LovingDragon

by Garland

After a moment Dragon placed his hands on each side of her head and brought her face up off his chest. “Baby, talk to me,” he whispered. Her face was in shadow and he would have given anything to be able to fully see her, to look into those beautiful green eyes and take away her pain. Her sobs had reduced to hard sniffles that seemed to shake her whole body. “Was that your mother?” he asked, and she nodded yes. “You favor her, both very beautiful women,” he felt her body stiffened.

  “We may look alike, but that’s where it ends. I am nothing like my mother,” Cat managed to get out around sniffs. “She doesn’t think I belong here. She wants me to come back home.”

  Dragon felt his heart squeeze and he had to take a deep breath before he said anything. “And what do you want?”

  “I want to stay here, but Dragon, it’s complicated. If I stay I could be opening up the possibility that trouble could follow me and people could get hurt, people that I have come to care about. Mia, Cutman and especially…you,” Cat said.

  Dragon sighed. “Baby, don’t worry about me. I promise I can take care of myself as well as my friends. And dammit, Cat, you have to know that I will protect you. I would die before I would let anyone hurt you. But you have to let me in on what’s going on.”

  Before Cat could answer, the back door swung open and Bubba yelled, “Dragon, get your ass in here. Cutman’s in trouble!”

  Dragon looked down at Cat, clearly torn between helping his woman and going to his best friend’s aid, but Cat made the decision for him when she pushed him. “Just go!” So he turned and raced back inside the bar with Cat close by on his heels.

  Dragon took in the scene in the bar in just an instant. Cutman was being held from behind by two bikers, while Bennett took turns throwing punches his way. A steady stream of blood ran out of Cutman’s nose but still he attempted to fight back by bringing up his leg to kick at Bennett as he approached to throw yet another punch. Mia leapt on Bennett’s back in a vain attempt to help Cutman, but Bennett shook her off effortlessly and she fell to the floor with a thump. The rest of the bar goers stood back against the wall shouting encouragement to the fighters, clearly enjoying the free show with their beer and burger.

  “Son of a bitch!” Dragon muttered as he jumped over a nearby overturned table. He was aiming for Bennett, who never saw him coming as he gave Bennett a spinning back-kick that landed in the center of his chest and sent the man flying through the air and landing on a table that promptly broke under the man’s massive weight. In almost the same move he threw an upper-cut to the guy left of Cutman, the man staggered back, releasing Cutman who then threw a punch at the remaining guy holding him, this sent biker number two back, but only for a moment he was a big guy and was soon back on the attack and Dragon took him down with a series of quick punches to both his face and body. The guy never had a chance. Dragon was clearly too quick for him.

  Out of the corner of his eye Dragon watched as Bennett struggled to get up from the broken table, and he awaited his next move, as he turned and faced him. Dragon watched dispassionately as Bennett fumbled in his pocket. The entire bar had quieted, the only sounds being the heavy breathing of Bennett and the ominous click and swish of a knife opening. Well this certainly upped the ante, thought Dragon.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cat’s heart stopped as she saw Mia fall to the floor and Dragon leap an overturned table with a flying kick that sent Bennett airborne and crashing into another nearby table that promptly collapsed under his weight. Cat hurried over and helped Mia up and the women rushed to Bubba’s side and out of the way. “Bubba did you call the police?” Cat asked, as she watched Dragon throw a punch that had one of the men holding Cutman letting go as he staggered backward.

  Bubba snorted. “No police. Bikers have their own kind of justice. Dragon can handle it.”

  Cat turned disbelieving eyes to Bubba. “Are you kidding me? It’s three against two and oh my God! Bennett just pulled out a knife!”

  “Yeah, I hope Bennett’s going to be okay,” stated Bubba flatly.

  “Bennet?” Cat all but screamed as she stared at Bubba as if he had lost his mind.

  Bubba turned calm eyes to her. “You have no fuckin’ idea who Dragon is, do you?”

