He wanted to keep fighting.
So The Fist turned and was ready to do it again. And just like before, two of Zander’s guys grabbed Finn.
“Why?” I asked, not realizing I had said it out loud.
“Because the world is cruel,” Zander said. “Lovely Shayna, you know that. You’ve seen it. He doesn’t belong here. He’s the outcast. And he’s going to suffer for it.”
The Fist went after Finn again. I watched with horror.
What was this guy trying to prove?
I was quick to find out.
As The Fist swung, Finn was ready. At the last second, he turned and threw the guy on his right into the firing lane. The Fist hit Zander’s guy and sent him off his feet. He flipped in the air and landed on his neck. His body instantly began to shake as he either had a broken neck or was slowly dying.
Finn then swung the guy on his left. He brought him into view and punched him in the face, sending him down. Finn set his sights on The Fist then, taking everyone off guard. Nobody expected it. Especially Zander.
Finn landed punch after punch to The Fist. He dodged every attempted punch and landed two of his own. When he brought The Fist to his knees, Finn didn’t let up. The lefts and rights were perfect with precision. This guy wasn’t some punk street fighter. He wasn’t some asshole who had a few beers and wanted a bar fight. He was professional. He was good. He was… beautiful.
With one last punch, Finn sent The Fist down and out. He then spun and pointed right to Zander. Or maybe he was pointing to me.
“Okay,” Zander said. “Now kill him.”
With that command, something inside me snapped. Next thing I knew, I was running away from Zander. Running to the steps. Charging down the steps. There were two guys blocking the bottom of the steps. They smiled, knowing they weren’t going to let me through. I was half their size and I had no skill in fighting. But I did have something that could take their mind off their jobs for a second.
I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and lifted.
I flashed the guys and then ran into them, bumping them out of the way like they were feathers. My cheeks burned red as I hated myself for doing that.
I worked through the crowd and ran right into the middle of the circle. The crowd yelled, cheered, cursed at Finn, cheered for Finn.
None of that mattered.
Zander was going to kill him if he didn’t get the hell out of there.
“Oh, look,” he said, wiping blood from his mouth, “it’s my fucking prize.”
I hooked my arm to his. “Run!”
We moved and Zander’s guys started to come through the crowd after us.
I tried to break away from Finn but he pulled at me.
He wanted me to go with him.
~
“Do you have a gun?” Finn asked.
We were on the side of the building. I pointed to myself. “Where do you think I’d hide it?” I asked.
“I can name a few places, sweetie.”
“You’re a pig.”
“You’re my prize.”
“They’re going to kill you. No matter what.”
“Watch me,” Finn said.
He crept forward. I lingered behind him.
Two men came running out the backdoor. Finn wasted no time in running up behind the guy and punching him in the back of the head. He then grabbed the guy’s arm, twisted it, and stole his gun. He shot the guy in the leg and the guy collapsed. When the other guy turned, Finn shot him in the shoulder, sending him stumbling back and down.
He was insane…
“I have a truck,” Finn said. “Straight back there.” He pointed. “Keys are in my pocket. That’s my way out. What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not coming with me, sweetie.”
“I put my ass on the line for you, Finn.”
“You don’t know me, Shayna,” he said. “You don’t want to know me.”
A bullet zinged off the ground, sending pebbles of pavement at us.
Finn jumped back and wrapped an arm around me. He pulled me close to him and we started to run, our bodies touching. My breasts pressed against his side. His arm was so tight around me. The steel touch of his muscles pounded against me against the random gunfire.
As we approached Finn’s truck, a man stood there.
Vale.
That made Finn put the brakes on.
Finn turned, stepped back, and then put me in front of him. He then put the gun to my head.
“I’ll shoot,” he said.
“What the hell?” I yelled.
“Whoa, whoa,” Vale said. “Just go back in and talk to Zander. Let Shayna go and let’s settle it like men.”
“No,” Finn said. “I’m out of here. Get the fuck away from my ride.”
“No,” Vale said. “You hit me with a chair, buddy.”
“You squeezed my head,” Finn said.
“Both of you shut up,” I said. I glanced to my right and a guy was running toward us. “Finn… to the right…”
Finn moved fast. He pointed the gun, shot, and then put it right back at me.
“Christ,” Vale said. “Who the hell are you?”
“Tell your boss not to fuck with me,” he said. “I’ll return my prize when I’m done with her.”