Beyond the Cage

by Alana Sapphire

  After we’re greeted, we’re led to a table, but I shoot him a confused glance because it seats five people. He just pulls out my chair and motions for me to sit, not even trying to offer any kind of explanation. I shrug it off, and he helps me out of my coat before I take my seat.

  “Thank you.”

  The waiter suggests a bottle of red wine, and Cameron nods. As we settle in, I scan the room. The décor is warm and open, in shades of brown. We can even see the chefs hard at work.

  As the waiter is pouring our wine, two men walk in, sitting at a table not far away. They smile at me, so I return a polite one. However, they keep staring at me. I look away but when I glance in their direction again, they’re still staring. Do they not see the huge man sitting next to me? I raise a brow, communicating my disgust at their behavior when they start whispering, obviously discussing me. Cameron senses my unease, touching my hand.

  “Those two men over there. They won’t stop staring at me.”

  He clenches his teeth, turning in his chair. However, instead of the glare I expected, he grins at the men. They laugh, leaving their table and approaching ours. Cameron stands also, greeting them with hugs. Huh? He knows them?

  “Good to see you, big brother!” one of them exclaims.

  Big brother? That’s when I realize they were just messing with me. And I fell for it. Shaking my head, I rise to my feet. Now that they’re closer, I see the resemblance. They have the same grey eyes and facial features, but are lean whereas Cameron is muscular. Cameron beckons me forward, resting his palm on my back as I extend my hand to his brother.

  “Jasmine.” He grins. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m Ryan.”

  Scoffing at my outstretched hand, he pulls me into a hug. “Nice to meet you, too, Ryan.”

  “And I’m Nick,” brother number two says, also wrapping his arms around me.

  “Sorry about earlier,” Ryan apologizes. “We just couldn’t resist pulling Cam’s leg.”

  “Yeah. He was about to rip your heads off.”

  “We saw the death stare before he realized it was us.” Nick chuckles. “Come. Sit, sit. I want to know everything about the woman who has my brother settling down.”

  Over wine, we exchange bits of information. I tell them about school, my family, how Cameron and I met. Nick is the baby of the family, single, and is a real estate agent. Ryan is a financial consultant and is married with two kids. Their sister, Nora, is the eldest. She’s a lawyer, and has a husband and three kids.

  “Have you heard from Nora?” Ryan directs his question to Cameron.

  Just as he shakes his head, I notice a tall brunette hustling toward our table. Her sights are set on me, but her expression is not pleasant. I think Nora has arrived. I nudge Cameron and alert him to her presence. The brothers stand first, greeting their sister with hugs and cheek kisses. I introduce myself and she sneers at my hand before shaking it gingerly. Okay then. Cameron shoots her a warning glare but she ignores him, taking her seat.

  “So…you’re her,” she says with disgust.

  “I assume by that you mean Cameron’s girlfriend. If so, then yes. I’m her.”

  Her gaze flicks to my ring and she narrows her eyes at me.

  “How long have you known him?”

  “Nora,” Ryan interjects. “Quit it with the inquisition.”

  “Why? I can’t let some gold-digging tramp –”

  Cameron slams his fist on the table, rattling the entire setting. My wine glass topples over and I’m not able to move out of the way fast enough. It ends up spilling on the hem of my dress and down my leg. Cameron rushes to my aid but I brush him off and excuse myself, heading to the bathroom. That bitch! The nerve…I can’t believe she not only accused me of being a gold digger but also of being a tramp. Me! Ugh!

  There’s not much I can do about my dress, so I concentrate on my legs and shoes. The door opens and I look up to see Nora walking in. Great. She leans a hip on the sink and stands there watching me. I ignore her, refusing to expend any energy on her.

  “Sorry about the dress. It looks…expensive.”

  I don’t reply.

  “Louboutins…cute.”

  I roll my eyes and turn to her. “I didn’t ask for them. It’s not my fault my man likes for me to look good.”

  “Your man?” she scoffs. “You’ve been here longer than the others, I’ll give you that. But how long do you think you’ll last?”

  “What’s your problem? Cameron is a grown man who’s perfectly capable of making his own decisions. Our relationship is none of your business.”

  “He is. I just don’t want anyone taking advantage of him.”

