by Pars, K.
Matt’s palm lighted on my shoulder and I pushed to my feet shaking out my arms and rolling my shoulders. It was game on and I was ready to rock that shit. We made the walk and I paused to look over to where my girl was standing, a worried smile filling her face. I knew she didn’t like watching the fighting so it meant a shit ton she was still standing there supporting me. I tipped my chin towards her and focused on the cage, slipping my ear buds out handing them along with my iPod off to Matt. I discard my hoodie before passing through the door back into the cage. I bounced, flexing my knees in three high jumps to get warmed up. Adrenaline was pulsing through me but I was at complete peace. The Ref stepped between me and Jon “Reaper” Jones.
The tape between our knuckles barely tagged and his first jab was thrown. I dodged my head to the left, the fist missing and struck out with a wicked leg kick hitting his thigh hard. It forced him to step back. Circling, each one of us ghosting out our hands trying to draw the other in, we ate up time on the clock. Tiring of the cat and mouse bull shit, I took the small opening when he dropped his hands back and dove into his legs, getting a single leg and drilling him backwards until he slammed against the cage, my weight against his stomach. I swept the leg he was standing on and both of us hit the ground hard. I recovered seconds faster than Reaper and gained top position. Reaper slung several punches to the side of my head, one hitting my ear and making that shit ring like a train was blowing a whistle through it. The dude had power and fuck I was going to feel every blow I was taking for a few days.
Keeping control, I laid my forearm across his throat, leaning my weight sink into it which forced him to start pulling at my arm and stop the blows. I hooked one leg around his, our bodies rocking into the cage and away again as we both pulled moves, his to get clear, mine to finish his ass. Feeling like shit was stalling, I got up and away, letting Reaper get back to his feet. We started back in again, both of us landing blows on each other equally. The bell rang drawing me to my side of the cage, Matt immediately hollering instructions to me.I nodded at each one, listening but my eyes never left Reapers face.
Start of the second round I came out with a series of kicks followed by some nicely landed fists. Matt’s instruction was working. He’d noticed the openings I was too close to see and damn if the change up wasn’t doing some nice damage.
We hit the ground, back to our feet, back to blows and back to the ground again. Head over ass, we rolled, each of us moving to get out of the others attempted set up when I finally caught him. He rolled right into the trap I laid for him. I took side control and advantage of his surprise to get into position. It was a fight to pull his arm free and finally submit Reaper with the Americana but I got it done. The tap took longer than most would have waited but I got it, held until the Ref hit my shoulder and shouted tap. I rolled off of Reaper and was up on my feet, my taped fists at my hips as I caught my breath, my head hanging forward letting the sweat drip off my hair and forehead to the mat.
It had been a battle, the fact it was only two rounds didn’t mean shit, it had been two rounds of non-stop action and I felt it, my chest heaving as I regained my normal breathing. A body crashed into me, Matt thrusting a towel in my hand as the Ref pulled up my other arm and declared me the victor. Shouting and cheers filled the basement of Cellar Door, the fans clearly happy with the victory. I followed Matt out of the cage after shaking Reapers hand. There was one other person besides Matt that I wanted to share this with and she was stuck in the crowd.
I pulled to a stop and spoke to the bouncer at the fence that barricaded Kylee’s row from me. Lifting two fingers in the air and motioning with them, I called her to me, lifted her over the fence, then helped Ronnie, and set them to walking towards my locker room before all hell broke loose with the fans.
By the time we entered, Matt was there, amped up, his face all smiles as he paced the room recounting the last match like I hadn’t just been in it.
I wiped the sweat off my face and chest along with a little blood from a wound above my eye; then pulled Kylee into me. “Sorry princess. I’m probably rank but I can’t wait.” My mouth fused to hers as I took a celebratory kiss from her and then some.
Matt slapped a hand against my back causing me to pull back from Kylee’s sweet mouth with a growl. “You see me right? I didn’t go fucking invisible after winning did I bro? Cause I’m pretty fucking sure you interrupt me kissing my girl again and I’ll fuck you up from the floor up.”
