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21
The loud thud of Red falling to the floor has Bram and his crew roaring in anger.
Kate knocked Red out. She did it, she won just like I knew she would.
Cal bends down, checking on Red just as Bram climbs into the ring and drops to his knees beside her. It’s the first time I’ve seen him show an ounce of care towards her, and I watch as he leans over, studying his face. Only I was wrong, he’s not displaying concern.
“Get up, bitch!” he snarls, grabbing her by the arm. She groans, her eye’s fluttering open.
What the fuck?!I shouldn’t be surprised by his reaction but I am. It only serves to fuel my anger, and when he yanks at her again, Cal snaps into action. Behind me Ford stiffens. He was friends with this idiot once.
“Bram! Back the hell off,” Cal snaps, glaring at him whilst Red groans.
“She’s my fucking girl.” Bram stands. He’s seething with anger at Red, at Kate, at us, atme. I can feel his hate from all the way across the room.
“Then treat her with some respect!”
Kate looks a little shell-shocked as Cal helps Red to her feet. I can see all the anger and rage she held before the fight drain away, replaced with sympathy for a girl who despises her, who despises us. That’s the difference between Kate and Red. Kate feels regret for hurting someone, no matter how much they might deserve it.
“Are you okay?” Kate asks her gently, shaking off her gloves and handing them to Eastern who’s standing behind her. She looks between Red and Bram, making her mind up about their relationship. Like me, Kate recognises a battered girlfriend. She recognises a woman whose self-esteem is so low that even such obvious cruelty from her boyfriend doesn’t change how she views their relationship. She’ll take all the nastiness just for the few glimpses of love. Thing is, whatever glimpses he might show her, that isn’t love, that’s possession, obsession. It’s hate dressed up in fake love. No one who hurts another person the way he does could ever call it love.
It’s not.
Red locks eyes with Kate and for a moment I can see a begrudging respect, a whisper of appreciation before it’s locked down the second she senses Bram step closer. His fingers curl around her upper arm as he leans over and whispers something in her ear. The expression on her face changes instantly.
“Fuck you, bitch!” she snarls at Kate, spitting at her feet. I watch the glob of saliva and blood hit the floor by Kate’s shoe.
Kate grits her jaw, nodding once. “You chose the wrong side,” she says softly, before stepping away from them both and out of the ring. Kate pulls off her protective head gear and within a few steps has pulled me into her arms.
“Fuck that bastard up. Make him pay.”
I grip hold of her tightly, knowing that she doesn’t just want me to hurt Bram for turning his back on Ford or the fact that he helped Monk take my sketches. Or for kidnapping Pink. She’s also talking about Red and the fact he treats her so badly.
“I will. I’ll make him pay,” I respond.
When I climb into the ring five minutes later, Ford following me, a hush falls around the room. There are no jeers, no catcalls or nasty comments. Instead, a dark energy fills the room. On the street this kind of atmosphere would lead to one thing and one thing only… gang warfare. No matter who wins the other side will retaliate and the hate will continue. A vicious cycle with no end.
This is the quiet before the storm, and I’m not talking about my imminent fight with Bram. He’s just one obstacle in a long line of them, until we’re faced with our real enemy. The King.
That fight is looming, and it’s one I intend on winning.
For now, this is just another battle amongst many.
“Like I’ve said before, Bram’s weakness is his right shoulder. Target as many punches there, okay?” Ford says under his breath, giving me one last piece of advice before stepping out of the ring.
“Got it.”
“Don’t hold back,” Camden grinds out from his position behind the ropes.
“I won’t.”
Turning on my heel, I face Bram, but not before I look at every single person in the HH crew. My gaze lands on them all. On Dagger, and Monk’s wolves. On Red who can’t quite meet my eyes. I glare at Diamond and Emerald who’ve stuck with Monk, maybe through fear, maybe jealousy, it doesn’t really matter. They turned their back on Camden, afraid of the big bad wolf that is the King.
“I’m over here, bitch,” Bram snarls.
I smile, holding his gaze for long seconds. “So you are.”
Cal steps forward, rattling off the same rules he’s done five times previously. The second he steps back, I attack.
