Rookie Mistake: A Sports Romance Novel (The Beasts of Baseball Book 1) (72 page)

We were safe, and though I’d been scared like hell that the end was near, it wasn’t. There was more life to live, and after we got past the terror of everything that happened, we would find ourselves closer.

“I need you with me tonight. You’re coming to my place.” He kissed me again as I groaned softly.

“Yes. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” I pulled back as Ronald walked up.

“You guys ready?” He patted Zek’s shoulder and gave me a warm smile. “Do we need to stop for something to eat on the way home? Burgers and fries?”

“Yes.” Zek opened the back door for me and got in beside me.

I snuggled up to him and tried to let go of the high emotion that continued to play with me. It wouldn’t have been so damn bad if I hadn’t been tied up. Knowing that I couldn’t free myself had been terrifying. I pushed at the torrent of emotions that rose in my chest, but I couldn’t keep myself from thinking about all that happened again.

A soft cry left me, and Zek snuggled me up tightly, pressing his lips to the top of my head.

“I’m here, baby. Nothing will ever hurt you again. I promise.”

I nodded and closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on the delicious smell of his cologne and the feel of his arms around me. I believed his promise, but that was because I believed in him.

I always had.

*

Roland did as promised and stopped by to get us a burger and some fries before taking us back to Zek’s place. We gathered at the table and ate quickly in an awkward silence. I didn’t have much to say and reliving the events of the evening wasn’t something I was ready to do. Being tough was one thing, but there was little I could have done to combat Dillon’s attack in my apartment. I didn’t feel safe at all with the idea of going back there.

“Alright, kids. I’m glad everything turned out as good as it did.” Ronald stood and lifted his arms to the ceiling. “You guys need anything before I head to bed?”

“No, but thank you for everything tonight.” Zek stood and offered his hand. “I couldn’t have done all of that without your help. If you get in trouble over—”

“It’s all part of the job, Zek. Rest tight and let’s talk security for Alisa’s apartment tomorrow. The fact that Dillon got in there so easily is concerning.” Ronald smiled at me and turned to walk down the darkened hall.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m saying it anyway.” Zek sat back down at the table and scooted his chair closer to mine. His beautiful eyes were filled with worry, and the slight frown on his lips left my heart melting.

“Tell me anyway.” I reached out and brushed my fingers along his cheek.

“You’re moving in with me or Clark. I’d rather it be me, but Ronald said that the cameras can’t pick you up all the time or I could be in violation of my parole.” He pressed his strong fingers over my hand and turned to kiss my palm. “Don’t fight me on this.”

“I won’t.” I moved out of my chair and into his lap, straddling him as I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my cheek to his chest, my lips to his neck. “I love you so much. I knew you would come for me.” Tears burned my eyes as another soft cry pulled from the center of my chest. “I wasn’t scared to die. I was just scared that you wouldn’t be able to move past it.”

“I wouldn’t.” He breathed in deep and ran his hands over my back in soothing up and down circles. “When this clears up, we’re going to start having those bucket list conversations.”

“The ones about sky diving?” I moved back, a little put off that he would mention us talking about another terrifying event. I’d been through far too much to talk about anything other than lying on a beach or taking up something safe, like knitting.

“No, baby.” He cupped my face and rubbed his thumbs over my cheeks. “The ones about getting married and having ten kids.”

“Ten kids?” I rocked my hips forward subtly. “I never said that I wanted ten kids. I want to practice creating ten kids, but I don’t want that many, silly.”

“Come to bed with me. You scared me tonight far more than I’ve ever been scared in all my life. I can’t do this without you, and I’m done fighting it.” He pulled me down for a slow, deep kiss.

I got out of his lap and reached for his hand as we walked toward his bedroom. Exhaustion hit me as we reached the darkened room, and I paused, not sure if I should tell him that I needed sleep more than anything else. He knew me well enough to know that, and I knew he was the only man who could force me to forgo rest for something much better. Him.

