We might've continued joking if I hadn't heard a shout coming from my left.

"Luke Romero!"

Dani. I stood as Coach moved out of the way so I could see her.

She smiled up at me, relief written all over her face. I hadn't realized until then that she'd lost weight since I'd seen her last.

"You better come down here and give me a kiss, or I'm gonna come up there in that ring and embarrass you."

I held out my hand. "Bring it on, babe. Embarrass me." She took my hand as I continued. "I want everyone in this arena to know that you're my girl."

She climbed under the ropes and gave me a smile that was almost shy. "I'm your girl?"

"Damn right." I cupped her face in my hands. "One hundred percent, baby."

I wasn't gentle, pouring the last weeks' worth of pent-up desire into that kiss. My tongue plundered her mouth, and she gave as good as she got, her hands sliding around my waist and pulling me against her despite the sweat and blood. Her teeth scraped my bottom lip and I moaned, then took her lip between my teeth and tugged on it. She made a sound in the back of her throat that nearly undid me. I'd never wanted anyone as much as I wanted her. And now that all of this shit was over, I could have her.

Drinks with Brad were going to have to wait.

Chapter Twenty-Nine.

Dani Luke kept his arm around me as he fielded congratulations and questions on the way to the locker room. Joe and some guy I didn't recognize helped fend off some of the fans until we reached backstage, at which point they both said their good-byes and left me to walk the rest of the way with Luke. Neither one of us said anything, but when we reached the door, he turned so we were facing each other.

"I'm gonna go get cleaned up and then I want to go home." He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my cheek. "I hate the idea of having you out of my sight for a single minute, but if I ask you to come in, I can't promise I can control myself."

I shivered and almost told him that I didn't care. But while the images of him taking me in an open shower, up against a locker, or on the massage table, were all...appealing, common sense won out. I didn't know where Bruno was and I didn't think it'd be a good idea to risk him catching me and Luke together when I knew he'd be pissed.

"Hurry up," I said. I pushed myself up on my toes and brushed my lips across his. "Because my self-control isn't much better."

The heat in his eyes was nearly my undoing, but I forced myself to stay where I was and wait. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long. Fifteen minutes and he was back, freshly showered and looking amazing in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Then again, I was thinking more about what was underneath than what he was wearing.

He took my hand and we headed out. I didn't ask as I flagged down a cab. No way was I going to let him walk any more than necessary on that knee. He didn't look like he was in pain, but he was limping, however slightly, and that was enough. I wasn't stupid. I knew it was worse than he'd let on. I wasn't going to argue, but I wasn't going to make him walk to the subway when money wasn't an issue.

Neither one of us spoke during the short ride, and the sexual tension between us built. His thumb made small circles on the back of my hand and it was as if every cell in my body was focused on that singular point. The reality of what had happened was slowly sinking in. Luke had done what Bruno wanted. He'd fought The Butcher and he'd not only survived, but he'd won. Bruno was going to let him go. It was over.

I paid the driver, and then Luke and I took the elevator up to his floor. When we reached the apartment, a sudden case of nerves hit me. This would be the first time he'd see everything I'd done to the apartment. What if he hated it? I hadn't even considered that I might've been overstepping. He'd said I was his girl, but I didn't really know what that meant. I'd just been thinking that I wanted to make it look more like a home.

He unlocked the door and I went inside first, moving to the side so he could see at least some of what I'd done as soon as I flipped on the lights.

"Do you like it?" I asked, not wanting to look back at him, afraid of what I'd see.

He tugged on my hand and I turned towards him, waiting for him to say something. He didn't. Instead, he took my face between his hands and lowered his head for a kiss. His tongue thrust between my lips as he started to walk me backwards. My calves hit the edge of the couch and then we were falling.

He caught himself on his elbows, stopping himself from crushing me, but the lower halves of our bodies pressed together. I ran my hands over his back, then slid them under his shirt. I needed to feel his skin. I tugged at his shirt and he broke the kiss to toss his shirt to the floor. His lips began to make their way down my neck and I tilted my head back, eyelids fluttering as his mouth covered every inch of my throat, sending heat radiating through my body. When he reached my collarbone, he sucked the skin into his mouth and I moaned. My fingers traced the tattoo on his back as his hand cupped my breast through my dress.

"Too many clothes," he muttered. He tugged at the front of my dress until it came down, exposing my breasts. He glanced up at me.

"Built-in bra." I started to smile, but it turned into a wordless cry as his lips closed around my nipple. Every pull of his mouth went straight south and my previously damp panties were instantly soaked. My eyes closed. I hooked my leg around his waist and ground against him, feeling how much he wanted me.

Suddenly, he was gone, and when I opened my eyes, he was standing above me, holding out his hands. I took them, letting out a startled squeal as he used the leverage to scoop me up in his arms. I took advantage of my position to kiss my way up his chest to his neck. When I used my teeth, he swore and I found myself being deposited on the kitchen counter.

