by Dee Garcia
“Fuck you.” She spat, narrowing her eyes, well, one eye anyway.
Jabbing out at lightning speed, I caught her right in the nose. “No thank you, my man has that covered. Now stop being a little bitch and fight back.”
She shook her head to clear the blow and curled her lip, revealing a crimson-filled mouthguard.
“C’mon,” I coaxed. “Bring it.”
Lexi started swinging. I blocked, covered, and bounced each one off as I walked her back to one of the cage walls. When we were just a few feet away, I pounced and pushed her against it with force, her head bouncing against to cool steel. Bringing an arm up under her throat, I pinned her with my body and cocked a fist back.
‘Submit.”
“No.” She mouthed, struggling against me.
She clocked me with a few jabs but mostly her attempts were feeble, weak even. She wasn’t going anywhere and she knew it. It was all for show, though I suspected no one here cared if she fought back or not. I dug my arm further into her throat, punching the swollen area of her face with purpose.
“Submit.”
“No.” She gritted out.
I growled and in one brisk move, pulled her off the cage, trapped her neck in my arm and threw us down onto the mat, mounting her before she could roll away. She was going to submit if it was the last god damn thing I did.
My knuckles connected with her bad eye, once, twice, three more times. She wriggled beneath me, using the sides of her fists to bang into my back as she howled through the pain, but I barely felt them through the rush of adrenaline hurdling through my veins and the boisterous arena spurring me on.
Lifting her up slightly, I slammed her head down onto the mat and hammered the same weak spot. One more blow would spread the pain and wear her out giving me the upper hand. Brutal? Yes. Necessary? Also a yes. Not to mention she deserved it.
LIONESS!!! KILL HER, LIONESS!!! TAKE HER OUT!!!
Hoots and hollers of all kinds swirled around the arena, Lexi’s blood making them thirsty for more. The urge to continue pummeling her was hard to ignore, but I didn’t want to knock her out. I’d done that every year. I wanted her to bow down, to submit and give up hope of ever reclaiming the title because I. Was. The. Queen.
This was my cage, my title, and I wasn’t giving her the easy way out this time.
Latching my fingers into her hair, I angled her head right where I wanted it. She continued on in her struggle beneath me and struck me where she could, but I had her right where I wanted her. I punched her again.
“Give it up, Lexi. I know you’re suffering. I can see it in your eyes, hear your whimpers of pain every time I hit that spot. Submit and it’ll all be over.”
“I’m not fucking submitting, Perry. You’ll knock me out before I tap out.”
Another punch…
“Submit.”
“Fuck no.” She grunted, throwing her knee into my side.
With one last forceful blow that ripped her skin all the more, I release her head from my grasp and took a hold of her arm, wound myself around the extremity as I threw myself across her body. She groaned as newfound pain lanced through her from the angle in which I’d trapped her. One wrong move on her part and it would definitely dislocate.
“LI-ON-ESS, LI-ON-ESS, LI-ON-ESS!”
That was all I could hear until one voice stood out most.
Knox.
I whipped my head in his direction and was met with a wild set of blue eyes. Not worried or fearful or anxious, but feral, prideful. He nodded and it was all the ammunition I needed.
Jerking myself back the tiniest bit, I tugged on Lexi’s arm. If I pulled back even a millimeter, it would pop. She howled and seconds later, her free arm came down on the mat, tapping it frantically.
“THAT’S IT!!! YOU SAW IT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! TAAAAAPPPPP OUTTTTTT!!!!”
Mayhem exploded throughout the arena.
I released Lexi’s arm and jumped up to my feet, throwing my arms up in the air. I did it, I fucking did it!
“FOR THE FORTH YEAR IN A ROW… FIERCE, UNTOUCHABLE, AND UNDEFEATED! YOUR VICTOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BY SUBMISSION, HAAAZEELL LIOONNESS PERRRYYY!!!!”
I FUCKING DID IT!
“You did it, baby!” Knox roared beside my ear, sweeping me off my feet and crushing me against him.
I squeezed him and eased back, smiling brightly from ear to ear. “Can you believe it?!”
“Of course I can!” His smile was as wide as mine. “Once a champion, always a champion, and most importantly, forever my champion.”
Days after returning to L.A. from Seattle, Knox and I began packing up my apartment. Luis, Reyna, and Manny volunteered to help, and we were able to knock it all out in two short days.
We paid them with pizza, beer, and many a good laughs. As per our discussion on the flight back home, my furniture ended up in storage but I left Reyna my bed because she’d fallen in love with it. She was moving into my place within the next month or so and I figured it would be the perfect housewarming gift.
Ecstatic didn't quite cover her reaction when we walked through the empty apartment and she realized what I had done, engulfing me in a tight hug as she bounced us up and down.
Moving into Knox’s condo took a full day. By the time I unpacked the last box, I was completely drained. I fell on our bed in a heap and scrubbed my hands over my face.
My body felt worn and sore in places I didn’t even know one could be sore. Groaning, I stretched my arms high above my head, tempted to roll over and take a little nap, but a goblet of wine and a hot bath also sounded like heaven.