Matt flat laughed at me as did Kylee. “Yeah, I’ll wait on that. Maybe hold my breath too.” Matt was ecstatic and my threat wasn’t going to phase his high in the least. “We need to clean up that cut and are you planning on celebrating?”
I didn’t hesitate in answering. “Not here. I’m not dealing with the crazy fucking fan Cage Crawlers tonight. I’m good going home and partying there.” There was going to be a party in my damn pants soon if Kylee kept rubbing her hips against me. Home was definitely the best choice.
Kylee pressed her lips to mine before backing out of my reach. “Meet you there. I don’t want Ronnie to ride alone.” Ronnie started to protest but Kylee cut her off. “We came together, we leave together. That’s the rule girl. Now let’s go while we can.”
Matt and I were right behind them after gathering up my stuff, clearing the lingering fans and finally getting to his car. I’d won, big fucking time. It didn’t get much better than having your girl, friends and victory.
Chapter 22
I was standing in the kitchen, Kylee leaning her back to my chest as we both sucked down some much needed coffee. The celebrating had gone on for hours, first with drinks and then an even sweeter celebration between my sheets with the perfection that was my hell cat.
Neither of us were surprised when Ronnie followed Matt into the kitchen. There’d been no way in hell she could have driven. What was semi-surprising was the fact when Kylee and I had woken up, Ronnie wasn’t on the couch and Matt’s room door had been shut but then again, I’d felt like something was between those two for weeks.
My side was throbbing and was sporting several shades of blues and purples as was my body and face, badges of the fights from the night before but I was still riding a high. “I’d ask if you both had a rough night but since I was there, there’s no point.” Ronnie gave a little half wave like talking would hurt and given the amount of bourbon the girl had swallowed I was betting it did.
Matt barely grumbled; attacking the Kuerig like it owed him money.
Kylee titled her had back looking up at me. “Can’t believe it’s almost noon already.” The arm I had wrapped around her waist tightened, hugging her closer to me. I couldn’t get enough of just touching her, of being able to reach out and feel her when I wanted. Shit had changed unbelievably fast between us and I was still getting used to it. At times it felt like something had finally fallen into its right place inside of me, other times I still tripped over not being what she really deserves. Thank fuck my selfish side won every damn time. I could no more push Kylee away again then I could lay back and not fight back if someone attacked me. It wasn’t an option.
Matt passed the cup he’d just made to Ronnie who greedily began sipping from it and slipped into one of the chairs at the kitchen table.
I glanced over at Matt who was making another cup of coffee and looking like an IV infusion of caffeine would be a better solution. “Kylee agreed to go to Ray’s fight tonight. You still going bro?” My boy winced even though I hadn’t raised my voice at all.
“Yeah. Ronnie said she’d be down to go too.” Matt’s voice sounded like sandpaper on rocks. Kid had been full force in the celebrating and was paying hell for it.
Kylee, all extra chipper because she’d drunk the least, was grinning. “Oh sweet. Ronnie want to ride together?”
I could feel myself scowling at the thought of her being away from me. “I can give you a ride baby girl.”
Kylee leaned her head back again, tilted it to one side to look up at me. “Puuullleeeaasse.
You are going to want to get there early. You seem almost as excited as I’m sure Ray must be about his fight tonight. We can meet you and Matt there.”
My scowl faded into a slow smile. My girl knew me, knew I would want to be there to support Ray. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Oh my god! I need a recorder. Quick someone pull out a phone.” Kylee’s decibels were rising. “I’m right! He just said it!” Kylee set her cup down and turned, wrapping both her arms around my waist as I struggled to keep from dumping my coffee over her head. “YES!”
“ Don’t get used to it baby girl. That’s a damn rarity.” Laughter fell out of my mouth, Matt and Ronnie both groaning and covering their ears. I set my mug on the counter, lifted Kylee up and headed out of the kitchen to relieve our friends from their discomfort and me from mine. All Kylee’s wiggling up against me had caused an immediate throbbing erection.
