45. Fight Night
Fight Night
Nico
We’re in the yard behind Jason’s house. Harper sits next to me, clinging to my hand as we watch the fights from the sideline. Eli is currently in the ring. This is his second fight. Sweat drips down his forehead and chest. Both of the fighters are bare chested.
Harper buries her head in my shoulder every time Eli takes a hit.
It isn’t often. A few of the JV guys started us off. Jack eggs guys on from the sidelines.
I wish I could get out there and pummel someone. Anyone. I’m tired of being helped and helpless. I’m tired of being injured. It’s been a week of doing nothing. I’m used to practice and exercise and being able to do what I want with Harper.
Fuck. I know I need to be careful and take it slow with my knee, but it’s beyond irritating. Especially knowing Harper was in danger and I didn’t even have time to put up a fight. I made it easy for them to get to her.
Eli circles Adam, one of the guys from the football team, in the makeshift ring. They size each other up. Adam keeps saying things to provoke Eli to attack, but Eli holds back, watching, waiting for his opportunity to strike.
“Do you like watching the fights?” Harper asks, quietly. She jumps slightly when Eli weaves in and throws a punch at Adam’s middle.
When Eli steps back before Adam can retaliate, she releases her breath.
“I’d rather be out there fighting.” I try to shake off that tension winding in me. Nervous energy that has no outlet. The guys carried a few chairs down here for me and Harper to have front row seats. Caden stands in front of us to prevent the fighters from colliding into us.
I need to move. I need to be active, but the doctor says wait until PT, which starts on Monday. Apparently it will be rigorous to get me back into shape faster. I can’t wait. Especially knowing this weekend’s troubles might not be over.
That asshole will try for our girl again, and if tonight was foreshadowing, I won’t be able to stop him.
Eli goes in for another punch, and Adam swings. Harper gasps as Adam’s fist lands on Eli’s side. Eli dances back with a smile on his face. Adam drags in a breath but gives a cocky smile.
“Come on, Jacobs. Is that all you’ve got?” Adam thumbs his nose. “There’s a reason you run in football. Sure, you can take a hit, but you’ve barely touched me.”
Adam does a little two-punch dance before laughing.
Eli remains silent and eerily still, but his smile tells me he’s found his opening. I squeeze Harper’s hand as Eli goes in. His fists connect with Adam’s middle over and over again until Adam drops.
Eli stands over him, panting, his fists ready.
Jack walks over and checks on Adam before lifting Eli’s arm. Everyone cheers.
Eli’s gaze finds Harper. It’s piercing and heated. She shivers next to me.
“You might need some protection tonight, sunshine.” I chuckle.
She releases her breath as Eli moves to the side. Some guys help Adam up. He laughs at what one of the guys says as Eli walks over to them. Eli shakes his hand and Adam grins.
I’m watching everyone around the circle because any one of them could be gunning to take us down. We don’t know which of them ratted about the locations weeks ago. We don’t even know if any of them did or if it was another source who knew where we had people for the trap we laid out.
Luke stops beside us. He’s shirtless with his hands taped, ready for his match. Harper’s gaze flows over him. He’s healed mostly from the beating his father gave him, but he has new bruises forming from the game tonight.
Caden and Luke talk quietly as the two football players in the center circle each other. The guys in the ring grab on to each other like they’re wrestling. I shake my head. This one might take a while.
Eli comes over with a towel wrapped around his neck. “You good?”
I nod, and his gaze shifts to Harper curled up next to me.
“I still think you would have made an excellent ring girl, kitten.”
Harper’s cheeks flush pink. “I don’t usually appreciate violence.”
“You watch all those zombie shows, little nympho.” Caden’s gaze falls on her. “Those are all about the violence.”
“They’re about the fall of humanity. How when we lose our society, our humanity suffers. When it comes down to survival, there are no rules. Only winners.” Harper arches an eyebrow.
“Good thing you’re with the winners.” Caden chucks her under her chin.
She smiles up at him, and he bends down to kiss her softly. When he pulls away, a little smile plays on her lips. Luke’s gaze lingers on her as he warms up.
Eli closes in on her and tips her chin up. “Are you ready for tonight, kitten?”
She shifts next to me. “Are we playing a game?”
Eli’s smile is a little evil, but she shivers against me. “We’ll have to be inventive to include Nico.”
He nods to me, and I smirk.
“When Luke was hurt,” I say, “she stayed on him the whole time we played.”
Eli laughs and runs a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. “We could definitely do something like that again. I’ll think about it while I watch Luke and Caden get beat up.”
Caden wraps his hands in tape. Harper looks at both of them.
When Caden takes off his shirt, he smirks at Luke. “Winner gets to keep his cock in Harper overnight?”
Luke returns his smirk and holds out his hand.
“What?” Harper straightens.
Eli shakes his head. “What if I want in?”
“You could fight the winner for the rights.” Caden grins and flexes his hands.
Harper stands. “What?”
Luke closes in on her and grabs the back of her neck. She gasps and puts her hands on his chest.
“We’re going to fight over who gets to keep his cock inside that tight little pussy overnight, princess.” Luke holds her gaze as he pulls her hips against his. “You’re the only prize any of us wants.”
“You’re fighting Caden?”
Luke smirks. “Who else would I fight?”
“And then I’ll fight Eli.” Caden chuckles.
Luke shakes his head. “You wish. This pussy is mine.”
