Cameron: As long as you’re my woman, you’ll never have to “take care of it” yourself.
I thought that also warranted him a home-cooked meal. There’s a meal plan stuck to the fridge, so I fixed his lunch. Everything I did made him ecstatic, which, in turn, made me ecstatic. Since he was busy, I spent the rest of the day with Chels. Cameron and Jared picked us up, and we all came here together.
“Helloooo…Earth to Planet Jasmine.”
“Huh?” I turn to Chels in confusion.
“Where’d you go?”
“I just want this to be over so we can leave.”
She jerks her head toward the commentators. “They’re talking about your man.”
Shaking off my distraction, I listen closely. They’re mostly talking about his record, style of fighting, and the fact that he’s known for knockout wins, while Chico’s wins are mostly submissions…but then, it gets interesting.
“Word on the street is that he found himself a girlfriend,” one of them says.
“I wonder what their conversations are like.” The other chuckles.
“I don’t know, Bill, but they were seen entering the venue together. As a matter of fact, I think we’ve found her.”
A camera man appears in front of me and my face gets plastered on the huge monitors above the cage. Chels drapes her arm around my shoulders, and we wave and blow kisses at the camera.
“Jim, I think this fight just might be even shorter than K.O.’s others,” Bill says.
“Why’s that?”
“Wouldn’t you want to get back to her as soon as possible?”
Ha-ha…very funny. I roll my eyes as they laugh at my expense. While they’re announcing the first event, my phone chimes with a text from Cameron, telling me to come to his dressing room. I grab Chelsea’s hand and pull her along with me. I find him sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by seven men, all of them hurling directions at him. This Chico guy must be good for them to be so worked up. He raises his palm to quiet them and they all shut up. When he looks in my direction, so do they. They all greet me…by name. The only one I know is Mannie, but somehow they all know me.
“Come on in, ladies.” Mannie gestures us forward.
“Hi, Mannie.”
Chels and I wave to the other men in the room as we enter. Mannie places his palms at the small of our backs and makes introductions.
“That’s Carl, K.O.’s manager. Rob, his assistant.”
Aah…assistant. So that’s how he gets everything done!
Mannie continues, “Tony, Muay Thai trainer. Rich, boxing. Joe, physical therapy. And Dave, kickboxing.”
“Hi, everyone. Jasmine, girlfriend.” Chelsea bumps my shoulder. “This is Chelsea, best friend.”
They all chuckle, say hi, and file out of the room.
“I’ll wait for you outside, Jas,” Chels whispers.
I nod and walk over to Cameron. “Everything okay?”
He takes my hand and pulls me down onto his lap. When I wrap my arm around his shoulder, he curls his finger in the neck of my top and peers in. Perv.
“You sure you wanna do that now?”
With a frustrated groan, he nuzzles my neck. There’s a knock at the door and one of the guys sticks his head in. It’s the manager…Carl.
“Uh…K.O., we need to take care of some business,” he says.
“I’ll wait outside,” I tell him.
I try to stand but he tightens his hold on me. Okay…I guess I’m staying. He motions for Carl to enter and another man follows him in, carrying a briefcase.
“Nick, this is Jasmine,” Carl introduces me to the newcomer. “Nick’s the promoter of the event.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
He takes my hand with a smile. “Nicholas Hollis, at your service…and the pleasure is all mine.”
The smile disappears when he glances over at Cameron, and he drops my hand unceremoniously. Fear is a hell of a thing. He’s not my type anyway – too short, too greasy…not Cameron. He opens his briefcase and displays the contents. Holy crap! Neatly stacked hundred dollar bills stare back at me.
“As we discussed,” Nick says. “Two hundred up front, two hundred after. If you win, of course.”
I look to Cameron and his expression says ‘you better have my money’. Nick nervously clears his throat.
“Yes, well…I guess that’s it for now.” He nods and moves toward the door. Halfway there, he stops and turns back to us. “You should come by the club tonight. I’ll have the VIP set up for you. Bring your lady.”
