“Oh, my God!”
I stare at the screen and watch as Corey’s bludgeoned face wrenches in agony. Cameron approaches, watching the screen and clenching his jaw in anger. Taking my hand, he pulls me to my feet and into his arms.
“You’re next, Jackson!” Mikhail shouts into the camera.
I can’t speak. All I can think about is that Cameron will be in the cage with that…that monster. I shudder at the thought, holding on to him tightly, and pressing my cheek to his chest.
“Don’t worry. He’s fought the bastard already…and won,” Mannie says. “Knocked him out in the second round. Krushchev might be nasty, but K.O.’s the better fighter.”
I raise my face toward his. I love him so much…I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him. He strokes my cheek and gives me a smile meant to reassure. It doesn’t work. I don’t want to let him go, but Mannie announces that it’s time.
“Wait!” I call after him.
Running to him, I grab his neck and pull him down to me, pressing my lips to his in a not-so-gentle kiss. He returns it, cradling my face in his large hands. Breaking away too soon, he rests his forehead on mine.
“Be careful.”
After one last kiss on my cheek, he turns away.
As I watch his retreating back, Jared touches my arm. “Let’s go.”
I allow him to lead me into the arena and to my seat, where Chels and Damon are waiting.
She takes one look at me and curls her arm around my shoulders.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared,” I admit.
“Oh, honey…he’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
I know. But this isn’t the fight I’m worried about. The lights go out and the screaming begins. It’s time. The screen above the entrance flashes scenes from Cameron’s previous matches in the competition. He doesn’t do his usual routine, instead walking purposefully down the ramp. The lights come on and I catch the expression on his face. I thought he looked menacing that first night, but it’s nothing compared to this. He’s downright scary. When he enters the cage, he circles it like a predator…my lion, stalking his prey once more. He looks so at home up there…comfortable. I need to remember this is what he does. This is why he trains every day. He’s the best, right? Yes. He is.
Watching him, I don’t even realize his opponent has entered the arena until he approaches Cameron. Jason Wong. He’s pretty good, too…and a clean fighter. The bell goes off and they walk toward each other. Ugh! I can’t watch! I cover my face with my hands and listen. I hear blows landing and the crowd cheering. Chels is cheering next to me, so at least I know he’s not the one getting hit. The noise of the crowd hits a fever pitch and Chels grabs my arm. The bell goes off.
“Come on!” she yells.
She pulls my hands from my face and I peek at the cage. Jason is out cold on the mat and Cameron is standing over him. This means…Mikhail. I feel sick. He walks out of the cage and someone in the crowd hands him a piece of paper. He motions to the camera man to come closer, shoving the paper into the lens. It’s a picture of Mikhail. Cameron stares into the camera and rips the picture in half, then proceeds to drop the pieces on the floor and stomp on them. The crowd goes off again, chanting his name. Great. Way to poke the hornet’s nest, Cameron. I need to stop. Have a little confidence in your man, Jasmine! My man…who happens to have tomorrow off. I know the perfect way to get my mind off the impending match. I slip my arm through Jared’s, and the four of us make our way back to Cameron’s room.
Pushing the door, I step inside, barely containing my excitement. “Daddy –”
I stop in my tracks at the scene before me. The chit. Not only is she in here with him, but she’s sitting on his lap. Half naked. Her dress is bundled around her waist, exposing her huge, fake tits. What’s worse is that his hand was an inch away from said tits. If I had walked in a few seconds later…
“Oh, fuck no!” Chels exclaims.
The chit stands and fixes her dress with a conniving smile. Jared moves past me and hustles her through the door, while Chels goes off on her. I stand here like an idiot, staring at him in disbelief. When my wits return, I calmly close the door. I overreacted the first time I saw her, so I’m trying really hard to give him the benefit of the doubt.
“I’m not going to ask you anything. I’m going to give you one chance to explain to me what I just walked in on.”
