Thrive

by Rebecca Sherwin

  “I know, baby,” I soothed, stroking his hair away from his face.

  “Snap,” he murmured. “Snap.”

  “Does it mean something?”

  “Charlie’s a violinist. She says I’m like her violin. She uses me to make music – or steal from people, but she’s in control, not me. She told me once that all it would take is a little pressure from her and I’ll snap…like the strings on her violin.”

  I sighed and squeezed the bridge of my nose. “I think this may be my fault.”

  “It was inevitable.”

  “I saw her,” I confessed. “The night you were at Joe’s, she came here looking for you and I…I was less than passive.”

  “You were with her?” His body stiffened. “Without me?” I nodded and chewed my bottom lip. “Fuck. What happened?”

  “I told her you were mine. She threatened me and I told her to bring it on.”

  “Jesus, Skye.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry.”

  “What if she’d have hurt you? What if you hadn’t survived?”

  “I’ll survive anything if I have you.”

  He relaxed and winced, rolling his eyes closed to wait for the pain to subside.

  “No more, okay?” He reached out to cup my face and I nuzzled into his hand. “Leave Charlie to me.”

  “You need to rest. We have Phillip to deal with.” We shared a look as the dark thoughts we’d temporarily pushed aside crept back in. “I have some things to do today. Can you use your iPad to search for Geoff’s aftercare? We have to get him the best.”

  “Yeah, we do. Where’s Jesse?”

  “He had to go. We’ll see him again soon.”

  “Is he okay?”

  I smiled with more confidence than I possessed. “He will be. I’ll have my phone. Just call me if you need me.”

  I kissed his forehead and held my lips there to inhale the scent that was my own personal opiate. I was about to betray him and if he ever found out, this may have been the last time I’d get to kiss him. I pushed the tears aside, grabbed another new outfit and slipped into the main bathroom. I couldn’t look at him or I’d snap, like the strings on Charlie Alexander Tattersell’s violin.

  ***

  “Skye!”

  To say Geoff was surprised to see me was an understatement. He paled further than I ever thought possible and terror flashed across his tired eyes as he took in my appearance – training equipment from the shop down the street from the gym.

  “Geoff, I need a trainer. I need a crash course in kicking ass.”

  “I can't,” he coughed. “Curtis will kill me before the Big C gets a chance to.”

  My heart clenched and dread settled in my stomach. I wasn’t just betraying Curtis, I was asking Geoff to, too. But there was no time for guilt or second guessing.

  “Please.”

  “Curtis made his wishes quite clear. He doesn’t want you in the ring.”

  The creaking doors of the lift behind me caught my attention and I looked over to see Benny enter the gym. His eyes locked on me and he grinned wickedly. I winked. I was about to use him as much as he was me.

  “Benny will do,” I said, turning back to Geoff.

  “You’re treading dangerous ground.”

  “So was the person who stabbed Curtis last night.”

  His eyes widened in shock, but he didn’t ask questions; he knew he could plead the fifth later, if he kept quiet now. I nodded my acknowledgment and turned around to walk towards Benny. He tossed his things to the side and climbed into the ring.

  “If you touch me, in any way other than to teach me, you’re done,” I said stepping between the ropes he held open and pointing at his swollen and bruised nose. “Understood?”

  “I'm smart enough to know when the lady is calling the shots.”

  He held out a pair of worn gloves and helped me put them on. Head and mouth guards came next, and I was soon in the middle of the ring, standing opposite Benny, who wore nothing but a pair of navy blue shorts; no shoes, a smooth stomach and chest, leaner and softer than Curtis, but when he flexed and stretched, throwing punches into the air, I found myself staring.

  “You can lick it if you want,” Benny said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. My gloved fist hit his chest with a huff and he grunted, laughing. “Easy.” He raised his hands in defence. “So, boss, what do you need?”

