Chapter 30
FAFO
Cadlha
“What happened to Arnold?” I say to Mike as he walks up to me.
“He’s with the kid. He sent me to meet up with you. What do you need me to do?”
I blow out a breath and roll my eyes. Ugh, good help is so hard to find. Why do I even bother?
“Fine, I need you to make sure this goes into her water bottle before the fight,” I say.
“You want me to drug her?” He gives me an incredulous look.
“It’s just a little something to slow her down in the second round. I get to kick her ass in the first round and make sure she goes down in the second for a little extra cash. No big deal. I’m only guaranteeing my win on all fronts.”
Mike scoffs. “Dude, you have to make it through the first round.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I still train. I’ll be just fine.”
He coughs behind his hand and says something that sounds like unusual. I roll my eyes and ignore him.
“Just take it and make sure it gets into her water bottle before the second round,” I snap.
He makes that scoffing sound again and takes the powder before he walks off, shaking his head. Ignoring him, I turn to text Arnold to tell him where to drop the kid off after the fight. Then, I get back to getting ready for the fight.
“Get ready, bitch. I’m going to take everything from ya like ya did me.”
Dylan
“Oh no ya don’t. I was told not to let ya in.”
“I promise ya, ya don’t want to try me tonight. Move out of the way.”
“Yer banned. This is my first night on the door. Don’t fuck this up for me, O’Brien.”
“Oh, give it a rest, Eoghan,” Taegan says as she runs up beside me.
Eoghan rolls his eyes. “Jesus, Mary, Joseph. Why tonight? First, that bag of crazy, that’s that cousin of ours, shows her face here, now you two. How’s a guy to move up with the lot of ye trying to sabotage me?”
“What’s going on? Why are ya banned?” Jamie asks, looking at me suspiciously.
I sigh. “Long story. Uncle Ronan thinks he’s protecting me. Move out of my way, Eoghan. Take our money and step aside. I’ll deal with my uncle later.
“He doesn’t want me here fighting. I’m not here to fight, but if you want me to go through ya, I can change that. Move,” I growl.
“If Oisín sees ya, that’s my ass,” Eoghan groans.
“Then ya better hope he’s too busy fucking some broad’s brain out,” I mumble.
“Aye, go on, but do me a favor. If yer caught in there, tell them Finn was at the door. He’s been doing my head in for weeks. Fucking asshole.”
“Don’t worry, cousin. We got ya,” Taegan says and pats him on the chest.
“Bag of crazy? Was he talking about Cadlha?” I ask Taegan as we walk into the building.
This place is louder than usual and there’s a different type of energy flowing. The crowd is going crazy over the fight happening in the cage. We haven’t reached the point where we can view the cage yet.
“Aye, one and the same. That’s what I wanted to tell ya. She was at the bar while ya were away at the wedding. She and Arnold met up there. I have a feeling he’s the one who helped her with this,” she says.
“Arnold, as in Arnold from the gym?”
“Aye.”
I tighten my jaw. That asshole has always had a thing for Cadlha despite her not giving him the time of day. If he is helping her, he can forget ever fighting again. I’m going to break both his arms and legs. He’ll be lucky if he can shit straight once I’m done putting my foot up his ass.
“Is this a fucking joke?” I snarl as the cage comes into view, and I see the fighters inside.
Ciara
I crack my neck and cross my arms back and forth to loosen up. I still don’t know who has my brother or who has called me here to fight to get him back, but I’m ready to do whatever I have to. Whoever did this will regret that shit when I’m done.
“Yo, yer up next, love.”
I turn to find one of the guys who was at the front door peeking his head in the locker room I’m in. I nod and go to follow him out. I glare at his back as I walk behind him.
This place isn’t like Vega’s. It has a darker vibe to it. Not just the lighting, but the people and the energy of the place are dark. This is the type of underground scene I’m used to Theo taking me to.
From the armed bouncers at the door, to the hungry gazes of the guys looking to win some money and find some drunk girl looking to help them spend their winnings. I can’t say I don’t see the money around this place; it’s just not the same.
Vega’s fights reek of upscale clientele looking to watch a fight and return to their posh lifestyle in the morning. These people here look like they have deals to make in the back rooms and if they go sideways there might not be a morning.
