by Laura Day
JAX THE DOM: Fighting Dirty Trilogy, Book 3
By Laura Day
I hurt people.
I lose myself in the sweat and blood and the sound of bones breaking.
Maple’s different.
She saved me, made me whole again.
Now, someone wants to hurt her.
And it’s my turn to save her.
Even if it means going back to jail
Even if it means killing again.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
JAX THE DOM
First edition. November 10, 2017.
Copyright © 2017 Laura Day.
Written by Laura Day.
Also by Laura Day
Fighting Dirty Trilogy
Jax the Fighter
Jax the Killer
Jax the Dom
Iron Raiders MC
Blind Spot
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Laura Day
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
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Also By Laura Day
Chapter 1
Jax
“Stop training now!”
Evan’s voice was firm and held that no nonsense tone that Jax knew he couldn’t mess with. He lowered his fists and turned around to face Evan. “Ok,” he said in defeat. “I’m stopping.”
“Good,” Evan nodded approvingly. “Now go wash yourself off and meet me in my office. You need a few hours of rest before this fight—otherwise you’ll be completely useless.”
Jax spent fifteen minutes in the shower, wiping off the sweat and grime that clung to him after his six-hour training session. He kept his head down and watched the water pool at his feet before draining. He tried to keep his mind focused on his strategy, but his mind kept drifting to Maple. She had looked so beautiful in his sister’s white sundress with her hair hanging loose around her shoulders as she had looked up at him with those big doe eyes.
His initial reaction to her appearance had been pure joy, but after he’d had some time to think, Jax realized that he had actually been hoping she wouldn’t be discharged until tomorrow. He had wanted her to miss the fight; he didn’t want her to have to be in the same space as Conor. Just the idea of Conor sent sparks of rage coursing through his body. He felt his muscles flex, as he tried to control the desire to beat his fists against the tiled wall in front of him.
Jax felt a keen sense of guilt every time he thought of what happened to Maple. He should have known that Conor would try something like this. He had almost beaten the life out of Jodie, which meant he was capable of anything. He remembered the promise he had made to himself the first day he had seen Maple lying on the hospital bed. He had seen a flashback image of his sister in the same position a few years ago, and he had resolved never to allow anyone to harm the women in his life like that again.
He had sat by the bed and taken Maple’s hand into both of his own. He had whispered promises to her, but the thing he remembered most was the promise he had made to himself. He had thought it was enough to beat Conor in the ring. That, somehow, Conor’s defeat and his subsequent humiliation would be some sort of closure for himself and his sister. But now Jax knew what he really had to do. He needed to kill Conor in that ring. That was the only way to end it.
Jax felt his rage building, and the calming shower he had hoped to have seemed naïve now. He turned off the water, toweled himself off, got dressed, and headed over to Evan’s office.
“How are you feeling?” Evan asked in a business-like tone.
“More than ready,” Jax said without hesitation. “I’m going to destroy that motherfucker.”
Evan looked up, fixing his piercingly dark eyes on Jax. “You are a talented mixed martial arts fighter, and you have been the best student that I ever had the privilege of training. Do not forget that training. Do not forget the reason you fight. Do not let your personal prejudices get in the way of fighting clean and fighting fair. You understand me?”
Jax nodded once, but he didn’t meet Evan’s eyes.
“Jax,” Evan’s voice was firm.
“Yes.”
“Do you understand me?”
Jax had no choice but to make eye contact and nod. “I understand,” he said.
“Good,” Evan nodded. “Now sit down.”
Jax fell into the seat across from Evan, and immediately, he felt a little spasm run up his legs. He realized with a start that it was the first time he had sat down in hours.
“Maple was here today,” Evan pointed out unnecessarily.
“I know,” Jax nodded.
“She’s an amazing girl,” Evan said.
Jax couldn’t help but smile. “I know that, too.”
“She needs a solid life, Jax,” Evan said in a low voice. “She needs some stability. You do, too; you can help each other out.”
“That’s the plan,” Jax nodded. “At least... it’s my plan.”
“You’re sure you’re going to win tonight, aren’t you?” Evan asked, watching him carefully.
“I am,” Jax said fiercely. “I’m going to make sure I win.”
“What does that mean?” Evan asked immediately. “‘Make sure I win?’”
“Whatever it takes,” he said, holding something back.
“What did I just tell you?”
Jax sighed noisily. “This guy doesn’t deserve a clean fight,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Then you shouldn’t have accepted the challenge at all!” Evan shot back. “Because that means he’s not a guy that you should be fighting at all. If the rules don’t mean anything to you, then respect means nothing to you either. Be a fighter worthy of the title; be a fighter who can stand up in legal MMA circles and make the crowd go wild. Because let me tell you something, the win won’t mean anything if you don’t play by the rules.”
“It’ll mean something to me,” Jax said.
