Tearing Away (Fatally Flawed Book 1)

by Lassetter, Dusty

  “ Ummm… I see a cage, and I feel locked in.” She says as she shuffles her feet back and forth.

  I step over to her and grab her chin, lifting her face, “You want to know what I see?” She nods her head so I continue. “I see the one place I’m allowed to be the true product of my upbringing without all the judgement. I feel at peace once I step onto this mat. In this cage I am allowed to fight my demons. This cage is my light in the dark. This cage is my home.”

  We stand there staring at each other, both of us taking in everything I just said. I have never expressed to anyone what this sport means to me. People assume it’s because I’m badass and win a lot, that I love to fight. I let them think whatever they want. I don’t do it for them, I do it for me.

  She raises up on her tiptoes and kisses me. Letting her take the lead, it starts off slow. Then she wraps her arms around my neck and moans low in her throat, making it impossible for me to hold back anymore. Picking her up, she wraps her legs around my waist. As soon as she does this I start walking her backwards toward the cage. I rub my hands up her back and grab onto the back of her neck deepening the kiss. I want to be the only thing she feels. I want to consume every inch of her.

  I break the kiss and start to make a trail down the left side of her neck with my tongue. She starts to rub herself on me, so I know I am effecting her as much as she does me. It takes all the self-control I have but I manage to pull back. She looks at me confused, desire still making her breathing heavy.

  “How many guys have you been with Candice?” I don’t want to think about her with another guy, but I have to know.

  She gives me a shy look and whispers, “None. How many girls have you been with?”

  I can’t help but smile. Plenty of people talk and some assume I’m still a virgin or gay. Just because I don’t flaunt what I’ve done in public doesn’t mean I’m not doing it. I have had sex, nothing romantic or special, considering I never kissed them or let them touch me. Some of them got brave and tried to, after which they would be shown the door. I’m not a cruel guy, they knew the rules before they agreed.

  “Some, but none important enough to remember.” I answer honestly.

  I set her back down on her feet, taking five steps back, and holding my open palms up, “Come at me, let’s see what you got.”

  She shakes her head no, not wanting to have any part of it. I charge forward getting her down to the mat to show her some wrestling moves. She gets tossed and turned every which way her laughter filling my ears and her beautiful smile taking my breath away.

  I take her home after she finally fights back, trying to pin me to the mat. Giving her a kiss on the lips, I say my goodbye after letting her know I’ll see her tomorrow. She nods at me, turning around about to grab the doorknob. “I had fun tonight Jasper, thank you.” I give her a wink and another quick kiss on the cheek. “Sweet dreams gorgeous.” I say before walking off.

  It’s been about a week since I’ve checked in on Janice, so I decide to go tonight allowing me to spend more time with Candice tomorrow night. After that kiss in the octagon I’m certain she was made for me. There will never be another girl’s touch I crave the way I do hers. I took the first step tonight and opened up to her. Soon she will do the same.

  Arriving at Janice’s I notice an old beat up red Ford Focus in the driveway. Not having seen this car before, I mentally prepare myself for a fight that is sure to happen. I just hope there is not more than three men in there. I could call Dalton and K.J. for backup but there is no use in bringing them into my fucked up mess.

  I start my way up to the door when I hear a woman inside scream out in pain. That has to be Janice, I run the rest of the way up, and barrel through the door. I stop instantly when I come face to face with a scraggly bastard, looking like a doped up homeless man. He is missing half his teeth and there is dirt and grim all over him. He sneers up at me, trying to look tough. Janice limps into the living room from her bedroom, and there is blood dripping from her nose. I know this asshole hit her, I can see the smirk he is giving her. I’m on him instantly grabbing his skinny little neck while walking him backwards until his back hits the wall. He is scratching at my hands like the little bitch he is, trying to breathe, his legs just dangling in the air.

  “You hit the wrong woman this time asshole.” I yell at him. His face is turning blue and his eyes are bulging out of his head. Janice’s screams making my ears ring.

