Blake: A Bad Boy Romance (7 page)

Chapter Twelve

All of her doors were locked and her windows were closed with the drapes pulled. Her alarm was set. No one was going to break into her apartment. But Ivy still couldn’t relax. Watching the fight didn’t help. Her heart plummeted when Blake took the hit; she gasped and stood up and it felt like years passed in that second it took him to recover and then he was like a whirlwind as he launched himself at his opponent, unrelenting in his attack.

She hadn’t realized he was so good. But he was light on his feet, and his punches were strong and fast. It was impressive to see him in the ring, even Ivy had to admit that. And now she had to admit that she wanted to see him. She was scared.

Every noise in her apartment made her jump. A car door closing outside, the sounds of footsteps from her neighbors upstairs, every noise made her heart race. Was Darryl coming? What game was he playing? What did he want?

Ivy had spoken to the police earlier in the day. She talked to Detective Diaz who was a tough cop who always took the time to talk and listen to Ivy. She added the info to Ivy’s file against Darryl and promised to follow up on it. But Ivy hadn’t heard anything yet. She was just hoping sending the cops was the right decision. She didn’t want to set Darryl off.

Her phone rang and she gave a quick scream. She looked at the unknown number and hit decline. She paced up and down her small apartment, but could feel the walls closing in on her and every shadow was Darryl lurking in the corner.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Her bag was still packed from her time at her dad’s and she grabbed it and left her apartment. She gripped her mace tightly in her right hand and she checked the trunk and backseat before getting into her car and driving.

She didn’t know where she wanted to go. She wanted to be with people. She didn’t want to be alone. She thought about going to a hotel, but the thought that there was only one door in and out of a room made her nervous. It would be too easy for Darryl to trap her in there if he wanted to.

She had Blake’s address in her phone. She could easily pull it up and drive there. But she didn’t know what he was doing. What if he had a big party planned for after his fight? She didn’t want to be a burden to him. She didn’t want to ruin his victory celebration with her problems. But she had nowhere else to go.

Ivy slammed her hand on the steering wheel. She hated this. She hated how easy it was for Darryl to do this to her. He didn’t even have a real reason to. She only dated him for three months two years ago; they hadn’t even been serious. But Darryl was furious when she ended things with him. He refused to believe this was actually happening. He had never been dumped before.

She knew he had dated other women in the meantime, but he had never forgotten about Ivy. Letters, phone calls, emails, but those were just the start. Soon he would switch to strange and disturbing hand delivered gifts, like the card and the pictures she had recently received.

Darryl had a rhythm to his harassment.  It would start light: a blank card, a few pictures of Ivy out and about in the world all relatively harmless things. Then it would get worse: a jar full of roaches, a box full of earthworms and once a freshly skinned animal pelt. But eventually he would get tired of the sneaky gifts and then he would come for a visit. Three times in the last six months he had sent her gifts, but Ivy thought ahead. She knew he was coming and each time she had found reason to leave town. A conference for work, a trip with her dad, a short vacation with friends.

She had to stop running. But there was nothing she could do. Most of Darryl’s actions weren’t illegal. It wasn’t against the law to leave strange gifts and she had never actually caught him doing it. He didn’t bring these things himself; he sent others to do his dirty work. Darryl was rich, very rich, and he used his money in the worst way possible.

Her phone rang. Ivy didn’t recognize the number. But she was done running. She pulled her car into an empty parking lot and answered her phone.

“Yes,” she said into the phone. She didn’t let her voice crack or shake. She forced herself to sound stronger than she felt.

The sound of a high pitched child’s laugh filled the phone; it was loud and she pulled it away from her ear. In a few moments the voice changed from the laughter to the sound of a man’s heavy breathing. The breath was ragged and gasping, like he was running from something or maybe doing something else.

“Yes?” Ivy asked again into the phone. She tried to make herself sound bored. She knew Darryl got off on her fear. He liked getting a reaction from her, liked to hear that tinge of fear in her voice. The heavy breathing continued and without another word or another second of waiting Ivy hung up the phone. And then she dialed Blake’s number.

“Hi,” Blake said, he picked up after the first ring.