“Just relax and let me take care of you.” He turned and worked to unbutton my shirt. “You’re so fucking beautiful. Just having you in here steals my breath. I thought I was going to lose it tonight on more than one occasion.”

“I understand.” I rolled my shoulders as he pressed his fingertips into the sore muscles. My shirt fell, and he turned me to work on the zipper on my skirt. His lips brushed over the back of my neck and chill bumps broke out across my skin.

“No one touched you, right?” His voice was tight, and I wanted to tell him to drop it, but I knew he needed to expel the demons playing with this head too.

“No, baby.” It was more about keeping me from you than hurting me. She wanted me to tell you that we were through. I guess she thought it would be that easy.” I turned as my skirt slid down my thighs and fell to the floor. “No more talking about it. I’m tired and I just want to feel your skin against mine.”

“Okay.” He pulled his shirt over his head and unbuttoned his jeans.

I reached out and ran my hands along his waist, reveling at how good his warm skin felt against my fingers. I pushed at his pants and they dropped to his feet.

We moved to the bed, and he wasted no time crawling on top of me and pressing himself against me.

“I know you need rest, but I need to make love to you. If you’re too tired, I’ll hold off, but know that I want you desperately.” He pressed his open mouth to my neck and sucked softly on my skin.

Warmth raced from between my thighs where he pressed himself against me. I nodded, not thinking too much on resting anymore.

“Make love to me then.” I ran my hands over the strong muscles of his back and intertwined my legs with his.

He didn’t speak, but moved enough to take both of my hands and stretch them above my head as he ground into me. His tongue licked at the front of my ear as I arched my back and cried out.

“So beautiful, baby. You’re all mine. No other man will ever get you again. I need to know that you want that.” Zek kissed the side of my face and moved back to his knees as he tugged my panties down. “Just me. Just mine.”

“Yes. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You know that.” I lifted my hips and worked to get my bra off as he rolled over and pulled his underwear off too.

He repositioned himself on his knees in front of me and pulled me into his lap.

I remained on my back, but reached up to stroke his erection a few times.

“I’ll put on a rubber in a few minutes. I need to feel you first.” He ran his fingers down my sex, petting me as his eyes locked onto mine. “You know that I want to give you the world, right?”

“I just want you.” I stretched my arms above my head and closed my eyes, wanting to capture the moment fully before it escaped from me. We’d been through far too much shit, but tomorrow was a new day. It was time to start moving toward the future — together.

“And you’ll have me.” His voice was thick with lust.

I opened my eyes to watch him take his cock in his hand and shift his hips so that he could press into me. His thumb rested on my clit as he worked back and forth until he was tucked completely inside. His free hand gripped my hip painfully tight, but it was far too good to say anything.

“I want this every night. For us to reconnect with each other. To remember that we belong together.” He slid his hand from my hip up to my breasts and then to my shoulder to grip it tightly again as he fucked me.

The intensity of our position left me unwinding fast. I moved my hands back down to rest on the sides of his thighs as he shifted again to hover over the top of me. I wanted to tease him, to bring him to the edge of orgasm and force him to stay there, but I was too tired to do anything but hold on for the ride.

His breath was hot as he whispered into my ear and drove his body into mine. “Come for me, Alisa. Over and over tonight. Let your thoughts go, baby. Be right here and feel how your body opens up for mine.”

I cried out as the orgasm hit me, and tears dotted my vision at the high emotion that accompanied it. My hips undulated as I rode him from beneath, my weariness dampened from his deep thrusts and naughty encouragements.

“That’s it.” He licked from the base of my throat to my jawline.

“So good,” I whispered and groaned as he gripped me just under my knees and pulled up a little, opening me up even more.

“Delicious, baby. Take more of me.” He rolled his hips, and I moved my hands to grip the sheets as my insides tightened again. What was it about the man that gave him the ability to make me come alive, to leave me breathless, and that was all outside of the bedroom. In the middle of the darkened room around us, I was buzzing. Completely on fire.

He reached up with one hand and grabbed the headboard as he rolled his lower body and fucked me deeper than I could ever remember anyone taking me before. I screamed his name as my eyes closed and the air left my lungs.

