Mateo’s phone rang the moment he gave Sean his first kiss as his husband. The first time, he ignored it. There was nothing more important than his crazy wedding, which turned out better than Mateo ever imagined. The fact that he was marrying Sean was the first thing, making it the best ever. Sean’s parents came in second. The pair acted as if it was a dream wedding they’d planned themselves. Robin cried. Scott gave him the “if you hurt my son, I’ll kill you” speech. Mateo hadn’t stopped smiling the entire time. Never in his wildest dreams would he have pictured his wedding the way it went down. He wouldn’t have had it any other way, especially since he’d never seen Sean happier. Mateo had also never expected to find love, but here he was.

The chapel was efficient. They’d even managed the perfect cake. The two grooms on top looked so much like them, they kept freaking Sean out until Robin hid it in her purse. His phone rang for the fourth time while Mateo tried cleaning squashed cake from his face while Sean tried kissing it away.

It wasn’t until they were sequestered in their suite and Mateo was waiting for Sean to finish his shower that he remembered to check his phone. He’d missed six calls from his dad and two from his mom. Mateo did what he should’ve done a long time ago. He blocked them without listening to their messages. They’d given him life and a roof for eighteen years. He’d tried to be grateful and clung to that connection. Mateo had craved their love and acceptance. He’d never get those things from the two people he needed it from the most. It was time to move on. He’d found new connections. Blood might be thicker than water, but sometimes that only meant it would drown a person faster. They couldn’t love him for him or forgive him for things he couldn’t change. He couldn’t be anyone else.

The bathroom door opened. Sean stepped out, wearing only boxer briefs with beads of water clinging to his skin. Mateo took a deep breath, hoping to calm his body’s immediate reaction. Marrying Sean had an unexpected effect on Mateo. Possessiveness ruled him. Sean was his. Permanently. He wanted to make his mark and scream it at the top of his lungs.

Sean caught him staring and flashed a shy smile. “What?” There was even a blush. Mateo’s stomach growled.

“I’m so goddamn lucky.”

Sean’s blush increased.

“Come here.” Even Mateo heard the lust coating his words.

Sean tossed his towel aside and crossed the room. The moment he was within striking distance, Mateo snagged the man around the waist and pulled him into his lap.

“You look happy.”

An evil smile tugged at the corners of Mateo’s mouth at Sean’s observation. He felt deadly. “I’m ecstatic. You’re mine. All is right with the world.” The deadly note to his voice didn’t ebb.

Sean acted as if he didn’t notice. “Are you nervous about your fight yet?”

Mateo shook his head. He couldn’t think past the moment. “Right now, I’m focused on you.”

Shifting positions in Mateo’s hold, Sean came up onto his knees and pushed. Mateo gave him his way and fell onto his back. Sean flattened his palms against the mattress on either side of Mateo’s head. The mischievous glint to Sean’s eyes had Mateo’s mouth going dry.

“I’m totally in love with you.”

A surprised chuckle escaped Mateo. “I should hope so. If not, it’ll be a long life for you. We have a good fifty or sixty years ahead of us.”

Sean pinched him. “I’m telling you how I feel here.”

“Okay. Okay,” Mateo said, rubbing his side, trying to wipe away the sting of Sean’s abuse. With a twist and a roll, he had Sean pinned beneath him. “Go on. Tell me how you feel. I need to hear how magnificent I am.”

Sean huffed. “Never mind. You have a big enough head.”

“Do I?” Mateo asked, sounding aroused even to his ears as he shifted positions, letting Sean feel his erection. “Tell me what you want, and maybe I can put this big head to use.”

Sean smiled and shoved at his chest. “Let’s play a game,” he said, pushing his way out from underneath Mateo.

Mateo propped his head up with his fist and watched Sean cross the room. “I like games.”

Sean dug through the welcome basket the casino had left in their room. He came out with a deck of cards. That got Mateo’s attention. “You’re not wearing enough for strip poker.”

“We’re not playing that,” Sean said, climbing back in the bed. “This is our honeymoon and I want to know all your secrets. However, I’m willing to win them.” He shuffled the cards while Mateo stared at him—bemused.

“Okay. Tell me the rules.”