When he reaches for me, I pull back.
“Don’t…touch me.”
He runs his hands through his hair and takes a deep breath.
“Tell me what happened.”
Catching me off guard, he wraps his arm around my waist, lifts me off the floor, and crushes me against him. That’s when I see it – the red lipstick and perfectly formed lips on his neck.
“Put me down. Now.” When he releases me, I grab his towel and toss it at him. “You might wanna clean the lipstick off your neck first, K.O.”
I try to storm out, but he grabs my hand. There’s a desperate look in his eyes, a plea…for what? Forgiveness? Understanding? Well, he’s getting neither.
“You promised me. You promised!” I yank my hand from his grasp. “In two seconds, I’m going to walk through that door unless you tell me why I should stay.” Silence. “I thought so.”
At the door, I wrench his ring from my finger and hurl it in his direction. Without even blinking, he catches it. Ughhh! I throw the door open and make a hasty retreat. As I run for the exit, I hear Chels calling out to me. I don’t stop. I need to get out of here. I head for the exit used by the fighters; it leads to the back of the arena, so there won’t be many people around. Once outside, I stop and wonder where I’m going to go. I came here with him.
“Jas!”
I turn around at the sound of Chelsea’s voice. “Chels –”
A huge hand clamps over my mouth, and tires screech behind me. My screams are muffled and I try to fight the strong grasp as I’m dragged backward. Oh, shit. That smell! That sweet, sickening smell that feels like a lungful of wrong – chloroform. I instantly feel sick to my stomach.
The last image I see is Chels running toward me, screaming.
Then the world goes black.
CHAPTER 22
There was no such thing as a fair fight.
All vulnerabilities must be exploited. – Cary Caffrey
Dizzy, nauseous, groggy…not a good combination. I try to raise my hand to my aching head but I can’t…too heavy. No…tied down. What the hell? I slowly open my eyes.
“She’s waking up.”
Who’s that? I don’t recognize the deep voice. My vision is blurry, so I blink a few times and shake my head. Reminder, don’t do that again. I groan and try to look up.
“Miss Carter.”
Who are you? Where am I? Why am I tied up? I realize no words actually leave my mouth.
“You’ll be okay in a few minutes, and then we can talk.”
Talk? About what?
When my vision clears, I see two men at the far end of the room. Not actually a room…it looks like an abandoned warehouse. It’s dark, but pockets of sunlight shine through small holes in the walls. That means I’ve been out all night. I try to move, but my hands and feet are bound to the chair. Last night’s events replay in my mind. Fuck. I’ve been kidnapped! Okay…don’t panic. Don’t panic. Think. Obviously, they want something or I’d be dead already. Or maybe they were just waiting for me to wake up. One of the men approaches me.
“What did you give me?” I ask.
That sounded weak. He kneels before me with a diabolical smile. “Just a little something to help you through the night.”
I knew it. Chloroform wouldn’t knock me out all night.
“Here, drink.” I look at the proffered bottle suspiciously. “It’s just water. I promise.”
Yeah, I trust you totally. Not. He places the bottle at my lips, and I take a cautious sip. It tastes normal, but there are many colorless, odorless, tasteless substances o
ut there. He pulls a chocolate bar from his pocket and peels the wrapper back. I shouldn’t but I’m starving, so I take a bite when he offers it.
“Sorry, it’s all I have.”
“You wanted to talk, so let’s talk. You can start by telling me why I’m here.”
“You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? Most women would be crying and screaming their heads off by now.”
“I’m not like most women,” I tell him. I’m scared out of my mind but crying and screaming won’t help the situation.
I take a good look at him and try to memorize his face – brown, wide-set eyes; long, black hair; broad nose. I need something distinctive to tell the police if I ever get out of here. He reaches out and twirls my hair around his finger. Bingo! On his outstretched arm, there’s a tattoo of a fire-breathing dragon. He also has a faint accent. Russian, maybe?
