The Battle for Love

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Anika Kaid knew her brother was involved in something dangerous, but it wasn't until she stumbled in on it one night while out with some friends. Well, they were hardly what one would call friends, as they had all met up at a bar just a few blocks away and they kept talking about 'the fight' which she had assumed was something about boxing.

It wasn't until they arrived at an abandon warehouse where there were cars parked in a circle with their headlights on and two men entered the circle. No one needed to explain what was going to happen next as the crowd cheered them on. It seemed this was a regular occurrence and one of the fighters was talking to Anika's brother, Kareem. The man talking to Kareem was tall and muscular, lean with several scars on his back, seeing as how he wasn't wearing a shirt. It wasn't until the men entered the circle that Anika saw her brother, this time he was taking money and talking with others as he took the money, making bets.

The chanting of the crowd was getting louder until the men faced off and they started fighting. This was more of an underground MMA...no rules, no regulations. And the crowd was loving it.

Clinton Brody had all the makings of a true American golden boy during his teen years. By the time he was fifteen he had already grown to a six feet two inch height. Although he was quite the bean pole then, once he hit eighteen, he had put on enough weight that he had to cut in order to get down to 182. Which he did while he went on to win the state championship at that weight. It helped that his father had instilled such a hard work ethic and diverse fitness regimen for Clint at a very young age.

As a boy, the future state champion wrestler was started in gymnastics and karate at a very young age. Once he started growing out of those, he started to wrestle and go to Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo classes. Although he competed locally in those disciplines as well, by the time Clint hit that growth spurt at 15, he committed himself to wrestling. It paid off too, not just for the state title he won, but also to what came after. Every major wrestling college across the country tried to recruit him. Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota and all the others were out to get him. He ended up choosing Oklahoma, as their 197 wrestler was going into his last year. When his sophomore year started, experts were predicting Clint to win the job over a senior. He came up short, and proved the coaches who told him he should have tried for 184 right...or at least not wrong.

With another season on the bench in competition, Clint took to using substances here and there, raising suspicion among the coaching staff. He ended up getting busted for underage drinking and got suspended. Not too long after, Clint learned his father was killed by a drunk driver and that threw him off the rails, ironically. The coaches kicked him off of the team, but he did get a second chance.

Those who followed his high school career invited him to come train in a local MMA gym. His past with BJJ and judo helped him rocket past the other initiates who went to the gym. Not too long after, Clint knocked off the top light heavyweight in the gym and the trainers and managers thought they had a star on their hands. They may have had one too if they didn't all seek too much too soon. Within a few years Clint had flushed out of the legitimate pro MMA circuit, getting close but never to a UFC card.

Over the last several years, Clint endured the whispers and rumors among people at the semi-pro submission grappling tournaments as well as other pursuits. Even though he would win most of those he entered, the prize money was low. It was nice to win, but none were high profile enough to get someone to take a chance on him. He was damaged goods to the legitimate MMA world.

That is why he found himself in that warehouse for the third time, 2-0 in the circle of cars. That night he was in the first fight on the card, and wanted to get it over as soon as possible. His first two fights had been relatively boring bouts. He toyed with both of those fighters, being extremely defensive, taking barely any damage while recording enough pitter-patter strikes and kicks to show his dominance. Once the fighters started to get desperate he'd take them down, hit a punch hard enough while the guy was on the ground to get him to quit defending. Once that happened, Clint didn't give in to the blood-lust of the crowd, but did win decisively.

However, Clint knew he had to win the crowd over, and he came in that night with a different mindset. He knew he would win, so that wasn't an issue. This night he knew he had to entertain somehow, or else that creep promoter Kareem probably wouldn't book him again.

As Clint and his opponent, roughly ten pounds lighter than his limit 205, were told to fight the crowd seemed bored and silent. The opponent came out and tried a few kicks, being defended easily by Clint, essentially how he started his last fights. He noticed people in the crowd turn to talk to each other rather than watch. Clint knew he had to do something. He took an idiotic lunging punch at the opponent who countered it easily with a big body blow. Clint then attempted a takedown that allowed his opponent to try and put on a choke. He reversed, tossing his opponent to the ground with a judo throw. As Clint weakly attempted a mount he noticed the crowd volume growing, people yelling at them, watching. Clint allowed his opponent to escape the ground and return to his feet. He then dodged a few big blows but allowed himself to get tagged lightly. Clint landed a couple of shin kicks and then a large spinning elbow, dazing his opponent. Seeing stars, his opponent lunge for a few punches. Finally, Clint snatched his arm and jumped a little, taking the arm between his legs and going to his back. With the arm between his legs and now on his back, Clint grabbed the back of the opponent's head and held it tight to his lower leg, choking the guy. After about fifteen seconds, the guy tapped out.

