by London Casey
“Endo needed help to keep everything nice and quiet. He’d been a client of mine for a long time. It was actually very interesting, you know? To have this high profile guy wanting to slum around here. Wanting to pay fifty bucks to fuck some woman. Dropping a couple hundred on some blow. I knew he must have had a way to get better stuff. But he didn’t. He liked it here. Then he fucked up and got Winter pregnant. So I helped him. In return? I got money and power, Tripp.”
“That’s why you have her?” I asked.
“Exactly,” Dmitry said. “Exactly. See, having Autumn and Andrea gave me more power than I could have imagined. If I needed something done, I called Endo. If he dared to resist…”
“You threatened to kill his kid?”
“No,” Dmitry said. “Endo wanted them dead. I refused. They were worth more alive. Bargaining chips for me. Get it?”
I was shaking now. I knew Endo was a bad guy, but this was something different. He wanted his own child murdered. And that was after he forced Winter to give that child up.
“I promise you,” Dmitry said. “I’ve taken care of Andrea and Autumn. In fact, if Andrea could have lost about ten pounds, gotten better tits, I might have made a run at her.”
“You’re an asshole,” I said. “If you’re not going to fucking shoot me, then get out of my way. I don’t care who you are. Or what you do. I’ll find Autumn and I’ll save her.”
I grabbed the gun and twisted it out of Dmitry’s hand. I tucked it behind me. I put my hand out and shoved Dmitry out of the way.
Autumn had to be close. If she wasn’t, then maybe it was time for Aldo to actually take a stand. I could only do so much right now. My mind cared about finding Autumn, yeah, but my heart and soul focused on Winter.
“Oh, Tripp?”
I stopped and looked back. “What?”
“Don’t go too far. I have a fight for you.”
“Fuck off.”
“You’re going to want to see the prize.”
“The prize?”
Dmitry grinned.
I had enough. I spun and charged at him. As I ran, I saw two more bodyguards appear. We were in a mad dash to see who could get to Dmitry first.
I won and had him by the shirt. I put him against the railing and had him dangling over it a second later. Below us, another fight had started, two thicker guys without shirts on. They had beards, beer bellies, and were throwing wild punches at each other.
“Try me,” I growled. “I’m not afraid of you. Or Skull X. I’m not even afraid of dying.”
“Your prize is Winter,” Dmitry said.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Dmitry turned his head. I looked where he was looking.
And there was Winter, wrists taped together, in front of her body.
I put Dmitry back to his feet.
Winter looked up at me.
I was too distracted to hear anything Dmitry was saying.
And I was too distracted to realize the two bodyguards each had a set of knuckles on… at least not until they swung at me…
~
“We have something really special for you motherfuckers out there!” a voice boomed.
I sat against a wall, touching my ribs. There was definitely at least one rib broken, probably more. At least the bodyguards spared my face this time.
It was a narrow corridor out to the square. The people were cheering, ready to see some bloodshed.
And I was the one who had to do it. I now had to fight to save Winter. If I didn’t, Dmitry was going to keep her and offer her to his guys as a reward. My mind suddenly thought about all the shit Stoney had said. All the shit Skull X would do to her… keep her alive… keep using her…
I had to pull myself to my feet. I had to do this.
I’d fight for Winter. I’d fight for anything to do with her.
Yeah, there was a good chance Skull X were nothing but pieces of shit and they weren’t going to keep their word. Which meant I’d have to do something crazy. I’d have to win this fight, get to Winter, and then start the hell over again. To find Autumn. To make Aldo happy. But most of all… to protect Winter.
One question burned in my mind - how in the hell did she get here?
“I need everyone to throw their money at me. Right now! This is a five-buck-free-for-all!”
I stood with my back to the wall, trying to stretch my side. Pain shot through my ribs. I’d have to mask that pain though. I had no idea who I was fighting, but if he saw it, and he was a half smart fighter, he’d go after that spot over and over until one of my ribs punctured my lungs and took me down for good.
The circle was filled with money. Five dollar bills and ones everywhere. The guy who had been yelling quickly picked up all the money. He sniffed it and smiled. Christ, he was missing half his teeth. Probably a burned out user just trying to do Dmitry a favor to get a fix for free.
“This works,” the guy said. “Oh, this works. You motherfuckers are going to love this one! There’s no bets on this. This is pure entertainment. This is a bonus fight. Because this one… this one doesn’t go until someone goes down… no, no, no… this one goes until someone doesn’t get back up!”
Great. Just fucking great.
Fighting was one thing, but now I had to trick my mind into being okay with really hurting someone. With killing someone.
For Winter, I reminded myself.
It was all for Winter.
“Now get the fuck out here!” the guy yelled and pointed at me. “You fucking piece of shit thug!”
I walked forward toward the square. The second people saw me, they went crazy. Screaming, throwing stuff at me, cursing me out. A mix of cheers, booing, laughter. These people knew nothing of my life. Of what I’d seen, what I’d done.
“This piece of shit is fighting for a nice piece of ass,” the guy said. “He thinks he can fucking win! Do you think he can win?”
People kept cheering, booing, getting lost in it all.
Like it was a game.