  “I’m going to Joe’s tonight. I need to win.” His face dropped and he stepped back, shaking his head. “Don’t pretend you care. Either you help me or I go in there unprepared.”

  He hesitated and I wondered if maybe he did give a shit, when his tight expression remained clouded with conflict. I wouldn’t let the fear in. I couldn’t. There was no time. I smiled, realising he didn’t give a shit when two ripped arms folded over his chest and he cocked a brow. He was up for the challenge.

  “First lesson…take the gloves off.”

  Twenty Three

  She couldn’t touch me. She had no idea what she was dealing with. Who she was dealing with. Cut Throat Curtis was mine and Hell would freeze over before I let her take him from me – the brunette he calls Skillet. The one he calls in his sleep; the one whose brother died. The one who worked for Nina and allowed me to access Poise’s main system in the first place with her emails to her posh boyfriend. The boyfriend who died in a car crash and gave her the opportunity to steal my most prized possession from me. How did I know about Skye ‘the Skillet’ Jones? I knew everything. It was my job to know everything that gave me the power to bring Curtis to his knees. He was mine; he would bow down to me and we would burn the Skillet together.

  Why? Because the one from my past told me I could.

  I made calls, gave some orders and was prepared to meet Skye. I would let her try and reason with me; I would play the remorseful piece on the side – the scorned woman who was tossed aside like I meant nothing. I would make her believe I loved him, because I did. I loved the game, the chase, and the decision to do whatever I wanted with the prize.

  Curtis had never let me have it all and I wouldn’t stop until he did…

  ~Charlie~

  The taxi pulled up on the kerb near Joe’s; I climbed out and walked across the carpark to get in the zone. I knew there would be no reasoning with Charlie. She wouldn’t listen to me profess my love for Curtis because it was more than that and she would never understand infinity. She spent her days taking it away from people and she had her claws deep in my animal, stealing the most precious thing away from him – his humanity, his compassion and empathy for those they stole from. She wouldn’t understand that we needed each other to survive; she didn’t need love or affection, or someone to grow old with. She needed money. Money held no significance here…I was going to make her fight for her life.

  I stretched my neck and arms as I crossed the empty space – where the crowds of men kept their cars, I didn’t know – and jumped a few times on the spot to stay warm. I was ready. I was focused. I was a skillet and I was going to burn her.

  I pounded my fist on the door and waited for it to open. Knowing the man was there, probably shocked that I’d returned, I spoke before he had a chance to.

  “Who’s in charge here?”

  “You’re screwing him, pretty girl.”

  I smiled in sick pride. My animal was the king of this jungle.

  “Who else?” The dark figure appeared and shook his head. There was no one else. “I’m fighting here tonight. Let me in.”

  “Women can't fight here.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says Cut Throat. It’s the rule.”

  I raised a brow, “He said there are no rules.”

  “There’s that one.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, the inking of devils and flames and laughing demons with wings stretching over them.

  “Then I guess I make the rules, too. Let me in.”

  He knew he had no defence. If Curtis had power here, more power than anyone else it seemed, then I had more pow
er than anyone in this building when he wasn’t here. The wolves of the ring relied on hierarchy, authority and obedience, and I was at the top, proudly taking my animal’s place while he healed.

  “You’re making a mistake, lady.”

  He stepped aside, leaving just enough space for me to squeeze past him. I didn’t care that he was a foot taller than me and could snap me with a deep breath; right now he answered to me, and he didn’t want to have to deal with Curtis if he made a mistake.

  “Another woman will be here soon. You will make sure she meets me in the pit. Got it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, Skillet,” I instructed, raising my eyebrows at him as I slid between him and the door.

  “Yes, Skillet,” he retorted with contempt.

  I turned my back on him and waited for him to close the door before I thrust my arms out and took my first step towards the pit.

