New tears leak from my eyes and I realize I’m becoming one hell of a cry baby. I can tell you how many times I’ve cried in the last year before Kyle came back in my life. Once when I slid through Gabe’s vomit in the hallway and broke my toe when I crashed into the door.
“I love you Kyle Cage.”
“I love you soon-to-be Mrs. Cage.” He places a kiss on my ring finger making my heart beat double time. “I don’t want to let you go, what if this isn’t real?”
“Aw, my baby Cage is back.” He growls making me giggle. “I’m not going anywhere Ky.”
“Thank fuck for that but it’ll be a little more difficult in a few days to get rid of me.” A boyish smile lights his face causing me to narrow my eyes at him.
“What do you mean by that?”
“A pact’s a pact.”
“Yeah…” I’m still confused.
“I turn 25 in two days.” He smiles as mine wipes from my face.
“No way Kyle! We’re not even engaged!”
“You see, I just knew you’d say that. That just proves I know you better than anyone else.” He jumps out of bed and runs out of the room and I can’t help but clock his ass the whole time it’s in view. It’s a damn fine ass!
He comes back into the room and jumps in bed with me. He doesn’t say or do anything for several minutes so I figure he just went to the bathroom. Kyle starts playing with my hand slowly tracing designs all over my hand and down each finger. Cold metal slides its way up my finger… the finger! My inner ten-year-old is doing the Macarena when I realize what’s going on.
“Kyle…” I whisper as he props himself up on his elbow.
“Sophie Frankel, I’ve loved you since you made me eat sand when we were five. And I’d like to add you were right, sand does work better than spinach.” He flexes his bicep and I cover my eyes with my hands unable to believe this moments happening.
“If two people were ever meant to be its us. It’s always been us Sophie.” He pulls my hands from my face. “You, me and Gabe, we’re a family. We belong under one roof so I can love you everyday never leaving a question about it. I want to wake up to you every morning and kiss Gabe goodnight before we make love and go to bed. I want to fill our house with children. I want to wake up for a midnight feeding and change shitty diapers.”
“You might want to rethink that one.” I laugh.
“No, I want all that and more. I want a life with you…” He looks nervous before taking my hand and bringing it to his lips. He kisses each finger before planting a final kiss on my ring. “I want to grow old with you. I want you to do my laundry and cook me dinner because I’m a badass MMA fighter.”
“How can I refuse that?” I laugh.
“Sophie, will you make my dream from when I was a hormonal teenage boy come to life? Will you become Mrs. Kyle Cage and live your life with me?”
I jump up and straddle his naked waist. “YES! I love you so much Kyle!” I stare down at the massive diamond on my finger and my hand starts to tremble. It’s gorgeous and of course a bit more extravagant than I would have picked but I absolutely love it! He knows me well. Simple and understated with a single stone but flashy enough for his liking.
“I love you too.” We make out for a few minutes before I feel his cock grow against my ass.
“Fuck, we don’t have time for another round. We have to get back to Gabe and go to the Cage family slumber party.” He starts tweaking a nipple between his fingers like he’d rather do anything but.
“You better stop that then!” I jump off the bed and run to my bureau to get dressed. When I turn around fully clothed I see he hasn’t moved so much as an inch.
“Let’s go! I have a house full of people to show my ring off to!”
He laughs and gets off the bed. Before he hunts down his clothes he walks over to me and cups my face in his hands.
“Are you happy babe?”
“I’m convinced there’s no one happier on the planet Earth right now.”
“Yes, there is… me.” He kisses my mouth then sets out to gather his clothes.
“Should I alert the press that Reckless has gone full-on poetic?”
“Fuck no!” He pokes his head back in the room. “Make no mistakes Soph, I’ll still fuck you up against this wall.” He growls.
“And Reckless is back ladies and gentleman!”
A short while later we’re in his car on our way back to Zander and Savvy’s. My hand is in his and nothing feels better. The ride is made in silence, nothing else needs to be said. We pull up the long driveway and Kyle cuts the engine.
