X: The Hard Knocks Complete Story (40 page)

X
avier’s head hangs down
, his long hair falling around his face like a curtain, as he stares absently at his hands. He flexes his fingers in and out, causing the toned muscles of his arms to work beneath his tattooed skin.

This match is the biggest one of his life, both in his professional career and his personal struggle to reinvent himself by controlling his temper.

He walked away from Rex’s taunts, which was a huge deal for him. Xavier has never been known for turning the other cheek when he’s angry.

The biggest question on his mind has to be whether he can continue to harness that anger and still be able to pull this match off.

The last thing he needs right now is a repeat of what went on in Atlanta. If he loses it, it will probably be the end of his wrestling career with the largest company in the world. This job means a lot to him, and now, with a baby on the way, he must feel even more pressure to keep it.

I lean my chin on his shoulder. The scent of soap and something distinctly Xavier wraps around me as I quietly sit with him. I want him to know, just like always, I’m here for him.

Xavier blows a rush of air out of his nose and then whispers, “What if I fuck up again? What will happen to us?”

“Nothing,” I say. He turns to look at me with those crystal-blue eyes of his, and I repeat, “Nothing because you will be in control this time.”

“What if I’m not?” The question he’s really asking is,
If I don’t change, will you leave me?

I need to keep reassuring him. It’s the small role I have to play to in order to bring Xavier to a better mental health state so that he knows he doesn’t have to lash out to express his fears, that talking to me is always a better choice.

“I believe in you.” I touch his cheek with the tips of my fingers. “I love you, Xavier.
Nothing
is going to tear us apart. You’re well on your way to showing the rest of the world the good man you’ve kept locked up all these years, the one I’ve known has been in there all along.”

He cradles my face in his hands. “I love you, beautiful. Thank you for being my angel in the dark.”

He presses his lips to mine, but before our kiss can get too heated, Al, the stagehand’s voice cuts into the empty room. “X, you’re up.”

Xavier pulls back and stares into my eyes. “I want you in my corner. You belong there.”

I smile. “Then, lead the way.”

Pandemonium erupts as Xavier’s entrance music starts. The fans have been waiting anxiously for his return, and now, they are about to get what they’ve wanted. Tonight’s sold-out crowd is insane. Faces are everywhere I look. I move back and watch Xavier do his thing. My eyes rake over him as he stands there, staring out at the crowd. His chiseled arms are on full display, and the fabric of the black tank top he’s wearing is straining against his toned chest.

His face shows no emotion, and it’s intimidating. Rex had better be on his A game because Xavier is all business.

Xavier crouches down and then jumps up in perfect time as fireworks shoot up from the stage. He throws his head and his shoulders back as his signature howl erupts from his throat.

My God, this gets me every time.

My heart flutters at the sight of my powerful man.

He grabs my hand and then struts down the ramp, like a warrior entering battle.

“The following match is scheduled for one fall,” the announcer calls. “Making his way to the ring, from Detroit, Michigan, weighing two hundred and sixty-five pounds, is…Phenomenal X!”

“Stay right here.” Xavier kisses my cheek and then climbs inside the ropes. He continues putting on a show for the crowd by running from corner to corner, throwing a victorious fist in the air.

The announcer introduces Xavier’s opponent, “Making his way to the ring, from Hollywood, California, weighing two hundred and thirty pounds, your
Tension
champion, is…Rex ‘Assassin’ Risen!”

Rex and Deena take their time in making their way down the ramp. Deena glares at me from the opposite corner as Rex steps inside the ring and holds the belt in the air.

The two men stare each other down, and the crowd goes electric, thrusting up lots of signs with Xavier’s stage name written all over them. There’s no question whom the fans are backing tonight.

Bright lights flicker overhead, and a bell rings, signaling the beginning of the match.

Xavier and Rex circle each other, and I grab the corner of the mat and shout encouragements to Xavier. My breath hitches the moment they lock up. Part of me doesn’t want to watch, but the other part of me wants to see Xavier unleash on Rex. Nervous energy passes through every inch of me because I have no idea what’s about to happen.

I just pray that Rex doesn’t do something stupid that will get him killed. Xavier has promised to work on his temper, but I think, at this point, his intention to keep a calm head can only be tested so much before he loses his mind.