  I arrived at the bottom of the steps, all eyes on me as a loud cry left one of the fighter’s and the spray of blood reached as far as the white top I was wearing. I’d worn white for Charlie. I’d meet her with everything she had, leaving her nothing to throw at me; she’d be stripped bare and have no choice but to fight me. The man whose blood I now wore gave up the fight, falling to the concrete with his arms outstretched, shaking his head when his opponent told him to get up. The winner threw his arms in the air and left the pit, joining his friends who were waiting for him. The other fighter’s friend helped him to his feet and dragged him out.

  Someone threw buckets of water to the ground and the crimson-tinted water ran to a nearby drain.

  I looked at my watch as another man attempted to step up to fight and raised my hand to stop him, taking a step forward as the crowd cheered with excitement. I scanned the building – I was alone; not one person in here knew me and I had no doubt that they wouldn’t attempt to help either of us. They were savage.

  I turned to face the entrance as a flash of white appeared at the doors. I smiled when I saw her dressed in something similar to what I wore when Curtis and I went to the factory. She thought we were going to have a conversation – that much was clear when I saw the shock on her face when she took in her surroundings. How wrong she was. My smile fell when I saw two men dressed in black, from the knit caps on their heads to conceal their identities, to their leather boots. Charlie had brought protection and I had none. I stretched my arms and kept my eyes on her, trying to fight the urge to cry and run. I was doing this for Curtis. I had to free him from her.

  As she descended the steps with an expression of sheer terror etched on her face, there was a commotion to the side; I glanced quickly and saw Benny push his way to the front. I smiled in relief as he stopped, folded his arms and nodded with confidence. I prided myself on my honesty; I didn’t lie, I didn’t cheat, I didn’t steal. But tonight I’d play dirty – there were no rules here and I planned to use what Benny had shown me.

  Charlie stopped at the threshold of the pit and hesitated. I brought my hand up and beckoned her to come closer. Her protection crossed their arms in front of her like a human barrier, but she was too proud, too stupid to back out. Instead, she slipped out of her heels and crossed the space to stand in front of me. She held a few inches on me and I held a few pounds on her, but there was only one difference that I cared about in that moment – she looked terrified and I refused to show my fear.

  “Do you know why we’re here?” I asked, folding my arms and beginning to circle her slowly.

  “You’re just like him,” she spat. “You lack the intelligence to use your brain so you use your fists.”

  “Sure you want to say that in here?” I leaned in to whisper in her ear. “This place is full of unintelligent fist-users that would love to get their hands on you.” Her eyes darted from one side of the arena to the other and her lips clamped shut. “I am like Curtis. He’s strong, he’s ruthless and despite what you’ve taught him to believe, he’s a good man. A Great man.”

  “I love him,” she whispered, dropping her eyes to the floor. “I love him like you do. I was there for him when you weren’t.”

  I smacked the back of her head, shunting her forward and shutting her up.

  “Don’t,” I seethed. “Don’t say that again. You’re going to leave him. You’re going to give him his life back.”

  “I can't do that.”

  I smacked her again and as she took a step forward, she turned to face me. The men in the crowd cheered; they’d had enough conversation and so had I.

  She reached for me, but I slapped her hands away with a smirk. I felt like the cat playing with the mouse. She had no idea what to do. I bent my knees, set my hands on them and winked at Charlie; I was ready and I wasn’t giving her the choice not to be.

  “Skye.” She raised her hands and took a step back. “We can talk about this.”

  “No,” I snarled. “I’m not letting you manipulate me.”

  I couldn’t let her get into my head, no matter how much I wished we could just talk this out like civilised people and arrive at a conclusion where she up and left Curtis alone. I knew it wouldn’t happen, and people weren’t civilised. What my father did, what Charlie did; what the people around them did because of mind games – none of it was civilised.

  I wasn’t letting anyone into my mind.

  “What would Oliver say?” she asked, stopping my thoughts in their tracks.

  How did she know about Oliver?

