Caged

Caged - 2 - Dom

Dom was sitting halfway up the bleachers when the man had entered the yard. He didn't need to see him, the sudden silence of the inmates was warning enough that the cop had been let out into the general community.

It was standard practice to keep the fresh meat in solitary their first night. It was supposed to give them time to adjust to their new home, to give them one last night of safety before some the most hardcore cons in the states got sniffing around them.

The yard crowd had been anticipating this moment. News had spread swiftly throughout the cellblocks. Dom had spat in disgust when the story had been repeated to him. A de-badged LAPD officer was going to be staying with them for a while. Not only was he off the protected list, the guards made it clear that the man had no friends-in-high-places, but he was also supposed to be quite the fancy piece of ass. The screws had actually conducted a raffle of all things. Dom had heard Mirvin bragging he had made a cool three-grand in ticket sales.

Dom was straddling the bleacher seat and using it for a table to lay the cards on. He placed an eight down on the pile between his spread knees.

"Hearts," he growled softly to his inner circle of friends.

They weren't been paying him any attention.

He drew his arched brows together in a frown that formed interesting lines on his forehead. He turned his big head down toward the yard and squinted his dark eyes in the direction his friends were been looking.

The morning sun was glinting off the man's curls - turning his hair into a glowing, golden halo. He was striding long-legged and broad shouldered across the yard. His heartbreakingly handsome face was fixed on a point across the yard with a look of disdain.

Dom stiffened. The well-honed muscles of his great frame bunched as he recognized Brian O'Connor.

Bright, intelligent eyes swept the yard - taking it all in.

He relaxed, let his big body slump a little as he adjusted his seat so that he could enjoy the show in a more comfortable position.

He sat unmoving as Vesneski's crowd stopped Brian and circled him. His full lips twitched upwards at the corners slightly in anticipation when the stupid Pole made a move toward Brian. His dark, heavy features softened slightly in satisfaction as Brian's fist broke Vesneski's big, bulbous nose.

For the next few minutes he sat silently watching the fight. It wasn't until the ex-cop had started showing his fatigue that Dom moved.

"Watch my back, Tookie," he ordered softly as he unfolded his frame and headed down the bleachers.

Tookie blinked his eyelids in surprise. He slapped Markus and JamJimmy on the shoulders and motioned for them to follow their boss down to the yard. The three highest-ranking members of Dom's family shared curious looks as they rose and prepared to support their leader in whatever it was he was up to.

Dom crossed to Brian. He moved quickly and gracefully for such a big man. He got there just as Willy kicked Brian and nearly took him down. Brian backpedaled and only his speed and flexibility allowed him to escape. He backed up.

Right into Dom's arms.

Brian was tall but thin. He had a wiry build acquired from his passion for extreme sports and he was stronger than he looked. Even Dom had a hard time holding on to him when he started to fight.

Dom squeezed--tightening his massive guns around Brian's broken ribs. Still the younger man didn't give up. He kicked backward at Dom's shins so that Dom had to lift him bodily off the ground in order to control him.

"Relax, Brian," he said and was gratified when the long form in his arms obeyed.

Brian slumped against him, resting his head trustingly on Dom's broad shoulder. His curls whispered softly against the delicate skin of Dom's small ear.

Dom lowered Brian until his feet touched the dirt. He loosened his grip enough so that Brian could breathe, but not enough to release him. Brian remained relaxed as he panted trying to catch his wind.

"You boys are too rough," Dom rasped out to Vesneski's gang. "A pretty thing like this needs a gentle touch." He kept one arm wrapped around the slender waist and used the other arm to slide his big hand down Brian's bare arm from the elbow to the wrist.

"Oh, and yer the one to give it to him then?" Vesneski wiped at the blood still dripping from his nose. "That fuck is ours--we won him."

"Sure you want him back?" Dom's gaze swept over the six men, lingering on their bruises. "I'll owe ya' Vesneski, but I'm gonna' keep him."

Dom still held Brian's wrist. He yanked it quickly backward, catching O'Connor unprepared. Dom twisted the ex-cop's arm behind him and shoved it up brutally between his shoulder blades.

Brian cried out as Dom forced him to his knees.

"This is the cop that narc'd me out two years ago," his heavy features darkened with anger as he shoved the arm higher until Brian's head hung limply down in submission. "Officer Brian O'Connor is the reason I'm here. Aren't ya'?"

Brian remained silent.

"You turned me and my friends in to save your own ass. Didn't ya'?"

Another brutal twist and Brian gasped, "Yes."

"Ya' fucked my baby sister to get to me. Didn't ya'?"

"Yes," came the moan.

Dominic looked up at Vesneski and the tall man cowered before his rage.

"Deal, Toretto," Vesneski dabbed at his nose, he seemed relieved to have found a way out of the situation without losing any more face. He had lost enough of that already because of O'Connor. "Yer right," he agreed with the big man. "After what he did to ya'--he should be yours. I'm sure ya'll treat him just as he deserves." He looked around at the interested onlookers. "Just don't forget ya' owe me now," he added to gain back some of the respect he had lost.

Toretto nodded. "I owe you'."

Dom yanked Brian up off the dirt. He held him a moment to steady him.

"OK?" he whispered softly. Brian nodded. "Then follow me," he growled as he rejoined his new team.