Rex’s taunts earlier tonight didn’t help, but I have faith that Xavier will somehow dig deep inside himself and find a way to do this.

Rex twists around and catches Xavier in a headlock, but Xavier quickly shoves Rex off and grabs his wrist before landing a kick to his side. This time, Xavier wraps his arm around Rex’s neck and grunts as he pulls tight. Rex’s arms wildly flail around, and then he elbows Xavier in the ribs, causing him to let go.

Xavier doesn’t give up though. He grabs Rex’s arms and flings him into the ropes before landing a clothesline, knocking his opponent to the mat so hard that the ring shakes.

Rex pushes himself up and waves Xavier on. “Is that all you’ve got?”

“Spear! Spear! Spear!” the crowd chants over and over, egging Xavier on to use one of his finishing moves on Rex.

Xavier bends at the waist and puts his hand on the mat in a football-player-three-point stance, and then he charges full speed at Rex. Cameras flash the moment Xavier makes contact, and both men go flying.

A collective, “Oh,” sounds through the massive room as Xavier tackles Rex down to the mat and punches him once in the face.

Rex doesn’t make an attempt to get up, but Xavier isn’t finished with him yet. He crawls over to the corner of the ring and climbs up the turnbuckles until he’s balancing himself on the top rope. A six-foot-four man towering this high over the ring is really a sight to see. It’s spectacular.

Xavier stretches his arms out and then sends his body toward Rex. An audible crack echoes around the room, and I gasp. I’ve been around wrestling enough lately to know that sound means real pain, and I pray Xavier is all right.

I resist the urge to jump into the ring to check on him because doing that will only stop the match, so I wait with bated breath to find out if Xavier is okay. I can barely watch to see what happens next.

T
he minute
my elbow makes contact with Rex’s chest, he grunts in pain. Granted, we aren’t trained to actually land with that much force on our opponent, but this motherfucker deserves all the pain I can inflict on him.

The lights overhead are nearly blinding when I stare up at them for too long. The mat is hard beneath me as I lie here, attempting to catch my breath.

I roll over and then push myself up to my feet. Pinning Rex so early isn’t good business. The fans are expecting a show, and it’s my job to give it to them.

I stumble over to Rex and grab his hair, forcing him back up. “On your feet, fucker.”

“Kiss my ass. I won’t help you take my belt.”

He grunts as I elbow again him in the ribs. As much as I want to unleash my anger, I hold back and maintain perfect control of my temper. This asshole will not ruin this title shot for me again, no matter how much he tries to get to me.

Rex shoves me, and I stumble backward to sell it to the crowd. We face each other, both of our chests heaving, as we wait on the other one to make the first move.

“Come on!” Rex screams out of frustration.

I rush at him.

Our arms hook up in a test of strength, and he tries to push me back. I plant my feet, and a cold smile crosses my face when he realizes that I’m not budging.

His eyes widen as I slam a forearm across his chest. The wind gushes out of him as I pin him against the ropes.

I growl, “This is my house, motherfucker, and you will respect that.”

I hit him once more, and he wobbles on his feet. It’s clear that he’s losing the will to fight. It’s time to finish this.

I rush back against the ropes and bounce off of them with momentum that could rival a freight train. Rex braces for impact as I launch myself at him before spearing him to the mat with enough force to shake the whole ring.

The crowd chants my name, “X! X! X!”

Rex moans as he lies next to me, and I know he can’t take much more punishment.

Energy surges through me, and I seize the moment to hook my elbow around his leg, effectively pinning him to the mat.

The referee falls to the mat and smacks it hard as he counts out loud.

“One!” the crowd chants along with the referee.

“Two!”

“Three!”

I lie there, stunned. I’ve finally done it. I’m the motherfucking champion.

The referee hands me the belt and then helps me onto my feet. The gold on the belt glistens beneath the lights above the stage as I hold it out in front of me.

I’ve worked so hard in my career, punishing my body nearly to its breaking point, for this moment—the chance to hold this championship belt in my hands. I’ve earned this. I’ve gone through hell for this belt, and I finally feel like I deserve to happy.

“Your new heavyweight champion,
Phenomenal X
!” the announcer shouts over the crowd.

