Caged Heart

This was dangerous for her and she knew it. Fame can corrupt people and every fighter, no matter how strong can fall prey to the temptations of the spotlight. Thinking of him was not something she took pride in. She was still on defense because of her past disappointments with men and she wanted to get rid of her crush. He seemed to like her and she was aware of it but anything or anyone could steal his attention away from her in a heartbeat. It would be a great struggle for her and she hoped that she wouldn't emerge with a bruised ego.

Her thoughts were all dismissed by a sudden monotone ringtone. She quickly fished through the bed sheets for her hidden phone.

"It's probably Tony." she thought as she held it up to see the number.

She didn't recognize the number and ignored it. The ringing stopped and she got up to turn the TV off. It was late and she was bored. There was nothing to do except go to bed. She turned off the lights and lay on the cool bed, only to hear her phone ringing again. She began to wonder if something had happened to Tony and one of his peers was calling to let her know. She quickly grabbed the phone and answered the call hoping it wasn't any bad news.

"Hello?"

"Hi... Selene?"

"Yeah...who's this?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"It's Dominic."

"Oh hi... Is something wrong with Tony?"

"No, no he's passed out and in bed right now."

She was relieved and also happy to hear Dominic's voice. She hadn't spoken to him since their last night together.

"You're a worry wart aren't you?"

"I can't help it. How are you? Everything alright?"

"Yeah, the fights coming up and I'm ready for it." he said confidently.

She shook her head and laughed even though she knew he had good reason to feel that way.

"Cool, I wanted to wish you good luck but you were gone when I woke up."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I wanted to say goodbye to you too, but I had to go."

"Listen, I meant to tell you this before... but about all that meat-head stuff I said, I didn't mean it. I just have a stupid sense of humor, and I didn't know if you took that personally. Tony and I always poke fun at each other and sometimes I guess I get a little carried away."

He laughed at her admission and she waited for his response.

"You don't need to apologize, I can take a joke. It's no fun being serious all the time."

"OK... so umm how's Vegas?

"It's great! I ran into a lot of fans and they can't wait for the fight. I'm really pumped."

"Cool! Well I'll be rooting for you."

"Still worried?"

"No... well not as much as I was before. Don't tell Tony but I just finished watching your fight with him. I was impressed!"

"Nice. Well don't worry, I'll be careful Moon goddess."

"What? Did you just say Moon goddess?"

"Yup...your name comes from the Greek moon goddess, Selene."

"Oh... wow I didn't know that." she laughed.

"Yup, so I feel lucky to meet you before the fight. I have a good luck charm now."

She was flattered that he would say something so sweet and felt even worse that she had reinforced the stereotype of fighters being meat-heads. She didn't deserve such a beautiful compliment.

"Oh I don't know if you should call me that. I don't deserve it for what I said."

"Relax ...I say you're my good luck charm and that's that! Besides, you wouldn't want me going in there without my good luck charm would you? If I lost, it would be your fault and I don't think you would want that on your conscience Miss!"

"Okay, Okay fine." she laughed. "Thank you Dominic."

"Thank you!"

He paused for a minute, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. She was also at a loss for words. She wanted to tell him how badly she missed him, even though they just met. Two weeks went by without a word from him and he never left her thoughts.

"Hey...Selene, we've been avoiding this for a while but..." and she knew where this was going.

He was about to bring up that night, and she wanted to hang up. She was frightened and didn't know what to expect. After all, she wouldn't be able to deny what she had done. A cold chill went through her entire body as she waited.

"... I'm sorry that I spied on you. I came to your door to ask you about the book and to make sure you were okay after I hit you. Your door was open and I was about to knock when I uh... heard you... and then you said my name."

She wanted to cry. Never had she been so embarrassed in all her life. She honestly thought that he wouldn't bring it up because it was a sensitive issue, but she was wrong.

"I just wanted to tell you that I was sorry. I know you're probably embarrassed about it and I hate to think of you feeling like that."

"No I'm sorry, umm... the wine got to my head and..." she didn't know what else to say.

"Oh so you usually do that when you're tipsy?" he asked, very amused.

"N-no I...uh..." she stammered.

"Well don't feel bad. I thought you were really sexy."

