In The Cage (6 page)

“Yeah, it’s the best thing in the world.”

Chapter Six

The Sport of Blood

I’ve never seen Jake in action other than that little bit on the TV I saw that one night. Supposedly there are people from the three main companies here tonight; Surge, Crossfire, and Cold Steel. Any contract from any one of those three will certainly change his life. In fact everyone who is fighting tonight is looking to move up. Jake, back on the bottom of the rung of fighters will have to run a gauntlet of fighters and come out on top if anyone is going to even look his way. The gauntlet fights are the first ones on the card tonight and the only ones I’m interested. Jake managed to get me a corner pass for the fight. That means I actually have access to him before, during, and after the fights. This should be interesting.

An hour before the fight I’m escorted into the locker rooms where the fighters are getting ready to fight. Some are actually working out while others are eating, drinking protein drinks, or just plain meditating. Actually some appear to be asleep. I make my way through the common area looking for the room that Jake is assigned to. I start to knock on the door when I hear a voice behind me.

“I wouldn’t do that.” A giant of a man advises.

“Why not?”

“Because he has just begun meditating and it’s not good to break it up. Once interrupted it’s tough to go back to that place.”

“I see…Let me guess. You’re one of his opponents and you probably know he would be encouraged by my presence and you don’t want that. You’ll take any advantage you can get. Am I wrong?”

“On most accounts no. I am his opponent and I’ll do everything in my power to defeat him; inside the ring. Some of us still have honor and I’d like to think I’m one of them.”

Suddenly I like the guy. “How long does he meditate?”

“I don’t truly know if he is meditating or sleeping but it usually lasts 30-40 minutes.”

“I’m Christine, what’s your name?”

“Rocks… well it’s Randy actually. My stage name is Randy Rocks. It’s nice to meet you Christine. The Punisher…Jake, talks about you a lot so it’s good to put a face…a very pretty face to the name.”

“Ohh I’m gonna tell him you’re flirting with me.”

“It that was true it’d certainly put a fire under his ass.”

“Hey don’t you ever guys tag team it?”

He laughs. “This ain’t the WWE sister. It’s every man for himself around here. Some of us take that pretty serious. Some don’t even speak to other fighters and the atmosphere becomes downright hostile.”

“But not you. You don’t take it so serious.”

“Oh I take it serious alright, but I also know that this is a sport and like any sport there’s gonna be some winners and some losers and I don’t take it too personal when I end up being one of the losers. When I’m in the cage I’m as mean and aggressive as the next guy but I leave it in the cage. I don’t take it home with me so to speak.”

“You let me know when you get tired of him running his mouth and I’ll shut it for you.” Jake says as he comes out of his room.

At first I thought he is pissed, then I see his smile and I get the idea that these two fighters actually like each other. He walks up to me and plants a long passionate kiss on my surprised lips. Once again I’m taken by surprise at his behavior.

“Hey Rocks I heard there was some special torture prepared for us low life fighters. You hear anything?”

“No, but it’s a little odd that we’re about to fight and we don’t even know the pairings.”

“Yeah,” Jake begins. “I thought that was pretty weird as well.”

I’m about to ask Jake if something is wrong when the event’s promoter shows up.

“Ladies…friends of fighters, time to go find your seats.” Then he turns to the fighters. “Fighters, follow me.”

Jake turns to me. “Next time we speak I’ll be a professional fighter with representation…
again
.”

This time when he moves in for a kiss I don’t recoil. In fact I meet his lips, his passion with my own matching passion. When we finally pull apart I hear Jake’s friend Rocks.

“Whew! I’m going to need a cigarette after that one.”

“Luck.” I say to Jake as he walks away.

“Luck? I don’t need luck, I’m fighting this asshole.” He shoots one more smile in my direction and turns to follow the promoter. They disappear into a room and I follow the others into the tiny arena to wait for the fights to begin.

I find my seat just in time before they dim the lights. As I sit and wait for Jake to come out I have to wonder what I am doing here. I was supposed to be done with fighters, done with the life, yet here I am in The Punisher’s corner waiting for him to fight. Then it’ll be up to me to put him back together afterwards; especially if he loses. Do I really want to go down this road again?