Kylee’s laughter turned into a sultry smirk when I deposited her on the bed, crawled over her and captured her lips, my tongue finding hers as it got serious. The afternoon faded past us in a blur.
Before I knew it, Kylee was hightailing it home to get ready; Ronnie right behind her, leaving me and Matt to get our shit together and hit the arena.
We’d been at the arena for an hour, talking technique on how Ray planned to run his fight when I got the text that Kylee and Ronnie were pulling in. Kylee sent me the lot number and space they’re parking pass was assigned to.
Matt and I headed out to meet the girls and bring them into the arena to watch Ray when shit went well past south.
The lot the girls were assigned to was dark; several of the pole lights out which struck me as fucked up since the rest of the place was lit up like a Christmas tree.
Matt and I approached Ronnie’s car already on alert that something wasn’t right when we spotted Ronnie hanging limply between two guys that were picking her up off the ground while Kylee was kicking and shouting at a third. The dude trying to get hold of Kylee reared back and back handed her hard across her cheek making her cry out in pain.
I flat fucking lost my shit and launched myself at the dumb fucker, hitting him square in the back and knocking him to the ground. Before he knew what was going on I had him flipped over, pinned beneath my weight as I straddled him and began dropping heavy fists to his face. Everything around me faded out, the only thing I saw were my fists smashing into the asshole’s face and head, delivering blow after blow, both my fists falling in a perfect rhythm, one after the other. He’d dared to touch my girl, my world.
Bone cracked beneath my fists, the dude’s nose flattening sickeningly but I didn’t stop. I hit him harder, his face changing shapes as it swelled, as broken cartilage and bone shifted.
Kylee screaming startled me, broke me from the trance I’d been in. I turned to look over my shoulder at her, both my fists ready to inflict more damage. Thank fuck she hadn’t touched me, that no one had tried, I might not have stopped to see who it was. She was yelling at Matt, had both her hands planted in his chest, trying to keep him from coming closer to me. “Stop it! Don’t Matt. If you try to grab him right now he’ll never forgive himself. You know that.”
I dropped my fists, my arms dangling loosely at my sides before pushing up to stand and step back away from the barely recognizable bloodied man I’d just beaten within an inch of his pathetic fucking life.
Matt stopped and that had Kylee spinning around to see what was going on. Kylee closed the distance between us, her hands wrapping around my left forearm and pulled me further away. I finally noticed Ronnie, Ray, Javier and Ray’s team were all standing there staring at me; Ronnie looking like a freight train had hit her.
Both my hands rose, my eyes taking in the blood coating my fists and arms. Fucking Christ I could have killed that guy, may have for all I knew and I wanted more. I wanted to make that fucker hurt, bad and yet the weight of what I was capable of, that I could have ended him was crushing me. Even worse, everyone standing there had seen just what kind of a monster I could be.
“Stop it JD. Please, don’t.” Kylee’s arms went around my waist as she stared up at me knowing what I was thinking. She had my ball cap; the one I hadn’t realized had even come off.
Ray removed his fight robe, eyes wide and tossed it to me. “Clean up. I’ll get that guy delivered to the hospital.” Ray waved a hand towards the piece of shit that was groaning. It confirmed the asshole was alive at least. I couldn’t decide if I was cool with that or not. I mean fuck, I would avoid a 187 charge but I damn sure wanted to deliver that man his last fucking breath.
I held the robe between my hands still trying to get my head straight. “JD, wipe your damn hands off bro and let’s move inside. I want to get Ronnie checked by the EMT’s since she’s refusing to go the hospital.” Matt’s voice held a lot of worry for more than one reason. He knew I was still on the edge and Ronnie looked like standing was an effort.
