“Are you two about done with your circle jerk time? My partner is missing, and you’re snuggled up to him, instead of doing something about it.” He points his finger at Rush and a look of disgust passes across his face. He doesn’t get the bond we have and thinks we’re fucking around. That pisses me off.
Without thinking, I slap Ashton hard across the face and point my finger in his line of sight, making myself very clear. “Fuck you, Ashton. You want to point fingers at someone, point them at yourself. You’ve withheld vital information from us and you want to berate me? Fuck off.” I seethe through clenched teeth. “If this is anyone’s fault, it’s yours. You have no idea what the fuck I’ve been through. So, I suggest you back the fuck off and do your job. Find me this kid and the bitch Wrath.”
I walk out of the bathroom with fire in my blood. I’m going to burn this city to the ground and get my man back. One way or another, I will bring them all down and they won’t know what happened.
Chapter 20
Ashley
We arrive back at the building where the underground fight is located. The bald man from earlier is still standing at the door, acting intimidating. He doesn’t scare me one bit. I walk up to him with Rush and Ashton right behind me, flanking me.
“Can I help you?” he asks, crossing his arms over his massive biceps.
“Looking for Amber,” I state, glaring right back at him. His lips curl into a menacing grin and I stand my ground, not backing down.
“They’ll let anyone in won’t they,” he responds, shaking his head. “Hope you know what you’re getting into sweet thang.”
“What the fuck is that suppose to mean?” I ask.
“First time here?” he asks ignoring my question.
I can hear Ashton take a deep breath behind me. After the blowup at the apartment, he told me everything he knows and we’re in a good place. My fears have been pushed away and I know without a shadow of a doubt, Nolan didn’t leave me by choice. Which is why I’m here now.
Footsteps crunch against the sidewalk from behind us, but I don’t turn around to see who it is. I keep my eyes on this guy blocking my way into getting my man back. His glare leaves mine and glances at the people behind us. His eyes grow wide and he swallows hard.
“Is there a problem here?” the guy behind me asks. I turn my attention from the bald guy and spot a tall, black man scowling at the guard. A thin goatee covers his chiseled face, and he’s wearing a yellow bandana around his head, covering his buzz cut hair. He’s dressed in all black, from his hoodie to his boots. His light brown eyes are cold and deadly as he stares at the doorman. The four men behind him are all dressed in black, wearing their own yellow bandanas, standing tall and glaring at the guard.
“No problems, Ace,” the man says with a tremble in his voice.
Ace swings his deadly eyes in my direction and a smile curves his full lips. “Krimson, welcome to The Circle.” Confusion etched on my face, Ace releases a rough chuckle and approaches me. The smell of his cologne is strong. “Come on, you’re going to need me inside. I’ve been watching for Mayhem to arrive. Where is he?”
Unable to form words, I keep my mouth shut and follow Ace inside. He throws his arm around my shoulder and mumbles low enough for only me to understand. “Keep quiet and play along. Nolan’s life depends on it.”
Ashton grunts behind us and Ace removes his arm from around my shoulders. Rush is walking next to Ashton; he’s clenching his hands at his sides and he’s glaring at Ace. Ace’s four men are behind Ashton and Rush. No one says another word as we walk down a dirty hallway. Vibrations below us are rumbling the floor as we walk. The air smells like sweat and copper, causing my stomach to churn. I bite back the vomit threatening to make an appearance when Ace opens a heavy metal door at the end of the hallway. Chants and music fill the stairwell, the adrenaline down below seeps into my body and I feel my fight or flight instincts kick in. Ace leans in next to me so we’re eye to eye.
“Shit you’ve never seen before is down there. Keep your game face on and don’t show emotion no matter what you see.”
“Why are you helping me and who are you?” I ask.
Ace releases a chuckle from deep in his throat. His cold brown eyes turn soft for a moment when he looks me over. “Names Ace and I’m the leader of The Black Heart Crew. I want to help Nolan because what The Corridore Rosso’s have done to him is unjust. We have a code we live by and those fuckers don’t. They think they own this city, but they’ve fucked with the wrong people. I’m out for revenge. Once this is taken care of, I’ll go my way and Nolan will go his. He’s a badass fucker I don’t ever want to cross. He needs us to help him, so here I am.” He stretches his muscular arms out wide. “Come on Krimson, let’s get the show started.”