Clint stood to cheers, he looked down at the guy and felt bad for him. He was barely trained and just trying to score money and he had to go up against a champion. He then looked at the crowd and they cheered more, then they exploded once he raised both fists in the air over his head. He walked out of the ring of cars and went to the makeshift locker room in the back. There was no shower, so Clint wiped down with a towel and applied deodorant, before re-emerging to the arena wearing a shirt and jeans, a gym bag around his shoulders. He watched a little of the fighters in the ring and then looked over at Kareem, waiting silently for his pay.

Despite the fight being as barbaric as it could be, Anika couldn't help but be drawn into it. Although she didn't cheer outright, she couldn't help but feel for the guy that lost. She shook her head and watched afterward as Kareem started to collect even more money and pay out some to others. He looked pretty pleased with himself and was answering questions being shouted at him.

Anika waited until the crowd thinned out a little as she made her way to find Kareem and see what the hell was going on!

Since she had just come from a club and being in her club attire, Anika was attracting attention of several men but she paid them no mind as she spotted her brother heading over to someone standing off away from the crowd.

“Kareem!” She called out, first not too loud but he was either ignoring her or didn't hear her so she called out to him again, “KAREEM!!” She walked as fast as her heels could take her with out falling and possibly killing herself.

She reached him just as he reached the other man and she stepped in between her brother and the other man, “Kareem! Did you not hear me call you?! What is all this?!”

Her brother's look when he saw his sister was of complete surprise and grabbed her by her shoulders, “Anika? What are doing here? I am working! No please move!” He tried to push his sister out of the way but she held her ground when she finally took notice of the man behind her.

Turning quickly to the other man, Anika quickly told the man, “I'm sorry, I need to speak with my brother!” She said and in turn, grabbed her older brother by the front of his shirt and pulled him with her off to the side, “What is going on here Kareem?! Do you know that what you are doing here is illegal?!”

“Anika! Do not proceed to tell what to do. You know nothing of this tonight! You—how did you end up here anyway?!”

“Do not turn this back on me Kareem, I want you to answer me! What are you doing here? It these people and taking their money?!” She waved her hands around, clearly upset, “This is completely insane!” This was her older brother after all, someone she had looked up to. Someone who had told their parents that he was here earning an education, just as she was trying to also. This wasn't something anyone in their family would approve of.

Having enough of his younger sister embarrassing him, Kareem grabbed Anika and hissed, “We will talk about this later Anika! Now go before I have someone drag you back to your apartment by your hair and lock you there! What I do here is none of your concern!”

“But, Kar--”

Raising his hand, Kareem had had enough and backhanded his sister, “I said go!”

Anika wasn't too shaken as she just stood there before looking at her brother and glaring at him, “This is not over Kareem.” She said as she turned and walked off.

Walking past those she didn't know, Anika didn't pay attention to their stares as she made her way down the stairs of the empty lot and to the street. What the hell was going on here and what had her brother gotten himself into?!

Clint waited as the crowd dissipated. Usually Kareem would pay him as quickly as possible to shove him out the door. It made sense from Kareem's side, or so Clint thought. The more of the illegal activity Clint was around the more he could tell a sports reporter for an expose or something like that. However, tonight was different, and Clint couldn't quite put his finger on it. It could have been that he actually delivered a crowd pleasing fight this time, or maybe it was the small commotion he witnessed from afar with the woman who approached Kareem. Whatever it was, it all came down to him staying around a little too late for his liking.

Sooner than Clint thought he was called over to Kareem. Their face to face was tense as usual, Clint able to glean rather easily that Kareem didn't like him. It was probably because Clint had put up with Kareems before. So now he wasn't going to let a guy like that get inside of his head again, not if he had control over the matter. Kareem gave Clint a backhanded compliment while his prized fighter stood behind him trying to intimidate Clint. He wasn't intimidated though, he knew one one he had more than a great shot to snap his arm. Once Kareem paid Clint his money, he tucked it in his wallet and threw it in his gym bag.

The winner of the first fight walked out to the less than well lit parking lot and walked down the street and opened the trunk of his car, throwing his gym bag in it. As the lights flashed when he unlocked the car he saw a silhouette of a woman in the street. He looked around in the dark and didn't see anyone in her vicinity. Clint didn't want to scare her so he kept his distance. He didn't know what to say, but thought saying something would be better than nothing.

