Chapter Fifteen
P owerhouse
It’s the night of my fight, finally. Prez wraps my hands as I get ready to make my opponent hurt. “You’ve got this; it’ll be an easy win. The second fight, you know his deal. Fuck with him, piss him off so he screws up, then the KO.”
I nod, inhaling and exhaling deeply. I have to be in the zone; there is no room to fuck this up. I need to win too badly. “Viking and the others make it in?”
“Yep, you have a crowd of OKMC out there, brothers supporting brothers. You know how they work when it comes to one of their own. Cain is chomping at the bit to fight tonight, too, but his ol’ lady’s not having it.
London will have his ass,” He smirks, knowing well what it’s like to have an ol’ lady not afraid to put her foot down about shit.
“And Raven?” I didn’t want her here, but she insisted on coming once the ol’ ladies mentioned it in front of her.
I figured they’d be too girly and squeamish to watch, but they’re pumped.
They even made a few signs to cheer me on.
I don’t know how they held on to them on the ride over, but they managed.
I assumed my sweet paprika would be too much of a distraction out in the crowd, but I’m using her as my motivation instead.
Anyone fucks with her while I’m throwing blows, and I’ll start twisting necks to get to her. No one will ever hurt my goddess again. I’ll make damn sure of it.
“Your woman is surrounded on all sides. No one will touch her, you have my word.”
We’re interrupted by Angel, entering the back room where we’ve been since we arrived. I immediately ask him, “You place the bets for me?”
“It’s handled.”
“I have to get that twelve K. My girl’s hearing surgery depends on it. If anything goes wrong, I’m going to be raining bullets in some fucknuts.”
They both chuckle. “Nothing to worry about, Powerhouse, you’ll win and get the money you need. She still has no idea this fight is for her? That you already spoke to a doctor on her behalf?”
Shaking my head, I admit, “I didn’t want to tell her until I had the cash in hand. She’ll fight me on it, so I’m not saying shit until we’re in the doctor’s office booking the surgery appointment.”
Ripper whistles, “Brave, brother.” But Prez already knows from his own shit with his woman that this could go north or south real fast. I’m just hoping my girl is excited I’m taking care of her and realizes I love her no matter what she ends up deciding to do.
“And the other?” I question, impatient. It’s been a long two months since I started searching for whoever hurt her, and I’m tired of waiting.
“We found her old partner. He’s tied up and waiting for when you’re ready.
Figured you’d want to fuck and shower after your fight before you torture him,” Angel mutters.
“Richardson knew how to search for him like you suspected, then it was easy pickings from there. He’s an uppity little fucker, never thought for a minute someone would have the nerve to snatch his ass and tie him up.
Told him he’s lucky I was doing this as a favor, or I’d have already cut him into small pieces and buried him. I think he may’ve pissed his pants.”
My lips twist into a sinister grin as a booming laugh escapes me. “Bet. Appreciate it. I can’t wait to watch him suffer after what he did to Raven and to find out who he was working with. They’re next,” I declare, and both men nod in agreement.
Raven believes I let shit go from when she wouldn’t tell me who hurt her, but that is the furthest thing from the truth.
I had immediately let my brothers in on what happened and my plan to find the person responsible.
My dancer can never know the truth of it all, but anyone who hurts her will pay dearly.
Like I said in the beginning, these fists? This heart? They belong to her, and I protect what’s mine. I love her too damn much to allow anyone who hurts her to keep breathing.
The chants start from out in the club, and my name dominates the shouting.
“‘House, ‘House, ‘House, Power-House!” Is screamed by half the people inside the viewing area. The popular club we’re in has been shut down for ‘a private event,’ which is code for the fights tonight. The atmosphere in the main section is electric, as everyone is ready to see some blood spilled. What can you expect from a bunch of rowdy bikers placing bets and drinking beer, though we’re not your typical nine-to-five type of man.
“Time to go, brother.” Ripper stands, clapping me on my shoulder once I do the same and stand as well.
“Fuck some shit up,” Angel offers, and I nod.
They walk out into the main club area, where everyone is impatiently waiting for the fight to begin.
Ripper in front and Angel behind, both repping our new club colors.
