Having no idea where her friends were dragging her to, Hayes didn’t know how to dress. Perusing her closet again, she debated on what to wear. If she dressed in something flirty and sexy, Dustin would think she were interested. He was a good guy, but she didn’t feel towards him the way he did her. Though, Alyssa thought it would be a perfect chance for them to get to know each other. On the other hand, Hayes didn’t think her standard attire of running sweats and a tank was appropriate, either.

Deciding her dark-wash ripped jeans, black off-the-shoulder sweater, and ankle booties would be friendly enough, she quickly changed just as the doorbell rang announcing Lys’s arrival.

Rushing down the stairs while wrapping her hair into a bun on top of her head, she answered the door somewhat filled with anticipation.

“Dang girl, you clean up good.” Lys whistled when she opened the door.

Looking down her body, she didn’t see it. She looked like her normal self. “Uhh, thanks?” She didn’t’ mean to pose it as a question.

“The guys are in the car waiting. Let’s go!” Before Hayes could say anything, Lys was racing back to the car.

“I’m leaving!” she called to her parents.

“Have fun, Hayes.” Her mom rounded the corner from the living room, a real smile plastered on her face for once.

“Call if you need us to come get you,” her dad yelled from his seat in the other room as well.

“Bye,” she said again, walking out the door on the way to the waiting car.

Blowing out a breath, she almost wished her parents wouldn’t let her go. She wasn’t in the mood to do whatever it was they had planned. And going with a boy she had no interest in sunk her spirit into the dark pits of hell.

“Hey there, Hayes.” Dustin’s smooth drawl followed by a tipsy stance drew a smile from her lips. The moron was half way to stupid already.

“Start early?” she asked, climbing in the back seat with Lys.

“How you doing, girl?” Brett asked her. He was a nice enough guy. Didn’t seem to be out to get laid as much as possible like so many others in their school.

“Good, Brett. How’s practice going?” He was training much harder this year after receiving a full football scholarship to Notre Dame as a running back. There were a ton of statistics that she had been given when he found out. Sadly, she remembered none of them. Just smile and nod was her motto when it came to certain sports.

“Real good.” His smile was full of pride.

As they sped off to whatever event they were going to, Dustin stuck his head out the window and started hootin’ and hollerin’. He sounded like a fool, and she desperately wanted to roll the window up with his head sticking out.

“Don’t even think about it,” Lys whispered, obviously seeing what she was thinking.

Sitting back with her arms crossed, Hayes pretended to pout. “Fine, but if he gets grabby, I reserve the right to kick his ass.” It wasn’t a negotiation, it was fact. She had no interest in boys. Especially the ones from school.

With the exception of Brett, they were all immature, little weasels who cared more about spread legs than spreadsheets. They didn’t want to know you, they wanted inside you. She couldn’t get with that.

On the heel of that thought came a memory of Levi.

Older. Sweeter. Smarter.

His jaw had to be made of the finest stone Michelangelo could sculpt from, looking the way he did. The two times she saw him, his face was covered in a light scruff. Just enough to say, “I’m clean, but I don’t care that I have a day’s worth of growth on my face.”

He was cocky, too. Knew what he wanted and didn’t seem to play around.

Except…

With her.

She got the sense that he was attracted but a little pissed off about it.

Not that she could blame him, she was in the same boat. If there were one person that could change her leaving as soon as the last bell of the year rang, she had a feeling it would be Levi.

“Here we are!” Dustin yelled, climbing from the front seat of Brett’s car.

Taking a step out, her foot was met with the door panel as the idiot slammed it shut. “Such a gentleman,” she muttered, crawling from the back seat.

Sorry, Lys mouthed from across the car. Shrugging her shoulders, Hayes cringed as said idiot put an arm around her neck.

“Well, hell.”

“What’s that, babe?” Dustin whispered in ear, spit flying on her neck.

Grabbing his wrist, she flung his arm off of her. “Not a thing, sweet cheeks,” she said mocking him. He didn’t get it as he smiled at her.

Linking an arm through Hayes’, Lys glanced up at her with a pleading look in her emerald gaze. “Ugh, fine.” It was agreeance to try and tolerate the night. She knew she wouldn’t last more than an hour, but for her friend, she’d try. The night was clearly important to the other woman.

Looking at her surroundings, Hayes didn’t recognize much and hadn’t paid attention to where they were going. Apparently downtown judging by the lights from the buildings—more like the outskirts of it. She eyed up the dilapidated warehouse and the screams coming from inside as the line they were standing in moved forward.