  “Jasper, stop it. You’re going to kill him. He didn’t mean to hit me. Get OFF HIM!” She starts punching me on my back. Her fist hitting me one after the other. I drop the sleaze ball and turn to her.

  “What the fuck do you mean; he didn’t mean to. You can’t accidently break someone’s nose with your fists, Janice.” I’m shaking from anger now, so she takes a step back.

  “You cower from me, FROM ME? The son that checks on you and makes sure you’re still alive. The one you all but abandoned, but still tries to take care of you. I’m done trying Janice. If this is the life you want, then live it. I have my own to worry about.” I turn around and walk back to my truck. This is my last time I coming here. She has fucked with my head for too long.

  Chapter 11

  K.J.

  Most people would be scared waiting in this dark alley in the middle of gang territory. It’s a good thing I don’t believe in fear. I’m not a pussy. By the time I was nine I had seen it all. I never had any family to speak of. My mom sold my sorry ass to a drug dealer and the rest is history. I proved my worth earning my spot among the living. Then that one fateful day at school I met the two boys I now consider my brothers. They may not know everything about me but that is for their own safety. Lorenzo is not someone you want to know about.

  I see someone walking up to the alley, looking around, trying to spot me. I am only ever seen when I want to be. That is one of the reasons Lorenzo let me live. I am valuable to his organization. I step out from the shadow and walk up behind the man. He never hears me, so I clear my throat, and watch as his whole body stiffens.

  “What the fuck man, you scared the shit out of me.” He says turning around to face me.

  “Did you bring what I asked for or not asshole?” I don’t want to talk to him any longer than I have to. All I need is the photos and I’ll be on my way.

  “Yeah I got them. That bitch was a good lay too. If you need our services again just let me know.”

  I choose him because I knew London would go for his looks and tattoos. She messed with Candice and Jasper has claimed her. Therefore, this bitch is about to understand what it is like to go up against us.

  I crank up my bike and head back to the only place I’ve ever called home. Dalton’s house.

  Chapter 12

  Jasper

  I hear someone knocking on my bedroom door, so I roll out of bed, and make my way over. Opening the door, I see K.J standing there, waiting for me to invite him in. I pull the door giving him plenty of room to walk through. In his hand is a manila envelope that tells me he was able to get what we needed. He goes to my desk in the left corner of my room leaning against it with his arms crossed.

  “You sure you’re ready to do this tonight.? This is you basically claiming Candice, letting everyone know she is under your protection.” He says, never breaking eye contact.

  “She is mine to protect.” I say. Not liking that he is questioning me.

  “Alright, what time are we leaving? I have some shit to get done before we go?” He says this smirking, letting me know he was just trying to rile me up.

  “I’ll be ready around eight.” I say as he straightens up to walk out, “Thanks for this man. I appreciate you having my back.”

  “Just remember, Candice is not like us and may not like what you have planned.” He says, closing the door. I have thought about that, but if I don’t stop London, she will continue to target Candice, and that is unacceptable.

  Dalton rides with me to the tracks so I could include him in on the plan. He hates London just as
much as anyone does. Bethany no longer hangs out with her so he has no reason to tolerate the crazy bitch anymore. He is excited to help, which works out, because I need him. When we arrive K.J. is standing by his motorcycle. It is solid black and looks like something the devil himself would ride on.

  “London is already here. She has been asking about you.”

  “Well let’s not make her wait any longer.” I say

  “This is going to be fun.” Dalton states turning his hat backwards on his head.

  He always wears that ratty thing at the tracks, girls seem to love it, so I guess it works for him. K.J. is in all black. From his shirt all the way to the black biker boots. I just threw on an old red UFC shirt and blue jeans. There was no need to try to look nice. I don’t give a shit what these people think of me.

  London spots me almost instantly. She is wearing too much shit on her face but not enough on her body. The shorts she has on displays her ass and the tank top does nothing to hide her tits. She must be craving attention again tonight.