The scent of old, spilled booze, various cleaners mixed with bleach, and cologne or perfume all hit me at once.
These places always stink, yet somehow people don’t seem to realize it when they’re too busy drinking and dancing.
Blood and sweat will mingle with the other scents tonight, along with the leather and smoke from the various brothers.
You should see outside, it looks like we’re at a mini biker rally, so many have shown up to support and cut loose.
Neon lights are everywhere, it seems, the colors shining over random spots.
The speaker system is turned up, blasting out rock music, while the spectators chant our names.
An MC randomly shouts out shit on his microphone to get people more amped up, not that they need it with how loud it already is.
As we finally leave the back area and make our way to where people can see us, noisy cheers and whistles go out, as everyone already knows what’s coming.
I can’t believe how packed this place is.
If the cops show up, no one is getting out of here without being trampled.
The owner will surely be fined one hefty ass sum, luckily they’ve already made a grip with the door and beer fees.
Hopefully, if law enforcement does show, it’s someone we’re cool with, so we don’t head to jail tonight as well.
My opponents tonight are stupid. They have no idea how much I want this, and when it comes to Raven, I have no limits. I’ll do anything for her. Anything. Including beating men nearly to death to pay for her surgeries. The medical system has failed her. The dance community has failed her.
I’m not a fucking failure.
I bump my fists against Prez’s and Angel's, then make my way inside the roped-off portion designated for the fight. This is underground fighting; there are no licensed officials or anything of the sort. Just me and some others willing to pound on each other, with a couple of refs in place to call it like they see it. The ropes are pulled tight and attached to tall, massive pillars that run through the middle of the club. It’s like they tried to make this place fancier than it should be, and now we’re using the uppity architecture design as a makeshift ring, trapping us inside to brawl it out.
The rules are limited. No weapons. The main one?
No liability. Meaning if you die, you die silently.
No one goes down for shit. That being said, there’s a ton of betting going on.
Heads get hot, and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for things to become heated, for clubs to begin fighting as well.
Like I mentioned, the owner is making bank tonight, or he wouldn’t be doing this.
Being patched to the Oath Keeper’s MC now comes with a whole new sense of pride and privilege, as no one is stupid enough to challenge a club full of Nomads and brawlers.
We’d fuck them up badly.
My first opponent of the night comes out from the back, Ford, a former professional MMA fighter.
He once went up against the champion, Jace ‘The King’ Cash, and got his ass beat.
He fell out after the loss, found an MC to join, and has been fighting underground ever since.
I’d been eyeing him up for a while, noting his weaknesses, and like Prez said, I’ve got this one.
I’ve also met The King before in passing.
He’s a fellow Texan, and when you’re into fighting like we are, you eventually run into the same people.
He was a nice guy, not conceited or a hothead like most would be, especially given his status.
Ford glowers at me as he enters the roped-off portion, staying in the opposite corner. “Ready to die?” He asks, stupid enough to think it’ll intimidate me. I’ve been doing this for too long and have faced way too many assholes to allow a little threat to shake me where I stand.
Fuck him.
I’m going to hit him in his mouth just for saying that shit.
I spit out my mouth guard, momentarily sending him a wide smile.
Raising my hands out to each side of me, showing off my wide wingspan, I taunt, “Come to Daddy, pumpkin.” I do the come here motion with my hands before stuffing my mouthpiece back between my bite.
My muscles jump as they flex with my movements, my adrenaline building in anticipation of hitting this jerk's face in front of me.
My name is chanted even louder coming from the left, so I glance over, finding my brothers.
I send up a fist to them, silently thanking them for their support and acknowledging my club’s presence.
Next, my eyes momentarily lock on my sweet dancer, right smack in the middle of the club, surrounded by the other ol’ ladies.
I can’t hold back, hell, I don’t want to. The entire world needs to know how crazy obsessed I am with this woman. “I love you.”
She signs back, “I love you more. Please win.”
“I’m gonna fuck your bitch, after I put you to sleep,” Ford screams across the area. It’s enough to send me into a rage. Who the fuck does he think he is, being disrespectful by talking about Raven like that? You want to be a dick to me? Fine, but the moment you speak ill towards her, it’s over.