Once they passed through the doors, the noise level jumped from annoying to supersonic deafness. Between the music, the screaming, and what she assumed was an announcer of some sort, she feared significant hearing loss by the end of the night.

“Sweet!” Brett cheered as he led everyone closer to where the commotion was coming from. Finally there, she noticed the Octagon and immediately knew they were at an underground fighting ring.

Concern swarmed her next words. “Lys! Why are we here?” They had to know fights like this were dangerous.

Hands on her waist had Hayes looking over her shoulder to see some guy manhandling her. “Ain’t you a hot, young thing,” he slurred.

“Thanks, but no thanks.” She shot him her dirtiest look and stepped away, sinking under Brett’s other arm with Lys. She wasn’t into him, but he was a big dude, and she knew he could back up the threat.

“Bitch,” was muttered as the drunk guy walked away. Relief swamped her. She really wanted out of there.

When she was about to inform Lys and Brett she was leaving, an announcer appeared, inciting the loudest cheer yet from the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, are you readdyyyyy??!!” The last word rolled off his tongue as everyone around her screamed and cheered.

“I give you the challenger. Hailing from Miami, Florida…Ashton ‘One Shot’ Rod!” Hayes’ hands flew to cover her ears as the booing started, and cursing, and holy crap! Someone threw a chair as the beast of a man came out from behind a black curtain.

She watched as the behemoth bounced on the balls of his feet a couple times before flipping off the crowd and jumping into the ring. He was massive. One of his thighs was easily the size of her waist.

When the announcer put the mic to his mouth again, the crowd exploded so wildly that she couldn’t hear the name of the other fighter other than that he was new and undefeated with sixteen wins and no losses.

“Holy fuck, this guy’s awesome!” Dustin yelled beside her, pulling her body in front of his so she could get a clear sight of the ring. And so he could get grabby as his hands roamed along her rib cage. Just as she was about to blast him in the nuts with a knee, the curtain moved.

Her vision tunneled.

Her ears rang.

Her heart beat out of control.

“Levi?” she whispered.

That explained the black eye.

Dustin’s roaming hands were no longer a concern as she drank in the sight of her new obsession. All hard muscle, angry scowl, tattoo-covered chest. A single design on the bicep of his arm fascinated her. It was a crescent moon around a star with writing she couldn’t see.

Shrinking back into Dustin’s body so he couldn’t notice her, she really hoped he was one of those guys that could knock someone out with one punch. She didn’t want to see him get hurt.

* * *

The crowd went wild as Levi stepped out from behind the curtain. Biggest one he’d seen yet. His opponent was some buff guy from Miami, and he knew he was in for a real fight. It was a night that was either going to make him or break him.

No distractions.

He couldn’t afford it.

So why, when he saw a flash of auburn hair, did he think of her? Of what it would do to him to have Hayes there to cheer him on? To have someone he knew in his corner.

“Shit,” he muttered, climbing into the ring as Casp did his thing. “Get your head in the fucking game, Levi.” His diatribe wasn’t missed as One Shot narrowed his eyes on him.

None too soon, the bell rung, and he was being rammed into a corner by a fucking bull. Kidney shot after kidney shot stole his breath.

He was ready. He’d trained. He’d take the fucker down.

When the other man pulled back slightly, Levi saw his opening. An uppercut to the jaw had his opponent stumbling back, and a kick to the thigh had him on his knees. Levi could be dirty and kick him in the face, but he didn’t play that way; he wanted a fair fight.

Another uppercut had the bull on his back, blood pouring down the side of his mouth. But Levi knew One Shot wasn’t done. He might be stunned for the moment, but he’d be back up in no time.

Just as Casp was counting, that flash of auburn caught his attention again, and there she was. The girl of his dreams. The girl he’d run down.

Hayes.

Her eyes widened at something behind him, and he was quick to end the fight. Giving his opponent a few quick jabs to the kidneys and face then one shot to the temple, the guy was out cold.

As soon as it was announced that Levi was the winner, he was out of the ring and running around to her. She was there, and she was real. Finally reaching the spot where Hayes stood, he noticed a look of awe and pain glued to her soft features until the goon behind her wrapped a hand around her waist, gripping her hip. His own steps faltered at the sight, but then he saw the disgust crawling throughout her body.

Reaching a hand out to her, he didn’t say a word as she hopped the fence, and he carried her back to the locker room over his shoulder. As soon as the door was closed behind them, he let her slide down just enough that she sat on his hips with her legs wrapped around his back. Neither said a word as their breathing grew heavy from exertion.

