Brave

by Natalie Gayle

  We danced around in the centre for a few long seconds, both of us circled looking for some sort of opening. Finally, “Lights Out” advanced and I slipped my hands from their ready position on my cheek bones to a full cover guard with the heels of my palms pressed high on my forehead.

  He threw a jab, cross, hook punch combination. Instinctively, I ducked and weaved. I felt his blows glance against my guard. Luke followed it with a stinging outside leg kick to my thigh. I anticipated it coming. It was a move I’d seen him use many times in the fight footage I’d studied. Automatically, I’d raised my left knee in a leg check to harmlessly intercept the kick.

  We traded blows in the centre of the ring for a couple more minutes. My defence held tight until he figured out my ploy and split my front guard with an upward striking elbow. It caught me in the middle of the forehead and I saw stars for a second or two. That was enough time for Luke to lunge forward and get his hands behind my head in a clinch.

  Acting on reflex I managed to snake my hands around the back of his head, to complete a neutral position between us. Neither one of us had the advantage. We traded knees with no real gain for either one of us until the bell sounded.

  We broke apart and he gave me a snarling growl as he headed to his corner.

  I’d survived the first round, but if I wanted to win I was going to have to come up with a far better game plan.

  * * *

  Eden

  Much of the crowd was on its feet yelling and screaming as the bell rang at the end of the first round. Len and I were no different. My throat was hoarse from screaming. Len had been bellowing beside me for Xan to do this or that. I understood very little of it.

  All I knew was that my man was still standing and so far looked just fine. He’d jogged back to his corner and the guys had him surrounded, to the point I couldn’t see him at the moment.

  I’d clutched Len’s arm so hard through the whole first round, I was sure I would leave bruises. I’d never seen a live fight before, let alone one my boyfriend was fighting in. My reactions to it shocked even me.

  “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a true blue fight fan,” Len chuckled as he peeled my fingers from his forearm. “Probably best you let the blood flow back before the next round, Girl.”

  “Sorry Len, I’m just so…” I didn’t know what to say or how to explain it.

  “It’s okay. I know.”

  “How’d he do, Len? Is he winning?” My stomach was in knots.

  Len shook his head. “Boy had a serious case of ring rust; he was damned lucky to get out of that first ground control. “Lights Out” is a much better fighter than when they last met. It’d be close on points. Probably too close to call.”

  His eyes were glued to Xander and the guys. They’d gotten busy and I could now see Xander sitting on a stool. Dane mopped at his face with a towel and Seth was doing the same to his shoulders. Reed screamed in his face, using animated gestures. No doubt barking instructions for round two.

  I wasn’t sure where Len stood on any of it. “What’s he need to do now?”

  “He needs to take control. These boys are much more evenly matched than they ever used to be. Alexander needs to stay calm and not let Luke come at him like that. Towards the end of the round he was just bunkered down in defence. That’s not going to cut it. He has to set up some attacks of his own. You don’t win a fight by defending. Eventually you have to strike.”

  What Len said even made sense to my very limited understanding.

  “What do you think Reed’s telling him?”

  Len didn’t even hesitate. “I bloody hope he’s telling him to go on the damn attack. Although the boy does like to plan a strategy half a dozen moves ahead. Drives me bat shit crazy waiting for him to do something sometimes.” The frustration and helplessness Len felt was evident.

  I couldn’t help but grin. Len was just as keyed up and nervous as I was. He just had a different way of showing it.

  The clock must have been counting down to the start of the next round when Xander finally looked over in our direction. His eyes caught mine and I gave him my brightest smile and a double thumbs up. Then I blew him a kiss as he headed back to the middle for round two.

  I had no idea how I’d make it through five rounds like the one before. This was exhausting and I was just watching.

  Chapter 34

  Xander

  “Okay, that should have settled the nerves and chipped off the rust. Now you need to get down to business. You need to frustrate him, Xan. His temper is what’s going to win the match for you. He loses form when he’s angry. Keep him frustrated and mad. Then when his form drops off, take advantage,” Reed barked at me through the din of the crowd.

  I nodded, taking it all in.

  “He’s good, but nothing you can’t take. I’m not sure how fit he is either. Rage takes up a lot of energy. Make him pay for that.”

  The guys mopped at me and gave me a water bottle to sip from. There was a slight metallic taste in my mouth but nothing too bad. Sweat was running freely from my body now and my heart was beating solidly.

  I needed to do better.

  Just as time was called, I spotted Eden and Dad. She gave me that smile of hers that seemed to block out everything else and a double thumbs up. Then she blew me a kiss.

  The most I could manage in return was a nod. I hoped she understood.

  With Eden firmly in my mind I headed back to the centre of the cage. She’d been so brave and strong through all this. I couldn’t let her down now. It was my turn to step up.

  I watched Luke approach and remembered each and every one of those hateful words he’d thrown at her yesterday. My blood pumped faster through my veins. Time to get serious.

