Silent Love

by Kenadee Bryant

  As we headed inside, I couldn’t help but feel under-dressed. All the girls we passed were wearing either really tight, short dresses or something similar to Amy. My denim shorts stood out against everyone else’s.

  When we got inside the building, I noticed it was a lot nicer inside than it was on the outside. Probably to keep people away. The deeper we went, the louder it became. People’s yelling reached my ears as we descended a staircase. Nervousness pricked my skin as we continued on with the crowd of people trying to get inside. I clenched my bag tighter against my body, and patted my pocket to make sure my phone was still with me.

  Finally, we made it out of the small hallway and into a huge room that was filled with people. What surprised me the most was the huge boxing ring right in the middle of the room that was raised higher than the surrounding area, so everyone could see it. Inside the ring were two people exchanging punches while the audience watched and yelled. My eyes widened as I took everything in. We were at an underground fighting match.

  “What the hell?” I breathed out, my eyes moving around the room. Amy had been asked to come to a place to watch people hit each other for fun and thought we should come along. Now I regretted coming along. I wasn’t the biggest fan of violence, unless it was necessary. My eyes stayed frozen on the two big men in the ring throwing punches and making the other person bleed. All around me people yelled and clapped for who they wanted to win.

  “Macey, this is…” I trailed off.

  “So cool!” Macey finished my sentence for me.

  “Yeah, wait no!” I yelled. “Mace, we are at a fight club!”

  “Oh come on, Car, live a little!” Amy yelled over at me as her blue eyes went from one guy to another. “There are tons of hot guys here to keep your attention.” She practically purred.

  “This isn’t a good idea, you guys!” I yelled over the cheering of the crowd.

  “Just give it a chance. Please, Car? If you don’t want to be here in an hour, we can leave. I promise.” Macey turned to me, giving me a pleading look. Of course she knew that would work on me.

  “Fine, but you promise we can leave if I want to, right?”

  “Of course.”

  I closed my eyes before nodding.

  “Okay. Okay.” She sent me a grin before grabbing my hand and tugging me through the crowd. Amy was ahead of us and every guy she passed gave her a double take.

  “Let’s see if they have any alcohol here!” I barely heard Amy shout over her shoulder at me. It wasn’t even a second later that Mace lost her hold on my arm. With her still in my sights I tried to push past people, slowly getting tired of not getting anywhere.

  “Hey sweetie,” someone said near my ear, making me jump back. Some stranger stepped in front of me with a creepy grin. He looked quite a bit older than me. He was dressed in a tank top, showing his big arms and a big ugly tattoo on his upper arm, and also wore a pair of blue jeans. The guy had dark blonde hair and kind of a nice-looking face.

  “Uh hi,” I said, trying to look over his shoulder to find Macey and Amy.

  “What is a pretty little thing like yourself doing here all alone?” he asked.

  “I’m sorry. I better go find my friend.” I tried to move around him, but he followed me.

  “Why so soon? We were only just getting to know one another.” He flashed me a smile that he thought would be sexy, but it definitely wasn’t.

  “Sorry but no.” Once more I tried to go around him, but the same thing happened. “Can you move please?”

  “Come on, sweetie, let’s go somewhere else to talk.” He went to grab my arm, but I took a step back feeling beyond disgusted.

  “I said no,” I said firmly.

  “Sweetie—” the guy started to say, and I could tell he was getting annoyed.

  “She said no,” someone new said right next to me. My eyes snapped to a familiar figure. Dylan.

  “Leave us alone, Stiles, she is with me,” the guy bit out at Dylan, taking a step toward me. When he did that, I took a step in Dylan’s direction.

  “Back off, Matthew, she is with me,” Dylan said in a deep voice. I looked at him from the corner of my eye. “Don’t think about ever touching her again.” He growled. With that, he grabbed my wrist before pulling me after him. I stumbled behind him, glad he got me away from that guy. He was creepy as hell, and who knows what would have happened if Dylan hadn’t come by.

  “Dylan! What are you doing here?” I asked. The crowd had settled down, but only because the current fight was over.