"Hey!" he called out. "Do you need to call someone to pick you up? Like a friend or a cab?"

Anika had been waiting for about ten minutes and still couldn't get a signal on her phone. She was beyond frustrated with everything tonight. First the fight, then Kareem, and now, her phone.

She probably could have gone back in and waited for Kareem and have him take her home but her pride stood in her way. Well, that and get anger with him. Anger for putting himself in danger the way he was. But then again, that was his way, ever since they were children.

Anika sighed, resigned to her fate that she would have to find her brother, apologize then ask for a ride home.

"Hey! Do you need to call someone to pick you up? Like a friend or a cab?"

Gasping in surprise, Anika turned quickly toward the voice and tried to hide her surprise as she saw someone from afar, "Oh no, I'm OK, thank you." She said and turned away but something made her do a double take and she turned back to the man before walking toward him, "Wait, you were the one fighting in there right?" She asked as she stopped a few feet away from him. Hearing him confirm it, Anika continued, "ahh, well, I can't get a signal on my phone....do you have one I could borrow to call a cab?" She have him a nervous but friendly smile.

As the woman approached him, Clint breathed a sigh of relief inside. Calling out to a woman on a dark street in a strange place is usually not a signal that one is helping, even if that person truly did want to help that woman. As she approached him he looked into her eyes as she asked if he had been fighting inside the warehouse. He nodded trying to catch the color of her eyes in the darkness. It was tough to discern the shade of brown, but the rest of her features were quite striking.

She rambled a bit when asking for the phone which made Clint smile a little bit. Humored by the fact that just a minute earlier he had offered the exact same thing she had struggled to try and find the words of which to ask. Clint had yet to check his phone since before his fight. It had remained in the jeans he replaced with his trunks when he had arrived at the warehouse, and during the fight it had remained in the front pocket of the jeans in the gym bag. He didn't even pull the phone out of the pocket when he went to put his jeans back on, but he reached into his front pocket and handed her the long black rectangle.

"There you are," he smiled faintly as he put his hands in his pockets and absent mindedly surveyed the dark are, "the name's Clint, by the way."

When he offered her his phone, Anika was a little more comfortable with him as he smiled back and told her his name, "the name's Clint, by the way."

She took the phone and nodded, still not breaking eye contact, "I'm Anika," she said and gave him another smile before it disappeared when she looked at the phone.

Holding it up and giving it back to him, she sighed, "No signal either. I swear, is this place even on the map?" she said, not really expecting an answer. "Thanks, but I guess--"

She didn't want to stay around and wait for someone else or worse yet, have to go find her brother like she had thought about earlier. With a hard sigh, Anika pushed her pride aside and regarded Clint, "I hate to ask but if you could give me a lift to someplace where there's a public phone or at least until I can get a signal, I would appreciate it. And then from there, I can get a cab or the bus...I can pay you if you want."

"I can do that," Clint said as he unlocked the doors and got into the driver's seat. "And it's on the house."

The fighter smiled at the beautiful Anika as he drove away from the warehouse. He wasn't sure whether to bring up anything for conversation, and if he did, what the hell would they even talk about? He knew they had one thing in common. They both had been at that warehouse in the middle of the abandoned part of the city where illegal fights took place. What was even worse was that Clint was one of those fighters making illegal cash off of the violence. The underground fights were not something he was particularly proud of, he never even mentioned them to even people he considered friends at the gym or at his legitimate tournaments he participated in.

However, he was more curious as to why Anika had been in attendance. He thought about asking her, but the way she had looked alone on the street and then when she tried to use his phone, she had seemed embarrassed by her own presence in that location. He didn't want to push her, didn't want to make her feel any more of the shame he had read--or misread--emanating from her.

Once they drove further towards the familiar city proper, Clint heard his phone buzz in the cup holder, ending the silence in the car. It was a text and he turned to Anika.

"Your phone probably is working now," he said in a straightforward manner.

The ride was silent for a bit. Anika didn't know exactly what to talk about but surely she could come up with something.
Just as she was about to, Clint spoke, "Your phone probably is working now."

"Ohh, great, thank you," she said as she leaned up and pulled her phone out from her back pocket. Turning it on, she had some bars, finally. Then she realized the time, it was well after 2AM. "Wow, I didn't realize how late it was." She said, looking over at Clint as he drove, "Would it be possible to take me all the way home? I mean, I figure we're already headed that way." She said, hoping he would say yes.

