Break Me (Caged Hearts Book 2)

by West, Heather

  Chapter 5

  Jasper didn’t make it in to the gym that day, but he did enjoy a thorough workout. He’d scrolled through his phone in the early hours and invited three buxom brunettes that he knew. They had to be brunette; if they were blonde, they’d only remind him of Kait, and the last thing he needed was another excuse to think about her.

  By ten in the morning, the girls had arrived wearing skimpy clothes and flirtatious smiles. When Jasper opened the door to them, his heart pinched with doubt. He didn’t feel the swell of excitement he’d anticipated when he saw them. Instead, he felt disappointment gnawing at his stomach, disappointment that they weren’t Kait.

  But Kait didn’t want him. He had to keep telling himself that. She’d walked away from him, told him goodbye. He needed to move on, to forget about her before he drove himself mad.

  The brunettes were eager to ease Jasper of his troubles. They cooed over him as they rubbed his aching shoulders and whispered dirty words into his ear. When they finally made it into the bedroom, Jasper began to doubt if he’d be able to perform. His body ached so badly he was certain it wouldn’t be able to handle all of the women. It was strange because when he was with Kait he was able to forget about all his aches and pains. Yet in the company of the trio of current beauties, he remained acutely aware of it at all times.

  “Come on Jasper,” the most curvaceous of the girls purred at him as she knelt upon his bed and removed her tight fitting top with a swift flourish. The sight of her ample, exposed breasts made something stir in Jasper. But the moment he became aroused, he instantly thought of Kait. He closed his eyes in frustration.

  “Tell us what we should do,” another girl delivered the words into his ear and then cheekily slid her tongue against him. Jasper groaned. Why wasn’t this working? Usually he’d have bedded all three of them by now.

  Desperate, he asked the girls to pleasure one another. He hoped that seeing such an erotic sight would help him break free of Kait’s grip on him, and for a blissful hour it did. Jasper was able to lose himself in the girls at his apartment. Their bodies came together in a writhing mass upon his bed as they took it in turns to pleasure him. It was euphoric yet… empty. No matter how hard Jasper tried, how many positions he eagerly attempted despite his aching body, he couldn’t reach complete satisfaction. The girls giggled and fawned over him, but he knew their attention couldn’t last forever. Eventually he decided to just fake it. Something he’d never had to do in his entire life.

  Panting convincingly, he collapsed against his soft pillows as the girls gathered around him, resting their heads upon his chest. One raised a finger and drew it towards one of his scars.

  “Don’t touch that,” Jasper barked at her, the words carrying more venom than he’d intended. Burned, the girl retrieved her hand and settled back against his chest. Jasper lay there and listened to their breathing slow as they all fell asleep. Outside, the day was turning to darkness once more as night approached. Regret crept into the room. It was so silent and subtle that Jasper didn’t realize it was there until it was gathered menacingly around his throat, making him struggle to breathe. What had he done? He didn’t want these girls. As beautiful as they were, they didn’t make his heart race the way Kait did. When he connected with her, it was more than sex. It was something Jasper hadn’t experienced before, and it had certainly ruined him. He’d spent the day living out every man’s fantasy, and yet it hadn’t been enough. What if it was never enough again?

  The sound of a distant door opening made Jasper tense. Was it his cleaner? Surely not; she wasn’t supposed to work weekends. He also didn’t want her to find him in bed with his bevvy of beauties. His cleaner was a little old lady with an old fashioned constitution. He risked her having a heart attack if she saw all their gathered naked limbs fused into one collective mass.

  “Girls,” Jasper addressed the sleeping beauties who grumbled but did not stir. “Girls, we need to move,” he insisted. “Someone is here.”

  His guests were too relaxed and worn out to move. They nuzzled affectionately against him as they drifted off to sleep.

  “Damn it,” Jasper moaned to himself. Whoever had let themselves into his apartment would surely be looking for him and would inevitably find their way into his bedroom. As if on cue, the door creaked open, and Jasper held his breath.

  Carl peered into the dimly lit bedroom. His expression was stern, but the moment he saw the naked women draped over Jasper, his features softened into a cheeky smile.

  “Oh, sorry to disturb you,” he noted as he pushed open the door and entered the room. Jasper frowned. If he was so sorry, why didn’t he just back the hell out of there?

  “I just came by to check on you since you weren’t at the gym today.”

  Jasper rolled his eyes. Was this how it was now? If he dared to take one day off from the gym, then Carl would be over to check up on him.

  “I can see that you’re busy,” Carl’s eyes hungrily roved over the exposed breasts and buttocks surrounding Jasper. One of the girls had opened her eyes and giggled coyly at the attention.

  “Can we talk later?” Jasper asked with a sigh.

  “Yes, of course,” Carl nodded. “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.”

  Jasper closed his eyes and groaned in frustration. By later, he had meant another day, not in a few minutes, but he knew from experience that Carl wouldn’t leave until he was satisfied that they’d sufficiently talked out whatever was bothering him. Jasper wanted to let him stew for a while. He pressed back his head and attempted to doze for a while. As much as it would be nice to annoy Carl, he desperately needed the rest.