He felt her fingers sliding up and down his biceps, almost like she couldn’t help herself.

“You fight,” she finally whispered.

“I fight,” he confirmed.

“Are you okay?”

Burying his head in the side of her neck, he took in a deep breath. “Honeysuckle,” he murmured, kissing just below her ear. “I am now.”

“Levi?” Her voice was husky, needy.

“Yeah, sugar?” He couldn’t move even if someone tried to pry him away.

When she started squirming in his arms, he sat on a bench nearby, planting her core against his now growing erection. A deep growl was released at the contact.

“Levi…” It was a moan that time.

His hands moved to her hips, grinding her down onto his length. She went up in flames. His lips found hers before she could scream out her pleasure. He took advantage of her open mouth, sweeping his tongue in to taste her.

Perfect. Just fucking perfect.

Her body was lax in his arms as he continued kissing her. When she finally joined in on the action, he wasn’t surprised by her tentative touches. She’s innocent was all he could think, and suddenly, everything clicked into place. Having someone with him; it wouldn’t be the hardship he thought it was going to be. With Hayes by his side, he knew he could conquer everything he wanted.

“Hayes,” he groaned when she slid along his shaft wantonly. “Sugar, you have to stop.”

“You didn’t,” she whispered seductively in his ear.

“Fucking hell.” His growl was primitive as he picked her up, walking blindly to the showers. Setting her down on her feet, he finally got a good look at her in her tight as fuck jeans, showing all her curves.

Turning the shower on, he stripped from his shorts into the warm cascade against his skin. When she stepped towards him, he gently pushed her back against the wall with a hand between her perfectly succulent tits. Rubbing between them as she watched the water roll down his body. When her eyes finally landed on his hardness, he gripped it with one hand, squeezing as tight as he could handle to try and stave off the release dying to mark her as his.

With one hand on his aching cock and the other between her breasts, he wasn’t able to stop her from wrapping her fingers around him between his legs. As she started pumping up and down, he removed his hand to enfold firmly around hers, showing her just how much pressure he liked.

“Hayes,” he warned as he could feel the impending release.

“Levi,” she moaned, pumping harder and squeezing her thighs together to relieve her own pressure. Just like that, one sweet sound, one hot hand, and he was done. Coming like a teenage boy getting his first handjob.

“Shit,” he growled out as cum shot from his shaft onto the shower wall beside her. Her own eyes shut in pleasure as he leaned his weight into her.

“For a tiny thing,” he whispered, melting his wet body against her dry one, “you sure pack a fucking punch.”

Her head dropped to his shoulders as they caught their breath. Never before had he had such an earth-shattering orgasm. He’d never thought about what it would do to him after a fight. Having all that pent-up aggression inside him to release was thrilling.

“Must you swear?” Hayes murmured into his ear.

It took his brain a minute to catch up to her words. The same ones she’d uttered the first time they met and a bark of laughter burst forth from his chest.

“No, baby, but it sure feels good after coming with your soft hands around me.” His crude words earned him a half-hearted slap to the chest.

Grabbing the towel hanging beside the stall, he slipped it around his waist. Guiding her from the shower area, he sat her down on the bench where it had all started and was nearly lost at what he was going to do when he caught sight of the deepest blush he’d ever seen on a woman.

A pounding on the door, followed by, “Hayes!” had him getting his ass in gear.

“That your friends?” he asked her.

She wouldn’t meet his eyes when she answered him. “That’s Lys. I came with her, Brett, and Dustin.” She said the last name with such disgust.

“Dustin the fool that had his hands on you?” He couldn’t help the possessive growl.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Leaning down in front of her, he ran a hand up her chest and around to the back of her neck before pulling her forehead to his lips for a soft kiss. “Look at me, Hayes,” he told her softly.

When she hesitantly met his eyes, he saw real fear in them. “What’s with the look?” he asked her, wanting to know before he brought up what he wanted to tell her.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged like it was no big deal.

He wasn’t a complete fool; he could guess. “You think that’s all I wanted?” Her eyes shifted away, and he had his answer. Nipping her bottom lip, he sucked it into his mouth until she tried to pull back. “I want so much more, Hayes. What I really want right at this moment, though, is a promise from you.”

“What promise?” She finally met his eyes again, and satisfaction rolled through him as hope lit them.

“I need you not to let that asshole, or any other asshole, touch you again.” No point in mixing words.

“Why would anyone touch me?” She seemed confused. As though she didn’t know her own beauty.

