26. Burn
26
BURN
GIOVANNA
Nadia and I spent the rest of the weekdays rehearsing without a hitch. Tyler had been busy with his new role during the day, so Luca and Luke stepped in to assist with training. Between Tyler getting settled into his new demanding position, the club, and us trying to make sure we spent every night together as a family with the kids, we’d been busy lately. But it was worth it.
The night we’d anticipated arrived, and I was waiting with Kirsten in Ian’s warehouse office for my turn to fight, Nico and Bruno posted outside the door. The other fighters were in their designated rooms that Ian had built into the hallways and back rooms of the warehouse.
“I can’t believe all that’s happened,” Kirsten finally said after several minutes.
I stretched from side to side. “I know.”
“I just want to get this over with.” I stared at the TV, trying to analyze who was in attendance.
Prominent Mafia bosses from eight different countries, drug lords from four countries, royalty, politicians, judges, and lawyers were in attendance tonight, to name only a few. The rest were shady businessmen with connections to the Underground world.
Ian had a zero-tolerance policy for weapons tonight, though drugs and alcohol were accepted as long as they weren’t shared among other groups. Aurora stood behind the bar, serving drinks, counting each one. At least fifty guards stood outside the warehouse, with our own extra security at the front gate. Ian’s brother-in-law, Jacob, assured him that he’d keep authorities away from the property for the night.
Kirsten checked her watch. “I better get back out there before Declan has to come get me. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, girl,” I replied, though I barely heard a word she said. I was too distracted, now roaming the room. Suddenly, she was in front of me, taking my hands in hers. “You got this. You’re going to kick his ass.”
Smiling, I nodded, though I didn’t want to admit it, I was freaking out. I was tough, but Ivan was insanely strong. Winning was my only option, so I had to focus on that. I didn’t want the Russians to continue bothering my new family. She exited the room, and I continued to meander through the space.
Several minutes later, the door pushed open, and Ian entered, shutting it behind him. Crossing his arms, he lowered his gaze to mine. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m great,” I lied.
“Liar,” he called my bluff, taking a cigarette out of his inside jacket pocket.
“I just don’t want to disappoint any of you,” I admitted, “and I want them to leave us all alone.”
“Tyler and I have a backup plan should we need to use it,” he said, exhaling a smooth cloud of smoke through his words, “but I’m confident you’re going to be perfect out there.”
“Thanks.” I offered a half-smile, turning back to the mounted monitor.
“There’s obviously been a slight change for tonight,” he said, coming to a stop next to me. “As you can see, I decided not to go with the octagon and kept the practice ring.”
I turned to him. “Yeah, what happened?”
He stroked his chin. “Tyler requested it in case something happens and one of us has to jump into the ring at any point when you fight Ivan.”
I sighed audibly.
“If you’re not up for it, I’m happy to call it and move to the backup plan now. I just need you to be honest with me.”
“I’m fine, I promise.”
“Okay, you know the signal if you need me to shut it down.”
I nodded, glancing at the wall clock. “I should glove up and get out there. Is Nico ready?”
“He is,” he glimpsed over his shoulder, “but I’m escorting you out too.” He took two more drags of his smoke, then snuffed it out in the ashtray on his desk. “First, Tyler wants to talk to you before we go out there.” He took out his phone, texting for a minute, then slid it back into place.
Seconds later, the door opened, and Tyler stepped in with a smirk. I was shocked to see he was no longer donned in his designer, formal suit but instead was dressed in a black track suit. Ian offered him a nod and strode to the doorway, twisting around.
“I’ll be in the hall.” He shut the door.
Tyler took my hands in his, backing me into the desk. Picking me up, he perched me on the edge. “He’s guarding the door so we can talk.”
“Is that why you changed clothes?”
Taking my hands in his, he exhaled a deep breath. “You don’t need to worry about anything other than selling your fight with Nadia and then kicking Ivan’s ass tonight.”
Something was going on with him. I’d never seen him so distracted in his eyes. But I trusted that he knew what he was doing.
“Okay,” I replied, stretching my arms around his neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He slithered his fingers up my shorts, pulling my panties to the side and fondling my pussy. Dipping a finger inside me, he stroked my insides before pulling his digit out, pressing it into his mouth. “I need to get back out there and entertain the stupid Mussolini family.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “You’re a tease.”
“I’m going to fuck your brains out later tonight.” He gave me a quick peck on the corner of my lips, then strode to the door, pulling it open.
Ian stepped inside, whispering something to him on the way.
Tyler nodded, muttering, “The afterparty’s a go,” on the way out.
“Afterparty?” I asked as the door closed again.
