Chapter 12
The smell of sweaty bodies fills the air, but women dressed in skimpy outfits serving the best whiskey money can buy does nothing to calm the nerves racing through my body. I’m running off little to no sleep thanks to Aaron and all the festivities we were up to last night playing out into the morning. I had a hell of a time punishing him, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t leave his mark on me as well.
My neck is covered in bruises from his mouth, my cock twitching at the memory, has me readjusting from under the table, trying to calm it down. Elijah demanded I be at his club tonight; in the booth I met him last time. Insisting that I meet my partner, I tried to argue against. I roll my shoulders back, trying to rid my body of the aggravation. Hopefully this guy has equal amounts of brains and brawn. I hate working with idiots that are not capable of doing shit. Which is why I prefer to work solo.
I take a sip of my whiskey, when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. It's exactly 10 pm on the dot and I look through the sea of bodies to see someone making their way toward me. A female… A female body I would recognize anywhere, but it couldn’t possibly be who I think it is. She should be at her bar. She would never be in this type of work…would she?
As she steps into the dim light by our table, I choke on my whiskey. What the fuck?
She looks down at me and I can tell as soon as she recognizes me. A snarl settles on her face, a hand on her hip, as she looks like she’s about ready to rip my cock from my body. What the fuck did I do?
“What in the actual fuck are you doing here?”
she snarls.
I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling as I take her in from head to toe. It’s only been a couple of days since I’ve felt the heat of her pussy squeezing the life out of my cock. A couple of days is a couple of days too long where she’s concerned. I let out a deep chuckle.
“I’m here on grown man's business baby. I should be asking what the hell you are doing in a gentlemen's club?”
“I’m here on business too and you’re in our seats. So, if you could please get the fuck up and go find some other poor soul, that would be fan-fucking-tastic,”
her pretty mouth smarts off.
Before I think better of it, I’m shooting out of the booth and gripping her by her neck, one hand pulling her in close, the other securing her by the hip. My lips barely touch hers, when I let a low growl slip.
“I see your attitude is back. Do I need to remind you who the fuck I am baby?”
I bring my lips closer to her ear, my grip around her neck slightly tightening. “Don’t think I won't take my pussy and claim it right here, in front of everyone,” I say, my hand moving under her skirt, up to her silk panties, teasing the wet entrance through the cloth.
Cea’s breath hitches, eyes widening slightly, before she narrows them at me.
“The only person this pussy belongs to is me,”
she snaps. “So get your hands off of it.”
I pinch her clit just hard enough to elicit a whimper from her lips and then claim them in mine. She instantly caves in until she realizes what she's doing and jumps back. I release her giving us a breath to get our heads on straight.
“Asshole,”
she says taking a seat.
I sit across from her, taking in the cleavage peeking out of her silver button down blouse. By the time my eyes meet hers, she's scowling at me again, her arms crossed her chest.
“Problem?”
I ask, leaning back.
“Yes actually. As I said, I have a meeting in this exact booth…so if you could get the fuck up and go somewhere else, that would be great…thanks.”
If I was ordered to meet someone here and she’s here to meet someone…
“Fuck no!”
I shout, Cea jumping a little.
“What the hell is your problem?”
she asks, confusion written all over her face.
“Let me guess…Mr. Carmelo sent you here to meet your new partner?”
I ask, studying her facial expression.
Her brows furrow in concentration, then it hits her and her eyes shoot to mine.
“There is no way I’m fucking working with you,”
she screeches.
“You’re right…I don’t know how the hell he thinks you could help me with this job,”
I mouth off, standing, leaving some bills on the table to cover my drinks.
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
she asks, her eyes focused on the table in front of her.
I lean toward her, my hand resting on the back of the booth right behind her head, “It means I don’t think you have what it takes to do the type of jobs I get done.”
Goosebumps erupt on her skin, what I’m doing working on her. Cea jumps up from the booth, getting in my face, or as much as she can from her short stature.
“Oh, you have no idea what I’m capable of.”
If her eyes could burn things to ash, I’d be dust in the wind right now.
“Prove it.”
I snatch her phone from her hand, putting my number in, shooting myself a text in case she decides to back out.
“What the hell?”
she asks, as I slip the phone back into her hand.
“I’ll text you details on where to meet me tomorrow.”
Right as she goes to say something, I plant a kiss on her lips. “Don’t miss me too much Mama.”
With that I make my way back to my bike. Restless energy buzzes through me and I know exactly where to go for an outlet. Time for my demons to come out and play.
I pull up to the underground fight ring out in the middle of nowhere, parking my bike in an isolated area, underneath some trees, out of sight. An old contact I worked for owns the ring, told me to come by anytime I wanted to participate, and tonight, I need it.
A commotion coming from the side of the warehouse has me heading over to investigate. You would think after years of being pulled into shit I have no business being involved in; I would learn to mind my business. Maybe one day I will, but that day is not tonight.
Rounding the building I see a man holding a woman against the building by the neck, her feet a few inches off the ground.
Red clouds my vision at the way he’s manhandling her and the poison he’s spitting her way. He has at least three inches on me and his muscles are bursting with veins. But I could care less. You’d think the dumbass would at least be a piece of shit where the lights aren’t aimed directly at him, but hey, maybe he likes the attention. Even if it's the wrong kind.
“You filthy slut, you can’t ever do shit right,”
he screams in her face, her cheeks turning purple.
“Hey! Let the lady go,”
I say, stopping a few feet away.
The man whips his head toward me, disgust all over his face. “Why don’t you mind your own fucking business. This ain’t no fucking lady.”
The woman whimpers and I step forward to do something when shouts come from behind me.
“Hey Hank, let’s go! You’ve got to get ready man!”
