I move into his space, he swings, I block quickly then jump back out of his range. I work my way back close enough to land a hit to his side. This time I don’t get out quick enough before he lands a hit of his own to my left side.
None of them have been hitting me like we’re in a real fight. In fact, I imagine their punches and strikes are little more effort than they’d use to swat a fly. But this hit hurts me.
“You’re not rolling, Tori,” Rory says from the apron. "And you're pulling your punches."
But I’m not correcting. I’m wheezing. That hit caught me right in the ribs. And it wasn’t a hard strike at all. I’ve been slapped harder.
“Shit,” I hear Jax say as he comes to my side.
Rory is beside me in another moment as I struggle to get air.
“Tori?”
“I – I’m okay,” I tell them but even I wouldn’t believe me right now. Jax drops into a near squat to get eye level with me. He looks me over carefully then runs his fingers over my side. “Thought Stephen said she was fine.”
“He said she was healing,” Rory corrects.
“Has no one thrown anything into her ribs?” he glares at his brother.“Because when she gets in that cage, that’s the first thing whoever she’s fighting is going for. I barely tapped her, and she can’t breathe.”
“We’ve been focused on trying to make sure she doesn’t get hit,” Rory grunts, clearly getting insulted by his brother’s insinuations.
“That’s not fucking realistic Rory.”
I finally feel like I can breathe when Bastian appears at my side as well. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” I insist. “I’m fine now.”
“How the fuck do you think you’re going to last thirty seconds much less fifteen minutes, Tori?” Jax blasts and for some reason his words – or maybe it’s his tone – sting much more than the punch did a few minutes ago. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”
“That’s why we’ve been working on her orthodox style,” Bastian defends.
“And when they swing a kick? Or get her into a submission?” Rory and Bastian just stand there without a word. They don’t have answers.
Zane is climbing back into the ring. He looks at the tension that is radiating from the three men with concern. “What’d I miss?”
No one says a word for another minute. Not even me. Even I can’t argue with what Jax is saying. How can I? I’ve known from the minute I learned of this fight there was no way I would be ready for it. That it was going to end badly. Very badly.
“Forget the rolling, Tori,” Jax finally says. “Work on your foot work. Bob and weave. Cover up. Work on your slipping. When you can land a punch, get in there and get out.”
I bite my tongue to keep from throwing back some snarky remark. Yes, I know all of this that he’s saying but knowing it and utilizing it are very different. And that’s what he’s trying to get me to do.
Jax turns to Rory, “Can Layla come in and work with her? She needs someone closer to her build and stature. Not all of us. We can help her with getting in and out, but she needs to work with someone more likely to be her opponent.”
And now I have to say something. Something I’ve been avoiding because I know Zane is going to lose his shit. For that matter, I’m pretty sure the other men standing with me will too. “Uh, about that,” I start getting all their eyes on me. I swallow hard before I let them all know what I haven't told them yet. “I may not fight a woman.”
Bastian and Rory’s eyes narrow at me. Jax’s jaw clenches so hard, I think I can hear his teeth crack. Zane just stares at me. Those penetrating eyes looking into places that make me want to squirm. “Care to clarify that fucking statement?” he asks.
I try to remain ambivalent. I try not to shrink under their very intimidating stares. It almost makes me laugh how these four men can intimidate me so when no one before then has. “Just what I said,” I shrug. “The other fight wasn’t a woman, so I’m not under any assumptions this one will be either.”
“Those sons of bitches,” Bastian grunts. “Can I bring DeLuca back and cut his fucking dick off again?”
Okay. So, I know that they’re mafia. Zane told me that they are the ones responsible for Romano, his father, and their associate, who was Verity’s father. But Bastian cut off his -.
Holy shit fuck!
“Is there any way Matteo can find out who they have her fighting?” Rory asks without blinking an eye.
“I’ll find out,” Bastian answers.