“Soph, before we go in there.” He turns to face me. “What you did, with the birth certificate. I don’t even know what to say. Actually, I do. You made me look like a pussy in front of my brothers when I cried.” He laughs.
I place my hand on his stubbled cheek. “I really do have my Kyle back.” I whisper.
“Always.”
We get out of the car and head for the house. “I love this rugged man thing you have going on.” I gesture to his five o’clock shadow.
“This is what makes me rugged and manly?” He laughs. “Not the fights or my bulging muscles?”
“Well…”
“Or the huge dick in my pants?”
“Shhhh, someone will surely hear you with your family lurking around!”
“We all know I’m the biggest!” We hear and look to see Jay hovering at the front door.
“I wasn’t a part of the official measurements that went down.” Kyle challenges.
“Oh fuck, it’s on! Z get the tape measure!” Jay runs in the house like this is the most important thing in the world. Measuring their dicks. I freaking love this family.
After walking through the door we’re met with hugs and an overwhelming amount of congratulations.
“So this means you’re getting married right?” Gabe questions when we explain everything.
“Yes baby, is that okay with you?”
“I guess. Wait, that means we can live with Dad, right?” He stares at me with a serious face.
“We haven’t discussed it…”
“Yes, you’re going home with me tomorrow.” Kyle cuts me off.
“Thank god! It’s been a hard five years living without a pool.” He runs off to play with his cousins like his whole life isn’t about to change. Oh to be a kid again.
“You’ve created a monster. When he’s a big bad MMA fighter I expect you to check him.” I point my finger at Kyle.
“Of course.” But he looks worried probably contemplating his own MMA journey.
“Don’t worry. Even if he loses his way I’m sure he’ll always find his way back home.”
Kyle kisses me before he’s being pulled into another room with his brothers. I walk over and sit next to the girls and ask them what’s going on.
“They’re crazy, that’s what’s going on.” Ashlyn laughs. “Jay’s always prided himself on being the most well-hung Cage and it’s not something he takes lightly.”
“Yeah he never lets the other guys live down the extra .3 inches in his pants.” Savvy laughs.
I notice Georgie’s gone quiet and the girls start laughing.
“What? Those extra .3 inches make all the difference.” She winks at us and we all burst out laughing.
“Welcome to the Cage family.” Savvy says but adds, “Even though you’ve been in it a lot longer than I have.”
“At least we have someone else on our side now. Girls nights are going to be a blast now as long as Sophie doesn’t pass out behind the bar.”
“Or get vagina boated by a stripper.”
My face heats red. “Hey! That wasn’t my fault!”
A short while later all the guys leave the room straight faced. They’re not giving anything away until Kyle raises his hands in celebration and declaring that there’s a tie.
Georgie pats me on the shoulder. “See, you know what I’m talking about.”
I look back to my man and ogle the he
ll out of him.
I sure do!
EPILOGUE
Kyle
Watching my Mom walk down the aisle puts a smile on my face. Seeing her so happy amps up the feelings I’m experiencing.
“If you hurt her we’ll fuck you up.”
“If she’s ever unhappy we’ll rip your balls off.”
“If you ever make her cry I’ll knock you the hell out.”
As my Mom walks down the aisle us Cage boys have been throwing threats Billy’s way making him laugh. He turns back to us and gives us a nod.
“I’ll never cause that woman any pain but remember who trained you all.” He winks then resumes his position of watching his bride walk down the aisle.
“You never trained me…” I mumble and he makes a remark about losing my last fight. Point made.
My eyes leave my Mom and find my wife. That’s right, I said it. Wife. I couldn’t break our pact, that’s some serious bad luck. Two days after Christmas Sophie took pity on me and we got married down at the courthouse with our loved ones looking on. We went on a honeymoon the next day and conceived our little secret that’s brewing inside my woman. We’re expecting our next baby and I can’t wait to experience everything about this pregnancy with Sophie. We went to our first appointment last week and I wanted to shout it from the roof tops but Sophie didn’t want to upstage my Moms wedding so we decided to announce it when they get back from their honeymoon in two weeks.
