Against the Cage (Worth the Fight #1)

by Sidney Halston

  “You bet your ass that’s what we’re going to talk about.” He took a step toward his best friend. “What the hell, Daniels? You had a lot to say earlier today but forgot to mention my sister was sleeping at your house.”

  Chrissy quickly got between the two men as Drogo continued his relentless yelping. The dog really didn’t like Slade. “Oh my God. Relax. My car broke down, he picked me up from the side of the road, and I stayed in his spare room. Not that it’s any of your business, considering that all I am to you is a bag of money. You don’t give a shit about me.”

  “That’s not true, Chris. You’re my kid sister.”

  “I don’t want to talk about that now. He’s not my type, anyway. You know how I feel about violence. And anyway, I’m not Veronica. So I’m sure I’m not his type either. We’re just friends. Listen, I want to talk to you about this fight.”

  “Wait, what? Who’s Veronica?” Jack stepped forward, looking confused as hell.

  “Seriously? We are not having this conversation right now. Let’s focus, boys! I want to talk about the upcoming fight, Slade.”

  “It took you all of ten minutes to go blabbing about the fight. Thanks a lot, Jack.” Slade hissed at Jack.

  “No, wait. Time out!” Jack grabbed Drogo from Chrissy’s hand and set him down, then took her wrist and pulled her toward him, forcing her to look at him. “Who is Veronica?” he repeated slowly, but Drogo evidently didn’t like his tone and was furiously barking. “Oh my God! What have you done to my damn dog? I think I liked him better before. Can you please shut him up?”

  “He probably doesn’t like you because you’re mean to him. Don’t tell him to shut up. Speak to him nicely.” Chrissy crouched down, patted Drogo, and in a stern yet friendly voice commanded him to hush and to sit, which the pup did.

  “Un-fucking-believable!” both Jack and Slade exclaimed simultaneously.

  “Anyway, who the hell is Veronica?” Jack repeated.

  “Don’t play dumb, Daniels. Veronica. My best friend in high school? The one you slept with and never spoke to again. Thus causing her to never speak to me again. You ruined our friendship with your little one-night tryst.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Chris. Is that what had you so mad at me?”

  “Yes. That’s why I didn’t speak with you for months my senior year. I needed my friend, and I lost her because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants. But it was a long time ago. I don’t want to talk about it. Although the fact that you’ve had so many women you don’t even remember her makes me think you’re even more of a jerk than I thought.” She pulled her hands away from him and turned back to face Slade.

  “Dude, I didn’t know you bagged Veronica too,” Slade said, and reached toward Jack for a congratulatory fist bump. Jack kept his hands by his side, still looking confused. Slade dropped his hand and said, “Anyway, about the fight, I’m—”

  “Wait—what? You slept with Veronica too?” a completely shocked Chrissy interrupted Slade.

  “Fuck yeah! Your friend was a hot piece of ass. You were at a party and you left with someone that night … Jack, I think. If I remember correctly, Jack was angry you were there and he took you home. Veronica was pissed off that she was left behind. One thing led to another and she was all over me. How could I resist? I was young. Hormones controlled my brain back then. You know how that goes, man,” he said, appealing to Jack with his palms out. “I mean, not even you were able to resist. How come you never told me?”

  “You’re a pig!” Chrissy slapped the back of Slade’s head.

  “Dude, I did not sleep with Veronica!” Jack said to Slade, and then turned to Chrissy. “Seriously, Chris, I didn’t sleep with her. I remember your friend. I would never do that to you. I always thought you had a little crush on me, and that would’ve been fucked up on my part.”

  “I did not have a crush on you. Are you sure you didn’t sleep with her?” Chrissy asked, still shocked, and now a little embarrassed that Jack thought she’d had a crush on him.

  He had always been gorgeous. Of course she’d had a crush on him, but he didn’t need to know that. And anyway, it was barely even a crush. It was a tiny little infatuation. I only pictured him naked and all over me a few times … a day.

  “Yes. I’m positive. I can’t believe you’ve been mad at me all these years for something I didn’t even do.” Now Jack seemed angry. Very angry.

  “Bro, she was hot!” Slade chimed in.