  “What are you doing here, Carter? This isn’t really the place for you to be by yourself.”

  “I’m not alone. I came with my friends but kind of lost them.” He continued to tug me along.

  “You should have ignored Matthew. He isn’t a nice guy,” Dylan said over his shoulder.

  “I did. I tried to get away, but he kept blocking me.”

  “Carter, with guys like him you have to be forceful.”

  “I was!” I defended myself.

  “I’m glad I found you,” he muttered. We were now on the other side of the room and heading toward a door.

  “But, Dylan, why are you here?” He didn’t answer me; he just kept pulling me to wherever we were going. “Please tell me you aren’t fighting,” I said, really hoping he wasn’t. I just couldn’t see Dylan as a fighter, and I couldn’t take watching him get hit.

  “I’m not fighting,” he finally answered as we slowed down. Instantly I felt relieved. One less thing to worry about. “Let’s just get this over with,” I heard him mutter before he grabbed the door knob and entered.

  Hesitantly I went in after him, almost expecting to be lead into a dungeon or something. Instead I was met with a clean room that had music playing. Off to one side was a large couch, a TV, a few chairs, and a door that probably led to the bathroom. But my eyes skipped over them to come to a stop on a bare muscular back

  “Where did you go?” the guy asked turning around. I almost gasped. I really should have known this was coming. In front of me was none other than Gage. At first, he didn’t seem to notice me; he just looked at Dylan. Silently I prayed he wouldn’t start yelling when he noticed me. Almost as if I said that out loud, his gaze snapped right to me. His brown eyes narrowed, and I watched as his wrapped hands curled into fists.

  “What the hell is she doing here?” he practically bellowed, looking at Dylan. Dylan rubbed the back of his neck trying to waste a few minutes. “Dylan,” Gage growled out.

  “I found her out on the floor. Matthew was all over her, so I brought her back with me,” he finally answered.

  “I don’t give a fuck if Matthew was all over her. I don’t want her here.” He once again glared over at me. I shrunk under his gaze, pressing against the closed door.

  “Gage, come on, it’s not a big deal. Do you want her to get hurt?”

  “I don’t care if she gets hurt. She shouldn’t have come here like a stalker.”

  “I’m not a stalker! I didn’t follow you here.” I spoke up for the first time. “I came here with my friends, for your information.” I glared back at him.

  “You have friends? That is surprising. You are probably screwing all of them, aren’t you?” He sneered at me. At that I snapped.

  “You jackass.” I lunged toward him. Dylan suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back away from Gage, who was just staring at me with a bored expression. “I’m not a slut like all the other girls you sleep with,” I snapped at him. “My friends are girls, not guys, dumb ass.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Ugh, I just want to punch your stupid face!” I yelled, lunging for him again, but Dylan’s arm was firmly around my waist. “How Dylan can be friends with you, I don’t know.”

  “Whatever. I go on in five minutes, right?” he asked Dylan, who I assume nodded although I couldn’t see his face.

  “Wait, you’re fighting?” I asked dumbly. Dylan let his arm drop but stood behind me, waiting if I lunge
d for Gage again.

  “Wow, you’re not smart, are you? Yes, I am fighting.” He gestured to his wrapped-up hands. I narrowed my eyes at him, but didn’t bother to reply to his smart-ass remark.

  “But why? You could get seriously hurt.” I don’t even know why I cared but I did.

  “I don’t get hurt, princess,” he replied smugly.

  “Don’t call me princess.”

  “Fine…stalker.” Gage smirked at me.

  “I am not a stalker! Dylan, tell him I’m not a stalker.” I turned to him, but he just rolled his eyes at us.

  “I like princess better,” I muttered under my breath. “But seriously, you shouldn’t fight, Gage. You could get really hurt.”

  “Uh, Carter, he has to fight. He is the main fight of the night,” Dylan said leaning against the wall next to Gage, who was patting his wrapped hands to make sure they were okay. Suddenly it all clicked into place.

  “That is where you got your bruises from! You fought the other night, didn’t you?” I asked. His bruises were fading and only had a slight tinge of yellow to them.

