the house to themselves, they hurried down the hall and found Kade’s bedroom. Sneaking up to Kade’s room was a thrill, knowing that two men were about to worship every inch of her already had Nicole tingling all over.

“Are you sure you’re ok with this?” Jax closed the door behind him and crossed the floor to look into Nicole’s eyes. She felt like he was looking into her, behind his gaze was so much more than just sexual attraction.

“I’m more than ok,” she murmured. “You said yourself that if I wasn’t Kade’s girl you’d be with me, right? There’s something between us, I know we both feel it. And, I know we can’t have more than tonight together, but we can certainly make the most of it.”

He nodded, his eyes had never left hers. It amazed Nicole how without even laying a finger on her, Jax could have her quivering with desire.
Yes, she was sure this was ok. This was like a dream come true.

Jax pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. Their tongues collided and danced as he pressed his lips into her hard. His thick fingers attempted to unbutton the delicate fabric of her dress, but his hands were built for fighting, not nimble work. Frustrated, Jax tugged the dress, and pearl buttons flew across the room. A few skittered under the bed. Nicole gasped and clutched the dress that now hung open around her.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your dress.” He apologized.

Nicole shrugged. She was sure Kade could have it fixed if there would ever be another chance to wear it. Besides, having a man want you so badly that they literally tear your clothes off made her feel sexy.

“Don’t be sorry.” She answered, letting her dress fall to the floor. His eyes moved down over her curves like he was memorizing them for an exam. When at last his eyes returned to hers, he smiled and stepped toward her. Nicole wanted to feel his skin against hers.

Her fingers trembled with excitement as she undid his dress shirt. When finally, the last button was freed from it’s hole, her nutmeg hands slid down over his chest and then jumped over each cut ab, like little speed bumps slowing down her journey to the real treasure.

“Nicole, you’re so sexy,” Jax brushed the back of his hand over her cheek and she smiled shyly. Bashful was never a word anyone would use to describe her, but something about his sincerity made warmth spread through her cheeks like a virgin on her wedding night.

“Thank you,” she mumbled to the plush carpeting on the floor. “You must live at the gym to have a body like yours. You look like you stepped out of magazine,” she looked into his blue eyes and heat pooled in her belly.
Was he looking into her soul? If so, did he like what he saw?

“I do pretty much live at the gym,” he confessed. “But, I’m not just talking about your body, Nicole. There’s something in the way you smile, the way you talk. If you weren’t Kade’s girl, I’d be working just as hard as I do at the gym to make you mine.”

“Wow, Jax, that’s pure fucking Shakespeare right there.” Nicole and Jax followed the voice to the bedroom door where Kade stood. “Are you sure you’re a fighter, not a poet?”

Jax clenched his fists at his side and glared at Kade, but if he was intimidated at all the billionaire wasn’t showing it.

“Kade, come on. I thought we were all going to have some fun up here. This isn’t fun.” Nicole pouted playfully, hoping to dispel the tension.

“You’re right, of course.” Kade closed the distance between them, smiling at her. “I’m just surprised that you two still aren’t naked, that’s all. But then again, I’m glad I haven’t missed anything. What do you say you get out of what’s left of your clothes and climb up on my bed, dear?”

Nicole looked out of the corner of her eye at Jax. His jaw was still set, but his hands relaxed at his sides. She wasn’t going to let Kade scare him away that easy. Instead she shimmied over to him and pressed her round ass into him as she looked over her shoulder at Jax. “Can you unhook my bra for me?” She pressed her ass firmly against his cock and even through his pants she could feel him getting hard. Not that it was difficult to feel, with the girth pressing back against her, Nicole thought she might be in for more than one pleasant surprise.

Jax did as she requested and the bra hadn’t even hit the floor before he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her effortlessly, gently placing her down onto the oversized bed. In seconds, Jax stripped his pants and remaining clothes off and joined her, his body covering hers like a blanket.

His large hand pinned both of her wrists over her head as he leaned over her body. He dragged his tongue down over her flesh until he reached her hard, dark nipple then teased her by lightly brushing his lips over it. Nicole began to squirm, trying to arch her back so she could tempt him to do more, but she couldn’t move under Jax’s muscular frame. Slowly he flickered his tongue over her nipple until she was twisting and turning against the bedspread. His other hand trailed down over the length of her body until it hovered between her thighs. His fingers wrapped around the flimsy fabric of her panties and wrenched it down over her ass and off her legs in one tug.

