"Dakota, I swear to God," I heard Karson's loud voice as I ran away from him. My feet pounded against the concrete beneath me as my pulse pounded in my ears.

I could hear him running after me as an effortless smile crawled onto my face. I was breathing heavily as I almost made it to my house. All I could focus on was not tripping over my feet as they continued to slam against the hard ground under me.

I could see my house coming closer into view as I tried to pick up my pace. I felt my lungs clench inside of my chest, trying to take in as much oxygen as they could as I pushed them to its limits.

A small squeal immediately slipped off my tongue when I randomly felt broad arms circle around my waist. The breath was immediately knocked out of me as my body abruptly came to a stop. I was only a few feet away. I almost won.

"Gotcha," he whispered in my ear as it caused shivers to crawl down my spine. I huffed, stepping on his foot, causing him to release me as I turned on my heel.

"This is like the second time you've done this," I grunted, my voice annoyed even though it was evident that I was messing around. "I almost beat you, asshole!"

"Key word: almost," he smirked as I watched his chest rapidly rise up and down. We were both out of breath. Well, I was out of breath, he was just breathing heavily.

It has been a few days after my mother's sentence hearing, and my siblings and I have been thriving. The same police officer that visited us a few days ago came back yesterday, to check on us and ask how the sentence hearing went.

It was Friday, meaning that tomorrow was the fight against Karson and his father. I think I was more nervous than Karson, but he never showed how he was feeling about it. He seemed oddly calm, but I knew that he was trying to mentally prepare for tomorrow.

The past week, Karson had been training for his upcoming fight. Whenever he had time, he would be at the local gym, training and making sure he was fully prepared to fight against his father. After we all left court, and thanked Dawson, Karson took me to the gym he was training at to show me that I didn't have anything to worry about.

I knew he was a good fighter, but when I saw him on Tuesday, goddamn. He was brilliant. The way his feet effortlessly moved against the mat as he pounded his fists into the punching bag, made me realize he was more than good. Now I knew how he was able to make so much money for his father in the underground.

Even after school, I would come to the gym with him to make sure that he knew I wasn't going to step down. I was right by his side the entire time, and I wasn't going to let him go through with this alone. He knew that no matter how many times he said how dangerous it was going to be, I wouldn't budge. I would be next to the ring while he was in the ring beating his father.

Over the past few days, as I spent more time with him at the gym, we've gotten closer in so many ways I never would've imagined. When he would take breaks throughout his two hour long training session, we would talk about anything and everything. It made me realize how much I truly had fallen for him.

If someone told me a few months ago that I would've fallen hard for a certain green-eyed boy, I'd laugh in their face and say impossible. Little did I know that he would be the only person in my life that I trusted to tell him everything. As much as my future self would hate to admit it, we make a good fucking team.

As of right now, we were both standing in front of my house, out of breath as we just tried racing each other. Since it was Friday, I invited him over and of course, he bet that I wouldn't be able to beat him in a race even if I got a five second start. Me being me, I disagreed and said that wasn't even a challenge.

It was a challenge.

I was pushing myself to the limits while he made it look so easy. Although I almost made it to my house first, he easily caught up to me and decided it was a good idea to rub it in my face by grabbing me from behind and pulling me to a stop.

"Fuck you, Ryder," I huffed as I sarcastically crossed my arms over the other in defeat. I turned on my heel, walking away from him as I made my way to my front door.

I heard his feet pound against the concrete as he easily jogged to where I was, catching up to me before wrapping his arms around my waist from behind. I couldn't help but lean into his touch as his muscled front pressed up against my back. "Come on, princess."

I could just hear his sly smirk as his fingers brushed across the back of my neck as goosebumps surfaced against my skin. He leaned his head in the crook of my neck, lightly brushing my hair to one side as he trailed small kisses down my neck.

I sucked in a sharp breath, never getting used to the jolts of electricity that shot all throughout my body. Just one simple touch from him makes me forget about everything. His lips pressed gently against my neck as I bit my lips to suppress a small groan. Oh, the effect he has on me.