  “I don’t see why it is any of your business.”

  “I patched you up, dingus, if you don’t remember,” I replied, walking over to the couch and sitting down. “I thought you ‘didn’t get hurt.’” I used my fingers to quote him.

  “He got in a few lucky punches.” Gage shrugged at that, but I could tell he wasn’t telling the whole truth. Beside him Dylan just stared at his friend. Gage looked to Dylan to talk to him, so I let my blue eyes drift across his body. He was shirtless and wearing only a pair of low-hung shorts. My eyes greedily took in his wonderfully sculpted abs and pecks. His six-pack was prominent, as well as the v-line leading underneath of his shorts. The dude definitely worked out.

  On his upper left arm and around his bicep were a series of tattoos. I couldn’t really see what they were, but one looked like a red rose. For some odd reason I really wanted to see them all up close and learn what they meant, if they did mean anything. As I continued to stare at them, I liked them more and more. They definitely fit him for some reason. It seemed to make sense that he had tattoos; they definitely matched both his bad boy and fighter’ personas.

  “Princess, eyes up here.” His voice jerked me out of my thoughts.

  “Please, like I was staring at you.” I grunted but felt a blush rising on my cheeks. Of course he noticed that I was checking him out. It was impossible not to when he was just standing there in all of his shirtless glory. What was a girl to do?

  “Anyways, the guy is a pretty tough one, but just do what you have been practicing. He’s never seen you fight before, so he doesn’t know who good you are. He thinks you are an amateur. I’ve heard he has a killer right hook, so stay clear of that, okay?” Dylan talked quickly with Gage. Gage just nodded and listened intently. This must be the guy he is fighting. “You’ll do fine.” He sent his friend an encouraging smile.

  Gage started to bounce on his toes while moving his neck back and forth, loosening his muscles. There were a few minutes of silence before some guy peeked his head in and told Gage it was time. He took a swig of water and grabbed what I thought was a mouth piece before following the newcomer. I quickly stood up and trailed behind Dylan.

  I just had to watch Gage fight. I had to make sure he didn’t get hurt too bad. A voice inside my head kept yelling at me, asking why I cared and why I wanted to see this but I ignored it. I couldn’t answer that right now. For a guy I met two days ago, I really felt something toward him. Well, something other than hatred and annoyance.

  Because I was behind Dylan and Gage, they led the way straight to the front of the crowd and ring. Ever since Gage stepped foot outside of the door, the yelling and cheering rang even louder than before. People clapped, and those who could touch Gage slapped his shoulders and arms. My ears were starting to hurt from the noise, but it didn’t seem to matter at the moment.

  I quickly glanced around trying to see if I could find Macey or Amy, but in the sea of people I couldn’t. I stood a little behind Dylan as he and Gage talked quietly and quickly. I couldn’t hear a word they said, but I did see Gage quickly look at me before turning back to Dylan. He nodded at whatever Gage said before Gage took a step back and started up the steps inside the ring.

  “Let’s go stand over here.” With his hand on my elbow, I was steered a little bit over so we were right in the front and looking straight at the middle of the ring. I forced myself to look away from Gage to look at his opponent.

  His opponent looked like he had a good one hundred pounds on Gage. The guy looked to be in his late twenties, and was roped with muscle. He appeared to be exactly like those guys who used some sort of steroid to make them look big, but really couldn’t lift more than twenty pounds. While Gage’s opponent glared at him and bounced on his feet, Gage stood there calmly just staring at him. He even had the guts to look bored.

  By the sound of the crowd they liked Gage more than the other guy, which made me hope he was as good as he said. But if he was that good, he wouldn’t have gotten bruises and cuts the last time. My gaze was riveted on the two as someone else came to the middle of the ring holding a microphone.

  “Welcome, everyone, to the main event. In this corner we have Marco ‘Give Them Hell’ Santos! He’s only lost five fights in his whole career,” the announcer said. The crowd cheered for him but not as loud as I know they could be.

