Chapter 14 #2
My blood boiled, and all my nerves itched under my skin like ants. My brain fired off signals to my muscles that this was an emergency. Fight or flight. But I couldn’t do anything despite every instinct hounding at me to jump into the ring and claw out the eyes of this fucking guy.
Shock’s arms were still swinging, Tav’s body rocked with the blows. Blood splattered the dirty floor of the ring.
I fisted my hands at my sides and screamed, “Get. Up!”
He couldn’t have heard me, there was no way.
The crowd was raucous, and Tav was covering his ears, but in the next instant, Tav reversed their positions.
Somehow, someway, he was now straddling Shock.
Tav’s skin was red and mottled, and I couldn’t imagine the bruises he had, but he held Shock’s face in those black-taped hands, and he slammed it onto the ring floor, his teeth bared like an animal.
There was a sound, somewhere, and it took me awhile to register it was Tav. He was screaming.
The ref jumped between the men and all hell broke loose.
Some guys in Shock’s corner rushed at Tav, yelling in his face.
He stumbled to his feet, body swaying until he nearly crashed back down.
He ignored them as toppled from the ring and began to push through the crowd to get back to where he’d come from.
Suddenly an older man appeared in front of him and although he barely came up to Tav’s chest, he stood in front of him protectively and hollered at the crowd to get back, to make way.
But no one was listening or moving. They were shouting at Tav. Someone pushed him, which nearly took him off his feet after the beating he’d taken. And then a man spit in his face.
I was moving before I registered what I was doing.
Ben called my name and then let out a curse, but I ignored him.
I didn’t know what my face looked like, but it must have been something, because no one stopped me as I sliced through the crowd like a knife.
They parted the way until I made it to Tav’s side.
I picked up his left arm and slung it around my shoulders.
His head hung down, hair dripping with sweat and blood, and he didn’t even look up as he stumbled at my side.
He was so vulnerable now that he didn’t even care to see who was touching him.
I pushed through, snarling at everyone, telling them to get back, to make way for the fighter who’d been their entertainment for one night in their sorry, miserable lives.
I wore an expensive suit. My knuckles were decorated with heavy rings, and a Rolex flashed on my wrist. I had money and looked it, and it was amazing what a difference that made to this crowd who parted the sea to let us through.
The older man led us through a set of doors into a small supply room.
There was a duffel bag in the corner and a roll of black tape on a table.
This was likely where Tav had gotten ready for the fight.
The sound of the crowd dimmed as the doors shut behind us.
I led Tav over to a rusted metal folding chair along the back wall of the room and eased him down until he sat slumped on it.
His body pitched forward as he was unable to hold himself up, and I caught him just before he faceplanted.
In order to keep him upright, I stood between his legs with his face pressed against my hip.
I turned to take in the older man who stood near the table with a tight jaw and his pale lips pressed together in a thin line.
“Thanks a lot for helping with Husk,” he said.
“Crowd was fucking crazy. You can leave now. I got this.”
Leave? Absolutely fucking not. Never again. I was done waiting for Tav to divulge his secrets, to sneak out of my apartment to get pummeled in some dirty ring. But I had to play this right. I couldn’t seem too eager, or everything would be ruined.
The doors opened, and I braced myself for whoever came through the door. Fortunately, it was Ben, who took in the scene with a cool nod before posting himself at the door, arms crossed over his chest. I focused back on the older man. “I think it’s best if I stay while that crowd is still outside.”
The older man looked confused for a second, before anger clouded his features. “They’ll calm down and leave. We’ve been doing this for years. Don’t know who you think you are, but we don’t need you.”
I opened my mouth, but the door burst open, clanging against the wall. Tav jolted beneath me at the sound, and I gripped the back of his neck. I reached into my pocket and pressed a button on my phone which would alert Nik to where I was.
Ben shifted, keeping me in his sights while also assessing the new threat. I didn’t miss the way he let his coat open to reveal the bulge of his gun. Mine rested heavy on my ribs, kept in my place by my holster.
A short man strode inside, two large bodyguards at his back.
He was Asian and wore a cheap suit. His expression didn’t show much except disinterest and boredom.
As he lit a cigarette, he finally seemed to register more people in the room than he had expected and raised his brows. “Where’s Husk, Lary?”
Despite Tav’s size, I mostly blocked him from view with my body and large coat. The older man, Lary, gestured toward me with his chin. “Over there.”
With my hand still firmly on the back of Tav’s head, I forced myself to remain cool and calm as the man’s eyes roamed me from head to toe.
Then he peered around me at Tav slumped in the chair.
“Shit, not sure I’ve ever seen Husk this bad.
Knew Shock was gonna be tough, but our boy won. Told he would, didn’t I, Lary?”
The old man’s face was blank. “You did, Chen.”
Chen then, this man was Chen.
I wasn’t interested in anything this man had to say. I didn’t want to chit chat. I wanted to get Tav the hell out of here. But there was no other door. The only way out was through the doors at Chen’s back.
I motioned to Ben. “You take his one side, and I’ll take the other. My driver will meet us outside.”
Ben didn’t even hesitate as he strode to my side.
“I’m sorry,” Chen said, without a single ounce of sorry in his tone. “Who the fuck are you?”
I met his gaze. “I’m taking him with me.”
Chen barked out a laugh before his smile immediately dropped. His bodyguards went still at his back as they sensed the chill in the air. “No you’re not.”
“His time isn’t his own? He’s not free to do what he wants?”
