by Pars, K.
“I know you have stuff to do. I just wanted to check on you.” She turned away from me and started to get dressed. Oh hell nah…I was not about to let her turn this shit into a pity fuck as a way to protect her own feelings. Fuck all that.
I didn’t know what the hell to say though without sounding like an asshole. Yeah I’d had a thing for Kylee, every male with one working eye did. She was a knock out, she was funny and smart as hell with just enough attitude to make you want to toe the line or cross it; the total package. I hadn’t ever let it surface in my mind that she might have feelings deeper than friends for me. If I went ahead and busted out how much I’d wanted her over all the others, gave her that nugget of info, I doubt she would believe me. I’d done nothing to say differently and then gone and broken off ties with her.
I stood up and disposed of the condom in the small trash can next to my nightstand before grabbing my shorts. I shoved my legs into them, getting them on as fast as I could without tripping or zipping up my dick in them. Kylee had just finished getting her shirt on and was fastening her shorts, still with her back to me. I stepped behind her, wrapped my arms around her waist and held her, her stiff body finally relaxing into me. She turned, her arms coming around my neck and pressed herself tight to me. My dick was on high alert again immediately and my heart thudded against my chest. Yeah….once definitely would never be enough with Kylee.
I laid my check against the top of her head. I had no fucking idea what I was doing. I was walking a path totally blind, not knowing what step would take me tumbling off the edge of it.
“I can’t do anything about the past baby girl. It is what it is and I am who I am. I can tell you that I want you. Have for a long time.” I couldn’t promise her what the future would hold for us but there was no point bringing that up. I had no idea where things were going to go, if I could even come near being the type of man Kylee deserved but I was done denying that I wanted her for me and only me, that I knew for 100% certain.
“This isn’t some joke to me Ky. Some hey thanks for stopping by shit. I know I have a history with a fair amount of woman. I can’t take that back.”
Her arms tightened around me as she let out a shaky sigh like she was trying to let go of some of the hurt she was feeling. “I’m not asking you to change it or you JD. I wouldn’t want you any other way than you being just you.” My chest tightened at her words. Fucking kryptonite….
Chapter 14
Matt turned the music down when Kylee and I emerged into the living room. He took in my shirtless torso; Kylee’s rumpled hair and chuckled.
“Some things I just don’t need to hear. But glad you got shit sorted.” Matt shook his head with a told ya so grin playing along his face that I returned.
Kylee’s cheeks brightened and she headed for the kitchen calling out over her shoulder. “Shut it Matt. If I wanted your opinion, I ‘d give it to you.” Claws were definitely still out on my hell cat.
Matt got serious on me as soon as Kylee cleared the room.
“ Your phone has been non-stop going off. I caught Ray’s name on the id. You probably need to give him a call.” I walked into the kitchen where Kylee was getting a glass of water and retrieved my cell. Sure enough I had 19 missed calls. Some were Kylee’s from earlier, one from Sam, the rest from Ray.
“Be right back. I need to make a call.” Kylee nodded and continued filling her glass. Matt tipped his chin at me as I passed by the living room.
Dialing Ray back, I hit the front door, going out onto the stoop as the phone was answered. “You call?”
“Yeah man, checking to see if you’re good? Last I saw of you had me worried.” Ray’s concern filled his voice. Dude was alright.
“Yeah, I got patched up. Will be tight in a week or so to fight hopefully. How’s Javier?” I still hadn’t sorted out everything that had gone down at the club, just knew it had been a cluster fuck.
“He’s a fucking wreck. Between the threat to Veronica and the knife thing he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going. And he feels stupid about the gun. I didn’t even know he’d owned a damn gun. It’s all been off the charts. Hey, I gotta ask…is your boy Matt cool?” I immediately got defensive.
“Fuck yeah he is. Why you questioning that?” Ray was alright but Matt was my stick partner and I’d fuck somebody up in a heartbeat for him.
“Ease up man. I’m asking because I know Veronica’s gotten friendly with him recently. I figured the guy was alright being your right hand and what not, but if he fucks with her, hurts her, I’ll be all over his ass like white on rice.”
