Chapter 42 #2
“Come on, you stinky slag. Time to go and have some fun.”
Monty.
Fuck, I can’t wait to kill him.
I think I’ll use my bare hands to do it. To feel his bones snap in my grip will be so damn rewarding.
Standing from the cold floor, I do a little stretch as Monty releases the chain from the floor and tugs on it, leading me out the door.
Two other men appear behind me as I stumble out into the passage, and Monty tugs me behind him as we weave through another maze of rooms before the sounds of what can only be a cheering crowd meet us.
“What’s going on?” I ask, not out of fear, but curiosity. The more information I know, the better equipped I’ll be.
“Fight night,” Monty sneers over his shoulder, and I frown.
“Is it Thursday already?” I ask, confused.
The Rough House fights only happen on Thursday nights. Maybe more time has passed than I thought.
“No, bitch. It’s not fucking Thursday. You’re not at The Rough House. You really think we’d take you where the Seven Eights can go against us?” He scoffs. “This is the Killing Cage at The Vista where the only rule is that you fight to the death.”
“And where is the Killing Cage?” I dig for more information. “I’ve never heard of it.”
I’ve heard of The Vista, but I don’t share that information. Gilbert told me that the MacKenzie brothers go to The Vista, and it looks like that’s exactly where I am.
“You’re on Black Taipans soil now.” Monty sighs. “Don’t bother asking any more questions. No one is coming to save you.”
I want to tell him I don’t need anyone to save me, but I don’t for two reasons.
One, I don’t want him to see what’s coming when I unleash the Crimson Angel, and two… well, there’s a big, fat chance I’m not going to walk out of here alive.
I’ll be sure to take down as many of them as I can before that happens, though. They’ll regret fucking with me and what’s mine.
We climb some rickety metal stairs before walking through a door where we are engulfed by the roar of the crowd.
My eyes dart in every direction, taking in the scene as Black Taipans crew members size me up, some spitting on me as Monty drags me through the crowd, making our way to the cage.
It’s not a regular fighting cage. It’s a large square box with a hard concrete floor and wire walls that are topped with barbed wire so that no one can climb out or in.
Ouch.
“Here’s the angel we’ve been waiting for.” The wide grin of one of the MacKenzie brothers sends a chill down my spine as he eyes me.
How has no one realised how sick and cruel these two monsters are?
“Are you ready?” the second brother asks, and I raise a single brow as he steps forward and removes the cuff and chain from my wrist. “The only way you’re walking out of here is by fighting to the death.” He points his thumb over his shoulder to the cage behind him.
I shrug. “That’s fine. I can kill easily enough. But before we do that. Where’s Asher? You said I could trade myself for him.”
“And you will.” He gestures to the cage, stepping out of the way to give me a better view.
My eyes go wide before strong hands shove my back and I stumble into the cage, falling to my knees, coming face to face with my worst nightmare.
“No.” His rasp is pained, his whisky eyes shattering right before me as we both realise what’s happening.
“Asher,” I whimper, my eyes filling with hot tears, before I launch myself up, spin, and bolt for the opening in the cage.
Laughing, Monty slams the gate shut, latching it on his side just in time for me to leap on it like a crazed beast as I roar with bared teeth at the MacKenzie twins.
“You fucking cunts! I will fucking kill you!”
They both throw their heads back, laughing, and the crowd follows suit, all of them entertained by our suffering.
“We told you to trade your life with his. If you want him to live, you just have to let him kill you,” one of the twins snickers. “Or kill yourself. Either way works for us.”
“Who’s ready to see a lovers’ quarrel?” Monty asks the crowd, his voice blaring through speakers in each corner of the large space.
The crowd goes crazy, and I leap off the gate, doing a lap of the cage, searching the crowd for a friendly. For any sign that we aren’t here alone right now.
Where the hell is Barrett?
“They say if you love someone, set them free.” Monty’s voice continues to fill the room. “I say if you love someone, watch them die!”
The crowd goes ape shit, people jumping up and down, drinks getting thrown in the air as music starts to blare through the speakers for a few moments before Monty continues.
“Would you believe these two are lovers?” The crowd ooooh’s like it’s juicy gossip. “Yes, I know, she’s an old bat, and he’s a pimple skinned teenager, yet they still looooove each other.”
“I’m not doing this.” Asher’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn to look at him.
Shit… Asher.
My heart splinters as I take in the bruising and swelling around his eyes and lips. He’s been beaten badly, yet he stands tall and strong before me.
But shit… this… we are absolutely fucked. I have no doubt that if we refuse to fight, they will kill us… shit, they will kill Asher first just to make sure I feel that pain, I just know it.
“You have to do this,” I whimper as I take a step closer, tears threatening. “It’s the only way for you to walk out of here alive.”