"I need you out of that dress." He quickly found the zipper on the side and, a moment later, the dress was on the floor, forgotten. "Damn." He stared at me with such intensity that I blushed. He cupped my breasts, brushing his thumbs over my hardened nipples. "I missed these."

I laughed. "I hope it wasn't just my breasts you missed."

He laughed with me and it was such a joyful sound, free of all the stress and tension that had been with us since the moment we'd met. He traced my lips with the tip of a finger. "I missed these, too."

I flicked my tongue out, catching the end of his finger and he made a low sound that twisted hot things inside me.

His hand slid down my stomach to the space between my legs.

"I missed this," he whispered. His eyes widened slightly as he felt how wet the fabric was. "And it feels like you missed me, too."

I placed my palm against his cheek, then slid my hand down his chest. "I missed all of this," I said. My hand dropped to the front of his jeans and he hissed as I gently squeezed him. "And I missed this inside me."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me again, this time heading towards the bedroom.

A twinge of concern cut through my arousal. "Careful," I said. "I don't want you to hurt your knee."

"Fuck my knee," he growled.

"I'd rather you fucked me," I retorted.

When he laughed, the rumble in his chest vibrated against me and it was all I could do not to tell him to take me right there in the hallway. The distance from the kitchen to the bedroom had never seemed so long.

He laid me down and started to climb on the bed. The moment his weight went onto his bent knee, he winced. When I started to sit up, he shook his head.

"I just went six rounds with The Butcher. You think I'm going to let a little knee pain stop me from this?"

I smiled at him and put my hand on the back of his neck. "It better not. But who says you have to do all the work?"

He gave me a puzzled look that disappeared as soon as I pushed on his shoulder. He went to his side.

"On your back," I said.

He put his hand on my hip, his fingers brushing over my ass. "I want to taste you first."

A shiver of pleasure went through me. "On your back," I repeated.

As he obeyed, I pulled off my panties. The hungry look in his eyes made my mouth go dry. I took his jeans and underwear off together, dropping them over the edge of the bed.

"You aren't the only one who wants a taste," I said, moving up towards his head. I'd never done it this way before, but I definitely wanted to try. The expression on Luke's face as I swung one leg over so that my knees rested against his shoulders said that he definitely liked this idea.

He was almost too tall for this to work, I thought, as I stretched out across him. Then his mouth was on me and I forgot about the logistics, lost in that wet heat. I wrapped my hand around his cock and lowered my head to take the tip in my mouth. He was too thick and long for me to take him all, so I ran my tongue along his full length, moaning as he slid his tongue inside me. Only his hands on my hips kept me still. I could feel the pressure inside me building and I struggled to stay on task. I had a good three inches in my mouth when his lips fastened around my clit and began to suck. My orgasm hit me hard and fast, and I cried out, the sound muffled. I raised my head, gasping for air, my body shaking with the force of the climax.

"I'm not going to last much longer," Luke warned.

I rolled off of him and moved down so that my knees were now on either side of his waist. My thigh muscles were trembling as I positioned myself above him. Our eyes locked as I slowly slid down his cock.

My breath came in short pants as my body stretched around him. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like, that initial penetration that always felt like too much, no matter how much foreplay we'd done. When I finally came to rest with him completely inside me, I placed my hands on his stomach, careful to avoid the bruises that were already starting to show. I rocked my hips back and forth, drawing an almost pained groan from Luke.

"Babe," he said.

He didn't need to say any more. I knew what he wanted, and I wanted it, too. We'd have time for slow and gentle later. Right now, we just needed release. The pressure inside me was back, fueled just by him entering me, and I wanted to come. More than that, I wanted to make him come.

The muscles in my legs burned as I rode him, the pain just adding to the intensity of the pleasure that ran through me with each rise and fall. Luke's hands started on my breasts, his fingers rolling and tugging on my nipples until I was on the edge. Then they slid down over my ribcage, one going to my hip, the other to the place where our bodies joined. The moment his finger brushed my clit, I came. My body tightened around his and I heard him say my name. My back arched as his hips slammed into me, two hard jerks that pushed my climax even higher, sending sparks dancing behind my eyes. He groaned, and I felt him pulse inside me, filling me as I dropped forward. His arms wrapped around my waist as my mouth found his.

This time, the kiss was soft and sweet, and when it broke, I rolled off of him. Every muscle felt like it was Jell-O. He pulled me against him and I put my head on his chest. One arm went around his waist and one leg over his until it was impossible to tell who was holding whom.

"You know, Dani." He stroked my hair as he spoke. "I could get used to this."

His tone sounded casual, but I knew the statement meant more. The arm around his waist tightened. "I hope so, because I'm not going anywhere."

The last little bit of tension I'd sensed disappeared.

"I'm glad." He kissed my forehead. "You know you've got my heart, right? I love you."

My heart gave a little skip. "I love you, too."