The vows are beautiful but I can’t keep my eyes off of Sophie and Gabe. Gabe’s wearing a little suit and he keeps pulling on his clip-on tie like he’s been at the office all day. Finally, Sophie gives in and lets him take it off. That’s my boy, I wish I could take my fucking tie off now too.
“Can you believe this?” Zander asks.
I’m with my brothers out on the beach a few hours after my Mom and Billy said I do. We planned on meeting out here after everyone fell asleep.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“We’re all old bastards now.” He laughs. “Tied down and we almost have enough kids for a soccer team.”
“Well, there will be one more for that cause.” I take a swig of my beer trying to hide the smile on my lips.
“No fucking way man!” My brothers pass around some hugs and back pats along with their congratulations.
“You can count another one in on that as well.” Jay says making me laugh.
“Really, you finally gave in?” Josh asks.
“I’d give that woman anything she wants.”
“I think we all know that feeling too well.” I state.
“Well then I guess I should add…” Josh says but I cut him off.
“Hold the fuck up. If we’re all having kids Moms gonna have a fucking heart attack from too much excitement. We laugh and Zander looks a little sheepish as well.
“We’re hoping for another boy. Another girl…” He blows out some air from his mouth. “I need a boy to help Danny. Those girls are gonna be trouble.” He shrugs his shoulders.
“I can’t believe it; four more Cage kids are on the way?”
“Yup, like I said. Old bastards.”
We stand there for a while watching the waves crash down on the beach.
“What happens when our boys grow up and want to be MMA fighters like we were?” Z asks.
“Speak for yourself! I have my rematch in a few months.”
“Fuck, Gibby’s going down!” Jay declares and we all start goofing around in the sand throwing submission holds on each other and getting way too much sand in our eyes.
“Fuck, I can’t see!” Jay yells.
“Better get Mom!” Me, Z and Josh all yell in unison running off the beach leaving Jay swearing and trying to get the sand out of his eyes.
He eventually catches up to us and punches us all in the arm. “Assholes.” He mutters.
It may have been a long journey but I finally found my way back home. And that fact is reinforced when I walk back into our little cabana and find Gabe passed out taking up most of our bed and Sophie with her arm over his tiny body.
After I get into bed Sophie opens her eyes. “Did you have fun?” She smiles at me.
“I did. But now I’m right where I need to be.” I place my hand on her still flat belly and fall into a deep slumber.
If you told me this was going to be my life two years ago I would have laughed in your face and ordered up another cougar.
Thank god my little nephew punched me in the nuts and threw a rock at my head.
EPILOGUE NUMERO DOS
I walk by my family in the front row and stop to pull my boy from his seat and hug the hell out of him. It’s a long time coming but he’s finally made it to my fight. My rematch to get my championship title back and it’s about fucking time. I’ve missed this but I’m ready now. I’ve been working nonstop to strengthen my arm and get it back to the full strength it was before I broke it. If it’s possible I’m stronger.
“Dad this is so cool!” Gabe yells as I place him back on his feet.
“I know huh, pretty crazy right?” I run my hand through his hair messing it up and move down to Soph. She stands up and I place my hands on her extremely swollen belly. “Stay in their baby girl, Daddy has to work before you come into this world.” I bend down and kiss her belly then stand at my full height and kiss my girl.
“Knock ‘em dead Reckless.”
“With pleasure babe.”
I continue to the octagon with my brothers all around me. The air tonight is different than it’s ever felt. Losing isn’t an option, there’s no way Gibby will make me look like a pussy twice. I’m announced first as the challenger and have to roll my eyes when Gibson makes his way to the cage. I know my entrance song annoys the hell out of my family but his is above and beyond. Who the hell picks Lady Gaga to walk into? I shake my head and laugh.
