Beyond the Cage Page 6

  Jared stands as I walk into the living room.

  “I’m ready,” I announce. “Let’s go.”

  “Have fun, Jas. I won’t wait up.” Chels winks at me.

  I roll my eyes. “Later, Chels.”

  Downstairs, Jared leads me to a black Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. I love it! My kind of wheels.

  “Nice wheels.”

  “Thanks, but it’s the boss’ ride.”

  Mr. Jackson has good taste.

  “So, what’s your job title?” I ask once we start driving.

  “Head of security.”

  “Security? You’re kidding, right?”

  He chuckles. “I’m not his bodyguard. My job is mostly logistics. I also make sure his surroundings are safe. Check venues, hotel rooms…keep crazy people and groupies away from him…stuff like that.”

  Groupies…ugh. “How long have you worked with him?”

  “Two years.”

  “And this is a part of your job description? Picking up…”—I shudder—“his women?”

  “You’re actually the first one who’s made it past the dressing room.”

  “Eww…that’s nasty.”

  His body shakes with laughter. “I must say I wasn’t surprised when you walked out. You and your friend stuck out like a sore thumb. I knew just by looking at you that you weren’t like the others.”

  “You mean a skank groupie?”

  He laughs again. “Something like that. But…obviously he saw it, too.”

  I should hope so!

  We pull up to a huge building with no signs. I remain in my seat because this can’t possibly be our destination. It looks like a warehouse. When Jared opens my door, I fix him with an incredulous stare.

  “This is it?” I ask as I climb out of the car.

  “You’ll see once you’re inside,” he assures me.

  He opens the door and I step in, hearing a man bellowing instructions and the sounds of fighting.

  “C’mon! You keep doing that you’re gonna get killed! Watch him, kid…learn from him!” the voice shouts.

  I turn the corner and find that it’s actually a gym. Various equipment—some I know, others I don’t—are scattered around the room. In the middle, there’s a huge boxing ring. Cameron is in it, fighting some other guy, and the one shouting is standing by one of the corners. I’m guessing he’s the trainer. He’s older, with grey, thinning hair and a huge belly. What kind of trainer is he? He certainly doesn’t look like one.

  Cameron stops and turns in my direction, a smile instantly on his lips. I return it, wiggling my fingers at him.

  “Focus!” trainer guy yells. “Distractions get you killed!” he continues as he heads in my direction.

  “So…you’re Jasmine,” he says, extending his hand.

  “Hello.”

  “I’m Mannie, K.O.’s head trainer. Great to finally meet you.”

  Head trainer? How many does he have? And what does he mean ‘finally’? “You, too.”

  “Come, sit.”

  He pulls up two chairs, dropping down on one while motioning for me to take the other. I turn mine backward and straddle it, facing the ring. Crossing my arms on the back, I rest my chin on them and watch Cameron. He’s actually fighting – using different moves and techniques. I’ve never seen him like this. It’s…beautiful.

  “You are looking at one of the most dangerous men on the planet when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. I’m willing to bet that he is the most dangerous.”

  For once, I don’t see danger. I see art. He moves with such grace and agility. My mouth falls open in surprise when he does some kind of high flying acrobatic move.

  “That boy is the most complete fighter I’ve ever met,” Mannie continues.

  I turn my attention to him, my interest piqued.

  “Ex-Marine. Discipline and sheer power like I’ve never seen.”

  Wow. I listen closely because I might actually learn something about him.

  “I’m talking Kung Fu, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Capoeira, Taekwondo, Tai Chi Chuan…even Ninjutsu.”

  Ninjutsu? So…he’s a ninja? I look to the ring once more, unable to take my eyes off him.

  “In the cage, he’s not much of a showman. He likes to get in and get it done. It’s also what he’s known for. The only place you’ll see him move like that is in this gym.”

  “Does he train like this every day?” I ask.

  “Mostly. He has a few fights coming up. After that, though, he has the big event.”

  “Event?”

  “You don’t know about it?”

  “No,” I answer.

  “The Ultimate Warrior. Last man standing, fighters from all over the world, no holds barred, just a few standard rules. It’s his chance to prove he’s the best, hands down. Purse is ten million.”