  “Hey Jasper, I’ve been waiting for you to get here.” This time she doesn’t try to reach out to me, opting to give me a big smile instead. “I’m glad to see you grew smart and got rid of that pathetic loser.”

  “Would you like to see what else I’ve gotten since the last time you’ve seen me London?” I ask her maliciously. “Dalton please hand me just one of those flyers in your hand.”

  With the cruel smile Dalton throws her way I think she now realizes this night is not going to end the way she thought. I hand her the flyer watching as her face goes stark white. Her eyes instantly tearing up. “Do you recognize the girl in that photo London?”

  London is looking around, trying to figure out why everyone else is laughing. Dalton has started handing out the flyers to everyone at the tracks. She looks up at me when a single tear starts running down her cheek.

  “Do you remember Chad and Ryan London? The two drug dealers that have been in and out of prison for ten years. The very same men your dad claims to be getting off the streets for good, because he thinks that will win the election. Well it looks like they had fun with you. They wanted me to tell you to call them whenever you feel like having another good time.”

  The paper she is holding falls to the ground. There in the middle of two known gangsters is London on her knees sucking one’s dick, while the other fucks her from behind. They got a few with good shots of her face but I’ll use those as black mail. What would her dad say if one of those happened to be released to the public?

  Everyone will know this girl on the flier is her, but without a face, nothing can be proven. It’s a win, win really. She is humiliated and I have the upper hand to stop her.

  “If you don’t leave Candice alone, I will release the ones of your face to the media. Candice is mine and when you go after her, you’re going after me.” I say, watching her cry from humiliation.

  London turns around to gather up her friends, who have all but vanished. She is alone. With no one to turn to. She starts to leave, snatching any flyer she sees. I have no sympathy for the bitch that hit my girl. She is just lucky that I would never put my hands on a woman.

  Chapter 13

  Candice

  “Hey gorgeous.” Jasper says as I walk up to him. It is now Monday morning and Uncle Troy just dropped me off at school. Getting out of the car, I walk straight to the alley, and that is where I find Jasper. He looks stunning in his blue jeans that hang loosely off his hips, with a white shirt that is hugging his arms. Just looking at him has me licking my lips, wishing it were his body instead.

  “Like what you see?” He says, smirking at me, knowing the affect he is having on me right now. He reaches for my hand and pulls me to him.

  His body is quit larger than mine, allowing me to feel protected when he holds me like this. I wrap my arms around him, and stand up on my tiptoes to reach his neck. I inhale, smelling his cologne. The scent is something dark and erotic, making me want to squeeze my legs together. I have always loved men’s cologne. I usually prefer to bathe with men’s body wash. I smile into his neck knowing I’ve been caught, sniffing him like some horny virgin.

  “Do you like the way I smell?” He asks me already knowing the answer.

  He grabs my hand and takes a small step back. With my hand in his, he places his hand at the top of his chest and runs straight down until we meet the waist of his pants. My fingers dipping into all the ridges that form his eight pack.

  “Do you like the way I feel?” He asks with a smile on his face.

  He pulls me back into him, capturing my lips with his. He lightly bites down on my bottom lip, and licks the sting away. He is demanding, yet gentle, and it is wreaking havoc on my body. He starts to kiss a trail down my neck and back up to my ear.

  “Do you like the way I taste?” He says in between biting my ear lobe.

  “How about the sound of my voice?”

  My only reply is to whimper. In just a matter of five minutes, he has invaded every one of my senses, and heightened them. Turning me into nothing but a puddle of goo.

  He takes a step back and grabs my hand telling me to get moving, because we are late. I never heard the bell, but sure enough, we are the only ones around. He reaches for my backpack, putting his arm around me, holding me close to his side. I would normally feel awkward walking like this, but with Jasper, it feels natural.

