by Erin Trejo
12
Skye
I held tightly to Brick not wanting to say goodbye to him. It doesn’t feel real. None of this does. Keaton drove and drove only stopping for gas and the bathroom. He tried to get me to eat but my stomach is still far too shaken up for that. He hasn’t spoken much aside from that. He’s been on his phone when we stop but really doesn’t speak to me. I find myself wondering if I made the right choice coming with him. Truthfully, I can’t say that I really wanted to go with Brick although he did say that I wouldn’t have to travel. I’m not sure what all of this means. The bike begins to slow as we pull off the highway. I think we’re somewhere in Texas. The night is cool as he takes a dirt road that looks well traveled. I can hear the booming of music and cheers the closer we get to wherever he’s going. My hands tighten around his waist when I see all the cars and bikes that are lining the dirt parking area. What the hell is this place? Keaton parks and climbs off, holding his hand out to help me off. He pulls his helmet off my head and sets it on the seat.
“Remind me tomorrow we need to get another helmet,” he says gruffly as I run my hands through my hair. Keaton doesn’t watch me like he normally does and for some reason that hurts a little.
“What’s this place?” Keaton lights up a cigarette and blows out a ring of smoke.
“There’s gonna be some shit you see in here and I need you to focus. You ain’t gonna like ninety percent of what you see or what happens but it has to happen. You get me?” Shaking my head, I have no fucking clue what he’s talking about. What the hell is going to happen in there?
“Keaton, I…” My voice trails off as he scratches his jaw, his cigarette hanging between his lips.
“I can’t touch my bank accounts, Skye. I have to make money somehow.” Raising an eyebrow he continues, “Illegal fightin’. I have to go in there and fight for money. I need you to stay focused and whoever I tell you to fuckin’ stand with, you stand with, yeah?” Oh my God. No. He can’t do this! How the hell can he do this?
“What if you don’t win?” His eyes flash darker in the matter of seconds.
“I have no other choice. I need to know you can handle yourself when we get in there. They see one sign of weakness and I won’t be the only one fightin’.” My stomach trembles as he looks at me intently. He wants to know that I can handle it. Hell, he’s going to fight with a bullet hole through his arm for fucks sake! He’s going to fight to keep me safe. This is a goddamn mess.
“What if I just go home?” His brows furrow as he stares into my eyes.
“That what you want?”
“I don’t know, Keaton! It just seems like the right choice. You’re out here doing God knows what to keep me safe and for what?” I nearly squeal as I yell.
“We don’t know who it is that’s after you,” he reminds me.
“I know that! Fuck!” I tug at my hair my when he steps closer, flicking his cigarette to the ground. He grabs my face in his hands and stares in my eyes making me squirm.
“What if you go back and it’s your dad?” His eyes dance between mine, rage and anger simmering in the depths.
“I don’t know. Why would he want me dead? It doesn’t make sense.” Keaton’s hands fall away quickly and I watch as he takes a step back.
“You wanna go home? Say the fuckin’ words before I go in here and risk my goddamn life for you!” He snaps loudly. There aren’t many people outside but the ones that are look over at us.
“I don’t want you getting hurt over me!”
“Look at me, Skye!” He growls throwing his hands out to the sides. “I’m doin’ this for you! I’m doin’ this to protect you!”
“Because I’m your job!” I scream back at him waiting for him to admit it but when he fires back, it isn’t what I thought he was going to say.
“No! It’s because over the last few months I’ve been with you, I like it! I like when you’re around. I like when you piss me off to the point I want to bend your ass over and spank the fuck outta you. I like how fuckin’ delusional you are at times!” The silence between us lingers.
“You like when I piss you off?” I ask with my lips quirked slightly.
“More than I should. I’m not like you. I don’t have the name with money behind it. I don’t have family I can run home to. I have me and this life. I’ve never wanted to settle down. I never wanted to find someone that was more like me than I’d fuckin’ realize and I sure as shit didn’t wanna find someone that could push me to my breakin’ point but I found you. Yeah, you were my fuckin’ job the day I stepped foot into that shit town but now? Now it’s different.” Stepping into my space his hands come back to my cheeks, pulling me closer to him.