Harper arches an eyebrow. “Maybe I want someone who won’t fight over me.”
When her gaze falls on me, I chuckle. “If I could fight, I would, sunshine. But maybe I’ll use the injury card and claim you before anyone can win you.”
Jack is announcing the winner of the current fight.
“What about Jack?” Harper asks.
“He needs to catch up on his sleep, and he gets you every night now.” Luke’s hand holds Harper’s ass. “Nico needs to heal, so it’s one of us. Sorry, Nico, next time.”
I shake my head, but he’s right. I’d just want to fuck her all night if I had her on me. “As long as someone helps me fuck her while she sleeps.”
Caden offers me a fist bump. “Consider it done.”
“This isn’t normal.” Harper shakes her head.
“You wouldn’t want normal, kitten.” Eli winks at her.
“Wish me luck.” Luke captures her mouth before she can say anything more.
She softens into his body like she belongs there. When he lifts his head, her eyes are darker.
“Would it be fair to wish any of you luck against each other?” She searches his eyes.
Caden draws her out of Luke’s arms and into his. “You can wish your favorite good luck, little nympho.”
He captures her mouth and kisses her until she moans softly into his.
“What if her favorite isn’t competing?” I ask.
She laughs. It’s bright and carefree. For a moment, she’s forgotten all of the shit raining down. She’s now focused on us. My heart swells. For a moment, we’re just young and in love.
“There’s still time to win boyfriend of the week.” Eli drags her away from Caden as Jack comes over.
“Obviously, I should be boyfriend of the week.” Jack smiles. “That discussion will have to wait.”
He nods and Caden and Luke follow him out to the center. The football guys hoot and holler.
Eli guides Harper back to my side. “This might get a little brutal.”
Harper
I swallow. I wasn’t lying before about not being a fan of violence. Yes, there’s violence in the movies and shows I watch, but I don’t want it to play out in front of me. Especially when it’s between two of the guys I love.
Nico guides me back against him. The night is a little chilly, so I snuggle into him. The party still rages on in the house behind us. There’s a large crowd out here. Mostly guys but a few girls stand around. Their eyes devour my men as Jack leads them out.
“Are you ready to see which horseman is the strongest?” Jack yells.
The crowd erupts.
“Will Death or War win this round?” He circles them as they bounce lightly on their toes.
Chants of War and Death begin in the crowd. There’s a guy taking bets on the sidelines. Fuck. This is insane.
I’ve never been to parties before this year, but this can’t be the first time they’ve done this.
I tug on Eli’s pants to get his attention as he stands in front of us with his arms crossed over his chest.
He glances back at me before returning his gaze to the ring. “Yes, kitten?”
“Does this happen often?” My gaze lingers on a red spot on Eli’s side that looks like it will bruise.
“Fights?” He chuckles. “Only when things get a little too tense around the school. We need to let off steam. The guys in school need to let off steam. This is controlled. If someone gets too into it, we step in.”
“Doesn’t it hurt?” My voice is soft.
Jack is yelling out the virtues of each of the guys.
Eli squats next to me. “The adrenaline rush helps, but yes, it’s physically painful. But not being able to beat Zach and his guys to a pulp or even finish the game fills us with this bound up energy that needs release.”
His dark eyes meet mine, and a shiver of awareness flows through me. His smile makes my already wet panties wetter. Luke and Caden were auditioning for best kiss, and I have to say, I’m really glad I don’t have to choose because I don’t think I could.
Eli chuckles and straightens to watch Luke and Caden.
I drag in a breath as Jack backs out of the ring and Luke and Caden circle each other. Caden is built large and powerfully. As a quarterback, Luke is actually tall for the position. He’s cut slender, but still thick.
Fuck.
I don’t know who to root for. I definitely don’t want them to fight, but if this helps them in some way... I sigh. The urge isn’t completely foreign to me. It’s just the execution.
I’ve been angry and wanted to hurt someone else, but I don’t think I could ever lay my hands on them.
Luke ducks in, drawing a swing from Caden that he deftly avoids. Caden laughs, but it’s dark, like he knows exactly what Luke is doing.
Jack moves to stand next to Eli.
“Did he tell you about the bet?” Eli asks.
Jack chuckles. “Of course. I’m okay sitting this one out with Nico.”
“Still not okay sitting this one out,” Nico mumbles.
I shake my head. “You want to get hit for the opportunity to fuck me? Which you all do pretty much whenever you want anyway?”
“It’s not about fucking you, sunshine. It’s about proving to you that I’m strong enough to handle you.” Nico smirks and traces my lower lip with his finger.
“I don’t need you to prove anything to me.” I wet my lips, flicking my tongue against his thumb. Our eyes lock for a second. I’ll do whatever it takes to make him know I don’t think he’s less than because he’s injured.
Caden told me to wish good luck to my favorite. But I don’t have a favorite. If I did, why would I be with all of them? Because they chose that for me? They may have decided to be all mine this year before they got to know me, but I decided to be all of theirs too.
I fell in love with all of them. Little pieces at a time.
The sound of flesh colliding with flesh turns my attention back to the fight. My nerves fire. I don’t want either of them to get hurt, and I know how competitive they can be.
Caden strikes Luke in his side while Luke connects with Caden’s stomach. They’re both beautiful to watch, but I can’t take it.
I duck my head into Nico’s side and wait for the winner to be announced.