  “Shut up, Slade!” both Chrissy and Jack yelled at the same time.

  “I had heard through the grapevine that you had sex with her and never called and that because of our connection she stopped speaking to me. She’d always had a crush on you, Jack, and I assumed the rumors were true. I guess it makes more sense that she’d be mad at me because Slade slept with her, since he is my brother.” She threw a glare over her shoulder at Slade. For all these years she had been holding a grudge with Jack over Veronica, and it hadn’t even been him. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  She was consumed by a wave of guilt for having been so mean to Jack after he had been nothing short of great and supportive toward her since she arrived. There was still the issue of his cage fighting, but that was no reason to be uncaring toward him. It just meant she couldn’t date him. She owed him an apology, but that was for another time. There were more pressing issues at hand. “Can we talk about this later?” she said, looking at Jack apologetically. He nodded, his arms crossed over his chest, obviously mad.

  She turned to her brother. “In light of everything, I don’t even know where to start.” Chrissy took a step toward Slade. “First, you’re an asshole.” She poked his hard chest. “You slept with my best friend and never called her back. Do you know how much I needed a friend back then? You are so selfish, Slade. I can’t believe you did that. You knew how much I needed a friend,” she repeated.

  “I’m sorry, Chris. I was young and stupid. I didn’t do it to ruin your friendship. I was thinking with my dick. Honestly—”

  Chrissy interrupted him, “Honestly, you didn’t even think about me. That’s what you were going to say, weren’t you?” Slade nodded. “Of course, you only thought about getting laid. It never even crossed your mind that it might affect my friendship with her.”

  Her brother seemed ashamed, but it was hard to tell with Slade since he normally seemed so blasé about everything. She decided to change the subject, since there wasn’t much she could do about her broken friendship with Veronica after all these years. “So, I hear you’re fighting … again!” Chrissy yelled at Slade.

  Slade threw himself on his couch and rested his arms over his head, legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles. Jack grabbed a nearby chair, turned it around, and sat down, his forearms on the back of the chair. He was just there lending his support. To whom? He wasn’t really sure. His loyalty had always been to Slade, his brother not by blood but by choice. Right now, though, he just wanted to grab this feisty little woman who had been holding some sort of bitterness toward him for God knows how long and fix all her problems. Protect her from all harm—physical and emotional. Oh, and make sure she never ever stepped outside his house without a bra again. The sight of her chest unrestrained was for his enjoyment only.

  “What’s there to talk about?” Slade said nonchalantly.

  “You can’t fight, Slade,” Chrissy shot back adamantly.

  He let out a laugh. “Really? Says who?”

  “Says me. You can’t fight. Jack explained why you want to do it, and I get it. I think it’s great that you want to open a training center. I’ll help you in any way I can. But you can’t risk your life over it.”

  “Relax, sis. No one is risking their life. I don’t lose. I’ll be in and out in minutes, and a whole lot richer for it. I’d be stupid to let this opportunity pass me by.”

  Jack stood up. “I didn’t want to get in the middle, but you’re leaving me no choice. Bro, you’re being cocky. You can’t be so sure it’s as easy as ge
tting in and out. Look at you.” Jack pointed to Slade’s face. “That’s not going to heal anytime soon. You know better, dude. You’re being sloppy.”

  “Whose side are you on, brother?” Slade made it a point to emphasize the word “brother.”

  “On the side of the person who isn’t being stupid. Right now, that’s not you.”

  “I already signed up. There are bets placed. I can’t back out now. But even if I could, I don’t want to.”

  “I’m begging you. Please don’t do this. You are my only family, Slade. Please. Jack told me about the concussions. Have you seen a doctor? What did they tell you? I’ve noticed the tremor in your hand.”

  “The tremor is nothing, really. The doctors told me I was okay to continue. They just said to be careful.”

  “That’s because the doctors work for the sponsors, stupid. You need to see a doctor who isn’t tainted by money,” Jack said.

  “Fuck you, Jack. Don’t call me stupid. And stop taking her side, asshole!”

