45. Four #4
I stood in the middle of the ring. Watching as he circled the mat.
He’d been on one all day. No matter what I did, he wasn’t happy.
He was never happy, but that was beside the point.
Today his behavior was erratic. His eyes bounced all over the gym; his hands twitched. Something was off more than usual.
Logan walked into the gym, limping. I don’t know what happened to him, but whatever it was had him on edge too.
The doors opened again, and Jonathan Franklin walked in.
He looked annoyed. He barely glanced in my direction before stopping in front of Robert and Logan.
I watched as they talked, their voices low, but the tension and frustration were evident.
“This is bullshit!” Logan yelled and stumbled back. He only caught his balance because he backed into the side of the ring. “I ain’t doing that shit.”
“You don’t have a choice,” Jonathan told him. “That was our agreement.”
“Robert,” Logan groaned. “Talk to him.”
“You entered into the agreement, Logan,” Robert told him, shaking his head. “You must live up to your end of the deal.”
“Go get the girls then!” Logan replied. “Go get your pets. I’ve done my part.”
“We can't!” Jonathan yelled and got in Logan’s face. His hand went around Logan’s throat. “We can't because of the bullshit paperwork you had drawn up. Now I’m down thousands and have no pet to help with the frustrations.”
“You have others,” Logan gasped for air. “You have more.”
“And none of them will do.” Jonathan pulled Logan to him and licked the side of his face. “You will have to take my favorite pet’s spot.” He pushed Logan away and smiled. “Now let’s go. I have given you enough time.” He left Robert and Logan standing there.
“Robert-“
“Go, Logan,” Robert said, shaking his head. “You knew what would happen if you didn’t.” Robert stepped back, all but dismissing Logan.
“Robert-“
“Go!” Robert yelled. The vein in the middle of his forehead bulged. “Take your ass to his warehouse! Get into position! Now! I have important things to worry about. You aren’t one of them.”
I thought Logan was going to argue, but he didn’t. He stared at Robert, anger evident in his gaze, then finally he limped away. Logan stopped walking and glared at me.
“I watched your pet’s house last night as you said. She had company.”
“Who was it?” Robert asked.
Logan continued to watch me. “I couldn’t see his face, but I know he was there for her.”
“How?” Robert asked.
“He snuck into her window, stayed there a few hours before he snuck back out before the sun came up,” he said, then turned to Robert.
“Your pet has moved on, and you’re sitting there stuck over a girl who has moved on.
You didn’t break her as you thought.” He turned back to me and smiled. “Send him to do it or kill her.”
“Jonathan is waiting,” Robert told him. Logan nodded, then limped out of the gym.
I turned to see Robert climbing into the ring.
He hardly ever stepped into the ring, but when he did, it was always with Kenbral.
He took off his watch, unbuttoned his shirt, and took it off.
He tossed it aside, then took his belt off and wrapped it around his fist, making sure to leave the buckle exposed.
Without a word, Robert approached me and then hit me.
His eyes were wild and filled with anger.
There were no security guards here. “Fight back!” He hit his chest. “You don’t think I see how you look at me?
I see it, son. I see the hatred in your eyes.
Even right now. You wanted this opportunity, right?
Well, you got it. Right now, right here!
Fight me back. If you win, I’ll let you go.
” He swung, and I ducked his punch. “Win, and I’ll let your punk ass go.
” He smiled when he noticed my fist ball up.
“But when you lose, I want you to know I’m going to have you kill her.
My pet can’t move on. I won’t ever let her.
I would rather kill her than let that happen. ”
That’s all I needed to hear; he was going to take Logan’s advice and kill Cori.
That couldn’t happen. I squared my body and started fighting Robert back.
He might have been able to feel pain, but he never flinched or backed down.
He was taller than me, weighed more than I did, but I wasn’t stopping.
I fought him until I was covered in blood, my heart slammed into my chest, and I was dizzy, but I still didn’t stop.
“Look at you, you’re weak,” he taunted me. He was covered in blood too and limped as he moved around me. “After you kill her, I’m going to kill you.” He spat at me. “I’ve hated you from the moment you were born. You’re a fucking waste.”
He approached me, swinging and missing. I waited, dodging his hits, and when he dropped his guard, I attacked. I hit him so hard he stumbled into the ropes. I wrapped my hands around his neck and squeezed.
Hands too small to be Robert’s wrapped around my wrist, eyes no longer blue, filled with tears, and a soft voice called my name.
“Uri!” Cori’s voice forced my eyes open. “Uri, let me go. Please.” Those hands, eyes, and screams belonged to Cori.