After a few more minutes of silence, Anika couldn't take it anymore. She was a talker so she needed to talk. She was also the curious type. "So, tell me Clint, that fight back there. Do you do that all the time? I mean, put yourself in harms way with fighting? Surely that type of fighting isn't legal. Especially if my brother is involved, I'm sure." She said, trailing off, trying not to get upset over her and Kareem's heated conversation tonight.

As she checked the phone she commented on how late it was. Clint always knew around what time it was, especially at night. It probably came from his day--more like night--job as a bartender and bouncer. As 2 AM was late for most people, that was kind of his five o'clock. He was wide awake as he was driving this woman around, waiting for her to give him some sort of instruction where to drop her off for a friend or a cab. Then she asked him whether he could just bring her home. He was still wide awake and said sure.

Then Anika started to ask questions, something Clint thought the better of. He heard her first questions and then formulated an answer in his head while not paying attention to the rest of what she had to say. He didn't know how to succinctly and honestly answer the question. He fought all the time, because fighting was in his blood. He was a man born on the mat, and he grappled in local tournaments giving up shifts not just because he wanted to win, but because he was most at home there. He also wanted to tell her that he didn't put himself in harm's way when he fought for Kareem.

"I do it when asked, when I can," Clint decided to just give a generic and guarded answer. "The extra money helps."

Then he finally remembered the other part of what she had to say. It wasn't legal, her brother being involved. He turned to her at a red light and shook his head.

"Your brother is involved?" he asked as he gestured for a left turn prompting her to nod. He drew close to her place.

She shook her head at his cryptic response, "2 blocks up, then take a right, 3425 Hollington Penthouses," she said before they hit the red light, "Extra money?" She repeated.

Finally, they were looking at each other when he asked about Kareem. Anika nodded, "Yes, unfortunately for the moment. I tried to confront him after the fight but a lot of good that did. This is the first time I've seen him in that sort of environment." She sat back, crossing her arms under breasts, huffing, "I don't understand why he wants to pretend to be tough."

But it crossed Anika's mind, what did she know about her brother? They hardly spoke and when they did, it was always in passing either at clubs or in social circles.

They finally reached her place and Anika looked at Clint, "Thank you for this. I truly appreciate it." She opened the door but before she got out, she turned to face Clint, "Do you want to come up for a while? I can get you a drink or something to eat perhaps? My way of saying thank you."

As Clint pulled up to park she asked about the extra money. Given the building they were pulling up to and the way she was dressed, Clint guessed that she was a woman who didn't have to deal with ways to get some extra scratch. So he wasn't exactly sure how to explain his situation in a short way so he decided to just be vague.

"Every little bit helps, you know," he said stoically as he found a place to drop her off.

"Do you want to come up for a while? I can get you a drink or something to eat perhaps? My way of saying thank you."

Clint was very surprised but didn't show it. He could tell this girl was sort of distraught, not really knowing who her scum bag of a brother was and witnessing a bloodsport for cash that most people would assume only exists in movies. He had gone home or taken home women after fights and torunaments before, but this was different. She didn't seem like the typical rat that would hang out at such event The biggest difference between her and the others is that Clint had never done anything with a family member of the boss to cross him. He hated Kareem, so even if nothing happened, Clint liked the idea of needling the guy.

Clint nodded and they made it up to Anika's place.

"I hope the smell doesn't bother you," he said apologetically, "your brother's warehouse doesn't have a shower."

The ride up the elevator was silent but not the uncomfortable silence, just the norm...if there was such a thing. Anika exited first when they reached her floor, 36 of 40. She tossed her phone on the table near the entry way and removed her jacket, throwing it on a chair at the entry of the living area.

Anika laughed lightly and shook her head, "No, you're fine...did you need to shower?" she pointed to the hall, "You're welcome to use the guest bathroom down the hall, to the right. I mean, if you want." she said, realizing that perhaps she was a little bit too hospitable. But it was in her nature, where her brother may have seemed cruel, Anika was always kind and willing to help out when she could.

"And, while you do that, I can make us something to eat...that is, if you're hungry?" She asked.

Clint couldn't believe how accommodating Anika was being. It was a far cry from the way he was treated by her brother at the fights. She offered him an opportunity to use the shower in the guest bathroom. He also couldn't believe an apartment had a guest bathroom. However, if this place was an apartment, he wasn't so sure that the one bedroom shit hole he lived in could even be called the same. Regardless, he longed for a shower.

