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The Ring
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Consumed Series The Dressing Room
The hairs on the back of my neck lift, causing the skin behind my ears to pull tight. I smooth my palm down my arm, an attempt to ease the goosebumps that pebble. I stand backstage, in the corner of Seth's room, while two officials assess his hand wraps. I try to focus on what the two men are saying, but it goes unheard over the sound of my pulse beating in my ears. Seth hasn't taken his eyes off me since I entered the room. I haven't taken mine off him.I wasn't going to come, since I was still mad at him after our kiss on the street. To me, it was a groundbreaking, passionate moment that further cemented the fact I'm quickly falling for him. To him, it was a statement, like a dog pissing on a pole to mark its territory.I flick my attention over his naked torso and marvel of the physical power of him. He isn't human, it's not possible. His mighty, shapely thighs jut out from the slits in his shorts and keep their powerful form all the way down to his slim ankles. His skin, warm and d
The Consumed Series The Concord Fight
Seth goes and the whole team follows. I'm swept up in the tide, practically carried down the aisle by his teammates. My heart pounds in my chest as my thoughts are swallowed by the roar of the crowd. I focus my attention on the third row at the end of the ramp-my row. Dad and Selena wave at me. Row after row of chairs sweep by until my opening is within reach. I yank my wrist free of Jackson and all but dive out of the current I was trapped in. I keep my head down and I squeeze past seated patrons. Selena turns in her seat, angling her knees so I can slip by her. Exhaling, I drop into the empty chair between her and Dad."I was wondering where you went," Dad shouts in my ear, patting my knee, then he clicks his fingers at Selena and holds out his palm.Over my lap, Selena hands him a twenty-dollar bill and I frown as he takes it and stuffs it into the chest pocket of his shirt."I lost the bet," Selena says, crossing her knee over the other."Bet?""She bet me twenty dollars you were i
The Consumed Series The Concord Moment, Part 1
It's late by the time Dad and Seth return. I hear them long before they make it to the door of the hotel room I'm sharing with Dad. Their voices are low, their laughs melodious. Their deep tones mesh together, complementing each other.Smiling, I swing my legs over the edge of the couch and drop my phone on the coffee table, forgetting the extremely long story Selena updates on her Instagram every ten minutes. I rush to the door and pull it open before Dad can gain access with his card. They smile at me, their eyes shining with evidence of the fun they had, and something in my chest flutters."How was it?" I ask, stepping aside to let them in. "Well, Seth won by a long shot," Dad says, slipping out of his shoes."But your dad gave me a run for my money," Seth adds, kissing my forehead as he passes me. They line their shoes neatly against the wall beside the door. Seth flicks his gaze over my baggy sleep tee and bed shorts. "You didn't go out?" I shake my head, closing the door. "No n
The Consumed Series The Concord Moment, Part 2
I straighten, clenching my hands into fists at my sides, and Seth walks forward, each step more predatory and calculative than the last. He moves as if he's already mapped out how the rest of the night will go. The thought ignites my arousal. It zaps my skull and pulls tight behind my ears."Where's the red dress?" he asks, not taking his eyes from mine. "The one you wore tonight." I peer around the room and spot it slung over the back of the white leather armchair in the sitting area of my room. I flick my chin toward it and Seth follows my line of sight. He looks back at me. "Put it on." I cross the room and retrieve the dress. With my back to Seth, I pull it on over my head and wiggle as I tug the tight dress down my body. It clings to me, feeling tighter than before. I turn around and my throat dries at the sight of him without his shirt on, standing by the king-sized four-poster bed. I forget how shapely he is under the fabric that hides most of his physique. "Come here," he o
The Consumed Series The Concord Moment, Part 3
I wrap my legs around him, pulling him deeper, wanting him deeper. Seth breaks the kiss as a gruff moan rips from his lips and he shoves his hand from my back to my backside. He grips my ass and angles my hips, the curve of his length touching parts of me that have never been reached.I whisper his name, wishing I could shout it, wishing he could hear it in my tone just how bad he's affecting me. My chest rises and falls with shallow sips of air as he thrusts faster, deeper, sending powerful surges of pleasure through me. A light sheen of sweat builds between us, our skin burning with heat and glistening with desire. I think about his fight tonight, how the light magnified the smooth, wetness of his skin, how he shone, like a star, and lit me up like a galaxy."When we get home," he says, his voice raspy and thick. "I'll have you again."I inhale sharply, already thinking about next time, and nod. "Yes.""We'll be alone.""Yes," I reply again, breathless. "Alone.""And you'll be on you
The Consumed Series The Run
My eyelids flutter as warm lips run along my jawline, stirring me from my sleep. I groan and press my head deeper into my soft pillow not ready to rub away the heaviness in my eyelids and start my day. Seth continues to move his mouth along my jaw, peppering me with tender pecks while smoothing his palm up the flat of my stomach. The rough denim of his jeans scratches at my soft skin, eliciting goosebumps all over me."Good morning," he utters, slipping his hand under my bunched-up shirt to squeeze my breast.I arch against him, stretching my back as I push my arms out. A yawn creeps over me and I swipe my hair from my face. "Good morning."Seth nuzzles into the nape of my neck and floats his fingertips up and down my torso, touching every dip, following every curve, appreciating every inch. Heat blooms all over me, and I finally open my eyes. The room is still dim, the sun muted, barely seeping around the edges of the blinds."What time is it?" I ask, my voice husky from sleep and his
