28. Dax
DAX
The energy in the underground fighting ring was electric.
The bleachers they had held about three hundred people and were packed.
Then there were the box seats above that, protected by bulletproof glass, where the more important members of the criminal world sat.
There were women in bikinis and heels selling shots, food, and themselves for the right price.
When I say this place would have fit in ancient Rome with how debauchery was running wild, I wasn’t kidding.
Men fucked right there in the bleachers, not giving a shit who was watching.
The fights had started by the time we arrived at nine since Void and I weren’t supposed to go on until ten. Or so they thought. We’d managed to smuggle in Diego and Axel with Betta’s help since she made it clear we needed our own space to ensure no fighting happened before the ring match.
Up on electronic scoreboards were the odds and bets people were making for each fight.
These beginning ones weren’t as profitable as what they already had put down for Void and me.
Too bad for them, they were never going to see a penny of it if they bet against me.
I was just vindictive like that. I still needed to look the part, so I had on tight black shorts and a sports bra.
Harper managed to braid my hair tight to my head, so if I had to fight, no one could grab it.
I hoped the knife that was strapped to my thigh would deter them, but I didn’t trust anyone in here who wasn’t one of my people.
Knowing people would want to see me around, I headed out into the main area going for the bar. A double shot of whisky sounded perfect right now. The bartender spotted me and ditched the person who was trying to order to assist me. “What can I get you?”
“Whisky, make it a double,” I answered.
“On the rocks?” he asked.
“Nah, just make it the good shit,” I said, handing him over a twenty.
The man he’d ignored walked over to me, pissed as all hell. “Listen, you little bitch, I was ordering.”
I leaned on the bar and looked up at him. “Who do you work for?” I asked.
“What?”
“Sorry, let me try again slower. Who. Do. You. Work. For?” I tried again.
The man’s face turned red at the question. “I don’t work for anyone. I'm the leader of the Seven Snakes gang in Baltimore.”
“Ah, I see,” I said, nodding my head.
“Here you go, Tricks. Good luck with your fight tonight,” the bartender said, giving the gangbanger a telling look.
Mr. Snake realized what he said and backed up off me. “You’re Two Tricks?”
“I know, it’s the height. Everyone assumes I’d be taller, but you know what they say, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’ I feel like keeping it low to the ground helps me with that problem,” I shared, saluting him with my shot before tossing it back.
“Damn, that hit the spot. Well, Mr. Snake, I hope you bet on the right person. Otherwise, this is not gonna be your night.”
“What do you mean by that?” he hollered after me, but I just kept walking.
I joined my guys in a section they had set aside for us to watch the fights if we wanted to.
Some of these guys were actually pretty good, but some were just ruthless and would take any shot they could get in.
Every fight ended with one of them dead, making Harper turn green and hide in Jaxson’s arms. We’d tried to tell her she didn’t want to come to this, but she refused to be put on the sidelines again.
Hopefully, now when we said that, she’d listen.
“It’s about show time,” Void said loudly into my ear to be heard over the roar of the crowd.
I nodded and signaled to Sprocket and Cam, who were going to escort our guests to the stage when I needed them.
Void and I carried only knives like we promised, but all my men were strapped even if it was against the rules of the fight club.
Betta had gotten us in without being searched just for this advantage.
This was supposed to be neutral ground, but not tonight.
I was going to declare war on the bastard who’d been playing this cat-and-mouse game.
He wanted me to attack. Well, he was gonna get his wish.
Let’s see if he liked it as much as he thought he would.
“Ladies and gentlemen, crime lords and ladies, the event you’ve all been waiting for is upon us,” the announcer called over the loudspeakers.
“We are going to start off the fights with Two Tricks herself against the opponent of our choosing. The rules are simple, whoever survives using only knives and fists wins.”
The whole place went wild with people cheering, screaming, and whistling. Taking that as my cue, I headed up front and climbed the steps to the cage. One of the attendants handed me a microphone. It wasn’t part of the original plan but was part of what I had Betta pull off for me.
I tapped it once to make sure it was working and grinned when I heard the sound echo through the speakers.
“After all these years, I felt like it was only right that I should formally introduce myself. What’s up, fuckers?
I’m Two Tricks, Queen of the Hidden Empire, pleased to meet you all…
well, most of you. Some of you I know are just assholes. ”
That got a chuckle out of the crowd. “I know we had a whole thing planned out where my man, Void, and I fought a whole bunch of guys you picked out, but I decided to make a few changes to the agenda.”
The crowd started to talk amongst themselves and a few started to boo, demanding their bloodshed. I signaled to Cam, who brought over Axel and shoved him up the stairs into the ring, locking the door.