My name echoes around the room.

Rex slams his fist into the ground, like a spoiled child throwing a fit, but him being pissed over the situation isn’t my problem. This is how things were always meant to be.

I stare up at the crowd, and every single person in the place is on their feet, cheering and chanting my name. It’s a fucking rush. I raise my hand in victory while I clutch the belt against my chest.

I walk over to the corner of the ring and extend my hand to Anna. “Come on, beautiful. Share this with me.”

She takes my hand, and I pull her up into the ring. She wraps her arms around me, and I bury my face into her hair.

“We did it,” I say.

Anna pulls back and shakes her head. “No,
you
did it.”

There’s no way I could’ve done this without her, and it’s high time she knows just how much she means to me.

I turn to the referee. “Get me a mic.”

Within seconds of my request, a microphone is shoved into my hand, so I can address the crowd. “Last time I was in this ring, I left in handcuffs. This time, I walk out of here as the champ.”

The fans get so loud that I swear, the roof of this place is about to blow. After a couple of minutes, they quiet down enough for me to continue.

“Assassin tried to take away everything that was important to me, but that dumbass couldn’t figure out that you can’t mess with fate. I’ve got my belt, and I’ve got my woman.”

Anna stares up at me with a wide grin and mouths the words,
I love you
, to me.

I gaze into her eyes, knowing this woman is my soul mate, the one I can’t live without. Our relationship is permanent. “This woman has brought me out of the depths of my darkness. She’s my light, my everything, and I want the world to know she’s mine.” I drop down to one knee in front of a sold-out crowd and millions of people watching at home. “Anna…will you marry me?”

Her hands cover her face in shock. She wasn’t prepared for this, but she should know by now that I never do what’s expected.

Tears flow from her eyes as she smiles and nods, repeating the word, “Yes,” over and over.

I hop to my feet, drop the mic, and cradle her face in my hands. “I love you, Anna. Always have and always will.”

I thread my fingers into her hair as I crash my lips onto hers and get lost in the moment.

A
nna curls
her fingers into my shirt and yanks me into the elevator with her. We’ve been celebrating my victory all evening, and it looks like the party is going to continue in her room.

As soon as the doors close, I pick her up and press my lips to hers.

She wraps her legs around my waist and grips handfuls of my hair. “I want you.”

Fuck.
I nearly come apart every time she says that to me.

This woman is fucking perfection. Everything she does turns me on, like a fucking light switch, and I can’t wait until I get her sexy ass in bed.

I glance up at the elevator numbers and realize we’re stopping on her floor. Excitement for what I know is going to be amazing sex builds inside me. “Patience, baby. We’re almost there.”

The doors open, and I carry her with ease down the hall. Her lips are still connected with mine when we arrive at her door.

I pull back. “Room key?”

She reaches into her back pocket and then slips it into the slot on the door. It opens on the first try, and we push inside.

The lights remain off as I walk over to the bed and toss Anna onto it. She scoots to the middle with her eyes trained on me, her hair wild from our elevator make-out session.

I crawl toward her like a predator. “Ever been fucked by a champion?”

She bites her lip. “No…but I have a feeling that I’m about to be.”

With a firm hand, I push her down onto the bed and then slide her tank top up. I kiss the warm flesh of her stomach and stare up at her through hooded eyes. “Did I mention how fucking sexy you looked tonight? You have no idea how tempted I was to drag you to a dark corner somewhere and have my way with you.”

A blush immediately creeps into her cheeks. “I would’ve liked that.”

My tongue darts out, and I lick around her navel. “Don’t tempt me, beautiful, or next time I have the urge to take you, I’ll just do it and not give a fuck where we are or who can hear you scream out my name when I make you come.”

I crawl up next to her and then prop my head up with my left hand. I trace the smooth skin on her exposed shoulder before I lean in and nip it, causing her to giggle. I hook my finger around the hem of her shirt and lift the fabric higher, exposing the white lacy bra covering her breasts. I run my index finger along the curve of her breast, enjoying the feel of its silky softness.

My cock jerks inside my jeans, begging for her attention.

Anna kisses my lips and then knots her fingers into my hair. Taking things slow has never been on our sexual menu. It’s like, the moment we start, we can’t get enough of each other.