  First period English is just a blur to me. I know the teacher is calling students up to read the reports we wrote, but I’m not really paying attention. My body and heart are in a conflict with my mind. Do I give Jasper a chance? Maybe he will prove to be my light in this world of darkness? Or do I keep hiding from the ghost of my past? I have come a long way in my recovery, do I chance jeopardizing it for someone who loves to fight? I can tell it’s a coping mechanism for him, like I use my music, maybe one day we will both tell our secrets. He’s not a monster like Christopher, but I don’t know if I can overcome the mental trigger fighting seems to be for me. By the time the bell rings, letting everyone know first period is over, I have made my decision, Jasper is worth fighting for, I’m choosing the light.

  At the end of every class Jasper is waiting for me by the door. I notice that Dalton and K.J. are not far behind him. He walks me to my locker and even walks me to my next class. I repeatedly tell him he is being a little ridiculous. He just tells me to keep walking. On our way to third period, Bethany stops me at my locker.

  “Hey Candice, do you think we could talk?” She is peeking over Jaspers towering body, since he is blocking me from view.

  “No.” Jasper says.

  Trying to push this overbearing man out of my way, I say, “Yes Bethany we can…Move Jasper.”

  “You can’t be serious.” He says turning around to face me.

  “She didn’t hit me Jasper, London did. That’s not her fault.” I plead with him to understand.

  In my mind Bethany was just as much a victim. She trusted someone, and London manipulated her to believe lies. Jasper gives in, moving to the side. He is still mad but at least he’s willing to listen to my reasons.

  “I’m really sorry for what happened last week. I didn’t know she was going to go that far. She was only supposed to talk to you. She was my friend, so I blindly followed. I truly am sorry. I just hope you can accept my apology.”

  “Thank you for apologizing, that means a lot.”

  She walks away looking at the ground the whole time. I remember Izzy saying she doesn’t hang out with London anymore. At least she learned her lesson and separated herself from the psycho, I have no doubt she will find few friends.

  Walking into the cafeteria, snuggled into Jasper’s side, we make our way to the snack bar. I usually don’t eat however Jasper insisted so I eventually give in. An arm full of food later, I am sitting beside Jasper at the table, with K.J. to our left. Dalton hasn’t arrived yet. Which is unusual. Normally these three are always together. I learned that first hand today, with all of them escortin
g me everywhere.

  Dalton finally shows up, walking two steps behind him is Bethany. He places his hand on the small of her back and guides her to sit down. He takes a seat next to her. Giving all of us a warning glare to be nice. I have no problem with Bethany, and I’m secretly glad there is another girl around. I tell this to the table and Dalton gives me a chin nod and smile.

  Dalton turns his eyes to Jasper, so I nudge his shoulder, trying to get him to say something. Bethany has not looked up from her tray she’s just silently picking at her food.

  “So Bethany, will you be sitting here with us every day?” I ask her to start the conversation.

  She looks over at Dalton, and he answers for her, “Yes.”

  ‘If that’s ok with everyone.” Bethany rushes to add.

  Jasper looks from me to Dalton and shrugs his shoulders. I look up into those amazing eyes of his and smile until my cheeks hurt. This big burly fighter is nothing more than a big baby when it comes to not getting his way. That is just another thing I have grown to like about him.

  Izzy is waiting for me in study hall. Her desk already in front of mine. Jasper walks with me carrying his seat from his desk. He places it right next to mine, grabbing my hand, twining his long fingers through mine. Izzy watches us with fascination, blinking as if she is trying to mentally capture this moment in time.

  “So the rumors are true then? You are officially a couple? I thought maybe it was just more gossip, but here you are, in the flesh acting cozy together. Ooohhhh…. That means everything they are saying about London is true too.”

  “You are too nosey for your own good, maybe you should stop gossiping and start working.” Jasper says.

  “Are you kidding me, this is juicer then your fight announcement against Liam. Everyone loves a hero story and you have rescued Candice from the big bad wolf. Take pride in knowing everyone is taking your threat serious, no one is stupid enough to come within ten feet of her now.”