Page 96 of Fighting Fate
“You were angry.”
His eyes flash to mine as he sinks lower into the water. “I was so fucking pissed, and a quick knockout wasn’t enough. I wanted to humiliate him in front of the fucking world.”
“He deserved it.”
“Getting knocked out is shit. It rocks your pride, but I don’t know…you push through it, and it spurs you on.” His mouth puckers, and his brows pinch while he rolls his shoulders and flexes his legs. “When you submit—” He lets out a deep breath. “—it fucks with your head, man. So damn bad.”
I can’t imagine Rory submitting, but the expression on his face says that he’s done it.
“Why is it so bad? Isn’t having the choice better than not?”
“Submitting is admitting that you’re not good enough in front of the world. It’s humiliating and soul destroying…that’s your pride gone.”
“After what he did, I’d say he’s got enough pride to get himself back up. The fucker played his game, and you played yours. You did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. If anything, you gave him far too many chances to come back at you, and you gave him a fair fight…right?”
“I don’t play these shitty games, Lo. I never have.”
“But sometimes you have to, babe. Sometimes you have to give as good as you get. That’s show business.” I shrug, earning myself a rumbly chuckle as Rory leans back into the bath and closes his eyes.
I can feel the cold rising from the icy surface. It’s making my nose chilly while his lips are turning lighter. Although Rory’s not shivering, I’d imagine his body is beginning to feel stiff. Still, he slips under the surface completely, taking a quick dunk before he comes back up and takes some deep breaths.
When he opens his eyes again, staring up at the ceiling, he flicks an ice cube at me. “Fucking show business.”
“What? Two guys rolling around a cage together…it’s like Magic Mike gone wrong.”
A sideways scowl finds me before he pushes himself out of the water and douses me completely.
I’m part screeching and part laughing while I try to get up as quick as I can and get away from him as he cups what’s left of the melting ice into the back of my robe.
“Stop! Stop…my waters are going to break if I laugh anymore.”
“Drama queen,” he chuckles, grasping my hand and helping me onto my feet so that I’m standing in front of him.
“But you love me.” I smile with a shiver as his chilly hand cups my face.
His other hand settles at my waist as he lowers himself to touch his forehead to mine. There’s a hiss with the curl of his body that makes me stiffen even as he tells me, “More than you’ll ever know, sweetheart.”
“Rory…”
“Babe…”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
A slow smile turns up the corners of his mouth as he pulls me flush to him. My belly is pressed to his stomach so hard that it really feels like it’s about to pop.
“I’m good.” The tip of his nose nudges mine.
I love it when we’re this close. His forehead on mine and our noses smooshed together so that our lips are grazing each other. But really what I love the most about it is that I can drink in every word he tells me.
“I’m getting too old for this shit.”
“You’re only ever as old as the woman you’re fucking…”
“Oh, that makes so much difference,” he chuckles, licking across the seam of my lips. “A whole year younger.”
“It was worth a try, and it made you laugh.” I pull a towel from the rack beside me and wrap it around him as he peppers light kisses over my lips. “There’s a queen-size bed with our names on it. Want to sleep with me?”
“Every fucking night,” he tells me as I grasp his hand and lead him back to the bedroom.
While I strip off my underwear, he gets into bed and closes the curtains. It’s pitch-dark as I crawl in beside him and allow him to get comfortable. Normally I’m the one that’s tucked into him, but today, he’s got his head on my chest as I comb my fingers through his hair. His leg is slung over mine while his hand strokes over my belly.
It’s peaceful and perfect. It’s all I need.