Stone Cold Knockout (House of Pain Book 1) (32 page)

“
It's fucking incredible,” Gennifer said. “All these people are cheering for you.”

“
They cheer for you, too.” He lifted her arm up, like she'd been the one who'd just beat a high-ranked heavyweight in the ring. The cheers seemed to grow louder in her ears, although she was sure she was just imagining it. She'd never had any dreams of going pro before. She'd always just wanted the chance to fight. But now, in front of the crowd, she could see the appeal. She wondered how she was going to deal with Mikhail leaving for fights and coming back bruised and battered. It would be hard to compete with all of it.

“
They love you,” he said, his voice close to her ear. “But I love you more. More than all of this. More than my life. More than anything.”

She turned to him and he stared down at her. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she swallowed hard. A distant memory sparked in her mind, of a hazy moment in Central Park. The sun was blinding, and Mikhail was looking down at her, like he wanted to kiss her. But he didn't. He simply swept a stray hair off of her forehead, then turned and jogged off. She'd run after him, because what else was she going to do? The man attracted her like a magnet. After everything that had happened, after everything they'd been through, they'd found each other again.

“We'll get married tomorrow,” she blurted out before she changed her mind.

“
I know.” He smiled the arrogant smile that she'd missed so much and slid an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close. “And then we'll go home.”

“
Yeah,” Gennifer murmured, dropping her head against his chest, covering her wide smile with her hand. She didn't know it was possible to be this happy, but here she was.

“
But tonight...” he trailed off, leading her below the rows of screaming fans, away from the arena. Then he leaned in close, his breath tickling her cheek, and said three wonderful words: “Tonight, we fuck.”

***

Mikhail lay flat on his back on the soft hotel mattress, feeling completely worn out and bone-tired. His woman had taken whatever strength he'd had left after the fight. He'd lost count of how many times he'd made her come. But when he turned his face to look at her and she was laying on her side against his chest, her long hair streaming over her shoulder and her lips bee-stung and swollen from sucking his cock, he wanted her again. And again. And again. He almost couldn't believe she was there with him. When he'd seen her outside the ring, he'd lost his shit. He had been so afraid that he'd have to be without her forever, and then she'd shown up like a beautiful ghost from the past. But she wasn't a ghost. She wasn't a memory. She was real and all his.

His Gennifer. His wife.

Well, in a few short hours, she would be his wife.

He had to figure out a way to pass the time and there was only one way he could think of.

“I have a question for you,” she said with a yawn, her brown eyes heavy. His diamond glittered on her left ring finger, and the sight excited him just as much as her nakedness. He let out a low chuckle, because she hadn't changed at all.

“
You get five minutes for questions," he said, reaching down to stroke his dick hard again. Whatever it took, he was going to love her again, once more, before sleep took them. In fact, he wanted to fall asleep inside her.

“
When did you fall in love with me?” she asked.

“
The first time I saw you." He smiled at the memory, gritting his teeth as he pleasured himself. "I was in House Of Pain and I look across the room and see a brown woman with long legs beating the shit out of a bag. I thought to myself that she is beautiful and, perhaps, crazy.”  Mikhail rolled over on top of her, both of their movements slow and languid as he positioned himself between her legs. “When you stepped in the ring with me and you looked me right in the eye, I wanted to fuck you. Then when you sparred with me, I went mad for you." He stroked the head of him against her and she purred for him, his words making her just as wet as his actions. "I always want a woman I can see eye to eye with. A woman who understands me. A strong woman."

"I wasn't as strong as I thought I was," Gennifer said, softly.

"No. You are stronger." His eyes caught hers. "You are the woman of my dreams come to life,
solnyshka
.” She closed her eyes at his words, letting them sink in. Smiling, he bucked his hips lightly. “One more question,” he whispered. “That is all you get before I make you scream.”

“
Oh?” She cocked an eyebrow. He nodded, intent to make good on his promise. She arched her back, pressing her breasts against him. “What now?” she asked, rolling her hips against his cock, sending shockwaves of pleasure rippling up his spine. “We get married tomorrow. Then what?”

“
Then we are happy. What else do you want?”

“
Where will we live?”

“
Wherever you want,” he shrugged, bucking his hips so that he slid inside of her, just an inch. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sensation overwhelm him. He would never tire of sex with Gennifer. No way in hell. “I will retire again and we will buy an apartment in the city or a house in the country. Or both.”

“
You'll retire again?”

“
I already have,” he moaned, his body jerking against hers. “But do not tell my brother Nicholai.” She giggled, pressing kisses to his neck and chest, moving with him as he made love to her. She closed her eyes, briefly, as he jerked against her, the pleasure overtaking both of them. Then she cocked her head, her brow furrowed. He could see the question already forming on her lips. He snorted out a laugh as he waited with bated breath.

“
What about babies?” she asked as she trailed her fingers across his shoulder, sending sparks shooting off across his skin.

“
Yes,” he said simply and dipped his head to kiss her, trailing his tongue across her lips and then dipping it inside of her mouth. She moaned into him again, the sound so fucking sweet it almost made him explode. He swerved his hips, sliding deep. It was time to love her properly.

“
Oh!
” she hissed, tossing her head back and gnawing at her lower lip.

"No more questions." He moved slow, not in any rush, thrusting in and out of her, letting the feeling of her overtake him. He wanted to bury himself in her for all of eternity. He wanted to hold her for the rest of his life. He sunk into her, wrapping one arm around her waist, entwining his other hand with hers on the pillow.

“Say you love me,” he said, pressing his face to her neck and sucking on her soft skin.

“
I love you,” she moaned, tilting her chin to the side to give him better access to her sensitive flesh. A thrill ran through him at her words. He was well aware of how close he'd come to never hearing them again. He ran his tongue over the little scar under her chin, all that was left of her life-threatening injury. But despite everything, he still couldn't resist the urge to tease her.