“Shut the fuck up,” I snapped into the microphone. “I wasn’t done telling you what the changes were. There is still going to be blood, death, and mayhem, just not the kind you originally had in mind. Anyone know who this kid is I have in here with me?” I asked.
There was more talking but no real answers until someone shouted out, “That’s one of Diego’s kids.”
“Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner,” I announced, raising a hand, then turned to face Axel. “Now, Axel, would you like to take a guess as to why you, of all people, are here with me tonight?”
Axel’s face was pale and he was shaking. “I… I… I killed one of your people and sent him back to you with a note blaming you for my half-brother's murder.”
“That’s part of it. There’s one more bit that you forgot to mention,” I encouraged.
He frowned, then decided to take a guess. “Um… you talking about the bitch we used for blackmail?”
My hand whipped out, slapping him in the face. “Now, I know her uncles, Eagle and Picasso, explained this to you. They are my men making their family my family, so if that’s the case and you manipulated, lied, and used their niece to spy on us, what does that make her to me?”
“Y-your niece?” he guessed.
“How the fuck have you survived this long being this stupid?” I asked.
Axel just gapped at me like a fish. Groaning, I grabbed him by the shirt and kicked out his legs, dropping him to his knees before addressing the crowd.
“While this idiot might not be the mastermind behind what happened, I’m using him to make a point.
You fuck with my family or my people I’ve put under my protection, I will hunt you down.
No one fucks with what is mine. You do and you won’t live long enough to regret it. I promise you that.”
Grabbing his hair in one hand, I pulled back his head and slit his throat in one swift move.
A surprised gurgle was all that could be heard from the kid as I dropped him to the floor.
I waved my knife at Sprocket, who dragged a thrashing swearing Diego up into the ring.
Diego spotted his son on the ground and looked up at me.
A string of words in Spanish flew at me, followed by a wad of spit that missed and landed on the mat before me.
“It’s so good to see you again, Diego,” I greeted.
Moving forward, I grabbed his arm, shoving up behind his back as Sprocket let him go.
I shoved the man toward the center of the ring and dropped him to his knees like his son.
Only Diego might be older, but he was a fighter.
He swung out with his other hand clipping me in the jaw and whipping my head to the side.
I turned back to face him and slammed my elbow into his face feeling his nose crunch under the assault.
This had him sprawling on the ground in his son’s blood.
Which to me, only seemed fitting for how shitty he was to leave his whole family in the house as he saved himself.
Picking up the microphone from where I’d dropped it, I got down to business.
“I’m not even going to ask if you know who this is because I know you do.
You guys want me to get down to the meat of the matter?
Here it is. Diego had been gunning for me since I came up in the world.
I was happy to let him do his business if he left mine alone.
Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t do that.
Now, here we are on the brink of a world war among criminal leaders.
You placed bets and made choices on where you stand in this fight.
Tonight wasn’t just about seeing me fight or possibly die at the hands of one of your goons. Nah, it’s far more than that.”
I took a moment as the room fell silent, having gained everyone’s attention.
“Tommaso, would you join me, please?” Shock filled the room as he stepped up and walked over to me.
“If you don’t know who this is, Tommaso is Diego’s firstborn son of his first wife, who had ties to the Italian mafia.
As such, he is the next in line to take over his father’s business.
Recently, Tommaso has also become the leader of the Italian mafia in Boston with the blessing of the motherland.
So I wanted to ensure you all knew two things. ”
Reaching behind Tommaso, I pulled his gun I knew was stashed there and pointed it at Diego. I noticed one of the video cameras was coming in closer over the netting of the cage to get an unobstructed view. Shifting, I looked right at the lens as I spoke the next bit.
“The De León Cartel is now under new leadership,” I announced, pulling the trigger and hitting Diego right between the eyes.
“And the Hidden Empire fully supports Tommaso as the rightful heir to the De León name and all that it brings with it. This is war, and I’ve made my move just as all of you have here tonight.
Those of you who bet on me to win or to lose, I know who you are.
If you’re smart, then I would be certain not to get in my way if you value your life.
I’m not sitting back anymore, I’ve stepped out of hiding, and I’m not going to lose. ”
Stepping closer to the camera, I squared up, knowing that on the other side of that lens, Marco was watching. “Play time’s over, Marco, and I’m coming for you next. When we meet in person, this is how I’ll greet you.”
Lifting my gun to the camera, I watched as it zoomed in and pulled the trigger sending the bullet right into the lens, shattering it into a million pieces. Just like I was going to do to his whole kingdom.
Just you wait, Marco. I’ll find you wherever you're hiding.
To be concluded in Our Tricks