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A sickness I can’t control envelops me. My entire body freezes, and my movements of rummaging in my bag are cut short.
“That…that can’t be true.”
“But it is.” He’s right behind me now, and I force my frozen body to turn around. “You were losing yourself after your defeat. He wanted to get you back into the competition. He convinced the girl who beat you to give you her spot, but she asked for a lot of money. Much more than he could afford.”
He takes a deep breath, and I shake my head. My brain refuses to see where he’s going with this, opting for denial.
“No. That’s not true. No.”
“Fucked up people in Stoneview pay men and women to participate in their orgies. They offered him the money in exchange for a night. That’s where he was. He always had the option to do this job but never took it for himself despite his need to leave the North Shore. He did it for you, though. Didn’t hesitate one second.”
I’m so cold. Why is it suddenly so cold? The shock of it all weakens my knees, and I fall onto the bench, my body trembling.
“He didn’t want you to know because he knew you couldn’t take the guilt. But fuck, I’m done seeing him hurt. I know you’re hurting too. He came back from that night only to find the woman he had sacrificed everything for had been attacked by his own crew. Only for you to shatter his heart when he wanted to make it right. He’s broken, Billie. He’s crushed, and nothing matters to him anymore.”
“That’s not true,” I burst out in tears. “Tell me that’s not true?”
His mouth twists since he can’t actually say that. “Do you know where Sawyer is?”
I shake my head, more tears running down my face.
“He’s in my basement. That’s where Caden’s been keeping him for two months. He tortures him whenever he feels like it, just to avenge you.”
“Fuck,” I sob, my head falling into my hands. I struggle to take a breath before getting up. “I need to see him. Right now.” I’m walking toward the door, my gloves still on, when Ethan grabs my upper arm.
“No. You’re going to fight, and you’re going to win. He lost everything for you. So don’t you fucking give up now.”
“I never wanted him to do this for me,” I cry. “He…he’s crazy. I would have never agreed.”
“Of course, he’s crazy. It’s Caden we’re talking about. He’s fucking insane. So get out there, and show him you were worth it. Then you guys can make up.”
“We can’t make up,” I sniffle. “I can’t live every day by his side knowing I’m the reason he’s broken. We’re cursed, Ethan. Everyone wants us apart. No one ever approved of us.”
“You owe me, Billie,” he says calmly. “I’m using my favor, and I want you to go talk to Caden after the fight. I want you to give him another chance.”
With nothing to add, he lets me go and leaves the room without looking back despite having just destroyed my entire world.
36
CADEN
Hurt Me - Suriel Hess
She’s indestructible. Billie’s been going at it for two rounds and the bell just rang, signaling the beginning of the third and final round. She was crying when she came out, and I wanted to get up there and take her in my arms. To tell her that everything is going to be okay as long as we’re together. Only I couldn’t, so I watched Dickie ask her a few questions and her shake her head before starting the fight of her life. She didn’t touch the other girl’s gloves. Billie isn’t nice in the cage. She’s a destroyer.
I’ve watched every single one of Billie’s fights in the last two months.Followthefighthas become my most-watched channel on YouTube. That guy has got it bad for Billie, too, since he’s always at her fights and supporting her. He’s here tonight as well. I can see him filming from just in front of the cage.
I’m further back because I don’t want her to see my face and get distracted. This is everything to her, and I won’t ruin it.
I know her fighting techniques now, and she usually bets everything on her small height and speed. She can punch someone’s lights out in less time than it takes them to realize she started moving. And she’s good at avoiding hits.
Fuck, Killer Clover doesn’t get her name out of nowhere. It’s been hard for Billie to avoid her destroying kicks. My girl can’t afford to kick her in the face since she’s too short, but she’s kneed her in the stomach enough times that Clover is forced to take a few steps back, hunched over. Billie doesn’t give her time to breathe though, seizing the occasion to punch her right in the face. Her hook is deadly, with a precision like I’ve never seen. We’re all used to underground fights on the North Shore. Nothing with rules or skills.
Billie is proof that it’s nothing to be a tough girl when it comes to making a career out of her passion. It’s all about practice and performance.
The crowd starts to cheer Billie’s name as she hits Clover with punch after punch. The reigning champion of this small-town competition is getting a run for her money.
Clover falls to the floor, and everyone goes crazy. Although as soon as Billie tries to straddle her and put her in a weak position, she rolls away and kicks her in the face. Wincing, Billie falls to the floor as well, making the whole crowd gasp.