With renewed purpose, I took one last stretch before flattening the large box and throwing it at the top of the pile beside the master bedroom door. Grabbing my all my clothes off the bed—which were thankfully still on the hangers—I headed into the closet and fit them one by one into the small sliver of space still available.
Warm, strong arms came around my middle, soft lips pressing against my neck. “You done, baby?”
I hummed and leaning back into his chest, reaching behind me to thread my fingers into the longer strands of his hair. “Almost.”
He chuckled and trailed feather-light kisses from that overly sensitive spot beneath my ear to my shoulder, taking the last few hangers from my hand to hang them up, sparing a glance at the rack. “Now you're done.”
One large hand ran along the curve of my hip to the bottom swell of my ass, his fingers clenching tightly around the globe.
“I think we should celebrate and christen the tub,” he rasped, in that deep, husky baritone that promised nothing but deliciously filthy things to come.
My eyes fluttered shut and I dropped my head back against his shoulder. “You've lived here for years. You can't tell me you haven't made use of that thing.”
“Actually I haven't and right now, I'm glad I didn't,” he said, working my sweatpants down my hips.
I stopped him before they hit the ground and shimmied against him. “Go start the water. I’m gonna grab some wine.”
“Oohhh, I like where this is going.” He cooed, slapping my ass before he sauntering to the door, freezing right beneath the threshold. “Make sure you’re naked when you step foot into that bathroom, kitten.”
“Yes, Sir.” I smirked.
His chest rumbled and his eyes darkened dramatically. He pointed a finger at me. “It’s on.”
“It better be!” I called out after him as he disappeared into the en-suite.
Two hours later we were lying breathless on top of our bed, both sated and spent from our sex-a-thon in and out of the tub. Knox was blanketing me, my fingers running through his hair as I filled my lungs with air.
“Every time.” He panted.
“What now?” I asked, feeling my eyelids protest against remaining open any longer.
“Every time is better than the last.”
I hummed in agreement. “Spot on, baby, spot on.”
Knox nuzzled my stomach and crawled over m
e, dropping down on his side. He pulled me against him, curling his arm around me.
“I love you.”
My heart fluttered at the sound of those words tumbling from his lips.
I turned into him, placing a feather-light kiss to his chest. “I love you too.”
“It’s still surreal to have you here.” His voice was softer now.
“I know, like I’ll wake up and all of this would have just been some dream.”
“It’s no dream, baby. This, us”—he squeezed me—“it’s all real. You’re stuck with me now, you know that, right?”
“There’s no one on this earth I would rather be stuck with than you.” I mumbled, snuggling against him, my eyes falling shut. Slipping away into the peaceful depths of sleep in the comfort of my man’s arms, the last thing I remember before I succumbed completely was feeling his lips brush over mine and hearing him promise me forever.
KNOX
One month later…
It was hectic day at the office after coming back from the holidays. Well, not really an actual office but you get where I'm going with this. I walked in through the front door of the apartment and kicked off my sneakers.
“Babe, I'm home!” I hollered, stalking into the living room.
“In the office!” She hollered back.
I made my way through the hallway and stopped at the threshold to find Hazel on the couch, staring at a piece of paper in her hands.
“Whatcha got there?” I asked, plopping down on the couch beside her.
She handed me the paper without a word and I recognized it as Bernie’s will. Why she was looking at this now I didn't understand. My eyes flickered to her face. She looked uneasy.
“She deserves to know.” She said simply.
“Who deserves to know what?”
Thoughtful brown eyes met my stare. “Maya.”
I froze. We hadn't spoken about Maya since Bernie passed mostly because Hazel didn't know what to do, much less where to start digging.
“Will she even care? I mean, she went what, five plus years without speaking to her father.”
Hazel nodded. “I know, I know, I just think she deserves to know. Those things belong to her, most of which were her mother's, and I know if the tables were turned, I would want someone to tell me.”
I sighed. She was right. I would want someone to tell me too.
Setting the paper down on the coffee table, I turned to Hazel. “I can call my sister tomorrow. See what she has to say.”
“You think she’ll help me?” She sounded hopeful.
I chuckled. “Baby, my sister will do anything for me. She knows all about you, has been dying to meet you. Of course, she's going to help in any way she can. One of the perks of being related to an attorney.”
Hazel smiled and climbed into my lap, throwing her arms around my neck. “I hope we can find her.”
“We will. Karley is good at this shit. Might take a while but I have faith she'll find her.”
She eased back and pecked my lips. “Want to see what else came in the mail today?”
“Lay it on me.”
Reaching back, she snatched the paper beside the will and held it up in front of my face. My eyes scanned over the letter and with each line that passed I grew more excited.
“Baby…” I said, moving her hand out of the way. “Please tell me you're going to say yes.”
“I think it's time. I've gotten one every year since taking the title and every year I've declined. It feels right now.” Her face split in two, mine along with it.
“So yes?”
She nodded. “I'm accepting. I need to call them and schedule an appointment to meet with their Board.”
I squeezed the shit out of her. “Do you realize how huge this is?”
“I do.”