  Cat was stunned by the question. It was true she really had no idea who this man was. She watched in horrified amazement as he moved as if in some kind of whacked-out ballet, taking down one opponent after another. It was beautiful in a graphic kind of way. She didn’t know this man. Dragon the fighter was unknown to her. Was this the same man who only moments before had been so tenderly holding and comforting her as she cried? She had only been witness to the lover and he was damn good at that. Cat had given him her body. Could she also give him her trust? Or even her heart?

  She wasn’t so sure anymore because Dragon the fighter was terrifying in his deadliness.

  ****

  Dragon had heard Cat’s voice as she had called out Bennett’s name when he flicked open the switchblade. He now watched as Bennett approached him slowly. The tension in the room was thick and Dragon was only vaguely aware of the hushed mutterings of the other bargoers. The knife changed everything, and everyone there knew it. Cutman had moved back and was keeping an eye on Bennett’s two cohorts who now lay moaning and bleeding nearby. Dragon awaited Bennett’s approach calmly, as if waiting for the next city bus to stop.

  “I’m going to fuckin’ carve your sorry ass up, then I’m going to teach your little blonde bitch what it’s like to be fucked by a real man,” stated Bennett.

  Dragon’s eyes never left him even though they narrowed dangerously. “You’re welcome to try, but I’m warning you, Bennett, you better make damn sure you kill me because if you don’t and you hurt Cat, there won’t be a hole for you to crawl into that I won’t find you.” No one but Cutman and Bubba knew just how ominous his statement had been. Bennett may out-weigh him by a good forty pounds, but Dragon was quicker and now he was enraged, though no one watching would be able to tell. He was nothing but calm when suddenly Bennett lunged forward with the knife, fully intending to plunge it deep into Dragon’s chest, he telegraphed his move and all Dragon had to do was step to the left, and bring up his foot with a quick little kick to Bennett’s hand. The knife clattered to the floor and almost before it dropped so did Bennett. Twisting and leaping Dragon somehow was behind Bennett now and easily took him to the ground as he held him in a choke hold. When he felt Bennett’s body go lax and stop struggling, Dragon knew he was out. Dragon released him with a disgusted shove and rose to his feet with a bounce.

  “You okay?” he asked Cutman.

  Cutman shrugged. “Stupid assholes broke my damn nose.”

  Dragon frowned. “You needed some uglying up anyway. You’re way to pretty to begin with.” Cutman attempted a snort, but stopped when it blew blood everywhere.

  “Sorry I wasn’t here, man. What the hell happened?” asked Dragon.

  “Damn if I know, they walked in here looking for trouble. All three of them jumped me at once.” Mia stepped forward and provided a clean bar towel for Cutman to hold to his bleeding nose.

  “He’s right, there was no provocation. It looked planned. They walked in and just jumped him. I think they saw you weren’t around and just took advantage of the opportunity. Come on I’ll drive you to the hospital to get that looked at,” Mia said.

  “Thanks hun, just give me a minute to help take out the trash.” With that, Cutman reached down, grabbed the back of the nearest man’s shirt, and started to drag him to the front door. When he got him there he gave him a shove and some wise words. “Don’t fucking come back.” The other guy walked himself to the door and exited on his own, still holding his jaw. Dragon and Cutman together dragged an unconscious Bennett out the door and threw him into the parking lot at his friend’s feet.

  “When your buddy comes to, tell him if he shows his face in here again he’s going to be real sorry. I won’t just leave him sleeping for a few minutes. Do you understand?” Dragon as
ked. The other two men nodded their understanding and Dragon and Cutman watched as they struggled to get Bennett in the back of a pick-up truck. The fact that they hadn’t ridden their bikes spoke volumes as to their intentions. At least one of them had been smart enough to know there was a chance someone wasn’t going to be able to sit a bike after their ambush attack.

  Mia left with Cutman in her car headed to the ER, while Dragon and the rest of the crew were left to clean up the mess of broken tables, chairs and glass along with spilled drinks. The place had started to empty out so Bubba decided to just close early. Dragon took note of the fact that Cat had been especially quiet. He was concerned that she was going to have a lot of questions after witnessing the fight, something told him in her high society world, things like that didn’t happen. She climbed quietly on his bike with barely a nod when he offered to take her home and even though she gripped him tightly during the short ride, something was wrong, he had the feeling that she really wanted to be far away from him and the violence she had witnessed earlier.