I almost didn’t notice when he dropped down and slid his hands between me and the bed, gripping my ass tightly as he thrust slow and hard.

“I love you so much.” He moved to press his lips to mine as he exploded inside of me. I didn’t care about anything other than being beneath him. The situation with Dellup would resolve itself.

Dillon and Melissa would both be put in the mental hospital, and Jon would be prosecuted for his part in the situation with his kids.

Zek would rebuild himself after the long year he had ahead of him, and we would be together.

I treasured the feeling of him shaking above me as he came and closed my eyes as he settled on top of me. Sleep pulled me under slowly, and it felt so damn good that I didn’t want to fight it.

I waited until he moved to lay beside me and cuddled me against him to whisper my thoughts just before passing out. “I love you, Zek. Only you.”

CHAPTER 3

e

Zek

One year later…

T
he last year had been a time of testing my patience, of waiting, of wondering if I could make it without going crazy. Alisa decided to leave the firm and took a position with Jeffery at ZK Investments doing legal contracts and litigation appeals. I was thrilled to see her in a position that assisted my old friend, but some part of me lamented over not being there myself.

Having to say goodbye to Ronald after a year of being in each other’s faces every day was bittersweet, but we decided to remain friends after the dust settled on my freedom. Alisa was going to move in with me soon, but I couldn’t help but nudge her more and more, especially now that she was free to do so.

Her nights were mostly spent with me, but she had stuff scattered at her brother’s house and at her parent’s as well. I hadn’t been to see them yet thanks to my lovely ankle chain, but that time would be coming soon. I needed to ask her father’s permission to propose to her. I wasn’t sure of the response I would get, but I was prepared to sell myself like a champ if I had to.

I glanced up from the table that I was sitting at in the middle of my favorite restaurant. Funny enough, it was the same restaurant Alisa and I had reconnected at almost two years before.

She had left to take a call, and I felt a bit overwhelmed. I half expected everyone in the room to be looking my way, wondering about my true character, but they weren’t. No one was, actually. I let out a long sigh and turned my attention back to the bottle of red wine sitting in front of me.

“You okay?” Alisa took her seat across from me and reached out, touching my hand and smiling kindly.

“Yeah. Just not sure what to expect, to be honest. It was almost better being tucked away at the house.” I let out a nervous chuckle.

“That’s a lie and you know it. You were about to go stir crazy. We were sleeping together more than talking.” She squeezed my hand and pulled hers back into her lap as she studied me. “Not that I mind sleeping together all the time.”

“You sure don’t seem to mind when we’re doing it.” I smiled, feeling the icy hand of fear melt inside of me. I was fine. Everything was great, and there was only one way to go from there. Up.

She gave me a cheeky grin and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. “I’m excited about you coming to the office today. We still have a skeleton staff, but you’ll recognize all of them.”

I nodded and picked up my menu. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay. I can’t explain it well, but a fight or flight feeling is sitting on top of me. It’s almost suffocating.”

“That’s expected, baby. It’s your first day back in the real world.” She picked up the bottle and refilled our glasses. “But, you know what?”

“What?” I picked up my glass and took a drink of the tart liquid.

“I’ll be right beside you, and when you’re ready to pack up and get the fuck out of there… we go. No questions asked. We’ll just stay for a little while and do that over the coming months until you’re comfortable back in your life.” She gave me a smile that warmed me from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I didn’t deserve her, but then again, I never had.

“I want to go up to the lake soon. I need to fish and hike and remember who I was before all this shit went down.” I picked up a roll in the breadbasket and chided myself internally for being such a tit over my new found freedom. I’d wanted this since the moment it had been taken from me, but now that I had it… I couldn’t find enough air to breathe.

“That’s a great idea. We’ll go whenever you’re ready.” She sat back and picked up her menu. “You want to share something, or are you hungry enough to eat one of these wickedly big dishes yourself?”

I forced a smirk. “This is my favorite restaurant. Get a doggie bag. You’re all on your own, toots.”