“Now I wanna see you when I wake up. Now I wanna hold you when I fall asleep. I wanna know what makes you laugh and smile. I want that little stubborn ass of yours to give me shit when I say somethin’ or piss you off.”
“You do?” My eyes glisten with tears as I stare into his. I may not know what I’m doing but I sure as hell want to do it with him.
“So, tell me princess, you gonna do what you’re told or you wanna run home to daddy?” His hands slide around to the back of my neck, jerking my face to his. His warm breath tickles my skin before his kiss ignites my body. I lean into him, trying to get as close as I can.
“No one has ever said that to me before.”
“What part? That you’re a pain in the ass?” he chuckles making me smile back at him.
“Any of it. I’ll do whatever you say, Keaton.” His lips touch mine and an explosion inside my body goes off. Everything about him turns me on. I have to admit that even when he’s being a complete asshole, I still find something about him sexier than I should. Keaton pulls back and looks at me as if he wants to say something but he doesn’t.
“Let’s go get this over with.” Grabbing my hand in his he leads me toward the door, nodding at a few guys that loiter outside. No one bats an eye as we walk inside and the reality of what’s happening in here slams into me so hard I nearly fall to the floor. In the center of the room is a homemade boxing ring. The men inside are completely covered with blood from head to toe. The gasp that comes out of me doesn’t go unnoticed by Keaton as he pulls me in closer to his side. I can’t stop staring at the gruesome scene in front of me.
“Breathe,” he leans in and whispers so I can hear him. I try but this is insane. People scream and cheer, women with small kids hanging off their hips roar louder than the men. Keaton keeps pulling us through the crowd. My heart wants to burst from my chest. Keaton stops at the bar and calls out a few orders before asking for whoever is in charge. The girl smiles at him, licking her lips before motioning for him to follow her. He grabs a shot off the counter and tosses it back quickly before following her to the end of the bar.
“Who the hell is she?” the girl asks nodding toward me.
“My old lady,” Keaton replies shutting her up instantly. She nods her head and steps back ushering through the door. My chest tightens as what’s about to happen runs wild in my mind. I don’t know that I want to see him fight anyone. It’s a scary thought now that I’ve seen what these people are capable of. I don’t say anything as Keaton pulls me along with him down the dimly lit hallway. Nerves shake me to the core but I have to have faith that Keaton knows what he’s doing.
“Mr. Johnson. New guy,” the girl says flipping her hair over her shoulder as she smirks at the man behind the desk. He eyes Keaton up and down, taking in his cut before looking in his eyes.
“What do you need?” The man asks, his gruff tone sending chills down my spine.
“Need a fight. Got a situation that needs to be handled under the table.” The guy nods his head and waves the girl out of the room. She closes the door behind her when the man stands up from his seat.
“Brian,” he says extending his hand to Keaton. Releasing his hold on me, he steps forward and takes it in his. “Keaton.”
“Nomad, huh?” Brian says eyeing his cut once more.
/> “Yeah. Not from around here but like I said, can’t be close to home just yet.” The man nods his head his eyes coming to me.
“Your old lady?”
“Yeah, she’s mine.”
“Reason you’re in this mess?” Keaton nods his head and suddenly I feel like shit again. This is all my fault.
“She’s a DeLuca,” Brian says firmly. Both Keaton and I look at him at the same time. Keaton’s fist ball at his sides like he’s ready to fight.
13
Keaton
Fuck! Fuck! I knew there was a risk of bringing her here but what the fuck else was I supposed to do? I couldn’t leave her on her own after what happened at her house. This wasn’t the smartest either I guess.
“Calm down,” Brian chuckles as he glares at my fisted hands. “DeLuca’s are hated amongst this set.” Oh, yeah, that really calms my fucking nerves when Skye is a goddamn DeLuca!
“That makes me feel so much fuckin’ better,” I snap at him. He just laughs.
