GRAYSON

 

Waking up with her in his arms was the best feeling in the world. It was like nothing else and, already he knew that nothing else would ever compare. Light is already streaming through the windows, but he doesn’t have any intention of moving. Being next to her warm, soft body is all he wants right now. But the world outside seems to have other ideas for him.

 

His phone vibrates insistently on the nightstand, and Adriana stirs in her sleep at the sound. Grayson snatches it up, before the noise disturbs Adriana again. He hasn’t even had a chance to check the caller ID, something he’d been almost religious about since Morrison’s last unsolicited catch-up.

 

“Hey. Kid, how you been?” Morrison’s voice is like poison in his ear.

 

“I told you I don’t want to hear from you again, Morris. Goodbye.” Grayson’s voice is quiet, as he shuts the bedroom door softly behind him, heading into his personal gym.

 

“Not so fast.” Morrison sounds eerily calm, something that makes Grayson stand a little straighter, listen harder. “You never replied to my little note.”

 

“I ignored it. That was my reply.” Grayson paces around the gym, feeling like he needs to expend some of the energy that he can’t use to beat Morrison to a pulp.

 

“I’d noticed that.” Morrison chuckles lightly, too many years of chain smoking making it sound like a creaky door. “I thought you might need a little reminder of why that wasn’t a good idea.”

 

Grayson shakes his head, as if Morrison could see him. “No, Morris. It’s over. I win the fight, you walk away. That was the deal.”

 

“Things change. You’ve gotta roll with the punches, if you’ll pardon the pun.” Morrison pauses for dramatic effect. “You didn’t really think I’d let you go so easily, did you?”

 

That’s when Grayson explodes. “Easily?” He roars the word out. “Is that what you call it? I’ve been letting you call the shots for almost ten years, Morris. I’ve made you a very rich man, and now it’s my time. I’m walking away.”

 

“You don’t walk away until I say you do. You got that?  Or have you forgotten about that dirty little secret of yours that I could make public whenever I choose?” Morrison’s sense of entitlement is what pushes Grayson over the edge.

 

“I haven’t forgotten, Morris, I just don’t care anymore.” Grayson’s voice is a roar. “If you want to go public with what you know, do it. I’m pretty sure the UFC would be more likely to come down on the side of their new star fighter whose making them millions rather than on the side of a bookie that’s been in and out of jail like a yo-yo. You don’t exactly have the best reputation in the business, you know?” He smiles to himself as he says the words, enjoying the novelty of the feeling of having one up on Morrison.

 

“You ungrateful son-of-a-bitch.” For the first time, Morrison let’s his anger come through his smug exterior. “I made you; I can unmake you just as easily. If you don’t throw this next fight, then you’re going to regret it.” The threat in his voice is clear, but Grayson has had enough of threats from him.

 

“I made myself, Morris.” The words are simple, but it’s the first time that Grayson has said them out loud. He’s been living in the shadow of what his father had told him he would amount to—which was nothing—and what Morrison had made him feel—which was worthless. But now he feels stronger, more confident than he ever has before. The Adriana Effect, he thinks to himself and can’t help but smile.

 

“I’m warning you. You either agree to go down in the third and you let Dex take the win, or I’m going to have to find a way to incentivize you.” Grayson can almost hear Morrison smile like a Cheshire cat on the end of the line.

 

“Maybe it’s time you find another puppet, Morris. I’m done with you pulling my strings. Don’t call me again.” Grayson ends the call and throws the cell against the wall in frustration.

 

“Who was that?” Adriana’s voice from the doorway makes Grayson spin around in surprise.

 

His mind whirrs as he tries to figure out how long she’s been standing there for and how much she’s heard. “No one, just some whack job that won’t leave me alone.” He shrugs his shoulders, cringing inside at the fact that he’s lying to her.

 

“You seemed to be pretty mad.” She nods towards the phone that may or may not be usable again after having been thrown at the wall.

 

“It’s nothing, Adrie. Really.” He closes the distance between them, unable to keep away from her when she’s standing there looking so gorgeous and delectable. He takes her in his arms and kisses her gently, just because he can.

 

When he looks down at her again, she still looks unconvinced; but, there’s something else in her eyes that makes his heart skip a beat. She smiles knowingly at him. “I’ve got to get to work.” But she doesn’t make any move towards the door. 

 

“If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not going to let you go anywhere.” He strokes her jet black hair away from her face, marveling at how she has the ability to make him forget everything else.

 

Adriana smiles coquettishly at him, and he can feel her breath quicken as he strokes his thumb over her luscious lips. She flicks a glance around the room and bites her lip, making his cock twitch in anticipation. “Those mats look pretty comfortable.” The words are hardly out of her mouth before she blushes adorably at him.

 

He raises an eyebrow at her. “I thought you had to get to the hospital?” He nuzzles at her neck, breathing in the fresh, warm scent that’s all her own, and he feels her relax into him, letting herself go.

 

“So, I guess I’m going to be late.” Her words come out in short pants, as she lifts off his t-shirt to reveal the glory of her nakedness underneath.

 

Grayson growls deep in his throat, as he takes her nipples into his mouth, sucking hard as she tangles her fingers in his hair. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Adrie.” He looks up at her to see her hair falling around her face, and her green eyes glowing, making her look as wanton and desperate for him as he is for her. “I love you.” He watches as the smile spreads across her lips, the one that makes her whole face come alive.

 

“Show me.” She locks eyes with him and it’s half command, half plea. Standing naked in front of him, she’s completely vulnerable and completely willing to give herself up to him. It’s the sexiest thing he’s ever seen. He pulls her towards him, kissing her hard before laying her down on the mat and showing her exactly that.