His threat was ridiculous. There was a surprised laugh in my throat, a comeback rising in response to his shitty challenge. I'd always been easy to rile up. “Big words fo—”
Jacob's leg swung out, slamming into my thigh. Stumbling, I grunted at the burst of pain. It was centered where he'd hit, radiating out and leaving a moment of numbness.
In disbelief, I glared at him. Opening my mouth to joke back had put my guard down.
That had been his fucking plan.
He always said he knew me well; he was right.
“Well?” he asked, staring at me between his raised arms. “You're still sure?”
“Yeah.” Breathing deep, my eyes fixed on him and didn't waver. “Now I am. Thanks for cinching my decision.”
I sank into the calming void that protected me before I killed. I shouldn't have been feeling this, not with Jacob. He wasn't supposed to be on the other side of this—this monster in me.
But Marina deserved a chance.
Curling his fingers, my best friend watched me closely. He had no more words, that was good. We'd tried talking, it had led us here.
Jacob circled to the left, balanced. Calm. Nothing stirred but the blue in his eyes. More than seeing his intensity, I felt it.
Standing there, shielded in my tense knot, I knew exactly what he was doing. Jacob the planner, he was expecting me to make the first move.
In my mind's eye, I counted down. I saw each number. I wanted to wait him out, I needed to gauge how long it'd take for him to grow impatient.
Jacob's mouth eased into a sideways smirk. He stopped moving, taking me in with new appreciation.
That's right, I thought to myself. I can be just as relaxed as you. Now what? Guess you'll have to adapt. Crouching, my legs shoved me forward. I was going to grab him by the middle, throw him to the mat.
Slippery as ice, the other man spun away. His fist jammed into my ribs, stealing my air. But if he thought that was enough to take me down, he was wrong.
Wrenching my fingers into the front of his shirt, I pulled him towards me, threw us both to the ground. His small grunt of surprise was encouraging. If I stayed ahead of him, I could beat Jacob.
I could fucking win.
Under me, he flexed so he could shove me off. Hooking my leg, I tangled his knees, pulled my forearm under his chin. Choking him out was the key. I was ready to hear him slamming his palm into the mat in defeat.
Fingers covered in tape jammed upwards, catching my arm before it could close on his neck.
The wedge stopped me from cutting off his air.
We tumbled, his legs rolling us over and over. My insides spun when he flipped me, reversing our positions, crushing me under him. I caught a fleeting glimpse of his expression:
Rage.
Jacob was furious that we were doing this. He hated this situation, maybe even hated me. I'd dragged him here, even if he had been the one to suggest we spar.
But he had to feel some of what I did for Marina.
He just had to.
If he does, why is he fighting me so hard?
On my back, I worked to dislodge him. His elbow rammed my guts, my empty stomach threatening to spew bile. This wasn't a fight with rules, we were already breaking down the single one we had. Our anger came from a foundation of fractured desires.
He wanted Marina gone to cement our safety.
I wanted her by my side to fill my heart.
“Fuck,” I hissed, wrenching my foot under me for leverage. Nothing moved him. Jacob was an avalanche, smothering me without care or thought. If I didn't do something, I was going to blackout.
The edge of my vision went crunchy—like bugs were chewing at the colors. Through grey and purple flashes, my oxygen depleting, I saw her; Marina.
Her sparkling smile, the way her skin glowed like ancient bronze beneath a smith's hammer. She had a voice that could distract me with its thickness, and her laugh... the few times she'd laughed, it had made me float.
The memory of the gun range floated to the surface.
How she'd held up her fingers, watching me through the diamond shape they'd made, beaming in joyous delight.
Marina... she'd gotten into my world so firmly.
With her flushed cheeks in my mind's eye, I swelled with a rush of strength.
One chance.
That was all she had.
It was all I needed.
Jacob's grip suddenly went slack. It was the opening I'd been hoping for.
He cried out, not ready for the back of my skull to ratchet into his nose. The noise was gruesome, wet and gristly. He let go, stumbling off and rolling away. I copied him, twisting to the other side of the mat.
Sitting up on my knees, I breathed in the fresh air until it burned. My lungs hated me, but seeing Jacob's face... I believe he hated me more.
This day was full of new experiences.
Holding his nose, he glared at me with disbelief, a fury that turned his blue eyes into scalding poison. My urge to apologize bubbled up.
He spoke first, looking at the blood on his hand when he pulled it away. “You're a real piece of work,” he murmured. Crimson stained his tight smile. “Does it look broken?”