Felix made a low whistling sound before speaking. “Damn, it’s like that, really?” Then he laughed. “What did Andy have to say about this?”
“Andy’s my publicist.” It annoyed him that Felix would even ask. “My personal life isn’t his business.”
“Are you kidding me? “Felix laughed even louder. “Everything about your life is Andy’s business because he’s your publicist. And let me tell you that he doesn’t much care for the wholesome tied-down-to-just-one-chick image for the fighters he represents, especially not the ones that are supposed to be bad asses like you and me. He says wholesome is boring and boring doesn’t make headlines. The more girls you’re seen with, the better.”
Abel thought about Andy’s comment last week: how he might want to be spotted with more than just one girl from the gym. Andy said since it was all bullshit anyway it would make it more exciting if he were seen with someone else besides Rachel. Abel hadn’t even bothered to respond to that, and he hoped that was answer enough on what he thought about that kind of publicity.
“Yeah, well, funny you’d bring him up. I just now got off the phone with him, and he did try to suggest that Nellie staying in the same room with me was not a good idea, but I made it clear what I thought of his suggestion, and that was that.”
He heard Felix take a drink of something then laugh again. “Well, a word of warning. Like the media, Andy is equally relentless. Don’t expect him to give up so easily.”
“I don’t have the patience you do, man.” Abel said, not at all worried that Andy would try to convince him of anything. “He should know that by now. So he better not expect me to put up with that bullshit.”
Thankfully, they moved on to another subject: Abel’s training and strategy for the fight. Felix gave him some pointers on things to ignore and things to pay attention to during a fight of this magnitude. “Whatever you do,” Felix warned, “do not let anything wreck the plan of action you’ve had for so long. You’ve never walked into a crowd this size, never seen those front rows filled with A-list celebrities and former champs—your heroes—there . . . watching you. The key is to concentrate. Don’t get too excited or let anything get in your head. Slow and steady. Fight smarter, not harder.”
Halfway through Felix’s call, Nellie walked in the room. She motioned that she’d was getting in the shower, something he’d already done, so he stayed on the phone with Felix a little longer. When he was finally off, he walked into the bedroom. Nellie was in her robe, looking through her suitcase with a towel still on her head. She glanced up, and he expected a smile; instead, she appeared nervous. That instantly alarmed him. “Something wrong?”
She shrugged but glanced back down into her suitcase in an obvious attempt to avoid eye contact. He started toward her slowly. “I ran into Sam downstairs.”
Abel stopped walking and waited for her to look up, but she didn’t. “How’d he know you were here?” The fact that she seemed to be stalling, possibly trying to come up with an acceptable answer and that she was still staring into her suitcase moving things around was beginning to worry him. “Look at me, Nellie.” She did, and he had to swallow hard to avoid snapping. “How does he know where you’re staying?”
“I told him.”
“Why?” Abel cleared his throat and tried to say that a bit calmer. “Why’d you tell him where you’re staying?”
“This was back when we’d discussed us both being in Vegas this weekend. It’s a common question. Really?” She went into character. “I’ll be there too. Where are you staying? So I told him.”
They’d talked about trust earlier and not jumping to conclusions or letting anything stupid come between them, so Abel struggled but managed to stay calm. “He came here looking for you?”
“No, I didn’t even know he was here yet. I just happened to run into him downstairs.”
Abel refrained holding back his sarcastic remarks about what a fucking coincidence that happened to be. Was she really that naïve? Out of all the hotels in Vegas, he just so happened to be lurking around hers? “So what happened?”
“Nothing. It was just a little awkward. He said some stuff I wasn’t expecting to hear, but I told him about us. I made it clear that I’m in a relationship and won’t be seeing him anymore.”
She went back to looking into her suitcase, and Abel was positive she was just moving things around aimlessly. He trusted her. Even as the infuriating visual of her kissing this guy began to flash in his head again, he took cautious steps toward her along with deep breaths.
