Jagged Harts, page 25
Dax is officially announced as the winner before he makes his way out of the cage. I run over to meet him at the exit, not giving him a seconds notice before I climb him like a tree, peppering his sweaty face with kisses. He grins into my neck and continues walking with me wrapped around him.
We make it away from the crowd and stop just in front of the locker room when Cameron comes jogging over to us with a huge smile on his face. Dax lowers me to my feet as he approaches before lacing our fingers together
“Dax!” he shouts. “That was perfect! Exactly what we talked about. Arturo’s blows would have been lethal if he would have landed one, but he has no stamina. He has been a force to be reckoned with for some time in the Heavy Weight class. I’ll be working on your next fight soon. Great job, kid!” He says clapping his hand on Dax’s shoulder before heading back to the octagon to be with his next fighter. Dax turns to me, and I swear that my face is going to crack from how hard I am smiling.
“Babe, I am so fucking proud of you. You have no idea!”
He gives me a huge smile and dives in, capturing my lips with his. The kiss starts out sweet and tender but quickly turns passionate and a little wild. He digs his fingers into my hair and pulls my head back, kissing the spot behind my ear and working his way down my neck until he reaches my collarbone as I let out a small whimper. His eyes lock with mine for a second before something in him seemingly snaps. Dax throws me over his shoulder and opens a supply closet to the left of the locker room, shutting the door behind us as he steps inside.
“Dax! What the fuck are you doing? There are people literally everywhere!”
He doesn’t respond, though. His eyes are hooded, looking at me hungrily. His face serious as he recaptures my lips with his. This time his hands snake up the front of my shirt peeling it away from my skin and tossing it onto the floor. He kisses hot trails all over my body making my breathing become ragged.
“Dax,” I say, my voice breathy and hoarse.
I am not really sure what I am trying to say to him at this point, because I can’t deny that seeing him up there shirtless and dominant didn’t make me crave him like he is clearly craving me. I decide to say fuck it as I reach for his shorts, pulling them down while he works at the buttons of my jeans.
Once he has slid my jeans down my legs, I hook my right leg around his torso as he drives into me without skipping a beat. His pace is near frantic as I arch my back into him as he moves. Holy shit, this man can fuck. Dax reaches a hand in between us as he rubs fast circles over my clit before nipping at my ear.
“Fuck, you feel like heaven, baby,” he groans in my ear.
“Shit. Dax,” I gasp.
He lets out a feral growl as he nips he even harder this time.
“Say my name again. Shout my name as you come on my cock, Bree.”
My body starts to quake as Dax continues circling my clit before he sinks his teeth into the tender skin of my shoulder. I go off like a fucking rocket, screaming out his name as I shake uncontrollably.
“Dax!”
His pace becomes hurried as he slams into me faster and faster until he is growling out his own release. He places a gentle kiss against my tender skin that he just buried his teeth into before he breathes me in slowly. After a few moments, he pulls his head back to look at me as he smooths my hair to the side, kissing my temple with a loving smile.
I unwind my leg from around him as he slowly eases back. Our combined orgasms begin running down my leg but lucky for us this storage closet has spare rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. Dax quickly gathers some toilet paper before he hands it to me.
“I’ll let you clean up for now since we have a bit of a drive ahead of us. But I am going to fill you up again later.”
I smirk, not fully understanding why that turns me on so much. Guess I am just freaky like that. Dax stares down at me for a moment before he grips the back of my neck tightly and brings our heads together until our foreheads are resting on each other.
“I love you, Dax Hart,” I whisper.
“I love you Aubrey Davis,” he replies touching the bracelet he got me that is now a permanent fixture on my wrist before he adds, “forever.”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
DAX
I just finished up another fight and fucking won. I feel on top of the motherfucking world. Every fight that I have had since I re-joined the MMA, I have won. I am tearing through my opponents so quickly and brutally that MMA commentators are actually starting to talk about me. There is word that everyone should ‘be on the lookout for Dax Hart’ and fuck if that doesn’t feel amazing. Bree wasn’t able to make it this time because she had to work but she is meeting me at my house so that we can celebrate, preferably naked.
Bree and I have practically been living together over the last few weeks now that we are well into the new semester. I have been trying to think about how to bring up making it official, though I don’t know if it is a good idea. She can be skittish about that kind of thing, and I don’t want to spook her until I know that we are in a really good place.
Although I feel like we are already there, I can’t help but feel like there are things that she is holding back on, important things. I mean, fuck. She still hasn’t even told me what town she grew up in, I don’t know anything about her family or if she even has one and more importantly, I have no idea what plagues her nightmares. Thankfully it seems that they have stopped, but I will never forget the fear splashed across her sleeping face those first few times that she slept over.