  “And this corner we have ‘The Beast’. The Beast is undefeated and has had thirty knockouts in his career.” My eyes widened at that. That was insane, and he was undefeated. Okay, maybe he was as good as he claimed. After the guy finished announcing Gage, the crowd’s roar almost shook the ground. He was definitely the favorite of the pair, and everyone seemed to know him. He must come here a lot.

  While the guy talked about the rules, I worried my bottom lip with my teeth and played with the bottom of my tank top.

  “Carter, he will be just fine.” Dylan sent me a small smile. “He has done this plenty of times before.”

  “Then why does he still have bruises?” I shot back at him.

  “He shouldn’t have them,” he murmured. “He clearly let the guy land those punches before he knocked him out cold.” Dylan didn’t say anything else and I was grateful. I was trying to process it, and when the sound of a bell chimed, I snapped out of it.

  My entire body tensed up as I watched Gage’s opponent stalk toward him like a man on a mission. Gage slowly walked toward him, rolling his shoulders while clenching his hands. With bated breath I waited for the first punch. Somehow, I knew it wouldn’t be from Gage. He was too collected to take the first swing.

  When the swing did come, it was like it happened in slow motion. Time seemed to stop as the guy threw his right fist fast toward Gage’s face. Just before it hit Gage, time sped up and Gage was ducking and moving under the guy. Marco whirled around to find Gage behind him. It only took a second for the guy’s fists to come swinging at Gage once more.

  For the next five minutes Gage teased his opponent and avoided everything Marco sent his way. When he tried to wrap his arms around Gage’s neck, he somehow got out of it. Gage only threw about three punches the entire five minutes, and each one packed heat. From where I stood I could practically hear the sound of Gage’s punch hitting the man’s sides. Each time his fists connected with Marco’s body, I winced. But whenever Marco almost hit Gage, I would flinch. In my head I was screaming at Gage to move his ass away from the big man.

  The people around me screamed what I wanted to say. They all seemed to be cheering for Gage.

  I was glad Dylan was beside me because each time I got shoved, he would make sure I didn’t fall. He stood close enough that our arms were pressed against one another, and his stance was almost defensive. From the corner of my eye I could see him glancing at me every few minutes.

  After another five or so minutes I was fed up with Gage teasing the guy. He should just end it instead of just moving fast like a cat a
round the large man. But as time went on, I realized why he was doing it. He was wearing Marco out while conserving his own strength. When the time was right, he would finish the guy in no time.

  I found myself clenching onto Dylan’s arm as I stared at the fight. I didn’t even know what I was doing when I opened my mouth and yelled at Gage.

  “Come on, knock him out!” I yelled. I doubt he could have heard me, but Dylan did. He sent me a shocked look and raised an eyebrow at me.

  “What? It is tiring seeing nothing happen.”

  “Gage, come on!” I yelled again. It seemed Gage did hear me because his head snapped in our direction. “Watch out!” I screamed, waving my arm behind him. He whirled around just in time to duck from a punch Marco had thrown.

  “Here he goes,” Dylan said to me, his eyes never leaving Gage. Just as he said that, a switch seemed to turn on in Gage. His arms flew lightning fast and struck Marco’s body. My hand squeezed Dylan’s arm harder as I watched wide-eyed.

  “Yes, yes,” I chanted softly under my breath. It was like I was under a trance as I watched Gage fight.

  In no time Marco fell to the floor in a heap, blood running off his face. The crowd screamed bloody murder as he fell, making Gage the winner, again. I opened my mouth to scream or do something, but nothing came out. A few guys rushed into the ring to assist the guy while Gage backed away. He didn’t even seem fazed by the sight or the cheering of the crowd. The only thing he did was turn and stare right at me.

  His mouth slowly lifted into a smirk as he stared at me. I couldn’t help but start to smile back at him.

  Chapter Nine

  The next day flew by pretty quickly, and sooner enough it was Wednesday night. Mace and I were sitting on the couch watching reruns of Friends. My legs were hanging off the side of the couch, while my head was on a pillow beside Macey’s lap. Macey was curled up into a ball with a bowl of popcorn, staring intently at the TV screen. My own popcorn bowl was laying on my stomach as I ate it.