“Stop thinking about today,” Evan said harshly. “Stop thinking about tomorrow. Think about a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now. If you build up a reputation for illegal moves in that ring, then the MMA won’t touch you, and you will never be able to give Maple the life she deserves.”
Jax fell silent as he contemplated Evan’s words. He knew Evan was right, but it was a bitter pill to swallow. It didn’t matter either way; Jax knew that if he put enough power into his attack, he might be able to accomplish his goal and exact his revenge in the same breath. That was the only option he had left, because he knew Evan was right. Maple deserved more than the life she had, and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure he did right by her.
“I know,” Jax said. “You’re right.”
“She’s been through a lot, Jax,” Evan said quietly.
“You don’t have to remind me,” Jax said and nodded. “I just...”
“I know how you feel, kid,” Evan said sympathetically. “You saw your sister suffer at the hands of a monster, then you were put into jail by the same man and now you have to watch the woman you love suffer, too. I get it. Trust me, but revenge is not always the healing elixir people think it is. If you don’t do it the right way... then it won’t hold and you won’t be happy.”
Jax listened as the words sunk in. They made sense, but he was aware that their meaning was being impeded by the steady flow of rage that was burning just beneath his skin. Jax wanted to take Evan’s adv
ice, but a part of him knew that his anger was the driving force he needed to beat Conor once and for all. If he fought smart, then he could win the fight legitimately and cause enough damage to put Conor down once and for all.
“You’re thinking too much,” Evan said, cutting through Jax’s thoughts. “It’s starting to worry me.”
“Don’t you worry about me,” Jax said confidently.
Evan sighed. “Why don’t you go back to your apartment and get some down time with Maple,” he suggested.”
“I can’t afford to get distracted now,” Jax said firmly. “I’ll stay here till the fight.”
“Jax...”
“Maple understands,” Jax said, closing the discussion, at the same time his cell phone started to ring. He excused himself and went towards the lockers where there was some semblance of quiet.
“Hello?” he said, as he answered the call without looking to see who was calling.
“Hi Jax, it’s me,” Jodie’s voice sounded tense.
“Jodie,” Jax said. “You sound... anxious.”
“Can you blame me?” Jodie said. “The fight is tonight, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Jax confirmed. “But you already knew that.”
“Yeah,” Jodie said quietly. “Jax... I really want to be there, but—”
“You and I both know it’s better if you’re not,” Jax said immediately. “To be honest, I would prefer that you didn’t come.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive,” Jax said firmly. “I don’t want you to have to see that fucker.”
“A part of me wants to see him bloodied and bruised and on his knees,” Jodie said as her voice shook ever so slightly. “But... a part of me knows that I need to stay as far away from him as possible.”
“I agree,” Jax nodded fervently.
“Maple called me a little while ago,” Jodie told him. “They discharged her early.”
“I know,” Jax replied. “She came to the gym this morning to surprise me.”
“She’s going to be there for the fight.”
“I tried to convince her to sit it out but—”
“She’s stubborn about it,” Jodie said. “I know. She’s perfect for you.”
Jax smiled. “Thanks for that backhanded compliment.”
Jodie was quiet for a moment; Jax could only hear her quiet breathing. “Be safe, big brother,” she said at last. “And don’t lose.”
“I don’t intend to,” Jax said confidently.
“Conor... he’s a monster,” Jodie said quietly. “And monsters don’t play by the rules.”
Jax immediately thought of Evan’s words. “I’ll be careful,” he promised her.
“Ok,” Jodie said. “Ok.”
“Was there something else you wanted to talk about?” Jax asked gently.
“No,” Jodie replied. “I just... wanted to hear your voice before the fight. Will you call me afterwards?”
“Of course,” Jax nodded.
“Ok,” Jodie said again. “Then I’ll let you prepare for tonight. Bye, big brother.”
Jax smiled. “Don’t worry,” he said before he hung up the phone and stared ahead at the grease-stained walls that surrounded him. He felt ready for the fight, but there were a number of different emotions racing around in his head, and he wasn’t sure if he should sort through them now or get the fight out of the way before he did.
When he walked back towards the main center of the gym, he saw Evan in the middle of it getting the area ready for the fight. There were already more people cramped in there than Jax had seen in a while. He knew that the news of the fight had travelled fast and people had been eagerly anticipating it in the past week. He walked up to Evan who was barking orders to different guys. They were setting up the judges’ table to the left of the ring.
“There you are,” Evan said. “You should start getting ready soon.”
“How long before he shows up with his entourage?” Jax asked.
“Two hours,” Evan said.
Jax nodded. “And the judges?”
“Brit Samson is one of them,” Evan replied.
“You know him. don’t you?”
“Reasonably well,” Evan answered. “He’s a straight guy, and he’s respected in MMA circles.”
