by Pars, K.
Spinning around, she stuck her tongue out at me after her feet hit the floor. I cocked a brow and smirked. “That an offer?” I was out of the bed and in three steps had her backed against the bedroom door, my cock already swelling again.
“Because if it is I damn sure accept.” Kylee blushed a pretty shade of pink from her cheeks down to her chest that was covered by the towel she’d grabbed.
“Stop it JD or we will definitely be late.” Standing on tip toe, she pressed her lips to my throat, trailing them up to my ear when I dropped my chin towards my chest to give her more access as she whispered sexily. “If you behave, when we get home, I will make it more than worth your while.”
Groaning, I forced myself to back up and give her space to get out of my door. “Hurry up before I say fuck Ray and his celebration.”
Kylee knew I’d do just that if she teased me any further and scurried her sweet little ass out the door.
An hour later both Kylee and I were cleaned up and dressed. Matt was sitting in the living room waiting on us, rising from his seat as soon as we entered the living room.
“You guys ready?” Matt was already moving towards the front door.
“Hurry much?” I palmed my keys and cell, passing Kylee her purse. A flip of my ball cap around so it faced backwards and we were ready to go.
“Where’s Ronnie?” Kylee looked around like she was waiting for Ronnie to appear at any second since she’d come home with us from Ray’s fight.
Matt on the other hand had skipped right over my question about his rush. “She had some stuff to take care of earlier. She’s meeting us there.” We all walked out to Matt’s car and got in. Ray only lived a few miles away which was a good damn thing because my stomach took the moment to let out a loud growl, both Kylee and Matt cracking up.
“I don’t know what the fucks funny. I am about to starve to death. I think my stomach’s going to start eating itself any second now.” Until then I hadn’t even noticed I was hungry, had been entirely too distracted to give two shits about shoving food down my throat.
Kylee grinned and Matt laughed again earning him a one finger salute from me.
When we pulled into Ray’s, cars lined both sides of his driveway and overflowed into the grass. Ray had a nice two story cape cod, not huge but well kept. The guy was doing alright for himself considering he was only a little older than me.
We followed the sounds of voices and laughter around the side of the house and entered the gate into Ray’s back yard. Tables were set up all over, pop up tents set over them to offer shade. Ray was at a large grill, a spatula in one hand, a cold beer in the other and talking animatedly with several other people crowding around him.
The three of us found an empty table and set up camp, Matt going off to get us drinks. He returned with three beers and a smiling Ronnie, who dropped in a chair next to Kylee and began pointing out and identifying the other guests after saying hello. Ronnie had changed her hair again, this time it had a bright pink base with black tips on the ends. The chick changed hair color more often than people changed underwear almost. A lot of the guests seemed to be relatives, a few where other fighters that I’d met at different times, all in all, the place was packed with well wishers for Ray.
Matt and I had spoken to Javier and several others, had eaten and were sitting back relaxing waiting for Kylee and Ronnie to bring back fresh beers after a bathroom run when Ray stopped by our table. He sat down in the chair next to Matt, beer in hand and grinned.
Ray seemed like he had a good buzz rocking and deserved it.
I taped knuckles with him. “Great party man. Food was fucking awesome.” I’d immediately filled my empty stomach and wasn’t exaggerating, the food had been killer.
“Thanks. Glad you guys could make it. I saw Ronnie and Kylee running around a few minutes ago.” I nodded, finishing the last bit of my beer.
“They are on a mission to get to the bathroom.”
Ray laughed. “Makes sense since they could barely spare me a hello. I was beginning to think I stunk or something.” Matt and I both laughed and then said in unison. “You do.”
Ray’s smile became serious and Matt and I leaned towards him. “I wanted to thank you two, especially you Matt for keeping an eye on Ronnie. She means a lot to my family and me. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
A sharp intake of breath followed by a beer bottle getting slammed between the three of us drew my eyes up to meet Ronnie’s gray gaze. Beer foam spewed up from the bottle and flowed onto the table. She might as well have been breathing fucking fire for the anger that was rolling through her eyes.
Matt stammered trying to get an apology and explanation out all at once but Ronnie was having none of that shit at all.