  Chapter 6

  Kait felt groggy from lack of sleep. Moving numbly through her apartment, she turned on the kettle and opened the blinds to let in the dim rays of early morning sunlight. Her last waking thought had been of Jasper, and then she’d spent most of the night dreaming about him. She knew that she was being ridiculous, that she was caught up on a guy who didn’t even really want her. After all, Jasper was already seriously involved with someone: his career.

  Listening to the kettle grumble as it boiled the water inside, Kait considered what to do. She knew she couldn’t go on like this. Her heart ached from the pain of pining over Jasper. She needed to set herself free and stop emotionally torturing herself.

  By the time the kettle beeped to signify that its contents were sufficiently boiled, Kait had reached a decision. Clutching a fresh mug of coffee, she headed back into her bedroom and grabbed her phone. Unlocking it, she saw with a grimace that it was still on an internet page filled with images of Jasper. He looked powerful and handsome in all of them, but with a determined swipe of her finger the images were gone.

  Knotting her eyebrows together, Kait began writing the message she needed to send. She hoped it would ultimately help release her from Jasper’s spell. She confirmed the message and sent it without giving herself the time to reconsider what she was doing. Then she downed the rest of her coffee and climbed into the shower.

  Chapter 7

  With her hair pulled up beneath a towel and her cheeks flushed from the heat of the shower, Kait stepped back into her apartment, shivering slightly beneath her robe now that she was away from the dense warmth of the bathroom. The sun streaming in through the window had grown brighter as the clock ticked closer to the time when she’d need to leave for work.

  Before she started drying her hair, Kait glanced at her phone. To her surprise, there was a message there waiting for her in response to what she had previously sent. She snatched the phone up and stared intently at the device. The message was from Anna.

  That’s so great that you’re ready to meet Robert’s friend. I’ll set something up for this weekend xxx ps what are you doing texting me so early? You made my heart do a nervous pitter patter dance! ; )

  Kait chewed her lip as she looked over the message. Robert’s friend might be just the distraction she needed to stop herself thinking of Jasper. And she’d be meeting
him that weekend. All she had to do was make it through the week without wasting too much time thinking about Jasper.

  With her free hand, she started towel drying her hair while the other expertly maneuvered over the phone she was holding, and before she was even aware what she was doing she was looking up Jasper’s Twitter page. Kait groaned at her own inability to stay away from him, even virtually. This had to stop. With a sigh of frustration, she threw her phone over on to the bed and focused solely on drying her hair to get ready for work.

  Chapter 8

  Jasper’s bare feet slapped against the polished tiles of his floor as he stalked towards the kitchen. He’d pulled on some boxer shorts, but other than that, he was completely naked. His bevvy of beauties remained on his bed, pressed up against each other like a couple of sleeping cats.

  “You’re up.” Carl glanced up from the counter where he was sitting on a stool and sipping on an espresso he’d made for himself. He was wearing a pin stripe shirt and tight fitting black trousers. He always looked formal. He insisted that it helped Jasper maintain a professional image.

  “I kind of didn’t have a choice,” Jasper grumbled as he strode over to the large, two door refrigerator and pulled it open, shivering slightly as the cool air pressed against his bare skin. He grabbed a bottle of water and turned back towards Carl.

  “I’m all for working out your tension,” Carl began, nodding in the direction of Jasper’s bedroom, “but I worry that you’re taking things too far.”

  Jasper audibly sighed and sat down beside his agent.

  “One night,” he told him tersely, “I cut loose for one damn night. Can’t I even have that anymore?”

  “Sure,” Carl shrugged nonchalantly. “Only it’s not the one night though, is it?” His eyes narrowed accusingly.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Now it was Jasper’s turn to shrug.

  “I think you do,” Carl noted sternly. “The pretty little blonde who came by your dressing room. People talk, Jasper. Did you think I wouldn’t find out about her?”

  Jasper could feel his cheeks starting to burn. Kait was his. He didn’t want Carl discussing her, judging her. It felt like some violation of what his heart felt to even have him be aware of her.

  “Obviously that’s over,” Carl nodded again towards the bedroom. “And I’m relieved. I’ve told you before that you can’t be in a relationship.”

  “Yes,” Jasper acknowledge curtly. “I’m aware of the need for my single status.”

  “You just need to remain focused, now more than ever,” Carl continued, feeling compelled to explain himself even though there was no need. “Having a relationship, whilst nice, is nothing more than a distraction and a drain on your time. Both of which you don’t need right now, Jasper. You are so close to all you’ve ever dreamed of. Win a couple more titles, and you’ll go down as one of the greats of all time. That’s what you want isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” Jasper insisted, “of course.” And that was what he wanted, wasn’t it? Since he’d first stepped in to a ring and thrown his first punch, he’d dreamed of being the greatest fighter of his generation. He wanted people to know his name, to admire him. To see him as more than a guy who had a bad start in life.