The guy waved his hands and got the crowd mostly silent. He then looked at me, grinning with his rotted mouth. “Now, let’s meet the guy that’s going to kill him.”
34.
(Winter)
All I could think about was Stoney turning left. We were supposed to go right. Toward the clubhouse. That’s where Stoney said Tripp was waiting for me. He said he got Tripp to calm down. His guys were sitting with him at the bar having a drink and things were going to be just fine.
But we turned left, down a side road that became another turn, then another. I tugged at Stoney’s leather cut, wanting him to pull over and tell me what the hell was going on. My heart was pounding in my chest.
When he finally did pull off the side of the road, I jumped off the motorcycle. He looked back at me, his motorcycle still running.
“What the hell is going on?” I yelled at him.
“All I can say is sorry,” he screamed back at me. “Remember… Tripp wanted this…”
Within seconds there was a black SUV speeding toward us.
Stoney screamed fuck and then dove off his motorcycle. The SUV hit his motorcycle and sent it flying into the dirt. The motorcycle rolled, chunks of chrome flying all around.
The back doors opened and guys came pouring out, each of them carrying weapons. One of the guys smacked Stoney in the face, sending him to the ground.
I didn’t know what to think.
~
“Meet Kane!” a voice boomed.
The crowd cheered.
I stood with hands taped together and watched a lumbering man walk across the floor toward the square. He was tall, thick with muscle. No shirt on, revealing intricate tattoos of skulls, fire, death, and naked women. He went to the edge of the crowd and started grabbing people, making his own path to the square.
“Remember,” the guy yelled. “We don’t stop until someone can’t get up.”
This was insane. Tripp could have just gotten Autumn and left. He had
no business trying to save me.
None of it made sense yet either. It was like Skull X knew everything. And Stoney had been acting weird. But he’d been attacked too.
“Get a good look,” the guy next to me said. “Watch your fighter one last time. He’s fucking dead.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat.
The guy making the announcements left the square and the fight started.
Tripp went right in, fists up, throwing two punches. They connected off Kane’s jaw, sending him stumbling back. Kane threw a right and Tripp ducked. A quick left from Kane and Tripp knocked it away. Tripp landed two body punches, sending Kane’s hands to protect himself. That left his face exposed and Tripp took advantage of it.
I wanted to smile. I wanted to cheer for Tripp.
But it was no use. Even if he won this fight, it wouldn’t be over. It would never be over. Not until we were dead. That was the finale in this mess, wasn’t it?
My eyes filled with tears and I blinked them away.
Tripp landed two more punches. He had Kane against the edge of the crowd.
“Don’t get excited,” the guy next to me said. “There’s no rules here. Just wait for it.”
Before I could ask what that meant, the guy who had made the announcements called for Kane. The entire fight then changed as the guy gave Kane a knife.
Then he gave one simple order.
“Kill him!”
35.
(Tripp)
I still had a gun in my back pocket. The gun I took from Dmitry. I just needed a chance at a clean shot to get Kane. The worst part was that I had no problem with this guy in front of me. He was doing his job, and that meant I had to do mine.
Kane lunged at me with the knife. I was able to get out of the way. My focus was completely on the knife, so I missed a left hook coming. He hit my shoulder and I spun around. I bumped into the crowd and someone threw a drink in my face. I stumbled back and Kane threw an arm around my chest. He squeezed like a python with prey.
I blinked fast to regain my sight and threw an elbow, hitting Kane in the gut. I saw the knife coming around at me and I had to drop down. The water that had been splashed in my face made it so I was able to wiggle free and get down. Kane spun around with the knife. I punched at the side of his knee and brought him down. He screamed. I threw a right up at his mouth and connected, busting him open.
Kane swung with a strong backhand and hit me. He got me real good, sending me to my ass. I kicked back and away. Kane grabbed the knife and was back on his feet. I got up and started to reach back for the gun, but I didn’t have enough time to get it. The knife slashed at my shirt, slicing it but not slicing me.
“Kill him!” someone yelled from the side. “Fucking gut him!”
The crowd started to get rowdy. They started to work together to chant for my death. It was something I had never experienced before. Then I felt people swinging at me. Grabbing at my shirt, my hair. Throwing their legs out, wanting to trip me as I dodged and darted away from Kane and the knife.
Someone socked me in the ribs and the pain stole my breath. I fell forward and right into Kane’s free hand. He grabbed my throat and slashed at my side. I felt the knife cut my skin with a white hot pain. The entire room started to spin and I begged myself to keep composure.
Kane brought the knife back, ready to go for the kill.
Kill him! Fucking kill him! Show them blood! They paid for blood!
Kane grinned, my death already playing through his fucking mind. I had only one chance to make a move… I jumped up, smashing my head off his face. Kane instantly let me go, walking back a few steps. His nose opened and spilled down his chin. I turned and threw a punch, hitting him in the forearm. His bones shattered against my hit, his arm flopping in half, the knife falling from his hand.
The people that saw the hit let out an ooohhh! sound.
Kane pulled his arm to his body, screaming in pain.
This was my chance to go for the kill.