Her head swung towards Matt, her shoulders rigid. “So you’ve been hanging out with me because my stupid cousin asked you too? That’s why you call and text constantly? Keeping an eye on me for Ray? You know what Matt Layne, you’re a fucking fraud. It was bad enough you were looking out for me because of this dumb ass…” Ronnie slapped the back of Ray’s head hard, the big ass fighter not even daring to flinch and smartly holding his mouth knowing she was beyond pissed. She set her hard stare right back on Matt. “Was sleeping with me the reward or just an added bonus?”
“Whoa…slow your roll Veronica.” Ray stood up to confront his cousin having heard enough and knowing the truth about things, like the fact Matt was already working a friendship angle with Ronnie before Ray asked him to help out. Matt stood their opened mouth but speechless.
“FUCK YOU RAYMOND RAMONE.” Ronnie snapped her head over her shoulder and glared at Kylee. “I guess you and JD were in on it too. Some kind of fucking friends you are.” She spun around, knocking Kylee’s hand away when she tried to reach for her. Ronnie strode across the yard, disappearing around the side of the house. She damn sure could have done worse, Ronnie had held back a lot but I didn’t like the way she’d taken the shit out on Kylee.
Kylee’s eyes were extra bright and I knew she was upset that Ronnie was angry, that their budding friendship had been questioned. I pulled her to me and rubbed my palm over her back.
Ray looked like he’d swallowed something really sour. “Fuck Matt, I don’t know whether to say I’m sorry about that or kick you square in the dick. You’ve been sleeping with my cousin?” Ray looked like he was weighing the options but finally apologized to Matt instead about how things had gone down.
Matt accepted it and kept searching around the yard with his eyes.”She’s not just some girl to me Ray. Ronnie…she’s different.” Matt sighed deeply. “She’s not going to forgive me this time is she?”
Ray held Matt’s gaze and slowly shrugged his shoulders. “I really don’t know man. I would like to think she would, eventually, but I can’t say I have a lot of faith in it. I’ll explain to her what happened thought. I’ll put in the best word I can for you since I’m the one that asked you to keep a watch out. I’m sorry man. Shit.”
Matt stood up giving Ray a chin tip. “I’d appreciate that.” He shoved his hands through his hair on another deep breath. Kylee got up and wrapped her arms around his waist in a quick hug. Ronnie and Kylee may not have started on the best foot, but they’d become tight.
“I’ll talk to her too Matt. You were just worried about her. She’s got to see that.” Kylee sounded more hopeful than I felt for my boy. I knew Ronnie’s type; hell could freeze over before she forgave Matt.
I stood, giving Ray’s hand a firm shake. “I think we are going to head out. Thanks for having us.”
“Later guys.” Ray shook his head, more to himself than anything else and I knew just what he was thinking. It was likely Ronnie was going to blacklist us all, even her family.
Kylee tucked her hand in mine, squeezing it as we walked towards Matt’s car. I’d been caged by the violence I’d been born into, shaped by, ruled by it. It had taken a feisty brown eyed, dark haired beauty to help me free from a past I couldn’t
change, to make me think I was worth something when my own father never had. She’d given me something I’d never truly had. Hope. She’d given me everything.
Special was something you just didn’t let go of so I could understand why Matt looked like someone had kicked his puppy.
I knew he felt pretty strongly about Ronnie, hell the boy had gotten up on stage to apologize the first time he’d fucked up. I only hoped to hell, she’d let him apologize a second time. I also knew he’d talk to me when he was ready so there was no sense pushing at him about it. Life worked in funny fucking ways, all the time. Kylee and I were finally getting our shit together while Matt, the most put together fucker I knew, his shit looked like it was about to fall apart.
Coming soon, Released: Cellar Door Series Book #2
Matt and Ronnie’s Story
Six months later………
Another fight was getting ready to be set off. When I spotted the fighter emerging down the aisle I automatically stood, my eyes roaming over the face. I could have handled the slam to my gut when I recognized her but when I noticed a set of masculine hands were on either shoulder, massaging Ronnie as she walked towards the ring, I clenched my fists tightly. She entered the ring ready to go and she went alright. In less than twenty seconds she had her opponent down and submitted. Ronnie bounced up on the balls of her feet, one hand in the air in victory, her multicolored ponytail waving from side to side. She was a fucking vision, one I’d sorely been missing, one that had been avoiding me for too damn long.