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Tugging my hand from my pocket, I curled my fingers into hers. Gripping tightly, I pulled her in closer, settling her into the spot carved out just for her. A gust of wind pushed her perfume into my nostrils, and it was intoxicating, sending the blood straight back into my cock.

I had her twice in less then twenty four hours, and all I could think about was yanking her into an alley and fucking her again. I wanted to make her hips sore, see her walk with a grimace from her cunt being beaten into oblivion.

Her fingers squeezed around mine, a small smile rested on her perfect lips. “Are we there yet?”

“Are you five?” The words filtered out between laughing, my mouth turning up to tease her.

Smacking my chest, she shot me a sideways glance. “You think you're funny, don't you?”

Shrugging my shoulders, my teeth bared brightly, eyes set forward. “Let's just say it wouldn't be the first time I heard that. So yeah, I'm pretty damn funny.”

Approaching a large set of steps with two metal railings decorating the edges, the door was adorned with a large white poster, two faceless figures intertwined each other in the center.

“Here we are.” Gripping the handle, I peeled open the door, and a loud suction-filled gust of air spilled out.

“What is this place?” she asked.

“It's where I spend my spare time. The other night, you claimed I wasn't ready to fight, and you had questions about me.” The door closed forcefully behind us, the loud clank of the bar fixing back into position echoed through the hollow room.

“Okay, but what is this, a gym?” Her gaze searched for a name, a sign, anything to tell her where she was.

“Not exactly, come see.” Pressing her shoulder forward, we walked down a corridor. There were two double doors resting at the end where muffled yells seeped out into the hall.

Turning the knob, the door swung inward, a rush of screams speckled with grunting and slaps hit our ears.

“What the hell is this?” Her face contorted over the picture before her.

“This is the youth M.M.A group.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I leaned back on my heels.

Her eyes widened, still unsure of what I would be doing in a place like that. “And you do what here?”

“I volunteer with the kids. I've been fighting for a long time, Cadence, and since I can't get in the ring anymore, I do the next best thing, I teach them how to.”

Her jaw dropped to the floor, tongue practically hanging out like a panting dog.“Seriously?You volunteer here?”

“Yup, it gives these kids something to do, and I get to use what I know best, fighting.” Crossing my arms over my chest, my back became rigid. I had just shocked the shit out of her, and her face was priceless.

She thought she could peg me in a category fitted for those dirty scumbags she was used to seeing at the Ground Game.

I'm not what she thinks I am, I never was.

It was my promise to my best friend that brought me here.

This place had been my refuge.

Working for free didn't pay the bills, but being here gave me a sense of comfort. It gave my passion an outlet that wasn't actually fighting.

And to be honest, these kids could have ended up in a gang, running drugs, popping each other with a gun, or who knows what else.

For a few of these kids, I made a difference. I gave them the hope that they could do something with themselves, and taught them how to protect themselves without a weapon.

This had been one of my secrets, and I felt compelled to share it with Cadence.

She needed to realize that as flawed as I was, there was one thing I was proud of.

I was proud to be here, in this place, with these kids.

“You have got to be shitting me? You teach these kids? Just because you want to?”