Caged: Cellar Door Series (23 page)

Matt stopped and that had Kylee spinning around to see what was going on. Kylee closed the distance between us, her hands wrapping around my left forearm and pulled me further away. I finally noticed Ronnie, Ray, Javier and Ray’s team were all standing there staring at me; Ronnie looking like a freight train had hit her.

Both my hands rose, my eyes taking in the blood coating my fists and arms. Fucking Christ I could have killed that guy, may have for all I knew and I wanted more. I wanted to make that fucker hurt, bad and yet the weight of what I was capable of, that I could have ended him was crushing me. Even worse, everyone standing there had seen just what kind of a monster I could be. 

“Stop it JD. Please, don’t.” Kylee’s arms went around my waist as she stared up at me knowing what I was thinking. She had my ball cap; the one I hadn’t realized had even come off.

Ray removed his fight robe, eyes wide and tossed it to me. “Clean up. I’ll get that guy delivered to the hospital.” Ray waved a hand towards the piece of shit that was groaning. It confirmed the asshole was alive at least. I couldn’t decide if I was cool with that or not. I mean fuck, I would avoid a 187 charge but I damn sure wanted to deliver that man his last fucking breath.

I held the robe between my hands still trying to get my head straight. “JD, wipe your damn hands off bro and let’s move inside. I want to get Ronnie checked by the EMT’s since she’s refusing to go the hospital.” Matt’s voice held a lot of worry for more than one reason. He knew I was still on the edge and Ronnie looked like standing was an effort.

I plugged back in to what was going on around me and started rubbing my hands with the red robe, cleaning off as much as I could almost OCD like, not able to get the stain of what had just happened out of my head. Just another crap ass tattoo of shit I’d never be able to cleanse out of my skull.

I focused on Kylee and tried to press the images out of my mind. Fighting in the cage was one thing. Trying to kill someone with your bare fucking hands was another. Even with that, I had to check on my girl. “You okay?” My voice was strained with all the emotion I was feeling. Kylee’s face was sporting a darkening bruise over her cheek and the sight of it just fueled the fact I wanted to finish the fucker that had hit her even further.

“I’m fine, come on. Now.” Kylee had  caught me looking back over at the man lying on the ground, a severe scowl on my face.

I let her pull me away, the group of us walking back to the arena except for one of Ray’s team members. He stayed behind to take care of the mess.

I finally realized that I hadn’t seen the other two guys around and checked in with Matt. “Where’d the other two go?” Kylee’s arm tightened around my waist like she might have to hold me in place.

Matt shrugged. “They hauled ass running when they realized their party was getting crashed by a seriously pissed off man who had just leveled a guy  like a freight train and commenced to beating the hell out of him.”

My jaw locked tight, my teeth clenching. “Fucking punks. They can man up to attack two women who weren’t expecting it but run like bitches at a real opportunity to square off.” My right hand automatically flexed into a fist. Seeing Kylee get hit, seeing some stranger trying to hurt her had my head sprung all over the place. I was trying to calm down, to get my shit together and at least felt like on the outside I was putting up a good front but inside I was still seething, straight riding the edge of rage.

We shut down the conversations when we entered the arena and made our way back to Ray’s room.

I pulled one of the metal folding chairs away from the wall and sat Kylee down before locating an ice pack that I cracked open and passed to her. “Keep it on your cheek. It’s already swollen and bruising. The ice will help.” Her big browns moved to me, a weak smile appearing. “I’m okay JD. Relax.” I clipped off a nod not trusting myself to keep the anger at her attack out of my voice. She might be okay but I was far from it.

I moved over to where Ray was sitting, his trainer working his shoulders over. One of his people had taken the robe from me as soon as we’d gotten to the room and packed it up so it wouldn’t be left lying around with assurances from Ray that it wouldn’t come back to bite me in the ass later. He trusted his team the same way I trusted Matt.

Matt had located an EMT and had them checking Ronnie over to be sure she didn’t need to go on to the hospital. I don’t think he had a prayer of getting her there even if it was suggested.