"Karson," I warned, even though my voice came out more like a breathless whisper. One of his hands wrapped around my throat, lightly squeezing as the other was gently placed against my abdomen.

"Yes?" He innocently asked as the warmth of his lips disappeared.

"If you don't let me go inside, I'm not going to the gym with you tonight," I stated as I tried to fight off the amusement lacing in between my words.

"You know I can't fight without my number one supporter," he quickly turned me around and I was met with a small frown. The glint of mischief told a different story than the way his lips were pulled down into a frown. His deep voice made my stomach flutter with an emotion that I had finally realized what it was.

I snorted as the frown was replaced with a small smirk. I quickly slipped through his hold and opened the front door to be welcomed with silence. I forgot that my siblings were both out with friends, so that meant we were alone.

He quickly followed behind me until we were both inside of my house as he closed the door behind him. Before I could even blink, he had me pressed up against the nearest wall. I felt the breath get knocked out of me as I was met with dangerously dark emerald eyes.

I could feel my heart pound inside of my ribcage, knowing deep down how much I wanted him to touch me. From the first moment his lips touched mine, I've wanted him to touch every part of my body. The way my body reacted towards him made it obvious that I wanted it. I wanted him.

Before he could say anything, my hand had a mind of its own and immediately started tracing his tense muscles through his shirt. He had one hand gripped tightly around my waist as the other was pressed up against the wall, right beside my head.

Just by my touch, his eyes darkened considerably. I watched his breathing get heavier as I lightly trailed my hand up his chest until I cupped his neck. I gripped the nape of his neck, pulling his head closer to mine as his lips twitched in impatience. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

I tugged on his neck until his lips were hovering directly over mine. I could feel his minty breath fan across my lips as his hand that wrapped around my waist possessively tightened. Our lips barely brushed against each other before I turned my head and brought my lips to his ear.

"Remember when you did this a few weeks ago?" I breathed into his ear as I pressed my legs together.

He gulped. "Yes."

"Doesn't feel good to be teased like that, huh?" I teased, my voice low. I could hear him suck in a sharp breath as I lightly smiled against his ear.

"Come on Dak, you're fucking killing me," he groaned, his voice deep as my stomach fluttered. That was the first time he had ever used my nickname and it sounded perfect rolling off his tongue.

"The thing is, Ryder," I continued, purposely teasing him as my other hand trailed back down his chest. "I'm not like you."

"What are you talking about, princess?" He breathed, his voice low as I met his eyes.

"I don't leave anyone hanging," I gave him a smile as my heart began to rapidly hammer in my chest. "I actually finish the job."

Before he could respond, I took control and immediately slammed my lips against his. He was surprised for a brief second before he realized what was happening and followed after my lead. I moved my lips roughly against his as he groaned in my mouth.

He pushed himself against me, closing the distance between us as our chests pressed against each other. I could feel myself fall as his soft lips continued to move against mine. The warmth coming from his lips and grip was overwhelming. I felt pure adrenaline coursing through my veins as a rush of confidence washed over me.

He pulled away, breathing heavily as I took the time to glance at his swollen lips. He was breathtakingly gorgeous. "You are doing way too many things to me, Dakota."

"In a good or bad way?" I smirked, my tone playful as our chests remained pressed against each other.

"I think you know the answer to that," he grumbled as his eyes never left my lips. I briefly let my tongue graze over my bottom lip before he quickly closed the distance between us once more.

This time, he was in control.

I could feel his teeth lightly pull on my bottom lip, causing me to groan inside of his mouth this time. I let his tongue roam inside of my mouth, his minty breath mixing with mine. I gripped his hair, raking my fingers through as my back arched into his touch.

He easily grabbed both of my legs and wrapped them around his waist. I squealed, not expecting the sudden movement as I felt him smile against my lips. Without realizing it, my back was off the wall and he was carrying me to the stairs.