Cameron turns to me for confirmation.
“Okay.” I shrug.
He nods to Nick.
“Great!”
I don’t miss his calculating smile as he exits, Carl following behind him with the briefcase.
“You know he’s gonna let it slip that you’ll be there, right? He’ll probably make back what he just paid you.”
He replies with an indifferent shrug. Mannie sticks his head into the room and Cameron nods to him.
“Time for me to go?” I run my fingers through his hair and stare into his eyes solemnly. “Be careful.”
With a nod, he kisses my cheek. I smirk at him as I stand.
“Don’t get my pretty face messed up.”
He smacks my ass playfully and points to the door.
“I’m going, I’m going! Bye, Mannie.”
“See ya later, honey.”
I find Chels surrounded by Cameron’s trainers. Leave it to her to flirt with four guys at once. She wiggles her fingers at them when Mannie summons them.
“’Sup, playa?” I lift my chin at her.
“Pimpin’. You know me.” She shrugs.
That’s why I love this girl. She always knows how to make me laugh.
“Let’s go, pimp.” I laugh as I grab her hand. “The fight’s about to start.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. I guess he just wanted to see me before the fight.”
We make our way back to our seats just as the introductions begin. I stare at the cage nervously. I know he’s good at what he does but…anything can happen, right?
“Stop worrying. He’s gonna kick ass,” Chels assures me.
Chelsea the mind reader. I give her a grateful smile. She’s right. Be positive, Carter.
The arena goes dark. It’s time.
“Ladies and gentlemen…guys and girls…pimps and hoes…are you ready for the main event?” the announcer’s voice blares through the speakers.
The crowd erupts into cheers, applause, and whistles. Strobe lights flash, and an eerie song begins to play. Who is this guy?
“Fighting in black, with a record of fifty and one, the Latino monster, weighing in at two hundred and fifty pounds…Chiiiicoooo ‘Mad Dog’ Maddennnn,” the announcer continues.
What’s with all these dog names? First Pitbull, now Mad Dog. The volume of the music rises, and the spotlight centers on the entrance. The TV monitors come alive with the image of a dog, foaming at the mouth and barking ferociously. Okay then. Mad Dog steps into the spotlight, rolling his head. He’s big. Now, he looks like a turtle about to explode…and he looks mean. I don’t like this.
The arena lights come on and he walks slowly to the cage. Once inside, he stands in his corner and watches the entrance with a menacing glare. Chels squeezes my hand in reassurance as the lights go out again. This time, the crowd is louder. Above the cheers and whistles from the men are the screams of his female fans. Ughhh. Like before, the spotlight centers on the entrance and he steps into the light. This time, he’s wearing a boxer’s robe, the hood pulled over his bowed head. He pushes the hood back and zeroes in on the cage. The screams get louder.
“Look at your man!” Chels shouts. “You can safely say every woman in this room wishes they were you right now.”
I am looking at him…and he’s making his way toward a caged mad dog. God, please don’t let him get hurt. He removes his robe, hands it to Mannie, and climb
s the steps to the cage. I watch as the ref explains the rules before they bump fists and walk to their corners. When the bell sounds, I hold my breath. They meet in the center of the ring, circling each other. Chico makes a few tentative punches, but Cameron moves out of the way easily. Chico becomes more aggressive, but Cameron evades all his attempts. That makes him angry. He lunges at Cameron, who’s now blocking every move. Cameron is calm, relaxed, confident…he’s got this.
Chico drops his guard and Cameron delivers a powerful uppercut which sends his opponent teetering backward. He capitalizes on that, slamming Chico to the mat. Jumping on top of him, he delivers blow after blow to Chico’s face. The crowd goes insane. The ref pulls him off and sends him to his corner. He starts the count, but Chico staggers to his feet. When the ref yells “Fight!”, Cameron comes out swinging – punching and kicking. The other man tries to protect his face, but he’s not very successful. Cameron bends his knees and punches him in the kidneys. Damn. That’s got to hurt. Chico falls against the cage, and the bell goes off. Cameron walks back to his corner and his trainers begin fussing over him. I turn my gaze to Mad Dog. He’s bleeding and his face is swollen. I don’t think I like this side of Cameron. Chelsea, on the other hand, can’t contain her excitement.