Chen narrowed his eyes. “Not after a fight when he’s in that kind of shape. I don’t know who the fuck you are.” He took a step forward, a sneer to his lips made dread seize my spine. “He belongs to me, and that means he belongs to Devlin Walsh.”
My blood ran cold. I hadn’t realized I’d tightened my grip on Husk until he whimpered and shifted in the chair.
When I saw Tav in the ring, I had known there would be an affiliation to Devlin somehow, but a direct claim was still enough to take my breath away.
My lives were converging into one clusterfuck.
I wanted Devlin brought down, and I wanted Tav safe, and I didn’t know how the hell I would do either of those things at the same time.
I took a deep breath, working hard to gather my thoughts.
I chanced a glance at Lary, and hoped I read him right, or this was all going to go tits up. “I’ll be giving him treatment which he needs if you want him to fight again.”
Lary’s mouth twitched, like he wanted to argue, but something in my gaze made him hesitate.
Chen frowned. “Lary usually handles that.” He angled his body to the older man. “Don’t you have a guy?”
Lary held my gaze. I held his. His chest heaved a moment before he spoke to Chen. “My guy’s not available tonight, and Husk is in bad shape.”
Chen studied him then me. Ben remained quiet and nearly invisible for one in his life.
Finally Chen threw up his hands. “What the fuck ever. Remind Husk he has a check-in tomorrow, and he better answer. Devlin doesn’t like his property going off grid.
Husk has already managed to go MIA a few times recently, and Devlin is unhappy. ”
Devlin would also probably be unhappy if he knew Chen was flapping his mouth so much. Admitting that he’d lost control of one of his fighters was a sign of weakness. “Wouldn’t want to make Devlin unhappy.”
Chen stiffened at the sarcasm. “Watch how you talk about him.”
Right, I had to play this game for Tav’s sake. “Apologies. I’m just focused on getting Husk fixed up.”
Chen swallowed, swore under his breath. “Reminder. Check in tomorrow.”
“Done.” Maybe.
Chen eyed me for a long moment, then walked out, his bodyguards behind him. I bent down, encouraging Tav to stand. He was confused and disoriented, mumbling Con, but I shushed him.
When I got him to his feet, I turned and came face-to-face with Lary, who’d crossed the room to confront me.
The old man’s face was grim. “You can’t just take him.”
He had more balls than Chen. “And why’s that?”
Lary’s eyes roamed Tav’s body, where he was slumped in my arms. An expression came over his face, something tender, before it hardened and he faced me again.
“He needs medical attention. Someone who’ll check him over, and better than these bastards do.
I usually call an old friend who takes care of him. ”
I would have snapped at him if I hadn’t seen the genuine concern in his eyes.
And when Tav had been struggling to get out of the ring, none of Chen’s bodyguards, no handlers had been there to help him.
Only this old man with arthritic knuckles and age spots.
I respected him, because it was clear he cared about Tav.
I didn’t know his role in this fucked up situation, but I was sure that he gave a shit about the trembling man in my arms.
I leaned forward and spoke softly. “I promise you he’ll get the best medical care money can provide.” I handed him my phone. “Type in your number.”
He took my phone with a shaky hand and stared at me for a minute before typing in his number with a few pecks of his index finger. He handed it back to me. “Have Husk call me.”
I slipped it into my pocket and nodded. “I will.”
Five minutes later Ben and I were opening the doors to the Bentley. After helping me settle a nearly comatose Tav in the back seat, he sat up front with Nik. Only when the car was five miles away from that fucking warehouse could I breathe easier.
The partition to the Bentley was up, and I pressed the button to speak to Nik in the front seat. “Arrange to have that place burnt down.”
“I did that a half hour ago,” Nik said. Ben chuckled.
I released the call button and turned to assess Tav. He fought to stay alert, his eyelids repeatedly falling closed before he jerked them back open. His pupils were blown, nearly blotting out his different colored irises.
His chest heaved, and panic still lurked in the tightness of his muscles, like he couldn’t let himself relax. Be vulnerable.
“Wha—?” He was confused, totally out of it as I cupped his bruised jaw. “Fuck, I’m ‘lucinating.’”
“Tav,” I said, “look at me.” He couldn’t seem to focus. “What hurts the most?”
He let out a long groan, and his fingers fluttered over his side. “Ribs. A’ways the ribs.”
I grabbed a water bottle and screwed off the cap. As best as I could, I held it so Tav could drink. He did so greedily, and the hydration seemed to help him somewhat. He squinted at me in the dim light of the car. “No way. You’re not… No.” He shook his head and shoved at me weakly. “Go ‘way.”
He thought his concussed brain was playing tricks on him. “It’s me, Con.”
“Nah,” he mumbled, head dropping to the window. “Con’s good. Not… doesn’t fight.”
I wasn’t as good as he thought I was. Not even close. “Tav—”
“Smells like ‘im in here. A’ways smells ‘ood.” His eyes closed and he wrapped his arms around his torso protectively. “Miss ‘im. Can’t go though. Can’t see ‘im. Need to stop. Too…” he licked dried blood from his lip. “Too dang’rous for ‘im.”
I smoothed his dirty, sweaty hair and lifted his head from the window before letting him rest on my shoulder. I held him there, petting his head as my heart swelled in my chest.
I did fight. I fought hard. I fought dirty. And I fought until the end. Devlin might think he owned Husk, but that was about to end. Tav grunted and shifted at my side, and I realized that I’d curled my fingers into his skull. I released them one by one and took a deep breath.
He thought his life was too dangerous for me, but Tav had stumbled into the bed of Conrad Stafford, a.k.a Soto, and I was about to wreak havoc on this city to keep him with me.