Before I can pursue that line of thought any further a light comes on over the cage and an announcer, two referees and two ring girls stand at the ready. I wait as the announcer introduces each fighter on the card for tonight’s first fight. Oddly the first fight is billed as
The Last Man Standing
. Isn’t it always the last man standing in the ring who wins? Kinda redundant. It’s not until the third fighter is announced when I figure out what’s going on here. It’s going to be a three man free for all and the winner will literally be the last man standing in the cage. The three fighters for the night’s opening fight is Jake, Randy Rocks, and someone who goes by the name of The Flash; how original.

As Jake walks past me and prepares to enter the octagon I catch his attention. “Did you know about this?” I shout above the crowds enthusiastic cheering.

He shakes his head. He’s as mystified as I am. After the last man is announced the three men step into the cage and are met by the head referee. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but the men are nodding their heads. Next, the two ring girls approach the refs with something in their hands. To my surprise they proceed to blindfold the three fighters. The crowd goes wild. Clearly they’ve never seen this before. I guess when you don’t have a sponsor these are the kind of bizarre situations you find yourself in. Just before the start of the fight an old African American man takes a seat beside me.

He extends his hand to me. “I’m Jamarcus, The Punisher’s trainer.” He flashes me a huge smile. I like this guy.

“I’m Christine…fan. I’ve heard about you. What’s going on here?”

“Your man Jake is basically on the Blood Sport Circuit and he’ll be on it until Crossfire or somebody signs him. The trick is to get out of the circuit as fast as you can. It’s brutal and the promoters are always trying new and dangerous things to sell tickets. They have to find some way to compete for their share of the dollars getting spent on fighting. The big three organizations, Surge, Crossfire, and Cold Steel get the lion’s share so the little guys do shit like this to pull in more ticket sales.”

“Is it that way everywhere?” I ask.

I’m not necessarily that interested but I’m just trying to settle my prefight nerves. I don’t want Jake to be getting hurt tonight in front of the fans and agents.

On the East Coast fighters have more options. There’s four times as many organizations and ten times the prize money for fights in the top three tiers. They still have their underground circuits but a much smaller percentage of fighters find themselves there. Even those fights pay more than here, but what can ya do?”

“Did you know about this blindfolded three way fight?” I ask.

“I’ve seen three way fights before. In fact Jake has been in one or two of them but never blindfolded. The risk of a fighter getting hurt is bad enough when there’s three of them. But when you throw in blindfolds, accidents happen and fighters really get hurt.”

“Do they get paid extra for this kind of fight?”

“Ha…they don’t get paid shit! Why do think Jake tends bar at night?”

“They don’t get paid at all?”

“They get some, but not enough to pay for the constant training needed the bus or plane tickets to events, etc…etc…”

“If Jake wins toni-”

A loud claxon in my ears announcing the start of the fight drowns out my voice. I look up just in time as three men charge the center of the cage hoping to encounter another fighter and not one of the refs. I notice the two refs are very quick to retreat to the corner of the octagon. Makes me wonder how many of them get hurt.

Almost immediately the Flash and Rocks clash in a fury of fists. Jake charges the center but just misses the other two combatants and collides with the steel mesh of the cage. He literally bounces off, whirls around in time to catch an errant punch right in the jaw, delivered by his friend Rocks. I force myself to watch as Jake’s head snaps back from the blow and I wonder what that must feel like. His reaction to being hit is to strike out in a flurry of fists. He manages to land two on Rocks and the first spray of blood showers the fans who are mashed up against the stage howling in delight.

Normally these fights go for three, three minute rounds. It’s not until you reach the professional level that you fight the longer fights. I find myself glancing down at my watch every so often waiting for a break to come. But just when the bell should have rung ending the first round nothing happens. I watch as the three men careen off one another and sometimes the cage itself. Four minutes into the fight and the three fighters are beginning to show signs of fatigue. Blows that shouldn’t have landed land. Strikes that normally would not have even registered are knocking the men silly. Both Jake and Rocks are handsome men but gradually blood, cuts, and swelling are slowly transforming their looks from the beauties to the beasts. Five minutes into the fight and Jake gets ganged up on and goes down hard. The crowd utters a collective gasp as Jakes body is slammed into the mat. As he lands on his back, Jake immediately rolls to his left to get away but gets caught up against the side of the cage and can’t go anywhere. Both Rocks and Flash descend on the fallen fighter. It’s amazing how well they can hit their opponent despite the blindfolds that are miraculously still in place.