The man I’m now assuming is Hank drops the woman to the ground, a cry leaving her lips.
“I’ll deal with you later bitch.”
He spits on her before jogging off to catch up with his buddies.
Walking up to the woman, I kneel down, offering her my hand. “Are you okay?”
She stares up at me with sky-blue eyes, her blonde hair whipping in her face. Mascara streaks down her face mixing with the red lipstick smeared around her mouth and I lose my breath for a second. She reminds me of someone I haven’t gotten to see in years and won’t see again until I die.
Ryan flashes across my vision, memories of her crying and on the ground hit me in the chest and the anger reignites now like never before.
“I’m fine. It’s my fault for staying,”
the girl mumbles, allowing me to help her up.
“Don’t worry, after tonight you won’t have to worry about that asshole again,”
I say, turning around to start my trek back to the entrance.
“What do you mean?”
the girl yells.
“Exactly what I said.”
I make my way in the warehouse as someone shouts my name. Low and behold Merrick makes his way toward me, all dressed up in a black dress up shirt and some black slacks. His brown hair is slicked black, gray hairs teasing the ends, green eyes bright as he takes me in.
Seven fights later, I’m finally in the back of the dressing room changing into some black and red shorts.
“Hey man, do you need me to wrap your hands for you?”
a small guy who's been assisting all the fighters asks.
“Nah man, I want to feel every inch of flesh I destroy,”
I say, looking myself over in the mirror. Inwardly pumping myself up for the fight I’m about to enter.
“Ummm…okay.”
He rushes out like his ass is on fire and I smirk to myself.
Let’s do this.
Standing at the entrance where the fighters enter the ring, I bounce on the tip of my toes, waiting for my name to be called. Hank’s in for a big surprise and I can’t wait to give it to him.
“Standing at six foot eight, and weighing 270 pounds, Hank Winslow!”
Hank bounces in, sporting dark green boxer shorts, his hands wrapped in matching green tape, throwing his hands in the air to amp the crowd up and they go wild. Cheering him on as if he’s the best fighter they’ve ever seen.
What a fucking puss. I roll my eyes.
They haven’t seen anything yet.
The announcer goes to announce his opponent, and Merrick jumps into the ring, snatching the microphone from him. Everyone looks around confused, the announcer backing up to let Merrick have the floor.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a wonderful surprise for you all tonight!”
Merrick says, and the crowd goes silent, giving him their full attention.
“We have been blessed with an unexpected visitor tonight and he asked to fight the toughest opponent we have in the building,”
Merrick says, gesturing to Hank.
Hank smirks like he has no competition, and a wild smile spread across my face. He has no idea what he’s in for.
“Standing at six foot five, and weighing 235 pounds, let’s all welcome Blaze Valentino!”
The crowd starts murmuring, looking around trying to figure out who I am when the song ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ by Metallica starts blaring through the speakers.
I walk out of the shadows, Hank’s eyes wide, before a devilish smile graces his lips. I jump into the ring and Merrick winks at me before handing the microphone back to the announcer and walking over to me.
“Knock’em dead, but not literally. He’s my best fighter, do you have any idea how much money I’ll end up losing if you kill him?”
he asks, giving me a 'I'm not shitting you look.
“I can’t make any promises,”
I say calmly, taking in Hank's body posture, already figuring out exactly what I need to do to take him down.
“Of course you can’t,”
Merrick mumbles, as he stalking out of the ring.
The referee ushers us to the center, face-to-face. “The only rule is, no weapons allowed. Win by either knockout or death.”
We nod, the referee giving us a nervous look.
“Let’s fight,”
he says, stepping back.
“You’re dead,”
Hank growls before spitting at my feet.
The referee gives us the green light and Hank rushes me, swinging a right hook and I duck, barely missing it. Fuck, he’s kind of fast for a big man.
I stand back up to my full height and kick him in the ass causing him to stumble to his knees. Before he has the chance to get back up, I roundhouse him in the jaw, causing his head to swing to the side. Spit and blood landing next to him.
Hank wipes the spit from his mouth, before standing and eyeing me. He starts marching my way, I swing, missing as he dives, coming back up to grab me by my neck, slamming me down onto the floor. It knocks the breath out of me and before I can move, Hank kicks my side. There’s going to be some bruising tomorrow.
He leans down to grab me by the head, but I grab him by the wrist flipping him over. Pulling his arm behind his back, I keep pulling from his back, over his shoulder. His screams ignite the air as soon as I hear the crunch of a bone, the bones from his arm peeking through the skin. Blood pours down his body, his face contorted in pain.
I grab him by the hair, yanking him back until he’s flat on his back. Pressing my foot onto his shoulder blade I pull his harm, disconnecting it from his body. Hank lies on the ground, his good arm trying to hold his destroyed one, causing more tears to stream down his face.
I straddle him, looking down on all the destruction I’ve caused.
“You’re a real piece of shit,” I growl.
Rearing my fist back, I slam it into his nose, feeling the crunch under my fingers. I keep throwing punches until his face and my hand are covered in his blood.
I can feel my restless energy leaving my body, finally relaxing for the first time all day. I continue to punch him in the mouth, a few of his teeth loosening and falling to the back of his throat.
Hank starts gagging, coughing up blood, some landing on my shirtless chest and I smile down at him, a feral look covering my face.
“I’ll see you in Hell mother fucker.”
Hank's eyes go wide, I grab his head and snap his neck. His mouth is hanging wide open as if he wants to scream but no words leave him.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner,”
the announcer says, pulling me to my feet, raising my arm into the air!
“Blaze Valentino!”
The crowd goes wild, cheers shouting everywhere. I look to my left to see Merrick, a frustrated look covering his face, while he shakes his head. I’m gonna have to make this up to him, but I have no fucking regrets.