I know that I need to just trust that when she is ready, she will tell me. But I have never claimed to be a patient man and I feel like there are still things between us, keeping us at arm’s length and I fucking hate it. Chase and I are just coming back into Glenfield when he starts getting hyped up all over again about the fight. Since Bree couldn’t come and Blake had a date with Kayla, I invited him. We have been kind of on the outs ever since he set up Bree to fight Collins. I’m still pissed at him about it, but he has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.
“Man, you fucking killed it tonight! We got to celebrate! Let me call some people and we will hit up Club 22 or something.” He gets out his phone to start making calls when I shake my head.
“Nah, man. Just drop me at my place. Aubrey is waiting for me.”
He gives me a side eye look before shrugging.
“Yeah and I am sure she will still be waiting for you in a couple hours after we have partied a little.”
I shake my head again.
“No, thanks. I just want to get home to my girl.”
Chase lets out a long exhale that tells me something is up. We have been best friends since we were ten years old, and he is about as subtle as a damn freight train.
“What?” I ask half exhausted and half irritated. He shakes his head a bit as his mouth quirks up into a twisted scowl.
“Man, I wasn’t going to say anything because I thought you’d be done with her by now, but you need to cut that chick loose.”
“Excuse me?” I ask, my tone instantly turning dark at how he refers to Aubrey like she is some flavor of the week. Chase clearly doesn’t pick up on this though because he continues on.
“Look, I get it, man. She’s pretty hot and has a banging body. I am sure that she has been a fun lay. Plus, she was the first girl since seventh grade who hasn’t completely fallen at your feet, which was probably a rewarding challenge, but you are Dax motherfucking Hart. There are hordes of women out there chomping at the bit just to be near you and you are wasting all your time on that stuck up bitch.”
“Pull over,” I grit through clenched teeth.
He shoots me a confused look before shrugging his shoulders and continuing to spew his shit as he pulls over.
“All I am saying is that you have become pretty lame since you got with her. I miss the old Dax that would stay out all night chasing pussy with me. You never want to go out anymore and I need my wingman back. I guess you don’t have to dump the chick if you really want to keep her around. But at least come out and let loose a little with me. I know Julie would be willing to have something on the low so you can still be public with Aubrey.”
I don’t even hesitate. I punch him so hard in the face that his nose cracks and instantly sprays the dash with blood. I hit him two more times before smashing his head into the steering wheel.
“You stupid fuck! If you ever speak about Aubrey that way again, I will fucking kill you!” I roar in his face.
He is barely conscious as he just sits there, groaning as he holds his face. I am sure he is just as shocked as I am that I just pulverized his face. But he crossed so many fucking lines in just a few sentences that even over twelve years of friendship can’t justify it.
I grab my shit at my feet and get out of the car slamming the door shut. It’s a little cold for February but I see a diner up ahead and march towards it. I give Bree a call to see if she will come pick me up and she says that she will be here in 15 minutes.
When she pulls up, I bound up to her and meet her at the front door. I pull her into me until our hips are flush as I begin devouring her mouth. She lets out a little yip of surprise before snaking her arms around my neck and returning my kiss with an equal amount of intensity. I pull back and look down into a pair of dazed turquoise eyes that I have become fucking obsessed with. I love this girl so fucking much, I swear if I didn’t have her, my heart would fucking stop beating.
“Let’s go,” I say softly.
She nods and threads her hands with mine as we head out to Betty. I take the keys and drive us back to my place. When we get there, I go to get out of the car before Aubrey says something.
“So, are you going to tell me why I had to come get you at a diner in the middle of bumfuck nowhere when Chase was supposed to drive you home?”
Her tone is patient like she is asking a child to fess up to eating all of the Halloween candy. I just shrug and look out the window.
“He wanted to go out tonight. I wanted to come home to you. We decided to split off in separate directions.”
“Uh huh,” she says, clearly seeing through my bullshit. “And when you guys decided to ‘split off’ was that before or after you got into a fight that ended with blood sprayed all over your shirt?” She asks with a raised eyebrow and a ‘don’t fucking lie to me again’ look. I glance down at my shirt and sure enough I got caught in the crossfire of Chase’s exploded nose. I exhale heavily and look at her.
“We got into a fight about you,” I say, debating on how much I want to tell her.
“He doesn’t like me,” she says, more like a fact than a question. “I know, if I am being honest, I kinda hate his fucking guts. But I put up with him for you.”
“Well, you won’t have to anymore. After the way I beat his face in, I am pretty damn sure that our friendship is over, and good fucking riddance.”
Aubrey’s eyebrows raise in shock at that before she blows out a breath.
“Geeze, was the shit he said really that bad?” I give curt nod and she returns it. “Okay then, well fuck him. Let’s talk about you. I saw the live stream of your fight in between tables. You kicked ass, babe!”
I manage to crack a smile as I peck her lips.
“Thank you, baby. It sucked not having you there with me. It’s like I can feel when you are in the audience watching me. It makes me go harder than usual.”
“Aw, trying to impress your girl?” She teases as she gets out of the car.