“’Cause you have a banging body, baby, and those eyes, they’re like pools of gold that scream of your innocence. After that taste you just gave me, I’m greedy, and I want everything for myself.”

“Everything?”

“Every last drop you have,” he murmured against her swollen lips. Kissing her lightly as the door banging began again. “Come on. Let’s go cool the savages down.” He smiled as she stood with him.

Opening the door, he was not surprised to see the fool that had his hands on Hayes stumbling around and cursing about Levi taking his girl. He got the feeling she wouldn’t like his caveman attitude and kept any disparaging remarks about the tool to himself as her girlfriend rushed in.

“You’re wet,” she pointed to Hayes’ shirt, “and flushed.” Her hand waved around Hayes' face. His poor girl looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Your point?” Levi growled, hoping she’d back off.

“Nothing,” she finally said, a smirk on her face.

“Come here, sugar.” He held out his arm for her as the douchebag was about to walk over. When she melted into his side, he lay light kisses along her neck. When she moaned, he took her mouth again in a passionate kiss of possession, devouring her sweet moans and giving her his own.

He couldn’t get enough of her sweet taste.

* * *

Levi’s lips on her neck had Hayes’ hormones going haywire. She knew he was doing it as a display of ownership to Dustin. She should hate it, she should stop it, but it felt oh so good. What they’d done in his locker room was so far beyond her realm, she didn’t know where to start.

That wasn’t like her at all. Never had she even thought about boys like that since before the accident. That’s no boy, Hayes. That much was crystal clear. Levi stole her breath with a single searing look when he wanted to.

“If high school girls are what you’re into…” Dustin stupidly slurred with jealousy.

She felt Levi tense at his words. That was it. For a man like him, she knew he was done with her. He’d toss her aside like she was nothing.

“High school?” he whispered in her ear.

She couldn’t bear to look at him as she nodded her head once with a jerk, her throat already clogging. It shouldn’t hurt so much. They didn’t know one another.

“High school,” Dustin repeated, shattering her ridiculous fantasy. His voice was laced with disgust.

Lys, the sweetheart that she was, must have seen the tears pooling in Hayes’ eyes as she spoke up. “Shut up, Dustin. She’s eighteen and can do as she likes.” The emphasis wasn’t missed by anyone but Dustin because he was drunk and Levi because he was pissed.

Stupid boys.

Stupid men.

Stupid me.

Hayes walked, or rather ran, away before anything else could be said. She didn’t need any more heartbreak in her life. She’d had enough of it.

Pushing through the crowds as they either partied or fought was harder than when they’d made their way to the front of the arena at the start of the evening. Once outside, the spring air hit her face like a punch to the gut. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she did exactly what she didn’t want to and called her parents. “Hey, princess, how’s the night?” her dad’s happy voice answered.

“Daddy.” Her voice cracked as she tried to hold back the pain. “Come get me, please.”

Without question, he said, “Text me the address. I’m on my way.” Before he was finished talking, she’d heard his car keys jingling. Once she’d sent him the coordinates from her phone’s GPS, she took the chicken’s way out and hid.

When her phone started buzzing, she looked down to see a text from Lys.

Lys: Where r u? U ok?

Hayes: Fine. Waiting 4 dad.

Lys: I’ll kill Dustin!

Hayes: S’okay. Nothing gained, nothing lost.

At least that’s what she told herself.

Lys: He wasn’t happy u left.

Hayes: He didn’t chase me either.

Lys: Point made.

She didn’t bother responding after that. What was the use? Her heart hurt. Her mind was screaming at her. She just wanted to go home.

As her dad’s cream-colored Buick 4-door came into view, so did the most gorgeous piece of machinery she’d ever seen. A sleek, black 1964 Charger. Her mouth watered. She’d always loved classic cars.

Opening the door to her dad’s sedan, she envied the owner of the other vehicle until she saw who was behind the wheel.

Levi.

Of course, it was his car.

Of course, he would still look gorgeous.

Of course, he had to give her the nastiest look she’d ever been given as he spotted her.

Her heart shrivelled up right on the spot as she slid into the passenger’s side. The ride home was quiet. Her dad had never been much of a talker, that had always been her mom.

Sinking into her seat, she wished, not for the first time, that Ryder was around so she could talk to him. He’d say something silly like the man didn’t know who he was missing, or that he’d kick his ass for making her upset.

Of all the things in the world she wanted most, it was Ryder back. She wanted him home. Safe. Alive. She wanted to not be a broken shell of who she used to be.

Too bad she had nothing but pain to look forward to.