  “I’m not.” Putting my anger aside, I decide to be straight with her. “I love him.”

  That catches her off guard. She stares at me, searching my eyes for the truth. When she finds what she’s looking for, her expression loses some of its rigidity.

  “You do, don’t you?” she asks.

  “Yes.”

  “Well…I never expected that.”

  “Can I ask you something? About Cameron?”

  And she’s on guard again. “What?”

  “His voice…what does it sound like?”

  I surprised her again, but this time, her grey eyes soften and she smiles. “To be honest, it’s been so long I don’t even remember.”

  “What’s his deal? He won’t tell me anything.”

  “We’ve been trying to find out for years.”

  “I thought it may have something to do with his childhood.” She raises a brow and I quickly add, “He got upset when I asked about it.”

  She sighs, crossing her arms. “Cam was really skinny as a kid, got picked on a lot. Regardless, he was a happy kid. He shot up a few inches in high school, joined the wrestling team, and started weight training. Then, he joined the Marines. When he was discharged, he left for Japan. That’s when the silence began. At first, we thought it was PTSD, but he assured us it wasn’t.”

  “I haven’t seen anything to indicate PTSD. It seems more like a choice to me than anything else. But why would he choose to not speak?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” She shrugs.

  Chewing on my bottom lip, I turn away from her. That rules out the traumatic childhood theory. I also highly doubt it’s PTSD. What in the world could it be? What the hell happened in Japan?

  “Jasmine…I’m sorry for earlier. I’m extremely protective of my brothers and can be a real bitch when it comes to them and my kids. I misjudged you, and I’m sorry.”

  “You were pretty harsh.”

  “I’m sorry for calling you a gold-digging tramp. Truce?”

  I stare at her outstretched hand before finally taking it. “Apology accepted.”

  With that resolved, we head back to the table. It’s been cleaned, and appetizers served. Cameron’s worried expression relaxes, and he raises a questioning brow. Placing my palm to his cheek, I give him a reassuring smile.

  “Everything’s fine.”

  The rest of the evening is uneventful. Once Nora got past her prejudice, she relaxed, and we all had a lovely time. After dinner, we head back to the hotel, but he only allows me to change out of my wine-stained dress before we leave again.

  “Where are we going?” I get the customary mysterious smile. I should know better by now.

  There’s no chauffeur this time, only me and him – just the way I like it. As usual, I fill the silence as much as I can, talking about dinner, his family. He nods and occasionally squeezes my fingers. Giving up, I stare out the window as he drives. When we arrive at Grant Park, I begin to get excited.

  “Are we going to the fountain?” I bounce in my seat. I’ve lived in Illinois for years but still haven’t been to the Buckingham Fountain. Chels and I have been planning a trip but haven’t made it yet.

  After helping me out of the car, we make our way to the fountain. It’s almost ten, so the last show of the night is about to start. He finds a prime spot, engulfing me in
his arms while we wait. I lay my head on his chest, watching the other patrons gathering. After a while, the music begins, and the fountain comes alive with lights synchronized to the playing tune. The jets shoot up into the air as different sections light up in shades of red, blue, and yellow. The “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd mix in with childlike laughter and whispered appreciation for the beauty being beheld. Pulling out my phone, I record a few minutes to show to Chels. She’s going to be so jealous! After my video, I have Cameron take a picture of me standing in front of the fountain then ask him to take one with me. He doesn’t shy away or hesitate this time, even taking it himself.

  “Thanks, babe!”

  He pulls me back into his arms, holding me until the end of the show. I turn to face him, watching the fading lights play on his features. I can’t believe how much I’ve come to love him in such a short period of time. If only he would tell me how he feels…

  Leaning in, he takes my lips in a tender kiss. He palms the back of my neck, massaging it as his kiss increases in intensity. What does that old song say? If you want to know if he loves you, it’s in his kiss? If I’m to judge from this one then I’d say he’s head over heels. Too bad I need the words.

