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“I want to stay and be there for you,” Vihaan said. “You need support. He’ll have that from his brothers, whereas you have no friends other than us.”
“Vihaan, please,” Rajiv said. “Don’t push this. I have enough to worry about as it is. I refuse to allow either of you to be targeted by the Oshnovs. The second they see you supporting me, they will go on a quest to learn everything about you. To men like them, information is a powerful bargaining chip, and you know that.”
The brothers exchanged a look. Aaryan finished tying his hand and stepped back.
“Let me stay with you,” Aaryan said. “I’m worried.”
“No. I don’t want you to risk yourselves and everything you’ve built on this stupid fight. It’s not as important as you’re making it out to be.”
“The fight is not important,” Aaryan said. “Butyouare, and supporting you is important to me. To us.”
Rajiv checked the clock on the wall above him. “I need to go outside. The Oshnovs will be here any minute, if they’re not here already. You guys need to go. I refuse to put you in front of the Oshnovs, you hear me? Please, I won’t be able to fight if I have to worry about either of you being in front of them.”
“We’ll be watching from the office balcony upstairs then,” Aaryan said in a tone that brokered no room for argument.
Rajiv left the changing room and headed for the main floor of the club, where the training ring was set up. The three Oshnov brothers entered a minute later. They all nodded at Rajiv. Armaan slipped out of his t-shirt and entered the ring. Armaan was dressed just like Rajiv, in shorts, his hands wrapped similarly. His back had a tattoo that covered the length of his spine. Rajiv didn’t care enough to see what it was. Armaan’s brothers stood to the side, watching them.
“Ready to lose, Mehra,” Armaan challenged.
“In your dreams, Oshnov.”
They began to circle one another. He glanced at the balcony high above. Aaryan and Vihaan were standing there, leaning against the railing, looking tense.
Armaan’s quiet chuckle was the only warning Rajiv got. He ducked just as Armaan swung his fist out, and then there was no time to think. He and Armaan were equally matched in height and strength. They blocked each other easily, neither of them landing the first shot.
Rajiv swung his left fist out, and Armaan deflected. At the same time, Rajiv punched him with his right hand. Armaan’s face swung to the right. The man swayed but quickly regained his footing and sent a sharp blow to Rajiv’s jaw. Fuck. That hurt. They went at it, jabbing, punching, jumping back, punching harder.
“Why is your girlfriend not here?” Armaan asked. “Or is she not really your girlfriend?”
At Rajiv’s lack of response, Armaan ribbed him further. “She’s a wild fire, that one. Perhaps, you’re not good enough for her. My brothers, though…one of us could definitely tame her.”
His snide comment hit the mark because Rajiv charged at him. He backed him into a corner, landing several punches on his face. “Don’tevertalk about her.”
Suddenly, his nape tingled. He looked to the side, and Sheena was running to the ring, her eyes lit with worry. Armaan’s brother, Vedant, stepped in her path, blocking her, shaking his head.
Rajiv’s distraction cost him. Armaan sneaked out of his grip and took him in a chokehold, squeezing the very breath out of him.
“Your woman is here,” Armaan said. “Nice. Hurting you in front of her is so much more fun.”
Armaan pushed him to the ground, hammering punches and kicks to his chest and torso before his large hands encircled his throat and squeezed harder and harder.
“NO!” Sheena screamed. When she lunged toward him, Vedant caught her arm.
“He’s hurting him!” Sheena struggled against Vedant, trying to reach Rajiv. “Can’t you see? He’s hurting him.”
“Relax, will you?” Vedant said aloud, releasing her. “He knows how to fight. Calm down; you’re distracting him.”
Sheena turned to stare at Rajiv. Their eyes met, and he saw her lips move.
“I love you,”she mouthed.
Rajiv’s heart jerked. He had no time to process what she had said because Armaan laughed…at her. Rajiv saw red. He pushed Armaan back, jabbing his elbow into his chest and then his face. The other man fell off him, and Rajiv took control. He drove his fist into Armaan’s face, and blood exploded from his mouth. Armaan wiped the blood with the back of his hand and came at him, landing a blow on Rajiv’s nose. He raised his hand again, and a loud voice rang in the air.
“Stop!”
Armaan halted, watching as Navya came to stand outside the ring. From the corner of his eye, Rajiv saw that her bodyguard had followed her, standing to the side. Armaan apparently noticed the man, too, because a sinister look crossed his face. He stared at her for a whole second, his brow arching up, before raining punches on Rajiv, suddenly thirsty for violence. Sure enough, he managed to hurt him enough that blood began to ooze out of Rajiv’s lips, his nose, and the side of his head.
From outside the ring, he could see Sheena’s hands on her mouth. Navya was holding her arm, both of them looking terrified. This was exactly why he didn’t want Sheena or his sisters near this fight. This was why he hadn’t reminded Sheena that tonight he was to meet Armaan Oshnov in the ring, and to his luck, she had forgotten, or so he thought. The last thing he needed was her fear and worry messing with his head. And no, he wasn’t yet ready to think of what she’d whispered to him. That was something to be processed for later. Just not the fuck now. He breathed out, found an opening, and then he began to return Armaan’s punches. It was time to end this fight, take the girls and go home.
