A Lover and a Fighter Ch.4 (Original Work) - Early Access (Patreon)

All characters in this story are over the age of 18

Logan rolled onto her side as she tried to sleep. Her thoughts were running wild, making it impossible to slip into a peaceful slumber. All she could think about was the gorgeous woman who was currently asleep in the other room. A mischievous smile was plastered across her face as she recalled their prior conversations. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt that there was flirting going on between them. However, Logan knew that Jamie was in a delicate place at the moment, and to make any moves on her would be entirely inappropriate. The fact that Jamie was married didn't seem to hinder her attraction. Perhaps, that was because it was clear that Jamie's marriage was on rocky foundations. What could have gone on between Jamie and her husband to cause the older woman to run away for the night?

All of these thoughts kept Logan awake long into the night. She glanced down at her phone to see that it was already past two in the morning. She sighed. She wasn't going to sleep tonight. So, she decided that some late-night exercises were needed. Rolling off the couch, Logan placed herself on the floor and started doing push-ups, refusing to count until her body started to ache.

She hoped that the workout would be a welcome distraction. But, the idea of exercising to impress Jamie entered her mind. She couldn't help but notice the way Jamie was eyeing her earlier when it became apparent that Logan wasn't feigning her interest in the older woman. It saddened Logan to think that Jamie didn't view herself as sexy because of her age. Once again, Logan was thinking about how she would show Jamie how beautiful she was in the best possible ways. Logan's lower region twitched and her heart rate increased. She shook her head and shifted from push-ups to sit-ups. The floor creaked beneath her, causing Logan to try and slow her movements so that she wouldn't make too much noise. She hoped that Jamie was asleep by now. Logan kept pushing herself; attempting to break her own personal record. A layer of sweat started to rain down her toned body.

She thought about her next fight. Her next pay. She hoped that it would be a good one. Enough to not only pay for an all-nighter with Alexa but also enough to upgrade her tattered old phone and also go out for a decent meal.

Maybe she could invite Jamie? That would be better than taking her to an isolated bar on a notorious street corner.

Logan loved Dex's place. But, it was a shithole. Everything around her was rundown and forgotten by the rest of the world.

She hoped to one day escape. Every bit of prize money she won was a step closer to a better life...despite Logan not fully knowing what a better life was.

As she edged past her previous personal best, Logan's body finally gave out and she was forced to lean against the couch to rest. She panted heavily and brushed the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand.

''Regret the pain now,'' she murmured to herself. ''Enjoy the reward tomorrow.''

That was her motto. She was getting stronger each day. Her unbeaten streak continued. And she hoped that it would continue until the day she retired…if retirement was even a possibility for her.

Logan glanced over her shoulder to stare at the bedroom door. It was completely silent. Jamie must be in a deep sleep. Wanting to check on her, Logan rose to her feet, groaning at her seared muscles. She strode over to the door and opened it slightly, expecting to see Jamie in bed. Instead, Jamie was standing directly behind the door. The startled women almost crashed into each other.

''Shit!'' Logan laughed. ''You gave me a heart attack. I thought I was being burgled.''

''I'm sorry!'' Jamie said nervously. ''I heard a noise and I was trying to figure out what it was.''

''Crap, did I wake you?''

''No, I was already awake.''

Logan leaned against the frame of the door and wiped her sweaty face again. ''I was just doing some light exercises. I've got to keep in shape if I want to stay undefeated. Right?''

Jamie nodded and against her better judgement, allowed her eyes to wander. She gazed at Logan's tall body from head to toe, admiring her physique. She was only wearing a white vest and black boxers, meaning that the top clung to her sweat-drenched body, highlighting her muscular form. Logan wasn't wearing a bra underneath. Her nipples could be seen poking underneath her vest. Sweat drops rolled down her eyes, venturing over the curve of her biceps. The bottom of her vest was hiked up, giving Jamie an unobstructed view of Logan's perfectly shaped, perfectly grindable six-pack. Viewing Logan's strong legs made Jamie's knees quake slightly. The older woman tried not to stare at them for too long, as her attention was drawn towards the boxers and a faint outline of something concealed inside. Jamie's mind was racing. It definitely looked like Logan was packing something very big. But, she didn't want to pry into the details of another person's body.

Jamie forced herself to look away as she hoped Logan wouldn't notice her blushes. ''So, you couldn't sleep either?'' she asked.

Logan smirked and shook her head. ''It's just one of those nights. Everything okay with you? Is the bed uncomfortable?''

''No, no, the bed is fine. I've got too much on my mind.''

''I guess it also doesn't help that you're sleeping in a stranger's home.'' Logan stepped closer. ''You don't have to be nice around me, ya know? If there's anything that you need to make yourself more comfortable, just tell me.''