  He breaks our kiss, stroking my cheek with his thumb as he pulls away. His hooded eyes are wandering over my face, doing unspeakably wonderful things to my heart. There’s no doubt about it. He’s the one. Pulling his face to mine, I whisper in his ear, “Let’s go home.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Truth is universal. Perception of truth is not. – Unknown

  A gentle wind comes in from the Pacific Ocean, caressing my body as I stand on the balcony of our hotel room. The last four days being in California for The Ultimate Warrior competition, flash through my mind. Cameron breezed through the preliminaries and quarter-finals, heading into tonight’s semi-finals as the top seed. Whoever wins tonight goes on to fight in the finals on Saturday. One hundred men started, and now they’re down to four.

  He’s been training non-stop so he hasn’t had much time for me. I wish Sparty was here to keep me company but we left him back in Evanston with Josie. Chels and Damon are here, too so she and I hang out whenever we can, but mostly I spend my days with Cameron in the gym. I’ve become pretty good at differentiating the styles he uses when fighting, my favorite being Capoeira. Between my own research and what his trainers have taught me, I’ve learned a lot. I tell you, my panties get wet when he does the aú giro sem mao. Then again, I get wet just thinking about him, so that doesn’t say much. The art incorporates acrobatics, music, and dance, so I guess this is the only way I’ll get to see him dance. He won’t do it in the club with his girlfriend, but he’ll do it in the cage with another dude. I told him as much, and he had quite a laughing fit at my expense. He and Damon have also become friends, and they’ve been in the gym together every day. After only a few weeks, I can already see the changes in Damon’s body. That, of course, has only made Chels hotter for him.

  I look out over the ocean, watching as the sun slowly slips away, seemingly to the watery depths. I imagine that, standing here, I look like a heroine in a movie scene – hair blowing in the wind, my maxi dress billowing around my body. Closing my eyes, I envision my leading man walking up behind me, sliding his hands around my waist and pulling me close.

  Holy shit! I need to try this envisioning thing more often. I think of him and voilà…here he is! I lean in to him as he wraps his arms around my shoulders, letting my head loll back on his chest when he plants a gentle kiss on my neck. Taking a deep breath, I turn in his arms. We’ve only been together five months, but they’ve been the happiest of my life.

  “Hi.”

  He gives me a lazy smile and, as he leans in for a kiss, I slide my palms up his arms, to his nape. After a succession of soft kisses, he pulls back with a groan. He’s had fights every night, so that means there’s been no sex. It’s been hard, really hard, especially since we’ve been sleeping in the same bed. I suggested separate rooms, but he wouldn’t hear it.

  “Hungry?”

  I’ve also been getting my June Cleaver on, making him three squares a day. I have a feeling that’s the reason he got us a room with a full kitchen. I don’t mind, though; I enjoy taking care of him. He bites his bottom lip and his eyes tell me exactly what he’s hungry for.

  “Don’t go starting what you know you can’t finish,” I warn him.

  Clasping his hand in mine, I lead him inside. As we sit down to eat, there’s a knock at the door, and I know it’s Chels and Damon. They come over every night, and then we all leave for the arena.

  “Hey, love birds,” Chels sings as she glides inside. “What’s for dinner, wifey?”

  “You’re one to talk, Miss Tanner. You two would be joined at the hips if it wasn’t for us.”

  “Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”

  I roll my eyes as she smiles at Damon and playfully elbows him in the ribs. He kisses my cheek and joins Cameron at the table. We turn toward them and watch as Damon begins an animated but one-sided conversation.

  “I think your man is stealing mine away from me,” Chels observes.

  I wrap my arm around her shoulder with a giggle. “He doesn’t look unwilling to me.”

  “That’s what’s bothering me.”

  “Well…will it cheer you up to know that I made cookies?”

  “I frickin’ love you. He can have Damon. We’ll just grow old together then shrivel up and die.”

  I throw my head back and laugh. “Come on. Let’s eat.”

  After dinner, Cameron goes off to the bedroom like he usually does, to meditate for half an hour. When I walk in, he’s sitting at the edge of the bed, staring into space. I touch his cheek and he gazes up at me with a blank expression.

  “Are you okay?”

  He’s been training non-stop for weeks. He doesn’t show it, but I know this whole thing is taking a toll on him. Sitting on his lap, I curl my arms around his neck.

  “Just two more.” I pull his head down to my breasts and slide my fingers through his hair. “Two more and it’ll all be over. And then…after you get some rest,”—I place my index finger under his chin and tip his face toward mine—“I’m going to take care of you in ways your physical therapist can’t.”