I was beyond confused, my brows furrowing. “Who the fuck is Veronica?” Only chick I knew Matt had been talking to recently had been Ronnie Dalton and Ray even insinuating a threat about my boy was pissing me the hell off.
“My cousin. Ronnie Dalton.”
Ice cold water thrown on me would have been less of a shock. “Whoa, slow up. Rowdy Ronnie is your cousin? What the fuck is going on Ray?” I hadn’t seen that coming at all and my anger that had ratcheted up, eased back. Dude was just looking out for family, I could handle that.
“My mom’s side. Veronica doesn’t like to ride on the family name, so she keeps it on the low that she’s my cousin. Since her dad’s last name is Dalton it makes it easier for her to do her own thing. Plus she’s not from here originally so no ties to the past for people to piece it together. It helps her looks are pure Dalton. Not a trace of Ramone in that girl. She’s got real skill though and deserves her props. She’s fucking earned them.”
I had much respect for any fighter trying to earn it on merit and not who they knew or even worse with the a few females, who they could do. Fucking promoters would promise the world just to get some.
“Yeah I knew she was real, but what the fuck’s this got to do with Matt?” I was still wary of why my boy’s name was being put out there by Ray.
“You know I’ve been hitting the amateur circuit, doing some legit stuff. I got a big match coming up that could make or break going pro for me and the contender, Andrew Young.” I sucked in a breath and let loose a low whistle. Drew Young was good shit and big, heavy weight bracket. He had been making a name for himself over the past two years, a big one.
“Exactly. So Javier got into it with some guy Drew trains with, the dude claimed that if I didn’t lay down so Drew could get what he wanted that there would be consequences. Javier I don’t worry about, he’s young but he can handle himself. Veronica’s another story. She’s tough as hell but she doesn’t have near the level of training that Javier or I have.”
My pulse picked up pace, knowing I wasn’t going to like the rest of this convo. “How’s she playing into it if no one knows she’s related?”
Ray all but growled and I swear I could hear his teeth smashing against one another. “That’s the thing JD, somebody made the connection. Her tires were slashed a few days ago. Not saying it couldn’t be random, maybe a drunk at OverTime she pissed off but it’s too damn coincidental for my liking. The reason I am asking about Matt is because Veronica’s proud. She won’t reach out if somebody starts bothering her, especially if she thinks it will screw me going pro. I found out because the shop her car was towed too is owned by a friend of mine that knows the deal. He phoned me. Those guys from last night, they are from Drew’s camp, at least his promoter’s side. They mentioned her by name.”
Anger boiled up from my gut, fanning over my entire body. “Well considering Matt hasn’t mentioned the shit with the tires, I can see what you mean about her not saying anything. No way would he be cool with that. He and Ronnie talk damn near daily. I’d know if he knew. Tell me what you need, you’ve got it.”
Ray sighed in relief. “I just need Matt to keep an eye out without tipping Veronica off. She finds out I’ve got anyone watching out for her she will go ballistic. It’s important for her to feel like she’s handling stuff on her own. It’s a big deal to her but she’s important to me. She’s more like a sister than a cousin.”
Ray laughed harshly. “I think taking a knife for me and my brother is more than enough. I thought twice about bringing this to you at all. By the way, that guy’s nose was broken six ways to Sunday. Remind me to stay clear of your elbow if we meet in the cage again though I don’t see myself dropping weight anytime soon again. Anything comes up with Veronica, let me know.”
“You do the same so we know what we’re working with. Later Ray.” I ended the call and shoved my cell in my shorts pocket. I paced the stoop for a few moments to calm down before facing Matt and Kylee again.
Once I had my head together I let myself back in the apartment to find Matt giving Kylee a hard time as only he would, stupid ass.
“Kylee and JD sitting in a treeeeeeee…” His voice hit soprano when Kylee’s foot connected with his balls.