Suddenly Jamarcus is leaping to his feet waving a white towel at the referee’s faces. Both men look his way, then back at the carnage on the other side of the ring. Both fighters are kneeling over Jake and I can see his body shake and shudder as the blows land. At this point I don’t think he is even conscious.

Jamarcus is all but climbing on the cage itself to get the fight stopped. He’s screaming and pounding his fists against the wire mesh. His face contorts and spittle flies from his mouth as he tries to save his fighter. I leap to my feet adding my own voice to the mayhem. The crowd is loving it.

Finally the refs leap into action. One grabs Rocks while the other tackles Flash taking him to the mat. Clearly the refs know a thing or two about cage fighting. It takes a good five seconds to get the two fighters calm and that doesn’t happen until their blindfolds are torn from their bloody faces and just like that the fight’s over. Well, Jake’s part in the fight is finished.

Once Flash and Rocks are calm both refs run to where Jake is lying. As they kneel he slowly begins to stir. A few minutes later a man with a black medical bag enters the ring and goes to check Jake out. I look over at Flash and Rocks. Flash looks triumphant while Rocks is clearly concerned. His expression doesn’t change until Jake slowly gets to his feet. I can see relief wash over Rocks handsome face. He has to feel guilty knowing that he helped put Jake on his ass. When the cage finally opens the man with the medical bag leads Jake from the cage. As they pass by me Jake looks down at me. He tries to give me a smile but it comes out more like a grimace. Rocks pats him on the shoulder then flashes me an apologetic look before returning to the middle of the ring. Apparently he has to face Flash now to determine who is going to be the winner of the first fight, but for me the nights over.

Chapter Seven

Rest, Recovery, and Romance

(And Not in that Order)

I couldn’t let Jake go home by himself; not in the condition he was in. So instead I put him in my cab and we went to my hotel room. Before entering the hotel I make Jake put on his hoodie and then pull the hood up over his head and around his face. Hopefully it will cast enough of a shadow that it won’t freak Diego out when we show up there. He should be in bed by now but he always wakes up when I come home, no matter how late it is. If I can just get Jake cleaned up, patched up, and into bed for a dozen hours of sleep maybe he won’t be so scary looking in the morning. The usually talkative Jake is oddly quiet after the fight and on the ride to the hotel. Thankfully Jamarcus has given me his personal medical bag and a head full of tips on how to care for his beaten fighter but I have done this too many times in the past. I just hope this doesn’t become a regular happening with Jake.

I lead the silent fighter past the hotel front desk without managing to attract any undue attention. No one is in the elevator so we get to the fourth floor without incident. Once inside our room I pay the sitter and lead Jake to the bathroom so he can take a long hot shower. Diego for a change does not wake up.

I close the bathroom door and turn on the shower. I stand there for a few minutes waiting for water to heat up. When it finally reaches the right temperature I turn to leave and bump right into Jake; naked Jake! I hadn’t realized he was undressing while I was messing with the water. The second my breasts mash up against his massive pecs I feel a twinge down south. I step back to break contact hoping that will cure my angst but I can’t help but look down. As my eyes travel down his six pack abs I can’t help but notice just how nice a clean shaven man can be. Even the base of his enormous cock is free from the normal thatch of pubic hair. The man is not even fully turned on yet his cock is…porn star large! With great effort I tear my eyes from his body and grab his arm fully intent on propelling him into the shower. I step behind him willing myself to keep from staring at his ass. I put my hand on his broad back to give him a gentle push but he turns back around to face me again.

“Um…Jake, your shower…” I croak.

“
Our
shower.” He corrects.

