“You forget about Mikey forever. Whatever he said or did to you, or failed to do, it stays in the past.”
“You want me to just forget him?”
“He doesn’t deserve the time he spends inside your head. You’re better than that, Belle. We both know it. If he was a decent guy, he wouldn’t have taken money to use an innocent woman. Nor would he have let Ava, his own flesh and blood, be taken. He had a price. I don’t,” he said. “You’re my everything, and I’m willing to give you that. What do you say? Do we have a deal?”
Chapter Eight
Belle wasn’t sure what to make of the deal. It sounded kinky, but Drago also managed to make it sound logical enough. One of the biggest hang-ups keeping her from getting involved with Drago, was her own stupid insecurity. He was handsome, hard, and drooled on by women. She knew he’d slept around enough during his time in the ring, gorgeous women hanging off his arm—so he had a lot to compare her with.
She didn’t want to embarrass herself, or worse, disappoint Drago and make him regret his words. What did she have to lose though? The bet offered her a chance to save face before forcing them into a commitment one of them would regret.
It was immeasurably easier to get into a ring and use her fists to achieve victory. Matters of the heart were so much harder.
“This seems like a real easy way to get women into bed,” she teased.
“It’s a legit bet.” He winked.
She paused for dramatics. Her body thrummed just imagining having sex with a man like Drago. “We have a deal.”
Drago tried to hide his smirk, but she saw it. He was happy she’d agreed, and thinking about their arrangement made her both excited and terrified. She decided to treat it like a fight, but instead of three, eight, or twelve rounds, there was only one shot. Belle had to turn on Drago enough to make him come. Her only experience had been with that asshole Mikey, so she hadn’t exactly acquired the skills for the job. They’d been together a few times before she got the positive pregnancy test. Then he was gone without a trace.
And the whole bet was based on Drago wanting them to be a couple. It was surreal. All the years she’d stared at his body in silence, admiring his skills, she never once dreamt they’d be on a date together. If she could win this crazy bet and stifle her nagging insecurities, maybe she’d actually have a chance at something special. This could change her entire life—hers and Ava’s.
When their dinner was done, Drago drove them back to his condo. The mood felt different now, tense and intimate. Her clit kept pulsing, her entire body overheating as she shifted in her seat in a poor attempt to relieve the ache.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “I’m fine.”
“You’re nervous.”
Belle turned her head slightly, trying to decipher his expression. She frowned when he looked at her. “Why would I be?”
“That’s right, you’re fearless, aren’t you? Nerves of steel. The rumor going around is that you can’t feel pain.”
“I feel it. I’ve just learned not to react. Reacting to anything is a choice,” she said.
“Makes sense. I let the pain fuel me.”
He was right. Drago had been a beast in the ring. When the audience thought he was going down, he’d come back twice as intense, like a machine. She’d studied his moves, appreciated every body shot and deflection. In a way, he was her hero. Now he was going to be in her bed.
The sun had set, the lights of the cityscape reflecting off the windshield as they drove. She stole peeks of Drago’s hand as he loosely held the steering wheel. Strong hands with an expensive Rolex on his wrist. Everything about him turned her on, but she hadn’t really let it sink in until things became real.
He was a lot older than she was, but she gravitated to his strength and experience. Craved it. After Mikey, she had no desire for young, fickle men.
Drago parked underground, then came around and opened her door, taking her hand. “Did you have a good time tonight?” he asked.
She wanted to tell him to ask her in the morning. “The dinner was perfect. Thank you for taking me out. I think I needed it.”
“I was starting to worry about you. You need balance in your life. All work and no play isn’t good for your health,” he said.
They entered the elevator, the mirrored doors sealing them in. It was too quiet.
“I’ve just been focused. Because of Ava.”
He turned and pinned her to the elevator panel, pressing a finger to her lips to silence her. He was a lot taller than she was, his broad shoulders blocking her view from anything but him. “Not now, Belle. Tonight’s about you and me, remember?”