“What kind of things did he say?” he asked as he reached her, taking her hand in his. When she still didn’t look at him, he took another deep breath. “Baby, look at me.” She turned to him slowly, and they were face to face now, their lips inches apart, so he leaned in and kissed her. “Tell me.”
“He started to tell me that he had real feelings for me,” she shrugged. “It was just weird. I was at the 5th Street booth when he pulled me away and—”
“He pulled you away?” Abel backed up, still searching her too nervous eyes. “Why? And where to?”
“It was getting really crowded. The McKinley booth wasn’t too far away, and there were a lot of people taking photos, so I guess he wanted more privacy.”
Privacy? Abel clenched his teeth for a second. “And you went with him? Where?”
She explained to him about a staff-only room and how they were only in there for a few minutes before he got called away. Feeling her hand against his tense chest calmed him a bit. “It was just weird. That’s all. I wasn’t expecting to see him. Then he pulled me away before I knew what was even happening. Then he started pouring out his heart, and I had to stomp on it, and . . .” She shrugged. “I just hate awkward situations, but the good news is that he knows now and that I crossed that bridge sooner than I’d expected.”
Slipping his arm around her waist, he pulled her to him. “Please tell me that that’s the last I have to hear about you being around Sam.”
“As far as I’m concerned, yes, it is.” She scrunched her nose. “But like today, I can’t predict running into him again.” His face must have looked as irritated as that comment made him because she added quickly, “I mean just this weekend. He’s not even from Los Angeles. He lives out of state, so I can safely promise that after this weekend I won’t be running into him at all.”
He kissed her again with one thought in mind. He’d make sure Nellie would be with him for the rest of this weekend. This fucker knew now that she was spoken for, so if he still came sniffing around anyway, he’d have Abel to answer to. If he didn’t know who Nellie’s boyfriend was, he’d sure as hell know soon. Abel didn’t give a shit what Andy thought was a good idea or not. The whole world would know soon that Nellie was all his.
Kissing her a little longer and harder now, he undid the belt tied around her robe and pushed her suitcase aside. “You’re not gonna need anything in there tonight.”
The second her robe fell off her, she wrapped her warm naked body around his and kissed him back just as frantically. “I love you,” she gasped against his lips.
Jesus Christ! He could hear that from her over and over and never get enough.
“I love you, too, baby,” he said, laying her down on the bed.
They’d already made love romantically when they first arrived at their room earlier. He wanted frantic sex now because that’s how he felt. Her telling him she’d run into Sam downstairs then hearing that he’d pulled her away for more privacy had gotten his adrenaline pumping, and he needed to let the rush out now.
He’d already been shirtless before she even got to the room, and he would’ve been in his boxer briefs still, too, if it hadn’t been for room service. He’d slipped his jeans back on when he had to get the door. Not wanting to slow enough to even pull them off, he rushed over to the small table with his wallet on it and grabbed a condom out of it.
Seeing his beautiful Nellie sprawled out naked on the bed took his breath away for a mome
nt. Rushing back, he unzipped his pants. Pulling himself out of his briefs, he stared at her as he slipped on the condom. “You know what happens to bad girls who let any guy, aside from their boyfriend, pull them into another room for more privacy?”
Her smile flattened and she shook her head. “But I didn’t—”
The soft slap he gave her on the ass as he pulled her to the edge of the bed shut her up suddenly, and she stared at him. His evil smirk made her smile. “What? What happens to them?”
He drove into her hard, and she’d been so ready for him. Abel knew it would take great effort not to finish too fast. Hearing her gasp in delight only made that struggle more difficult, but he was determined to make her scream in ecstasy like she had out in the open desert. It drove him insane. “They get fucked so hard until they’re begging for forgiveness.”
Slamming into her again, he went deeper and harder than the first time. Seeing her moan and lift her hips higher nearly did him in. She loved it. God, he’d never felt so completely taken by someone. He continued to slam into her again and again, feeling his climax build, so he slowed a little.