I look up into his eyes and shake my head. He just smiles down at me with his crooked swollen lips and takes my wrist in his hand.

“What are you doing?”

For an answer I get a hand full of engorged cock! I start to pull my hand away but he just holds me in place forcing me to stroke his length with my palm. My heart hammers in my chest as my fingers curl around his shaft and begin to massage him. I almost feel bad for doing this to a man who just got the crap beat out of him; but I don’t feel that bad. He feels so freaking good in my hands I just can’t wait to feel him elsewhere. So I bend my knees, press my lips to his chest and draw a wet line down his rock hard abs and to the base of the object of my desire. As my lips touch the smooth, stretched skin of his shaft I inhale. He’s a heady mixture of sweaty maleness. I let my tongue lick the salt from his cock all the way down to his engorged head.

A pair of hands grab my head as his hips shift forwards, pushing into my open mouth. I can feel him throbbing against my tongue. I can taste his essence as it leaks from the head and the flavor rocks my kitty. I reach around and grab his ample ass as he thrusts in and out of my mouth, groaning each time his cock touches the back of my throat. Minutes later he begins to twitch and vibrate and I know he’s about to jettison into my mouth. I let go his ass and rip at the buttons to my jeans. Without even taking them down my right hand slips past my swollen lips and right into my pink kitty.

With an audible pop he pulls out and gasps. “I’m gonna-”

I grab him and devour his cock.

“Cum!” He gasps.

As he explodes down my throat I work my sex furiously with my index finger, sending ripples of ecstasy through my body! Finally he pulls his cock out of my mouth and pulls me to my feet. Without a word he grabs my jeans and pulls them down over my ass and to my ankles. I kick them off and raise my arms too so he can get my shirt off. Buttons fly when he can’t get it off me fast enough.  Same goes for my newly destroyed bra. With a fevered frenzy he spins me around, shoves me up against the bathroom wall, and pushes the head of his cock against the edge of my quivering lips. I thrust my ass backward to force entry but he holds me firm, sliding his manhood up and down my velvety lips. Just when I can’t take any more teasing he thrusts into me like a jackhammer. Each thrust tweaks my clit and makes me cry out involuntarily. With one arm he holds me by my waist while his other grabs my breasts. When I finally explode I just keep coming and coming and coming until I finally have to stop him when I can’t stand it any longer. I have to let my body come back to earth. For the first time in my sexual life I understand what too much of a good thing means.

As I stand in his arms panting, he scoops me up and carries me into the steaming shower. He sets me down and I just about scream when I see pink water swirling around the drain. Then I remember how this night started and how much dried blood he had on his face and matted into his hair. Yeah…I still have a man I have to put back together. So this time when I turn around to face Jake it’s with tender hands that I care for his torn but handsome features. I barely know the guy yet in my mind he’s already my man. Now I just have to figure out what I’m doing back in California and if I actually did what Boomer accuses me of. I still have a week to two week period of my life that I can’t account for and a best friend who may not be that best after all.

After Jake is sufficiently doctored up I give him the couch and a handful of blankets and a pillow. Hopefully when Diego wakes he will wake me as well and not just wander out into the living room and wake Jake. The man needs to sleep for two days.

Diego is up with the sun.

“Mommy I didn’t hear you come in last night. Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Well…mom has a guest and her guest needed treatment.” The second I say treatment the thought of Jakes enormous cock pops into my mind and my face burns bright red.

“What’s wrong mom, are you sick?” He asks, genuinely concerned.

“Just a little warm, that’s all. Listen honey, Jake’s fight did not go well last night and he’s hurt. After the doctor treated him I brought him here so I can watch over him the next few days. He’s sleeping on the couch now so please don’t wake him. He’ll need lots of rest.”

“How long is lots of rest? Can he watch cartoons with me?”

“I think he’s going to need more than that sweetie. I’m hoping he’ll sleep most of the day so you’ll have to keep the volume pretty low. Sorry honey but I couldn’t leave him alone at his place.”

“It’s okay mom. I like him.”

“And I like you too Diego.” Says Jake from the doorway.

