This was the guy who did it. He was finally standing right in front of me.
Luke was back on his feet. The Assassin didn’t wait around again. He was a skilled fighter, rushing right at me. He wiggled his right shoulder as though he was going throw a right fist, but I saw the way his left shoulder tensed up. It was a fake out. I looked at his right shoulder and hand though, letting him think he had me.
I saw the left hook coming from a mile away. I lifted my right hand and blocked his punch. Being cocky with the punch, Luke left the right side of his body open and exposed. I came across his ribs with a hard left. I felt something crack and it wasn’t my knuckles. I then lifted a right elbow to his chin, sending his head snapping back.
Now I had him.
I got him with punch after punch, face, chest, ribs, stomach. I controlled the fight, walking him across the circle. I kept my hands up, always ready for an attack. But I really had Luke reeling. His legs spread and he held a stance. I came down with a right fist that popped his jaw and had him reaching back, looking for the ground.
But then someone reached from the crowd. Someone put something in his hand.
That something I found out a second later.
It was a razor blade.
And Luke swiped at my throat.
41.
(Rose)
I saw it all happening and I couldn’t stop it. Luke going after Wes with a knife or razor or something. Wes reacted fast enough to turn and offer his shoulder. The scream Wes let out was enough to make my blood run icy cold. He stumbled to the right and turned. When I saw his shoulder, I thought I was going to pass out. That was too much too fast.
Luke wasn’t done.
He ran after Wes, the blade in his hand.
This wasn’t allowed. No weapons. No cheating. Did it surprise me that it was happening? Not at all. Nobody would stand up to Luke. The people who threw money down at Wes winning the fight were getting screwed but they all feared Luke. And why not? He was tall, thick with muscle, and had a blade in his hand and a killer’s instinct in his eyes.
I’d rather lose a couple thousand dollars than face Luke.
Luke swiped the blade to Wes’s back, cutting him open again. He then grabbed Wes’s hair and twisted, pulling Wes back. Luke brought his hand around and put the blade to Wes’s throat.
The crowd started to go silent. A second ago they were cheering. But now they understood what they were about to witness.
And that’s when Luke looked at me. He smiled. He wanted me to see it happen.
Wes looked up at me too… my eyes filled with tears as Luke pressed the blade to his throat.
42.
(Wes)
I was not going to die in front of Rose. Not with a razor blade to my throat. Not with Luke’s tight grip. Not in the middle of the circle. Not like Shane.
I’m not going to die.
Yet I was in a bad position.
I looked up to Rose and saw her eyes glistening. Goddamn crying, again. I hated that she cried because it tore through me with a fire that I never knew I had.
The blade pressed against my throat and started to burn.
If I panicked, I’d be dead. If I stood still, Luke would slit my throat.
So I had to move fast and accurate.
My right arm was loose. My left shoulder throbbed as it gushed blood. My body started to feel cold. I was losing too much blood too fast.
I had one chance at this.
In one swift move, I reached up for Luke’s wrist. I pulled him - and the razor blade - away just enough to give me room to throw my head back to his face. There were a million things that could go wrong… except they didn’t. My face smashed against his and his grip lessened on me instantly. I focused on my hand holding his wrist, staring at the razor blade.
Do not lose sight of the weapon…
I kicked back at Luke, hitting him in the knee. He bent and leaned against me. I felt his goddamn breath on my shoulder like he was trying to mount me. I pushed my ass back and flipped him over me. My grip was tight on his wrist and his wrist twisted so hard, he let the razor blade go. It hit the concrete ground… a second before my left fist came down and smashed his face. His head hit the ground hard.
Just like Shane…
Luke’s mouth opened and he picked up his head.
I hit him again.
His head hit the ground again.
I crouched down and started to unleash on him. I let his wrist go and now had both fists to destroy him. The razor blade was within my reach, but I wasn’t going to cut him. Fuck no. I was going to beat him to death.
Just like Shane…
Luke grabbed at my arms, but he had no strength. The blows to his head had him disoriented. He tried to look around, obviously looking for help. I should have taken cue and made sure nobody was there to send a bullet through my head. I just couldn't stop myself though.