Fighting for Chloe Read online

  ***

  Dom

  All day I’ve wanted to go upstairs to Chloe, but I held back just like I have all week. It’s fucking killing me having her in my house and not touching her. But I want her to feel safe and to trust me, not regret anything. After everything she’s been through the last thing she needs is me all up in her face, I don’t want to go rushing in and scare her, or make her want to leave. I’m pretty confident she feels the same. But maybe it’s the situation that has her feeling that way? Maybe the fact I’m the only guy she sees right now is making my case for me, and if she had choices she wouldn’t look twice at me. Fuck, I’m driving myself fucking mad with it.

  Walking to the fight with my earphones in was a good call. By the time I arrive, my head is in the game and my legs warmed up. I go straight over to the booking in table. The guy sat there looks pleased to see me and writes my name on the board behind him. When the board is filled with who is fighting who, the bets start. It gets really loud then.

  I make my way into the shitty bathroom where I change and wrap my hands. I’m first on tonight and winner stays on. I failed to tell Chloe that part, knowing she’d put up a much bigger fight than she already had. They have fights here every night of the week but weekends are where the big money is. So, I make sure I’m down to fight every Friday. Normally I would pop in and check out my opposition, but this week I haven’t had time. Well that’s a lie, I have had lots of time but I’ve spent it with Chloe and Nan. I have no idea what I am walking into in the cage tonight. I’m an idiot. But I just didn’t get around to thinking about it until this morning.

  My hands wrapped and shorts on, I start on my stretches. The door opens with a bang and another fighter, Paul, walks in. I’ve fought him before and he got a good punch in, but I beat him in the first few minutes. He’s never let me forget about that lucky punch though. He’s a nob head but I humour him.

  ‘You know who you’re fighting tonight?’

  I shrug my shoulders. ‘I’m on first, that’s all I know. Winner stays on, though.’

  ‘Fuck really? How’d you know? I didn’t know that was tonight.’

  ‘Yeah last Friday of every month.’

  ‘Shit, I’m going to see if I can get in at the end.’

  ‘Fucking, wimp,’ I yell as he heads to the door.

  ‘Fuck that I’m not going on early if it’s a winner takes all, I want paying.’

  ‘It’s a big money night you get five ton a fight win or lose.’

  ‘But what do you get if you win the night?’ He stops at the door.

  ‘Five thousand.’

  ‘Seriously?’ he asks and I nod. He leaves the room, no doubt going to get his name as far down the list as he can. Prick. I didn’t get a choice and I didn’t argue it.

  A bang on the door signals my time is up and I need to head to the cage. I make my way down to it and scan the crowd as I always do. Tonight though, I’m looking for any sign of trouble from the guys I saw last week. Nothing so far. I do what I usually do and don’t speak to anyone.

  Getting into the cage I realise my opponent is a new face. He looks mean as hell, and ripped too. But that doesn’t mean he can fight. I sidestep around the cage, dancing past him. He looks nervous but focused on what he has to do. I don’t take my eyes off him as I pass him a second time. He puts in his mouth guard and turns his back to me. I decide to shake my arms out up close and personal, trying to psyche him out. He doesn’t turn but I know what it feels like and he will know I’m there, breathing down his fucking neck.

  It’s all part of the game. And if you can’t take it, you shouldn’t be in it. It’s that simple.

  The referee does his usual speech between us, holding one of our hands each. We touch fists and the fight is on.

  The ref sticks to the edges of the cage, well out of our way. The guy in front of me starts to do all sorts of stupid shit—spinning and jumping around, trying to hit me, expelling all his energy and hasn’t hit his mark once. I love fighting guys like this. I’m a street brawler, I’m not professionally trained in any way. But it’s how I make my money so I make sure I take anyone down. This idiot is jumping around like a fucking monkey. And I’m pretty sure he just hissed at me. I watch him for a few more seconds and the crowd starts to get annoyed that no hits have been landed yet. I watch for his tell. He kicks to my head and it’s at that precise moment that I strike, he’s wide open when he swings his leg up and out. I pull my arm back and I punch him using all my body weight behind it.

  Crunch.

