Torn - Part Four (The Torn Series) (2 page)

We’d figure it out eventually, but right then all I wanted was a hot shower and my bed. I still stank with the sweat of my fight, was still only wearing the sweats that Lee had brought along for me while I was being booked.

Surly followed me out the door, along with three of the other fighters that were picked up - Carrick, Captain, and some other dude I hadn’t met. The three of them scattered as soon as we were outdoors with muttered “see you laters,” just as eager to clean off the night as I was.

Surly lingered. The early morning sun burned my eyes and I had to squint to see his face. I added cigarettes to the mental list of things that I wished I had right at that moment.
And aspirin.
Pain sharp enough to make me gasp stabbed through me with every breath - gasping would only make it worse, so I forced myself to keep calm and breath carefully.

“This was my fault,” he said, “I’ll pay your fines.”

“What?” I was too exhausted to process this. “How was it your fault?”

“I brought the fight to Lee. It was a contact of mine that set it all up.”

“Did your contact call the cops?” Surly shook his head “Then it isn’t your fault. Hell, even if they did. Unless you called them yourself, it isn’t your fault.”

He ran a hand through his dark hair, limp after the rough night. “Your girl was there.”

“Yeah.” I needed coffee for this conversation. I needed a smoke and a drink. I felt like utter shit that Riley had witnessed all of that. That I’d put her through it.

“She shouldn’t have been there. I told her to leave.”

I sighed. “Listen-”

“No.” He glared at me - that frightening look that he’d adopted lately. The one that would make men even tougher than me cringe. “You keep your girl away from this shit if she won’t see sense herself, understand? Fuck, you should stay the hell out yourself.”

“What?” What was he talking about? What the hell had he gotten involved in? “Surly, what’s going on?” He turned away. “Whatever it is, you know I have your back, man.”

His didn’t face me but his stance relaxed. “I know.”

I didn’t want to push him. The fact that we were talking at all was a small miracle. I’d endure ten times as much jail time if it meant we’d be cool again. “Will I see you at practice, then?”
Will we work together again?

“Yeah,” he said, “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” I confirmed.

We caught our separate trains. I realized I didn’t even know where exactly he was living. But hopefully he was finally ready to at least think about forgiving me.

Hell, all I’d done was sleep with his consenting and enthusiastic sister. We were all adults. He
had
to get over it.

Then maybe I could find out what the hell was going on with him, because something was definitely wrong.

I debated calling Riley the whole ride home. I wanted to see her, I needed to know that she was okay. But Surly’s words resonated. Maybe it was better to keep her away. Push her away.
Again? She’d never forgive me.
Maybe that was a good thing.

The thought of it made me feel sick. But the thought of her getting hurt was even worse. She was a good girl, all that punk stuff was just for show. She was a decent person and she deserved better.

Maybe seeing me arrested had finally convinced her of that. I hoped so, because I didn’t think I had the resolve to turn my back on her and end it myself.

CHAPTER 2

I didn’t have to debate getting in touch with Riley. She was waiting for me in my apartment when I finally staggered through the door.

“Lockett let me in,” she explained with that shy little smile of hers. All I could think about was kissing her. The shower, the sleep, none of it mattered, what I needed was
her
.

But I was bad news for her. The dark circles under her eyes were evidence of that. Seeing her getting in line with her hands on her head was evidence of that.

Baby, I’m no good for you
. I’d said it to her once before but she was too stubborn to see it. Surely she’d get it, now. “Riley-”

“You’re hurt,” she said, reaching out for me. I stepped away. The sudden movement made me grit my teeth against another wave of pain.

“I need to shower,” I said, trying to keep my tone cool. “I’m fine. You-”
I’m no good for you
. Her hands on her head, mine in cuffs. “You should go. Get yourself home.” She recoiled as if slapped. “I need space. I need to be alone right now. Go home.”

I turned away and retreated to the bathroom; I couldn’t bear that wounded look on her face, not for another second. It would tear me apart.

Quietly, I shut the bathroom door behind me, shutting her out.
This is a new low. Could I be a bigger asshole?
The girl had been through hell thanks to me and I was making her feel worse.

I left my clothes in a pile on the floor and turned up the shower as hot as I could bear. Head resting against the tiles, I closed my eyes. I didn’t even want to check my side, to see how bad the bruising was. I knew something had cracked - probably the same damn ribs that Surly himself had broken. Hopefully it wasn’t too serious.

There was nothing I could about it but deal with the pain. I chuckled to myself. I couldn’t afford to see a doctor, even if they could do anything for me. I didn’t deserve to numb this, anyway.

The curtain slid aside. Riley stood there, naked, the picture of petite and curvy perfection. “I’m getting in.”

I didn’t stop her. I didn’t have the strength. She winced at the temperature, so wordlessly I adjusted it, making it less scalding. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Gingerly, she touched my side. Even the light contact made me draw in a sharp breath - which only made it worse. “Mal…”

“It’ll be fine. I’m fine.” I turned her away and let the water cascade through her hair, drawing my fingers through the black and red strands. “I told you to go.”

“A little trouble with the law changes nothing,” she said. “Don’t push me away because of this.”

“You can do better,” I said, “You deserve better.”

She grabbed the soap from the ledge and turned to face me. “That’s for me to decide.” She lathered her hands and then rubbed the suds down one of my arms.

