Chapter Thirty-Two

Ryder

I made my way toward the cameras and weigh-in looking for Tristan and my father. Instead, I found Curtis and Bret waiting for me. My father still hadn’t gotten back from a coffee run, and according to Bret, Tristan was outside on the phone. I looked around the room and took in the lights and sounds. The cameras were clicking as Santiago talked about his fight and defending his title. I wanted to knock him down a notch or three. His voice grated my nerves, but I had to keep my head clear and my eye on the prize—the belt around his waist.

“You ready?” Tristan asked from behind me. I turned to see him standing with Curtis. Amy and Zoey weren’t far behind them.

“As ready as I can be,” I said.

“Don't be so confident.” My dad smiled and cupped my shoulder before he walked by and pulled Curtis to the side. I knew they were talking strategy. They knew better than to get in my ear at this point. I needed to focus on the job ahead.

Before I knew it, I was on stage fielding questions about nothing that mattered. They asked about Zoey, and they asked about my signing with Tristan. Only three out of the hundred questions seemed to even pertain to the fight. You would think people would care about that, but they didn't. They wanted to know about my personal life. What my plans were if I lost or won. I wanted to talk about what an asshole that prick was and how I planned to take him down. Tristan led me away from the podium about fifteen minutes later and took me to where the final photo shoot would take place for the clothing line. They snapped a few photos all in front of a brick wall that would eventually be photoshopped to look more like my home gym—which I would be buying after the fight, win or lose. I’d already talked to Bret and promised him a job for life. I just needed my own place, somewhere I could use as needed to train. I was hoping I could eventually help some of the underprivileged kids in the area. I wanted to talk to Zoey about it, but at this point, I was choosing to keep it on the down-low until I had some real plans. I knew she would be extremely busy with her ventures, but I was still excited that she would be home, with me.

“You need to go and nap and then relax. I'll see you back here at five, okay?” Tristan instructed as he pulled Amy in a different direction. I turned to walk out of the room and toward a cab when I found Zoey. She was walking away from the entrance quickly with tears in her eyes.

“Zoey?” I asked as she ran into my arms.

“Are you okay?” I pulled her chin up and looked into her tear stained face.

“Yes, I'm just overwhelmed. Some reporter stopped me in the street and was asking all kinds of questions. It was just more than I was ready for.”

“I'm so sorry, babe.” I pulled her against me. “I don't want anyone to ask you questions because of me, but I can't stop it. I guess we’ll have to make sure one of the guys is with you all the time. I don't want you to get cornered by strangers. Your safety is important to me, and I don't want to have to worry about you.”

“I’m safe physically, it was all that badgering that got to me. I wasn't ready for it.” She shrugged and wiped at her eyes. “Don't worry about me, please.”

“I found you crying—of course I'm going to worry about you.” I kissed her softly, just brushing my lips against hers.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, then looked over my shoulder. “Shit,” she groaned as she moved closer to me, looking away from whoever was behind me. “That's him,” she groaned.

“Who’s him?’ I asked looking over my shoulder.

“That guy in the black hat, he’s the one asking all the questions.” I pushed away from her and turned toward the asshole. I marched over and grabbed him by the collar, shoving him against a wall.

“If you ever make my girl cry again, I can't promise you what I’ll do,” I spoke through clenched teeth.

“I—I—I—” He struggled to speak. I pushed my forearm against his chest.

“Do you understand me?” I asked again. It dawned on me this could possibly get me in a whole heap of trouble, but I didn't care.

He nodded his head, and I released him. His feet hit the floor about the same time he started gasping for air.

“You'll pay for that.”

“I'm sure I will.” I retorted as I walked back toward Zoey. She was standing there mouth openly gaping at what had just happened.

“Why, I don't… Why?” She sounded shocked. She had never seen anything like that from me outside of the ring.

“Look, I am not a violent person…okay maybe a little,” I shrugged and put a finger over her mouth. “I am not going to tolerate anyone being mean to you for any reason. If there is anything I can do to make that stop, then I will. I am sure he’ll go and blab to all his friends, but what he doesn't realize is that most of the guys that question us aren't going to go after you like that anyway. They tend to be a little more respectful of our families.”

Zoey nodded. “That’s good, then.”

“Can we go nap?” I need to relax as much as possible over the next few hours.

“Yes, we can nap. Tristan told me no extracurricular activities, though.” She flushed.

“He said what?” I cocked my head.

“No sex,” she said plainly. “He said you would need all your energy for tonight. Apparently, it's a thing for all athletes.” She shrugged as she reached for the door that would dump us back on the street. I had purposely come out the side entrance to avoid the cameras placed all over the front. Tristan’s car was waiting for us, and we climbed in.

“Great minds think alike.” Tristan’s driver said.

“Thanks, man.” I tossed him a twenty and then settled back against the soft leather.

“If I get no sex today, then I want all the sex tonight.” I kissed her neck. She shoved me away from her neck.

“Don't try and trick me, mister.” She smiled. “And of course there will be sex tonight. It will either be celebratory sex or a pity fuck, who knows.”

