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T was still by her side, but luckily had released her hand as he chatted with Chad.
A roar went up as Tiny strode toward the fighting arena.
“That’s Tiny?” he heard Macey gasp.
Tiny was bigger and more built than Ray remembered. He hadn’t been here near enough since his mum died and he’d focused on finding the murderer, and then the threats to T started and he’d focused on keeping his brother safe.
Had time slid by that quick? Had it been over six months since he’d seen the kid? He was probably six-seven and three hundred pounds now and he’d obviously been training diligently. In America, they’d have him playing their version of football. In Augustine, this man was destined for a military career.
Ray strutted out to meet him in the circle—shoulders back, head tilted confidently, muscles slightly flexed. So the kid had four inches and fifty pounds on him. Didn’t matter. Ray not only excelled at fighting and had the experience and the skills to win, but he would impress his girl, or rather T’s girl, or kill himself trying.
“General … Prince … Sir.” Tiny gave him a lopsided smile and lifted a gloved hand in an awkward salute. He couldn’t have been more than nineteen. “They said I’m supposed to thump you, but my papa taught me to be respectful of my elders, especially my general prince.”
Ray laughed. Tiny was a good kid. Ray expected a lot of his men and since his mum’s death he’d pushed them harder and been more formal around them. It was nice to relax a little bit.
“You can be respectful of my position and my experience,” he said, “but I’m giving you permission to give it everything you’ve got to ‘thump’ me.”
“Okay.” Tiny’s dark eyes lit up and he sprang at him.
Ray dodged, spun, and delivered a jab to Tiny’s upper back as he flew past. Tiny thumped onto his knees in the dirt. The cheers and taunting began. Ray knew his men wouldn’t dare taunt him, but they might cheer against him if Tiny got the upper hand.
Tiny leapt to his feet and roared. He didn’t attempt to leap at Ray this time, but he came in fists a-flying. The kid got in some decent upper cuts to his abdomen that took his breath away and a few roundhouses to his head that had Ray seeing black for a few beats. He was strong and knew how to place a punch. Ray stayed on his feet, dodging and deflecting eighty percent of the vicious hits Tiny hurled at him.
Ray delivered more than his fair share of solid hits and kicks. Finally Tiny, seemed to be tiring and getting frustrated. Ray only checked Macey’s position and expression every few seconds. She looked impressed and it fueled his confidence and knowledge that he’d win any battle if it impressed her. Ray used a flurry of jabs and kicks that drove Tiny back and then a semi-final upper cut to his chin followed by a kick to his head that took the kid to his rear.
“General, General!” his men cheered.
Ray straightened, only flexing slightly, and gave Macey a confident smirk. She arched her eyebrows at him, folded her arms across her chest, and then gifted him with her radiant smile. Ray was instantly out of breath and disoriented.
Tiny was suddenly in his space and slammed his fist into Ray’s abdomen. Ray gasped out a breath. His body wanted to fold forward, but he stayed as straight as humanly possible.
It was time to stop messing around.
He came at Tiny with uppercuts, jabs, roundhouse kicks, and knees to the man’s obliques and ribs. Tiny was flung one way and then another, trying to deflect or dodge, but Ray was on fire. He was proving himself to the woman who had captured him, despite being unable to act on his desire for her.
He knocked Tiny to the ground. Some would go after him and keep hitting to finish him off, but that wasn’t Ray’s style. He watched Tiny. The guy tried to rise, but he swayed and sank back down.
“Do you yield?” he asked quietly, not wanting to embarrass the kid.
“Yes, sir,” Tiny said just as quietly.
Ray stuck out his hand. Tiny grasped it and he pulled him to his feet and clasped his thick shoulder with his palm. The men cheered.
“Incredible fight, Tiny.” Ray leaned close to his ear so he could hear over the raucous cheers for their general. “You did great. Another six months of working as hard as you have, and you might have me.”
“I’ll pray for that, sir.” Tiny wiped at a trickle of blood on his nose with the back of his glove. The crowd settled somewhat around them.
“Prayer and hard work will take you wherever you want to go.”
“Thank you, General.”
Ray lifted his chin to the kid and released him. He heard murmuring, oohing, and a few low whistles. Sensing someone approaching from behind, he spun.
Macey was walking toward him, sliding gloves on. Her fancy shirt and high heels were gone. She was in a fitted white tank top with the black pants, pink-painted toenails peeking out at him. The womanly shape and lean muscles revealed in her shoulders, arms, and legs because of the fitted clothing made his pulse quicken. She looked absolutely irresistible.
“Macey?”
“Do you only fight men, General, or will you give me a chance to best you?”