''I'm not pretending to be nice. I really am thankful for everything you're doing and you've already gone above and beyond. I just want you to do things as you normally would do if I weren't around.''

Logan snorted. ''You might not like that.''

''Why's that?''

''I usually sleep naked.''

Jamie flinched. ''Oh.''

''Sorry, too much info?'' Logan teased.

For a brief moment, Jamie's brain was too fried to function. Once again, her eyes wandered across Logan's body as if she was trying to figure out how she would look without the vest and boxers. After a quick glance down, she could tell that there was a movement going on inside her pants. The older woman almost couldn't breathe as she felt her skin prickle and her heart race. It didn't help that the parts of Logan's skin which were exposed were dripping with sweat, making the fighter's body even more tempting. Jamie had to do something otherwise she might drop all sense of resistance she had and…

Oh God, she didn't even want to think about what she would do if she didn't hold back.

Much to Logan's surprise, Jamie grinned back. ''Not at all. I tend to sleep naked too.''

Logan's brows were raised. ''Really?''

''Maybe we should do that…''

''Do what?''

Jamie gulped. ''You sleep on the couch naked and I sleep in here naked.''

Logan sighed in amusement. ''Would that actually make you more comfortable?''

''Surprisingly, it would,'' Jamie said sincerely.

The room fell silent as Logan and Jamie locked eyes and continued to stare at each other. All Jamie could hear was Logan's steady breathing as the fighter was still recovering from her workout. Jamie glanced at Logan's strong arms again, wondering what it would feel like to be held by them. Would Logan be rough or gentle? She couldn't believe that she was having these thoughts. When she realized where she was and what she was doing, Jamie clenched her fist and brushed her thumb over the ring on her finger.

Her smile fell instantly.

''I'm sorry,'' Jamie whispered. ''I shouldn't be doing this.''

Logan could tell from Jamie's expression that reality had set in. Her expression softened and she took a small step back. ''It's okay. If you want, we can just watch a movie. I don't think we're going to be getting any sleep at this rate.''

Before Jamie could respond, there was a knock at the door.

Logan groaned. ''Ignore it. It's one of the neighbors too drunk to realize they're at the wrong door.''

However, there was a particular pattern to the knock…and Jamie recognized it instantly. ''No…''

Just as Logan was about to question her, a voice called out from behind the door. ''Jamie, I know you're in there. May we talk?''

The voice was polite and confident. Yet, Jamie's face paled instantly. Logan could see the distress in Jamie instantly. ''Stay here,'' she told her before approaching the door. Jamie reached out to stop her, but it was too late.

''Listen, I think you've got the wrong place,'' Logan said through the door. ''My name is not Jamie.''

''No, but it is the name of the woman who is currently residing with you after you saved her three roughians a few hours ago.''

Logan baulked. ''So, you're a stalker? I hope you'll be this calm when I get the police on your ass.'' She reached into her pocket to get her phone.

''Go ahead. I hope that you'll be this boisterous when you explain to the authorities why you're keeping someone from returning to her home.''

His bravado was beginning to strike a nerve with Logan. The sensible thing to do would have been to see out her threat and call the police. However, even if the police wanted to follow up with her call, it would take them almost an hour to come to this section of the city. There was also a part of Logan that feared this man would somehow spin the story around in his favor. Was this Jamie's husband that she seemed to be so concerned about? Logan looked back at Jamie and saw dread plastered all over her face.

Logan grit her teeth. ''Buddy, I'm really not in the mood for this. If you try and mess with me, I'm going to kick your ass and play it off as self-defence after barging into my property.''

She heard a chuckle coming from the man. ''I'd like to see you try.''

She knew he was baiting her. And she cursed herself…because she knew that she was going to fall for it.

Jamie reached out again. ''Logan, don't!''

It was too late. Logan swiftly opened the door and confronted the intruder. He was a man of Asian descent, wearing a black business suit. With slicked-back hair and a youthful face yet a mature posture that hinted at years of worldly experience, he hardly looked like the type to start a fight. Despite Logan's aggressive tone, he greeted her with a kind smile and a polite tilt of the head.

''Stay away from Jamie,'' Logan threatened. ''Before I…''

She was cut off as she felt a swift kick to the stomach from someone who was hiding to the side. Logan stumbled back and when she looked up, half a dozen men and women stormed inside. They all wore the same kind of black suits as the Gentleman did. However, their intent to fight was evident.