  His nose pops and blood goes everywhere. He wobbles on his unsteady legs, I move in with another punch… He goes out like a light. The ref runs to him waving his arms letting the crowd know he’s done. I stay where I am, watching as four men drag him down the cage stairs to wherever they’ll dump him. I kneel at the far end of the ring waiting to see who comes through the gate next. I’m not given much of a rest before my next opponent arrives. I’ve fought him before, he’s a good fighter and one I will have to be on my A-game for this one. Within a few seconds I’m fighting again. Standing in-front of me is five hundred quid that I need to pay the bills. I have to win. I just need to keep my wits about me and fight sensible. He comes at me first and I dodge his efforts. He’s swinging hard and fast and trying for that knockout punch, but I won’t be giving him an easy ride. I dodge another and get one in to his kidney as he swings and misses. Then I throw another to the side of his face, he takes a knee but is up again in a few seconds. I stand back allowing him to get up, using this to catch my breath. I could grapple with him and take him out, but that kind of fighting saps your energy fast, and I don’t want to burn myself out. So I wait. His fists come up in a boxer’s stance, so I use my legs, a body shot takes the air out of him. His arms come down to protect his ribs leaving his head open so I move in. Three jabs and an uppercut takes him down. He didn’t lay one blow on me. The crowd erupts and I kneel again as he’s carried out. The third and fourth fight are pretty similar to the first two—except I’m much more tired and losing my focus by the fourth. I take some hits and end up with a swollen eye. Sweat dripping into my eyes stings like a motherfucker. But I’ve had worse. I have no choice but to grapple and by the time number four goes night, night, the crowd are screaming like fucking animals and I’m fucked. Fight number five is my final fight thank fuck. Paul comes in looking all fresh as a daisy. Fucker. I groan a little as he starts to do punch combinations in front of me. He’s a dirty fighter and I’ll need to make sure I don’t let him get one on me. He’s smaller than me but not by much. I get to my feet and go toe to toe as the ref talks to us both. He bumps my fist and we’re good to go. I’ve already made two and a half grand so if I do lose, it will be okay. But… I don’t like to lose. My ego doesn’t take it well.

  He comes at me quickly and I side step. I need this one over with before I’m too tired. I don’t take my eyes off him for a second. I follow him round the ring watching him playing to the crowd and showboating like the prick he is. But it’s okay he thinks I’m too tired to beat him, so he wanted the easy win at the end of the night. He drops his guard swinging his fist around in a circle showing off and trying to goad me. I laugh on the inside, but I don’t show it I stagger around a little making him think I’m worse than I am. As he steps to the side and looks to the crowd for more cheers I attack. He isn’t expecting it, and I see panic as my fist hits his face. Idiot. You never take your eyes off your opponent. Rookie mistake. He stumbles because it wasn’t a knockout blow. But I make sure my next one is. I hit him with a combination of three. Right left right. He goes down hard and is sprawled out like a starfish.

  That’s when the fatigue hits my muscles. I feel like they’re locking up on me as the ref lifts my arm and the crowd goes wild. I spit out my mouth guard and inhale trying to get enough oxygen around my body and make my damn legs work better. They cooperate enough to get me to the bathroom and I drink my sports drink and hydrate myself. Then I grab my shake and shake it up gulping that
down, I feel full and a bit sick. I look in the mirror at my face and curse, my eye isn’t cut but it looks nasty all red and purple and inflamed. I wouldn’t be surprised if it closes up. I only remember him hitting me once, but this looks like I got my ass whipped. I get changed and head for the table. There are women in the cage now. Going through the same shit I just did to get paid. I want to get home so I don’t stick around and watch. I head straight to the booking table for my money.

  ‘Boss wants to see you,’ he tells me.

  ‘Fuck’s sake, just pay me my money. I need to get going.’

  ‘I said, boss wants to see you, he’ll pay out not me.’ I follow him to, boss man’s office. Four men surround me as I walk through the door. And the smug bastard sits behind his desk. steepling his fingers.

  ‘Dom, you had a good night,’ he starts. I don’t answer just nod. ‘You cleared the ring and earned me a lot of money, I thank you for that.’