“Hi,” Ivy said, trying desperately to control the hitch in her voice. She was on the edge of tears, just barely holding herself back.

“Ivy, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

She should have known how foolish it was to try and hide something from Blake. He knew her better than she knew herself. “I saw your fight on TV, you won,” she said. “Congratulations.”

“Ivy, where are you? Do you need me to come get you?” He didn’t even take a moment to think about himself. She admitted she had watched the fight, but he didn’t want to revel in his victory; he was thinking about her.

“I...Can I come over?” Ivy said. She knew exactly where the words had come from. She had imagined going home to her empty and dark apartment. She would have turned on all the lights in the house. She would have the TV on full blast to drown out any scary noises. She would be lucky to get an hour’s worth of sleep. She didn’t want to go back there. She didn’t want to be alone.

“Yes, you have my address, right?”

“Yeah, but I thought you might be celebrating or something.”

“No. I’m at the gym, but I’m done here. I’m five minutes from home. I’ll call the building manager and if you get there before me he can let you in. But I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby if I get there first.”

Ivy wanted to cry from relief. Blake was saying exactly what she needed to hear. He was there for her, offering her a safe place where she could rest for the night. She drove straight to his apartment. Her phone rang three more times on the way, but she didn’t answer the unknown number. She pulled into the parking lot of her building and as she was stepping out of her car she saw Blake leave the lobby and hurry towards her.

When he was close enough she forgot all about Darryl. The left side of his face was a dark purple color and it was swollen and painful looking. There was a cut on his left cheek and his nose was bruised.

“You look awful,” Ivy said. The words were out before she had time to think about them.

“Thanks,” Blake said. He took her bag from her and slid his arm around her lower back and guided her into the apartment.

“I just mean your face looks really painful.”

“The doctor gave me some painkillers. It looks worse than it feels.” He led her into the building.

She was relieved to see that there was a swipe key needed to get into the building and to make the elevator go. Together they road the elevator to the sixteenth floor in silence. As it raced up the side of the building she noticed Blake’s hand was still resting on her lower back. She leaned into his embrace and he tightened his grip around her. It felt good to be here with him. It felt safe and for the first time all day, she let herself relax.

Blake unlocked the door to his apartment and guided Ivy inside, locking it again behind them.

Ivy looked around Blake’s apartment, impressed with how nice it was. There was a large kitchen to the left with brand new appliances that led to a large living room and dining room that had a stunning view of the Seattle skyline. It was modern and sleek and clean and Ivy felt safe.

Chapter Thirteen

Ivy looked pale and shaken, like an animal that had just escaped a trap. Blake watched as she looked around the house and he could tell she was impressed. But at that moment he wasn’t worried about Ivy’s opinion on his house; he wanted to know why she was here. Something had spooked her, but she didn’t say what.

“You want a drink or anything?” Blake asked as he dropped her bag next to his kitchen table.

“A drink would be great, thanks,” Ivy said. She was standing near his wall looking at the pictures and newspaper articles his mother had professionally framed for him. They were testaments to his ability in the ring. He had won a lot of fights, enough to make him a champion. He was proud of the work he had done.

“Whiskey? Although I don’t know if I have anything to mix it with.”

“Whiskey’s great, thanks.”

He poured two glasses and brought them to the living room. He sat down on the couch and set the two glasses down on the coffee table, inviting Ivy to come join him. She took one last look at an article from
ESPN The Magazine
before she sat next to him on the couch. They were a respectable amount of distance apart. They weren’t touching, but they easily could be.

“So, what’s going on?” Blue asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing...” Ivy said with a wave of her hand.

“Really? Then why are you here instead of at home? Is someone bothering you?”

She looked at him and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. He could see that she was debating with herself. She was struggling to keep some secret.

“You can tell me anything, Ivy,” Blake said.

“There’s this ex who’s a real pain. But he hasn’t actually done anything. He just likes to scare me.”

Blake’s felt himself go numb with her words. Who would dare hurt Ivy? All Blake needed was a name and he would personally show this guy the error of his ways.  “Who?” Blake said, one word all he could muster.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about and I don’t want to involve you in this.”

“Just give me a name, Ivy.”