“Hey, what are we calling ya? They need to know?” A tall guy with green eyes asks as he slides up beside me.
“Killer Walsh,” I bite out.
The name just comes to me and spills out. It feels right as I move toward the cage in this place. The guy jerks his head back and narrows his eyes at me.
“My da loved that guy. He was tough as nails. Did ya know him?”
I punch at my chest. “He made me.”
The guy nods and takes off to give them my name. When I get to the main room and the cage comes fully into view, my blood begins to boil. Cadlha is standing in the middle with a grin on her stupid face.
This is who’s behind this? I should have known. A grin comes to my lips as the DJ in this place starts to play “No Limit” by G-Eazy, Cardi B and A$AP Rocky.
As they repeat it ain’t safe, I know that to be the truth. Fucking with me isn’t safe. The guy who asked for my name comes running back over.
“I’m Liam, by the way. You mind if I stand in as your second? I was around fifteen when Killer disappeared.
“If yer who I think yer saying ya are, it would be an honor,” he says.
“I’m not really going to need you. This will be over before it starts,” I growl.
“Cool, but it’s the rules for one of us to step in if a fighter doesn’t come with a team.”
I shrug and put my mouth guard in as my nostrils flare. Punching my right hand into my left palm, I then roll my shoulders as I move to climb into the cage.
“Okay, ladies, welcome to the Fighting Irish lair. Let’s make sure ya understand the rules around here. When ya leave here, we never saw ya and ya never came here. Other than that, one rule, there are none. Am I understood?”
I nod. I have nothing to say. I’m going to beat this bitch ass and get my brother home.
“Hold on, I have a few rules for this fight,” Cadlha says as she tries to stare me down and intimidate me. “If ya win, ya get yer brat back. If I win, ya take yer brat and the two of ya disappear. Ya forget about Dylan and never come back around here again.”
“No problem,” I say around my mouth guard before I allow it to settle back in place.
“We have a special one for ye all tonight. First time to lair for these lasses. In the pink shorts, we have Cobra Cad,” the announcer says, causing me to scoff.
This bitch is no more cobra than I’m Andre the Giant. Delusional ass.
“And in the blue shorts, we have Killer Walsh. Let’s see if the tiny thing can live up to a name like that one.”
The frenzy of betting starts, and we’re sent to our corners to wait for them to finish. I’m ready to be done with this. After a few minutes, the crowd settles and they’re ready for us to begin.
I grit my teeth as we’re signaled to the center and the fight begins. I’ve never seen a fighter as sloppy as Cadlha. If she didn’t fuck with Ciarán, I might feel bad for what I’m about to do. I might.
Yeah, fuck that.
I allow her to throw the first punch. It’s as if she doesn’t know she’s supposed to land the damn thing. I don’t move and she still misses completely. I snort and commence whipping her ass.
I work her torso first, making sure she’s going to feel me for the next two weeks. She doubles over. The look she gives me could do more damage than she can as a fighter.
I get her to the ground and go for a choke hold. She actually manages to get out of it before I lock her in. I’m cool with that. I climb on top of her and start to beat the shit out of her with my fists.
I black out and keep pounding on her. She tries to block her face at first, but it’s no use. The sound of her forearm breaking under the force of my hits fills the air before her screams ring out. I don’t let up until strong, familiar arms wrap around me.
“She’s not worth it, baby. Besides, we need her to get Ciarán,” Dylan says against my ear.
There is a mix of boos and cheers coming from the crowd. The ref tries to get Dylan out of the way, but I feel Dylan stiffen as his growl vibrates through my back. The ref backs off.
Dylan helps me to my feet. I turn to look at him with knitted brows. He looks pissed off.
Taegan appears and grabs Cadlha by her hair as she leans into her ear and says something. Cadhla sobs something to her as she cradles her arm to her chest. Taegan looks to me and Dylan and nods.
“I know where he is,” Taegan says.
I squat and look Cadlha in the eyes. “Did ya get what ya wanted? If I were ya, I wouldn’t try me again, I wouldn’t. Come near me, my brother, or Dylan again and it will be yer life. That I can promise ya,” I hiss.
“I fucking hate ya,” she sobs.
I shrug. “Feeling is mutual, bitch.”