  I hissed and edged closer, glancing at Benny for reinforcement. I had it; without so much as a blink, a deep breath or a word, I knew what Benny was saying. She had one more chance.

  “Do not talk about my brother.”

  “What would he say if he knew you were about to do the thing that killed him?”

  Snap.

  My composure came undone.

  I grabbed the hair at the back of her head and pulled her to the floor in the middle of the pit. I blocked out the sound of the men watching and focused on the shriek of surprise that left Charlie’s lips. She tried to get up, but through the haze, I heard the echo of Benny’s earlier instruction.

  Kick ‘em when they’re down.

  The tip of my bare foot hit her in the side and she grunted, reaching out for my leg, so I kicked her again. Yanking her to her feet by her dirty blonde locks, I threw her against the wall of the pit, overlooked by spectators above, and cordoned off by the cheering men who made up the rest of the boundary.

  As expected, the protection intervened and pulled me away, grabbing my wrist as I raised my fist to hit her. I laughed and bounced on the spot, watching as she combed her fingers through her hair and tried to catch her breath.

  “We’re not done,” I said, edging nearer to Benny and praying he’d help me if the protection decided to take charge.

  “I love him, Skye. You can't punish me for that.”

  “Yes I can.” I eyed the two men who had stepped back, but were closer than before. “If you loved him, you would take care of him. You’d treat him like he deserves to be treated. If you loved him, you’d make him happy and we wouldn’t be here now.” She opened her mouth to argue, but I shoved her back. “You had him attacked, Charlie. You’re sick and you don’t deserve him.”

  I charged at her again with my forearm across her throat. The air around me prickled and crackled with thick, electric heat; it evoked the murderous thoughts I had no urge to control when she gasped for air, but raised her hand to hold back the men behind me. I should have had my back to them, I knew that, but I didn’t care. I would enjoy every second of the pain I saw in Charlie’s eyes for as long as I caused it.

  “You’re never going to contact him again. He’s done, Charlie. He’s not your pet anymore.”

  “He loves it,” she choked. “You think he couldn’t have walked away whenever he wanted to?”

  I glared at her but stayed silent, a twinge of suspicion holding me back as she continued.

  “He loves it as much as I do. He can walk away whenever he wants, b
ut he won't because he loves the money, and power.” I shook my head, refusing to believe, pushing her out of my head. “Have I tied him up and forced him to work with me?” I shook my head again. What was going on? “No. He was attacked because of you. Curtis is a good boy, complicit…as sick as me. Your smart mouth and attitude meant I had to take drastic action, to prove my point to you. That blade? It was meant for you.”

  My fist flew out and caught her jaw; she fell to the floor and gripped her cheek. The room exploded into a frenzy of primal cheers as I rolled her over, mounted her and counted each punch that struck her face. I threw my head back with a pained howl as Charlie reached up, tangled her fingers in my hair to hold my head still and dragged her nails down my face. The men around us laughed, I couldn’t see Benny or Charlie’s protection as my eyes filled with tears.

  “Curtis loves it,” Charlie hissed. “When I scrape my nails down his back and call him my animal.”

  My animal.

  I growled, shoved her hands away and gripped her wrists; I pinned her arms by her sides – I had the weight advantage. She thrashed but couldn’t push me off when I knelt on her arms and slipped my hands around her neck. Her eyes rolled back and her lips parted for the air that I wouldn’t allow her to have. I wasn’t going to stop…

  Until two strong arms banded around my waist and lifted me off her. A strong chest was pressed against my back, undeterred by my kicking and thrashing. I tore at the forearms that held me captive and screamed as he carried me with ease up the steps, through the crowds that clapped and cheered – for me or my kidnapper, I didn’t know.

  He was going to kill me.

  I fought him with everything I had, trying to break free, but it was no good. The dim lights morphed into the bright fluorescent of the corridor and then the darkness of the entrance before the cold night air hit me.

  “Let me go!” I screamed and sunk my teeth into the inked forearm.