I pulled away from him as my body felt hot all over. "What are you doing, Ryder?"

"Our first time is not going to be against a goddamn wall," he grunted as his eyes lit up in amusement. Both of my eyebrows shot up as he just chuckled in response. This was really going to happen.

He easily carried me up the stairs, slowly putting one foot in front of the other so he wouldn't drop me. My arms were wrapped around his neck while my thighs circled around his waist. He held the bottom of my thighs to keep me up until we were at the stop of the stairs.

I could feel my heart beat in my chest as a nervous flutter shot throughout my stomach. We kept laughing as he pretended to be out of breath from carrying me, even though I've seen him lift more at the gym. He led us to my room before lifting one of his hands off my thighs and closing the door.

An evil glint in his green eyes told me that he was ready. And so was I. I quickly closed the distance between us as slowly moved my lips against his. My eyes fluttered shut as our chests pressed together once more. He carefully released my thighs so I was standing on the floor as one hand easily trailed up my waist.

I felt him hold onto my waist, gently pushing me until I felt the outline of my bed on my calves. I gripped the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to me as he gently lay me down on my bed. We briefly broke away from each other to catch our ragged breaths before his body hovered over mine.

A small smile tugged at my lips as my body was fully against my bed. His body hovered over mine to the point where our chests weren't touching, but our legs were tangled together. He gently raised one of his hands as he tucked a strand behind my ear.

"You're so fucking beautiful, it hurts," he groaned as a small smile crawled its way onto his lips.

"You're so fucking hot, it hurts," I winked, keeping the same energy as I watched his jaw clench in desire.

He groaned, playfully rolling his eyes before he leaned in to smash his lips against mine. This kiss was more passionate, more gentle as we slowly moved against each other. I grabbed the nape of his neck to pull him closer to me as he was practically laying on top of me.

I tried pressing my legs together to keep the intense throbbing down, but he took notice of this and quickly grabbed underneath my legs and placed his cock in between my thighs. I could already feel how hard he was through our clothes and my clit painfully throbbed as I moaned into his mouth.

"Can I?" he murmured, pulling away as I quickly nodded my head. I lifted my arms up as he swiftly took my shirt off, only leaving me in my shorts and bra. I could feel his stare as his eyes took me in. "Beautiful."

His lips found the base of my neck, leaving a trail of kisses down my collarbone until he reached the top of my breast. I sucked in a sharp breath, squeezing my eyes shut in pleasure as his lips found the valley of my breast. I felt his finger trail down the center of my abdomen as he gingerly placed small kisses just above the seem of my bra.

I opened my eyes and caught his gaze looking up at me as I began to breathe heavily. I roughly grabbed his chin, pulling him up towards me as I trailed kisses along his sharp jawline. I heard him release a shaky breath as I smiled against his jaw.

I let my hands grab the hem of his shirt, quickly pulling it above his head as I took in all of his gorgeous tattoos. We were both breathing heavily as I trailed my finger down his chest, tracing a few tattoos before I reached his chiseled abdomen.

"Dakota," he groaned as his lips barely hovered against mine. I let my hands trail back up his bare chest until I ran my finger along his shape jawline. "I need to."

"Need to what?" I breathed, my voice hoarse as my core clenched.

"I need to touch you," he breathed, his voice rough as my breath hitched.

"What's stopping you?" I asked as I watched his lips morph into a smile.

He shook his head, his eyes filling with desire as he grabbed the waistband of my shorts. He swiftly slid them off in one motion, leaving me exposed as I was only left in my underwear. I felt slightly insecure because he was experienced, and I certainly wasn't.

"I'm not going to touch you if you don't want me to. If you aren't ready, I'll wait," he reassured as his fingers inched up to lightly rub against my clit through my underwear. I nodded my head, encouraging him. "Is this okay?"

"Yes," I breathed, my eyes squeezed shut as my back arched into his touch. I felt his fingers lightly push against my clit, gently rubbing as a breathy whimper escaped my mouth.