“Blake, no!” Ivy said, putting her drink down and standing up. “This was a bad idea; I should have known as much. I’m gonna go, but thanks for the drink.” She put her half-filled glass back down on the coffee table as she stood to leave.

“Come on, Ivy. Don’t be like this. It’s me, all right? We don’t have to talk about it tonight if you don’t want to,” Blake said. The sight of her leaving filled him with a sudden panic. He would have said anything to keep her there and safe with him.

“I’m just tired of talking about this guy. He’s a real jerk and I feel like I’ve already wasted so much energy on him,” Ivy said, but she was still standing, still halfway to the door.

“Don’t go home,” Blake pleaded. “Stay here, we won’t talk about it until you're ready.” He wasn’t ready for the tears, but they came quickly to her eyes before sliding down her cheeks. Blake stood and walked towards Ivy, gently wiping away her tears and tilting her head so she looked him in the eyes.

She smiled up at him and nodded before walking back to the couch and quickly finishing her drink. “You’ve won a lot of trophies,” Ivy said, indicating all the framed articles on the wall. “I guess you really are good.”

“And you haven't even seen my trophy room yet,” Blake said.

“You have a trophy room?”

Blake nodded and took her by the hand. He led her out of the kitchen and down a short hallway where he opened the first door on his left. He flicked on the light switch and watched as Ivy gasped at the room around her. It was an office, or maybe library would be a better word. Built in shelves lined the walls, but they weren’t filled with books. Instead there were trophies, ribbons, and medals. Gleaming and gold, they reflected the overhead light as Ivy walked towards them to inspect them more closely.

“Wow,” was all she could muster as she looked at the rows and rows of trophies, some taller than she was. “You are good at fighting.”

“Thanks, there are more, but those are less special, so they’re in a storage unit somewhere.”

“I am suitably impressed,” Ivy said as she turned to face him.

“Finally,” he answered.

“Thanks for answering your phone and letting me stay here. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said.

“I thought you would be out celebrating after your victory.”

“I did for a little while, but that wasn’t a great fight. I almost lost. I barely edged out a victory and all things considered, I probably should have lost.

“Oh,” Ivy said. “How did you almost lose?”

“I was distracted during the fight. I was thinking of something else.”

“What?”

“You.” It was one word, but it was the only word that mattered. Blake didn’t know if getting involved with Ivy was good or bad for his mental game. All he knew was that being without her had almost cost him his last fight, so abstaining from her wasn’t working. He wanted to be with her and, unlike Ivy, he couldn’t see any reason for them to be apart any longer.

“Oh-” Ivy started, but she stopped as Blake took a step towards her. He watched as she stayed where she was as he took another step until they were almost touching. She looked up at him through her long dark lashes and then her hand reached up to his cheek.

With the lightest of touches, she ran her fingers over his bruised skin, wincing in pain for him as she went. He captured her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He kissed her soft and delicate knuckles and then he opened her hand and kissed her palm, closing his eyes as he focused on her soft, warm skin.

She closed the gap between them. With one step their bodies were touching and she pressed her lips chastely against his. But chaste wasn’t enough. Blake kissed her back and felt as her lips opened and her tongue slid out and grazed his. Blood pumped through his veins, gripping her arms and pulling her closer.

He wrapped his hands around her waist until his body was flush against hers. He could feel her breasts against him and he ran his hands up and down the curve of her body. Already he was growing hard for her; this was all it took – a few moments of kissing, his hands on her –  and he was done for.

She was still kissing him. Biting, sucking, and nibbling on his lower lip. Her hands were on his neck, her fingers gentle and delicate around his fresh bruises. She began to writhe her body against his in the subtlest of ways. She pressed herself against him, putting pressure on his cock as he grabbed a fistful of her hair and deepened the kiss.

“You like this room, you should see my bedroom,” Blake said breathlessly as he pulled himself away from her.

“That’s so cliché,” she said, but she was smiling up at him and he took her by the wrist and pulled her to the bedroom.

He slammed the door closed behind him, whipping off his shirt and unbuckling his jeans, letting them sink to the floor. Ivy walked to him and gestured at the bruises that lined his ribs.