"You did?"

"Yea, I thought it was really hot. I didn't want you to stop... but then I hit your door by accident and I think I scared you. I thought you would be upset with me and I left right away. I was expecting you to curse me out the next morning but you didn't."

"I'm not like that... I usually give people the impression that I'm a tough bitch because of all the things I've had to deal with growing up... but I'm really the opposite. I was scared you would think badly of me and say something to Tony."

"Hey, I would never hurt you like that. It will be our little secret okay?"

"A-alright."

"Do you still want to go out to dinner with me? If you don't feel comfortable being around me it's okay. I should've asked you this a long time ago but I didn't know how to bring all this up."

"I'm glad you brought it up. I guess there was never any running away from it." she said feeling a little more relaxed.

"Yea... I wanted to get it off my chest and I really want to take you out. You don't seem like you get out much and you deserve a break."

"Yea, I guess I do."

"Alright then! As soon as I get back we're going to have some fun."

"Alright Dominic..." she laughed. "... and thanks for being so nice about all this."

"No problem. I gotta get some sleep. Is it okay if I call you tomorrow night?"

"Yea sure, that would be nice."

"Okay well have a good night Moon goddess. I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright Dominic, goodnight." she laughed.

That went well. She hadn't expected him to be understanding and she felt like she could let her guard down a little. She drifted off to sleep with thoughts of him on her mind.

***

That night Selene had a terrible nightmare. In the dream she was in a dark hallway, standing outside of a door, watching Dominic masturbate. She was turned on by the site of him stroking himself under the thin covers and she was about to walk in when she saw a moving shadow on the side wall. She stopped in her tracks when she saw a very fit and petite blonde woman with huge firm breasts standing over him.

She was topless, with only a thong on and she jumped on top of Dominic. The two began making out and groped each other while Selene watched in secret. Selene wanted to turn away but she couldn't move... and then they looked back at her, knowing she was there and laughed. She woke up feeling sick to her stomach. Maybe this was some kind of warning not to get involved with him.

This ominous feeling stayed with her all day and she couldn't shake it off. She still wanted Dominic to win the fight but knew how many women would be vying for his attention if he won. It had been the same with Tony. There was nothing else to do but accept this fact. She was grateful for having spent time with him before he left and she would try her hardest to let him go. He didn't call her back that night and she expected this. It was the night before the fight and Dominic's time would be consumed with interviews, conferences and photo shoots. She could only wait to see him fight.

Chapter Four

The time had finally come.

Selene, as well as millions of fans were about to see a battle between two great fighters. Volchev was the first to come out. He had on a black silk boxing robe and a grimace on his face as he walked towards the Octagon. He was only 32 years old but his rigid face and wide jaw made him look a lot older, probably due to his extensive weight training. When he disrobed, his tanned, muscular chest and arms appeared intimidating to say the least.

Volchev looked like he could take on a whole army and this made Selene nervous. Her heart sunk as she envisioned Dominic bloody, bruised and not being able to withstand the impact of Volchev's punches. She began to bite her nails as Vochev and his entourage entered the cage.

The lights suddenly dimmed and bright flashes of green, blue and purple theatrical lights blazed overhead. Dominic was on his way out.

The crowd got to their feet and cheered loudly as the cameras followed him out. There he was; her man. She couldn't help smiling and clapping. She felt proud of him for coming out with such energy. He was a crowd favorite and the cheering never stopped as he approached the cage. He did by no means look like a wimp or nervous. Dominic looked ready to take on anyone and her confidence in him came to life once more.

Before entering the cage, it was customary for the fighters to remove all articles of clothing except for their boxing trunks. Dominic quickly disposed of his shirt and sweatpants, exposing his gorgeous muscular body to the world. She hadn't noticed at first, but Tony was part of his entourage and stood right by his side. Dominic gave him a hug, as well as his coach and the rest of his team before he approached the cut-men. They proceeded to pat his body down and then applied Vaseline to his face. Dominic put on his mouth guard and was now ready to fight.

