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“Nice try, princess,” he says with a smile before turning his back to me.
“Coward!” I spit out, egging him on, “You’d rather fight an injured man than a woman because you know I would fucking obliterate you.” He stops, and I wait on bated breath before he turns around.
“Rules of The Tomb,” I continue, “you can’t decline a challenge.”
The inmates around us mutter with this new turn of events, but my focus is entirely on Cole. I vaguely hear Ax shouting in the background, yelling at Cole and me. Neither of us pay attention as we glare at one another. Finally, a grin breaks out on his face.
“I wanted to keep you intact a bit longer, but if you insist,” he mocks, holding a hand out toward the pit.
“Challenge accepted.”
The cacophony of sounds around me dim after Cole’s words, and I turn my mindset to fight mode. Josh taught me well and I’ve taken out bigger men than him before, though not barehanded. I can do this. My attention flickers to Ax, who is straining to get to me from across the yard. With all the grace and dignity I can muster, I make my way to him, ignoring Cole pointedly as I pass. All eyes are on us—on me. Ax stops struggling as I step up to him, smiling.
“I love you too,” I tell him, planting a soft kiss on his mouth.
“Don’t do this, Ana,” he says, his voice sounding panicked. “This is my fight. Don’t sacrifice yourself. Take back the challenge.”
I shake my head, still smiling. “I will not be a martyr,” I tell him. “I can do this.”
Without further delay, I walk up to the Pit.
As I look down into the desolate hole sound comes back, the roar of hundreds of men chanting and cheering. I swallow deeply as I look down the twenty or so foot drop. The other man who came with Ethan to get us steps up and hands me a heavy rope with a knot on the end, nodding his head down. I brace myself against the dirt walls and walk down as I’m lowered into the Pit.
Down here the sounds seem dimmer again, but I don’t know if it’s the acoustics of the space or my own head. Breathing heavily, I watch as Cole is lowered to the other side. I dare to make one last glance upward to Axle before I turn my attention back.
“I can’t wait to rape your fucking corpse in front of this whole prison,” he goads as his feet touch the ground. I narrow my eyes and put my feet apart, not letting his taunts get to me.
My mind races with ideas of how I can take him down. Whatever happens, I can’t let him get a hold of me. He’s too much bigger and stronger. Defense it is then, until I get my chance.
I see the moment of decision a split second before he strikes. Not realizing there was no formal announcement to begin, I panic for a moment, diving to the left. I rise quickly, never keeping my back to him. Thank fuck I’m fast.
“Come on, girlie, fucking hit me!”
Sweat is pouring down my face stinging my eyes. I duck and dodge Cole’s attacks, letting my body take the lead. Josh’s lessons are instinctual now.
“Keep your hands up, protect your head! No, no, no, hunch down a bit so your forearms are parallel. Chin down, don’t give me an easy knockout. There you go!”
“You can’t keep away from me forever,” he taunts again as I dodge him once more. I manage to get an elbow up, hitting his face but not hard enough.
“Aim for soft spots, not hard ones. You’ll hurt yourself more than them. Use your knobby bits like your elbows.”
He’s slower than me, but not much. Both of us were in fights yesterday, and it doesn’t take long for both of our breathing to become ragged. He stops his assault only for a minute. I keep tense and ready. When I see him move again, I’m not ready for it. I can’t get away fast enough.
His fist connects with my jaw and I pull back, but it’s more than a passing glance. Before I can recover, he’s on me. I twist and turn as his weight pins me, struggling to get free.
Fuck!
This can’t be it.
He laughs as he straddles me, grabbing my wrists and leering down at me.
“You aren’t bad, girlie,” he says, “but still just a little fucking girl. And mine now.”
I grit my teeth and scream as his hands come around my neck. Scratching and clawing I try to get him off of me, but my vision starts to blacken almost immediately. My attempts don’t even seem to register as he squeezes harder, choking the last bits of air from my chest. I’m only seconds away from passing out. If I do, no telling if I will wake up. Or what state I’ll wake up in.
It isn’t easy, but I let myself go limp, praying he lets go quicker.
Thankfully, I was right, and Cole is too cocky. His hands let up and I don’t even wait for them to leave my neck before I shove forward, rolling him off me. The moment of surprise is mine. My legs stay wrapped around him as he hits his side.