“Riley-”

“Hush. I’m taking care of you.” She muttered as if she was speaking to herself, “I’m thinking you haven’t had much of that. So just let me. You might actually enjoy it.”

She was right about that much. I watched her as she worked, scrubbing the sweat and the dirt from my limbs with a determined look on her face.

It was entirely nonsexual but I was hard anyway. How could I not be, with the water and the soap rolling off her perfect breasts, right there in front of me? Her lips quirked as her hands traveled over my hips but she didn’t say anything.

The girl even shielded my eyes when she reached up to shampoo my hair.

I’d never felt anything like this. I’d been a tough kid, and I was a tougher man. I needed nothing and no one; I took care of myself and I prided myself on that just as much as my physical strength.

But Riley was doing something to me. She was softening all my hard edges. She made me feel weaker and stronger at the same time. Weaker for her; stronger on her behalf.

“I have to tell you something,” she said. I didn’t know there was any conditioner in that bathroom, but somehow she’d found it and was smoothing it through my hair.

“What is it?” I muttered, savoring her touch.

“I think I know who called the cops.” She took a deep breath. “I think it was Tyler.”

I tensed. “How would he know about the fights?”

“He snooped through my phone. He always used to do that and even breaking up didn’t break the habit.” She rested her hands on my shoulders and looked up into my eyes. Her own glistened, creased with sorrow and worry. “I’m so sorry, Mal. It was my fault.” Her voice cracked.

I pulled her close. If she was going to start crying I didn’t want to see it. I’d have to go kill Tyler myself if I did.

I didn’t know what to say, though. I wished she’d stop seeing him or talking to him at all but I wasn’t the sort of guy to issue those kinds of jealous orders. This was beyond jealousy, though. This guy was fucking with my life, and hers.

“I want to have a talk with him.”

“Mal-”

“Just a talk. I wouldn’t hit him if he didn’t hit first, obviously he’d love a chance to file all sorts of charges and get me in more trouble.”

“This is my fight, Mal.”

“He made it mine when he called the cops.” I moved her back a step and looked down into her face. “Though I wouldn’t mind going caveman on him and telling him that you’re mine, now.”

She laughed with relief. I realized what I’d said - she was mine.
Dammit
. There was no pushing her away. She had made me too fucking weak.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said, “Caveman chat or otherwise. I need to be the one to tell him to fuck off once and for all.” Her eyes dropped. “I didn’t want us to play nice and act like friends but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. I’m not good at that. I caved.”

“Don’t feel bad about that,” I said, tilting her head back up. “But it’s time to be a little mean. He’ll never leave you alone if you aren’t.”

“I know. You’re right.”

I didn’t like the pained look on her face, so I kissed it away. I pulled her close. There was no resisting a naked woman in a shower, especially not this one, so I ran my hands up and down her sides, tracing her curves and leaving trails of goosebumps on her skin.

I cursed to myself. I was in too much pain to fuck her like I wanted. It was probably for the best - I’d told her that we ought to wait a while. I wondered if I’d been possessed back when I’d said it but it made a certain amount of sense. We’d gotten so physical so fast when we met, which was fine with other girls - the ones that I didn’t want to keep around.

I wanted to keep her, though. So I tapped on the breaks, slowed us down, got to know her as much as I could between work and practice.

I’d wanted to fuck her after the fight. It was the plan in my head. But then the arrests happened. And now I was too injured.

I could still make her feel good, though, could still draw out those little cries of pleasure that I’d been missing, that I loved so much.

I snaked one hand below her ass and around her thigh to brush her between her legs. She lifted onto her toes with a soft gasp. “Mal…”

“That’s it, baby. All I want to hear it my name.”

“Mmm. Mallet,” she said, squeezing a hand between us to stroke my erection. I shifted with her touch - and groaned at the sharp flash of pain in my side.

“Don’t stop,” I growled. The pain was bad but stopping would be worse. Her eyes creased with concern, but I wiped the look away when I slid two fingers deep inside of her.

God, she felt so good. Hot and inviting. I could just imagine sliding my dick home, but this was the next best thing until I was in better shape.

She used my shoulders for support, though she was careful not to rest too much of her weight on me as she writhed against my hand. Her breaths came sharp and fast - I captured them with my mouth, sliding my tongue along hers until she moaned and shuddered.

Her grip on my erection tightened and she stroked me faster, her hand slippery with soap. I resisted the impulse to pump into her hand - the insistent throbbing of my side reminded me that it was a bad idea.

Her moans would be enough to get me off on their own, anyway. She had that effect on me. Her pleasure was mine; all I wanted was to focus on her, to make her writhe and scream and lose her damn mind. I’d never felt that way with any other woman.

“Come for me, baby,” I demanded, knowing that the sound of my voice got her hotter.

“You come for me,” she teased, her stroking intensifying though her mouth dropped open - I slid my thumb over her clit, then pressed the sensitive button with the heel of my hand, grinding it against her as I curved my fingers inside her sex.

“I will if you do,” I said, “I need to hear it. I need to feel you.”

“Oh, Mallet-” She came apart with a shuddering cry, her body falling in close, sliding against mine. I kissed her neck and groaned as I followed her over the edge, spilling between us and gently nipping her soft skin with my teeth.