Ray’s trainer moved on to getting his tape straight for both his hands. I wasn’t about to ask Matt what had happened to Ronnie, instead I questioned Ray. “I saw Kylee take a blow but what happened to Ronnie?”

Ray grimaced, his face etched in the same anger I was still feeling.“Jackasses tasered the shit out of her.” Ray glanced over to where Ronnie was sitting as the EMT checked her over, a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm. “I’m just glad you two interrupted that shit.”

“Been better if we’d interrupted shit sooner.” I cracked my busted knuckles wishing it was one of the attacker’s necks.

Ray gave me a once over, studying me to the point I was getting uncomfortable before he finally spoke again. “You alright JD?”

I rounded the brim of my ball cap that I’d returned to my head. “It’s no secret I got a bad temper and a control problem. I’ve been working on trying to fix that rep for four fucking years. I’m not proud of the shit, it is what it is but I really can’t stomach Kylee seeing me that out of control. It’s one thing for her to see me in the cage, but that; her watching what I did…that’s gonna leave a mark. A bad one.” My eyes kept traveling back over to where Kylee was sitting diligently holding the ice to her cheek, her eyes raising to meet mine every time they landed on her like she could feel the weight of my gaze.

“Look man, none of us knows how we would have handled coming up on that situation. I don’t think you’ve chased her off. Hell, she knew well enough to not let anyone near you, including your boy Matt. But she seemed more worried about you than scared about what you were doing.” Ray flexed the fingers of his outstretched hand his trainer was taping up.

I grunted noncommittally not really believing Ray’s take on it but unwilling to argue over it either.

A knock sounded on Ray’s door along with a shit ton of commotion being raised from outside of it.  Everyone in the room tensed unsure what else to expect.

One of Ray’s team members had been standing outside of the door and came in with Andrew “Drew” Young, Ray’s opponent for the night, hot on his heels along with Drew’s manager. Drew’s fingers were wrapped around the back of his manager’s neck as he shoved the half beaten fucker through the door.

              Ray got vertical, standing next to me as we chanced a quick glance between the two of us; each wondering what the fuck was up.

              Ray pinned Drew with a frown, his brows drawn tight, and his entire body tensed and ready to brawl if needed. Mine matched it. “What the hell man? What are you doing?” Both Ray and I were baffled, so was everyone else in the room for that matter.

              Drew shoved his manager, Holland, towards Ray, the man tripping with the force of the push and falling to his knees on the floor a few steps away from us. “I had nothing to do with it. I am competitive but I am honest Ray.  I don’t do shit like this.”

              Before Ray could answer my mouth opened. Something was way the fuck off and it made my gut tighten, both my hands clenching in response. “What are you getting at Drew?”

              Drew pointed a finger at his manger. “That piece of shit has been trying to get Ray to bail on the fight. To lay down. I wouldn’t get in the cage with somebody so damn weak. I had no idea what Holland was up to until I overheard him a little while ago.”

              Ray’s thick fingers closed into fists as he stared Drew Young down, Javier and Ray’s team moving closer to where we stood.” Why the fuck should I believe you? Maybe you’re just covering your ass Young.”

              I was on board with Ray’s thinking except that Holland looked like he had the shit beaten out of him and from the scrapes on Drew’s knuckles; he’d done the deed himself. And considering I wasn’t the most patient fucker in the world, the fact I’d taken a couple seconds to notice meant something really stood out about Holland’s condition.

              Holland began sniveling, looking over his shoulder at Drew with beady eyes that held a world of hate and loathing. “You will regret this Andrew. By tomorrow morning your career, the one I GAVE  you, will be over.” The words were slushy sounding from being forced past a swollen and battered mouth but were understandable all the same. The beaten asshole was still trying to make threats.

              Before Ray and I could react, hell before anyone could, Drew kicked out, his foot landing right in Holland’s back, snapping the man’s body towards the floor.