  “No holds barred? That sounds dangerous.” I give him my attention once more, worried Cameron could get hurt.

  Mannie observes me with a curious stare, then smiles. “I see why he likes you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I just told you that he’s possibly the most dangerous man on the planet and you’re worried about him getting hurt. Not to mention you didn’t even blink when I mentioned the prize money.”

  So, what, you think I’m a gold digger? “I don’t want his money.”

  “I can see that. I also see the way you’ve been looking at him since you got here. He’s had that same look in his eyes lately.”

  He has? Wait…what look?

  Mannie winks and makes his way back to the ring, shouting, “Okay, boys. Jackson…floor!”

  Cameron climbs out of the ring, rolling his neck while awaiting his instructions. Mannie yells a command and he drops to the floor, doing push-ups. Every time Mannie shouts, Cameron switches styles. One moment, he’s clapping, then the other he’s tapping his chest with both hands. Next, it’s one-handed push-ups. Never in my life would I have thought I would find push-ups sexy, but my pussy is clenching just from watching him. I never thought I’d be into someone so muscular either but here I am, salivating as each one ripples with his movements.

  “Dragon!” Mannie yells.

  Cameron moves forward on all fours like a Komodo dragon. The next command has him trotting to a corner of the gym. Excitement flutters in my belly as I see where he’s heading. As an avid Arrow fan, one of my favorite past-times is watching Oliver on the salmon ladder. Goodbye, Oliver. Hello, Cameron! My eyes are glued to his chest and abs as he moves up the ladder and back down. Good Lawd, this man is fine! Why the hell haven’t I been to one of these sessions before?

  “All right, cool down,” Mannie says all too soon.

  Cameron jumps down, and another man approaches him with a towel and a bottle. Mannie walks back to where I’m seated, a proud smile on his lips.

  “Was that little show for me?” I ask.

  “Maybe.” He winks.

  “Well, whether it was or wasn’t, thank you.”

  He chuckles just as Cameron approaches with that questioning look of his. I lick my lips as I take in the sweat glistening on his perfectly formed body.

  “Mannie here was just telling me that you’re a jack of all trades, master of none,” I answer his unasked question. He raises a brow. “Yeah. He says you’re a slacker and you only got this far by sheer luck.”

  We both turn to Mannie, who’s regarding us closely, confusion written on his face.

  “You two got some kind of telepathic thing going?” he asks.

  “Unlike you, he doesn’t talk to me, so I’ve just learned to read his expressions.”

  “He doesn’t talk to me, either. I’ve known the kid five years…not a peep.”

  What the hell? “So, you don’t talk at all?”

  He shakes his head and offers me his hand.

  “See you around, Jasmine,” Mannie says as we walk away.

  “Bye, Mannie. It was nice meeting you.”

  Cameron leads me to the back of the gym, through a door,
and up a staircase. Where the hell are we going?

  “You know, I’ve learned more about you in the last half hour than I have the entire time I’ve known you. The man makes you sound like a harbinger of death.”

  After going through one more door, we walk into an apartment.

  “You live here?” How convenient – right above the gym. “This place is an old warehouse, isn’t it?”

  He nods.

  “I like what you’ve done with it.”

  I take a look around the lion’s den. It’s very…him. Minimalist, black and blue décor. It is huge, though…and this is just the living room. I turn back to him and catch him staring at me.

  “What?”

  Curling his index finger, he beckons me.

  “No. You need a shower. Go.”

  He chuckles, nods, and walks away. Waiting, I sit on the couch for a while before I get bored. I guess I’ll have a look around. On the left wall, I spot a picture and move toward it. I know it’s him. He’s in his Marines uniform and is much younger and smaller, but his eyes sparkle back at me. Aww…he looks so handsome. Next to the picture are various certificates, awards, and commendations. Wow. One of them is a Mechanical Engineering degree from Northwestern. There’s so much I don’t know about him, and I need to remedy that.