“It’s nothing,” he whispered as he spun her around so her back was to him. “They’re just the cost of doing business.” He began to kiss her, biting and nibbling his way down to the nape of her neck as Ivy began to whisper his name to urge him on. He stopped and lovingly stroked her neck with his tongue as she arched her back away from him, pushing her ass onto his already hard cock.

Blake quickly found the hem of her shirt and he pulled it off her. Next he expertly undid the snaps of her bra, sliding the straps down off her shoulders, revealing her beautiful body. He reached up and took her breasts in his hand. She leaned back against him as he massaged her, her pert nipples rising under his attentions. She was grinding against him now and the sensation was almost more than Blake could handle.

He left her breasts and reached down to unsnap the buttons on her jeans, quickly sliding her pants down her lean thighs and holding her steady as she stepped out of them. He spun her around again and kissed her deeply as his right hand slid down her body and snuck underneath the waistband of her simple pink panties.

He stroked her gently with his fingers without entering her, but she pushed against him, urging him to go harder and faster. But he liked making her wait. He continued to tease her as she kissed him and her actions became more desperate. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer and finally he slipped his fingers inside of her, encountering the wetness that was waiting for him. He slid his finger along her and she shuddered underneath him.

“Blake, yes,” she whispered as she leaned her head against his shoulder and his fingers increased their speed. The hair on her skin was standing up and forming goose bumps under his fingers. Her breath hitched in his ear as she whimpered and begged for more. Her skin was growing hot and cold and back and forth as she yielded to his touch.

She was moving her body with his and the image of beautiful Ivy desperate for him sent currents of electricity pulsing through his body. His free hand reached around and grabbed her ass tightly, pulling her even closer to her as his other hand spun circles.

“Oh, yes, yes,” Ivy whimpered into Blake’s ear as he began to kiss her neck and he felt her entire body tense beneath him and he pressed his fingers a little harder and then she was screaming out his name as her body shook and he held her up as she finished her orgasm.

“I want you,” Blake whispered as he edged her to the bed. “I want to fuck you right here and right now.” He was consumed with his lust for her, with wanting her. He was remembering what it was like to be with Ivy, not some random girl he met at a bar, but this girl, the one who knew him better than anyone.

“Yes,” Ivy whispered back and then they were at the bed and she spun Blake around and sat him down.

Blake pushed himself back until he was in the middle of his bed and he watched with fascination as Ivy crawled towards him. There was something about a naked woman on her hands and knees that drove him wild. Blake held himself back; he wanted to pull her towards him, to dominate her, but he knew that whatever Ivy had planned he would like it.

She slipped his boxers off of him and then settled between his legs. She took his hard cock and brought it to her lips. Everything went hazy for Blake as Ivy took his cock in her mouth and swirled the tip with his tongue. He was speechless; there were no words for what she was doing to him. He closed his eyes and let the sensation of her warm mouth overtake him. He reached out to touch her and he ran his fingers up her back.

He was ready. He was holding himself back. Her tongue was working magic on him, but he wanted more. He wanted to be with her, inside of her. He took her arm and pulled her closer to him, kissing her deeply as he reached into the nightstand and quickly slipped a condom on.

“Come here,” he whispered.

With a wicked grin Ivy straddled herself over him and then she took him in hand and lowered herself down onto him. Blake groaned and held onto her hips as she enveloped him. She began to pump herself up and down on top of him, her movements smooth and even as she brought him to new heights of pleasure.

But he wanted her to feel it, too. He reached between them and began to stroke her again, quickly finding her clit and he concentrating his attention there, spinning quick circles that made her moan his name. He wanted to see her come, to watch as her orgasm overtook her. He held himself back and focused on her, on how his touch affected her.

It didn’t take long.

“Oh, Blake, yes. Just like that,” Ivy murmured as she sped up her thrusts. Blake grabbed her tightly with his free hand as he forced himself to wait for her. “Yes, Blake. Yes!” she cried out as she rode him.

He felt as her orgasm overtook her, taking him with it. Her entire body tensed, her muscles convulsing, screaming his name. That was all it took and Blake couldn't hold back any more. He grabbed her hips and with one long, final, thrust he came, gasping into her.