Volchev stared him down as he entered the cage but Dominic never wavered. He ran a lap around the cage and flexed his arms and legs as he waited for the referee to commence the fight. Selene watched as the referee called both men together, cited the rules and motioned for the fight to start. The crowd cheered on as the two fighters danced in the ring. Volchev was the first to receive a blow to the face but he caught Dominic fast and held him down. He beat down furiously on Dominic's head, blow after blow, attempting to knock him out. Dominic hung in there and twisted his body around Volchev, who hovered over him. With a quick and fluid move, he sprang up on Volchev's back and locked his arm around the giant's neck. It was a move similar to the one he used to beat Tony, only this time he was on Volchev's back.

The crowd was ecstatic, and the announcers were predicting that Volchev would be in a lot of trouble if he couldn't break out of Dominic's grip. The "Russian Bear's" face was now beet red as he failed to escape the choke hold and slowly fell to his knees. The referee ended the fight at that very second, naming Dominic the winner after 2 minutes and 45 seconds on the clock. After only one round, Dominic defeated a man that no one thought he could take down. Everyone was on their feet; the announcers, judges, the crowd, Tony and even Selene at home. There was an eruption of cheering and applause as Dominic ran around the ring, victorious. Tony rushed into the cage and lifted him up to the crowd. It was a great moment, and she wanted to cry because she had never seen Tony so happy.

Her two favorite men were together enjoying this great victory. One of the announcers entered the ring and congratulated Dominic on his win. He was thoroughly impressed at how Dominic executed his last move and wanted to do a replay for the fans to see. Dominic was still humble, even though Volchev looked very bitter on the sidelines. He was out of breath yet praised Volchev for his strength. He also took the time to thank his coaches and team, his parents for supporting him, Tony, the fans and as she listened she also heard him say "Thanks Lene!"

Words could not express how she felt. What woman wouldn't be happy after hearing someone publicly thank them in that moment? Her heart melted as he smiled and waved at the camera. She wished she could have been there with him. In all reality she knew that Dominic's reputation would grow after he won and didn't feel sad about it anymore. She was honored to be acknowledged after the fight and just wanted him to be happy. Selene wanted him as hers but falling for someone like Dominic would come with much insecurity on her part. It would take some time to get over but if he never reached out to her again, she would be okay with it.

**

Almost a week passed before Selene heard from Tony again. She knew that he would try to take advantage of his trip to Sin City and didn't expect any word from him for a while. He contacted her six days later and sounded extremely happy from his hotel room.

"Lene! What up, what up!"

"Heeeey! How you doin?"

"Havin' the time of my life!"

"I'm sure you are." she giggled.

"You miss me huh? Being all alone in the house?"

"Not even! I'm having a good time all by myself!"

"Yea, whatever."

"How's Dominic doing? Is he okay?"

"Yea your baby's doin' good. He sprained his wrist and his eye was all swollen but it's goin' down."

"Aww man I hope he'll be alright...I saw the fight...you guys looked so happy in the cage." she smiled but then paused. "Did you just say my baby?"

"Yup, your baby! Come on Lene I'm not stupid. You think I didn't know that he wanted that booty?" he laughed.

"You're so...shut up Tony!"

"He can't talk too much, so he wanted me to call you to tell you sorry for not callin' back. He's been crazy busy and tryin' to get some rest before we come back."

"He told you that we talked?"

"Who d' you think gave him the number dummy? He had it since he gave you the strawberries. He asked me if you had a man and I told him no one's tapped that booty in years!" he laughed

"You asshole!" she said angrily.

"You're welcome! Anyway I gotta go, got some fine honeys over here."

"Wait, when are you coming back?"

"In four days. I'll call ya back tonight."

"I doubt that!" she muttered.

"Chill, can't a playa have some fun in Vegas? I'll talk to you later aight?"

"OK Tony, be careful." she sighed.

"Later!"

A few things were made clear to her during that call. She found out that Dominic had really meant to get back to her but couldn't. She didn't know that Tony was aware of his interest in her, which meant that Dominic's gift was really a romantic gesture.

Her mind fell upon the box of strawberries and remaining champagne. Selene thought that she should finish them. She had only gone to sleep after the fight. Tony and Dominic probably already had their little celebration and she should have her own.

