Page 47 of Saving Blood

“That’s not gonna help you against a gun or a knife.”

“What do you think all those self-defense moves are about?”

“Not on my watch.” I move closer, wrapping my arms around her waist. “Come back to bed.” I bury my face in her neck, and she moans.

“You don’t have to be my protector. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”

“A long time?” I bark out a laugh. “What are you, twenty-two, twenty-three?”

Her mouth says one thing, but her eyes tell a different story.

“Okay, I’ll bite.” Maybe I could bait her into spilling something about herself. “How old are you?”

She stares at me for a good few minutes, then, “Old enough to know I have to go home.”

Fuck, she’s good.

MAXINE

I long to tell Blood all my truths. Finally free myself of all the demons living deep in my soul. I don’t know what it is about this gladiator of a man who makes me want to unburden myself. Who makes me want for something of my own. Want for him.

But that can’t happen. Right now, I have to celebrate my win, then collect my passport to freedom. I have to keep my deal with Blood away from Hector and even from his club brothers, who might persuade him otherwise. Main reason why I have to leave now.

“I still say we should fall back into bed.” He tilts my chin and covers his lips with mine. “You know you want to.”

Staying wrapped around Blood for the rest of the night sounds perfect under normal circumstances, but this is definitely not normal. More like an outlaw biker not quite trusting the female cage fighter conning his pants off—literally.

I push out of his hold. “It’s better this way.”

* * *

A blockaway from my apartment, I tell Blood to stop. “I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“Why?”

“The less people who see us together, the better.”

His eyes narrow, but I don’t go into detail. Let him think what he wants because, with any luck, by the weekend, I’ll have a valid passport or a fake passport that looks valid.

I ease off the leather seat and Blood catches my hand in his. “Come to my office this afternoon, and we’ll work it all out for the passport.”

I envelop him in a tight hug as sheer joy spreads through my body. Real happiness, not fake or manufactured. Not a con or a trick, but true genuine joy. He’d never know how much his kindness would mean.

“Thank you.” I look deep into his eyes because of all the other lies I told tonight, those two words were sincere.

The short walk to my building has me looking over my shoulder, not able to shake the eerie sensation of being watched. When I enter the building, I heave a sigh of relief, then ignore the creaking of the stairs as I make my way to the second floor.

I unlock my door and enter the small space, relieved the night is over while, at the same time, missing Blood’s firm, protective body. I scan the dark space, then flip on the light and make my way to the bedroom. I stretch out on the bed and let my mind drift.

The wild rollercoaster ride of emotions with Blood and falling into bed with him again for multiple orgasms, then fielding his questions in a way that made sense while soliciting his help have exhausted me.

Then anxiety grabs hold of me. A certain foreboding, an irrational premonition Hector will find me no matter where I go. He’s kept me tethered to him all these years using fear and intimidation, but I have to stay strong and use all my training in the gym to boost my confidence. Remind myself how he’s become complacent, carelessly taking his power for granted. Never entertaining the idea of me breaking away after the last failed attempt.

But this time would be different. This time I have an actual plan, and with Blood’s help, it just might work—it has to work. It won’t be easy to go it alone, but I reason if I survived this long, I could easily make my way in the world.

The next morning, I wake from a sound sleep. The best sleep I’ve had in a long time. Hope and belief in my future fills my mind, exhilarating me and moving me forward. Later, I would meet Blood, and hopefully obtain a passport, then after the big fight, when everyone is either celebrating their wins or drowning their sorrows, I’d make my escape.

I sweep my hand over the sheets, and my heart thuds in my chest. Three nights ago, I lay here with Blood as he ravaged my body and brought me to a place I didn’t know existed. Someday when I’m safely in the States, I’d tell him how sorry I was for using him and lying, but for now I don’t have any other choice. Maybe in another time or place we could’ve worked, but not here and not now, no matter how painful.

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