  Aggressively, I stepped forward and fired off a quick, crisp punch combination. Luke’s guard was good and I only managed to catch a glancing blow. He countered back with a punch combination of his own. He was known for his power punches and strikes. That’s how he managed to snare his victims. I’d been working really hard on all my defensive moves and my guard until it was automatic and super sharp. So far everything was holding just fine.

  As we went deeper into the round, I could feel his frustration growing. His technique was becoming looser. The strikes were no longer as clean and crisp. I just had to be patient, move him around and wear him down.

  I sensed rather than heard the crowd becoming more and more restless. They were looking for a result—something to happen.

  Luke must have decided it was time, too. He unleashed with a big cross punch and followed it up with a hook that was just as wild. I used the opportunity of his unguarded open body to shoot forward and grab him around the middle, taking him to the mats in a double pick up. There were just as many opportunities to get a knock out on the canvas as I could from a strike while I was on my feet.

  I got him pinned to the mat in a solid side control, my body draped sideways across his. Rather than trying to defend or escape, his temper flared again. He was focused far more on trying to pummel me with strikes from his hands and knees, even though I had him pinned to the mat on his back.

  Luke’s choice of strike over defence made it easy for me to slip from a side control and spin around over his body until I was in a textbook mount position, my hips over his. Now it was my turn to rain strikes down on him. Time and time again, my fists pummelled down and connected with his jaw, head and his forearms, which he used to guard his face. His facial features contorted in rage rather than pain. He was one tough motherfucker.

  I cocked my elbow ready to deliver the most punishing of all strikes to his head—a downward elbow. I’d been in this position before; I had the upper hand and I could finish it now with this one strike. As I started the descent of my strike, a flash of a memory penetrated my fight fogged brain and I saw The Cobra’s face morph with Luke’s and emotions that have no place in the cage pushed at my resolve. I hesitated just a fraction and it was enough for Lights Outs to harmlessly bump my body forward ov
er his head. The opportunity I had was lost and I’d given him the upper hand again.

  My legs remained firmly locked around his waist, but he used my momentary lack of commitment to his advantage. Then the postitions were reversed and I was on my back and he was kneeling on one knee; the other leg was ready to push up with his foot which was planted by my hips. My arms were up guarding my head, but that didn’t stop the force of the blows he’s barraging me with. If the adrenalin wasn’t running so hard through my veins, it would have hurt like hell.

  Right then, I felt nothing. But it was only a matter of time before he got a knockout if I couldn’t get out of this position. The only thing that’d protected me so far was the lock I had with my legs around his waist holding him back, to a degree, and my unfaltering defensive guard over my head.

  The frustration was there again and “Lights Out” pulled back for a monster hit. I used the slightly longer break in the tempo between his punches to scoot my body sideways towards his planted foot. In a split second, I slipped my right hand from my guard and wrapped it around his ankle and rolled my body, using the leverage of my legs around his waist as a pendulum. It was a sweet move.

  Sweat dripped in my eyes as I now had him pinned against the wall of the cage. Once again I’d managed to get back to a mount position, but this time I had him jammed against the wall of the cage with nowhere to go. Time seemed to slow as I hammered down on his face and upper body with punches—every one of them deserved for his attacks on Eden.

  One, two, one, two…the tempo ticked over in my head as my gloved hands hit down on him. His body wriggled beneath me, trying to dislodge me from the position I held over his hips.

  Not this time, Luke. This time, I was hanging on.

  If I couldn’t get the knock out here I was going to hold the advantage to the bell, which had to be any second surely?

  I hit down with my left fist and lined up for a punishing strike with my right, but somehow he managed to free his left arm from between our bodies and the cage. His hand grabbed me tight around the back of the neck and before I could react he dragged me down—forward and hard onto his waiting elbow.

  Pain radiated out through my skull and my vision darkened for a second. Then I felt the warm sticky ooze as the bell rang out. Never had I been so glad to hear that damned bell. That was so close to being all over.

  The referee sent us back to our corners and called the doc to take a look at my head. It was only blood. I hoped to hell the doctor shared the same belief—otherwise my night was really going to suck.

  I needed another chance to get the win.

  * * *

  Eden

  Fear clawed at my stomach as I watched the last couple of seconds of that round. Xander had seemed to be in total control, then out of nowhere “Lights Out” had landed some crazy strike.

  Now Xander was bleeding from a cut on his forehead as he headed to his corner. My emotions were all over the place—pleased he seemed to be okay but worried he was injured.

  “He’s okay, Girl. You can let go of my arm,” Len’s voice bit out. It was only then I realised I had both hands around his forearm this time, and there were little indentations where my nails had been digging in.

  “Sorry,” I gushed out, my eyes remained solidly focused on what was happening in the cage. “What’s going on?” I demanded, feeling absolutely sick with worry.

  “Stop panicking. The Doc’s going to take a look at it. Most important thing is he made it through the round.” Len stood there shaking his head looking agitated. Then he started muttering to himself.

  Same as before, my view to Xander was obscured with the guys and the doctor milling around him. Len was upset about something and I had no idea what I should be doing or feeling. I just wanted it to be over and Xander to be safe again.