They charged at Logan and surrounded her. Logan shielded herself from their assault. She felt a tsunami of punches and kicks. Brought to her knees, Logan glanced to the side to see what was happening with Jamie. None of the attackers was going to her as she cowered to the side. Their only violent intent was toward Logan. The fighter was okay with this. Her instincts kicked in and she retaliated; striking out at someone's knee, causing them to buckle over. She grabbed them and used them for protection. It gave her the space needed to counter. She saw a punch coming and grabbed their arm, throwing them down. The wooden boards splintered on impact. Logan swept at another attacker's leg, sending them careening to the floor. She slid and connected her knee with their face, knocking them out.

Someone slammed into her back before pinning her against the wall. Two punches crashed into her face. Instantly, Logan could taste blood. She was used to this. Ducking and weaving, she struck back, giving herself the time she needed to think of her next strategy. Half of them were already injured. So, she believed that if she was quick enough, she could grab Jamie and they could make a run for the door.

''Enough!''

Logan only had enough time to know that the Gentleman was the one who spoke up as she turned and saw him spin and kick her in the face…

Knocking Logan out cold instantly.

XXX

Logan drifted in and out of consciousness. Faint voices tickled her ears as she tried to wake up. Her brain was rattled, not just because of the strike but also because of the implications. She had never been knocked out by another fighter before; not in a match or on the streets. Yet, the Gentleman defeated her with one blow. Her pride was hurt more than her face.

When she finally came around, she tried to open her eyes and search for Jamie, desperate to know if she was okay. But, everything around her was still dark. Something was obscuring her mouth as well, making it difficult to breathe. When Logan tried to move and gather her bearings, she realized that her arms were restrained behind her. She was tied to a chair with something covering her head. Her mouth was gagged, preventing her from screaming for the heads of the motherfuckers who put her in this position.

''I'm going to remove this from your head now,'' the Gentleman spoke calmly. ''Please, do not start screaming profanities at me.''

Logan felt a hand remove the bag from her head. Her eyes took a moment to adjust. She was no longer in her apartment. She didn't recognize this place at all. This looked extravagant with a window view overlooking the city. It felt like Logan had ascended into the heavens and was now looking down at the buildings that used to tower over her. Logan had no interest in admiring the views as she glared at the Gentleman. ''You son of a bitch! Untie me now or I'll break both of your legs.''

The Gentleman sighed. ''So much for a civilized conversation.''

''What did you do with Jamie? If you've hurt her, I swear to God that I'll…''

''Jamie is unharmed. You made the situation more difficult than it needed to be.''

''Me?'' Logan cackled. ''You're the one she's trying to get away from, you prick!''

The Gentleman hesitated before smiling in amusement. ''I believe there's been a misunderstanding. Jamie is not my wife.''

Logan narrowed her eyes at him. He moved behind her and turned the chair around so that Logan could view the other side of the room. That's when she realized that she wasn't alone. A long table stretched to the far end of the room, which Logan guessed to have been a corner office. Large chairs were lined up on either side, all of them empty except for two at the very end. One was occupied by Jamie, who wore a solemn look and gave Logan an apologetic glance. The other person who was sitting next to her was a man in his 70s or 80s, gorging on a large lobster. He hardly seemed concerned by the situation, eating as if this was business as usual despite Logan still being strapped to her chair.

''What is going on here?'' Logan spat.

The man dapped at his mouth with a napkin before addressing her. White paints of hair circled the bald spot he had. The wrinkles on his face were so droopy, they could almost be used as carrying bags for shopping. His attire was more high-class than the Gentleman's, who was now standing beside the old man like a bodyguard.

''I apologize for all of this,'' he said in a gravelly voice. His tone wasn't convincing Logan in the slightest that he was apologetic. ''All I wanted was for my wife to be returned home safely. I didn't mean for you to get swept up in all of this. But, when you became hostile, Ken Lo had no choice but to defend himself.''

''Defend himself?'' Logan scoffed. ''He attacked me. Jamie was fine before he showed up.''

''You are right about one thing,'' he replied. ''Jamie is fine. And I have you to thank for that.''

Logan glanced at him in puzzlement.

He reached over and stroked Jamie's arm. She flinched but didn't retreat from his touch. ''When my wife told me how you defended her from thugs, I was so relieved that you were in the right place at the right time. I can't thank you enough.''

''So…you thank me by kidnapping me?''

He chuckled. ''No, I wish to give you an opportunity. Defending my wife from three attackers at the same time is quite the feat. And when Ken Lo told me how you also squared up to his group, I knew that I had to make you the offer.''

Logan tensed. ''What offer?''

''You don't know who I am, do you?''

Jamie swallowed the lump in her throat. ''Logan, I'm so sorry.''

''What is this?'' Logan questioned.

The man leaned back in his chair. ''My name is Cornelius Palahniuk. I am the organiser of an underground fighting competition called Hell's Cage…and I want you to enter.''