“I can see that. K.O. is a lucky man.”
Cameron. I should have known. “If it’s money you want –”
“This is not about money, but it does involve your boyfriend.”
“What do you want?”
“Nothing really…just for him to throw the finals tonight. You are my insurance policy.”
I scoff in disbelief. You should have taken the chit, not me. “You’re out of your mind if you think he’s going to do that.”
He raises a brow. “Do you underestimate your worth?”
“I just hope you’re not betting against him.”
“We’ll see.”
Wait a minute…did he say tonight? “The fight’s tonight? That means it’s Saturday. The fuck did you do to me?” I can’t believe I’ve lost an entire day!
“My friend here was a little too generous with his…cocktail. You were out longer than we intended.”
Fuck. What kind of shit have they been giving me? His friend walks forward with a laptop and a folding table, and sets them up in front of me. I can’t see him clearly, but he’s tall, maybe 6ʹ4ʺ.
“Here are your instructions,” the new guy says. “You will tell him what we want. If he does not comply, we kill you.”
Oh, my God. I’m dead. I’ve seen them. There’s no way I’m getting out of here alive, regardless of Cameron throwing the fight.
“He already knows we have you and not to get the cops involved,” Dragon Tat says, moving close. Something glistens in his hand. A gun? No, a knife. Okay…time to panic. My breathing gets heavy and tears begin to sting my eyes.
“A little incentive,” he says, waving the knife.
I close my eyes and brace myself for the pain, flinching as the cold steel touches my skin. A sob escapes my lips. He grabs my top, slices it down the middle, and pulls it roughly down my shoulders. My panic grows. Is he going to rape me?
“Don’t try to be smart. No funny stuff. Just remember, we need you alive, but…” He slides the blade across my cheek. “We can make it hurt so bad, you’ll beg for death.”
I try to swallow the lump in my throat.
“Understand?”
I nod through my sniffles.
“Good.”
I notice the tall one has also brought a lamp, which he points in my direction. I close my eyes against the glare. When I open them, he clicks a key on the computer. After a few seconds, Cameron’s face appears. That’s when the tears really begin. He clenches his fists on top of the table he’s sitting around.
“Jas!”
Chels! I watch as Damon, Mannie, and Jared crowd around Cameron. Dragon Tat moves behind me and places the blade flat on my back.
“Are you okay? They haven’t hurt you, have they?” she asks.
“No. Not yet, anyway. I feel right at home. Kinda reminds me of Cameron’s place.”
I look back at Cameron. He seems angry, worried, and helpless all at the same time. Please get my hint. Not that it would help much, but still…
Dragon Tat nudges me.
“Cameron…they want you to…they want you to throw the fight tonight. If you don’t, then…” My voice breaks. “They’ll…they’ll kill me.”
Jumping up from his chair, he slams his fists on the table. He’s in a rage, breathing like a mad bull.
“Don’t do it,” I tell him.
Dragon Tat moves the blade to my neck. Chels screams and I close my eyes. Where did that come from? Am I really willing to give up my life so he can achieve his dream? Even after what he did? What does it even matter? I know I’m not getting out of here alive.
“What will it be, Jackson…?” He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head back as he presses the blade to my throat. “Yes…or no?”
I open my eyes and watch as Cameron nods. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t overreacted again, and run out like that, we wouldn’t be in this situation. The other man moves forward, presses a few keys, and the screen goes blank.
“What’s with the sad face?” Dragon Tat asks. “After tonight, you’ll be back with your boyfriend. Well, he might be in the hospital after Mikhail gets done with him –”
“Why are you doing this?” I yell. “I know you’re not going to let me go, so just do it already!”
“Calm down.”
“No!” I struggle against my restraints. “I won’t wait around for you to kill me. Just do it!”
I feel a prick on my arm and look down to see a needle sticking out of it. Oh, no! My eyes get heavy and my vision blurs. I try to fight it, but it’s no use.