“Are you ready for what this means?”
“I was born fuckin’ ready,” she growled playfully.
The end... For now
Hear Me Roar • 2017
Let's Go - Trick Daddy ft. Big D and Twista
Castle - Halsey
Take Your Time - Sam Hunt
The Way - Ariana Grande
Drunk In Love - Beyoncé ft. Jay Z
One Call Away - Charlie Puth
See You Again - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth Rise - Katy Perry
Bring Me To Life - Evanescence
Fight Song - Rachel Platten
Lost Without U - Robin Thicke
At Last - Etta James
Lionheart - Demi Lovato
Turn Me On - Norah Jones
The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
Like I'm Gonna Lose You - Meghan Trainor
Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran
Stand By You - Rachel Platten
Everyday - Ariana Grande
In The Name Of Love - Martin Garrix
As I sit here typing away my first page of acknowledgments ever, I find myself feeling it all to be surreal and a tad bit over-whelming in many ways.
Excited, nervous, proud, are a few of the emotions I'm feeling knowing that this story is no longer just a part of my heart, but is now between the pages of a book for all the world to read. A book I spent countless hours writing, editing, and perfecting. A book I poured my heart and soul into. A book made in hopes to give my readers a place to briefly escape the trials and tribulations of reality. This moment was one I’d only experienced in my dreams, and after dozens of unfinished stories, I can finally say I brought one to fruition.
My love of writing sprouted at an early age, as did most things within the wondrous realm of creativity. It began throughout my childhood years with poems and short stories. During high school, it morphed into articles for the student newspaper and heartfelt essays on my favorite books. And as an adult, it finally blossomed into its true self, creating stories filled with deep romance and fierce passion.
So why wait this long to put out a novel, you ask? I'll tell you why. Fear of rejection. Fear of ridicule. Fear of disapproval. Writing a novel for people to read and pick apart line by line, opens a whole new world of insecurities you didn't realize were part of the packaged deal. The self-doubt has torn me down on more than occasion but I'm blessed to have an amazing support system that has built me back up in ways I'm truly thankful for. These special people have made sure to tell me they believe in me, they have pushed me to trudge on through my insecurities, and have held my hand every step of the through this incredible journey.
They are the reason I have come so far.
To Jenna, this story would not be LIVE today if it wasn't for you! Thank you for believing in me, for urging me to publish, for all the times you sat with me and helped me brainstorm, for loving my characters. Thank you for the gift of your friendship and for all the love and support you've shown me even through the miles that separate us. I can only hope that one day I will be able to do something as grand for you as you have done for me! Love you!
To Mia, there are not enough words in the English language for me to properly express how thankful I am to have you in my life. Our friendship has proven to be unlike any other and I cherish every last bit of it, even the insane shenanigans no one understands. From laughter to tears, you're always there for me no matter what and the immense support you provide me on a daily basis means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you a million times over for everything, my little Brit! I love you!
To the duo that completes our trio, my girls and fellow authors -Dani and Hazel, THANK YOU! Thank you for the gift of your friendship, for always being honest, for supporting me and helping me back on my feet when I wanted to give up. Thank you for holding my hand and taking a leap of faith on this crazy journey we’re about to embark on. I couldn't have asked for two better people to do this with. I'm so thankful to have met you in the crazy community and I know our bond will withstand whatever is thrown in our path. I love you girls to ends of the earth!
To my forever BETA’s Kayley, Crystal, and Kate, thank you for working with me! Tha
nk you for taking the time out of your day to read through snippets and various chapters. Thank you for being so detailed with your notes and for always being honest. Thank you for your friendship, for always loving and supporting me no matter what. I’m excited to see what the future holds for us as a team! Love you girls so much!
To Kia, my blogger extraordinaire and author to be, you are a kind soul, my dear. Wise beyond your years, you always know what to say. You're rational, down to earth, and so very, very honest. Thank you for all your love and support, for laughing through my irate rants and urging me to push forward, for our overly excited brainstorming sessions too. Just thank you...for everything. As you prepare to embark on your own journey as an indie, please remember I'm always here for you no matter what. Whether it's to read an excerpt or encourage you when you're feeling down, I'm here, always. I can't wait to see you shine your way to you debut. Love you!
To my IG family, you know who you are, THANK YOU for accepting me with open arms and welcoming me into this community without hesitation. Everything you all have done to help me get here to this moment will never be forgotten. I appreciate you all more than you will ever know. Your love and support means everything to me! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you all so much!
To my readers, thank you for support and taking a leap of faith by diving into this book. I can only hope Knox and Hazel met your expectations and that their story will stay with you even if but for a little while. Much love for you all!
And last but most certainly not least, to my hubby -Every day I have woken with the desire to do better, to be better, to accomplish something you’d be proud of. You've taught me to strive for the things I want and I both admire and truly appreciate all you do for our family. Thank you for your inspiration and silliness, for putting up with endless nights of going to bed alone as I stayed up to write. Thank you for encouraging me to continue even when I felt like I couldn't. And thank you for always just being you. I love you!
Dee is an indie author from Charlotte, NC.
