I cup her face gently in my hand and lean down so that I’m looking directly into her eyes. “You're okay, sweetheart. I've got you. I promise. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again. Your father's angry, but everything's going to be okay. You trust me?”
She blinks before she nods. “Yes, I trust you, Rocky.”
I press a tender kiss to her lips, looking to soothe her. She melts under me, and the tightness in my chest finally eases.
I have my woman safe with me. I'm taking her home again, and this time no one is ever going to take her away from me.
Seven
Holly
I'm thrilled to be back in Rocky's warm embrace, but there's a nervousness inside of me that won't settle. I know my father. He never loses. There's no way he's going to take this lying down.
I purposefully left my purse back at the restaurant. It had my cell phone in it, and I don't want my father being able to track where we are—even though I know he has enough resources that if he really wants to find out where Rocky lives and come after us, he'll be able to.
“You’re safe with me,” Rocky’s voice rumbles underneath my ear as he assures me for the millionth time.
I'm lying with my head on his chest as I trace the outline of each of his tattoos. “I know. I trust you, Rocky. I feel safer with you than I’ve ever felt.”
I smile when I feel his chest swell with pride.
My smile falters as I continue, “It’s just my father… I know he's not going to let me go without a fight.”
Rocky's lips quirk up into a smug grin. “Well, if he wants to fight, I’ll gladly fight for you. Nothing in my life has been worth fighting over like you, sweetheart.”
I try to muster up a smile for him, but I can't. My stomach drops again.
“I just have a bad feeling.”
“Everything's going to be fine,” he promises me as he kisses me again. “I'm not going to let you out of my sight. No one is going to hurt you.”
I nod, telling myself that I have to shake this feeling off. I don’t want to worry him or bring him down. I think it’s just that I’ve spent my entire life doing everything my dad told me to so it’s scary to directly defy him like this.
Rocky has already secured me VIP seats for his match, and while I'm not looking forward to seeing my man get hit, he assures me that he can take any hits his opponents throw and still go back for more. I know that, but it still hurts my heart to think of seeing him get hurt.
As if Rocky can still sense my mind racing, he tips my chin up to look at him and prompts me, “Promise me you'll stop worrying. Let me take care of you.”
He searches my eyes earnestly, open adoration in his eyes, and I finally relax, letting the look in his smoldering brown eyes wrap around me.
Rocky's right. I'm probably worrying for nothing. If a man like him can’t protect me, no one can.
“Okay,” I promise him.
He smiles, and I kiss his throat wanting to show him just how much he means to me. A growl rumbles up out of him as he pulls me on top of him so that my legs are straddling him.
He enters me in one deep thrust. We move slowly together while kissing each other deeply, his hands fisted in my hair until our release crashes over us like the gentle, rolling waves of the ocean.
“Fuck, I love you, Holly,” Rocky breathes against my neck before he plants a kiss there.
My heart leaps inside me. “I love you too.”
He's right. I don't need to let my dad or anyone else steal our joy. There's nothing else in the world that matters except for us. Rocky and me. And he's not going to let anything come between us.
* * *
When we go to the match the next night, everything is going fine. Rocky is winning, of course, and I’m in awe of his raw masculinity. His body is glinting with sweat, and I’ve never been one of those girls who was turned on by sweaty men, but Rocky is gorgeous. He’s a powerhouse of tatted muscle, and I’m so here for it.
I jump when I suddenly feel a hand around my upper arm. My stomach sinks when I look up to see my father glowering down at me. I don't know where he came from, but fear slices through me because the look on his face is murderous. Not that I think my father would ever physically hurt me, but I wouldn't put it past him to lock me up in my room to keep me away from Rocky.