Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
It was just nice to have someone to confide in besides Layla, who was not very supportive of my relationship with Kage. She seemed to have the attitude that if we didn’t speak of it, it would go away, which was fine with me. I didn’t want to be talking to my ex about it anyway. Cameron was different. He understood the challenges of being attracted to the same sex, and he knew who Kage was. Plus, he was a nice guy.
Braden and Trey had fallen back into their routine of playing video games as soon as the fight was over, and Miranda and Layla chatted nearby. Since Layla had started dating Trey, the girls had bonded in a way that they never had when she was dating me. More proof that I’d been a terrible boyfriend.
“Hey, the keg’s shooting foam,” some guy I’d never met yelled.
“Go home, then,” I yelled back, irritated that the drunks were still in my house.
I was ready to settle down and reflect on everything. Think about the situation with Kage, and try to figure out why he seemed to be avoiding my calls and planning to marry someone who wasn’t me, yet he was sending me songs and signals during a televised UFC event.
“Somebody get the door,” Trey yelled. “We’re in the middle of a match.”
I wanted to scream and tell everyone to go home, but people were still arriving. I rolled my eyes at Cameron and motioned him back toward my room. I didn’t particularly want to take him back there, but I had to get away from all of the people who were ruining my night.
“Well, if it isn’t the devil himself,” I heard Layla say. “You’ve got balls showing up here.”
“Just get Jamie.” It was Kage’s voice, and my heart nearly fell out of my chest when I heard it.
I whirled back around and came running into the living room, leaving Cameron halfway down the hall to my room. Kage and I stared at each other for a long moment, and I had to wonder if he’d ever looked as good to me. His hair was pulled back to reveal the red bruise on his cheek, and his eyes looked hollowed out, but it didn’t matter.
People started wandering toward the door, and a couple of them figured out who they were looking at. “It’s the Machine,” one of the strangers bellowed drunkenly. And another said, “Michael Kage, right? We just watched him on the fight.”
It was strange how they talked about him instead of to him.
Miranda came up to stand beside Layla, but she clearly did not share her best friend’s disdain for the new visitor. “Hi, um, Mr. Kage? I’m not sure what to call you, but come on in and grab a beer. You were awesome in the fight tonight.”
Braden even left his game to come over and meet the celebrity. “Killer armbar, man. That crowd was going crazy. I did not see that coming. I mean, you just jumped up on him and Bam!”
“Thanks,” Kage said, looking a little awkward with all of the attention. He hadn’t come to my apartment for a meet-and-greet. But what had he come for? I was hoping sex.
“Kage,” I said, calling his attention away from his excited admirers. “You were looking for me?”
He almost smiled, and then his eyes snagged on something behind me, and his expression turned murderous. “Actually I was looking for that asshole.” He stalked toward Cameron so fast, that the situation didn’t register with me until he had Cameron off the ground, holding him up by his collar. Cameron didn’t strike me as the wimpy type, but he looked absolutely terrified.
Kage glared at him. “Did you know who I was when you messed with what’s mine?” he asked. “Because if you did, that’s pretty fucking stupid.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Cameron squeaked, his air all but cut off by Kage’s fist at his throat.
“You did, and you know it. I have pictures. Why do people have to keep pushing me? I don’t want to have to hurt regular guys like you, but I don’t know what you expect me to do when you do what you did? How far did it go?”
I jumped on Kage’s back then. “Put him down, Kage. If you try to fight him, you’ll kill him.”
“Maybe he should have thought about that before he—”
I wrapped my elbow around his neck and got him in a loose rear naked choke. “It was only a kiss,” I whispered in his ear.
“Yeah? Is that the truth?” he asked. “The honest, hundred-percent truth?”
“Yes,” I said. “You asked me to trust you, now I need you to trust me.” I squeezed his throat with my arm, threatening to cut off the blood flow. “Before I’m forced to take you down.”
“You want to roll with me, Jamie?” he laughed, easily getting his hand under my choke hold and separating my arm from his neck. He lowered me to the floor, then let go of Cameron, who backed far away. “Tell you what. I’ll leave your friend alone if you can submit me.”