  Chrissy cut him off. “How could you say it’s nothing? It’s a sign that all the blows to your head have caused damage, some of which is permanent. Did the doctor tell you what’ll happen next?” Slade didn’t respond, so she took a step closer. “You’ll start forgetting things. At first it will be small and insignificant, but as time passes, it will be more substantial. It’s the first sign of dementia. Not to mention those tremors. They will get worse. Have you seen those old boxers who speak unintelligibly and have shaky hands and twitches? That’s from multiple concussions through the years. And that’s not even the worst-case scenario. You have to stop before it’s too late.”

  Slade turned his face to Jack and shook his head in disbelief. “Since when are you a gossiping little bitch? Why’d you tell her all this, man?”

  “Since you became a stupid dumb-ass in need of a good kick in the pants to knock some sense into you.”

  “Stop arguing, you two.” Chrissy stood in front of both men and flicked each one on the head the way she’d seen Mrs. Daniels do countless times when they were younger. They winced, whined, and rubbed where she had flicked. “Slade, you’re totally missing the point. The fact that Jack told me is irrelevant. Either way, I’m a doctor. I had already noticed the tremor. Don’t be angry with him. He’s just looking out for you. You can die if you’re hit in the head.” Tears started to stream down her face.

  “Ah, fuck, don’t cry, Chris. You know I hate it when you cry,” Slade said.

  “Don’t do this. You can get a loan. Go to the bank. I’ll even cosign for you. Please, Slade.”

  “I’m sorry, Chrissy, but it’s not negotiable. This one”—Slade pointed to Jack—“even threatened to arrest me, so I suggest we don’t talk about it in front of law enforcement.” He scowled at his best friend. Jack rolled his eyes.

  Chrissy, still in tears, leaned closer to her brother. “We’re just trying to help you, Slade. You don’t have to do this. There has to be a way out.”

  “If your bail is revoked, you’ll be in jail and then you can’t fight. Is that what I’m going to have to do?” Jack added.

  “The men that put these events together are expecting a fight. They’re bringing in a cage, dude. A lot of money was invested to set this up. They’ll be waiting for me when I get out of jail, and then I’ll really be dead. So arresting me isn’t protection at all. It’s a death sentence.”

  Chrissy gasped.

  “You two are screwing with my concentration,” Slade went on. “I need to focus the next few days, so please, butt out. I’m doing this. It’s going to be fine. I wish you had more faith in me, Chrissy. I really do love you and I’ll make it up to you. You’ll see.” Slade got up, clearly annoyed. “But I’m done talking about this.” He went up the stairs two at a time, and slammed his bedroom door. Drogo, who had been lying on the floor quietly since Chrissy’s command, startled and jumped to his feet at the sound.

  “Idiot,” Jack mumbled.

  “I guess I’m staying in town after all,” said Chrissy, disheartened.

  “Oh, no! No. No. No. You’re not going to that fight, Chris.”

  “Oh, yes I am. I’m a doctor. If he gets hurt, I can help. He could get seriously injured. I have to be there.”

  Jack pulled Chrissy toward the door. “No. You’re not going. That’s final.”

  Lazily Drogo stretched and yawned before following them out of the house.

  “The hell I’m not. Who do you think you are, telling me where I can and cannot go? Why are you pulling me back to your house? Slow down.”

  Jack reached down and wrapped one arm around her thighs, lifted her up, and threw her over his shoulder. Drogo barked behind them, jumping up and down trying to nibble on the long black hair that flowed down Jack’s leg. “Drogo, don’t bite my hair! Jack, put me down this instant!” Chrissy wriggled, kicked, and punched him as hard as she could, but he didn’t even flinch. Instead, he stomped angrily to his house, opened the door, walked to his couch, and threw her on it.

  Oof. Chrissy quickly sat up and tried to catch her breath. She pulled her shirt down and ran her fingers through her hair. “What the hell, Daniels?”

  “I’ve had enough of you Martins for one day. You’re both stubborn fools. You cannot go to that fight. I can’t take you, and you aren’t going alone.” He reached down and cupped her chin, “Do. You. Understand?”

  “Why can’t you just go with me if you’re that worried?”

  “Because I …” Jack looked conflicted, and Chrissy wasn’t sure why. “Uh … It’s, uh, on Saturday, and I work that day.”

