I took off my leather cut and tossed it to Cash. I then took off my t-shirt and tossed that to Cash, along with my rings. I was going to fight clean and fair. I was going to knock this fucker’s teeth out with my bare knuckles.
The strange part of it all was that I had no reason to fight him. He didn’t do anything to me. But it’s what he could do that threatened me. If he hit me harder and knocked my ass out… then everything would change. We’d lose the money and not get the payment on the guns. The O’Nuall family would come through the MC and start with the women and children. That meant Harlee would be hurt. That meant Trev’s old lady, Eden, and their unborn baby would be…
I couldn’t think it.
I just walked forward and got right into it with Denis.
His feet were dancing like he expected some classical music to come on or something, but not me. I stood like stone, planting my feet and waiting. I thought I could last longer than I did, but just five seconds into standing, I threw the first punch.
My fist hit Denis’s jaw and his head rocked back. It didn’t bother him, not that I thought it would. He threw a left and connected with my jaw. It snapped my head to the side and Denis came across with a right. The fury of punches then began as he walked me backed like we were in a boxing match. He put me against the ropes as I held my hands up, protecting my face, taking most of the blows to my ribs and gut.
Did it hurt? Of course it fucking did. I swore I could feel shards of my rib bones splintering and shooting throughout my body like shrapnel. But with each punch, Denis wasted energy and got pissed at me that I wasn’t coming back at him. Then he left a small window as he paused and stared at me. That’s when I dove forward, head first, my forehead smashing the bridge of his nose. It exploded like a water balloon against a brick wall. He grabbed his nose with his left hand but kept swinging with his right hand. I tagged him in the jaw two more times and thought I had my opening for good.
But then Denis lifted his right leg - which looked a mile long - and kicked me like I’d never been kicked before. He hit me right in the solar plexus and sent me back into the ropes.
I quickly grabbed the ropes to keep from shooting back within his reach.
I had no breath for more than I cared to admit.
Denis was right back on me, taking shot after shot at my stomach. I squeezed my stomach muscles tight, absorbing the hits the best I could. He went for a left hook and I ducked out of the way. I got away from the ropes and got around to Denis’s back and gave him a good one right below his ribs. One solid punch took him to one knee. I then kicked him in the same spot. I was wearing my boots and I knew it hurt.
Denis crumbled to the right and I started to unleash on him. I grabbed the ropes and just started to kick him. Over and over, a rage building to a level that was dangerous. I’m talking a murderous level. Each kick hitting ribs, gut, chest, even his fucking face. He grabbed at me, trying to secure my foot, but I kept pulling away.
I had to give it to Denis though, he was tough as fuck. He grabbed the middle rope with both hands, leaving his body open to me. He pulled himself up. I drove my right knee to the side of his head and sent him into the corner. I went right after him, throwing fist after fist down on him, not giving a damn what I was hitting.
If it were any other real fight, it would have been called by then. Denis had no true way to defend himself. No matter how hard he tried to fight back, he couldn’t.
I knew he could only last another handful of good punches before going out cold.
Denis had his right hand to my stomach, scratching at me. Trying to dig his fingers into me and pull at my jeans.
I brought my hand back for one last punch when I heard Trev bellow my name.
I turned and looked up, just in time to see someone on a balcony with a fucking window in his hands. He screamed something in another language and threw the window. I hightailed my ass to the other corner of the ring and watched the window hit the ring and shatter. It sounded like a crack of thunder. Glass sprayed all around and the crowd started to get rowdy.
Denis finally pulled himself back up and took a step forward. There was still plenty of fight left in the son of a bitch. He took another step and then reached down, picking up a nice shard of glass. Long, pointed, its target somewhere in my body to probably kill me.
Just like that I was no longer fighting for money… I was fighting for my life.
twenty-eight.
(harlee)
“I have to pee.”
“Again?” I asked, looking at Eden as she slithered to the edge of the couch.
She sat there and let out a big sigh. “You have no idea. It’s like she’s sitting right on my bladder. I could swallow my own spit and have to pee ten minutes later.”
“How much longer do you have?” I asked.
Eden touched her stomach. “Too much time.”