I doubled over, my hands on my knees; laughing even with the worry I was feeling about what Ray had unloaded on me. “Damn son. I don’t recommend you doing that again if you want to be able to have kids, ever.”
Kylee stomped into the kitchen barely sparing me a glance. Hellcat….yup.
Matt coughed violently, turned a nice shade of green and flopped onto the sofa on his side holding his package, trying to catch his breath.
I dropped into the recliner, catching Kylee by the arm and pulling her into my lap when she came back into the living room, her eyes meeting mine.
“That wasn’t nice baby girl.”
She scowled at me, making to get up. “He wasn’t being very nice.”
Clamping my arm tighter around her waist I held her in my lap. “True enough.” I felt bad for Matt. She’d caught him square and even with just a pair of flip flops on, that kick had been brutal. “He’s still your friend.”
Kylee took a long sip of her water before turning to read me like an open book. “What’s wrong?”
Matt rolled up to a sitting position, his breathing still off but his interest all in at Kylee’s question. Both of them could sense when something was off with me. Had been able to since we were kids.
“Talked to Ray Ramone.” I needed to pick my words carefully, not wanting Kylee or Matt to get too worked up over the shit until we knew just what we were dealing with.
Matt’s left eyebrow rose, his green eyes deepening as his fingers interlocked, squeezing against one another. “So what’s up?”
“Ronnie needs a look out without knowing she’s got a look out.” Matt’s other eyebrow hit the top of his blonde hairline and Kylee spun her head around to look at me, her dark eyes full of fire as her hair settled down her back and shoulders from the flight it had just taken.
She managed to set her water down on the table next to the recliner and then crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at me pointedly.
“Whoa baby girl. It’s not like that. I need Matt to step in.” That had Matt’s attention on full blast; Kylee’s eyes still questioning what was going on. My fingers dug into her hip as she tried to get up again, keeping her on my lap. One day maybe we’d be able to get through a sentence without one or the other of us tripping the hell out because so far, it didn’t seem like it was possible.
“Bro, how much research have you done on Ronnie?” I needed to know what Matt had dug up, because if anybody could find shit out, he could. Kylee was still stiff, sitting on my lap but acting like a 2x4 had been shoved up her spine.
“I know her record is beast; that she’s been doing privates at Odyssey for the last 8 months. She hits another gym for her overall conditioning. She doesn’t have a manager and just one person is usually with her to get her prepped for her fights, a friend she grew up with.” Matt spit the info out like he was reading it. He had her height, weight, reach, stats, damn near everything about Ronnie that pertained to fighting.
Kylee shifted on my lap, my dick paying close attention to the feel of her ass seated snuggly against it. Fucking hell I needed to focus. I drug Kylee deeper to my side, so she was more on my legs and less on my cock, my fingers loosening on her hip as I wrapped my arm around her waist.
“Okay. Here’s the deal. Ronnie might be getting some backlash from Ray’s thing. The kind of backlash that isn’t taken care of in a ring and Ray thinks it may have already touched her.”
Matt bolted up right, standing straight the hell up and stalking over towards me with an accusing tone. “Why Ronnie? What the hell does she have to do with it and what kind of trouble JD? Like last night kind of trouble? Is that fucker Ray responsible for this shit?” Tension radiated in his voice as he shifted from foot to foot anxiously his fists clenching.
Kylee tried to get off my lap, to get in between us but I was having none of that shit. I held her tight to me, my mouth pressing against the shell of her ear, my voice low. “Stop baby girl. I can handle Mattie, he’s not angry with me but all your wiggling is making my side hurt.”
Kylee turned those big browns on me, her mouth set to say something before she reeled it in and eased back against me. She still turned to put her body further between me and Matt like she was protecting me, something that caused that organ in my chest to twist. Without even trying, she could fucking undo me.