“Didn’t I tell you?” she screams.
The bell goes off again and they walk to the center of the ring. I don’t know how much more Chico can take. He throws a few punches and kicks, but they’re weak and Cameron blocks them effortlessly. He brings his elbow up and across Chico’s chin, then with his shin, swiftly lands a kick to his side. Putting his left foot forward, he spins and connects his right elbow with Chico’s head. Mad Dog falls to the mat like dead weight. The resulting noise from the crowd is deafening. The ref steps in, pushing Cameron back to his corner. My lion paces restlessly, hungrily eyeing his prey while Mannie animatedly yells instructions at him. The ref is shouting to Chico, who’s using the cage to help him to his feet. He pushes the ref aside and weaves toward Cameron, who stands with his hands at his sides, patiently waiting. He staggers forward, throws a weak punch, and Cameron catches him, holding him up. In a blur of movement, he falls backward to the mat with his legs around Chico’s waist. He brings his right leg up, placing his shin on Chico’s neck, and holds on to the man’s head with both hands. Now, the commentators are going crazy, too.
“Holy shit, the gogoplata!” one of them shouts. “He’s going for the submission!”
“If Mad Dog taps out, this will be his first submission!”
“It will be K.O.’s first submission win!”
“I think that’s the goal here…to make Mad Dog tap out!”
Now I see what he’s trying to do. He doesn’t want to just win; he wants to humiliate the other fighter – the knockout expert making the submission expert tap out. I guess that’s why he gets the big bucks. He’s putting on quite a show.
Chico looks determined, but Cameron tightens his hold until he finally gives in and taps out. He releases the broken man and jumps to his feet. Chelsea joins the crowd chanting his name as he exits the cage. I fall into my seat and expel a breath of relief. It’s over.
“That was incredible! I’ve never seen him fight like that before!”
“I told you he was holding back,” I reply distractedly.
“Why do you sound so bummed? He won.”
I watch as they help Chico out of the cage. Some victory. He didn’t get hurt, but he hurt someone. When I become a doctor, I’ll take an oath to do no harm. Guys like this will probably be my patients. And Cameron will be the one putting them in my care. Chelsea turns her head to follow my gaze.
“Oh.” She nods in understanding. “I get it. C’mon, let’s go see him.”
By the time we work through the crowd and arrive ‘backstage’, Cameron’s changed and is leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets. However, he’s not alone. There’s some Latina chit fawning all over him, touching his arm, his chest, and smiling at him suggestively. What the fuck? He’s listening to what she’s saying, a blank, if not bored, expression on his face. He may not be encouraging her, but he’s not discouraging her, either. I forget all about the fight.
“Jas, calm down,” Chels warns.
“I’m calm. Don’t I look calm?” I reply through clenched teeth.
“On the outside. But I’ve known you since before we were old enough for bras. You have a tendency to overreact.”
“You think I shouldn’t react at all? To this?” I ask in disbelief.
“They’re in public…and he’s just standing there.”
“Fine,” I reply, only to appease her. I am not letting this go.
I fix a smile on my face and approach them. He glances between me and the woman, confused by my smile. Once I’m at his side, I turn to the chit. Everything about her is fake – hair, lips, breasts, ass. This is what he likes?
“Hello,” I greet her, my smile not faltering.
Her smile fades and she turns up her nose at me. I slip my arm through his and look up at him.
“You ready to go, baby?”
“And who are you supposed to be?” Chit asks.
I blink innocently at her and extend my hand. “Jasmine. Cameron’s girlfriend.”
Her eyes widen in shock and she looks from me to him and back. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me in to his side. Oh…now you choose to do something? She looks down at my hand with a sneer, flips her hair, and marches off in a huff. I shrug him off and turn to him with an accusatory look.
“Who was that?”
