Chapter 18

“Here are the rules,” He started, eyeing the three guys that I’m pretty sure were intimidating him but I shook my head, chuckling softly.

“We’re out of the building and that means there are no rules, pretty boy.” You asked for it, you’re going to get it. “The only shit that’s going to happen is a deal. If I win, you and any associate of yours will leave me and my friends alone.” I told him in a firm voice, thinking about Monic. Jake better get her somewhere safe by now or I’m so going to castrate the shit out of that guy.

“And if I win?” He prodded and I shrugged, hoping to come off uncaring about it.

There was a 50/50 chance this guy can win judging from his built and how his eyes zero on my every move. This is going to be a tough fight.

His eyes twinkled with mischief and something else that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and the goose bumps decided to grace my arms yet again. His existence alone spelled trouble. I’m not expecting him to play along with the deal but it’s worth the try.

Maybe he’ll have a change of heart.

Pshh... Yeah, right.

I clenched my fist as he laid out his end of the bargain. “If I win, you’re going to come with me and meet my ‘associates’.”

I felt a muscle in my jaw tick as I ground my teeth. I knew it was too good to be true. I heard a sound of protest behind me but thought nothing of it.

“Alright, let’s get this over with.” I let out calmly before steeling my face and letting the adrenaline that’s been locked up inside me take over. I hardened my expression and let all the emotions be washed away.

I saw the guy furrowing his eyebrows and parted his legs, bending his knees, apparently ready for a hit.

If a hit is what he wants, I’d be stupid to give it to him. I moved closer and see if he’ll respond. I saw something move out of the corner of my eyes and jumped out of the way as his fist flew an inch away from the side of my face.

I crouched down and swung my legs, swiping out his feet beneath him. That move has never failed me in any of my fights so you can probably imagine my face when he jumped right at the last second, letting my feet swing through empty air under him.

I narrowed my eyes and did the dumbest thing I could have ever done in my entire life. The second his feet landed on the ground gracefully, I charged at him and used my whole body as leverage to send him falling onto the ground.

He lost his balance and fell on the ground, groaning and arching his back before rolling away, his face scrunched up in agony while I landed a foot away from him, rolling on the ground to reduce the impact.

It didn’t take me a second longer to get to my feet and turn by my heels and took the opportunity laid out to me, taking his hand and twisting it behind him, making sure to lock it with both hands.

I neared my face beside his and whispered harshly in his ear, demanding answers. This guy wants to hurt me and my friends and I want to know why.

“What do you want?” I demanded.

He chuckled but got cut off by his own cough, gasping for air but that didn’t seem to ruin his moment as he gave off a weak chuckle once more.

“Someone who paid a high price for your head, princess.” I growled, not liking the nickname rolling out of his mouth.

“Give me a name.” I tightened my hold on his arm behind him and twisted it an inch more in a painstakingly slow motion, making him feel every inch of his arm that was probably crying out to be let out of the hold.

He cringed, his eyes shut tight and his whole face tightened in pain.

“Who. Sent. You?” With every word, I tightened my hold more and more until he gave out a shout through the pain. He gulped, trying to get in as much air as he can to bear with the pain while a thin sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead, dampening it.

He growled and threw me off him by rolling back causing me to get squashed beneath his body.

The breath got knocked out of me and I gasped in an attempt to get it back.

“Not so easy now, is it?” He smirked down at me as he stood up from where he laid.

I braced myself and kicked the ground, getting back onto my feet with ease, glowering at him and mocked punch him only to alter my body and raise my foot to give him a hard kick on his abdomen, not forgetting to bring my body with it to add more force.

He stumbled a few steps back and held onto his abdomen, coughing and seeming to have a hard time catching his breath.

I took that chance to give him a right hook but he was way quicker as his instincts kicked in and he yanked my hand so that my body staggered forward towards him.

He slapped me, dazing me in and out of focus before taking my neck in his hands and blocked my air circulation. My hands flew without a second thought, remembering the combat moves Bryant taught me when I was younger. I delivered a hit on the underside of his elbow, forcing his hands off my neck and brought my right elbow up and using it to land a hard blow on his face.

It gave out a satisfying crack that echoed through the night but I wasn’t done yet and grabbed the back of his neck, locking my fingers together before tugging at it harshly downwards and my knee met his face halfway.

I felt it before I heard it as his nose cracked from the impact. He cried out in agony and held onto his nose and staggered back the second I let my fingers entangle themselves.

I stalked towards him once more, watching him like a predator would and narrowed my eyes at him. “Who do you work for?” I demanded once again with my voice clear and firm.

He chuckled into the night and gave out a snarky reply.

“Watch your back, princess. The closest to you will be holding the sharpest knife.”