Now, as we all sat sipping our lemonade, I studied her from my chair. My throbbing cock hadn't calmed down. Torturing Zoe was tormenting me. I wasn't free of my need for her, it rose higher with every breath she took.

God, I wanted to slide those shorts down her calla-lily white legs and inhale her sweet heat. I'd felt her with my cock. Now I wanted to feel her with my lips and tongue.

Closing my eyes, I listened to the two girls talk. It was innocent chatter, things like errands and who had done what at the party. The conversation was broken when Zoe's phone began ringing in her pocket.

She scowled at the screen. Jumping up, she turned away from us and started heading inside. Before she escaped, she answered the number. The acid in her voice was scathing. “What do you want?”

Glancing at Eliza, my friend just shrugged. She didn't know what was going on. But, the second Zoe spoke again, I had a very good idea.

“What?” she hissed, knees locking up on the top step. If she was a cat, I would have seen her hackles prickling. “Tonight? You're kidding! I was just fucking there last night, I—” Stopping herself, she peered at us, then slipped into the house.

The door slammed so hard, Eliza and I jumped. It was a miracle the glass hadn't shattered. “Wow,” Eliza laughed nervously. “Wonder what that was about.”

My smile was subtle. “No idea.” Entirely false. I was sure I did know what it was all about. Last night... I'd been there. I knew why Zoe was pissed.

Nehro. He must want her to come back for another match.

This was bad news for Zoe. So, don't think I'm cruel or evil. I'm really not. But, honestly, this situation had opened a door for me. Chopped away a steel lock that had kept me from growing closer to this strange, beautiful girl.

Zoe was going to be mine... I just needed more time by her side.

And now I had a way to get it.

Pushing the glass door aside, I stepped across the floor in my sandals. I still wore just my tight shorts, not bothering to change. Eliza was confident I'd come back outside and tan some more with her.

Turning my head, I strained to listen. I was tuned in, seeking out the hushed voice of the woman I was chasing. Padding quietly through the hall, the brittle edge of her words reached me.

“...And it's insane to ask for another so soon!”

I wondered if I inhaled, I'd smell her—I was a hunter stalking his prey. Wandering deeper, I heard her speaking through the walls; not far from the room I'd given her a lap-dance in.

Leaning near the crack, I peeked inside. She was facing away, sitting lotus-style on her bed. The phone was to her ear, fingers shaking. I waited for the device to shatter. “Nehro, listen to me. I know what my contract says, but I've never been called for a fight this soon after the last. I need time to find a new guy. I—what?” She paused, then lifted her voice. “You're impossible! God, I just...”

Clenching my fist at my hip, I listened to the defeat filling her every word. Nehro was upsetting her. How upset would he be with his pasty face crunching under my knuckles?

Zoe whispered, “Okay. I'll figure it out. I fucking understand what 'defaulting' means.”

Defaulting? On what, the contract? She'd told me she owed Nehro money, but what could he do to collect from her if she didn't fulfill her job? She acted like she was broke, stressed about cash. If she had nothing, it wasn't as if he could rob her. There was nothing to steal.

Right?

She hung her head, the phone falling onto the bed. The wave of hunger in me abated, burned to ash at the sight of her sadness. My muscles shifted from wanting to grab her to wanting to comfort her.

I didn't know Nehro well, but seeing what he'd done to her...

I hated him entirely.

“Hey,” I said, stepping into the room. Zoe jerked around, eyes straining at my appearance. Spreading my fingers, I tried to calm her. “What's going on, what happened?”

Her surprised hardened into distrust. “Do you normally spy on people?”

“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Gently, I closed the door behind me. Zoe stared, watching me like I was trapping her. In a way, I was.

Pushing her fingers to the bridge of her nose, she rocked on the mattress, facing me fully. “Everything is fine. You don't need to worry.”

“Love, if you think I'd believe everything was fine, you're fooling yourself.”

Laughing, she said, “Go fool yourself. Whatever you need to do to leave me alone, do it. You can tell I'm in a bad mood, right? I need to be alone.”

Shaking my head, I settled next to her on the bed. Zoe's nostrils flared, stealing the last bit of air in the room that wasn't corrupted by me. “What you need is help.”

“Help,” she said, tasting the word.

“That was Nehro, wasn't it?” Zoe looked away, confirming what I already knew. “He wants you to bring someone in for another fight.”

Sitting up straight, her neck stiffened. “I was semi-joking about the spying thing. You heard everything.”

“Enough to put two and two together, and math isn't my strong suit.” I winked, and amazingly, she actually smiled. “Is the next fight really tonight?”

Like rain on glass, her smile washed away. “Yes.”

“Then it's settled.”

“How is it settled, what is settled?”

Scratching the side of my nose, I chuckled. “I'll fight for you again. It's simple.”

Her red hair was a wave, sliding over her shoulders violently. “No! Huck, no way. I told you, I can't ask for more help. No more favors.”

There was a hand's width between us on the bed. Carefully, I pushed my bare thigh against her knee, enjoying how she startled. “Babe, I'm going to help you. You'll just have to accept that.”

She locked onto my leg, not looking at my face. “Fuck, you're so stubborn. I'm not owing you for your good graces. I'd have to pay you. For real, this time.”

Arching down, I let my skull fill with the foggy cloud that Zoe brought. Being this close to her, our heads almost touching, I wanted to erase the distance and wrap my hands in her hair. I wanted to lick her throat, to inhale my way down to her sweet pussy.

She was so stressed about money last night. My lashes fluttered, seduction thickening my words. “You can pay me if you want... but it doesn't need to be in cash.”

Zoe almost headbutted my nose with how fast she whipped her eyes up to me. The wild blue color threatened to boil me alive. “No. I will never, ever use my body like that.” She bit off each word, spit it in my face. “I am not a fucking whore, Huxton.”

The energy crackled between us. However, I didn't burn with shame. I knew she wanted me to, but too bad. Zoe had pride; so did I.

And I loved how I made my living.

“What's wrong with being a whore?” I purred, inching my knee harder against hers. Zoe grimaced, retreating. I followed, keeping our bodies touching. “Since when is sex so awful? And if you're good at it, why not get paid for it?”

Blinking, her cheeks the color of roses, Zoe struggled to win the staring contest. “For one, you don't know if I'm good at it.”

That was funny, she thought I'd been talking about her. Fine. I liked this topic. “I'd wager you are.” My grin was a half-moon. “Want to test my theory?”

Her throat fluttered. “No.”

“Again, you're such a liar.” Chuckling, I reached out, curling my fingers in her hair. I'd thought I could hold back, but I was wrong. Talking about fucking was sending me on a spiral. “How about it? I'll be your champion, Zoe.” Nuzzling her ear, I thrilled at her helpless moan. “I'll fight every man, any man. You just have to ask me.”

Gently, she put her hands on my bare back. We shared a strained breath. “It's not just asking. You want me to fuck you in exchange for your help.”