Page 77 of More Tricks

Up on electronic scoreboards were the odds and bets people were making for each fight. These beginning ones weren’t as profitable as what they already had put down for Void and me. Too bad for them, they were never going to see a penny of it if they bet against me. I was just vindictive like that. I still needed to look the part, so I had on tight black shorts and a sports bra. Harper managed to braid my hair tight to my head, so if I had to fight, no one could grab it. I hoped the knife that was strapped to my thigh would deter them, but I didn’t trust anyone in here who wasn’t one of my people.

Knowing people would want to see me around, I headed out into the main area going for the bar. A double shot of whisky sounded perfect right now. The bartender spotted me and ditched the person who was trying to order to assist me. “What can I get you?”

“Whisky, make it a double,” I answered.

“On the rocks?” he asked.

“Nah, just make it the good shit,” I said, handing him over a twenty.

The man he’d ignored walked over to me, pissed as all hell. “Listen, you little bitch, I was ordering.”

I leaned on the bar and looked up at him. “Who do you work for?” I asked.

“What?”

“Sorry, let me try again slower. Who. Do. You. Work. For?” I tried again.

The man’s face turned red at the question. “I don’t work for anyone. I'm the leader of the Seven Snakes gang in Baltimore.”

“Ah, I see,” I said, nodding my head.

“Here you go, Tricks. Good luck with your fight tonight,” the bartender said, giving the gangbanger a telling look.

Mr. Snake realized what he said and backed up off me. “You’re Two Tricks?”

“I know, it’s the height. Everyone assumes I’d be taller, but you know what they say, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’ I feel like keeping it low to the ground helps me with that problem,” I shared, saluting him with my shot before tossing it back. “Damn, that hit the spot. Well, Mr. Snake, I hope you bet on the right person. Otherwise, this is not gonna be your night.”

“What do you mean by that?” he hollered after me, but I just kept walking.

I joined my guys in a section they had set aside for us to watch the fights if we wanted to. Some of these guys were actually pretty good, but some were just ruthless and would take any shot they could get in. Every fight ended with one of them dead, making Harper turn green and hide in Jaxson’s arms. We’d tried to tell her she didn’t want to come to this, but she refused to be put on the sidelines again. Hopefully, now when we said that, she’d listen.

“It’s about show time,” Void said loudly into my ear to be heard over the roar of the crowd.

I nodded and signaled to Sprocket and Cam, who were going to escort our guests to the stage when I needed them. Void and I carried only knives like we promised, but all my men were strapped even if it was against the rules of the fight club. Betta had gotten us in without being searched just for this advantage. This was supposed to be neutral ground, but not tonight. I was going to declare war on the bastard who’d been playing this cat-and-mouse game. He wanted me to attack. Well, he was gonna get his wish. Let’s see if he liked it as much as he thought he would.

“Ladies and gentlemen, crime lords and ladies, the event you’ve all been waiting for is upon us,” the announcer called over the loudspeakers. “We are going to start off the fights with Two Tricks herself against the opponent of our choosing. The rules are simple, whoever survives using only knives and fists wins.”

The whole place went wild with people cheering, screaming, and whistling. Taking that as my cue, I headed up front and climbed the steps to the cage. One of the attendants handed me a microphone. It wasn’t part of the original plan but was part of what I had Betta pull off for me.

I tapped it once to make sure it was working and grinned when I heard the sound echo through the speakers. “After all these years, I felt like it was only right that I should formally introduce myself. What’s up, fuckers? I’m Two Tricks, Queen of the Hidden Empire, pleased to meet you all… well, most of you. Some of you I know are just assholes.”

That got a chuckle out of the crowd. “I know we had a whole thing planned out where my man, Void, and I fought a whole bunch of guys you picked out, but I decided to make a few changes to the agenda.”

The crowd started to talk amongst themselves and a few started to boo, demanding their bloodshed. I signaled to Cam, who brought over Axel and shoved him up the stairs into the ring, locking the door.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snapped into the microphone. “I wasn’t done telling you what the changes were. There is still going to be blood, death, and mayhem, just not the kind you originally had in mind. Anyone know who this kid is I have in here with me?” I asked.

There was more talking but no real answers until someone shouted out, “That’s one of Diego’s kids.”

“Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner,” I announced, raising a hand, then turned to face Axel. “Now, Axel, would you like to take a guess as to why you, of all people, are here with me tonight?”

Axel’s face was pale and he was shaking. “I… I… I killed one of your people and sent him back to you with a note blaming you for my half-brother's murder.”

“That’s part of it. There’s one more bit that you forgot to mention,” I encouraged.

He frowned, then decided to take a guess. “Um… you talking about the bitch we used for blackmail?”

My hand whipped out, slapping him in the face. “Now, I know her uncles, Eagle and Picasso, explained this to you. They are my men making their family my family, so if that’s the case and you manipulated, lied, and used their niece to spy on us, what does that make her to me?”