by Lane Hart
My eyes begin to get heavy, so eventually I fall asleep waiting for Cain.
When I wake up to a sweet, flowery scent, I find a single long-stemmed red rose, minus the thorns, lying next to me on my pillow where Cain’s supposed to be.
That bastard, I think to myself with a smile as I twirl the stem between my fingers and bring the rose to my nose to inhale my favorite, familiar scent.
So, he snuck in to give me a flower but didn’t stay? What exactly was the point of that?
Although the more I think about it, the flower is sweet and is something a boyfriend would do, not a brother or a friend.
Is that what Cain’s trying to say? He can be such a stubborn ass sometimes. Why can’t he just tell me how he feels about me?
I’m tired of all the mixed signals and him ignoring me since he moved out, so tomorrow I plan on finally confronting him.
…
Cain
Today’s my first official day training for an actual fight. And what does Vaughan, our coach, do? He puts me in the ring to spar with Robbie fucking Kelly. I want to punch that asshole so bad, but the problem is the fucker still has at least thirty pounds on me and years of experience winning most of his fights. Hitting Robbie is unlikely, but I still try my damnedest.
All I’m capable of is grazing him with jabs before getting knocked on my ass, over and over again until I’m too weak to stand without the support of the ropes.
Robbie comes over and pokes a finger in my chest that I knock away.
“Keep your hands off my sister,” he warns me.
“Now you…decide…to be a…decent fucking…brother?” I ask through gasping breaths.
“I’ve always done what’s best for her!” Robbie yells.
“Bullshit!” I throw back in his face when I pull myself up on the ropes. “How much did you sell her for?”
His blue eyes cut to the side and his jaw clenches. “I did what I had to do for both of us to survive,” he grits out in response.
“Like selling me out to Mario to keep her off the stage?” I ask.
“It was the best I could come up with,” he replies with a shrug of indifference for ruining my future. “My half plus your half is what it will take.”
“Fuck you,” I spit before I start to walk past him. His hand shoves my chest backward into the ropes again.
“Not so fast. We need to have a talk,” he says.
“Then fucking talk!” I yell.
“You can’t have Gabby.”
“Like hell, I can’t!” I challenge. “I’m the one who just gave up everything to be with her! All I’ve been waiting for is her to turn eighteen.”
“No,” he says with a shake of his head. “You gave up everything to keep her clothes on her. That’s it. End of story.”
“No fucking way,” I reply through gritted teeth. I will not bust my ass while fucking my hands up and not finally be with Gabby after her birthday. That’s the only reason I’ve been able to keep my hands off of her this long, waiting for her to be legal before I do all the nasty things I want to do to her. Knowing her since we were kids, it just doesn’t seem right with her still in high school and only seventeen. While I know I’m not good enough for her, I just can’t stand the idea of her with anyone else.
“You wanna bet?” Robbie asks with an arched eyebrow.
“Yeah, I do,” I tell him. “It’s not your decision; it’s hers!”
“That would normally be the case, but I know what you were running from as a kid. In exchange for selling you out, Mario told me everything about what happened when Scarfone took you in from the street,” Robbie tells me with a smirk.
“Liar.” He has to be bluffing, trying to scare me. I’ve never told a single soul about what I did, not even Scarfone.
“Pyro,” he counters, making me freeze in fear. “The question I have for you is, was the fire an accident, or did you set it on purpose?” he asks. “Either way, a man’s dead, and it’s all your fault. The police won’t give a shit.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply, barely hearing myself over the sound of blood rushing through my ears. He knows. How the fuck does he know?
“I think you do. And if you don’t want me turning you into the police, then you better keep your dick in your pants and away from Gabby. She deserves a fuck of a lot better than your sorry ass bringing her down.”
No. There’s no way I can give her up. She’s the only good thing I’ve ever had in my life, and I love her too much to stay away from her. But this…if he turns me in, I’ll go to prison for years. And Gabby would probably be so disgusted that she would never see me the same, even if I did get released before I was old as fuck.
