by C. A. Rene
Cain stays against the wall and just watches. I thought him and I were supposed to fight? Did he change his mind because I’m a girl? What a ball sack.
I have a twenty-minute break until my next class, so I pop in my ear pods and chill out to my playlist. I’m laying across the mat with my arms crossed behind my head-deep into Sicko Mode by Travis Scott-when I feel a tap on my elbow. I look up into my favourite pair of green eyes. My heart automatically gallops through my chest and I feel the warmth spread through my face. I reach up and wrap my hand around the back of his neck and pull his face to mine. Now that I’ve finally kissed Vin, I know I will want to do it constantly. His lips are soft and warm and the slight scruff on his upper lip and chin scratch my cheek, but I don’t care. I want more. I open my mouth beneath his and tentatively run my tongue across his lip. He opens and I run my tongue along his, flicking his tongue ring.
His groan reverberates through me as his hand grabs my hip. I forget where we are and I no longer care if we’re alone or not, I want him, now. He begins to pull back and I let lose a grunt of frustration and I watch his mouth twitch with his gorgeous grin.
He pulls out a pod and lifts his eyebrow. “We have other people in here.”
I look over his shoulder, first I see Adri standing to the side and then leaning against the wall is Travis. I shrug and pull his face to me again. He chuckles but indulges me as I use my tongue to mimic what I want his dick to do.
“Fuck, Ember.” He groans, pulling back.
“Honestly you two, can you knock it off?” Adri snarls.
I pull up to sitting position and flip her off. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We’re here to learn how to be badass!” Adri exclaims.
Vin laughs at the look of confusion on my face. At that moment Shay walks in and leans next to Travis.
“We’re here for the class, E.” Travis explains.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, I’m mostly here to see if you’re actually any good.” Shay says, sounding like the snobby bitch she is.
“You didn’t see her take out two grown men.” Vin says under his breath.
“What’s that?” Shay asks, her head tilted to the side.
“Nothing.” I answer, getting to my feet. I notice more people coming into the gym. “Let’s start with some warming up.”
After the class is warmed up I go through the routine like the first class and just like the first one, Cain is leaning against the wall watching. At about five minutes before the class is done, Andrew strolls in.
“Hey everyone,” he calls out, “I have a special treat for you all today. Ember here has agreed to show you a demonstration with a fellow fighter from another gym, everyone this is Cain.”
His hand extends towards Cain, who starts walking to the front of the class. He stands next to me and he’s easily a head and shoulders taller.
“Some people stayed from the first class to see this as well.” He continues, “I will turn over the center room to them, if you guys could, move back against the walls please.”
Andrew walks out into the hallway and back in with mouth guards and head gear. I take a mouth guard but decline the head gear. I can’t see my surroundings properly with one on. Cain does the same and we walk out to the center of the room.
“You don’t have to do this,” Cain implores, “there’s no pressure.”
“I’m fine.”
“Listen, I don’t understand why Andrew didn’t ask for a girl.” He holds out his hands, “I don’t make it a thing to fight girls.”
“I’m fine.” I repeat, “if you want to back out call it.”
He looks around the room, I know he doesn’t want to look like a pussy. It’s every mans fear so he slips his mouth guard on and nods at me.
We circle each other a bit and right away he reaches in and grabs my neck with one hand, it’s the typical grab for the beginning of any fight in the ring. I could do a few maneuvers to get me out of this but since he is stronger than me I need the element of surprise. So, I go for a variation of the duck under. Instead of using my hand to push the arm holding my neck, I use my forearm. I look away from him and use my forearm to slam it into his arm, I use the strength of my shoulder which forces his head and shoulders down. I quickly get to his side and keep his shoulder tight to mine. He’s struggling a bit but I’m quick. I push my palms together, bring my knee behind his and buckle it. I bring him down on his back easily to the floor and keep my palms tight together. He swings his leg towards my head, so I roll backwards and flip back up to my feet.
We circle each other again and when he goes in for another neck grab, I quickly shove his hand away, karate chop his elbow crease and slam my head into his solar plexus. He loses his breath from the force and his eyes widen as I quickly flip into a handstand, swing my legs around his neck and pull him down. I squeeze my thighs and force him to tap out.
“Fuck!!” He screams as he gets back up. Welp! Looks like he’s pissed.
I get back up but this time he decides to play it dirtier-understandable since he’s losing-by punching my eyebrow. I know as soon as I feel the impact it’s split open. I hear a commotion coming from the left side of the room and I know it’s Vin. When the bitch goes to punch me again, I quickly fall to my knees and use my momentum to slide between his legs. I come up behind him, quickly jab him once in the kidney and again on the back of his knee. As he’s falling to his knees, I stand up and roundhouse kick him in the back of the head. He spins and lands on his back.
He’s out cold.
“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how important the jabs and roundhouses are you learned today.” I say. The blood is now running into my eye.
“Get the fuck off me!” Vin grits out. I look over, Travis and a few other guys are straining to hold him back.
“Let him go.” I nod to them.
He rushes over pulling his shirt off and pressing it to my brow.