I hit him in the nose again, then the stomach. He swung with his free hand but had nothing. He didn’t have his feet in place. He didn’t have his balance. He didn’t have his focus. The pain from his broken forearm bones controlled him now. And that meant I had the chance to end the fight. The knife was on the ground and Kane was stumbling around.
Each time he threw a fist, I moved out of the way and threw my own. From his ribs, to his gut, to his face, I had him in a wide stance, his body rocking back and forth. One more good punch would take him down. With any luck, he’d smash his head on the floor and either pass out or die.
I brought my fist back and something caught the corner of my eye.
A tattoo.
I turned my head, my fist not gaining any steam.
I saw a guy walking through the crowd. The tattoo on his neck was what got me though.
I stopped dead. The entire crowd became nothing but a murmur.
The guy looked at me, grinned, and kept walking.
I knew the guy.
It was the guy who shot Endo.
~
It was like stepping into a damn time warp. The guy with the tattoo kept walking, my eyes locked on him. My mind screamed to focus on the fight at hand. But I couldn’t let this guy get away from me again, could I?
I took a small step and then sensed it coming.
I threw my shoulder up as fast as I could, but Kane’s large fist hit me. If the guy had been completely stable and not in pain, I would have been knocked out cold. Even still, the punch worked.
I flew forward to the edge of the crowd. People swung at me, hitting me in the face, clawing me, spitting at me, pushing me back to Kane. I turned and Kane landed another punch. Thankfully it was his left hand, definitely not his power hand.
He landed two more punches on me and I dropped to one knee.
I looked up at Kane. His eyes were glazed. There was no more excitement in his face. I thought about the guy with the tattoo. The one that had shot Endo. Skull X. All of this put in motion because of that guy. Because of a bigger situation I still hadn’t figured out yet.
Kane brought a fist back, thinking he had a chance at me.
To my right was the knife. I grabbed it and stood up, ramming it into his stomach. I grunted as I did, feeling his flesh give way to the sharp blade. I walked him back and pushed him into the crowd.
I then spun, drawing my gun.
That’s when the crowd broke up.
Kane collapsed and it seemed the entire event had become too damn real. Which worked to my benefit. I was able to see Winter, able to see Dmitry, able to see the guy with the tattoo. He was talking to Dmitry.
As the crowd cleared out of the warehouse, I ran toward the guy.
“Ray!” Dmitry yelled.
The guy - Ray - turned. Dmitry then shoved Ray forward, right into my range. I wasted no time in pulling the trigger. The gun went off and Ray spun and fell. I pointed the gun at Dmitry. He put his hands up. His bodyguards pulled out their weapons, but he called them off. He even kicked them out of the warehouse, leaving just me, him, and Winter. And Ray, on the floor, bleeding out.
I tossed the gun aside and ran to Winter. I tore at the tape at her hands, freeing her. Her face was in shock. She touched my face, her soft touch hurting like fire over my wounds, but it was the greatest pain I’d ever felt.
“Holy shit,” she whispered. “Tripp…”
“Fuck, darling,” I said. I kissed her.
My instincts told me to watch Dmitry.
I turned, putting Winter behind me. Dmitry stood with his hands out, like he wasn’t sure what to do next.
Ray put his head up and looked right at me.
“Aldo… he…”
Aldo?
I stepped toward Ray. I looked at him. It took all my nerve not to crush his face with my foot.
“Aldo…, “ he said again.
“What?” I asked.
“He paid me… fuck… he… paid…”
He paid me?<
br />
I crouched down and grabbed Ray’s shirt. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“He…”
Ray groaned and his head fell back and hit the ground.
He was dead.
I had killed him.
I killed the guy that killed Endo.
At least that was done.
And I had saved Winter.
The entire warehouse was empty now, everyone scattered and gone. Which meant all I had to do was face Dmitry and get Autumn. Then it would be all over. Done.
I turned my head and Dmitry stood behind me. There was a gun to my head. Another gun was in his other hand, pointed at Winter.
“Game over,” he said. “Game fucking over.”
36.
(Winter)
I saw Dmitry take out guns. It was so fast. He seemed confused, right up until Tripp went to check on the guy he shot. Dmitry pulled out two guns. One at Tripp’s head. One pointed at me.
“Who goes first?” Dmitry asked. “I’ll give you that much.”
“Thought we had a deal?” Tripp asked. “If I win the fight, I get Winter back. You got paid for it, right?”
“It was okay,” Dmitry said. “But you took away my after party fun. That’s where the real money is. Fuck with me, fuck with my crew, you eat a bullet.”
Slowly, Tripp started to stand. He showed his hands. He had no weapon. Neither did I. I thought about diving at him, taking the gunshot myself. If I distracted Dmitry, even for a second, it could be enough for Tripp to punch him and take him out.
“Winter, don’t move,” Tripp said.
“Get back on your knees,” Dmitry said to me. “You look better that way.”
“Take the gun off her,” Tripp said. “Let her go. She has nothing to do with this. This is you and me. I came to you.”
“Yeah,” Dmitry said. “And how did she get here?”
I watched Tripp grit his teeth. Everything had been happening so fast, he hadn’t a chance to process my presence there.
Tripp looked at me. “What happened?”