She touches my cheek, and I kiss her wrist, inhaling the sweet scent of her soap and perfume.

“I love you, Xavier.”

“I love you, too.” It’s surprising how saying this to her now comes with such ease.

Before her, I was lost in the darkness, battling demons all alone. I’m nowhere near healed, but with her light, I know I’ll be able to find my way out of my own self-destructive path. She is my angel, and she’s giving me something I never thought I would have—a family.

“You okay?” she whispers as she gazes into my eyes.

I press my lips to hers. “Never better.”

“I’m sure that’s not totally true,” she taunts. “I can think of something else that will make you feel a whole lot better.”

I grin wickedly, loving how dirty her mind has become. “I see my naughty Anna has come out to play.”

“What can I say? You make me horny.” The blush on her face deepens. “I can’t believe I just said that to you.”

I push her hair back off her shoulder. “Honesty always, right? Isn’t that our new rule?”

She nods. “It is.”

“Then, you should never be afraid or embarrassed to tell me how you feel. Otherwise, how will I ever know what you want from me?”

She swallows hard. “Make love to me, Xavier.”

“I will happily grant that request.” I turn over and pin her to the bed. “Ready to go one-on-one with the champ?”

She giggles. “Absolutely.”

Anna pushes my shoulder, rolling me over onto my back. “How’d you like that reversal?”

“Impressive.” I grab her hips as she straddles me. “Got any other moves?”

She bends down and presses her lips to mine before she begins her delicious tease of slowly kissing a path across my face. “A few.”

I lick my lips. “Show me.”

She leans back and shoves my shirt up before running her hands down my torso. The button of my jeans pops open with ease, and she snakes her hand inside to grab my cock.

“Jesus,” I hiss, not used to her taking such control but loving that she’s asserting herself with me.

I sit up and wrap her in my arms, crushing my lips to hers, before I plunge my tongue inside her mouth. She rotates her hips, and a soft moan emits from her throat. My cock strains against my jeans, missing the warmth of her hand and needing her touch again.

Her dark hair floats around us as she throws her head back, giving me better access to drag my lips down her throat.

“I need you.”

Her plea for me to take her is heard loud and clear.

I rip her top off the rest of the way and push her bra down so hard that a distinct tearing sound can’t be missed. Anna works quickly in pulling my shirt over my head. It’s like she can’t get her skin against mine fast enough, and I fucking love knowing how bad she wants me.

“Pants,” I mutter, needing them off before I lose my fucking mind.

She crawls back onto her knees and yanks the rest of her clothes off as I remove my own. We watch each other with lust-filled eyes as we get naked, and it’s as if we’re waiting for the bell to go off so we can attack one another.

When everything is gone, I flip her onto her back and spread her legs out wide before me. I slip a digit between her folds, feeling her swollen clit. “Damn, beautiful. Always so wet and ready for me.”

She stares up at me. “Because my body always craves you.”

I kiss her again. Taut nipples rub against my chest as I press my body to hers.

This woman is fucking perfect and all fucking mine.

I finger-fuck her pussy until she’s writhing beneath me. “You ready, baby?”

“Yes,” she hisses. “Please, God,
yes
.”

I bring my fingers up to my mouth and taste the sweet juices of her arousal. “Tastes so fucking good. Sweet, like you.” I lean in and whisper, “Mine. You’re all mine, Anna, now and forever.”

I swivel my hips, coating myself with her wetness, and then I enter her in one quick thrust. “Fuck me. Being inside you never gets old. It feels so fucking good.”

I pull out and then pump back inside again and again until I’m pounding into her so hard that the sound of our skin slamming together fills the room.

Anna reaches up and curls her fingers around my forearms. “Oh God. Oh God. Xavier…
oh
!”

I gaze into her eyes as she falls apart.

Her mouth drifts open, and she digs her nails into my skin as she cries out, “Xavier!”

Warmth spreads over my body. I’m nowhere near ready for this to be over, but there’s no way I can fight it, knowing I’m deep inside the most beautiful fucking woman in the world while she’s panting from coming around my cock.

My entire body shudders, and I slip into sweet ecstasy as I fill her full. This woman is my destiny, and I will never allow anything else to come between us.