Ian meandered over with a smug grin. “You don’t need to worry about anything.”
Picking my gloves up off the desk, he slipped them onto my hands and adjusted the wrists. Once he was done, he tugged the door open. I heard the announcer calling out Nadia’s name as she entered the ring.
Pausing just before the entrance, I took several deep breaths, shaking off any nerves and preparing myself for the fight we rehearsed until exhaustion. I heard Luca’s shrill whistle over everyone else in the crowd of three hundred, and I snickered. They’d gotten back together, and I was happy for them, but he was supposed to pretend to be on my side at the very least.
Ian gave my elbow a squeeze. “I got you, don’t worry, sis.”
I snapped my gaze up to his, realizing that in just one year, he and Jenna would be my brother and sister. My heart swelled with warmth and delight, and suddenly I felt like I could take on the world. A cheesy grin escaped me, and he suddenly pulled something from his pocket.
“You can’t propose to me too,” I joked as he presented a black box.
He rolled his eyes, opening it. “Open.”
I opened my mouth, and he pushed my mouthguard onto my teeth. The announcer called my name, and my entrance song began: Burn by 2WEI and Edda Hayes. Nico led us out, with Ian keeping my pace as I made my way to the ring.
Losing myself in the lyrics, I repeated them in my head:
You can try to break me
I cut my teeth on people like you
It’s gonna take a lot more to take me down
I’m a step ahead, watch me wearing my crown
I pictured myself destroying the family who’d hurt me for so long.
The ring was surrounded by tables and chairs, forming a perfect circle. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and smoke, and in the dim lighting, it was hard to miss the occasional flash of white powder being consumed off tables or even skin. As I made my way to the front, cheers erupted from the crowd, their voices blending into a harsh excitement.
Passing by our families and friends, I offered a smile to Tyler, who winked at me in approval. He seemed pleased as I followed Ian into the ring. His announcement was met with more cheers, but my mind was elsewhere, focused on the adrenaline pumping through my veins as I prepared for what was to come.
Nadia and I were staring at one another, and I was just as sure she was reciting the choreography in her head as I was. After Ian spoke for a moment, he waltzed over, fist bumping me before he and Carmine Giamagi got out of the ring. The moment had come, and I was ready, hoping she was as well. The referee stood between us, spitting out words I wasn’t paying attention to.
At first, we were in perfect sync. We exchanged jabs, elbows, kicks, and punches flawlessly, both of us showcasing our skills and talents. Our hours and days of training together had paid off.
The crowd’s roar and gasps faded into the background as we focused solely on each other, each move calculated and precise. But as the fight progressed, a fire ignited within Nadia’s eyes; a fierce purpose that I’d never seen before. She kept looking back over her shoulder.
Without warning, she widened her eyes, grabbing me and putting me in a choke. “You gotta go down,” she mumbled under her breath, though it was hard to understand her over the loud crowd and her mouthguard muffling her words.
“What?” I shouted.
“Something’s off,” she replied.
“No,” I snapped, twisting out of her grasp and striking her with my knee. “Own,” I spat, my code for her to attack me.
Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes, charging me with jabs, and I purposely fell to the floor. Standing over me, she brought down her foot in an axe kick on my abdomen, but lightly enough that it didn’t hurt me. I rolled out of the way, springing to my feet again. To keep it believable, I swung, but she blocked, uppercutting me in the jaw, followed by another punch, we wanted her to land on my mouth.
She tried communicating with me again. “Something’s off,” she repeated while swinging at me.
I spun around with a back kick, accidentally connecting my foot to her face, knocking her out. “Shit!” I barked, but she collapsed to the floor. Not letting my angry fa?ade slip, I hovered over her as if I were going to hurt her again, but it was my way of checking on her.
The referee positioned himself between us, calling me off before he announced me as the winner of the match so I could advance on. Luke appeared, holding my hand up, but I kept trying to check on Nadia, who was being examined by a medic, with Luca Rovati and Carmine Giamagi blocking my view.
“Look happy,” Luke said through a clenched smile. “She’ll be fine.”
My gaze found Tyler and Ian, who were applauding, with Jade, Kirsten, and Declan cheering close by. I couldn’t focus on anyone else. I felt terrible for knocking her out.
Luke escorted me out, and I was exhausted emotionally. As we passed by different leaders and organizations exchanging money and high fives, I kept my head held high, though all I wanted to do was run away. The moment we were in Ian’s office again, he and Tyler appeared with Nico in the doorway before they closed it.
“That was an amazing sell,” Ian praised me as Tyler kissed my forehead.