The Consumed Series The Concord Breakfast
In the hotel room, Dad curses from the kitchen as Seth and I enter. Ambrosial wafts of bacon and paprika engulf me, making my stomach growl. We stroll into the kitchen area, startling Dad as he hunches over the stovetop, battling the spitting oil armed only with a pan lid, a spatula, and a towel slung over his tartan-clad shoulder."Olivia," Dad calls, smiling wide though his brows are kinked with stress. He places the pan lid over the spattering bacon, almost silencing the simmering. "I was wondering where you got off to."I gesture to Seth. "We went for a walk."Dad flickers his stare over Seth, then turns his attention to the sink, looking everywhere but at Seth's face. "I didn't realize you were gonna stay the night, Seth. I wouldn't have gone to bed so early. I could've had the couch made up for you."Dad's face deepens to a boiled pink and he tugs at the collar of his shirt as if it's too tight. I peer sideways at Seth who swallows hard. How does he know Seth stayed? Did he leave
The Consumed Series The Bad Idea
-Later that afternoon - Welcome to Portland, Maine!, the big sign on the outskirts of my hometown reads. I exhale, dropping my head against the headrest of the passenger seat of Seth's car, and close my eyes. Back to reality, I guess."Are you still returning the ring to Blade today?" Selena asks, causing stones of dread to sink into my stomach. "Or are you going to save it for another day?"I open my eyes and stare ahead as we enter the city's limits. Earlier, I knocked the little velvet box from my suitcase as I was packing my things. It stopped at Selena's slender feet and, out of panic, I told her I was planning on returning it to Blade today.Out of the corner of my eye I see Seth tighten his grip on the wheel."Uh." I clear my throat and glance over my shoulder at Selena. She catches the pink, sparkly nail of her thumb between her teeth, none the wiser to the daggers I shoot in her direction. On her lap, Jackson rests his head, sleeping soundly. "Ye-yeah. I'll return it today."
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The Consumed Series The Epilogue of Vol 1
I push away from the heavy bag with a sigh, then drag an inhale in through my nose. My lungs burn, and my arms feel like stones. I pluck the towel from my shoulder and swipe it over my face. I've been slamming my fists into this bag of sand for the last hour, waiting for Olivia to finish cleaning the gym. There's no one left, the doors are locked, the blinds drawn, but she insists on having everything in top shape for when it opens in the morning.I can't say I don't enjoy watching her walk around the place with a determined little pout on her lips, because I do. I enjoy it so damn much.Blowing air from my lips, I lean against the ropes of the boxing ring. She does another round, picking up a missed towel here and there. I track her every step, my shorts growing tighter every time she bends over. Eventually, she enters my area of the gym.She doesn't pay me any attention.And it drives me crazy."Olivia," I call out, and she whips her head in my direction, her perfect, long hair whirl
The Consumed Series The Surprise Visit
I sit in my car outside Mom's house, gripping my steering. I stare at the quaint little home nestled somewhere in the middle of Sparrow Road and dread burrows deep. If I walk through those doors, I'll be alone in the house for the first time since Dad's death. The thought is isolating.Chase left for Pakistan this morning and Mom is spending alone time in a hideaway cabin in the hills. The house will be quiet. And I'll be alone.Loneliness has been the theme of my life for more days than I can count. I miss Dad. I miss Seth. It gets harder to pin Seth down with a phone call with every passing day. He calls me and I miss it. I call him back and he misses it. By the time we catch each other, he's exhausted and sleeping on the other end of the line before I can ask him how he is. He asks me to join him in every city he lands in, but I haven't had the heart to leave Mom alone, especially now Chase is gone.Releasing the wheel, I sit back against my seat with a sigh. The vermilion afternoon
The Consumed Series The Vegas Fight, Part 2
With a shake of his arms, Seth tilts his head to the ceiling, exposing the thick column of his throat, and he closes his eyes. His chest falls as he lets out a long, slow breath. What I wouldn't give to know what he's thinking. Is he nervous? Scared? Neither?A small eternity later, the referee calls both the men to the middle of the ring. He demands a good, clean fight, then sends them back to their corner. With a clap of his hands, the fight begins.Seth plays it cool, each step premeditated and predatory. Don, however, goes in guns blazing. Shooting forward, and swallowing up the distance, Don swings hard and fast, his fists flying through the air like sledgehammers. He wants to make sure that, if he connects, Seth won't get back up.I yank my blanket from Chase and pull it up to my chin. I clench my teeth together. My fingers twitch with the urge to hide under the blanket until it's over, but I told Seth I'd watch the fight.And I want to watch it......but only if Don gets what he
The Consumed Series The Vegas Fight, Part 1