In a split second, the warmth of his fingers disappeared, making me frown until I realized he was pulling my underwear down. I grit my teeth, the cold air making goosebumps spread along my arms. I watched his eyes linger on my body as a small smile grazed his lips.

Before I could say anything, he moved further down the bed as he leaned his head down. My breath hitched when I felt his lips gently kiss above my clit, teasing me as it continued to throb even more. "Please."

"Whatever you say, princess," he rumbled, a breathy laugh escaping past his lips as he held both of my thighs with his hands, spreading them out. He placed a trail of kisses in between my thighs until he moved back up to my clit.

He quickly pressed his tongue against my center, causing my body to jerk in pleasure. I moaned as he released one of my thighs to lace his fingers between mine. He gently caressed my center with his tongue as a sensation began to build up in my core.

I focused on his hand in mine, his lips against my body, and just overall, him. I felt a rush of electricity jolt all throughout my body as a warm sensation grew in my stomach. His tongue continued to suck my clit, making me bite my lip to suppress all the moans that threatened to slip out.

His tongue kept teasing me as I felt myself about to release. He moved faster, tongue going deeper as I squirmed underneath his touch.

"Oh my god," I gasped, my legs jolting as a blissful orgasm erupted throughout my entire body. I was breathing heavily as I finally opened my eyes to see his breathtaking emerald eyes already on me. I was overwhelmed with pleasure, needing more. I needed more of him.

He wore a smirk as his tongue grazed over his lips before moving his body over mine. We both couldn't stop smiling. "I wish you understood how absolutely breathtaking you are. And not to mention, you taste so fucking good."

"That was amazing," I breathed as I felt his fingers gently caress my cheek. I felt my cheeks heat up at the last part of his sentence as my stomach fluttered with nerves.

"We're just getting started, princess," he smirked as he pressed his lips against mine. I could feel his fingers grab the back of my head, lightly pulling my head up as his hand tugged at my roots. I felt him readjust himself to where his erection was grinding against my bare center.

I let his lips devour mine as my hands reached down to unzip his jeans. He groaned into my mouth as he lifted his hips to let me slide his pants all the way down. Now, he was shirtless as he only wore a pair of boxers that showcased his large erection.

I quickly pulled him against me once more, missing the feeling of his lips against mine. The lower part of me was completely naked while my bra was the only piece of clothing left. Obviously, he took notice of that as he gently lifted my back up and unclasped my bra in one swift movement.

I sucked in a sharp breath when the cold air nipped at my skin, leaving me completely naked. I was vulnerable. He saw my body as it was the most precious thing in the world and I was more than comfortable with him. There wasn't anyone else I would want to do this with for my first time. He was perfect.

I could feel my nipples hardened as his eyes lingered on my bare breasts. He left tender kisses along my jaw until he trailed down my collarbone and at the top of my breast. I felt a wave of pleasure rush over me as he took one of my nipples in his mouth while his hand gently massaged my other breast.

His tongue flickered over the pebbled flesh, causing a moan to escape as my back arched into his touch. He gently sucked on my nipple before planting small kisses in the valley of my breast once more. He took my other nipple in his mouth, his tongue swirling against it as his other hand possessively gripped my waist.

"You're killing me, Ryder," I moaned, my eyes squeezed shut as my breaths came out short and ragged. I could feel him smile against my breast as he used his teeth to gently tug on my nipple before fully releasing it. "I need you. I need you so fucking badly."

"You do not know how long I've waited for you to say those words," he breathed, his eyes dangerously dark as he held my hips in place. I took control and aggressively slammed my lips against his, moving faster because I couldn't wait any longer.

He quickly pulled down his boxers, leaving both of us completely naked as our bodies were fully pressed against each other. I could feel him everywhere and just that thought alone made me groan into his mouth.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He hesitantly asked. "I don't want you to do anything you're not ready for."

"I'm ready, I promise," I reassured as I gave him a genuine smile. "I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else, okay?"