“Tell me,” I demand but the knock on the door tells me he’s not going to get the chance. I flit my eyes to his for a moment then move toward the door.
He grabs my wrist before I get too far. “It’s because of Lacy,” he tells me. “He was her ex, and he was pissed when we got together. And when she died, he blamed me for their breakup.”
“Was it? Your fault I mean?”
“No. They’d been apart for a few months before she and I even crossed paths again. She said he was too controlling and a few other things but, no, we did not get together while they were still together.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I shake my head. “This would be the situation regardless of whether it was aimed at you or not.” I know it’s true. They didn’t seek me out because of Zane. They sought me out because of my fighting past. I think the rest was just icing on the cake for him. The opportunity to put the screws to people of his past.
“I don’t think so,” Zane tells me, and I almost jerk back in response.
“What do you mean?”
“They’ve been trying to take down Rory and Bastian for months. We just got to them first. I think theyknewyou were with me and decided to take advantage of it. Your fighting background was their opening.”
I’m not sure he’s right but there is really no way to know for sure.
“I’ve got to get out there.” I move to get past him again, but he still won’t let me go. His face is etched with so many emotions moving so rapidly, it almost makes me dizzy to look at him. His eyes are on me, but they’re not focused. I reach up putting a hand to his cheek. “I’m going to be fine, Zee,” I try to reassure because I know that’s what this flutter of emotions is about.
He shakes his head as if he’s shaking whatever is going on up there free then smiles at me. “I know you’ll be okay because I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’m just not sure how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Stand back knowing this fight isn’t fair. That you’re not even close to one hundred percent healthy. Stand there and watch someone have an unfair advantage over you.”
“You don’t know that it’s unfair, Zee. The other person could be in the same position I am.”
He shakes his head with a scowl lining his face. “They’re not. The person is completely prepared for this. It’s how they increase the odds against you. If you win then they make a shit ton of money from all the bets that were against you.”
“And if I lose?”
“Then they get their money from you other ways,” he growls.
I kiss his lips to wipe the scowl away. “But that’s why you’re here.”
He gives me a nod placing one last mind-blowing kiss to my lips before releasing me.
I make my way down the corridor focusing on my breathing and my strategy for the fight. I need to stay on defense. Keep this girl the fuck away from my ribs – and my head. I did have a concussion the last fight, but I didn’t want any of the guys to know. I was worried Bastian and Rory really would tie me up somewhere. I mean they are mafia bosses.
When I make it to the ring, the crowd begins to chant. Many for me but just as many for the other girl. She’s well known in the fighting circuit, both sanctioned and underground. An undefeated record that has her winning most matches before the first round ends.
My record is undefeated as well and always by submission or KO but up until a few weeks ago, I haven’t had a match since I was twenty-one. That’s two years where I stayed in shape, but I did not train. There wasn’t supposed to be a next fight to train for.
The ring announcer does his thing announcing the rules – which in this particular unsanctioned, underground fight means there really aren’t any – then instructs us to touch gloves. I extend one hand, but she doesn’t reciprocate the gesture.
“You’re dead,” she yells at me.
I've always hated fighters that trash talk. I don’t play into the mind games that some fighters do. I’ve always let my skills speak for me. I hope that’s enough tonight.
When the bell rings, the girl comes out aggressively – a lot like I normally would. Not at all what I was expecting based on the bit of information we were able to dig up on her but she is probably well aware of my injuries. I'm sure she wants to end this thing quickly.
I keep my hands up and my injured ribs protected. She swings, I block. Her swings are powerful and accurate. Even protecting myself, I feel the impact jarring. She swings a few more times before giving me an opening when she drops her shoulder. She is unprepared when I come at her with a right instead of a left, staggering backward in surprise.
I manage a few more quick blows until she lands a kick right to my ribs. Sharp, brutal pain radiates through my chest. My lungs feel like they’ve just collapsed. How I remain standing, I have no idea. She comes at me again with another spinning kick that I somehow manage to dodge but the impact is still jarring. She knows my weakness and she’s coming for it.
I spend the next sixty seconds working to avoid any more injury and it is completely exhausting my energy. The effort it’s taking just to maintain my breathing makes this a struggle greater than before.
Finally, the fucking bell rings telling me that the round is over. I have ten more minutes of this shit. I keep repeating in my head that I can do this despite my body screaming in agony.
