I was getting my ass handed to me.
Brick matched every move with a move of his own. My right jab was weak and predictable. He knocked it away and smashed his fist into my ribs. I groaned and spit, feeling like my lung had exploded. His hand grabbed the back of my neck and he threw me to the concrete ground like I was a toy.
I turned and he was right there.
One, two fists came crashing down at me, both hitting my face, smacking the back of my head against the ground.
I lifted my foot and kicked at Brick, hitting him in the gut. I put my arms up in a X and protected my face. I blocked his punches with my leg and foot, finally landing a lucky shot to his jaw. His neck snapped back, blood spraying from his mouth. He turned and stumbled, giving me enough time to get to my feet.
As I looked around, I remembered what was at stake. I had to take care of Brick before anything else. I looked up and saw Shayna standing on a ledge. Right next to Fiore. He was sucking on a fat cigar, grinning. His men were all around him. I had an image of those men touching Shayna. Groping her. Trying to…
I looked just in time to see Brick charging at me. I moved and walloped him with a right to the stomach. I grunted and he instantly dropped to his knees. He held his stomach, face red. I swung another right and hit him in the jaw. His head swiveled. I grabbed his hair and pulled him back.
“Get the fuck up!” I yelled. “These people want to see a fight!”
The crowd went wild.
I let Brick get to his feet and take a few swings at me. I ducked and jumped out of the way, letting the people see my footwork. Brick kept coming after me and I kept fucking with him. I even turned and put my back to him, acting like a total dick. It was nothing but disrespect to Brick, but the people loved it. When I turned, he was there again. I saw his shoulder drop and predicted the punch. I moved and threw my head into his. Our skulls cracked together. Brick fell back and down to his ass. I could have tore him up and finished it then.
But Fiore liked a good show.
I walked backward until I was against the edge of the crowd. People threw their arms around me, all grabbing at the sweaty mess I was. I never understood why people liked it, but I let them have their fucking show.
It took Brick a good minute or so to get to his feet.
I then walked forward and stuck my jaw out. I touched my jaw and nodded. “Come on, asshole. Hit me. One free shot.”
The people really loved when I did that.
I knew Brick had nothing left. His eyes were damn spinning in his head. His face bloody and swollen. He looked confused, definitely taken off guard by how aggressive I had become.
He brought his fist back and threw the free punch.
There was never a free punch.
I wasn’t a total moron. Any punch could knock someone out.
I put my hand up and grabbed his fist. The crowd cheered. I threw my head forward again, against Brick’s nose. His nose popped and bled. He stepped back and I was on the attack again. I put my fists up and went in to finish the job once and for all.
I had to give him credit though.
He took ten good punches from me and threw two decent ones before he went down. Even then, he reached for me, trying to pull at me. So I stayed on one knee and hit him three more times before his head fell to the side.
Then I stood and opened my arms.
I fucking won, as expected.
I turned and looked up at Shayna.
Part of the battle was over. Now I just had to battle these feelings for Shayna and where they were going to take me…
26.
(Shayna)
My hands gripped the railing tight as I watched Finn walk around the circle, shirtless, arms opened. I was a second away from climbing on the railing, jumping from it to get to him. That’s how fucking wild my body felt from the inside out. Fuck Fiore and his demand for a baby. Fuck Zander and his wasted life of abuse. My world existed for Finn right then and only Finn could make it right and keep it right.
He was so cocky about it, too. He knew he was good and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do about it either. He put a hand out and walked the edge of the circle, slapping hands with everyone reaching for him. The guy was famous for what he did.
I watched as he stole a drink from someone’s hand. He pounded it back and smashed the glass on the ground. He then tore some money out of another guy’s hand and tossed it into the air.
“This is my circle,” he yelled.
On the floor, his opponent was barely just starting to move.
Finn walked to the open edge of the circle and looked back one last time. He gave a half smile, sly grin and it sent my body into overdrive. Then he disappeared to another part of the building, obviously one of the bathrooms so he could clean himself up. For as cocky as Finn wanted to be, his opponent had gotten a few good hits on him.
“Pretty impressive, huh?” Fiore asked.
“You wouldn’t have killed him,” I said. “You need him.”