She laughed, and I laid into her most sensitive tickle spot.

“Stop!” she laughed as I started poking and tickling her. She screeched as she tried to get away from me. I couldn’t help laughing at her. I loved that she brought this out in me. I had trained so long and so hard that I had forgotten to have any fun lately. After tonight, I wanted to learn how to be a new Ryder. I reached for her again, and she screeched again.

I threw my hands up to signal I would behave. “I'll stop if you’ll come here.” I pulled her across the leather seat and into my lap. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she looked up at me.

“For being you. For allowing me to be me.”

“Who else would you be?” she grinned.

“The uptight asshole I was before I met you.”

She leaned up and kissed the end of my nose. “I want you to be happy—that's all that matters to me.”

“I am happier than you can imagine, and no matter what happens tonight, I want our future to be a guarantee.”

“I can't guarantee anything, but I can promise you that I am in this with you.” She smiled, and my heart melted. I had become a giant wuss, and for whatever reason, I was okay with it.

When we got to the hotel room, I tried to rest. I had watched the last round of tapes and ate a big meal, and it was time to rest. My head was running a million miles an hour, and I knew what I needed but my beautiful girlfriend was a rule follower, and that meant sex was out of the question. My dick slowly grew as I thought about sex with Zoey.

“Tristan said no,” she reminded me when she felt my erection against her back.

“You sure he said no sex?”

“Yes, no sex.” She wiggled against me.

“That’s not helping,” I groaned at the friction.

She rolled over to face me and smiled.

“He never said anything about a blow job, did he?” I questioned mischievously.

She put her finger on her chin and cocked her head. “I don't think he did.”

I felt my body tighten with the thought of her mouth on me. She shimmied down my body and traced her fingers over my cock. I watched as she moved over me. After pulling back my boxers, her lips grazed the tip of me and I wanted to come apart. I needed this release more than she knew, or maybe she did know and maybe I had underestimated her again.

“You need this and it shouldn’t require any energy from you.” She smiled before dragging her tongue around the head of my cock and then closing her lips around me. Her hand wrapped around the base and squeezed with enough pressure that my hips lifted off the bed. Her soft hands felt amazing against my hot skin. Right then, there was nothing I wanted more than to sink deep into her. I knew she wouldn't go for that, but this—this was everything.

The movement of her hands, her warm mouth, and the moans and groans coming from her had me so close for so long, but I wanted it to last just another minute, just one more. When I felt my orgasm start, I pushed at her head to make her watch me release. Her mouth popped when I pulled my sensitive cock out and she grinned as she watched me lose it. Every muscle relaxed in my body, and sleep started to take over.

“I’ll get you a towel,” she whispered with a cheeky grin. After we cleaned up the mess, she climbed over my body and laid her head on my chest. I reached down and squeezed her ass and kissed her softly.

“You are fucking amazing,” I half spoke, half sighed.

* * * * *

I woke an hour before I had to be back at the arena and smiled at the sight of Zoey’s hair fanned out over my chest.

I wiggled out from under her and went to the shower. Before closing the door, I looked at her. Her face was completely relaxed in sleep. I stopped and walked over to her.

“Zoey, babe.” I rubbed the side of her face and tried to wake her gently.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled through a stretch.

“We should get up and get going. I have to be down at the arena in an hour. I've got to get a little workout in to prime my muscles.”

“Okay, can I shower after you?”

“You can shower first if you want.”

She rolled over and huffed.

“What?” I asked.

“This no sex thing is bullshit.”

The humor in her voice made me laugh.

“Don't you worry, I've got you later, for hours,” I promised and I intended to keep it regardless of the outcome.

“I can hardly wait,” she mumbled from under the covers.

* * * * *

Just over an hour later, Dad was taping my hands and I was focusing on the fight ahead of me.

“Stay tight,” he reminded me. “Don't let him on the inside. Be on your feet and stay out of your head. You've studied this guy for months, so work on instinct, and be true to your heart. I'm proud of you, son.” He clapped me on the shoulder before I stood.

“Those shorts look outstanding,” Tristan commented as he walked in with Amy and Zoey.

“You don’t have to kiss up to me and Zoey,” Amy teased. “You’re paying us, remember?”

Tristan chuckled. “Good point, but they do look great. They look like something a title-holder would wear.” He offered me a reassuring nod.

“Good luck, baby. I'll see you after.” Zoey put her arms around my neck and kissed me hard. I wasn't expecting it but pulled her closer and deepened the kiss.

“Okay, let’s not get him too worked up,” Tristan joked.

“I love you,” I whispered against her lips.

“Love you, too.” She smiled, then released me and gave me a wink. “Kick his ass.”

“Good luck, my man.” Tristan shook my hand.

I looked up at the clock. I had just over twenty minutes before the fight was supposed to start. I knew I’d be walking out first and had only minutes before all this was a go.

“We’ll be ringside once it's over,” Tristan assured me. “Knock him out. You’ve got this.”

I nodded, but didn’t say a word. I was getting in my zone.

I winked at Zoey and then watched as she walked out of the door and out of my head for at least the next hour or so.