Nicole watched as Jax tossed the underwear at Kade, who was still half dressed as he stood by the bed, distracted by the show. When she opened her legs, she expected that he would thrust his fingers into her wet pussy, but Jax grabbed his thick meat by the base and pushed it into her slick mound. She felt her body give and spread to make room for his thick cock and she groaned loud as Jax slid into her, filling her like no man had before.

“I hate to interrupt your little moment, but I think a threesome traditionally involves three people, if I’m not mistaken.” Kade said, now naked and watching the two from the foot of the bed. This time, Jax didn’t acknowledge Kade by looking at him. Instead he pulled out of Nicole, making her feel immediately hungry to be filled like that again. She only had a moment to reflect on it though because as Jax kneeled on the bed, he lifted Nicole from the mattress and flipped her over onto all fours as though she were a pillow being tossed over to the cool side.

“If Nicole wants you, she can have you with her mouth. But her pussy is mine.” He growled and Nicole wondered where the soft spoken gentleman from fifteen minutes ago disappeared to. Not that she missed him. Not in bed.

Kade walked around to the other side of the king-sized bed and joined them. As Jax filled her from behind, Kade knelt in front of her. Nicole opened her mouth excited to feel both men inside her at once, but Kade slapped his cock against her cheek instead of sliding it past her lips. Finally, he slipped his shaft over her thick lips and across her tongue as his hand gathered a fistful of her long hair for control.

Behind her, Jax dug his fingers into her hips and thrust his cock into her until he bottomed out. She hadn’t realized that he’d been holding back from fully fucking her and Nicole moaned around Kade’s member.

“I don’t know what you’re doing back there, but keep it up.” Kade told Jax. “She’s moaning on my cock like a slut.”

Jax thrust deep into her again, harder this time and continued filling her faster and harder than before. Nicole was held in place by two men, unable to move her head from Kade’s hair wrapped hand, and unable to squirm from Jax’s iron grip. Without being able to use her eyes to soak in the scene, her senses were heightened even more than the excitement of the threesome did. When Jax leaned over her and slid his finger over her clit, a pure electric jolt of pleasure shot through her and spread through her skin. When Kade’s cock twitched against her tongue, she was sure she could feel his pulse beating through the veins.

With her heightened sensations came a swell in her emotions too. So, when Jax pulled out of her again, leaving her with that unfamiliar empty longing, she almost cried.

“Hey, stop. Let go of her. I want her on top of me.” Jax ordered. To her surprise, Kade listened to the fighter, pulling his member free from the suction of her mouth. Free from both men’s grip, Nicole turned and watched as Jax shimmied up the bed until he was sitting with his back leaning against Kade’s headboard.

“What do you want me to do?” Nicole was puzzled, but Jax clearly had a plan.

“Bring that sweet ass over here, baby. I want you to fuck me reverse cowgirl so I can watch it bounce on me.

Nicole scooted up the bed and threw her legs over Jax so she was straddling his fat cock. This time, she grabbed the base and lowered herself onto his thick member while Jax held her steady and kissed a trail down her spine.

It was only once Nicole was completely filled again that she stopped feeling so vulnerable. Never in her life had sex made her feel so much. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was the threesome that was making her emotions ride a rollercoaster, or if it was Jax.

Kade cut through her introspection and positioned himself in front of her once more, his dick ready to be sucked. This time, to reach him, Nicole had to lean far forward so that Jax’s cock was perfectly angled to hit her g-spot. The pleasure was overwhelming. Even when Kade grabbed her hair and restricted her movement again, each thrust of Jax’s hips drove her wild with delight.

In every way the two sexy men sharing her were opposites. Where Kade restricted movements for his pleasure, Jax enjoyed watching her move free. Where Kade tried to spoil her with gifts, Jax moved her soul with words. In almost every possible way they were dissimilar. She felt lucky to have two handsome, yet drastically different men both wanting her. Worshipping her. Owning her.

Jax’s thick cock thrust against her g-spot again and again, until her body couldn’t handle anymore teasing. A shock wave of total bliss exploded inside her and washed out through her body leaving. Nicole moaned loudly against Kade’s dick and her pussy tightened down on Jax’s member.

Kade couldn’t hold back and pushed Nicole’s head down so her mouth was consumed by his shaft as spurts of his seed shot down her throat. Behind her, Jax grunted as his thrusts increased and his warm cum filled her up. The sensation of both men reaching their climax made Nicole cry out with pleasure. Kade pulled out from her mouth so her moans filled the room.

When the last shivers of ecstasy ran through her, she moved from Jax’s lap and laid in the middle of the bed between the two men. On one side, a handsome and cunning billionaire. On the other a strong and earnest fighter. Between them was the happiest woman in Vegas. Nicole was sure of it.