I startle, sitting upright on the couch as the T.V. changes from the live stream loading screen to the emerald exterior of Las Vegas's MGM Grand. "Shhhh!" I shush Chase mid-story about some girl he met when he was stationed in Afghanistan by clamping my palm over his face and pushing him away. I've already heard the story twice. He's in love with her but doesn't know it. "It's starting!" On the screen, cars zip by, and people flood the streets, milling about like ants. "It's an eight-man fighting format," the commentator says as the camera phases into the arena. "The winner receives one hundred thousand dollars, a professional contract with the MMAC, and the title of Amateur Champion."They continue to discuss the layout of the championship and I tune it out. I'm too distracted by the grandiosity of it all as the camera pans over tens of thousands of roaring people, seated around the cage, ready for the fight. "It's a big deal, isn't it?" Chase muses between chomps of buttered popc
The Consumed Series The Swing, Part 2
"What are you doing out here?" I ask. How long has he been out here? Blush gathers in my cheeks at the thought of him hearing the things I said about him. About us."Hiding from Darryl." Seth lowers his hands and straightens. The way he holds himself with such confidence is breathtaking. "Saving you from your asshole ex. Again." I sigh and turn toward the swing. I sit down on it and pat the space beside me. Seth looks up at the worn branch while shrugging out of his jacket. "That's not going to hold me." I glance up, then at Seth. If he weighs every bit of the two-hundred pounds Chase claims he does, then I suppose it won't. I shift into the middle of the plank as Seth steps forward and drapes his jacket over my shoulders. The fabric envelops me and I melt into its warmth, into its crisp citrus and sandalwood scents. "I saw him follow you out here," Seth says, rolling up the sleeves of his fitted, black formal shirt. Each twist of the fabric reveals an inch of, perfect ropy muscle
The Consumed Series The Swing, Part 1
After the funeral, Mom invites over as many people as she can fit into her home for refreshments. They come in droves and I'm too tired to entertain, but I do it anyway. I accept condolences and hugs with grace and enthusiasm and I mingle with relatives I haven't seen since I was a child, relatives who live on the other side of the country. I keep Seth in my peripheral the whole time, wanting nothing more than to be spending this time with him since he flew all this way on the eve of his championship match. I want his touch, his comfort, and maybe that's selfish, but after the day I've had...I just want to be coddled. Chase keeps Seth out of my reach and insists on interrogating him under the guise of friendly conversation. I've tried to save him, but I can barely move a foot before I'm swept up by someone else. I wonder if Seth thinks I'm avoiding him, or can he feel my aura pining for his? Can he feel every cell in my being pushing against my skin, willing me in his direction? I hop
The Consumed Series The Funeral
Funerals happen a lot quicker than I imagined they would. This is the first time I've been at the helm of planning one and I didn't realize I'd be expected to make sensible and coherent decisions while drowning in an ocean of grief. I thought I'd have more time to come to terms with the fact my father has passed. I thought I'd wake up from this nightmare by now.To make matters worse, Seth is in Vegas. His schedule didn't allow a trip back to Portland for Dad's funeral. He demanded the MMAC approve his request for a twenty-four-hour leave, but they declined it because Dad wasn't immediate family. The championship fight is tomorrow night and it's a risk they can't take. And I get it. It just sucks. He's been so busy we've barely spoken. He calls me after midnight every night, but we fall asleep before the conversation goes anywhere. I miss him."Shit," I swear as the zipper of my dress eludes me for the millionth time.It sits between my shoulder blades, where I can't reach, taunting me
The Consumed Series The Breakdown
We pull up outside my parents' home and I cast my gaze over the property. It looks exactly as it did when I left Portland and I don't know why that surprises me. I don't know why I expected it to be any different. The glow of the sitting room light filters through the cracks in the curtains and I suck air deep into my lungs. Mom's awake.Dad's truck sits in the drive and sticks me like a knife in the heart. I glance at Selena who's looking at it too. She clears her throat, casting her attention to the road."Should I come with?"I nod, not wanting to be left alone with the tornado of emotion undoubtedly waiting for me on the other side of the front door. "Yeah, come with me."We exit the car and make our way to the front porch, Selena dragging my suitcase behind us. My palms grow clammy with every step, my heart racing. What's waiting for me inside? I grab Selena's hand and thread my fingers through hers. She wraps her arm across her body and holds the inside of my elbow. I lean on her
The Consumed Series The Declaration
I lie on the bed for a while, thinking about my brother, Chase. Does he even know? Will he have time to attend his father's funeral? I think about it for hours, it feels like. In and out of focus, of exhaustion, of grief, I remain on the bed, my mind too tired to process whether or not I've slept. I must have because the next voice I hear zipping up the stairs is female."Where is she?" Shoes hit the stairs and I shoot up in bed as Selena tears through the door, her pretty face displaying every thread of grief she feels. "Olivia?"Seeing her brings memories flooding back and I burst into tears all over again. Selena rushes over to the bed and climbs on, drawing me into her hoodie-clad arms. We fall against the mattress, our limbs intertwined."I can't believe it." She sniffles, her chest vibrating as she combs her fingers through my hair. "I can't believe it, O.""He's gone," I sob. "And I don't know what I'm supposed to do.""You'll know once you get home." She holds me for a while lo