              “Shut the fuck up. You think I give two shits what you decide to spew to the press you manipulating bastard? I’m done. I don’t give a shit what happens. I will not throw or be part of a thrown fight for anybody.” Drew looked like he wanted to kill Holland. It was the kind of look that couldn’t be faked, no matter how good an actor someone is.

              Ray noticed it too and visibly relaxed his stance, his fists opening even though we both were still on edge. “Tell me what you heard.”

Drew’s lip curled in disgust, his dark blue eyes drilling into the back of Holland’s head. “He got a call just a little bit ago. He didn’t realize I was out of the shower. The dumb ass had his phone on speaker talking to some guy that was complaining he’d been jumped when trying to secure the girl.” Drew air quoted the girl part with his fingers.

              “I knew Holland wasn’t a saint, far from it but I never expected him to do something this shady. I commenced to kicking his ass until he told me the whole story about trying to get you to lay down Ray. Said he was doing it for all for me.” Drew sneered at his soon to be ex-manager. “This fucker has no idea what it takes to be a real fighter. He should have known better than to try something like that. And then to involve the woman, I couldn’t stomach that. I don’t care what it costs me in the long run and its cost me a lot already.”

              Everyone in the room stared with unabashed hatred at the mealy mouthed manager on the floor. Holland pushed himself back onto his knee’s and stared defiantly around the room, his eyes finally landing on Drew. “You’re done. The papers are going to have a field day with the fact you’re a fucking homo boy. I protected you all these years and this is how you repay me? You’re finished you cock sucker.” Spittle was flying from between Holland’s swollen lips as he raged at Drew, his words a slurred mess but still recognizable.

              I knew I was sporting a whole lot of unhappy to say the least and looked over at Ray who was scowling too. Then I glanced at Drew before I reared back my right leg and let out a kick square to Holland’s ribs causing him to fall face first back to the floor holding his sides as he howled out in pain. He was responsible for Kylee being hit, Ronnie being tasered and I was losing it. I was ready to finish the man, beat him until there was nothing left of him but a bloody mass of broken bone and bruising that no longer breathed.

              I glanced at a infuriated Matt who was restraining a livid Ronnie Dalton and then focused back on the piece of shit in front of me.

              The entire room could feel it; everyone stopped and waited for the explosion of my temper to come, it was at its peak. I’d never been closer to the edge than at that moment. It was strangely quiet except for the groaning coming from Holland.

              Kylee scrambled over to me, wrapping both her arms around my waist. I wanted to unleash on Holland, wanted to take every bit of rage I felt from Kylee and Ronnie’s attack and feed it all to the person responsible. My entire body was vibrating with the need to light his ass up. Kylee pressed her mouth to my sternum, whispering my name, calling to me softly.

It was the only thing that held me back .Her body was flush to mine as she continued talking to me. “Don’t. He’s not worth you losing your shot JD. He’s not.” She rose to her tip toes, her mouth sweeping against my neck as she uttered the same words again.

              She was right. It didn’t stop the feelings coursing through me, but it did put control over them back in my hands, barely, but it was there. The entire situation was jacked slam the fuck up and Kylee had seen more than I ever wanted her to of what I could really do when pressed. I started to rein my anger back in, my eyes falling to meet hers.

I held Kylee to me needing her as a buffer to keep myself from attacking Holland and focused on Drew after taking in a ragged breath to settle myself. “Who the fuck cares who you sleep with or what your preference is Drew? End of a day, I got respect cause you are a decent fucking fighter. Not because of where you decide to stick your dick or vice versa. That isn’t my business.”  Holland was a bigger fucktard than I thought him to be if this was the shit he held over his fighters head.

              Kylee squeezed me hard but turned to look at Drew. “Sorry. JD sometimes forgets he lacks a filter between his brain and mouth. I get what he is saying though. It shouldn’t make a difference.” Kylee peered around my side towards Ray. “You have any problem fighting him knowing his sexual preference Ray?”

              Ray’s brow arched up defiantly like Kylee had just insulted him. “Fuck no I don’t have any problem fighting him.”