“Please!” she begged, fisting the sheets on either side of her.
Abel couldn’t help smiling. His sweet Nellie was going to beg for forgiveness, not that she had anything to be sorry about, but he was glad she was going along with his game and not pissed about it.
He began to speed up again. “Please what?” he grunted, trying to hold out longer.
“Please!” she said again, lifting her hips even higher.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he went in deeper. “Say it, baby. Please what?”
“Please, fuck me harder!”
He slowed for a moment, stunned, opening his eyes. She was squirming and moving her hips, and her entire body was beginning to quiver. Driving into her a few more times as hard as he could, he felt her begin to throb around him. Hearing her say that and feeling her dripping juices as he slammed into her, he knew that he was a goner.
One last time he thrust into her, burying himself deep inside with a loud groan. Words couldn’t even describe the incredible bliss of knowing he’d never have to worry about anyone else enjoying his Nellie the way only he would from now on.
Just like every time he’d taken her while standing, his legs felt limp as noodles now. He lay down next to her and kissed her still-gasping lips. Working his way down to her ear, he whispered what he’d already made sure she knew several times that day. “Mine.”
She turned her head and smiled at him. “All yours.”
“Hell, yeah,” he smiled big, pulling her against his body.
Nellie was perfect in every way. She even went along with the idea of him owning her. Even though it was a hypothetical, he meant it in so many ways, and he knew some chicks would get all bent about that. Not his Nellie. He didn’t care what anyone thought or said now, not even the one person he’d been a little worried about—his mom. She’d just have to accept the fact that Nellie was older than he was, because Nellie didn’t just belong to him now. She owned him in every way, and nobody and nothing would be changing how he felt about her: not Andy, not his career, and not even his mother.
~*~
“So what does that mean? It’s official?” Roni asked as excited as Nellie knew she’d be.
Nellie walked away from the busy 5th Street booth and put her hand over her mouth as she responded to Roni as hushed as she could. “It means we’re no longer fuck buddies.” The very phrase made her wince now. How could she have ever thought she’d be okay with that? “We’re exclusive.”
She heard Roni squeal and she laughed. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew you two wouldn’t be able to do this without one of you developing feelings. I’m just so glad it was both of you and not just one. I was so scared that that might happen, and to be honest, I saw it in his face the night Sam dropped you off. Saw it in the way he looked at you the night you were both over for the fight. I was so damn worried, Nell! Oh my God!” She laughed.” I need a drink now. I’ve been all tense over this for weeks.”
“You have?” Nellie gasped. “You don’t even know what I’ve been going through these past few weeks.”
“Nellie Gamboa, I am going to kick your butt when I get there today!” Roni scolded. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me all this time.”
“How could I? You would’ve flipped, and you were already so mad about him with that other girl, even though I was insisting I was fine with it.”
“About that,” Roni went from sounding excited and playful to angry. “What’s up with him and that little bitch?”
Nellie couldn’t help laughing. She explained about Rachel and everything Abel had promised her and why she believed him, and then she dropped the big one on her. “He told me he’s in love with me.”
The line went silent momentarily, and then Roni spoke her voice a little high pitched. “He did?”
Instantly, Nellie was choked up, and she wished Roni was there so she could hug her. “And he said not just in love, Roni, but hopelessly this-guy-can’t-be-helped in love with me.”
She’d barely been able to squeal out the last few words, and she heard Roni sniffling. “Okay, I’m really gonna kick your butt now,” Roni said, openly crying but still laughed. “You’re making me cry like a baby here. But I’m so, so happy for you two.”
Nellie chatted for a few more minutes with her best friend, confessing how hopelessly in love she was now too. Of course, Roni was as delighted to hear it as she was to hear about Abel being in love with Nellie. They spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up. She noticed a missed call from Logan, and she had a voicemail. But she refused to listen to it or call him back. Her life was too perfect now, and she didn’t need to muddle it up or get Abel worked up by calling Logan back.