“And the other two judges?”
“Louis Carney and Harold Yves,” Evan replied. “I’ve heard of Louis Carney, but Harold Yves is a stranger. I don’t know how they’re going to play out.”
“Are you worried?” Jax asked.
“Not before I have a reason to be,” Evan said.
Jax nodded. “And the referee?”
“Some guy named Dillon Franks,” Evan replied. “I haven’t heard of him either.”
It was amazing how short two hours seemed to Jax. It could just as easily have been two minutes. On the heels of that thought came the realization that he was actually nervous. It wasn’t because he was scared of Conor; it had more to do with the fact that he felt a personal obligation to take Conor to task for all the crimes he had committed against Jodie and Maple.
The moment his thoughts landed on Maple, he pictured her face as clearly as though she were standing right in front of him. He saw everything from her big brown eyes to her dark hair that curled out slightly at the corners. He saw the light in her eyes and the brightness in her smile. Lastly, he saw her scar, and that, too, was beautiful to him. He realized that the more he held on to her image, the calmer he felt. Taking strength and courage from that, he held on to Maple’s image in the same way that a pious would look to God.
Chapter 2
Maple
Maple could barely recognize the underground fighting ring that she had cleaned day in and day out for months on end. She had been present for fights in the past, but none as high profile and as anticipated as this one. There were far more lights, all aimed at the center ring and far more people crowded into the space than Maple had ever seen.
The judges’ table was set up on the left hand side of the ring, and it was conspicuously empty when Maple walked in. She noticed that a number of people craned their necks in her direction, without bothering to mask the expressions of curiosity on their faces as they took in her scar. For once Maple wasn’t bothered by the stares that followed her; she was far too worried about the upcoming fight to worry about what people thought of her.
She couldn’t see Evan either, and she knew he would probably be with Jax. She wished she could see him before he went into the ring, but she didn’t want to risk distracting him, or letting him see the worry and fear that was written all over her face. She found a corner of the gym that wasn’t as crowded with people and waited. Fifteen minutes later, the judges walked in together, with the referee sauntering in behind them. The three men took their seats behind the table, and Maple studied them closely.
The judge on the right hand side corner was short, stout, and had a significant bald patch in the center of his head. He wore round glasses and a staunch expression. The nameplate sitting on the table in front of him read, “Brit Samson.” The two men sitting next to him were significantly younger; the one sitting right next to him was brown-eyed, dark-haired, and much taller. His nameplate read, “Louis Carney.” The judge on the far left appeared to be the youngest. He had long, dirty blonde hair that hung loose and free around his shoulders, and his nameplate read, “Harold Yves.”
Minutes after the judges entered the gym, a cry went off in the distance, and Maple knew immediately that Conor had just arrived with his crew. She felt her muscles stiffen involuntarily, and a spasm of fear raced through her body. Taken by surprise by her body’s reaction, Maple hunched instinctively in an attempt to make herself seem smaller so that she could escape notice. She reached out and released her hair from its bun, hoping that it would provide a small measure of coverage.
She heard a bell go off, and she knew it was about to start. She watched the referee walk onto the ring. He was tall and lanky, half his face was hidden by a tattoo t
hat looked suspiciously like a snake with its fangs exposed. He had long, black hair that was tied back in a ponytail and seedy blue eyes that ranged over the room without interest.
Knowing that Conor was about to make his appearance, Maple ducked into the bathroom so that she didn’t have to see the overwhelming welcome she knew he would receive. She stood with her hands gripping the cold counter and stared down at her white knuckles. She realized after a moment that she was breathing heavily, so she made an attempt to calm herself down.
“Come on, Maple,” she whispered to herself in the empty bathroom. “He violated your body, don’t let him get inside your head, too. Don’t let him win.”
She heard someone scream Conor’s name, and then a roar went up and she heard the crowd screaming and cheering and clapping. She tried to drown out the noise and concentrate on her breathing. After she had gained some measure of control, she stared at her brown eyes in the mirror and started repeating the words that had helped her through some of her harder moments.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference,” Maple said the words slowly so that she could really listen as she spoke them. “Please.”
Then she took one last breath and walked back into the underground gym where the large center ring was set up. Conor was already inside the ring, pacing back and forth on his side. He looked formidable. He was past six feet with colossal muscles and a face that was both intimidating and threatening. Then another roar went up through the crowd as Jax made his appearance with Evan at his back.
He was wearing dark blue shorts that Maple knew he believed were lucky. He looked powerful, too, but he was leaner and more muscled than Conor—and that gave a different aura to his presence. There was a grace to his physique that Conor lacked. Maple saw the darkness etched on his face, and immediately, she felt her panic built. His eyes were dark and filled with cold hatred; tension and anger was written in every muscle in his body. She could tell that it was taking everything he possessed not to attack Conor right there where he stood.