“It’s simple,” Sean said, setting the deck face down between them. “Whoever draws the higher card wins. Aces are high.” He flipped the first card. It was a Jack. Mateo flipped a five. “You win,” Sean said, smiling. “You get to ask the first question.”

Even though this wasn’t what Mateo had in mind for the night, he liked this idea. “All right. Did you always want to be a chef?”

Sean shrugged. “Not really, but I’m good at it, and it’s a job.” He flipped another card. It was a Queen. Mateo braced himself for anything. A triumphant-sounding hoot left him when he drew an Ace.

“What did you hope to be when you grew up?” Mateo asked, sticking with his theme.

A shy smile touched Sean’s lips. “I thought about becoming a counselor, but then I realized I don’t like most people I meet.”

That confession surprised a laugh from Mateo. Sean acted as if he liked everyone. Mateo drew another card. He drew a six. Sean pulled an eight.

“Finally. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?”

Mateo snorted. “You’re not starting out light, I see. Hmmm, okay. When I was sixteen, my parents sent me to pick up my little brother from baseball.”

“Wait,” Sean said, waving his arms. “You have a little brother?”

The smile melted from Mateo’s face. He tried not to think of Luis. “Yes, but tonight is a happy night, so ask me about him another time, okay?”

Sean nodded, looking solemn. “Okay. Continue.”

“So, I went to pick up Luis and his practice ran long. So I grabbed my board and decided to film myself grinding the rail at the middle school field. It’s super high. Anyhow, what I ended up filming was me breaking my leg.”

Sean’s laugh made the confession worthwhile. “I cannot picture you grinding a rail.”

Mateo’s cheeks heated. He still couldn’t believe he’d confessed that. “Draw a card.” Sean lost. Mateo mentally rubbed his hands together. “What’s your favorite sexual position?”

Sean’s face flushed red, making Mateo’s smile grow. “Um.” Sean pursed his lips, as if really thinking things over. His face screwed up. “You know, I don’t think I have one. I’m pretty content with whatever you do to me.”

“We’ll see,” Mateo said with a wink, flipping over another card. He lost.

Sean beamed. “The night we met, did you even really look at me before deciding to ask for my number?”

An inner groan rang through Mateo’s head, but he was always honest with Sean. “No.”

Sean nodded, as if he wasn’t surprised. “Then why did you ask?” He paused. “Oops, I guess that’s two questions.” Sean reached for a card.

Mateo set his hand on top of them, stopping him. “You don’t need this. Ask me anything. I’ll answer. No, I didn’t look at you. I smelled you. Your cologne brushed over me and your sweet voice called to me. Honestly, I didn’t care about your appearance. Looks mean very little to me. Your being sexy is just a bonus. I fell so fast and hard for you, baby. I—”

Sean shoved the cards aside and straddled Mateo’s hips. “You’re the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me,” Sean said before his lips came down on Mateo’s hard. He was more than happy to let Sean take charge. As much as Mateo liked being in control, he couldn’t pretend he didn’t love the sensation of a man straddling his hips and riding his dick. Sean pushed at his underwear; Mateo lifted, letting him have them. Mateo kept busy too, peeling Sean’s underwear down his body. He couldn’t get inside Sean fast enough to suit his half insane mind. They were the only thing that kept him going. Not his career or training. Those things had kept him from walking into traffic for years, but the man in his arms—he was Mateo’s salvation. Being Sean’s husband was everything.

* * *

As only the second boxing match Sean had attended, he made an important discovery. He’d never get used to his husband getting hit. Sean wasn’t a violent person. Every time a blow landed from Mateo’s opponent, he wanted to storm the ring. His mom already held the back of his shirt as if reading his mind. Each round felt like forever. He didn’t understand scoring, so he had no clue who was winning, but they were both bleeding. Each time Sean thought he’d settled down, giving his mom a chance to wave her sign and scream at the top of her lungs, Mateo would take a hit. Sean’s dad was taking up the slack. He hadn’t stop yelling since Mateo entered the ring.

The match was set for twelve rounds. They’d already gone eight and Sean wasn’t sure he’d survive it. He’d seen Aden, Remy, Daniel, and Isaac before the fight began, but he hadn’t looked away from Mateo since. The four men could be right next to him for all he knew. All Sean knew was he needed this shit to end.