“It wasn’t a sell !” I snapped a little too loudly. “That knockout wasn’t planned. It was real!” I whisper-yelled, turning my eyes to Nico. “Can you please go check on her?”
Ian twisted to him, giving him a nod of approval before he disappeared, shutting the door behind him on the way out.
“Real or not,” Tyler interjected, “the blood will undoubtedly take any possible suspicion away.”
I shook my head, unable to verbally reply, as Tyler removed my gloves, leaving my wraps in place. He held out a bowl, and I spit my bloody mouthguard into it before he handed me my bottle. I chugged too much water for someone who’d be fighting a man twice my size soon. Tyler held up a wet rag, blotting my mouth where Nadia landed her punch.
Lifting my eyes to the wall, I watched as the music started again and Marcus and Ashton entered the ring one by one, greeting one another before their match started. I collapsed into a folding metal chair, dropping my water bottle onto the floor. Rage simmered inside me when I reminded myself that the only reason everything was happening was because of Ekaterina and Ivan.
Ian, Luke, and Tyler talked among themselves about money, the event, and the outcome as they watched the fight on the screen. After several more agonizing moments, the door opened, and Nico entered. I waited eagerly for any news.
“She’s going to be fine, but you broke her nose,” he said. “She said to tell you if she doesn’t heal properly, you owe her a pretty nose job.”
I snickered, half-relieved for the good news and half guilty, but I was just happy she was okay.
“She also said there was something she needed to tell you that she overheard, but before she could tell me, medics were working on patching her up.”
“Hmm,” I furrowed my brow, remembering what she said to me in the ring, now regretting I didn’t listen to her.
Ian and Tyler had to excuse themselves with Ice Man to go back to their section while Luke and Nico hung out with me until the big moment finally arrived. It was time to fight Ivan. And I was ready. I picked up my mouthguard, slipping it back into place.
Luke glided my gloves back on, making sure they were secure before he and Nico escorted me back out. Again, I sang my entrance song in my head as I made my way to the ring, this time not averting my gaze from my target for even a second. I wanted Ivan to know I wasn’t scared of him.
I’d claimed my life back and taken control of it. Never again would I have to bow to that family who hurt me for years. I was strong, and Ivan was about to regret ever fucking with me.
Once in the ring, Luke put his back to my opponent, leaning close to my ear. “You can still change your mind.”
Pulling away, I shook my head. “I’m ending this.”
He bent forward again. “If you need me to step in?—”
Luke,” I sighed, “I got it.”
He held his fists in front of him and I fist bumped them with my gloves, then turned my attention to Ivan. The referee stood between us, barking more rules I didn’t care about. I was going to absolutely annihilate Ivan. Frowning into his threatening stare, I showed no sign of fear or weakness.
The referee jumped back, revolving around us as we circled one another. I swung wildly and missed, causing him to let out a laugh behind his mouthguard. He jabbed me twice in the face, but I shook it off. It felt like I was his toy, and he was taunting me and playing with me, trying to make me lose focus, but I wasn’t willing to give into his game.
Lunging forward, I landed three hard punches on his face, then ducked when he swung in defense. For what seemed like hours, we struck one another until the bell rang and we went to our own corners.
Nico sprayed water in my mouth while Luke checked on me. I nodded at his every word, though I wasn’t paying attention to him at all. I was ready to end it, but Ian wanted it to last a minimum of three of the five rounds.
The moment round two started, Ivan charged at me with a new sense of direction. His movements were carefully calculated by him, but unpredicted by me. He was aggressive, no longer wearing his mouthguard.
With a sudden burst of energy, he launched into a flurry of punches, catching me off guard. The impact of his blows reverberated through my body, but I wouldn’t falter. I fought back with every ounce of strength I had, refusing to let him overpower me. Blood trickled down from a cut on my brow, mixing with the sweat that coated my skin.
We danced around each other in the ring, the crowd roaring from every direction. His attacks continued relentlessly. I swung and kicked over and over, striking him repeatedly. He wobbled, falling to his knees, then leapt up again, fighting me like he was out to kill. Lunging forward, he wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me back against his body and putting his lips close to my ear.
“I poked holes in every condom in your room that morning,” he growled deeply, his voice tickling my ear. “I wanted you pregnant on purpose, so you had to get that procedure.”
My eyes swelled with fury and tears, and I tried to push him off me, but he held me even tighter, punching my temple. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out his painful words.
“My sister and I wanted to control you and keep you forever, and it was the only way.” He chuckled. “We took your baby and your future of having any more.”