When he’s finally in the ring we stare each other down as the announcer goes over our stats. I think he knows what’s coming, how could he not? I feel like my life’s been about retribution this past year and this is the icing on the cake. I’ve got my wife and son back in my life and a family that’s sitting ringside proud of me for the first time in my career. This motivation will be Gibson’s undoing.
The bell rings and I wait him out. He’s changed up is fighting style a bit since we last fought but it’s nothing I don’t know. I can read him like a motherfucking book. He darts at me trying to get a jab in but I grab his arm and drop us to the ground. I have him locked into an arm bar and I’m grunting trying to hold him with all my strength.
He manages to get out and three rounds later we’re both panting and sweaty as we’re pushed to our corners after the round ends. He’s bleeding thanks to a nice elbow to the nose he didn’t see coming and my ribs are a little tender from a kick he managed to surprise me with.
The bell rings and I know this has to be the last round. We circle each other before I see my opening and you best believe I take that shit. He drops his guard on his right side and I go in with my left fist. It connects with his temple and he goes down like a sack of potatoes.
Knocked out.
The crowd goes crazy as I raise my hands in celebration. My eyes search out my boy and sure enough he’s standing on his chair with his hands going crazy as Sophie tries to convince him to get down. I point my finger at him and he points back at me with the biggest toothy grin I’ve ever seen on his face. He’s completely surprised when my brothers walk over to him and pick him up in the air carrying him towards the ring.
Gibby’s up and the ref brings us to the center of the ring holding my arm up in victory as I’m announced as the new Light Heavyweight Champion.
Gabe flies through the ring and into my arms. He’s hoisted up on my shoulders a second after I hug the life outta him and we make our rounds around the ring cheering and pumping our fists. When our families in front of us they’re all out of their seats and going crazy! Sophie has tears in her eyes as she smiles at me and mouths I love you. I mou
th it back and from there I do every interview with Gabe by my side and try to make everything speedy so I can get Sophie home with her feet up relaxing like she should be. The baby’s due date is in three days and it makes me nervous with all this fanfare that our little girls gonna want to join the party.
A couple hours later I’m carrying a passed-out Gabe to bed and tucking him in.
“Daddy…”
“Yeah bud?” I rub my hand down his cheek.
“That was the best, I can’t wait until I can start fighting.”
“When you’re big and strong I promise we’ll start your training.” His tiny arm fist pumps the air before rolling over and going back to sleep. I often wonder how many of the Cage kids will want to follow in the family business. It’s all Zander’s talked about since he found out he and Savvy are finally getting their boy. We’ll need to teach them how to fight and how to accept the fame in their lives better than I did.
I walk down the hall and find Sophie softly snoring in bed. Poor things been so tired and its way past her bedtime. Grabbing the comforter, I pull it over her body after placing a kiss on her forehead and belly. I exit the room with one final look at my wife and walk to the living room of the penthouse.
We figured the 45-minute drive would suck so late for both of them so we decided to crash here. When we’re in Vegas we tend to stay at my house because it’s safer for us all. We bought a new house a few months ago that’s in a gated community because the paparazzi were getting a tad bit crazy. And with the new baby coming I wanted to make sure we were all completely safe.
I stare out at the city in awe. How could I have lived here all these years and not appreciated what I have. There’s no way I’ll ever take something for granted again. My life’s more than I thought it’d ever be and not for one second will I let it pass me by.
I hear Sophie get up to pee as she usually does 15 times a night and decide to join her in bed. The adrenaline is starting to wear off and I’m about ready to crash. The next few days are going to be busy as hell with all the interviews I’m obligated to give as the new champ. We’re heading back home first thing in the morning and most of my interviews are going to be done at the gym or on the phone because no way am I keeping Sophie from her doctor on my account. No, she needs to be close to home when our girl decides it’s time to grace us with her presence and I can’t fucking wait for that moment.
Bound By Cage Box Set (Complete Series Books 1-4) : MMA Romance Page 80