I…have to sleep…now.
***
I hear voices – Dragon Tat and someone else. I keep my eyes closed so they’ll think I’m still asleep. They’re speaking in Russian, but the other voice sounds so familiar. The conversation dies down, and it sounds like the other man is leaving.
“What do you want me to do with her?” Dragon Tat asks.
“Either way…kill her.”
“Whatever you say, Mikhail.”
Mikhail? I crack an eye open and peek in the direction of the voices. Mikhail! That dirty son of a bitch!
“I was undefeated when I faced him. He humiliated me, and now I will do the same to him. You won’t hear from me again.”
“Got it.”
I wait for a while after he leaves before I ‘wake up’. It seems I’ve gained a few more babysitters, because there are three new faces.
“Aah, you are awake,” Dragon Tat observes as he approaches.
“If I’d known we were having a party, I would have dressed up.”
He chuckles and gently strokes my cheek. “You know, I like you. If it weren’t for this situation…who knows?”
Then, he says something in Russian.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you are very beautiful…sexy.”
He trails his finger down my neck and across my exposed cleavage. My skin crawls at his touch and I look away, toward the ceiling. Up in the rafters, I notice movement…a flash of something shiny. Am I hallucinating? No, there it is again! It’s…a person. As Dragon Tat slides his tongue across my breasts, his hand creeps down my stomach to the button on my jeans. I flinch, but the person in the rafters has my full attention. I watch as the two men at the end of the warehouse grab their necks and crumple to the floor. The other two guys are absorbed in a card game and this one is busy licking on me. My button pops and the zipper goes down.
The dark figure jumps down to the floor in a crouch. Oh, God. Please hurry! I watch him as he makes his way to the unsuspecting men playing cards. My heart rate increases and adrenaline rushes through my body. The dark figure throws an object that hits the man closer to him—the tall one from before—and he slumps over the table. The other henchman grabs his gun and raises an alarm, but before he can get a shot off, he stiffens and falls to the floor in a heap. By the time Dragon Tat jumps up and pulls his gun, the dark figure is racing in our direction. I can see him now. He’s in all black…a full ninja suit, only his eyes visible. No fucking way. I’m being rescued by a ninja? He throws another object mid-run and the gun flies out of Dragon Tat’s han
d. The ninja takes a flying leap and lands knee-first into Dragon Tat’s chest. They fall to the floor together, knee to chest. The ninja straddles him and brings his hand down on Dragon Tat’s chest – hard. He cries out in agony, and I cringe at the sound of his bones breaking. He delivers another swift blow to Dragon Tat’s head, rendering him unconscious…or dead. I can’t tell.
Ninja crawls over to me, frenetically freeing my legs then hands before looking up at me. My breath catches and tears spring to my eyes. I know those eyes – those silver-grey eyes I love so dearly. Only now, they’re wrought with fear.
“Cameron!”
I slide off the chair and into his embrace, throwing my arms around him. He crushes me to him, burying his face in my neck.
“You came for me.”
He holds me tightly, rocking me and stroking my hair. His fingers dig into my back, but the pain doesn’t register. He came for me. Pulling back, he searches my body anxiously.
“I’m fine. Just get me out of here.”
He picks me up and hurries outside. There, I see Jared rushing toward us. He wraps a blanket around me and opens the door of a black Range Rover. Cameron climbs in, cradling me on his lap. Curled up in his arms, I feel so safe. When he wraps the blanket around me tightly, I realize I’m trembling.
I could have died tonight. He found me. He saved me. I peek up at him as he removes his mask. He tightens his arms around me and gently kisses my forehead.
“Jasmine, are you hurt?” Jared asks.
“N-no.”
“We’re going to take you to the hospital, okay? Get you checked out.”
“Okay.”
Jared hands me his phone. “Call your parents. They flew out here yesterday.”
Beyond the Cage Page 21