Screaming at the top of my lungs, I spotted Tyler in the crowd, concern etched on his face as I tried with every ounce of my being to free myself from Ivan. Tyler took a big step toward the ring, but Ian and my brother, Carmine, grabbed him, holding him back.
I punched back over my head, managing to hit Ivan just right then elbowed him to free myself. As I gasped for air, Ivan laughed maniacally, his eyes glinting with insanity when I spun around to face him again. I stumbled backward, trying to gain my footing and prepare for the next assault.
“You bastard!” I shrieked. “You took everything from me!”
The crowd roared in eagerness, their energy feeding the adrenaline pumping through my veins. With a cry of anguish and rage, I charged forward, my fists flying like whirlwinds. Ivan, sensing the imminent danger, tried to defend himself, his arms flailing in all directions. The punches kept coming, each one more powerful than the last, until I finally connected with the final blow, sending him crumbling to the floor.
Dazed from my powerful counterattack, he stumbled as he stood. Blood poured from both our faces. I swiped my arm over my cheeks, smearing the deep red liquid on my arm. The referee stepped in, checking on us both, but we ignored him.
“Time to bring you back home, little slut.”
With all his might, Ivan charged at me, sending blow after blow into every part of my body he could strike with his fists, knees, and feet. Disoriented, I faltered as I tried my best to catch my footing, but it was impossible. He knocked my mouthguard out of my mouth, sending it flying while yelling curses at me in Russian.
I didn’t stand a chance. I was dizzy, couldn’t breathe, and was ready to give up. I’d always fought for myself and been able to accept any challenge that came my way. I couldn’t fight him alone. I was… done. Swaying, I stumbled, and someone caught me, laying me down gently in the ring then jumped over me.
It was all a blur as I lay there, trying my best to focus. I watched a scuffle around me. Ivan yelled but then I realized, over the crowd, I was hearing Tyler shouting back at him. The men fell to the floor. Slowly, my eyes focused, and I watched Tyler straddling a brutally battered Ivan. He was shirtless, his muscles flexing to their capacity as he delivered rapid, hard strikes into Ivan’s face.
The crowd was louder than they’d been all night, watching the scene unfold around them. Someone’s arms snaked around me from behind, and I got ready to swing until Luke spoke.
“It’s just me,” he said, sliding me back to the corner and patching me up with Carmine’s help. I scrambled to crawl toward the center, but Luke yanked me back, my brother helping him hold me in place.
“I have to kill him!” I shouted.
“No!” Luke and Carmine barked together.
The referee tried his best to pull Tyler off Ivan, but he wasn’t letting up, and the crowd was eating up the new opponents. Ivan was blocking his head as best he could, but soon fell limp. Tyler stood, spitting on his face, before turning to the referee.
The crowd howled. Several Russian men entered the ring to scoop up what was left of Ivan, carrying him away. The referee tried his best to hold Tyler’s hand in the air to declare him the winner, but he jerked away.
“Get the fuck off me.” Hurrying over, he fell to his knees in front of me, yanking me into his body.
“Gia,” he panted, “are you okay?”
“I want him dead!” I shrieked. “I’m going to kill him!”
“Take her,” Tyler ordered, and Luke and Carmine pulled me under the ropes.
“Gentleman!” Tyler’s voice suddenly came through the speakers, and I glanced over my shoulder to see him with a microphone as I was being dragged away. “Ladies! We have a very special afterparty in the neighboring warehouse. Please join my family and I as we celebrate tonight’s match with our guests of honor, the Mussolini and the Pivovarov families!”
“What’s he doing?” I jerked away from Luke, but he seized me, dragging me to Ian’s office.
I didn’t know much about the Mussolini family, but I knew the Russians would never turn down being the guest of honor at any party. It was their weakness. Is Tyler about to sacrifice himself? Oh no! He’s going to give himself to them. I could feel it.
“Awe, Ivan,” he taunted. “Help Ivan out over here, and let’s get him next door.”
Luke slapped his hand over my mouth, putting his lips next to my ear. “It’s a setup. I’m getting you to safety.”
“We got her.” Giovanni Rovati and Valentino Greco appeared out of the sea of people exiting the warehouse.
“Thank you,” Luke replied with Carmine at my side, then turned to me. “They’re taking you to Ian and Jenna’s house where the others are, and hanging out until we get there.”
I wiped the blood from my face. “I don’t want to leave Ty. I can help!”
“I know, and you already have, more than you know,” he replied before lifting his gaze to Valentino and Giovanni. “Text me when you get there.” He exchanged a quick handshake with them, then patted my shoulder before sprinting away.
“LUKE!” I bellowed, but he didn’t turn back around.