We descend the dark stairwell. My hands are gripping the metal railing as we go down, afraid if I let go, I’ll lose my footing and tumble to the bottom because my legs are shaking badly. The further down we walk, the louder the crowd gets. Once we reach the bottom, I glance around. Concrete floors, walls, and ceiling are what’s holding everyone inside. Bodies are crushed together, sweat pouring off them in waves. Shouting, screaming the smell of blood is so much thicker down here, I feel like I’m going to suffocate. Ace gently grabs my elbow and steers me toward the back of the crowd, down a dark hallway. The craziness of the crowd is shut out when we file in a small room and Ace’s men shut the door. There’s nothing in here but a single metal folding chair, a fluorescent hanging light, and boxes in the corner piled up to the ceiling.
“Holy shit,” are the first words out of my mouth and I release a shaky breath.
Ace raises an eyebrow at me and smirks. “Told you it’s a different world down here. Those people out there,” he gestures to the closed door. “Are blood thirsty. If you don’t put on a good show and shed someone else’s blood, they will eat you alive. Can you handle this?”
I look into Ace’s light brown eyes and he’s serious. Can I do this? Can I give these people the show they want?
Rush speaks up first, “Krimson, you can do this.” His tone is strong. “Think of what these fuckers are doing to Izzy, the torture they’re putting that sweet innocent girl through. What they made her do in the subway. Think of Xavier that video feed we watched while they taunted him. Redline, who knows what they’ve done to him. And most importantly think of what they’re doing to Nolan. You’ve seen the scars, you know of his past. What are they doing to him right now? Use that as fuel, go out there and kick some ass. We have faith you can do this.”
Listening to Rush talk sparks a fire in my veins. He’s right, of course. The bruising on Izzy face flashes in my mind. My anger starts brewing under the surface. The torture on Xavier’s face while they taunted him flashes in my mind. The rage I keep locked up comes roaring back. My hands begin to shake with adrenaline.
Nolan. What they did to him in the past comes rearing its ugly head at me. The scars that mar his body, the nightmares he has when he sleeps and lets his guard down. The hopelessness he feels from these people are fueling me to fight. To hear the sickening crunch of bones as my fists are pounding into my opponent.
“That a girl. You’re ready,” Ace’s smooth voice says next to me. My eyes narrow at him as he picks up my hands and tapes them from my knuckles to my wrists. He chuckles softly, “This is to protect your wrists. So you don’t break anything.”
Once he’s finished, I remove my hoodie and jeans. Underneath is a pair of black and red shorts and matching sports bra. He rubs oil over my skin and I pull my hair up in a tight ponytail, then braid the end and wrap it around the elastic. That way my opponent can’t yank my hair and distract me. The chants from the crowd beyond the door are growing louder, anxious for the next fight.
Ace settles his hands on my shoulders, “Come on you’re up. Give them a show and I’ll guarantee Wrath will come running. You know what to do,” he says. His massive black hands knead my shoulders, loosening up my tense muscles. He nods and one of his
guys opens the door and the crowd’s anticipation buzzes inside the tiny space. One by one we file out of the room. Three of Ace’s men takes the lead, then Ashton, who surprisingly hasn’t said a word, followed by Rush, then myself. Ace is behind me, his hand resting on the small of my back, guiding me and his other man is behind him, bringing up the rear, watching our backs as we walk to the edge of the crowd.
The blood thirsty animals part for us and The Circle opens in front of me. It isn’t anything special like I expected. A blue tarp covers the surface, fastened down to the concrete floor. There’s blood on it already from the fights before me. Nothing is holding the crowd back from entering The Circle. They form a tight ring around the two fighters and that’s it.