  ‘No problem, listen… can I get paid? I have somewhere to be.’

  ‘Such an attitude, Dom. If we’re going to work together you need to change that.’

  ‘Good thing we’re not then, because you get what you see and if you don’t like it fuck you.’ I shrug nonchalantly.

  He laughs and shakes his head making a noise like a tsk by sucking air in through his teeth. It’s gross. ‘That’s the thing though, Dom, see you lied to me last week, you told me that you didn’t take the girl and I know that you did—’

  ‘I didn’t snatch no girl.’

  ‘DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME,’ he bellows and spit sprays across his desk. Disgusting. I inhale and sigh.

  ‘How could I kidnap a woman from under your nose?’

  ‘I’m done playing games, Dominic. I know where you live and who lives with you. I know everything I need to know about you. I can ruin your life in the blink of an eye and wouldn’t break a fucking sweat, so here is what’s going to happen. I am owed a very large debt, and you are going to fight for me every night until it’s paid and you will win or lose dependant on what I tell you to do.’

  ‘I won’t throw a fight.’

  ‘You don’t have a choice, do as I say or the girl dies along with everyone else in your life, Dom. Could you live with that? That’s the only question you have to answer. Could. You. Live. With yourself?’ He grins and waves his hand at me, meaning I have to leave. As I step back though he starts again. ‘I am leaving her with you, only because she hasn’t left your house.’ I look up realising he has actually been watching us. Smiling he says, ‘I will leave her there until I feel the need to bring her back, so in a way you are holding on to my property, let’s think of it as a loan, like a hired purchase. You get to keep her as long as you pay but the minute that money stops coming in, she’s mine.’ I grind my teeth together and when he says nothing else I take another step toward the door.

  ‘Remember, Dom, she can’t leave your care. If she does you will pay the price… your grandmother seems like a very nice lady.’

  Fucking cunt.

  I grind my teeth together but don’t say a word. As I open the door, he says ‘Your five grand will be a down payment, only one million, nine hundred and ninety five thousand to go.’

  ‘What? I’ll be fucking ninety before I can pay that off you said you earned money from bets tonight you have to include that too,’ I barter.

  He pulls a face, ‘For you Dom I will, but only because I like you.’

  Chloe

  I FEEL THE dip as Dom climbs in and wraps his arms around me, pulling me close, and placing gentle kisses on the back of my neck. His hand gently caresses down my abdomen and my legs involuntarily clench closed, as moisture gathers at my core. I crane my neck back and catch his lips with mine. In one quick unexpected movement, he has me under him, grasping my hair in his hand to hold my head in place as his tongue seeks access to mine. His fingers find my sweet spot, he teases around my folds right before inserting one finger in and I moan into his mouth. At this point, there is no way for me to hide just how attracted to him I really am. This man, my saviour. I can’t hold back anymore; my hand reaches for his boxer briefs and I push them as far as I can get them. He lifts and kicks them off the rest of the way. My hand seeks out his cock and when I find it I gasp in shock at how big he is. His lips smile against mine as he continues kissing me. He removes his finger and takes his time teasing my entrance with his dick. It hurts at first, but then I give myself to him fully. I sigh his name as he gently slides in and out until he has fully seated himself in me. I moan out his name just as he says mine…

  ‘Chloe… Chloe? Is everything okay in there? Chloe?’ All my senses come into focus as I wake to Dom knocking on the door and calling my name with worry in his voice. I hop up off the bed and crack the door open just a bit, hoping that he can’t tell I was just dreaming about him and I really hope he didn’t hear me.

  ‘I’m up. I’m sorry, I must have been in a deep sleep,’ is all I can think to say. I know my cheeks are probably flushed but there’s really nothing I can do about that.

  ‘I was walking by and heard you call out my name?’ He eyes me questioningly.

  ‘Umm yeah I don’t…’ I shrug. ‘Maybe just having a crazy dream. You know how dreams are, I don’t recall what it was.’ My cheeks burn redder, knowing I’m telling a bold-faced lie. The wetness in between my legs can attest to that.

  ‘Well okay. If you need anything, I’ll be down in the living room with Nan... I may head to the gym later if you want to tag along and get out of the house?’