“When that piece of shit wakes up, it’s my turn.” He grounds out, his voice full of menace.
“Vin, this is normal. Actually, it was a pretty tame fight.”
He leads me back to the locker room and showers area. He gently guides me down to sit on a bench, goes to the bathroom and comes back with a first aid kit. He pulls out some alcohol spray and gauze, then proceeds to clean my wound.
“I’ve never felt so angry in all my life. Not even my father makes me feel this murderous.” He’s mumbling as he continues to clean me up.
“Vin, I’ve had a lot worse. I’ve fought multiple men at once. I’ve been jumped and nearly sexually assaulted on many occasions.” I close my eyes and let him apply some butterfly bandages. “I’ve had a gun to my head, sliced with knifes and even chained to a train track. But I’ve gotten myself out of every single situation nearly unscathed.”
“‘Nearly,’ that’s why you have these.” He’s touching my knife scars on my stomach below my sports bra.
“Yeah.” I look him in the eye. “And these.” I point out more on my arms and hands.
“Why were you in those situations? What were you doing?”
“I became well known for my fighting, so I started fighting in illegal matches. The money was good, three time’s the amount I’d make in a legal fight. But, those illegal fights brought me to the attention of a local gang. My best friend Tommy is a part of them. They recruited me to be their muscle, someone to teach certain people a lesson for missed payments or missing goods. The fact that I was a girl? Even better, no one would see me coming.
"My mother worked two jobs at the time just to keep up with the rent in our shitty bachelor apartment. So, I started saving and one day I handed her twenty grand. She knew I was into shady shit but she turned a blind eye so we could have a better life. I’d come home busted up, cracked ribs and deep cuts, she would patch me up and pretend everything was okay.
"The leader of the gang, Raphael, had been in prison for fifteen years. He was caught on drug and gun trafficking. So,
I never met him and according to many people, I wouldn’t want to. The night my mother died I had a fight, that’s why I live with so much guilt. She was home probably cooking me dinner when the gas leak happened. Maybe if I was there we’d have gone out for dinner. Instead I came home to our house burning. I tried to save her and I went in there but I passed out from the smoke. I couldn’t save her.”
“Baby,” he wipes my tears, “that was not your fault, how were you to know? And besides you were providing for you and your mother.”
He leans in and presses a sweet kiss to my forehead. I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his neck, his smell soothing my very soul.
“Is that who’s been following you? This gang?” He asks. “Those guys you took out at school?”
I nod and grip him tighter to me. I can’t let anything happen to him and I will protect him with everything I have.
“Do you want me to take you home? I can pick up my car later.” He asks.
“Okay.”
“Do you still want to question your aunt and my mother? They are both at your house, my mom said she was on her way there before I came here.”
“I should get it over with.”
I say goodbye to Travis and Adri, then we leave the gym and head back to my house. My stomach is in knots, I don’t want my aunt to think I mistrust her or that I’m snooping around. I just need these answers for my own sanity.
We enter the house and I can hear the ladies in the kitchen laughing. I can bet money they’ve popped a bottle of wine, too. Vin grabs my hand and we walk into the kitchen and in my other hand I have the picture I found in the box Vin brought to me.
“Ember! What the hell happened?!” My aunt rushes to me, checking my split brow. “I thought you were teaching a class not fighting!”
“Andrew set up a fight to entice people to come to the next class.” I shrug.
“I am going to get Scott to give him an earful!”
“Aunt Deb, she’s okay, trust me.” Vin says, placatingly. “You should see the other guy, knocked out cold.”
“Ugh!” She grunts with irritation. “I hate this fighting stuff!”
“Know what I hate?” I say, completely calm. “Secrets.”
“Pardon?” She asks, her eyes wide.
I go to sit at the table with Vin sitting to my right. I’m right across from Sharla who has her eyebrow raised at my joined hands with her son.
“Who’s Ray?” I ask Sharla.
“I don’t know any…” She begins, only to be cut off by Vin.
“No lying, Mother. You promised me awhile ago you would never lie to me again. So, let’s start from the beginning. Who is Ray?” He says his voice deadly calm.
Aunt Deb retakes her seat across Vin and drops her head into her hands.
“Ray was Rebecca’s boyfriend.” Sharla answers.
“Our family believed that is who she ran off with.” My aunt adds.
Chapter Thirteen
“Ran off with?” I repeat.
“Rebecca was dating Ray when she left home.” Aunt Deb says.
“Is he my father?”
“We’re not sure…” My aunt says at the same time as Sharla says, “I think so.”
“I think I look like him.” I push the picture to the centre of the table.
Both women gasp. Sharla picks it up and turns the photo over, looking at her writing.
“Where did you get this?” She asks.
“I found it in a box in the basement.” Vin answers. “I think Ember should find her dad.”
“You don’t want to be here?” My aunts voice trembles.
“That’s not it. I’ve never known my father; I would like the chance to meet him.” I grab her hand, “I’m not leaving.”