Shit, how are we supposed to control the crowd when nothing is separating me from them? Ace must have sensed my distraught because he nudges me and nods his head. I peel my eyes away from The Circle and look into the crowd. There are several other dark skin men standing at the edges, wearing yellow bandanas around their heads or biceps, separating me from the crowd. Satisfied they have it under control, I step away from my entourage and enter The Circle. The crowd grows quiet, waiting for me to do or say something. I narrow my eyes and scan around me, waiting for my opponent. I’m ready to get this shit over with and get Nolan back. A man dressed in dark blue jeans and a green t-shirt steps forward into The Circle with me. His light blonde hair is cut short and his cloudy blue eyes scan the crowd. A sneer curves his full lips and he holds his hands up in the air and the crowd stays silent. I don’t like this.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new fighter among us. At five feet nine inches tall, weighing in at one hundred and forty-five pounds. All the way for Los Angeles, California, please give a big Circle welcome to Krimson.” The crowd stares at me and cheers my street name. Confused at how they know all this information about me, I glance at Rush. He whispers something to Ace and Ace nods his head at me. He mouths the words, roll with it and I scan the crowd around me. I lift my arms up over my head and their chants get louder and louder, fueling me on.
“Krimson! Krimson! Krimson!” The rush from the crowd is sparking my adrenaline and I’m ready. Rolling my neck around, my muscles are loose, and the nerves are gone.
The announcer holds his hand up again, and the crowd quiets down. The anticipation for what comes next is buzzing around me. “Krimson’s opponent is a New York City native. You all know her from her previous fight the other night, which she lost to our champ, Wrath.”
I drown out everything else he says when I spot a small woman in the crowd. She’s sneering at me with her arms crossed over her chest. Her blonde hair is tight against her head in a ponytail and her hazel eyes are shooting daggers in my direction. She cracks her neck from side to side, not taking her eyes off me. I glare at her right back. I want her in here with me, so I can beat her ass. Rage and hate fill my body and I’m ready to pound the shit out of everyone. A sneer passes my lips, and the woman smirks at me. She turns her back and disappears into the crowd. Once she’s out of my sight, the roar of the crowd penetrates my ears and I turn my head toward my opponent who’s finally graced me with her presence. That pisses me off and I reach deep inside to wake the monster I locked up after I killed those two men who fucked with Rush.
My opponent is my height and weight. She’s sporting fresh bruises on her pale face and her hands are shaking. Her black hair is braided down each side of her head and she’s wearing dark blue shorts and matching sports bra. I zone in on her nervousness and use that to my advantage. The announcer leaves The Circle and we walk around each other. My fists are up to protect my face and body. She’s unsure what she should do. She acts like she doesn’t want to be here. I move in and throw an uppercut, knocking her in the chin. My hand vibrates from the contact. Showing no emotion, I strike again and the buzz of the crowd fades as I concentrate on my opponent. This time a jab to the side of her head, leaving her stunned. She drops her arms. Big mistake. I throw an elbow and it connects with her nose. Blood drips down, and she attempts to shake off the hit.
This is too easy. I zone in on her body and deliver blow after blow on her torso and arms, tiring her out from defending herself. The crowd around us is screaming my name fueling me on even more. My breathing is heavy when I land hit after hit on this poor unsuspecting woman. She doesn’t even get a chance to hit me back. She’s doubled over as I deliver the last punch. A blow straight to her face knocks her out cold, her blood coating my knuckles as her nose shatters under my fists, and she drops to the ground, not moving.
My heart is beating hard against my chest and my hands are shaking with adrenaline. The announcer steps into The Circle and holds my bloody hand up above my head, announcing me the winner. The crowd is going nuts from my win and I’m ready to take anyone on. He holds up his hands after he drops mine and the crowd quiets down.
“Ladies and gentlemen. We have a winner for this round. Krimson!” The crowd chants my name and I feel like I’m on top of the world. I look toward Rush and all the blood drains from my face when I spot someone standing in the back of the crowd. His whiskey-colored eyes are narrowed in my direction and he’s pissed. I’ve seen that look before. Bruises cover his face and he’s limping toward me, pushing his way into the crowd. Ace grabs Nolan by the shoulders and he whips around so fast, Ace doesn’t see it coming. With a clenched fist, Nolan rears back, ready to strike.
“NO!” I scream. I push my way into the crowd and place myself between Nolan and Ace. He’s so far gone, I’m afraid I can’t reach him. There’s a blank, deadly look in his eyes as he watches Ace. I rest my bloody hands on Nolan’s shoulders and force him to look at me. Nothing, no recognition, no life. Nothing.