Selene proceeded to the kitchen. It was one of those really quiet nights. Her empty apartment felt a little creepy. Most of the other tenants were probably out for the weekend because there was not a sound coming from anywhere in the building. It was eerily silent. She was lonely and hated not having Tony around. She smiled as she thought of their last conversation and hoped that he really was having the time of his life.

There was no need for formalities now. She ate one of the strawberries straight from the glass box and it brought back memories of the last night she spent with Dominic. If only he knew of her thoughts and how bold she had been to enter his temporary room. She had probably done it because it was in her home, her territory and she felt safe somehow. She laughed out loud as she thought of all the dumb things she had done because of this man.

She was suddenly startled as she heard the sound of the doorbell. She wasn't expecting anyone and it definitely couldn't be the landlord at this hour. She waited, thinking that someone probably made a mistake, but it rang again. She licked the chocolate off her fingers and made her way to the front door. Her phone was going off in the bedroom but she went for the door instead. She unlocked the door and slowly opened it, anticipating some kind of prank or troublemaker. It was Dominic.

"Goodnight Moon Goddess!" he said with a huge smile.

"Dominic? What are you doing here?"

"I told you as soon as I got back we're gonna have some fun!"

He was carrying a few large boxes and a gift bag. She offered to help him and led him to the kitchen counter.

"So is Tony here with you?"

"Naaa... I came on my own. I was supposed to leave in four days with him, but I decided to come home early."

"How long have you been back?"

"For two days now... I wanted to see my mom and dad."

"So...Tony knew that you were gone?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yup, I know he called you today..." he laughed "... but don't get mad at him. It was supposed to be a surprise. "

"That's so like Tony. Always trying to pull one over my head."

"I'm not fully healed so I brought dinner and desert to you."

If only he knew that she was looking at him as if he were dessert. He was dressed in an expensive black Armani suit and she recognized the musky scent of his cologne at once.

"Dominic, you didn't have to do all that. What happened to recuperating?"

"Come on Selene, give me a break I wanted to see you... plus I got all this great Italian food."

She laughed. It was obvious that Tony had given him tips about the things she liked. She loved the moron for doing this for her.

"Tony gave away all my secrets huh?"

"Not all, there's still some I'd like to find out for myself."

"Well, we shall see!" she said bravely.

She was starting to feel more comfortable around him and was happy that she wouldn't be alone tonight. They sat next to each other around the dinner table enjoying the pasta that he brought over. He had also gotten a bottle of white wine and Tiramisu for desert. She was impressed and didn't hold back with the portions. He had taken his time to do this for her and it would only be right to enjoy his second gift.

"Thank you for doing this Dominic. I feel like I really haven't done anything to deserve this treatment."

" Really? Even though you do all these things for Tony?"

"Well, honestly, everything I do has been part of my normal routine since I was a kid. I grew up in a large family and I was the eldest... so I was almost second mom to my cousins. I don't really look at everything I do as hard work. I do it out of love for Tony."

"Oh, I completely understand. He doesn't even have to say the words out loud, but I can tell he cares a lot about you. You're probably wondering how I got your number right?"

"Yeah I did at first."

"Well he gave it to me. I asked him if you had a boyfriend and he stopped everything he was doing and gave me this serious look. He told me that you're the only real and true family he has and if I hurt you, he would fuck me up!"

She couldn't hold in her laughter.

"Let me get this straight. You won your last fight with him... and he threatened to fuck you up if you hurt me?"

"Yea...and honestly I really believe that he would be able to do it too. When a man wants to protect someone he loves he'll give it his all." he chuckled.

"Well that was really sweet of Tony. I never see that side of him."

"Guys don't usually let women see that side but you mean a lot to him... so I promised him that I wouldn't fuck up." he laughed.

"Well you better not!" she joked.

The two continued enjoying their dinner and had a great conversation about Dominic's fight. She was really interested in knowing what he felt like at every moment; namely, when he was being beaten down by Volchev. She expressed to him how upset she had been when she saw him on the cage floor.

"I was afraid for you."

"Selene, I told you I'd be alright. It's not all about muscle. It's about your willpower and focus. I could have lost that fight easily; I won't say that I was completely in control, because anything could happen. I just had to act upon every opportunity I got... plus I had my good luck charm watching." he smiled.