  I walk around the room. Kitchen…I wonder if he cooks. Moving on. By the back wall, there’s a table with different trophies and awards from his fights. On the wall behind it, there’s a giant poster of him, fists raised, eyes furious. I keep moving, only stopping when I encounter a huge, black cabinet on the right wall. There are no handles and my curiosity gets the better of me, so I start looking for a way to open it. I push one of the doors and it springs open. I do the same for the other, looking from side to side in a mix of shock, awe, and horror. There are swords, knives, all kinds of blades of different shapes and sizes. There are weapons I don’t even recognize. Maybe he is a harbinger of death. Shit. Reaching for one of the small knives, I remove it from its slot. I don’t have to test it to see it’s extremely sharp. What the hell is he doing with all this stuff? A hand curves around my shoulder and grabs the knife, scaring the hell out of me.

  Oh, God! I’ve probably made him angry. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snooped.”

  His other hand curls around my waist and he pulls me against him, my back to his front. The blade glistens before my eyes and I begin to feel a little scared. Grabbing the hem of my shirt, he gives it a firm tug, holding it in place. Breathing heavily, I watch the blade move close to my neck. I want to say something, to scream…but I can’t. It’s like I’m paralyzed. He runs the blade down the top of my shirt and I close my eyes tightly. I can’t watch. I hear the sound of a tiny object hitting the floor and I open my eyes. My top button is gone and the blade is moving toward the second. It slips through the thread effortlessly, and the button falls to the floor. My body begins to relax. Taking a deep breath, I smell him – all clean and musky and arousing. Silly me. Cameron won’t hurt me.

  Laying my head against his chest, I listen as my buttons fall one by one. Then, he uses the knife to push the sides of my blouse apart. Okay, I have to admit…this is hot! I whimper as the cold steel touches my skin, trailing lightly along the curves of my cleavage. I close my eyes and feel the straps of my bra fall away, one then the other. Next, the blade is between my breasts and I know the material there is the next to go. Split in two, it falls to the sides and my breasts spill out. Sliding his hand up the back of my shirt, he removes the scraps of my bra. There’s a crash of steel against steel, and I open my eyes to see the blade tossed carelessly on top of the others.

  He slides his hands up my stomach and cups my breasts. They fit his hands perfectly. Massaging them, he rolls my nipples between his fingers. Jesus. I’m breathing as if I just ran the hundred meter dash.

  “Cameron…”

  I turn to face him, meeting his naked chest. His beautiful, naked chest. Placing my hands on his hips, I step forward. My nipples brush against him and I experience The Reaction times ten. I lean in and press my lips to his sternum, delighting as he gasps and grabs my hips. I slide my hands around him and up his back, slowly kissing my way across his chest. As I peek up at him, his lids flutter closed and his head falls back.

  “Cameron.” He looks down at me, eyes ablaze with desire. He wants me, and I can’t resist him anymore. “I’m ready.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both and surpass the result. – Tien T’ai

  His hands glide over my ass and he pulls me close, pressing his erection into my stomach. Uncertainty flashes in his eyes, and I get the feeling he wants to know if I’m sure. I wrap my arms around his neck, pull him down to me, and rest my forehead on his. Jesus, I can’t even breathe properly. I’m…panting. I want him. I want him, and I can’t wait anymore.

  “Yes.”

  His reaction mirrors mine, our breaths coming hard and fast. When he finally covers my lips with his, I hear myself moan. He kisses me fiercely, his tongue invading my mouth. God, I can’t wait for him to invade somewhere else. I reach for my blouse to remove it but he pulls away abruptly.

  “What?”

  Taking my hands, he places them at my sides, then slowly shakes his head.

  Huh? He wants to stop?

  He lays his hand flat on my sternum and slides it up and under my blouse, pushing it over my shoulder. Oh, he wants to undress me!

  Lost in the sensations flowing through my body, I throw my head back as he trails tiny kisses on my shoulder and up my neck. He does the same with the other shoulder, pushing my blouse down my arms. Next, his hands are at my waist, unbuttoning my jeans. As soon as my zipper is down, he slips his hand inside, finding my clit.

  “Oh, God!”

  Feels…so good. I move against his fingers as he buries his face in my neck and moans. When he slides his finger inside me, I grab his shoulders.

