Page 2 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

The routine of fighting was always the same. Make theright moves. Throw out the right punches. Get the fuck out of the way.

Calisto’s only bad habit when fighting was keeping hisface protected more than the rest of his body. To his own detriment, he kepthis face safe from bruises and broken bones while suffering from body blowafter body blow.

A bell rang, and Calisto let out a hard breath as heripped the mouth guard out and tossed it into a trash bin that was in thecorner of the cage.

“What’d I fucking tell you two, huh?” came a shoutfrom outside the mesh.

Calisto ignored the fool and grabbed the bar of chalkthat was passed to him from a fellow gym member. He rolled it in between hishands, letting the powdery block soak up what blood seeped from his cutknuckles and the sweat inside his palms.

“Protective gear needs to be worn at all times,” theowner said, waving wildly at Calisto.

“So?” Calisto asked. “He didn’t mind.”

“Nope, I didn’t.”

Calisto tossed his opponent a grin, and jerked a thumbin the younger man’s direction. “See?”

“Not the fucking point.”

“Come on, JD, we’re just sparring.”

“Gio’s got a bloody mouth,” JD barked. “And yourknuckles need ice. You two don’t seem to understand the concept of followingthe fucking rules.”

Calisto leaned against the mesh of the cage,unaffected. “And what about them?”

“I—”

“You know, we could always take our businesselsewhere,” Gio said, resting against the cage like Calisto was. He’dinterrupted JD with a smooth drawl and a blank stare that spoke of boredom andlittle else. Gio sported a cut lip, but the bleeding wasn’t that bad. “I knowhow much you would hate to lose out on the bets the guys get going when we’reup here fighting, man.”

“Truth,” Calisto said, tipping his head toward Gio.

JD gritted his teeth, clearly struggling with aresponse. “Could you at least tape your hands next time?”

No.

Gio smirked. “We’ll think about it.”

Huffing, the owner walked away. Most of the otherwatchers had already fled from the cage. Sighing, Calisto pushed away from thewall and tossed the chalk bar over the edge where it landed in a pile of handtowels on the table.

“You need to stop covering your face so much when Icome at you,” Gio said offhandedly. “It’s not like I’m going to knock out allof your teeth, if that’s what you’re worried about. Maybe just a couple.”

“You’re fucking hilarious. Really.” Calisto pressedhis fingertips around his right kidney, wincing at the shot of pain blooming inhis side. “Still would have kicked your ass, had JD not hit the buzzer.”

“Cazzo. Bullshit, stolto.”

“Next week, same time. We’ll see who the fool is then,huh?”

Gio chuckled. “You’re still going to protect yourface, man. I’m still going to give your body one hell of a beating while you doit.”

Calisto grinned. “Hey, if your face looked like minedoes, you’d protect it, too.”

“Bastard.”

“Tell me something I don’t already know, Marcello.”

Two towels were tossed over the cage wall. Calistocaught them both and tossed one over to Gio before wiping himself down. Heignored the sting in his knuckles and the aches in his lower half, knowing he’dearned them and it was just another reminder that he was still breathing.

“Heard your uncle was having trouble with the Irish inJersey,” Gio said.