His eyes flare with anger. “I’d rather die than hurt you, Lily. My life isn’t worth living without you in it, so there’s no way I’m walking out of here without you. Where you go, I go.”
Shit. Now’s not the time for me to get all teary, yet here I am, my heart aching for this man before me.
Stepping closer, Asher’s warm hand comes to my cheek, cupping it.
“I love you, Lily,” he admits so easily, his eyes dancing between mine as he does what I’ve been too scared to admit myself. “I’ll end my existence before I let them take yours.”
“Fuck, Asher.” Pressing my hand over his, still cupping my jaw, I finally open my heart and tell the truth. “I love you, too.”
His brows hitch. “You do?”
“Yes.” I nod, offering him a small smile. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was… scared.” I gulp, trying to clear the lump from my throat. “This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not.” He shakes his head. “They are the evil cunts doing wrong in the world. You are the angel trying to do some good.”
What I’d do to be alone with Asher right now. Why did I wait so long to open my heart to him?
“Oh, boo fucking hoooo,” Monty sneers into the microphone. “No one cares that you loooove each other. We only care to see which one has the balls to kill.”
Ignoring Monty and the roar of the crowd, I turn my head and press my lips to Asher’s warm palm before taking a step away from him.
I need to figure out what to do. There has to be a way out of this.
Taking another look around, I’m hoping to find Barrett or someone who will help, but all I see are crazed gangbangers thirsty for blood.
Stalling is the only option right now.
“Let’s just play along a bit,” I tell Asher, hoping he won't fight me on this. “We need to stall for time. Barrett knows I’m here. He will come for us.”
Asher’s eyes dance between mine again, the swelling around his eyes not hiding the emotions swarming in them. Then, he nods, his gaze travelling over the crowd before returning to mine.
“Okay, Lil. Let’s fight.”
I grin at Asher’s words, and a smirk tugs at his lips.
Normal couples go for walks on the beach, or watch movies and share popcorn.
But people like us prefer to get dirty and throw punches, and hopefully draw a little blood. This time, we will do it together.
I take the first swing at Asher, deliberately missing as he ducks, but another quick jab and I nick him in the shoulder.
The crowd cheers, ready to see two people who love each other fight to the death.
We fight strategically, over dramatising if a punch lands to make it seem worse than it is.
Every time our heads are close enough, we whisper to each other, giving advance warning of a hit and grapple, or just simply talking about the situation, especially when I spot a face I recognise in the crowd, my heart flipping with relief in my chest.
“Barrett’s here,” I whisper before landing a fake punch in Asher’s ribs.
“Where?” Asher grunts, pretending to cough as he clutches his stomach.
“Behind the MacKenzie brothers. I’m not sure how he’ll play it.” I duck one of Asher’s swings. “But when all hell breaks loose, that’s our cue.”
Asher swings another punch, and I duck before slamming myself into him, pretending to try to knock him down.
Barrett is practically breathing down the twins’ necks, and they don’t even realise, their wild gazes locked on us as they stand at the gate… our only way out of the cage.
As we dance around the space, I scan the crowd to see if Barrett has brought help with him. He has a team of guys he works with internationally, so I’m not prepared when I spot three familiar faces…
Time slows as I realise who exactly Barrett brought with him, and it makes me wonder how they got here so quickly.
Were they here already?
I haven’t seen them in years, and usually the sight of them would make me want to run, but right now, emotions swarm through me, taking me back to a time when they were my protectors.
I nearly trip over my own feet, my shock messing with my head, and when I meet Asher’s gaze, he looks confused.
“You okay?” Asher asks, lunging for me, and I only just manage to dash out of the way in time, my eyes catching on Barrett’s as he gives me a nod.
Shit.
Here we go.
“Get ready,” I tell Asher instead of answering. “It’s time.”
“Time?” he asks, clearly confused since I keep changing the rules of the game, but he doesn’t stop our charade, widening his stance like he’s preparing to charge me.
“Sorry,” I say, meaning it. “I’ll make it up to you later.”
Asher’s frown disappears as I run for him, dropping to the mat and sliding through his legs. Before he even has time to realise what’s happening, I leap on his back like a monkey, wrapping my arms around his neck in a chokehold.
“The fuck!” he yells, which gets quickly cut off as my fingers press firmly over his carotid artery, a trick Barrett taught me years ago, and he quickly falls to his knees as he flails, trying to dislodge me.
“Just let go,” I whisper against his ear, and he starts to struggle as I cut off his air.
He quickly taps my arm, but since there are no tap out rules, the only stipulation being death, his tapping gets ignored.
As I feel the life drain out of him, I fight back the burn of tears, my lips still against his ear.
“Just let go, Ash. And remember, I love you.”