“Nolan,” I reach up and gently touch a fresh bruise on his face. He closes his eyes at the contact and I release a deep breath. “I’m here. It’s me, Ashley. What did they do to you? Fight your way back to me, please.” I look behind him at the woman who was glaring at me earlier and another man with dark skin and black hair are trying to make their way to us, but Ace’s men have them stopped, surrounding them.
I turn to Rush and Ace. “We need to get out of here, now.” I grab Nolan’s hand and rest it on my hip. He tightens his hold on me, his fingers digging into my flesh, but I bite back the whimper that wants to pass through my lips. I need to get him out of here and deal with the outcome later. Ace nods his dark head and I follow him through the crowd and up a back stairwell I didn’t notice before. Moving as quickly as we can up dark metal stairs, Ace and Rush in front of us leading the way. Nolan and I are in the middle and Ashton is behind us. Ace’s men are still downstairs, keeping the woman and the other guy surrounded. Why did they have him there? What was their plan? Did they think they could break him? Did they succeed in breaking him and sent him to kill us?
These questions are running through my head as our feet pound up the stairs. Ace and Rush drop their shoulders and barge into a heavy metal door at the same time. The door gives away from their force and they stumble out into the night, disappearing from my line of sight. Rush pops his head back in and motions for us to follow. One by one, we’re out of the dark stairwell and quickly walking down an alley filled with dumpsters and smells of human and food waste. Rats scurry past us as we walk further down.
Nolan’s grip is still biting into my flesh and he hasn’t said a word. I’m afraid of what I’ll find in his eyes when we stop. He had no life in them down there at The Circle, no spark of recognition. For all he thinks we’re going to do the same things to him that those guys have done. I’ve got to get through to him and I can’t do it with all these men around us. The last time he lost himself, he almost killed Ashton.
We’re near the end of the alley and the city noises come roaring back in full swing. Even at night, this city never sleeps. Traffic horns and headlights are blaring ahead of us and there are swarms of people all over the sidewalk. I feel Nolan’s grip tighten even harder on my hips and I stop walking. Ashton keeps a wide be
rth and leans against the building opposite from us, keeping his hands up in a defensive stance. Rush and Ace are at the end of the alley. The streetlights are casting an eerie glow around them, hiding their faces in shadows. When they turn around towards us, Ace takes a few steps in our directions and Nolan releases a low growl from deep in his throat.
“Don’t come any closer,” I tell Ace. He stops walking in our direction and stares at Nolan. His brown eyes are bugging out of his head and his breath catches in his throat. I can hear his gasp from here. “Go around the corner, both of you and wait. You can’t be near him right now.”
“Ash,” Rush starts. Nolan growls again and Rush stops talking, staring at him.
“Rush trust me. Only I can reach him and you’re not helping. This state he’s in, I’ve been there with him. He needs me and I’m not leaving him. You have to go, please. We’ll come out soon.” I plead. I can do this. I’ve done it before, I can do it again.
Rush walks backward towards the busy street and Ace follows. Both watching us as they leave our sight. I release a deep breath and turn around facing Nolan. Ashton hasn’t moved a muscle since we stopped, and I ignore him as I focus on the man in front of me. I rest my palm over Nolan’s rapidly beating heart and he drops his head to look at what I’m doing.
“Nolan,” I whisper. His eyes drift from my hand resting on his heart, up my arm and finally stop when he reaches my eyes. “Come back to me, please. I need you here.” My voice is strong, but I’m shaking inside. Tears slip from my eyes and a heavy feeling deep in the pit of my stomach is rearing its way up and I pray I’m not too late. That I can reach this beautiful, broken man and bring him out of his mind and back to me.
Chapter 21
Nolan
I have no idea why Wrath and Switch took me to The Circle tonight. Maybe they thought they could control me in that setting like they used to in the past? But as my fingers dig in Ashley’s hips, keeping me in the present, I know I’ve made the right decision. I almost turned back toward Wrath and left with her, but my girl saved me again. Her gentle touch brought me back to her, and she didn’t give up. She kept the demon tamped down. I’m slowly regaining control of myself, but I still feel threatened with all these men around what’s mine and a low growl escapes my throat. Ashley turns toward me, resting her hand against my chest and I recognize what she’s touching as her angelic voice floats through the city night and straight to my heart.
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