I must stop myself from rolling my eyes; my father treats me like a little fucking kid, but I know if I push him, he'll only end up smacking me across the face for being disrespectful, and I'll fight the cunt, and then Reign will get involved, which neither of us want, especially before an important fight. I raise an eyebrow and lay one of my palms on his broad shoulder, giving him a sneer.
“Chill, Pa; I'll make it up to her.”
I wink before shifting my focus to Reign to get out of the situation and passing my Pa. When I am close enough, I extend my hand, and he accepts it before I take a seat beside him.
“How you doing, bro?”
He gives a tiny nod but doesn't look at me, his head still lowered.
“I'm good; I'm just focused on getting the fuck out there.”
As I study him, I nod a few times, but he appears laser-focused, as he always does before a fight, but this time there is a lot more burden on his shoulders. Tonight, Reign faces a rival Russian family member's son, Malik, who controls the younger half of their family with his cousin Maddox, while their uncle runs the entire family, whom both mine and Reign's Pa's loathe due to an extensive history of feuding.
To say this fight is crucial is an understatement. It demonstrates who has the strongest Russian family in this city in the eyes ofthe Elite’s, and Reign is aware of that. Personally, I believe my brother is capable of squashing absolutely anyone who gets in his fucking way, but since these aren't normal rules, anything is possible. Underground fighting is fought to the death or to the last man standing. It's bare-knuckle fighting with no limits on how violent it may get. Except for weapons, anything is allowed.
Reign is undefeated and has knocked out every single opponent who has unfortunately faced him, which is why he is now the top contender in his weight division. Suddenly, the door swings open, and a security man glances around it before raising his chin to Reign.
“You ready?”
Me and Reign both rise before he turns to face me, and I smirk while taking his hand in mine.
“You've got this, bro. Fuck everything else and concentrate on what a hard cunt you are.”
As he rounds his shoulder and moves his head from side to side, he flashes me a faint smirk.
“I'll see you after I get my fucking win.”
While he passes me, I grin at his confidence before following behind him.
Emerging from the shadows behind Reign, I step into the dimly lit arena, the air heavy with the sweat and anticipation of the night's fight. The metal fencing of the makeshift octagon cage is drawn back to allow Reign to enter, eliciting loud cheers and applause from the rowdy crowd. We make our way to his corner,where I position myself alongside my Pa and Cody, ready to support my brother and I take a moment to glance round to see who else is here.
I scan the crowd, taking in the sight of hundreds of criminals dressed to the nines in their luxury designer clothing. Amidst the sea of faces, my attention is drawn to a figure who stands out from the rest, his gaze locked intensely on me from a distance.
He stands behind a pretty brunette, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist, a stark contrast to the harsh realities of our world. Both dressed in black, they exude an air of power and I raise my chin in acknowledgment, and he responds with a calm nod, a silent understanding passing between us.
I smirk as I gaze forward, knowing that Arlo fucking Hayes is standing in Reign's corner and if anyone is going to do it, it will be him who shits the hell out of everyone in this fucking joint. I am sure the Kozlov’s are pissing their pants right now at the sight of him standing behind us.
I shift my gaze to the other side of the cage, where Maddox stands with his family, showing support for Malik. Security is on high alert; their vigilant presence is a reminder of the possible murders in such a tight gathering of rival gangsters. The atmosphere crackles with tension, everyone presents a potential powder keg waiting to explode.
My attention shifts to my brother, who jumps around the cage to warm up, circling Malik, and I can sense the wrath and determination in his fierce eyes. As everyone shouts, I clap my hands and yell over the rowdy crowd of people.
“Cave his fucking head in!”
As the official steps back and signals the start of the match, my brother wastes no time in launching himself towards Malik, his movements swift and precise. With a powerful kick aimed at Malik's head, Reign delivers a punishing blow that sends his opponent staggering. Yet, Malik proves resilient, swiftly regaining his footing despite the force of the strike.
However, Reign is relentless in his assault, his strength on full display as he swiftly maneuvers around Malik. In a fluid motion, he ducks under Malik's defense, seizing the opportunity to hoist him into the air before slamming him down onto the unforgiving ground below.
I yell and clap my hands as I watch as Reign mounts Malik, raining down a barrage of hammer fists and elbows onto his opponent's face. Despite Malik's attempts to shield himself with his forearms, the hard blows are unavoidable. Reign's strikes are calculated, each one aimed with precision to maximize damage.
It's clear that he's not just aiming to win this match; he's sending a message, asserting his dominance with every blow. I can only imagine the pain Malik must be enduring, and I am confident that Reign's strength will undoubtedly break Malik's fucking arms if he doesn't move.
Eventually, Reign rises to his feet, his chest heaving with the exertion of battle. With a motion of his hand, he silently commands Malik to stand, a gesture that speaks volumes about his confidence and control over the situation. Despite having the clear advantage, Reign shows no signs of relenting, instead opting to prolong the fight, savoring the spectacle, and driving home the message of his superiority.
They throw their fists at one another, and Reign takes a few hits to demonstrate his strength, but when he connects a tremendous blow to Malik's jaw, he wobbles once again, but this time, Reign grasps his face to catch him before pulling his head back and striking him so hard with his head that Malik's nose combusts.
As Reign maintains his grip on Malik's head, he raises his knee, delivering a devastating blow to his ribs thatechoes throughout the arena, a sickening sound of bones breaking filling the air. Once Malik collapses to the floor, Reign clutches the metal fence into his hands, and, before anyone can stop him, he lifts his leg and stomps his foot down with all his strength onto Malik's face repeatedly.
The ref finally puts an end to his rampage, and Reign steps back, covered in rival Mafia blood, with a smirk on his lips before raising both fists in the air. The audience erupts with a roar, shouting and screaming, but my Pa and uncle just clap their hands like gentlemen. I rush ahead with Cody, pulling the barrier back so that I can get inside, and I sprint over to Reign before leaping onto him. I grab his sweaty face in my hands, resting my forehead against his while speaking with clamped teeth.