I took a deep breath and let it loose as I filled Matt in.“Ray’s got a good shot at a heavy weight fight coming up that could launch him into pro status Matt. You know how big a deal that is. Apparently his competition isn’t keen on Ray winning. That shit last night, that’s the testament to it. I don’t know if you remember Ray threatening the dude about Veronica but that’s Ronnie. She doesn’t want to trade on the Ramone name. “
Matt look like the air had just been sucked out of the room. “What the hell does that mean that Veronica is Ronnie?” His eyes did a whole lot of rapid blinking.
“She’s Ray and Javier’s cousin Matt.” He blinked at me, and then blinked again. I was ready to ask him if he had dirt in his eyes except I knew how shocked I’d been to hear it. In the weeks we had burned time with Ronnie, neither of had known there was a connection to Ray.
“How well do you know her Matthew?” Oh shit damn, Kylee pulling out the full first name and she only did that shit when she felt serious about something.
Apparently Ronnie having Matt’s attention and possibly being in harm’s way was real damn serious to Kylee, not that I felt any different. Matt had barely ever given a woman the time of day other than a few hours at night but that was it. He’d friended Ronnie and that meant she was something special. Just what kind of special I wasn’t sure but even Kylee was picking up on it.
Matt found his way back to the couch, his ass sitting into a cushion. “We talk. She’s cool to hang with. She knows the circuit and shit. It’s a common denominator.”
Kylee wasn’t taking that as a good enough answer.”Matthew Layne, how well do you know her? Do you like her?”
Matt looked at me, swept his green gaze to Kylee and then looked back at me with a can’t you control all that look. He had to have read the big fucking no I can’t in my eyes pretty easily. “She’s cool. What the hell else do you want me to say Kylee?”
I felt bad for my boy. He was caught up in the Kylee tornado of you will answer the question or feel the wrath. We’d both experienced it throughout the years.
“I want you to tell the damn truth.” Kylee’s arms were crossed again, the action causing her breasts to plump up drawing my attention and I was beginning to think I needed blinders if she was going to keep doing that.
I heard Matt answer; my attention on Kylee before I forced my gaze away. Not an easy feat.
“I respect her. It’s not like I’m just trying to tap some ass Ky.” Matt was dodging the hell out of Kylee’s question and I was thinking there was more than just respecting Ronnie; that he might have a little fire burning for her.
Either way, I needed to refocus the convo because Matt looked green and I wasn’t believing it was just from the Kylee
foot to nut job he’d gotten. “Look, really doesn’t matter one way or another. Ray needs somebody that Ronnie’s not going to suspect to keep an eye out for anything shady going down. He said something about Ronnie not liking to lean on people, that if she knew Ray had someone watching out for her she’d lose her shit.” Matt groaned and fell further against the couch; his head leaning back as he stared up at the ceiling.
“Great, so if she does find out, she’s gonna be pissed as hell at me. Nice…”
“Look bro, I told Ray we’d help out...”
“No you won’t.” Kylee barged right through my sentence cutting me off.
“What the fuck Ky? Why wouldn’t I help if I can?” I knew Kylee still harbored some jealousy about Ronnie for some unknown reason because I damn sure didn’t have any interest in Ronnie.
Kylee’s nose pinched up, her mouth pressing into a tight line as she stared at me like she wanted to slap me. “Haven’t you done enough? You took a knife to your side. I’d say you put in enough help.”
Before I could answer, Matt jumped in. “Kylee’s right man. One, it’s gonna look real odd if you all of sudden start hanging around Ronnie a whole bunch, especially to Ronnie. She’s not stupid, the girl’s got brains. She knows you’re not Mr. Conversation and she is well aware about you two. “ Matt waved his hand towards Kylee and I.
“Well it’s not like we can’t spend some time at OverTime. I like the place. Always can say we needed a break from Cellar Door if anyone asks. Besides Ray doesn’t expect a 24/7 detail. Just a look out when we can.” Seemed like a damn fine plan, the farther away I could keep Kylee from run ins with some of the chick’s I’d burnt time with the better too given my hell cat seemed to be very territorial.
“Yeah, still thinking I’m going to get the shit end of the stick if Ronnie finds out.” Matt sighed heavily. I didn’t have to say it out loud; he knew I agreed with him.