  In one swift and efficient move, I’m on my back and he’s standing over me.

  “Cameron…what are you doing?”

  He tugs on the straps of my dress behind my neck and loosens the knot. I watch him with bated breath as he slowly peels the dress off, his gaze travelling down and locking on to my breasts. His eyes grow darker, and I draw in a sharp breath as he brushes his thumbs across my nipples.

  “Please…don’t tease me.”

  He flashes me a devilish smile and leans forward, expelling a slow breath on my nipple. Shivers rack my body. My back arches, sending the taut bud between his lips, and he pulls it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. His hand moves up my leg to the inside of my thigh, and I moan as his fingers hover over my pussy. Oh, God. Yes!

  He slides my dress up and over my hips, then drags my panties down. Grabbing my right leg, he throws it over his shoulder, and thrusts his finger inside me. I whimper, raising my hips to meet him. He lets out a low moan and leans in to my neck. As he inserts another finger, he bites into my shoulder. I snake my arms around his neck and hold him close. He moves his body to the rhythm of his fingers, his chest rubbing against my breasts. He doesn’t pull his fingers back, just keeps pushing, like he’s reaching for something just beyond his fingertips. When his thumb presses down on my clit, I whisper his name. He covers my lips with his and I moan into his mouth. My fingers slide into his hair, gently massaging his scalp as I move my hips, grinding on his fingers. That’s when he starts to move hard and fast, his fingers swimming in my wetness. His tongue probes my mouth, tasting every inch. He breaks the kiss and stares down at me as his fingers drive me to the point of insanity.

  “Fuck…”

 
I grip his shoulders tightly as my entire body freezes. My muscles clench, clamping down on his fingers, my eyes snap shut and my back arches as I come, shaking beneath him. Slowly, he withdraws his fingers, and I feel my juices trickling down. He brings his wet fingers to my lips and I take them into my mouth, our gazes locked as I suck on them. With a smirk, he leans forward and kisses my forehead.

  “Hmm…”

  I needed that. I stretch like a cat, sit up, and watch as he moves to the dresser. He opens his drawer, removes a small, gift-wrapped box, then walks back to me. Taking my hand, he places the box in my palm.

  Tugging the strings of the bow, I open it with a smile. Ooh, perfume! I remove the box, reading the label – “Mon Jasmin Noir L’Eau Exquise” by Bvlgari.

  “Let me guess…the name just called out to you, huh?” I rip off the plastic, open the box, and take a sniff. It’s love at first smell. “Mm…I love it! Thank you. I’ll wear it tonight.”

  I stand on my toes, kiss his cheek, and watch as he strolls off to the bathroom, a satisfied smile on his face.

  ***

  In Cameron’s dressing room, I sit on his lap and watch the first of the two semi-final matches, between Mikhail Khruschev and Corey Mitchell. Corey’s good, but Mikhail is a beast. He’s 6ʹ4ʺ, two hundred and seventy pounds, and I’m convinced he’s on steroids. In all his previous fights, they’ve had to pull him off his opponents to stop him from killing them. From what Mannie’s told me, the competition is only for heavyweights, but the organizers created their own weight class. If, no…when Cameron wins his match, that’s who he’ll probably be facing. My stomach is in knots and I’m scared witless, but I can’t show it. It’s not that I’m not confident in my man, but this guy is ruthless and I know he’d do anything to win.

  Mannie motions to Cameron and I slip off his lap, allowing him to stand. While he goes through his warm-up routine, I watch the two figures on the screen. It’s the second round, and Corey is getting his ass handed to him. Mikhail is relentless. He slams Corey to the mat and gives him a series of kicks to the stomach. Corey curls up into the fetal position while Mikhail struts around the cage like a peacock. Circling back to Corey, he picks him up and pushes him against the cage, face first. The camera zooms in on his face, which is a mass of blood, gashes, and lumps. His eyes are swollen shut. I grimace at the sight. The camera angle changes and shows Mikhail bending Corey’s arm behind his back. I hold my breath because I know he’s going to break it. The officials start scrambling for the cage, but it’s too late. The bone gives way and Corey cries out in anguish.