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Thinking about her had him missing the other boys’ exhibition and both of the girls’ matches. It was a good thing he was in a safe location because if he’d been in danger, someone would have gotten the drop on him. He wasn’t usually this distracted. Winnie hopped back in the ring with a huge smile on her face. Why did he get the feeling he wasn’t going to like what she said? It might have had something to do with the clothes his dad had directed them all to bring.
“Are you all ready for our next treat tonight? Our local MC has graciously offered up some men to help a couple of our instructors demonstrate what you can achieve no matter your size. We’ll give War, Bear and Remington a little time to make sure they are in comfortable clothes. I’ll be joining in on this, too. We’ll take a ten-minute break, so everyone grab some snacks.”
He glanced over at his mom and dad as he walked with his clothes toward the locker room. His mom’s smirk indicated this might be payback for lunch awhile back. He’d apologized but it seemed like he had some more penance. He wasn’t sure why Bear was getting penalized but at least it wasn’t just him.
“I get why I’m doing this but what did you do to warrant this?”
Bear walked ahead, kicking off his shoes and opening a locker to hang his cut in.
“I volunteered. Winnie and Beth suggested using guys who hadn’t helped in any of the training because it would be a good demonstration. I knew after last week you would be the other one and I got bonus points for volunteering.”
Sometimes he wondered why he considered Bear his best friend when he hadn’t had his back in this instance but knowing his mom, she’d threatened to bar Bear from her kitchen if he said a word. Since they’d gotten back, Bear was in there a lot helping his mom. During one of their stakeouts with way too much coffee, he’d admitted that when his dad had gotten custody of him and brought him to the MC, he hadn’t believed moms acted like Regina. He’d fallen in love with cooking with her and baking. It was the first time he'd felt like he had a home. War had been too young when Bear came to them to understand what had happened but over the years, he’d pieced together his friend had a lot of trauma from childhood packed away.
He opened the locker with his name on it, shrugging out of his cut and hanging it up. He pulled out a bag labeled ‘wear this’ and opened it. A jock strap with a cup was inside. He’d brought his own jockstrap and in boxing, he wouldn’t need a cup. He shoved it back in the locker and yanked off his t-shirt. He’d go out there and do his best. Hopefully, being a good sport would get him back in his mom’s good graces. Remington had played her prank and he’d retaliated. They were even and he was going to work toward getting along with her and remind himself to not call her princess. He’d called her that in his head for years and breaking the habit was going to be hard. For the good of his MC, he didn’t see any option but treating Remington a little nicer, which included not needling her, at least not where anyone else could hear. Bear was scheduled on a protection detail with them this week, but he was scheduled for one three weeks away.
Following Bear back out to the ring, he reminded himself he needed to be careful. He didn’t know their skills and wouldn’t want to embarrass them in front of their students. He’d be cautious until he assessed their level.
Winnie was back up in the ring with Remington but this time, Remington was holding the mic.
“Looks like we’re ready to start. Winnie and Bear are going to start us off with a little boxing. They have not been opponents before so they’ll both have to assess skills. Any guesses on who will come out on top?”
“The guy, of course!” one of the high school guys yelled out.
“Interesting. Bear does have some muscle mass and knows how to fight. Anyone else?”
“Winchester’s going to kick his butt, Ms. Franks. He’s not going to know what hit him,” one of the girls commented.
“Winnie does have a few skills which could help her in this. We’ll do a two-minute match. I particularly want you all to watch and dissect why they are choosing to use the punches they use.”
Bear and Winnie touched gloves and a man with a referee shirt blew a whistle to start the match. Bear hung back, waiting on Winnie. She did some good footwork as she moved around Bear. He couldn’t quite hear what she was saying but he could see Bear’s face scowling. Quicker than he’d thought she faked a right hook then followed up with her left, which Bear didn’t see coming. He was sure if Bear didn’t have the protective helmet on and her hands weren’t in gloves, he’d be out on the floor. The power behind her jab surprised him.
Bear and she traded punches but were evenly matched. The referee blew the whistle, and the judges declared a tie.
Beth hopped up into the ring, grinning. “It looks to me that you can’t tell who will be the winner by size or the sex of the opponents. It all comes down to skill. Our next volunteers are going to demonstrate some self-defense. War is going to try to take Remington down to the mat by any means necessary and pin her for ten seconds. Remington’s job is to not allow that. We’re going to let War decide if he wants to approach from the front or the back and we’ll set a two-minute time limit.”
Beth motioned him and Remington up. He knew Remington had some skills because they recovered fugitives and she was tall, so he didn’t have much of a height advantage. He’d take any advantage, so he’d approach from behind.
~**~
REMINGTON WAS READYfor War. To be honest, she’d been looking forward to this way too much. Even if they ended up as a tie, she wanted a chance to teach him a lesson. She wasn’t particularly bloodthirsty but something about his attitude scraped on her last nerve.
She’d helped grow the business even when it required getting down and dirty, but he still saw her with a warped sense of who she was. She wasn’t even sure why his opinion mattered but it did. She usually had thick skin. In her job, you had to. So many men and women called her names because she was in a male-dominated profession. She brushed it off and forgot it but with War, there wasn’t any brushing it away. She couldn’t sleep last night thinking about tonight. How she wanted him to truly see her for the woman she was, not the girl he imagined.
She’d known he’d go for the approach from behind. His ego was large, but he was smart, too, and would use any advantage he could. She’d coerced one of the employees from the security business who was similar in size and weight to War into practicing with her yesterday. He was why she’d included the cup in War’s locker. She hadn’t been trying to hit him in the crotch, but she’d landed a high thigh kick and almost had her employee crying on the mats. He’d said it was his own fault for not wearing the right equipment, but she’d still bought him supper and a six-pack of beer as an apology.
Bear caught her attention at the side of the ring as he flicked on the sound system and Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” filled the arena. After having a tie with Winnie, Bear was probably hoping for his brother to take her down. He was, first and foremost, War’s brother in the MC and bragging rights were a huge deal.
She centered herself as War walked behind her. Blocking out the sound of the crowd and the music, she listened for him. He was too big of a man to be silent even on the softened ring floor. His footsteps, although quiet, were noticeable. They quickened and she prepared. She’d love to turn around and meet him head on, but she wasn’t bending the rules. When she won or tied, it would be because of her skill. No matter how much she wanted to win, she also wanted to demonstrate to the students that size could be overcome by skill and knowledge—at least most of the time.
His arms wrapped around her biceps, pinning her arms to her chest. She only had seconds before he would try to force her to the mats. She picked her feet up and let him absorb all her weight. He wasn’t quite prepared for it, and she slipped down farther in his arms. With all but her shoulders free, she rammed her head back, hitting his chin as she drove her clasped fists up, knocking one of his arms away.
He grappled to take control, holding on to her left arm as she dropped to one knee. She grasped his upper arm, using it for balance. She turned until she was perpendicular with him and kicked out with her left leg, using his hold for balance. Her foot connected with his inside thigh near his groin and slid hard into his crotch, only she didn’t hit the plastic of his cup, she connected with soft tissue. His hold loosened as he clasped his crotch and dropped to his knees. He groaned, gasping for breath.
She leaned toward him, putting her hand on his shoulder to check him and he tilted away as if he was worried she’d hit him again.
“War, I’m not trying to hit you. Are you okay? I am so sorry.”
He shook his head as Winnie and Bear joined them. A retching sound came from his throat.