  ****

  Catherine climbed from the bike and headed to the door of the apartment, Dragon on her heels. She needed time to think, to process what she had seen tonight. Dragon’s violence was explosive yet controlled. Terrifyingly accurate and obviously he had the ability to do great harm. She was scared of that kind of capability, yet she acknowledged to herself she wasn’t afraid of him. But did she really know this man?

  She heard Dragon close the door behind her and she turned to face him when he began to speak. “You have questions for me. I can see them in your eyes,” stated Dragon. “I scared you, I’m sorry but I did what I had to do to protect those I care about and myself of course. I always have, that’s something you should probably know about me Cat. I protect what’s mine. Let’s talk. We have questions for each other. You can go first, what is it you want to know about me?”

  “Who are you?” she asked her voice barely above a whisper.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “My name is Dane Maldonado, I’m twenty-eight. I grew up in a trailer park in Tennessee, where my father was an abusive alcoholic and my mother and I were his whipping post until I turned fourteen and I could fight him off. After that he left us alone. I was a state wrestling champ in high school and won a wrestling scholarship to college that’s where I met Cutman who was studying to be an athletic trainer. I started boxing just to help stay in shape, got into Muay Thai, Judo, one thing lead to another and I was fighting in the UFC and not just fighting, but winning. Before I had realized it I had dropped out of school and I was either training or fighting. Three years ago I was the UFC Champion. Fighting just became my world. An endless life of training and fighting, I got burnt out. I got tired of waking up sore every damn morning. I was sick to death of hurting other people for sport. I quit, just walked away from it all. The money the fame and yes the groupies. I followed Cutman to his home here in Maxville and together we bought the gym.”

  He paused and took a deep breath. “Cat, I know what you witnessed tonight probably frightened you, but you need to know I have never struck a woman and I would never hurt a woman, men who hurt women are the lowest of the low. My own father was one of those people, but I’m not him. I know that I’m not nearly good enough for you, but know that I would never hurt you, Cat. You have nothing to fear from me, ever.”

  Dragon finished speaking and his eyes searched her face. Cat could see the pain there from past hurts. Dragon had yet to make a move toward her. Once again this man was leaving the decision up to her. So Cat did the next best thing…she went to him.

  How could she be afraid of this man? Yes, the skill and the power that he had demonstrated during the fight had been a little frightening. But there had also been control. He had held back to keep from seriously injuring Bennett and the other two men. Even with her inexperienced MMA eyes she had realized that. This was Dragon. The man who had made love to her so passionately, the man who had made her breakfast in his boxers, he had held her as she cried over her mother for heaven’s sake and had rushed to defend a friend putting his own life in jeopardy without a moment’s thought. Why in the world would he ever think he wasn’t good enough for her?

  She raised her hand and caressed the side of his face. Dragon turned into her hand and his lips brushed her palm, sending warmth flooding her insides and causing a gasp to escape past her lips. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me,” Cat whispered as she raised herself up on tiptoes and kissed his lips. He kissed her back sweetly, almost hesitantly. It was obvious Dragon was letting her take the lead. When he didn’t move or protest Cat moved down his jaw line planting kisses down onto his neck. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and kissed her way down his chest, slowing to lick and nibble at his man nipples. A low growl emitted from somewhere inside of him, but he made no move to stop her descent.

  When Cat began to unbuckle his belt, his hands stilled hers. “Cat, you don’t need to do this,” Dragon’s voice was husky with passion and something else, vulnerability perhaps? It was hard to imagine that he could be vulnerable, not a man this strong, this powerful, Cat wondered if that was even a possibility.