Instead, she called her parents to check on them and Gus. Her sister would be out in a few days and coming to stay with her parents until she cut through all the red tape it was going to take for her to get custody of Gus back. The good thing was that Rick wasn’t fighting or protesting her trying to get custody back. To Nellie’s surprise, her mom told her that since Courtney had lost her job she was considering staying in Los Angeles for good. Rick obviously had no intention of taking part in Gus’s life. Her sister had finally accepted that it was a lost cause to try and stay near him in the hopes of him somehow having a change of heart. Nellie couldn’t decide if this was good or bad news. Being near her sister could go either way. But having her nephew in her life again was the silver lining.
Abel would be in last-minute training most of the day then doing the public weigh-in. He’d warned her that it would be a spectacle that at times could get ugly, so he didn’t want her there but promised they’d watch it together on TV when he got back to the room. Nellie wasn’t even sure that she wanted to watch. The reality of what he was about to do was really setting in. In less than twenty-four hours, he’d be in the ring with the heavyweight champ of the world, fighting the fight of his life. She’d never tell him, but she was nervous for him.
Finally done for the day at the 5th Street booth, she headed back toward the private elevator. Things had quieted down when the weighing was about to begin, and everyone left to watch it somewhere live. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the fight tomorrow. Just hearing the hype about Abel and McKinley facing off now had her stomach in knots. Unlike everyone else, she wasn’t headed to a television. She was headed straight to her room where she’d take a long calming shower instead.
Just as she pulled her phone out of her purse when she got in the elevator, she accidently hit her text log and it opened to Logan’s last text.
Okay I get it. You’re still pissed at me for blowing off the job like I did. I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I really wish you’d give me just a few minutes. It’s about Sam. Call me, please.
Nellie frowned. Whatever he had to tell her about Sam didn’t matter anymore. She was as done with Sam as she was with Logan. She
was certain now, especially given how often Abel made it a point to remind her that she was his, that he wouldn’t be thrilled if he ever found out she was calling Logan to talk about Sam. Closing out the text log, she checked her emails instead. She had quite a few, all work-related.
She sighed as she walked out of the elevator. Her hands would be full once she was back in Los Angeles. That long calming shower sounded even better now.
Chapter 17
There was no way that big time celebrities didn’t have sight problems. The cameras flashing away even before Abel stepped into the room where they’d be doing the prefight conference already had him seeing stars. The weigh-in had been earlier, and even that had been a circus. Now it was time for the last-minute prefight hype. He’d thought Andy and Felix were being ridiculous with the size of the entourage they’d surrounded him with as they left the gym where he’d showered and changed into a suit. But as soon as they were in a public area, if it hadn’t been for that enormous entourage, he would’ve been mobbed.
He thought he’d had his taste of paparazzi when he’d done his Hollywood and New York appearances. This was insanity. It wasn’t even the fight yet, and the crowd leading up to the conference was huge and loud.
Trying to drown it out, he mentally went over everything Felix and Andy had warned him about. The weigh-ins had been mandatory, but this press conference was just a few questions to rile the fighters up, usually all show and hype. With McKinley, Abel was warned to expect more than just the usual hype.
“Expect him to get in your face and trash talk, trying to get a public reaction out of you,” Felix had stressed. “Give him one by talking back if you wanna do your part of putting on a show, but do not fall for anything he says. He may even talk about your momma.”
That had gotten enough reaction out of Abel to make Felix nervous.
“Dude,” he’d assured him, “it’s all part of the act, and they want nothing more than to get in your head. They’ve tried all this time and got nothing. Don’t let a little ‘yo momma’ comment break you. What do they know about your mom? It’s all about getting in here.” Felix pointed at Abel’s forehead. “Don’t let it happen, man.”