I plugged back in to what was going on around me and started rubbing my hands with the red robe, cleaning off as much as I could almost OCD like, not able to get the stain of what had just happened out of my head. Just another crap ass tattoo of shit I’d never be able to cleanse out of my skull.
I focused on Kylee and tried to press the images out of my mind. Fighting in the cage was one thing. Trying to kill someone with your bare fucking hands was another. Even with that, I had to check on my girl. “You okay?” My voice was strained with all the emotion I was feeling. Kylee’s face was sporting a darkening bruise over her cheek and the sight of it just fueled the fact I wanted to finish the fucker that had hit her even further.
“I’m fine, come on. Now.” Kylee had caught me looking back over at the man lying on the ground, a severe scowl on my face.
I let her pull me away, the group of us walking back to the arena except for one of Ray’s team members. He stayed behind to take care of the mess.
I finally realized that I hadn’t seen the other two guys around and checked in with Matt. “Where’d the other two go?” Kylee’s arm tightened around my waist like she might have to hold me in place.
Matt shrugged. “They hauled ass running when they realized their party was getting crashed by a seriously pissed off man who had just leveled a guy like a freight train and commenced to beating the hell out of him.”
My jaw locked tight, my teeth clenching. “Fucking punks. They can man up to attack two women who weren’t expecting it but run like bitches at a real opportunity to square off.” My right hand automatically flexed into a fist. Seeing Kylee get hit, seeing some stranger trying to hurt her had my head sprung all over the place. I was trying to calm down, to get my shit together and at least felt like on the outside I was putting up a good front but inside I was still seething, straight riding the edge of rage.
We shut down the conversations when we entered the arena and made our way back to Ray’s room.
I pulled one of the metal folding chairs away from the wall and sat Kylee down before locating an ice pack that I cracked open and passed to her. “Keep it on your cheek. It’s already swollen and bruising. The ice will help.” Her big browns moved to me, a weak smile appearing. “I’m okay JD. Relax.” I clipped off a nod not trusting myself to keep the anger at her attack out of my voice. She might be okay but I was far from it.
I moved over to where Ray was sitting, his trainer working his shoulders over. One of his people had taken the robe from me as soon as we’d gotten to the room and packed it up so it wouldn’t be left lying around with assurances from Ray that it wouldn’t come back to bite me in the ass later. He trusted his team the same way I trusted Matt.
Matt had located an EMT and had them checking Ronnie over to be sure she didn’t need to go on to the hospital. I don’t think he had a prayer of getting her there even if it was suggested.
Ray’s trainer moved on to getting his tape straight for both his hands. I wasn’t about to ask Matt what had happened to Ronnie, instead I questioned Ray. “I saw Kylee take a blow but what happened
to Ronnie?”
Ray grimaced, his face etched in the same anger I was still feeling.“Jackasses tasered the shit out of her.” Ray glanced over to where Ronnie was sitting as the EMT checked her over, a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. “I’m just glad you two interrupted that shit.”
“Been better if we’d interrupted shit sooner.” I cracked my busted knuckles wishing it was one of the attacker’s necks.
Ray gave me a once over, studying me to the point I was getting uncomfortable before he finally spoke again. “You alright JD?”
I rounded the brim of my ball cap that I’d returned to my head. “It’s no secret I got a bad temper and a control problem. I’ve been working on trying to fix that rep for four fucking years. I’m not proud of the shit, it is what it is but I really can’t stomach Kylee seeing me that out of control. It’s one thing for her to see me in the cage, but that; her watching what I did…that’s gonna leave a mark. A bad one.” My eyes kept traveling back over to where Kylee was sitting diligently holding the ice to her cheek, her eyes raising to meet mine every time they landed on her like she could feel the weight of my gaze.
“Look man, none of us knows how we would have handled coming up on that situation. I don’t think you’ve chased her off. Hell, she knew well enough to not let anyone near you, including your boy Matt. But she seemed more worried about you than scared about what you were doing.” Ray flexed the fingers of his outstretched hand his trainer was taping up.