Trials Of A Heart | ✔️

53

~Brielle's POV~

After school, Phoenix and I decided to go to his house, or more like I insisted and pleaded that we go to his house because I felt like I never had enough time to head to his house and just relax in his bed. I wanted to be in a place that was him, and where better than his bedroom?

And thankfully, Phoenix gave in after I pleaded, a smile of amusement on his handsome face. So now he was parked in front of his big, beautiful house and I was filled with content. I loved his house, his bedroom, but most of all, I loved his bed. It was large and comfy and smelled of him, and being in his bed meant he was there with me, holding me.

My eyes flicked over to Phoenix as we got out of his car, a little giggle slipping from my lips when he slung a muscular arm over my shoulders and pulled me into his side. "You spending the night with me?" He wondered, to which I nodded my head eagerly and nuzzled into his side as we reached the front door and he began to unlock it with the keys from his pocket. "Don't you already know the answer to that question?" I teased, giggling softly as a giddy smile sat on my face. "I always want to spend the night with you." I told him simply, reluctantly letting go of him when he gestured for me to head inside first. The second I slipped by, I felt a harsh smack on my butt that made me squeal, glancing over my shoulder at him with surprise. Of course, Phoenix just smirked and slammed the front door shut behind us, locking it without even looking away from me.

"Oh, do you, now?" He teased, tossing his keys onto the table when he backed me into the living room. I felt his arms suddenly slither around my waist out of nowhere, and then he suddenly tugged me right into his firm chest, my breasts smushing against his pecs. "I'm sure I could think of something fun we could do, then. Though, I doubt you don't already know what it is." He hummed, and I flushed when I felt the hard bulge at my belly. I giggled like a moron, something I seemed to do more during situations like this, and swatted at his arm. "N-No way." I scolded him, biting on my lip. "I did not come here for sex." I said, watching as he pouted and ran his left hand down my back until he squeezed a large handful of my butt.

"Yeah, you're saying that for now." He chuckled, playfully smacking my butt when he pulled away from the embrace. "C'mon. We can go cuddle. Maybe I'll order some pizza, too, and we can watch movies." He suggested as he gripped my hand and began to lead me up the stairs to his room. The second he opened his bedroom door, I immediately was wafted in the face with Phoenix's scent of fruity red apples and cinnamon. It was certainly a comforting smell that I had grown to love.

I kicked off my shoes and practically leapt into the comfort of his bed, laughing when he came barreling in on top of me, crushing me into his bed. He cuddled into my side and I grinned like a fool as I felt him kissing along my jaw and my neck, peppering me with soft pecks. "Don't you have pizzas to be ordering?" I teased, flipping over onto my back to look up at him.

Our eyes connected and he chuckled as he peered down at me with pretty brown eyes, raising a dark brow. "Someone's gotten rather bossy lately, I see." He teased, brushing a strand of my pink hair out of my face. I laughed and looped my arms around his neck, my heart pounding due to how close we were. "You were the one who mentioned getting pizza." I retorted, pouting playfully. "What kind of person mentions ordering pizza and then doesn't?" I hummed, shooting him a look. It obviously wasn't actually a bad look, not at all. He knew I was only messing around.

He snorted and then rolled out of bed, rising to his impressive height as he dug his phone out of the pocket of his pants and peered down at me. "What kind do you want?" He asked, as he always did. I usually always ordered the same thing, but I decided to do something just a little different. "That all meats on top one." I decided, and he chuckled, nodding his head as he left the room to go place the order downstairs.

While he was gone, I stripped out of my clothes, including my bra, and hurried into Phoenix's closet until I found one of his big shirts hanging on a hanger. I yanked it off and smiled, slipping the soft fabric on over my head until it fell to my mid-thigh, though the sleeves were so big that it reached over my elbows. Still, the scent of him on it and the softness of the fabric made it feel beyond comfortable. I smiled and ran out of the closet, climbing back into bed just as he came walking back into the room as I slipped beneath the covers. His eyes caught mine and he raised a brow, letting his full lips twitch up as he stared at me. "Did you change into my shirt?" He asked, chuckling.

I grinned sheepishly and pulled up the blankets. "Maybe." I said, though it was obvious that I had. He chuckled and came and joined me in bed after he stripped down into nothing but his boxers and then slipped on a pair of sweatpants, leaving his delicious looking chest on display.

When he plopped into bed with me, I cuddled up into his side immediately, slipping my leg between his so they were tangled. I glanced down at his knuckles when he grabbed my hand, noticing that they were still bruised and a little scabbed, and couldn't help but to frown to myself at the sight. He must've noticed me staring because he rubbed his thumb on the back of my palm. "What's wrong?" He asked softly, causing me to tilt my head up to look up at him.

Biting on the inside of my lip, I held his hand a little tighter and leaned my chin into his chest. "I was just looking at your knuckles. They're still all bruised." I told him, and he sighed, glancing down at our interlocked hands with a slight frown on his handsome face. "You really weren't joking when you told me you don't like violence." He said, chuckling softly. I shook my head, reaching up to gently cup his sharp jaw and make him meet my gaze again. "I-I'm not mad about that fight you got in, you know. Yeah, I don't like violence, but...I find it sweet that you're willing to protect me, even when it's just from some guy talking smack in a locker room." I told him honestly, unable to help myself from smiling.

Phoenix frowned. "And my boxing?" He murmured. "Could you ever really accept that side of me, Ellie? Do you really think there will be a day where you won't be bothered by what I do?" He asked, and I paused, biting on my lip.

I cocked my head to the side slightly. "Y-Yes, or I can at least try to stop being so paranoid and nervous about it. I know you're not violent, and I know you'd never hurt me." I told him with confidence, sending him a smile. "But to be honest, I don't think I could go to one of those matches again, or definitely not often. That atmosphere just makes me anxious." I admitted softly, pulling the blankets up over the two of us a little bit more. I'd been hoping that he would be okay with my response, but he frowned still. "Ellie... I don't want to do something that makes you upset, in any way." He murmured. "Maybe I should just give it up." He mumbled in thought, causing my eyes to bug widely in surprise.

"What?" I gasped, sitting up onto my elbow to look down at him. "Why on earth would you do that? You love boxing!" I exclaimed, utterly baffled. He nodded his head in agreement. "I do." He affirmed simply. "But not more than I love you, and if boxing is something that could cause some sort of problem between us...then I'll just stop boxing. It's not worth losing you."

"No, Phoenix." I said simply, shaking my head as I looked at him. "I don't want you to do that. My intention was never to make you quit. I know you love it. Please don't quit just because of me." I pleaded, and he frowned, biting on the inside of his cheek. "But Ellie...How could I ever continue to do something that I know you don't like me doing?" He sighed. I smiled and wrapped my fingers around his, lifting his hand up until I kissed the bruises on his knuckles. "That's easy." I said softly. "Just don't get too hurt. And if you do get hurt, either let me help you or go to a doctor. I meant it when I said I wasn't going to be the reason you stop doing something you love and are passionate about." I told him simply, having nothing more to say on the matter.

After all, I knew what Phoenix did when we met. This had never been some sort of secret. I knew he was a boxer and I knew he had some type of enjoyment in it from the beginning. It just took me a while before I figured out exactly what type of enjoyment. It was passion. He was a man who loved a challenge, after all, and that what boxing was for him. "Besides," I said softly. "You love me. And what kind of woman would I be to stop you from doing something you love?"

"And who knows?" My voice was a whisper as I spoke. "Maybe I'll eventually warm up to it. After all, that's how I found you."