He reaches for me but I step out of his reach. “Just take me home. I need to pick up Sparty.”
I walk away, not even checking to see if he’s behind me. Josie, a teenager in my building, agreed to watch Sparty whenever I need her. It’s costing me $10 an hour, but at least I know he’s safe.
“Jas!” Chels shouts after me.
“Come on, Chels, we’re leaving.”
“Hold up!”
I stop walking and turn to her.
She smiles and bites her bottom lip. “I’m getting a ride home.”
“From who?”
Cameron appears behind her, but I ignore him completely.
“Tony.”
“The trainer?”
I look to Cameron, hoping he can at least vouch for Tony, but he’s busy looking around the room.
“Are you sure about this?” I ask Chels.
“Jas, he’s hot!”
Cameron clenches his jaw and storms off. We watch as he makes his way over to Tony. We can’t hear what the other man is saying, but he looks petrified.
“I’ll be fine. I think Cameron just put the fear of God into him.”
“I still don’t like it but…okay. I’ll see you at home.”
I watch her walk away. When my eyes meet Cameron’s, I turn and head for the exit. He and Jared catch up to me at the Cayenne. He opens the door and I hop in, sliding to the far side. Without looking at him, I express my gratitude for what he did for Chelsea.
“Thank you. Can she trust this Tony guy?”
Begrudgingly, I turn to him to see his answer. He nods and I return to ignoring him. I cross my arms over my chest and look out the window the entire ride. He sits at the other end, doing the same. He wasn’t doing anything. Why am I so angry? Why do I feel so…jealous? I mean…look at him. Women are bound to throw themselves at him. It’s his reaction that really counts. Is Chels right? Am I overreacting?
As soon as the car stops, I jump out, and head for Josie’s apartment. Her mother answers when I knock. He walks up behind me just as Josie is handing Sparty over to me.
“Thanks, Josie. He wasn’t any trouble, was he?”
“He’s an angel, Jas.”
I check the time to figure out how much I need to pay her. “Let’s just call it five hours, so $50. Thanks again.”
“No problem.”
“Pay her,” I tell him, my voice clipped. I leave them and head upstairs, stroking Spar
ty’s head. “You won’t cheat on me, will you, Sparty?” He whines and licks my hand. “I know.”
Leaving the door open, I take Spartacus over to his little bed. He curls up with his toy and promptly forgets about me. Men, hmph! I hear the door close behind me and I turn to face him.
“Do you know her?”
He nods.
“Did you fuck her?”
He looks me in the eyes and holds my stare. My heart rate increases. Hesitation. He’s fucking hesitating.
CHAPTER 14
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. – Lao-Tzu
It seems like an eternity before he finally nods.
“Please, tell me it was before me.”
He nods again. Yes. Thank, God.
“Do you want to fuck her now?” He grabs my hand and pulls me against him. “Don’t.”
I push at his chest but he only grips me tighter, guiding my hand to his crotch. My fingers meet a full-blown erection.
“Is that a ‘yes’?” He ignores me, sweeping me off my feet and heading for my bedroom. “Put me down. Do I look like I’m in the mood for sex?”
He lays me on the bed horizontally, spreads my legs, and steps between them. When he leans forward, I feel the full effect of his hard-on and it chips away at my resolve. I turn my head to the side to avoid his stare and hear him sigh in exasperation. If he thinks he can mollify me with sex, he better think again.
Then, his lips are on my neck. I gasp at the contact. As they move across my skin, my anger quickly melts away, and I whimper as his kisses become more aggressive. He moves to my lips, his tongue forcefully finding mine. I give in, wrapping my arms around his neck and sliding my fingers through his hair. The frenzy is back. I guess he wants to make up for last night. He pulls back, breathing heavily, staring at me like I’m the first woman he’s seen after a ten-year stint in prison. He curls his fingers in my top and rips it like a piece of paper, right down the middle. Fuck! The man’s an animal! While he drags his T-shirt over his head and drops it carelessly on the floor, I use the opportunity to scramble away from him.
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