  “Oh. Well, I have to go—with or without you.” Drogo jumped up on her lap as if he was joining forces with Chrissy in her plan to be at the fight. If he could talk, she thought, he’d probably say, I’ve got your back, Chrissy!

  “Stop looking at me like that, Drogo,” Jack said but the dog continued to stare down his owner. “Chrissy, I thought you had to deal with some sort of mess back in Miami. Why don’t you go, and I’ll let you know how the fight turns out.”

  “Are you crazy? No way. I know you’re worried and I appreciate the overprotective big-brother thing you got going on, but I can handle myself. Trust me.” She set Drogo on the floor, stood up, pulled out her phone from her pocket, and started to dial.

  Big brother? What the hell? “There are a lot of things running through my mind right now.” He grabbed her biceps and with a quick jerk drew her closer to him. The cell phone in her hand fell to the floor. “But you and me as brother and sister … that’s not one of those things. That ship sailed the moment I felt your nipples against my chest and your tongue in my mouth.”

  Oh, my! Chrissy looked at him wide-eyed.

  “Who were you going to call?” Jack asked.

  Chrissy bit her tongue a little. He really knew how to get her all hot and bothered, especially with that unexpected dirty mouth of his. “Taxi,” was all that came out of her mouth.

  He let her go, picked the phone up from the floor, and shut it off. “A taxi?”

  “I need to go get my car.”

  He ran his hands along his face. “You are always so difficult, you know that? I’ll take you to get your car and change the tire. I have a spare one in the garage. You could’ve just asked me for a ride. You don’t need to call a cab.”

  “I don’t want to be more of a nuisance.”

  “You’re not a nuisance. I wish you were a little less difficult, but you’re not a nuisance. Come on.”

  “Thanks, Jack.” Still feeling guilty for wrongfully blaming him all those years for the Veronica thing, yet grateful, she leaned forward, intending to give him a peck on the cheek but was unable to control herself as she gently planted a small, innocent kiss on his lips. She began to move away, but he reached for the back of her neck and pulled her toward him and kissed her back, hard. Her mouth opened, allowing his tongue entrance. Her arms snaked around his neck, one hand reaching up to fist his hair, but there was nothing to hold on to. The feel of
the rough texture on her hand made her want to crawl into his skin. She pressed harder against him, pushing him into the wall. In one fluid motion he turned her around so that she was now against it. Without hesitation, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He let out a moan, cupped her ass, and pushed her even harder against the wall.

  “Jack,” she whimpered into his mouth.

  “Hold on to me,” he said, and she tightened her grip around his neck with her arms and squeezed her legs. He reached between them to unbutton and unzip her jeans and slid them down just past her ass. “You’re not wearing any panties?”

  “No. Don’t have clean clothes. My stuff’s still in my car, remember?”

  “Jesus Christ,” he groaned.

  With his left hand wrapped around her waist, he slid his right hand down, past the divide of her ass, to her wet and ready entrance. He slipped a finger inside her, and she clamped her legs even tighter around him.

  “Jack! I need you to …”

  “I know what you need, baby. Shh. Just hold on to me.”

  Her body undulated against his jean-covered erection. He must’ve known she was about to come, because at the most perfect moment he slipped a second finger inside and deepened the kiss as his fingers worked their magic. Chrissy stopped breathing. She stopped thinking. All she could manage to do was feel, and what she felt was pure ecstasy.

  “Chris, let go. I have you. Come for me.”

  Chrissy’s head fell back against the wall, and Jack felt her insides clench around his fingers as her body stiffened, a long whimper escaping her mouth. Chrissy’s face as she climaxed against his body was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen. He didn’t think he would ever have enough of her. She held on tight while she caught her breath. When he saw she wasn’t going to melt into the floor, he slowly released his grip and lowered her down. Her cheeks were flushed and her blue eyes glimmered.

  “Nice job, Officer.” She swatted his ass.

  He laughed. Nothing better than a woman who didn’t take sex so seriously. Without any warning she shoved him against the wall and dropped to her knees. He was caught completely off guard. “Chrissy?”