A bell rang and Mateo went to his corner. He could see his opponent’s mouth moving—like he was talking shit—but Mateo didn’t appear bothered.

They cleaned Mateo’s cuts. Sean’s dad said something about Mateo having the dude scared, but Sean was so sick to his stomach, he couldn’t hear a thing. The bell rang again. Mateo nodded at whatever his cornerman said. He stood, moved to the center of the ring, and swung. His glove connected. Mateo’s opponent, Cutter Wilson, went down on one knee. The count began but was over quickly when Cutter shifted back to his feet. Mateo threw another left jab, connecting once more. This time, Cutter swayed backward. Mateo held still, making Sean wonder if he held his breath. Cutter went down hard. The count started again. The bell rang. A cheer erupted. Sean stood—transfixed.

Daniel’s arm found Sean’s waist. “Let’s go. They’ll clean him up and he’ll have a press conference. I’ll get you in.”

Sean let Daniel maneuver him through the crowd, but his gaze stayed locked on his husband. His arms were raised in victory. He’d won. Sean was so goddamn proud, he thought he might burst. It seemed as if he should be smiling, but Sean was numb. His feelings ran so deep, he couldn’t dredge up a reaction. Too late, he remembered his parents. He glanced over his shoulder to find them on his heels. The noise of the crowd didn’t die away as Daniel flashed a badge at security and pulled them into a separate room. The place was every bit as packed. There was a long table and a podium up front. Sean found himself squished against the wall as reporters filed in and filled the folding chairs.

“It’ll be quick,” Daniel assured him. “They’ll want him out here before it becomes a security nightmare in the hall.”

Sean kept nodding, not knowing what else to do. A door behind the table opened. Aden and Mateo spilled out, accompanied by several yellow-shirt security men. Aden spoke first. Sean didn’t hear a word. His gaze never left his husband. He wanted to rush the podium and check his injuries for himself. Even though—logically—he knew everything moved along quickly, it felt like it took ages.

Mateo moved to the podium. Sound rushed back to his senses. People hurled questions Mateo’s way. He searched the room with his gaze. When his stare landed on Sean, Sean’s smile finally made an appearance. The love of his life had seen his biggest dream come true. There were no words.

Mateo motioned toward the nearest yellow shirt. “Would you escort my husband and in-laws up here before they’re trampled? Thanks.”

Everything felt surreal—like it happened to someone else. Security kept him pressed to the wall before he was shuffled behind the podium. Mateo’s lips brushed Sean’s before Aden helped him into one of the many chairs behind the table. His parents were given the same treatment. Mateo answered questions like a pro while Sean tried catching up. Mateo held everyone captivated, especially Sean.

“Mateo, Landon Shelby, Boxing Today, can you tell me where you went differently in this fight than you have in the past?”

Mateo chuckled. Sean had to take a breath. He loved that sound. “I won.”

Even though Landon laughed along with everyone else, he didn’t let up. “Is there anyone who helped you finally push past that barrier that’s been holding you back from the title?”

“A lot of people have helped me along the way,” Mateo said without hesitation. “Obviously, I never would’ve made it this far without my trainers, Aden and Remy. But I had zero chance at winning without my cheering team—my husband, Sean, and his parents, Robin and Scott.”

Cameras flashed, blinding Sean. He tried to keep smiling. He didn’t want anyone to think he wasn’t every bit as proud as he was.

Someone else caught Mateo’s attention. “Mateo, Leon Wright, Las Vegas Fight Times, I noticed your cornerman said something to you right before the ninth round began. Can you tell us what advice he gave?”

Mateo’s smile was everything. “He said, knock the fucker out.”

Mateo pointed at a woman in the back who’d been trying to get a question in. “Lynn Plumber, Las Vegas Channel Ten. What was your parents’ reaction to the news?”

Mateo didn’t miss a beat. “I have no parents.” He called for the next question before anyone could call him on his statement. Sean didn’t hear anything else. His heart fell. Mateo had finally given up. His heart shattered for all the pain his husband kept inside and never shared with anyone—not even him.