Page 52 of Sucker Punch Drunk Love

“Well, you didn't give me a chance to decide for myself, mama. So, at this point, we’ll never know.”

“You just don't get it.”

“What, Sierra? What don't I get?”

“Everything that I do, I'm held accountable for. Every mistake I make. Every ounce of grace I'mnevergiven, all hit harder because I'm not a man. If I were a single dad, no one would think twice about me fighting. But just because I have a kid, people, society, even my ex's family holds me more accountable than they’ll ever hold him. I'm surviving in a world that was never carved for me. If that meant taking any advantage I could, I was going to reach for it. I literally had nothing to lose coming to Jersey. But I came here because I knew you could make me unforgettable.”

“But you just said we were a sinking ship. How do you think that makesmefeel? I'm busting my ass for you! Advocating for you. If I can't count on you to be straight with me, why should I trust you? This dynamic's fucking new for me. I'm learning through trial and error how to navigate everything, and you didn't even trust me.”

“Josue, I don't seeusas a sinking ship. I just wantedsomebodyto see me different. Believe it or not, I value your opinion. I don't think my self-esteem would have recovered if you saw me as damaged goods who couldn't keep her legs closed. I just wanted you to see me in a way no one else saw me,” she bewailed, promptly breaking into tears.

“Medina—Medina, are you going to stop crying or what?” I asked, annoyed, but didn’t tell her to stop because she needed to get this all out. “Come here,” I held out my arms. “Ven aca?*,” I consoled.

“Sierra, I see you the way they see you in that cage. I've had the pleasure of seeing you in a way I shouldn't have allowed myself to, but I see you.I see you. Now stop with the waterworks. My opinion don't hold that much,” I chastised, running my fingers along her locs, as I kissed the top of her forehead.

“But it does matter. I don't care what other people are saying. I only care what you think.”

“Mami, that's good in theory, but yougottalet me help you when stuff like this happens. One of my frustrations training you, is the outside static that don't got shit to do with fighting. I didn't deal with shit like this in my prime, but mama, you have to make themlikeyou. And you're good at making people like you, because you're so damn cute. You wonmeover. But whatever I don't know, that theyknow, could hurt you.”

“I wasn't lying at first,” Sierra admitted, sitting on the bed as she dried off her cheeks. “I don't have legal custody of my daughter, but she's with family, so we could stay out the courts. I figured if I won enough fights, I could afford to give her more, and it'd be like I never hid it. I wasn'ttryingto hide my daughter. It's just I don't have the ideal situation to care for her, and you've been so vocal about your preference of not having kids, it didn't seem helpful or useful to bring her up in casual conversation.”

“Sierra, I don't have kids because I'm fuckedup! You think I want to bring kids into this world after what I’ve been through? You don't have to tell me the world doesn't give you a break because my own mother didn't catch a break. Even in death. You know how many families I got bounced around in? Having to listen to bullshit about what kind of woman she was? Why she didn't leave earlier? Probably didn't please her husband, and whether it was what made him snap? That she was fucking weak… The criticism never stopped. She couldn't even rest six feet under the ground without a stranger blaming her for what myfatherdid. And it's not fair because maybe my life would look different had it not have happened. But choices I make for myself have nothing to do with everyone else. People have kids, that's not the end of the world. A lot of people are raised by single mothers, it's an angle we could have worked with.”

“You're still willing to help me?” she whimpered.

“Why do you think I've been arguing with you for the past half hour in this seedy motel for?Of course, I'm helping you. You're my fighter. You've got heart. You have the brains. You've got talent, but what you don't got, is how to spot fucking vultures. Forget your situation for a minute. Look at what you're not seeing. Vega and me got unfinished business according to him. He’s never accepted that I never wanted to take him on that rematch, so he's baiting you. After I healed up, he called me out, and took it personally when I didn't respond.

But you're young. You're driven. You're on a streak. All he had to do was find a little information on you, and you were ready to call his bluff. If youwantto fight DaCosta, you've got to be smart. Not only do you have to win the crowd you've earnedback. You have to convince your haters to love you too. I won't agree to anything until I think you're ready, but I'm in it for the long run. Medina, you haven't gotten rid of me yet. Now get your bags…we're going home.”

* Come here

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Josue

“Mmm…” she moaned, my palms running up the length of her thigh as she recklessly rode my face. I hated to admit it, but the girl was spoiling me. Waking up to eating pussy was the perfect way to spend a morning, and I prayed that times like this would never end.

“Oh, fuck, papi, you're doing that sogood. I think I'm about to come,” she announced, as she leaned up to rest her hands against the headboard, and I reached up to fondle her breasts.

Fuck, this woman was so fucking sexy. I couldn't risk getting into any more fights with her ass. My daily dose of her made it too hard to quit.

“Yeah, that's right. Come for me, mami. Ride my fucking face like a puta sucia. Put that pussy in my face,” I demanded, lapping up every trace of her blissful release as she came on my face. Trembling, she climbed off, lying down next to me claiming exhaustion.

“Aww man, it's like I have no energy.” I laughed, bringing her legs to my shoulders as I teased her entrance.

“Nice try, but you said if I made you come, you'd let me stick the tip in.”

“Boy, it ain't never just a tip with you,” she argued, as we both moaned at my first stroke, her hands cradling my ass as she pulled me deeper.

“Mmm…what happened to you not having any energy? Now you want me all the way inside you?” I teased, my mouth meeting hers in a smothering kiss.

“Just shut up and fuck me,” she cried, as I bit my lip and leaned up to take her hips in my hand.

“Fuck that pussy's so fucking wet for me. You feel so fucking good, mami,” I groaned, driving into her with powerful force. The sound of our skin slapping and mutual moans had masked the drills of construction outside, and before long I was leaning back on top of her, ensuring that she felt every inch of me. “Oh, fuck, mami. Is this my pussy?”

“Yeah, baby. It's all yours,” she cried, the depth and closeness reeling me in all the way in.

"You gonna let me come in my pussy, mami?”