“If I’m the one protecting her, then I’m going to be in her life,” I demand.
“You can be in her life. But if you fuck around with her, I’ll know, and you’ll be sorry!”
“I was wrong about you,” I tell him. “All this time I thought you were a piece of shit, but now I know the truth — you’re a fucking worthless cunt who doesn’t deserve to live.”
His fist lands on my jaw so hard he puts me on the goddamn ground. While I struggle to push myself up off the canvas, Robbie slams his foot into my ribs, knocking all the air out of me.
“If you tell Gabby I sold her, I’ll fucking kill you,” he warns as he glares down at me. “And believe me, no one would miss you.”
Chapter Nine
Gabby
The door chimes when I walk into Classic Ink looking for Cain after school. He was so damn excited about working here that I can’t wait to see him in his element.
Although he’s been mentoring under Domino for a few years now, he won’t be able to ink anyone just yet, not until he gets all of his applications approved. Starting out, he’ll probably work on sketching designs for Dom. Still, just being here in this building is a great step forward in his future.
“Hi ya, Gabby,” Domino says when he steps out from the back room wearing jeans and a black AC/DC tee.
“Hey! Is Cain busy? I just wanted to ask him how things are going and see if he’s set up shop yet.”
“Ah, no,” Dom replies, reaching up to tug on his long beard that nearly comes down to his chest.
“Great, so I can go on back?” I ask excitedly.
“No, Gabby. I meant Cain’s not here. You can probably find him at the gym,” Domino says, his lips tugging down into a frown behind all of his facial hair.
“The gym?” I repeat.
“Yeah, sorry,” he mutters before shuffling toward the back room. “I’ve gotta get back to my client. Good seeing you, little girl.”
“Yeah, you too,” I mumble in confusion as he walks away.
Why is Cain at the freakin’ gym? He should be here, drawing, learning to ink, doing what he loves.
Unsure of what’s going on, I walk out the door and head for the rundown warehouse where all the guys train.
Just inside, I stand and watch Cain and Knox going at each other hard with just bare fists taped up.
What the fuck?
Why isn’t Cain wearing gloves to protect his hands? He’s usually so careful not to injure them that it just doesn’t make sense…
Storming over, I climb into the ring, stopping the fight when I ask him, “What the hell are you doing here? Why aren’t you at Domino’s?”
“Hello to you, too, sweet cheeks,” Knox calls out from the opposite corner. Used to his mouth after living with him for years, I flip him my middle finger without taking my eyes off of Cain.
“Get out of here, Gabby,” Cain mutters. “We’ll talk later.”
“Later when?” I reply. “You haven’t talked to me in days! And while the roses are sweet, what would be better is actual words from your mouth!”
Cain lowers his eyes, refusing to look at me, so I turn around and stomp over to Knox.
“What’s going on with him?” I ask with my hands on my hips.
“He’s fighting. Why is that
news?” Knox replies with a shrug of his bare shoulders.
“I don’t understand. All he’s ever wanted to do was draw and tattoo…”
“Maybe he wants to win a few fights and finally get his dick wet before it falls off,” Knox says with a chuckle.
“Oh, my God,” I mutter in disgust. My stomach flips at the mere thought of Cain with some other woman, making me want to throw up.
Storming back across the ring, I give Cain a shove to his sweaty chest. “Are you seriously doing this to get laid?” I ask.
“Yeah, Gabby. I decided that pussy makes it all worth getting my ass kicked and messing up my hands,” he replies. “Now get the fuck out of here before I throw you out!”
While I may be used to Cain’s temper and attitude, he’s never spoken to me like this before.
“Why are you being such a dick?” I ask him in confusion. Grabbing his clammy face between my palms, I force his dark eyes to look at me. “Are you too macho for me now?”
