I jab and hit him in the nose, blood trickling from his nostril. He laughs as blood pools between his lips, staining his teeth as he grins wickedly at me.
Cornering me in he delivers a strike right to my rib and the wind is knocked from me. I swear my ribs crack, and the burning sensation has me double over in an amount of pain I can’t compare to anything. I try to breathe through the pain, to regain my composure but the pain is too much.
He hits me again right in in the face and my eyebrow splits wide open, warm blood pouring into my view. My head rings, and my vision blurs from the strike.
My ears ring as I fumble on the ground. What the hell? His hits are hard, too hard.
I look at his gloves and notice the tape around his knuckles outlining more than knuckles. Faint gold shining through split tape I realize why he’s hitting with such force.
He has fucking brass knuckles on!
“Hey!” I yell at the guy standing outside the ring, trying to inform him of the knuckles.
I run to the other side of the ring, wiping and smearing blood from my eye from my face.
“He has brass knuckles!” My voice cracking from the pain.
The guy standing guard outside of the door smiles at me, and turns his back.
I look back at Chase who is laughing, pacing back and forth.
I’m fucked. I’m stuck in here with a monster.
I have to keep my distance, anything up close and those knuckles will destroy me. I can’t give up. Even if my fear is telling me to give in, I am not leaving without a fight.
Following me, he comes at me, trying to take me down and I run out of the way. Fighting ethics gone, this is about survival.
He chuckles, and follows me.
I swing and miss, and he takes me to the floor.
He strikes me in the ribs, and the sound of the crack can be felt to my toes. I scream out in pain, but try to focus.
A fist comes into view and I jerk my head to the side, the punch vibrating through my body as it hits the floor.
Using all the energy I have, I jab him in the chin, and his head whips back. Lifting my legs I wrap them around him, trying to gain control and suddenly he’s pulled from me.
I roll over, tears filling my eyes.
Finally someone saw he had brass knuckles on and stopped the fight.
I moan in pain, and fight through the blurriness that is trying to take over, finding Chase struggling on the other side of the ring.
I wipe my eyes trying to clear the blood and tears, and see Camden laying into Chase relentlessly.
Nobody stopped the fight.
Camden stepped into the ring!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Camden
My untaped fists drive into Chase’s face one after another. So much anger and rage release through each hit, I can’t fucking stop.
Each hit ricocheting from my knuckles up my wrist and forearm, the sound of skin against skin fueling me toward dominating this motherfucker.
Nobody lays a hand on my woman.
It’s just monster against beast now.
He struggles trying to block my hits but his weak attempts are no match for my experience.
His legs come up trying to wrap around me and I anchor myself on top of him, he’s not going anywhere.
My vision turns red as rage takes over my original intent of being in this fucking cage. I came to protect Tate, but being in this ring the beast wants out.
A feral roar rips up my throat as I grab hold of Chase’s head ready to snap his life into nothing. Chase’s mangled faces blurs into Bret’s and I clench my eyes shut.
“You know what I think your problem is? You’re stuck in the past and can’t move forward Camden. You have to forgive yourself, grieve, and move on.”
Tate’s words string into my mind and I freeze. My hands gripping Chase’s head, my knees pressing into the cage’s floor as I straddle him.
My heart thuds against my chest, its rhythm lullabying me into wanting to end Chase’s life. But I stop. Why am I stopping? If anyone deserves to die it should be him.
“Camden,” the strangled cry has me whipping my head in Tate’s direction. She’s lying on her side, blood staining her face. If anything, seeing her like that should fuel me towards ending Chase’s worthless life. But her eyes convey I don’t need to kill him that I can stand up and walk away. If there’s ever a chance of me moving past what happened with Bret and getting my life back, it’s now.
I grit my teeth, and close my eyes. The emotion and anger thundering in my chest battling my decision.
“Just walk away, Camden,” I mutter to myself.
Opening my eyes, I throw Chase’s head on the ground and push up off my knees, standing on me feet.
Flexing my fingers I step toward Tate to help her up, declaring this fight over for her. She looks up at me and her eyes flash with an unreadable look.
Everything happens in slow motion.