I chuckle as I trail after my dream girl while she heads inside. Man, fuck Chase. He is supposed to be my best friend and if he doesn’t realize that I have never been happier than I am with Aubrey, then he doesn’t deserve to be my friend. Aubrey ambles into the kitchen grabbing a couple of beers for us and I can’t help but think about how I am looking at my forever.
The next day I am sleeping with Aubrey tucked into my chest when my phone rings. I groan as she buries her head under the pillow and turns away. I peek one eye open and reach for the offending device.
“Hello?” I say groggily.
“Hey, kid! Nice job last night,” Cameron says, dude sounds so chipper he must already be on his third cup of coffee this morning.
“Thanks, Coach. I appreciate it.”
“Well, I wanted to let you know that some folks at the UFC reached out to me. You have gained a lot of attention. They want you to fight David Sanchez in LA two weeks from Saturday. If things go your way there, who knows what is next.”
“David Sanchez, really?” Sanchez is a legend and way out of my league, or so I thought. But hell, I am up for a challenge any day. “Let’s do it. I will be ready.”
“Alright we’ll talk soon,” he says before hanging up.
I lower the phone and sit there for a moment stunned. Is this really my life now? Did that just happen? Excitement overtakes me as I reach over for Bree and pull her until she is on top of me.
“Dax? What the hell!” She shouts grumpily.
I drag her face down and kiss the hell out of her for one to shut her up and for two because I am so fucking excited. When I finally pull away, I smile up at her as I cup her flushed cheek.
“We are going to LA, baby. And it’s a big one!”
My excitement is practically emanating out of every pore of my body, but I see that she isn’t sharing my enthusiasm. Her face is almost instantly blank and emotionless. I can practically see the wall that she just threw up.
“California? You got a fight there?” She asks in an unaffected tone.
“Yeah, in two weeks. You will come with, right?” I ask, my voice almost pleading.
I’ve never had to ask her to come to a fight before. She has always been all over coming to any of them that she can. Then again, this is cross country and back to her home state, maybe things are different this time. She rolls out of bed and starts to get dressed, avoiding eye contact with me.
“I don’t know, Dax. I probably have to work, plus I can’t exactly afford to jet off to LA right now. But I will catch it online. You know I will be rooting for you.”
My brows dip at the blatant brush off. She really isn’t going to at least try to come with? She could ask Marcus for the time off. I’ll pay for her plane ticket, whatever it takes. I just want her by my side.
The few moments that I have taken to think over everything were a few moments I clearly didn’t have because when I glance back up, Bree is already fully dressed and reaching for her purse to head out the door. Something is up. I sprint out of bed and put my hand on the bedroom door, slamming it shut just as she began to open it. She lets out an exasperated sigh still staring at the door.
“Baby,” I say in a confused tone. “Talk to me.”
I grab her hand and drag her over to sit on the bed. She begrudgingly lets me pull her over until she is sitting by my side. She is staring at the carpet in front of her while I stay silent, letting her think over whatever the hell is going on inside that beautiful mind. She finally looks up to me with watery eyes.
“I can’t go there, Dax. There is so much that I haven’t told you, some that I am not sure I will ever be ready to tell you. There is nothing left for me there. I just can’t.”
Nodding slowly, I lace our fingers together as I scoot even closer to her.
“So, I take it from your reaction that you grew up in LA?”
Her eyes flick away from me as she gives a terse nod before quickly wiping at her eyes. Bree never cries, like ever. I’m not exactly sure what happened in her past or what has her so rattled that she feels like she can’t even go back to that city, but whatever it is, I will be there for her every step of the way. I will protect her with my dying breath from everything, including her demons.
“I will be there. Don’t think of it like you are returning home, think of it as you are going there for me, with me. I need you there, baby. I never fight the same when you aren’t there. You are all I need. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, I am not interested in your past. I am interested in our future.” I pause for a moment and then add, “Please.” I pour every drop of emotion into my words, hoping she can see how much it will mean to me if she comes.
After a few painfully long seconds she reluctantly nods her head and whispers, “Okay.”
I kiss her temple and pull her in to my side.
“Thank you, baby. The past can’t hurt us, and I will be right by your side to protect you from now until forever. Now let’s get these clothes back off you,” I say with a waggle of my eyebrows as she chuckles when I lift her up and flip her on her back.
I am so relieved that I will have my girl in the crowd cheering me on. I couldn’t have done any of this without her. If it wasn’t for Bree I never would have even attempted to get back into the circuit. I owe her fucking everything.
My suspicions are now obviously correct that she is hiding what seems to be a lot from her past. We all have secrets and things that we don’t want to relive twice, I get that. I just wish she felt as safe with me as I do with her to share that kind of stuff.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
AUBREY
I am zipping up my suitcase when I start to have a mini panic attack. Dax is in the parking lot waiting for me so that we can catch our flight to California. Fuck, I don’t think I can do this. I ran like a fire was lit under my ass from that place. I swore to never go back and yet here I am showing back up six months later.