We drifted in and out of half-sleep, sharing the events of our separate week in short bursts as we adjusted to the sudden absence of the stress that had been hanging over our heads. His fingers absently ran over my shoulder and my fingers traced patterns on his flat stomach.

There was something I knew I needed to tell him before we finally gave in to the exhaustion I could feel creeping in. "There's someone I want you to meet."

"Your grandmother." He said it before I could. "I can't wait to meet her." The fingers on my shoulder hesitated for a moment, then began their movement again. "And there's someone I want you to meet, too."

A new kind of warmth spread through me, one that had less to do with desire and more to do with the idea that he wanted me to meet his daughter. He'd said he loved me, and this invitation was all the confirmation I needed.

"Let's go tomorrow." I wanted to meet the little girl with the butterfly room.

"No," he said. "Let's go see your grandma tomorrow. There're still a lot of things I need to sort out with Cindy." He paused, then added, "And I actually don't even know where Lacey is right now, since Bruno's with the FBI."

"FBI?" I looked up at him.

"That's what I couldn't tell you. Because I won the match, Bruno lost everything. He'll have to make a deal with the Feds to avoid getting killed by the people he owes money to. They'll put him in witness protection and we'll never have to see him again."

I pushed myself up so that I could see his face. "Wow. So what do you think Cindy is going to do now that Bruno's gone?"

He frowned. "Don't worry about Cindy. She always lands on her feet. But she's going to end up finding out that she's not going to have custody of Lacey anymore. I'm filing for full custody."

"And you'll get it," I said firmly. "After all this, the courts won't side with her."

"Brad worked it out so that I can get my license back, which means I'll be legit, and I'll have a steady paycheck. I'll be able to take care of Lacey the way she deserves." He brushed his thumb across my lips. "Thank you."

"For what?" I was confused at what felt like a sudden change of topic.

"For everything. Risking your life to come back here. Supporting me even when you didn't understand what I was doing or why. Everything you did here to make this place a home for my daughter."

I smiled at him. "You didn't see a single thing I did, did you?"

He grinned. "No," he admitted. "I was a bit preoccupied. But I promise, as soon as I see it, I'll love it. And Lacey will, too."

I put my head back on his chest and his arms wrapped around me. It really was over. Tomorrow would be a new day and the start of a new life. I held on to that as I finally let sleep claim me.

Chapter Thirty.

Luke Yesterday, I'd faced off against a kid who was ready to kill me, even though I had a busted knee and no chance in hell of winning, and I'd been reasonably calm. Today, my nerves were shot. Somehow, Dani's grandmother was a hell of a lot scarier than The Butcher. Dani didn't really talk about the rest of her family, so meeting her grandmother was the equivalent of the first time meeting the overprotective father who's bound to mention at some point that he has a shotgun and shovel, and knows where to hide bodies.

"What's wrong?" Dani asked as we got closer to the townhouse. "You look a little green."

I tried giving her a smile. "Nothing," I lied. "I'm just excited." That part wasn't entirely a lie. Despite being nervous, I was excited to meet Dani's grandmother. It meant that Dani trusted me, loved me enough to want to introduce me to the most important person in her life. Just like I wanted her to meet Lacey.

"Don't worry." Dani saw through me. "Grammy's gonna love you."

One of the window curtains moved and then the door opened. Dani's grandmother was this tiny, frail-looking thing, but one look in those green eyes and I knew where Dani had gotten her strength. She didn't even hesitate as she met me on the porch, arms open. I tried not to look surprised as I returned her hug.

When she took a step back, she squeezed my bicep. "Oh, my."

I could feel the heat creeping up my neck and I knew I wasn't hiding my shock this time.

"Grammy!" Dani sounded mortified.

"What?" The old woman actually winked at me. "Just because I'm seventy-five doesn't mean I'm immune to a handsome man."

Dani rolled her eyes and looked over at me. "See, I told you she'd like you."

"Come in," Grammy said. "Have some pie. I just made apple."

The amazing smell of apples and cinnamon came from the kitchen and my stomach growled. I hadn't had anything remotely that delicious-smelling in weeks. As we ate, Grammy as she insisted I call her kept up a running conversation, telling me all the kinds of stories that proud parents tell of their kids whenever they have a captive audience. Dani would interject a comment or two, but was quiet for the most part. I could tell she was enjoying the stories as much as I was. She'd missed her grandmother more than I'd realized.

Then the picture came down off the wall and Dani was hiding her face in her hands, giving off that embarrassed vibe that said this was something Grammy did often.

"Take a look at that." Grammy handed it to me.

The little girl was only about six or so and her dark hair was in pigtails, but there was no doubt it was Dani. She was grinning at the camera and I could see the gap where her front tooth had been.

"That thing had been loose for a week and Dani kept saying how a friend of hers had done the old string connected to a door thing to pull his out. I told her there was no way I was going to let her do that, but I come downstairs one morning and she's holding up her tooth. She had that grin on her face, the one that told me she'd done something she knew she wasn't supposed to."