"You sure you don't mind?" he asked quietly and she nodded.

As he walked off to the bathroom unzipping his hoodie he heard her ask if there was anything she could make. He could eat, but didn't want to put her out. Again though, if she was offering he wouldn't turn it down.

"Anything is fine," he said as he walked down the hall.

He was astounded by how nice the bathroom was. He stripped off his jeans and boxer-briefs as he turned the hot water on. He stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash the sweat, blood, and violence off of his skin. He reveled in the luxury the beautiful sister provided that brother who made money off of him never did.

In no time, Anika had two huge sandwiches made up, one with ham and cheese, the other roast beef. It helped that she had a dinner party last night and there were plenty of left overs. She got out several bottles of water, as well as some bottles of soda. She set it all up on the large island in the middle of the kitchen.

With Clint still in the shower, Anika too the time to change into something less restricting, which was just an oversized red top and a pair of jeans.

As she was coming out of her bedroom, someone knocked on the door to her place. She frowned as she went to see who it was and when she opened the door, there stood her brother...and it was obvious he was drunk.

"Oh God, Kareem, what do you want? Here to get after me again for finding out what you've been doing in your spare time?" Anika asked as she moved away from the door with Kareem and some bigger guy with him following. "You know, when Mother and Daddy find out."

"And who's going to tell them Anika? You?"

"Now, why would I do that? I have nothing to gain from all this Kareem. You're digging your own grave and you made it clear earlier tonight, so just go away. I get it, I won't tell anyone. You live your life how you wish, just as I will." She had the door open and waited for him to leave.

"Ohhh Anika, this isn't over... no, I came here to reiterate what I told you earlier tonight. You saw nothing tonight and believe me, dear sister, I have no probably making sure you don't forget that."

Anika wasn't scared. But this was the first time she'd seen her brother like this. What the hell was he into?

The man with him, didn't say anything still.

Just then, the sound of the shower stopped. Both brother and sister locked eyes. Anika forgot about Clint in the shower and Kareem smiled like a snake. "Ohh, so, you have company little sister? Interesting...meet someone after tonight's little show?"

"Get out Kareem. You've said your peace."

"In a minute. I want to see who this person is that is visiting my little sister this late at night...or this early in the morning."

Clint stepped out of the shower, not knowing what towel to use, he grabbed the one that felt the driest and proceeded to wick the beads of cleanliness off of himself. Once he was dry he put his jeans back on and a clean t shirt he had in his hym bag. He felt good and refreshed, although a little uncomfortable being in this stranger's apartment, whom he had an odd tangential professional relationship with.

He stepped out of the bathroom and looked down the hall to see what he the worst thing that could have possibly happened. The promoter with his big heavy had decided to pay his sister a visit at the exact same time Clint had just decided to have been a nice guy and stupidly accept a gesture of hospitality. He though about slinking away, but it was no use. All six eyes by the door were on him.

"Kareem..." Anika said as she stepped in between her brother and Clint, "This isn't what it looks like. Clint just gave me a ride home." She hoped to calm her brother down before he started any of his shit.

"You were always a whore, weren't you Anika.." he laughed and looked at his sister before looking at Clint. He didn't have to say a word to him, the look in his eyes said it all, "You're right...this isn't the time or the place.." with that, he grabbed his sister's arm and shook her hard, "Bitch! You better not ruin this for me!" With that he let go roughly and looked at Clint once again, "And you...I'll see you later.." and the unspoken words of And you'll be sorry hung in the air and with that, he turned and left with his goon.

Anika just stood there and watched him leave while rubbing her arm. After he was gone, she turned to Clint, "I'm sorry about that. He never comes here..I don't know why he showed up tonight. He's been acting irrationally for a long time..." She sighed and headed to the kitchen after telling him, "Food's ready."

Clint was confused and dumbfounded as he stood in the kitchen with a drop of water falling from his still damp hair. The slime ball promoter turned out to be who Clint had always thought he was, but he had felt sorry that he had to see him prove it by calling his own sister a whore. The fighter looked at the sad and beautiful Anika trudge over to the meals she had prepared for them. He knew he couldn't just let the harshness of the previous scene hang in the air like it was.

The winner of the night's first match at that old warehouse walked over to Anika and calmly rubbed her back as he leaned down and spoke softly to her.

"Anika, I'm sorry," he said trying to comfort her, "are you okay? Are you safe here?"