“Give me the story and I’ll see if I believe you,” he says dropping into his leather chair.
“I was offered a protection job. She was the job. Don’t know who the fuck is after her or why but they came at her personally. Car bomb and drive-by,” I tell him. He glances at the hole that’s slowly stopped bleeding in my arm and nods at it.
“That the shootout?”
“Yeah. Made the choice after that to go under.”
“And that’s how you ended up his old lady?” the question is thrown at Skye. She looks to me quickly before straightening her spine.
“Yes. I don’t know who it is that’s after me but I left not wanting anything to do with that life. I knew what my role would be in that family and I wanted no part of it. I’ve lived on my own for years until Keaton showed up,” she says with her head held high. Fuck, she makes my cock hard just watching her in action.
“You want the fight? It’s yours. Next one up. There are a few hotels in town that we’re good with if you want me to get you set up for after the fight. Wouldn’t stick around more than a few days but you can head out to Cali next and I’ll have you another fight set up and a place to crash. I’ll get my team on it if that’s all good with you,” he offers. I’ve never been to this particular fight club but I’ve been to a few in my day. Never had to actually fight in any of them though. This is a new one for me.
“Sounds good to me. Appreciate the help, man,” I tell him extending my hand and shaking his once again.
“No problem. What’s your last name?”
“Xavier, why?” narrowing my eyes at him, his gaze moves to Skye’s.
“While you’re here and probably until shit’s over, you’re his wife. Skye Xavier. You aren’t a fucking DeLuca in this place if you want to walk out alive, got me?” I glance over at Skye as she nods her head.
“Dressing rooms down the hall. You can go down there and wait, someone will come get you when it’s your turn. She’ll be up front on the left. Special seats for the wives.” I nod my head and thank him once more before grabbing Skye’s hand and leading her out of the office. Her hand twitches slightly in mine and I know her nerves are firing off one by one. I can’t say that I’m far behind on that front. I know how to fight and some would say I’m good at it but this is a whole different world of fighting. This is a ring where there are no rules. You can do as you please and that’s the part that bothers me. I’m not a huge man but I’m solid enough.
“Are you nervous?” Skye asks pressing her body closer to mine.
“A little.” Holding the door open to the dressing room, Skye walks in first with me right behind. There are a few other guys in here just messing around and warming up. I eye each one wondering if that’s who I’ll be fighting. I know they don’t tell you ahead of time but they always make sure they give one hell of a fight so I don’t doubt that I will be up against someone bigger than I am. I pull Skye into the corner of the room and push her against the wall. My lips claim hers as if this may be the last time and to be truthful, it may be. You never know what can happen in this sort of fight and that’s nagging at me.
“I need you to listen to me good right now,” I tell her resting my forehead against hers.
“Whatever happens out there, I need you to stay calm and not draw attention to yourself. Whatever you see, just…fuck, stay calm, yeah?”
“This is a bad idea, Keaton.”
“This is the only choice we have right now. If somethin’ happens to me, you run. You get somewhere and you call Brick to come get you, you understand me?” She shakes her head, tears slowly building in her eyes. I grab her face in my hands and force her to keep eye contact with me. I need this. I need her to understand me right now.
“You fuckin’ call him and you hide until he gets to you, understand me? I can’t go out there and worry about you, Skye. I need to know that if somethin’ happens and I don’t win this shit that you’re safe. Tell me you can do that for me?” I’m practically begging her and I don’t give a damn. I can’t put my focus into winning if I’m worrying about her. This is a game of life and death in its true form. Fist to fist, one of us is going down and death in these matches isn’t unheard of. I’ve saw it happen, I know what the outcome will be.
“You’re hurt though, Keaton. That gives you a disadvantage.” I chuckle a little.
“Thanks for the confidence, babe.” Skye rolls her eyes and makes me smile.
“You know what I meant,” she says softly this time. Running my fingers along her jaw, I lift her face once more.