Diego’s face lights up instantly, then falls as he takes in Jake’s swollen face. It’s actually not as bad as I would have expected given the punishment he took. It’s amazing how your body just gets used to taking a beating. I remember in the old days when King lost a fight it took a week to recover; sometimes more.

While I call room service for breakfast Diego entertains Jake by giving him a blow by blow history of every cartoon character on TV. It’s nice that they get along. It’d be nice to have a man around; a good man around. Trouble is I don’t know if Jake really is a good man. Something tells me he is…but I don’t trust my instinct much anymore. After a while Diego tires of talking to Jake and contents himself with just watching cartoons. I sit down on the couch and Jake joins me.

“I was surprised to see you hired a sitter last night.” Jake begins. “What happened to your friend?”

“My friend?”

“Yeah I mean I assumed you were friends. She always was with you whenever you showed up at the bar. In fact I don’t think I ever saw you there by yourself except that last time a couple days ago. You were really out of it too.”

“You want to know the truth about something Jake?”

“Shoot.”

“I don’t know what I was doing there. There’s about a week or two where I have no memory. You know where I live?”

“Where?”

“Ashland Oregon. You know why I live there?”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t stand to be in the same state as my ex-husband.”

“What are you doing back then?”

“That’s a good question and if I knew the answer I’d tell ya. All I know is that I…I feel like I’ve been asleep and I just woke up in your bar that night when I was there by myself.”

“I see…sounds like someone may have drugged you.”

“No shit. You know those two guys from Surge who just disappeared about ten days ago?”

“You mean King and Boomer, those two guys?”

“That’s them. King is my ex-husband and Boomer is his best friend. And you know what?”

“What?”

“After you had coffee with us Wednesday and I went out to say goodbye, well Boomer paid my kid a visit.”

“What? Wait, what do you mean?”

“He came up to my son and gave him a paper with a cell number on it. I called that number the next morning when I was out for a jog and it was Boomer. He claims I did something to King because King has disappeared. Then he threatened my son. That’s why we’re checking out this morning and going to a different hotel.”

“Wow…that’s some story.”

“And it’s the truth too. There’s no way I could have done anything to King. He’s bigger than you and he’s always on steroids. He’s an animal Jake. Here’s the other truth. I hate my ex! That’s no secret and I would rejoice if he died.”

“Man he musta really messed you up for you to hate him that bad. Was he abusive?”

As we’ve been talking I can feel my blood pressure rising. My heart is pounding and I’m filled with both anger and grief almost like it was yesterday that my son was murdered. My hands are clenched in fists and my finger nails are starting to draw blood.

“Hey it’s over Christine. He’s gone. He’s out of your life and can no longer hurt you.”

“Oh but you’re wrong. He hurts me every day of my life Jake. He killed my son. He murdered my son and left.”

“What? How can he have gotten away with that?”

“When I finally got around to calling 911 it had been like 18 hours since his death. When the medical examiner did his report he indicated that the cause of death could have been a form of shaken baby syndrome but that was speculation and there was no clear cause of death but I know what happened. I was there when King killed my first born. He hit Ethan with the flat of his hand but it jerked him enough to break his neck or something like that. King and Boomer split the state and I had no idea who the other guys were that found me that night after Ethan died. There was no way I could track them down to testify that someone had killed my baby. I went through hell and for the longest time I thought the DA was going to bring charges against me for his death. The fact that I was pregnant with Diego may have helped my case.”

“I am so sorry babe.”

Jake wraps his huge arms around me and I just fold into his lap and let him comfort me. After a few minutes Diego notices and comes to investigate.

“Are you sad about Ethan again?” Diego asks me.

“Yes honey. I was just telling Jake what happened and it made mommy sad again.”

“Are you gonna be okay?”

“Of course honey. I’ll always miss your brother and be sad about it but I’ll always be okay.”

“Can I watch more cartoons then?”

“Of course you can, but in an hour we have to move. The hotel needs this room for another guest. We’re going to a new place.”

“When is our vacation going to be over mom? I miss my home and my friends.”

“I know you do sweetie. Mom has a few more things to do first and I promise we’ll do some fun things too.”

“Okay mom.”