Piper
My blow hit him in the side of the head, sending him flying backwards on the mat. For a moment, I thought I’d knocked him out, but then he shook his head and chuckled.
It was the laugh that broke my control. Pouncing on him, I straddled his waist, landing a couple more blows to his head, using all my strength to keep him pinned beneath me. Cade did some weird thing with his hips that bucked me off, launching me sideways. I scrambled to my feet, finding my balance as he stood.
A grin widened his mouth, and I wanted to knock it off. I knew my anger was displaced. I had no reason to be angry with Cade. Not really. No, I was mostly angry with myself. I’d heard his words to Will. I’d heard that he wasn’t going to let me go without a fight. And that scared me. Because he was right—the one thing Cade did best was fight.
I threw a left hook, followed by an uppercut. Cade took the blows like a champ, knocking his glove against mine. I motioned for him to come on, but he just danced around me. Two more punches to his midsection, and he danced just out of reach. I followed, kicking out with my foot. He caught it and pushed slightly, taking me off balance. But he didn’t hit me.
It went on like that for several more minutes before it dawned on me that he wasn’t going to hit me.
“I thought this was a fight, Montgomery. In order for it to be one, you have to hit me back.”
Cade laughed, the sound flipping my insides out. I loved the sound of his laugh, even when it pissed me off. “I don’t have to hit you to take you down.”
That sounded like a challenge to me. I went in close, keeping my punches low, then swinging my fist up to his jaw. He pushed me back.
“Fight me, dammit!”
The anger I’d been feeling earlier swam to the surface, fueling my rage with a hunger for vengeance. Every emotion I’d suppressed since I was seven years old rushed forward, clouding my vision with a red haze.
Anger at my parents for dying and leaving me alone. Anger at Will for not adopting me after raising me for six years. Anger at Cade for giving up without a fight. Anger at myself for not chasing him down. Anger at Jake for dying on me, too. He’d promised me the world then died in my arms before he could give it to me. Anger at him for leaving everything to me and challenging me to live without him. Anger that Cade wasn’t willing to give up on me and just leave me the hell alone! I didn’t want to fall in love all over again with him. And I knew that if he kept at it, I’d have no choice.
A tortured scream tore from my throat as I lunged at him, my fists beating his chest, tears streaming down my face.
“I hate you!” I yelled, blinded by the fury that had taken over.
Cade stood there, not even protecting himself from the blows. It just proved to stoke the roaring fire higher inside me.
“Why did you leave me? Why didn’t you search for me?” Over and over again my fists landed on his chest, against his chin. He just stood there, sorrow and compassion in his eyes—his guilt laid bare.
“Why didn’t you find me? You could have fought for me! But you didn’t, Cade! And now it’s too late! It’s too late!” The last words ripped out of me like an arrow torn from my flesh, my arms growing tired and heavy.
Cade hadn’t put on headgear himself, and I could see the red marks from where my fists had done their damage. His chest glistened with drops of sweat, as angry welts popped out behind them.
It didn’t stop me.
“I can’t do this. It’s too late!” My exhaustion won out as my knees buckled. Cade caught me, spinning me around. Hoisting me up, he wrapped my legs around his waist and propped me against the cage.
Fury danced in his eyes, his breathing ragged, the red marks a stark contrast to his tan skin.
“It’s not too late!” His gloves held my face close to his as his tortured gaze sought mine.
I looked away, fatigue spreading throughout my body, my chest heaving with the effort to keep the air in my lungs breathing in and out. Cade ripped his gloves off, still holding me against the cage.
“It’s never too late! I’m here. You’re here. And I’m never letting you go again.”
His mouth landed on mine with such fierceness and longing, it stole my breath. Momentarily stunned, my eyes still open, I was held captive by his spell, unable to respond.
“Kiss me back, dammit!” His lips crushed mine under his—a ferocious growl rumbling through him. “I said kiss me back!”
I had no choice but to respond, opening to him as his tongue plunged in—seeking, taking, tasting.
He paused in his ministrations, ripping the headgear off my head and flinging it to the side. Finding my lips again, he feasted from them, like a starving man tasting his first meal. His desperation charged my own, as I ripped my gloves off and cupped his face.
Cade’s mouth left mine, dipping his head to lavish open-mouthed kisses on my neck and chest. I couldn’t get close enough. This fire, this passion was what I knew I’d missed out on. It had never been like this with anyone. Not even Jake. It was always sweet and loving. But never as if I was being consumed from the inside out.
I almost let Jake’s memory crowd in along with my doubts and fears, when Cade pulled back. “Stop thinking, Piper. Not now. Do you hear me?”
I nodded, unable to utter the words. Leaning back against the cage, I lifted my tank top and threw it off, leaving me in my sports bra and shorts. Cade’s eyes roamed my body, a groan escaping him before his lips returned to mine, his hands on my back caressing the sweet spot just above my butt.
Tingles blossomed across my skin and through my belly as passion burned hot, his mouth teasing a response from me I hadn’t known I was capable of. How had I lived for twelve years without this? Without him?
Losing Jake had bruised me. Losing Cade would destroy me.
As if cold water rained from the sky, I jerked away from Cade, pushing against his chest with everything I had.
“Stop!” I pushed harder, until Cade set me down on my feet. He lifted his hands to my face, cradling it so gently.
“Don’t. Don’t push me away.”
“I can’t. I can’t do this…” I sidestepped his hold, backing up towards the gate that would give me my freedom—freedom from this man who had the power to slaughter me.
“I’m sorry.”
“Piper, just wait. Let’s talk.”
I shook my head, trying desperately to free myself from the power he held over me. “I’m sorry, Cade.”
Then I ran. Out the back door to the parking lot where I knew the Mustang was parked. I’d left my keys inside since the parking lot was gated, and I’d never been so glad that I had.
What had I done? There was no going back from this. I was foolish to think I could handle a working relationship with Cade. It was clear our feelings hadn’t changed, but our bodies had. We’d held each other at arm’s length twelve years ago, but we’d just crossed a line, and I knew there was no uncrossing it.
A high-pitched squealing sounded from my left, and I whipped my head around to the parking-lot gate. A large, black SUV was barreling towards me, crashing through the gate and ripping it off its hinges. It screeched to a stop inches from me, and I ran, digging my feet into the asphalt as hard as I could towards the back door of the gym. Before I could reach it, hands grabbed me from behind, shoving me back against a hard chest.
I kicked and thrashed, trying to loosen his hold.
“Cade!” I screamed his name, before a hand clamped down over my mouth. I only hoped he’d heard and would come to my rescue. The door to the gym flew open, and I stared into Cade’s terrified eyes. He moved, arms pumping and legs driving, but he was too far away. The man holding me threw me into the back of the SUV as a hood came down over my head, pitching my world into darkness. The screeching of tires was the only sound, as the SUV burned rubber out of the parking lot.
Fear sent ice water through my veins as several minutes passed before a man’s voice sounded in my ear, thick with a Latino accent.
“Our boss wants to see you.”