“Caden and I are going to settle our differences in the ring.” It sounded much better in my head than spoken aloud.

Lily’s eyes go wide as saucers. “What? I hope you’re joking.”

I hit her with a serious stare, but say nothing.

“You’re not joking.”

“No. And I’m looking forward to it too. He deserves to get his ass kicked for putting his hands on you.”

“That’s insane!” she screeches.

“Look at you, Angel. Your neck is purple. God knows what he would have done to you had I not been there.”

“Violence isn’t the answer to violence.” For the daughter of a champion fighter and co-owner of a chain of gyms, I’d think she would be better versed that although it may not be the answer, it goes a hell of a long way in settling a war.

“Maybe not. But it’s what is going to happen.” I shrug. “It was either that, or go at it last night without a referee and people to stop us from killing each other.”

“I don’t want to be the cause of you getting hurt.”

“And what makes you think I’m the one that will get hurt?” I bite back, offended that she doesn’t think I can take the ass**le. He picks on women for a reason. Can’t take a fair fight with a man.

“I didn’t mean it like that. He’s just, he’s just…not right. The last few months, I’ve seen a side of him that scares me. I don’t want you to get in the ring with him. I’d never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve watched the guy fight. I’m going to enjoy kicking his ass. And he deserves every minute of it.”

“But…”

“I’m not changing my mind, Lily,” I warn, my tone a bit more dismissive than she’s ever heard from me.

Looking into my eyes, she sees I’m serious.

“You’re doing exactly what Caden did to me. Not listening to what I’m saying.”

“Don’t compare me to him.” My response is clipped.

“But you’re not listening to me.”

“I’m listening to you. I just don’t agree with you. I’ll listen to any reasoning you have. Tell me, why shouldn’t I get in the ring with Caden? You’ve grown up around fighting. Obviously you aren’t adverse to a good, clean, fair fight.”

“Because I don’t want to be the cause of the fight.”

“He’s the cause, Lily. I’m not a nonsensical caveman. We wouldn’t even be having this conversation if he didn’t put his hands on you. Would I like looking at him, knowing he’s your past? No. But I wouldn’t start a fight.”

“And I don’t want you to get hurt,” she adds.

“I won’t.”

“You really are impossible sometimes!” She wraps the sheet around her body and closes herself into the bathroom without a word.

***

I have no idea what the hell she did in there for an hour. I’d heard the shower go on a few minutes after she went in, but when she finally comes out, her spirit seems lifted. A little bit anyway.

She rests her arms on the kitchen counter, opposite me, as I finish off the breakfast I’m making for us. “It smells good. But what is it?” She says then reaches over and tries to put her finger into the pan. I whack her with the spatula and arch my eyebrow playfully when she looks up at me.

“It’s Nutella French toast.” I flip the two golden slices of bread stuck together with a heaping pile of hazelnut chocolate like a pro, catching it in the center of the pan.

Lily shakes her head, trying to hold back a smile. “Showoff.”

“Always,” I retort, plating the sandwich and sliding it over to her on the other side of the counter.

“What do you have planned for the day?” I ask, preparing my own plate. She hops off the stool she’s leaning on and walks to the table. I must have been looking down when she came in, because I definitely wouldn’t have missed her ass cheeks peeking out from behind the short nightshirt she has on. My pulse quickens and I harden just watching the curve of her ass as she steps.

“Nice shirt,” I compliment her wardrobe choice as viewed from behind.

“Thanks. I thought you’d like it.”

“I do. And thank you for being so considerate. Consider it one of my personal favorites whenever I’m here.”

Lily giggles and the sound does something to me. Wakes something in me I didn’t realize was sleeping. She reaches over to my plate and breaks off a piece of my toast creation. Warm, dark chocolate oozes from between the slices. “I don’t have any plans. I’m usually at work,” she tells me and I see her face fall a little. Until she gets a taste of the Nutella toast. Her eyes light up like I’ve just given her a new Mercedes. “Oh my god. This is soooo good.” Chocolate smudges at the corner of her lip. I reach forward and wipe it off, bringing my finger to my mouth.

“You’re right. It is good.” I suck the chocolate from my finger.

In what has become our usual eating pattern we both demolish everything on the plate. The plate in front of the other, that is. “Do you want to get out? Do something? It looks nice out today.”

Lily shakes her head no. She blushes a little so I know what she’s thinking.

“Did you have something else in mind, Lily?”

She nods her head yes, but still doesn’t say anything. Rising from her seat, she takes both of our plates and drops them into the sink before returning. But instead of going back to her own chair, she lifts her leg up and over me, straddling my thighs, landing in the perfect place on my lap. The thin fabric of her panties does little to hide the heat radiating between her legs.

I run my hands up and down the outside of her thighs. The feel of her smooth, creamy skin only adds fuel to the growing inferno in my pants. I’m rock hard. Lifting her at the waist, I adjust her position only slightly, but it allows the wide crown of my c**k to push up directly against her clit. Her eyes dilate and become hooded.

“So what did you have in mind to do today?”

She bites her lower lip. Dirty talk doesn’t come easy to her, but she definitely loves to hear it from my mouth. This time I want to hear it from hers. I run my hands up her back, stopping when I reach her long wavy hair and wrap it around my hands loosely. I tug lightly, but enough so she feels it. “Tell me, Lily. Tell me what you want,” I urge.

“You.”