  “I can’t believe he keeps going back to the damned mount looking for the knock out strike. Fuck me, is he looking to replay the whole Cobra thing again with a different ending?” Len vented, not even checking his swearing which he usually did around me.

  Then I realised what he was saying. Twice in that round Xander had gone looking for a knock-out strike from the mount position. That was one position I did know. Probably best I didn’t mention to Len how I’d learnt that one. I understood the point he was making which was something.

  “I have no idea, Len,” I shrugged.

  “Neither do I, but if Reed doesn’t tell him to quit that shit, we are going to have some serious words.” Then I started to realise just how critical things were. Len was looking very frustrated. Was that a cover for how concerned he was?

  “Is he doing okay, Len?”

  Len dragged his hand down his face. “He needs to stay on his damned feet and use his real skills, ground fighting isn’t working for him today.”

  I looked between Xander and Len. The guys had moved away a bit and I could see him sitting on the stool looking mighty pissed off or was that determination?

  The only thing that made me feel slightly better was that the doctor was leaving the cage and Xander seemed fine.

  “Stop worrying, Girl. He’s had worse paper cuts.” Len seemed to read my mind.

  “But there was so much blood.”

  “Course there was. Heads bleed like a pisser. Always looks way worse than it really is,” Len scoffed at me.

  I didn’t care what he said. It was still blood and I didn’t like seeing it coming from the head of the man I loved.

  * * *

  Xander

  “What the hell were you doing?” Reed demanded as I sat down.

  Yeah, excellent question. What the hell was I doing? Twice I’d ended up back just like that last God damned fight. What was that about? I was lucky to still be in this bout.

  “You’re lucky to still be in this.” Okay, either Reed and I were on the same page or that hit to the head was worse than I thought because now he was in my head. “But I don’t think I need to tell you that. So I hope to hell you’re feeling more confident because there’s no way you should have survived that round. Now you’ve just got to bring it home.”

  The doctor muscled in and sponged the blood away then slabbed a liberal dollop of Vaseline over the cut—ringside first aid at its best.

  “Your vision clear?” he asked, focusing on my eyes.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” My pride was hurt more than my forehead.

  He nodded and turned away. I guess that meant he was clearing me to fight on. Thank fuck for that. Reed stepped in and took his place as Seth passed me a drink bottle and Dane wiped away the sweat that kept forming on my body.

  “Keep working his frustrations. His strikes are getting wilder and wilder. Stay off the fucking canvas and go for a strike. Straight punches. Stay in his face. Be monotonous, annoy the hell out of him. That’s what you’re good at. God knows you’re annoying the hell out of me! Then go for the knockout when he makes a mistake.”

  I nodded my head and sipped a bit more water.

  Nope, wasn’t going back to the canvas for another go-round. The canvas Gods definitely weren’t loving me tonight.

  “He’s never had to go past the second round other than that fight with you. It’s new territory for him,” Dane urged me on confidently. “Definitely a strike will take him out. Come on, Xan, we’ve worked on this for so many hours.”

  “Yeah, buddy. Take it from a ground lover. It’s a strike for sure,” Seth agreed.

  The crowd were restless and I tried to keep my head firmly focused on the job still to be done. One minute was both a lifetime and no time at all in the scheme of a fight.

  It was time to get back in there.

  “Get to work, Pretty Boy!” Reed barked at me.

  I caught sight of Dad and Eden as I made my way back. Dad had his fist clenched and threw a jab in the air. Yeah I knew what he meant—strike.

  Eden held her hands together to make a heart shape and then pointed at me.

  I bumped my fists together and nodded at her.

&nb
sp; She’d know what I meant.

  For a fleeting moment I wondered if this was how she felt when, she stood at the top of the stairs and had to gather the courage to walk down into the fire. I’d never know just how much courage that took, but I wasn’t going to fail her now.

  I stepped into the middle and eyed “Lights Out”. This was it. He looked at me with a belligerent smirk and I knew Reed and the guys were right. Frustration was going to be his downfall. I focused on keeping my face expressionless. That would eat at him more than anything else.

  When the referee called time on, we danced around the centre for a few seconds, both of us feigning punches and advances.

  “Take it to him.” It was rare, I normally didn’t hear much when I was fighting but I couldn’t miss Reed’s bellow from the sidelines. It broke through and rattled around in my head.

  As if on autopilot, I lunged forward and delivered a jab, cross, jab, punch combination and followed it up with a lightning fast leg kick to his left thigh, which he was leading with. I felt his head snap back at the impact of my fists against his face and it felt good.

  Luke took a couple of stumbling steps to the side, but righted himself and I could see the frustration and rage written all over his face. He bulldozed forward at me with a wild right cross punch that he telegraphed a mile away. I easily caught the punch with my left hand and harmlessly brushed it away. This left him wide open and perfectly positioned for me to throw a straight punch and catch him directly in the nose.

  I didn’t miss.

  Immediately, I threw a left hook punch and caught him square on the right of his jaw. Luke was thrown off balance and lurched forward a little, directly into the path of the driving upward knee I had waiting for him.