“Give me a second,” Cain grumbles to Knox before my feet leave the ground. By the time I realize what’s happening, I’m being chucked over his shoulder and hauled out of the building like a sack of potatoes.
“Put me down, you asshole!” I shout at him while smacking his muscular back with my balled-up fists.
Once we clear the truck bay and are on the far edge of the lot, Cain lowers me down until I’m standing.
Leaning down to get in my face, he says, “Please, Gabby. I’m begging you not to come back here or ask me questions that I can’t answer, okay?”
“Why can’t you answer them?” I immediately reply, making him growl and grab my shoulders to shake them.
“This…this is what I’m talking about. For once in your fucking life, could you just let it go?”
…
Cain
I should’ve thought this through more.
Gabby knows me better than anyone. She knows how badly I wanted to design tattoos and ink them for a living. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, so trying to explain to her why I gave that up to fight is gonna be hard. I can’t tell her that I’m doing it for her. She’ll throw a fit, go to Mario, and cause even more problems for me and for herself.
“You owe me an explanation for fucking up your hands, and I’m not leaving until I get one!” Gabby yells back at me, her face turning red because of her fury on my behalf. It’s so fucking sweet that I could kiss her. But I can’t.
“Baby, please don’t do this. Fighting was my decision, and now it’s done,” I tell her. When she reels back, I cringe as I replay the words I’ve just said.
“Baby?” she repeats, saying it like it’s a filthy swear word. “Coming from any other man I would assume that’s a term of endearment, but from you, it’s just a reminder of how you continue to treat me like I’m a child!”
“You are a child,” I reply, causing her jaw to drop in an indignant scoff. “At least for a few more months,” I tack on.
“Screw you,” she says with another shove to my chest. When she starts to stomp away angrily, I grab her arm not just to stop her but to yank her against me to feel her curves pressed to my body, even if it’s only for a moment.
“You can’t leave until I tell you our news,” I whisper in her ear softly to calm her down.
Looking up at me from mere inches away, she huffs, “What other news is there other than you throwing away your future?”
“We’ve got an apartment.”
“What? How?” she asks with her forehead creased. “Robbie said the fighters have to live in the dorms.”
Dorms is a nice term for them. Hell on Earth would be better. There’s no air conditioning or heat, just rows of bunk beds, a nasty communal shower, no television or entertainment of any kind to keep fighters focused on one and only one thing — winning.
“Me, Knox and Ivan got an exception,” I explain. “We’re moving in next weekend.”
“Good for you. I’m sure there will be sluts galore and fun had by all,” she grumbles, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.
“There’s not much you can do about that,” I reply. “At least not until your birthday.”
“What do you mean?” she asks in confusion with her brow furrowed.
“You don’t want to live with three guys? Can’t say I blame you. Ivan and Knox snore, and I’m messy…”
Blue eyes widening, she says, “Wait. You want me to live with you?”
“Yes, but only if you’ll stop fucking yelling at me,” I tell her with a grin.
With a squeal of delight, Gabby throws her arms around my neck. Glad to have an excuse to wrap her in my arms, I hug her tightly, inhaling her sweet, floral scent for as long as I can. The whole time I’m holding her I remember Robbie’s goddamn threat, making me hate him even more.
“I’ve gotta get back in there,” I tell her when I reluctantly pull away. It’s not a good idea for more people than necessary to know she’s my biggest weakness. I only trust Ivan and Knox, because I know they would always have my back like I have theirs. But if Robbie thinks Gabby and I were becoming more than friends, I’m fucked.
“Fine,” Gabby says with a sigh. “It’s not the same without you at home. When are you gonna stop by?”
“Soon,” I promise, even though I know I won’t be sneaking in her bed at night. It’s too hard on me.
Literally.
Sleeping with Gabby is too much temptation that I can’t afford to let myself give in to. Especially since she’s been taking her clothes off.
I haven’t climbed in bed to sleep with her because I’ve noticed. Fuck, have I noticed! It’s the reason I only stop by for a moment. Or just a little bit longer.