Although she tried to act like nothing happened. Anika gave Clint a small smile when she felt him touch her. She turned and was face to face with him and could only manage a nod. It took a few extra seconds as she cleared her throat and took a deep breath, "It's fine. It's just Kareem being himself. We never did get along, even as children."

"And yes, I'm safe. He would be stupid to do anything to me, but I am worried about you." She said, lifting a hand and gently running it along the side of his face, "I messed up tonight. I should have walked away when I first realized you were the fighting for him."

"No," Clint said stoically as he firmly grasped the slender wrist of Anika's hand she was using to caress his face.

The fighter pulled her in close to himself, their bodies touching as he held her wrist strongly in his tight grasp. His strength, one of the attributes of himself he uses so well on the mat, was on full display as he held her. His steely eyes were locked with her beautiful brown doe eyes as their bodies touched in the silence of the kitchen of the penthouse apartment. It was as if the incident with Kareem hadn't happened, like anything outside of that apartment didn't matter. In that moment it was just those two and nothing else. Clint leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I think this was supposed to happen, Anika," he said confidently. "Whether I'm in danger or not, I'll fight my way out of it. I always do."

The silence lasted a few more seconds before she leaned in and kissed him fully on the lips. He held her but didn't hurt her. Not like her brother had earlier.

She didn't like the fact that he said he would fight his way out it. How could someone be so comfortable with fighting? With hurting others. And for what? Money? Fame? She pushed those thoughts out of her head as their kiss deepened.

Breaking the kiss after a few more seconds, Anika was breathless as she told him, "I think this was supposed to happen too.." Their lips met again.

As Anika returned the affection to Clint, he let go of her wrist and wrapped his arms around her. One hand was on her hips as the other caressed her back. The tools he used to make men tap were now being used as softly as possible. He savored the sweetness of Anika's lips, a sweetness he had never tasted before. He finally pulled back to look at her in the dimness of the apartment around the witching hour.

Clint could feel his cock harden in his jeans while looking at the beautiful and soft Anika. She had been in the tight dress earlier when he offered her help on the street, and now she was clad in comfort clothes. It didn't matter to the fighter, she was beautiful in whatever she had on, and as he looked at her, he was hoping soon it would be nothing.

He smiled at her as he placed a hand on her stomach and kissed her quickly once again.Then he looked at her and smiled as he gently squeezed her breast through her t shirt. As he touched her, Clint leaned in and kissed her again.

Anika moaned in Clint's mouth as they kissed and her own arms wrappred around his shoulders and neck. She let a hand play in his damp hair as the other gripped his neck. She felt herself back up against the counter and that made their bodies press harder against each other.

When the kiss broke again, Anika gasped, both from being out of breath and from his hand on her breast. Her nipples hardened instantly against his touch as her hand tangled in his hair, gripping it. She let her other hand run down his shoulder and then against his side, her nails burning against the fabric of his shirt until she could move her hand under the material and finally touch his skin.

She felt a desire not long since felt as she yearned for more, waiting to feel his skin against hers.

As Clint felt her hand reach under his shirt and feel toned skin, he broke their kiss. He stepped away from her and took his shirt off revealing the athletic and ripped body she had seen earlier in the night. The difference now was that the body built to beat other men wasn't being employed in that fashion, but rather to be part of something used for something far more pleasurable.

He approached her slowly, shirtless loose jeans due to no belt being used. Clint usually didn't pack his bag completely when he went to fight, he'd miss some odds and ends. He doesn't always forget a belt, but that night it's exactly what he forgot. No matter, his poor packing skills were the last thing on his mind as he could feel those beltless pants tighten a bit as the beautiful Anika aroused him.

Clint took the woman's wrist and rested her hand on his defined abs and looked at her with his steely eyes.

"Here," he asked quietly, "or in the bedroom?"

God, he was so well built and seemed perfect that Anika ran her hands over his chest and stomach. When he asked about here or in the bedroom, she knew exactly what he was saying.

Anika didn't answer as she led Clint toward her bedroom, his hand still enclosed around her wrist.

Her bedroom was her get away from life's stress and so it was the one place she took pride in decorating. In the middle of the room was her california king bed, covered with plush covers and pillows in dark green, embellished with gold. The lighting was dim and her dresser was mirrored and the carpet was also in gold.

She kissed Clint as they stopped near the bed. Anika then sat down on the bed while still kissing him and then pulled him down on top of her. Her hands continued to run up and down the sides of his abdomen, kissing him deeper.