  “Cameron!”

  He pushes me backward until I’m against the wall, sinking his teeth into my shoulder and burying his finger deep inside me. Shit! I already feel so close. His hand disappears and I groan, a little frustrated he’s denied me my climax. He makes up for it when he hooks his thumbs into my waistband and pushes my jeans over my hips.

  “My shoes…” I mumble, knowing he won’t get my jeans off with them still on.

  Dropping to his knees, he pulls them off and tosses them aside. My jeans and underwear are next, joining the rest of my clothes. He remains on his knees, just staring up at me. That ‘melt my panties’ look? It’s nothing compared to this one. It’s the kind that would make a woman sell her soul to please him. Yep…definitely going to Hell because of this man. Slowly, his gaze wanders down to my pussy. With a smile, I widen my stance to give him a better view. Thank God I waxed yesterday.

  Okay…he’s staring. I’ve never been shy, but this is a little uncomfortable. Finally, he parts my lips with his fingers. With them now glistening from my juices, he glides his fingers down my mound before he flips them and moves up my lips to my clit.

  “Feel that?” I ask as my body shivers. “I’m all wet…for you.”

  His head jerks up and our hungry eyes meet. Grabbing my thighs, he powers to his feet, lifting me off the floor. That’s what I’m talking ’bout! I wrap my legs around his waist, impatiently waiting as he pushes his shorts down. When he springs free, I gasp in surprise, not only at his…awesomeness—yes, I said awesomeness, sue me—but the fact that two tiny, silver orbs glisten from both sides of the head. A piercing! He has a barbell piercing on his dick! I’ve never had a pierced one before. Not that I’ve had that many. Okay…one. I’ve only had one. But…Christ Almighty, he’s big! I lick my lips in anticipation as he grasps the base to guide himself inside me. Yes!

  “Wait.” He looks into my eyes, silently imploring me not to stop. “No, not that! Condom,” I clarify.

&nbs
p; Wrapping his arm around my waist, he lifts me off the wall. As we move to what I guess is his bedroom, I stare into his eyes. He smiles. To anyone else, it would look like an ordinary smile, but it’s not. It’s meant to reassure. He knows how I feel about giving my body to a man, to him, and that tiny gesture tells me he realizes I’m trusting him and the path we’re taking. It says ‘you’re safe…protected.’ And I do feel safe and protected.

  As he lays me on the bed, I run my fingers through his hair, returning his soft, sweet kiss. Gently, he nips at my bottom lip, his hand slipping between our bodies. My hips gravitate toward him. He massages my clit while his lips move down my neck and across my chest. Like that day on the floor, my back arches. This time, there’s no barrier and my breasts receive the attention they’ve been craving. The moment his tongue touches my taut nipple, my body goes into overdrive. He sucks it into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth.

  “Cameron…” I moan.

  He groans at the sound of his name and moves to the other nipple. ‘Devouring’ is the only word I can think of to describe what he’s doing right now – tongue swirling, teeth nipping, lips pulling. Jesus. When he moves away, my nipple is throbbing. I watch as he reaches into a drawer, grabs a handful of condoms, and tosses them at me with a grin. Magnum XLs. Fuck.Me. Well, that’s what he’s about to do, right?

  “Planning to use all these tonight?”

  He nods, a devious smile on his lips.

  Oh, shit! My pussy quivers at the thought – sex all night…with him.

  “Well…let’s get crackin’ then.”

  He kicks his shorts off and I observe him in all his glory. Fuck. As I watch him bob up and down, I’m absolutely awe-struck. From now on, freeing that beast will be known as ‘releasing the Kraken’. I tell you, I have never seen anything like that in any of my anatomy classes. He picks up one of the condom packets, rips it open, and rolls it on in record time. Leaning over me, he grabs my hips and props his dick against my entrance. I pull him down for a kiss and the moment our lips touch, he pushes forward, inserting just the head. He moans and works his way in, slowly, gently. Shit! What have I gotten myself into? I cry out in pain, scratching his back. He goes still and stares down at me, concern in his eyes. I can’t find any words, so I just nod. I can’t stop now. I won’t.