  “I want to do this Dragon, I want to bring you pleasure.” She also wanted him to know that he was not beneath her. In no way at all was she better than him. So he had been raised in a trailer with an alcoholic dad, she had been raised in a mansion with a mom who was alcoholic and who had allowed her step-dad to sale her to the highest bidder. At Dragon’s subtle nod Cat continued her efforts to release his cock from his jeans. It sprang free, swollen and throbbing. The very sight of it made Cat lick her lips. She wanted to taste this man, to feel his desire as it exploded in the back of her throat. Cat dropped to her knees and pulled him into her mouth with such energy that Dragon staggered back and leaned against the wall. He closed his eyes.

  “Oh God, Cat,” her name sounded forced coming from between his clenched teeth, and his tightened jaw. Cat felt him reach down and tangle her hair around his hands and pull her closer…deeper. She moved him in and out of her mouth, using her tongue to trace his length and when Cat reached the mushroom-like head she stopped to lick and suck it before opening her mouth bigger and plunging him back into her hot, moist entrance. Above her Dragon groaned, and the sound was so hot it sent lightning bolts to her pussy. Her hands cupped his balls and gently massaged them as she allowed him to pump into her mouth. He tasted sweet and salty, manly—he tasted like Dragon. She felt him grow in her mouth and along the back of her throat and knew he was close to climax.

  “Baby stop, I’m going to come,” he hissed pulling on her hair to get her away from him. But Cat only shook her head no and sucked harder, pulling him more into the back of her throat. Cat’s head moved faster and faster up and down his length as she worked to bring Dragon to orgasm. And when he moaned she felt the hot burst of cum on the back of her throat and struggled to swallow fast enough to get it all down. She didn’t want to waste a drop of this delicious man.

  Dragon reached down and pulled her up to his mouth. “Baby, you are so fucking incredible,” he said before his mouth captured hers in a kiss that sent their tongues into a tangled fight for supremacy.

  When Cat pulled her mouth free she laid her head on his chest to catch her breath. “You should probably go to the hospital and check on Cutman,” she whispered.

  “I don’t want to leave you, we aren’t finished here,” he said as his hands rubbed her back and made their way to her ass to pull her up against his cock. Cat wanted him to just rip her thongs off and take her right there hard and fast up beside the wall. But a calmer head prevailed, Cutman needed his friend. She could wait.

  “I promise to come see you tomorrow at the gym, it’s my day off and I have errands to run anyway.” Cat offered.

  ****

  Dragon kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, I should go and check on Cutman. Call me if you need me?” Cat nodded. “Okay then I will see you tomorrow, make sure you lock up.” Dra
gon said as he pulled the door closed behind him.

  Dragon waited outside until he heard the locks slide and click safely into place. He climbed on his bike and kick started it up. He was pretty sure he had a shit-eating grin on his face, but he couldn’t help it, Cat was getting under his skin like no woman ever had before. She was such a contradiction of classy lady and hot sex kitten. If her mother was any indication she definitely was someone way out of his league, but damn if that was going to stop him from making her his. Cat was his heart and soul. He was half way to the hospital when it dawned on him she hadn’t told him a damn thing about herself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next day Cat and Mia spent the day cleaning the apartment, doing laundry and going grocery shopping. So it was late afternoon before they had time to stop into Round One. They were actually surprised at how busy the place was. Several women walked on treadmills or rode stationary bikes. A few men lifted weights and a couple of teens took turns at swinging punching bags. But all eyes seemed to be focused on the boxing ring that took up most of the center of the gym. Dragon in a pair of red trunks was sparring with a much younger man. He was so mesmerizing in the ring it was easy to see why he had been a champion. It was hard to take your eyes off him. He was incredibly quick both with his feet and his hands. He bounced and jabbed, never still, poetry in motion.

  Cutman was standing on the sideline calling instructions to the young man in the ring with Dragon, when he spotted them he waved them over before calling out into the ring. “Caleb, jab and move boy, jab and move. Keep that left up!”

  Mia planted a gentle kiss on his lips before Cutman turned to Cat. “Hello, Kitty Kat,” he attempted a smile. Cat winced in sympathy at the pain it seemed to cause him. “Yeah, I know but it looks worse than it is,” he said with a chuckle.