"I do not know if you are sure." He nipped at her, then rubbed his face against her, knowing she hated the roughness of his beard.

"You want me to convince you?" she said, a laugh at the back of her throat.

"Yes. Convince me,
solnyshka
," he murmured.  She lifted an eyebrow, accepting his challenge. She ran her palm over his scalp and down the hard, muscular ridges of his shoulders and he felt his balls tighten. Then she undulated her body, pulling him so deep inside of her that he had to clench his jaw to stop himself from coming right then and there. He let out a sharp breath and she smiled in triumph.

“
Now say you love me,” she whispered.

“
I love you,” he whispered back.

“
I know.” She took his chin in her hand and kissed him, lightly. “But if you don't shave this beard before the wedding, we're gonna have a real problem.”

She didn't see him coming, but he made good on his promise. She screamed as he tickled her, attacking her relentlessly, until he couldn't take it anymore and he fucked her senseless. Then they collapsed in each other's arms, exhausted, just as the sun rose over the mountains and peeked through the curtains.

***

“
You don't have to rush this shit, you know,” Hector said.

“
I know, Heck,” Gennifer said, as Erica fussed, tugged on the hem of her tiny white mini-dress. It wasn't quite the sleaziest white dress they'd found in on the strip that morning, but it was close. It was skin-tight and the hem hit her right below her ass. It was strapless, held up with spandex, double-sided tape, and a prayer. That morning, Erica had taken charge of wedding preparations, and after a quick shopping trip, they'd bought a long veil at the chapel gift shop and sent Hector on a mission to find yellow tulips.

Shockingly, he'd actually found some fake ones at a dollar store on the outskirts of town.

So there they were, in a tiny wedding chapel off of the strip. She was wearing a cheap dress and carrying a bouquet of fake flowers but, dammit, she was getting married.

“
Big J and Maria are going to be so pissed,” Hector continued.

“
They'll get over it,” Gennifer snapped, flipping her straightened hair over her shoulder before taking a deep breath. She knew Maria had probably dreamt of this moment. Her first daughter getting married... tears welled up as she thought of both sets of her parents. Neither of them would be there to see her walk down the aisle. As a child, she'd never thought much about her wedding day, but she'd always assumed her parents would be there if and when it happened. Now the day was upon her, however unlikely. It was nothing like anyone might have imagined, but she wanted to marry Mikhail, more than anything, and she wasn't leaving Las Vegas without his ring on her finger.

“
Blot,” Erica said, holding up a tissue. Gennifer took it, carefully wiping her tears away without fucking up her makeup. “You ready?” Erica asked. She looked as classy as ever in a blue sundress and sandals, her hair perfect in a chignon. The girl could look classy in any setting, even surrounded by the neon palm trees and the gold lamé fabric that adorned the chapel. They couldn't be more different and they hadn't know each other for very long, but somehow, they'd become so close. She felt affection for her friend well up in her and she slid her arms around Erica's slender shoulders and pulled her close.

“
Thank you,” Gennifer said simply, not wanting to cry again.

“
It's about damn time you got him back,” Erica whispered, then took a step back, blinking back her own tears. “Only you would be able to pull off that get-up,” Erica said, clearing her throat. Gennifer did a little twirl, lifting her arms over her head. “You look amazing. Mikhail's going to go nuts.”

“
Not too much?” Gennifer asked, stopping in front of Hector.

“
You're always too much,” Hector said, a slight smile lighting up his dimples. “But you look beautiful.”

“
Goddammit, Hector!
Yo n
o quiero llorar mas
,” Gennifer said, already feeling the tears coming.  She sniffled as he pulled her into a hug and she clung to him. They'd been through so much, and he'd always been there for her. She was so grateful that he was there with her, on the happiest days of her life. After all the shit she'd been through, after all the shit they'd both been through, they'd come out on the other side. They'd survived. “
Hermano
,” she whispered. “I'll love you forever.”

“
I know,” he said, his arms still tight around her. “
Yo, tambien
.”

The opening bars of Elvis'
Can't Help Falling in Love
blasted through the chapel speakers, interrupting their moment. Gennifer pulled out of Hector's arms, feeling an epic eye roll coming on.

“
That Russian is going to owe me so big for this,” she said, as Erica clipped the veil into her hair and arranged it over her shoulders. A middle-aged woman, dressed as Priscilla Presley in a tall rat's nest of a beehive wig, stepped out of the chapel.

“
You ready, sweetie?” she said, her voice high-pitched and her lips frosted pink.

“
As I'll ever be,” Gennifer said, the butterflies out in full force in her stomach. Erica flipped down her veil and gave her the thumbs up. She took a deep breath, feeling her nerves flow out of her her. She was beyond ready. She held out her arm for Hector. “Walk me down the aisle?”

“
Of course, G,” Hector said, taking her arm and holding her close as they followed Priscilla into the little chapel. It wasn't much—a few wooden folding chairs lined up on either side of the aisle, draped white fabric bolted to the walls, and fake white and gold roses bunched here and there. However, the bright Vegas sun streamed through the tall windows on either side of the room, lending an ethereal, magic light to the shabby proceedings. It was almost beautiful, in its own way.

The music played on as Erica went down the aisle first, the only bridesmaid. Gennifer stared down at the threadbare white carpet, not able to stop a stupid smile from spreading over her face as Elvis crooned about some things being meant to be. When she looked up, she found Mikhail's grey eyes immediately. At the end of the short aisle, he wore a deep blue suit, with a crisp white shirt beneath, open at the neck. She wondered where he'd gotten the tailored suit on such short notice. She was so caught up in how good he looked, it took her a moment to realize his face was clean shaven.