“I know. I’ll be fine. When this is over we’re gonna hit the hotel, take a fuckin’ long hot shower and I’m gonna make you come so many times you forget who are and why we’re doin’ this, okay?” Skye giggles a little but nods her head. It makes my heart swell with pride knowing that she believes in me. I’ve never had a lot of that and it can’t say that I don’t like it either. My cell rings in my pocket and I quickly grab it and pull it out.
“Yeah?”
“Keaton,” she says softly.
“Beverly? You okay?” Skye pulls her face away from me as I listen.
“Yeah. I’m in Texas, Keaton. I think I messed up.”
“You think? What’s goin’ on? Where the fuck are you?”
“Hell Bound MC,” she says even softer this time. What the fuck is she doing with them?
“Goddamn it, Beverly! What the hell were you thinkin’?”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to end up here! I was hitching a ride and the Nomad asshole brought me here and left! There wasn’t anything I could do,” she cries into the line. I run my free hand down my face frustrated to all hell. I don’t need this right now on top of everything else.
“Goddamn it! Are you good for the night? You know I don’t want you there at all but I’m kinda fucked right now, Beverly.” Skye watches me intently not knowing what the hell is going on aside from me talking to another women. I’m sure that pisses her off, in fact, I know it is I can see the look in her eyes.
“I’ll lay low tonight. There’s a few girls are that okay here.”
“Good. Stay out of sight as much as you can and call me tomorrow mornin’. If I could get out of this shit I would come for you now but I can’t,” I tell her knowing in my heart that things could turn ugly for her over there. I’m not on good terms with Hell Bound and haven’t been in years. I fucking despise everything about those bastards.
“Okay. I will. I’m sorry, Keaton,” she cries softly into the line. I close my eyes tightly.
“Don’t be sorry, Beverly. This is my fault. I should have taken you myself but I didn’t. Fuck! Just stay out of sight,” I tell her again.
“I love you, Keaton.”
“I love you too, babe.” The line goes dead as Skye’s mouth hangs open.
“It’s not what you think,” I tell her my anger slowly seeping into my pores. I’m beyond pissed that someone would dump her there of all places but fuck!
“Beverly’s not a
female?” She asks cocking her eyebrow up.
“She is.”
“So it is what I’m thinking. God! How fucking stupid could I be? I should have gone with Brick! You, fuck, you just used me and some other girl on the side too, huh?” She screams each word louder than the last and begins to piss me off. I reach for her but she moves out of the way. I lower my head and place my hands on my hips before turning to look at her again. Betrayal and anger dance across her pretty features.
“You wanna let me explain?” I hiss between my teeth a slight attitude slipping through being a slight dick.
“Explain what? That your dick belongs in your pants not your personality? You jerk me around like a fucking toy and have someone else on the side? I’m not some side piece you can just play with, Keaton!”
“Can you stop?” I ask needing to finish what I’m saying but she doesn’t.
“I can’t handle this shit!”
“If you can’t handle this shit then maybe you should head over to the sweet section where you can ride unicorns and lick lollipops instead! This is life, Skye! Pay attention!” snapping at her, she takes a step back, the edge of her lips curling into a slight grin.
“Fuck you,” she grinds her teeth. I take a step into her space and lean in closely.
“Fuck me? I plan on fuckin’ you when this is over with and if you think you can stop me, kill me.” Crashing my lips against hers, I take what I want from her. I need this before I step foot in that ring. I need my head clear and I need to be focused.
“You realize people like you are the reason we have middle fingers,” she snaps at me. Just as I pull back so I can tell her about Beverly, the door flies open.
“Keaton and Matthews, you’re up!” Fuck!
14
Skye
I want to know who this bitch is. I want to know what the hell is going on but most of all I don’t want to watch Keaton get into that ring. My heart is racing faster than it should be and it’s making me uneasy. My cheeks are flushed, I’m too hot and all I can think about is if he doesn’t walk out of that ring on his own. It’ll all be my fault. This whole situation is. Keaton pulls his cut off and passes it to me along with his shirt and other belongings. I tighten my arms around them as he locks eyes with.