  ‘Wait, I thought I wasn’t able to leave the house?’

  ‘I think it’ll be alright. They didn’t say anything at all to me the other night. We’ll just take extra precautions if you do want to?’ He throws out the words to quickly, as if there is more to it, but before I can question it, he’s gone. The last few days seem to have dragged. Dom has been withdrawn and I just know there’s something going on, but he refuses to tell me. After the fight, my heart dropped when he walked in the house and I saw his eye swollen shut. He assured me it was from the fight and not the goons who’d held me hostage. Zoe and I had spent the next hour cleaning and icing his eye. I swear when Nan saw him the next morning she almost fainted. The care, love, and bond between those two is definitely unbreakable.

  My father finally called back yesterday, after a week of me calling and leaving multiple messages. Nothing new. He just kept apologising for putting me in this situation, saying he’s working on it and telling me to stay put. I argued with him, telling him it isn’t fair to Dom and his family if I stay and continue to put them in danger, not to mention my developing feelings for Dom. But then he asked to speak to him so I handed the phone to Dom and watched as the two men currently in my life talked about me like I wasn’t even there. At the conclusion of their conversation, Dom just hung up. Nothing else. My father didn’t even want to speak to me again. Dom pretty much just grunted out that I’m to stay put and then left the room with his phone.

  And that’s where we’re at now.

  Three days later and no closer to finding a solution or any closer to me being able to return home. I won’t lie though, I’ve become very fond of Nan over the last weeks and Zoe is starting to become a good friend too. My attraction towards Dom just gets stronger every day. The last couple of nights I’ve dreamt of him. The first dream he’d just climbed in my bed and held me. I surprisingly slept better that night than I have since my drug induced coma the first night at Dom’s. And now I’m dreaming of him making passionate love to me… The chills that I still have running down my spine, tell me that I really need to re-evaluate this whole arrangement. But in order to do that, I need to know what’s really going on. A workout today is starting to sound better and better.

  ***

  Dom

  I get my nan all set up in the lounge and prepare myself a shake. As I leave the kitchen Zoe knocks on the door. Opening up I welcome her in.

  ‘To what do we owe the pleasure?’ I ask. Chloe and her
seem to have become fast friends.

  ‘Thought I’d come over and pester Chloe and your nan for a while unless you have plans?’

  ‘I’m just going to go to the gym. I’m not sure if Chloe wants to come with me yet, was going to ask you to sit nan if she does.’

  ‘Okay well I guess I’ll watch Alibi with Nan if she is.’ At that Chloe walks down the stairs with a tiny pair of shorts and a vest top on. My jaw almost hits the floor as she reaches up to put her hair in a ponytail. Zoe elbows me in the ribs and smirks as I come back to my senses.

  ‘Hey, Zoe, you okay?’ Chloe asks as she gets to us at the door.

  ‘Yeah thought I’d come hang out for a while, but I hear you’re going down to the gym?’

  ‘Yeah, I thought I would, it’ll get me out of the house.’

  ‘Well come on then, Zoe is staying with Nan so we can take our time,’ I say.

  ‘Oh yeah take it real sloooow, you don’t want to rush it.’ Zoe sniggers, giving me a sly wink. I can’t help but grin because she’s a goofball. Chloe looks between the two of us and raises her eyebrows giving us a wide eyed confused look. I smile and open the door.

  ‘Oh shoot I need water!’ She says behind me, dashing off to the kitchen. I wait at the front door and look down the street both ways and then again. I notice two guys a couple of drives down and take a mental note of their licence plate. I know we’re being watched so it should be easy enough to spot. For a few minutes there, I almost forgot all the shit we’ve got going on. I still haven’t spoken to Chloe about what Patrick the asshole said. Chloe comes out holding up one of my drinks bottles.

  ‘Hope you don’t mind me using this?’ She smiles.

  I shake my head. ‘Nah, its cool.’

  ‘You’re sure this is sensible? Safe for me to be going out?’

  ‘I’m sure I checked the area while you were inside, not a soul in sight,’ I lie, feeling fucking guilty.