The sheets slipped down the other night while she was sleeping, revealing her pale breasts in the darkness. I swear I stood there and stared for half an hour, arguing with myself about if I should leave or stay. My dick wanted me to touch her, but my head made my feet turn around and leave.
Vaughan, our trainer, doesn’t allow us to fuck or jerk off during the weeks leading up to a fight. He says a release lowers our aggression. Orgasms apparently relax the muscles, making our legs and punches weak as fuck. Vaughan tells us that sex is a reward that we only get if we win in the cage, and so Mario holds us to that shit.
“Okay,” Gabby agrees while shyly pushing a lock of long, blond hair behind her ear. “You better come by, or I’ll keep showing up here in just my shorts and sports bra.”
“If you do that, I’ll spank your ass until it’s black and blue,” I warn her without even thinking. “I mean," I add quickly, "it’s too damn cold for that shit.”
“Maybe I’ll do it then,” she replies with a grin full of challenge before she walks away, swaying her hips in a hypnotic way I can barely resist.
Chapter Ten
Cain
Ivan shoots in and takes me to the mat so fast I can barely even blink. The next second he has me in a headlock, and I have no choice but to tap out on his arm pressed to my throat.
When he lets me go, both of us stay kneeling on the mat to catch our breath.
“Did you just get lucky…” I start to ask before lowering my voice. “Or do you lose fights on purpose?”
“No idea what you’re talking about,” he replies, always a man of few words.
“Your ground game is better than you let on. Why not kick ass in the cage?” I continue to prod.
“What does it matter?” he replies with a shrug. “Win or lose I’m stuck here, and not by choice.”
“Hey, man, I get it,” I tell him. “But some of us can’t afford to lose.”
“What’s Mario holding over you?” he narrows his hazel eyes to ask. “Let me guess, Gabby?”
“Fuck yes,” I groan. “All thanks to her brother,” I add, glaring in Robbie’s direction. He’s in the ring with Knox, and I’m happy to see my boy is going on the offensive, giving the asshole a run for his money.
“That’s messed up,” Ivan remarks.
“Tell me about it.”
“What if you lose?” he asks.
“Gabby’s fucked, literally,” I explain through gritted teeth.
“No wonder you’ve been putting in so many hours training. I feel sorry for the poor bastard who has to fight you tomorrow. Who is it again? Wade?” he asks, glancing around the gym looking for the big oaf.
“Yeah. What if I lose?” I question. That’s what I’ve been asking myself for weeks now. It’s the reason I barely sleep.
“You’re not going to lose. Just keep your head in the fight. Don’t let your mind get all caught up in the what ifs.”
“Easier said than done,” I tell him.
“You need to stop going to see her at night,” he says.
“No idea what you’re talking about,” I reply, throwing his own line back at him.
“When you sneak out that late, where else are you going? For a two a.m. run? Come on, man. I know you’re not fucking her, so why do you go?”
“I just…I have to check on her,” I answer honestly, pulling up the tape on my left hand.
“She’s fine at the house. You know that. And the more you see her, the more fucked up you’ll be for this fight.”
“You’re probably right,” I agree, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go see Gabby again tonight. It’s the few minutes of my day that I always look forward to, the reason I drag my ass through hours of conditioning and training. Everything I do is for her; and as a reward, I need to see her to give me the strength to get up and endure the torture all over again the next day.
“Now get your ass back to work,” Ivan says standing up and getting into the starting position, snapping me out of my musings.
“Why do you give a shit about busting ass training if you’re gonna lose?” I ask in confusion when I get to my feet and we circle each other, both of us waiting for an opening to take the other down.
“Because I’m not training to fight,” he answers. “I’m training to kill.”
“What the fuck?” I straighten in surprise, and Ivan takes advantage of the distraction he caused, sweeping my leg out and taking me down. He has me in another chokehold a few minutes later, forcing me to tap out yet again.