  “I need you one hundred percent focused right now. It has to be all about your training.”

  “I know that.”

  “Do you?” Carl challenged. “You skipped out on the gym today to what? Pretend you’re Hugh Hefner for the day?”

  Jasper gritted his teeth. He wanted to correct his agent. He’d skipped out on the gym because he needed to forget about Kait. He needed to stay true to his decision not to be in a relationship, to be committed only to his sport. Each time he was with her, he felt his resolve weakening, and Carl was right; there was too much at stake for that to happen right now.

  “Carl, I’m committed, one hundred and ten percent,” Jasper promised fervently as he uncapped his bottle of water and began chugging down its cool clear contents.

  “Good,” Carl nodded stiffly to himself. “Because this week I’d like to see you put in some ten hour training sessions every day. I’ve bought in a trainer from the US who really knows his stuff.”

  Jasper swallowed nervously. He’d had trainers bought in before. They could be ruthless and would push his body to breaking point. His limbs were already barely holding together; he wasn’t sure he could handle such a grueling week.

  “This is for the best,” Carl continued as if sensing his client’s apprehension. “Next time you’re in the ring, you need to look strong and powerful rather than tired and winning because of luck rather than talent.”

  The truth of what Carl was saying made Jasper’s head pound. He was well aware of how bad his last fight had looked and how narrowly he’d managed to secure his win. His bones still throbbed from the beating he had taken. Whilst he grew older and started to weaken, young, hungry competitors were springing up everywhere, desperate to relieve him of all his titles. No matter how many steps he took, someone was right up behind him, eager to follow.

  “I’ll try,” Jasper admitted lamely. “But I’m still pretty beat up.”

  Both men looked up as they heard the distant creak of the bedroom door.

  “You’re clearly not that beaten up,” Carl said with a raise of his eyebrow. Jasper sighed and looked down at the marble countertop. His night with the brunettes hadn’t been the hedonistic evening Carl believed it to have been. He’d struggled to engage with them both mentally and physically, but he wasn’t about to admit that.

  “Are you coming back to bed?” The girls peered into the kitchen. They were still completely naked and didn’t blink as Carl’s eyes hungrily roved their exposed bodies, savoring every immaculate curve and stretch of taut, tanned skin.

  “I can’t, I’ve got to train.” Jasper told them apologetically.

  “Aww,” the girls pouted in unison and gazed hopefully at him with puppy dog eyes.

  “Sorry, girls,” Jasper drank the rest of his water as he stood up. “But duty calls.”

  “Then what are we supposed to do?” The taller brunette asked.

  Jasper looked down at Carl who was still sitting, his espresso now neglected as he blatantly stared at the girls.

  “Fancy taking my place?” Jasper asked him with a cheeky grin. Both girls instantly tensed and stepped back.

  “I…” Carl’s cheeks began to flush as he flustered over his words. “Um…I mean…”

  “I’m just joking,” Jasper laughed as he clapped his agent on the back. “Yeah, I’m sorry girls. Maybe another time?” His warm gaze glanced over to the brunettes who smiled adoringly back at him.

  “For you, Jasper, anytime is good,” they promised with a giggle before disappearing back towards the bedroom.

  “I’d better hit the shower,” Jasper stretched his arms, groaning as his muscles tensely flexed. He had no idea how he was going to make it through one day at the gym let alone five.

  “Need me to drive you to the gym?” Carl offered. From anyone else, this would have seemed like a kind, selfless offer, but coming from the mouth of his agent, Jasper saw it for what it really was.

  “What, are you babysitting me now?” He asked as his nostrils flared in annoyance. “You think I can’t make it to the gym on my own?”

  “You didn’t make it yesterday.”

  “Jesus, Carl. One day, can’t I have one day off? You’re killing me!”

  “Do you think your competitors take a day off?” Carl challenging, his voice raising. “They eat, sleep, and breathe being in the ring. The thought which helps them press through the burn is that one day they’ll get to topple the great Jasper Duboix. You set the benchmark. But that means you need to keep stretching it, keep testing those who would look to oppose you.”

  Jasper exhaled slowly as he ran his hands over his head. This was what he wanted – to be on top. But maintaining his position there was proving to be harder than he’d ever imagined it could be. I
t was exhausting to try and hold all his competitors at bay on the rung beneath him.

  “You can do this,” Carl reassured him, sounding overly confident. “Put in more hours at the gym, train harder. Nothing silences critics like a swift win, and that’s exactly what you’ll get Friday night.”

  “And if I don’t?” Jasper challenged. “If this guy manages to floor me like the other one nearly did?”

  “You’re only as good as you’re last win,” Carl warned him. “Don’t forget that.”

  “How could I with you around to remind me all the time?” Jasper asked bitterly as he headed off towards the bathroom, eager to stand beneath the warm water and wash away some of his anguish.