“I must warn you,” Sharla begins, “what I can remember of Ray, he’s not a good person. He was a hothead, fighting anyone who looked at your mother wrong, male or female. He just had a dark side to him that, truthfully, scared me.”
Exactly what I always thought, this darkness inside me comes from my father. At least now I have that answer.
“I begged your mother to leave him, but she was smitten. He was older than her, by nine years, I believe. He ran with a rough crowd here and I think drugs were a problem. I have no doubt when she left, it was to be with him.”
“Our parents refused to accept him. He was twenty-six to her seventeen and they just didn’t feel comfortable. They were constantly at odds about her going out with him.” Aunt Deb sniffs, “I do believe it drove her to leave.”
“If they left and ended up in New York, that would be where I would start looking.” Sharla nods.
“I could ask my friend Tommy if he recognizes him.”
“That’s a start.” Vin runs his knuckles down my cheek, “then we could do a weekend in New York, as well.”
“Just be careful, that man is dangerous.” My aunt says. I nod, I might fight but I don’t purposely go looking for trouble.
“What’s going on here?” Sharla asks, her finger swinging back and forth between Vin and me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get the wedding invitation.” Vin deadpans.
I roll my eyes and look at his face. There’s no hint of humour, just a straight face.
I clear my throat, “I’m gonna go shower.”
I get to my room and immediately hit the shower. I wonder if my father knows I exist. If he does what’s hindering him from finding me? Or why doesn’t he want to find me? I remember as a kid, I was always asking my mother where my daddy was. Other kids at school had daddies and I just had my mother. She never once gave me a proper answer. The last time I asked about him I was twelve years old. She flew off the handle and broke at least six plates as she raged around the house. After that I let it go, it was finally clear to me she would never tell me anything.
I step out of the shower into a steamy bathroom. I check out my newest injury and deem it no big deal, I knew this one wouldn’t scar. Not that I care, each scar visible or not reminds me of who I am, where I’m from, and what the fuck I’m capable of.
I go to my closet and pull out yoga pants and a sports bra. I hear the click of my bedroom door closing and I quickly finish dressing and re-enter my bedroom. Vin is lounging on my bed, his pants opened and slowly stroking himself. His eyes meet mine and his lips curve up. He’s so fucking gorgeous, I’ve never in my life seen anything as beautiful as him.
I lean against the wall, “need a hand?”
“I need your pussy, actually.”
The things that come out of this man’s mouth. His words instantly make me wet.
“I can’t fuck you while our parents are downstairs.” I husk out.
“Your uncle did warn me about the one rule on my way up here.”
“Doesn’t mean you can’t come in my mouth.”
His movements speed up and his breathing becomes laboured, my body moves of its own accord. I crawl up my bed and over his body, running my hands over his jean clad legs. I watch his face slacken from pleasure and I have an overwhelming need to taste him.
I suck one of his balls into my mouth while teasing the other with my hand. Then I move up and quickly take him in my mouth and suck him straight to the back of my throat. I need to make this quick before our parents wonder what we’re doing. I continue bobbing and taking him as deep as I can, gagging each time. He slips his hands into my hair directing my movements and pulling slightly. with one final deep stroke he groans and comes in my mouth, his salty taste slips down my throat and I clean off every drop.
I roll over and stand up by the bed.
“Come back, I want to taste you, too.”
“Vin, we can’t. They are just downstairs, let’s go before they start to investigate.”
“Fine, fine.”
Both my aunt and Sharla are still in the kitchen but they are definitely more subdued than usual. I hear the sports channel in the family room, so we head in there. My uncle Scott is stretched out on the couch wit
h a beer in hand.
“Hey lovebirds, when’s the wedding?”
“After college.” Vin answers almost immediately.
I shake my head and ignore them and curl myself up on the one-seater chair to zone out for a bit.
“Ember?” I hear my uncle Scott.
“Yeah?”
“Did you hear me?”
“Sorry, what were you saying?”
“I hear you’re looking for Ray?”
“Yeah, I think he’s my father.” I nod.
“For your sake I hope he’s not.”
“He’s that bad huh?”
“I met him briefly, I was younger than your mother, so I didn’t really hang out with them. He had this violent undercurrent, if you know what I mean. Like his eyes always looked like he was plotting the next world war.” His runs a hand down his face, “even I can admit though, you look like him. Obviously not the evil Hitler look, but you also have that violent edge. And it looks like you had a taste of it today.” He points to my brow.
“Yeah, I know.” I admit, “I always wondered why I was so different from my mother.”
All three of us sit there in silence until Sharla comes around the corner.
“Ready?” She asks Vin.
“Yeah.” He nods. He gets up from his seat and saunters over. He bends over me placing his hands on the arm of my chair. “We have rehearsal tomorrow, bring your script.”
“Okay.” I nod. He bends down and kisses me lightly on the cheek.
“Goodnight.”
“Night.” I smile at him.
“Goodnight.” Sharla says from the doorway, her face alight with happiness.
I nod and smile at her.
“Never seen him like that.”
“Like what?” I ask my uncle.
“Softer,” he says with his finger on his chin, “and happy.”