by Lily Harlem
Jenny stood. “No problem, actually it suits us better.” She smiled. “Shall we get straight on?”
“Yes, then we can all go home for dinner, right.” He smiled.
Jenny was glad to get away from Billy. The sooner this was done the sooner she could get away permanently.
She showed Mr. Davis the fire exists, which Billy had ensured were clear. Occasionally he stacked supplies in front of them. Something they’d rowed about in the past. She pointed out the sprinkler system, showed him the certificate stating it had all been recently serviced. The kitchen also had to be checked, as did the conditions for serving alcohol.
As they walked back through the gym, the atmosphere was intense, sounds of metal clanking on metal, and leather connecting with leather. Dale glanced her way.
Making the most of his distraction Jackson managed to get a tap on his chin.
Dale tore his gaze from her, and went for a belly shot.
Jackson dodged. His feet were light and his grin showed his black mouth-guard.
Jenny smiled. Her men were top fighters, and competitive to boot. The sooner she had them to herself again, the better. And preferably naked. Not that they didn’t look hot in their boxing shorts and with their skin glistening with sweat, but she preferred sex sweat to fighting sweat.
“Well, that all seems to be in order,” Mr. Davis said, setting his clipboard on the desk in the office. He pulled out a pen and signed the base of a long list.
“That’s great news.”
“So who’d you want to win?” he asked, handing her the pen.
“Jackson of course. He’s from this club.”
“Ah, yes. I can see that.” He paused. “Do you think he will?”
“Yes. Absolutely. He’s the best.” She grinned.
“Well I hope he does. Not that I know much about boxing.” He jabbed the list. “If you can just sign here.”
She did as he’d asked.
“And of course Ms. Jones, you have to be on the premises on Friday night. As this is your license.”
She’d known that was coming. “Yes, I will be.”
“Nothing can change between tonight and then.”
“I understand.”
“And remember the alcohol license is only until midnight.”
She nodded. Now there was no question about her coming to watch Jackson fight. She had to. She’d seen fights before, of course she had. But something about this one had a shard of fear slicing through her.
What if he gets hurt? Seriously hurt. The way Billy did.
“Thank you. Have a good evening.” Mr. Davis set one copy of the list on the table then clutched his clipboard to his chest. “I can see myself out.”
“Thank you.”
She watched him leave. Her heart thudded suddenly as thoughts of the match besieged her. Grinder was a big, nasty bloke. He fought dirty. She’d heard that about him. Jackson was good…great…but was he good enough to hold his own with a man who didn’t play by the rules?
Turning to the wall, she blinked rapidly a few times. Willing the moisture on her lower lids to reabsorb. The last thing she needed was to get all girly and cry because one of her men was risking himself in a fight.
“Hey, you okay?” Dale’s voice.
She didn’t trust herself to speak and swallowed tightly.
He was right behind her. She could feel his heat, smell his scent.
She nodded.
“Jenny. Look at me.”
She did as he’d asked and turned.
He was staring down at her. His brow was damp with sweat, his hair sticking to his forehead. He pressed a hand on her shoulder. He’d removed his gloves. “What is it? Did the gym fail the inspection?”
“No, it’s fine.” But perhaps it would have been better if it had. The fight would have been called off.
No. Jackson would have hated that.
“So what is it? Shit. You’re scaring me, babe.”
She glanced away. The last thing she wanted was Dale or Jackson to think she didn’t approve of their sport of choice, because she did. She was just worried, that was all. She was allowed to be, wasn’t she?”
“Come on.” He ran his hand from her shoulder to her cheek and lowered his face so his nose touched hers. “Spit it out.”
She stared into his kind eyes. “I’m just worried, that’s all.”
“About what?” He held onto her other arm, wrapping his fingers around it.
“Friday. Jackson and Grinder.”
He frowned.
“Grinder is good…” she said. “I’m not saying Jackson isn’t…but…”
“It will be okay.” He stroked his thumb against her cheek.
“But…” She hesitated. “I saw Billy hurt, badly, it was horrible. It changed his life. I don’t want that to happen to Jackson.”
“It won’t. I promise.”
She gripped his arm. “You can’t promise that.”
A slice of worry crossed his eyes. “No, you’re right. But I can promise to have made certain he’s prepared for the fight, and to be there if it starts to go wrong. Be there for both of you.”
She nodded. Her throat was tight with worry. That was the best she could hope for. The fight would go ahead, no matter how she felt. She could only hope it would all be okay, and if Jackson didn’t win, at least come out of it with nothing more than a few bruises.
She managed a small smile. “Thanks, Dale. That makes me feel a bit better.”
“Good, because that’s how we want you to feel. Better. Safe. Happy.” He dipped his head and pressed a light kiss to her lips.
“What the fuck!”
Billy’s voice blasted around the office.
Jenny went to snap away from Dale, but he’d curled his fingers around her upper arm all the tighter, keeping her close.
“You!” Billy snapped, striding into the room. He came up close to them. Too close. “You’re the one fucking my girlfriend.”
“She’s not your girlfriend anymore,” Dale said, puffing his chest up and tilting his chin.
“I knew I recognized that bloody jacket at her place.” Billy jabbed his finger at Dale, dangerously close to his bare chest.
Jenny thought her heart would give out it was beating so fast. Her head spun with their loud voices and her knees were weak. She was glad Dale was holding her but she hated being so close to Billy when he was in this evil temper.
“Get the fuck away from me,” Dale said, whisking his arm in front of himself and knocking Billy’s arm.
Billy stepped backward. As if in shock. His eyes widened. “You…”
“Get used to it,” Dale said, slipping his hand from Jenny’s arm and sliding it around her waist. “We’re together.”
He pulled her tight against his torso.
“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have lost her,” Billy snarled. “She did everything around here for me.”
“Yeah, I know. Unpaid labor. You should be fucking ashamed of yourself.”
Billy’s cheeks reddened and he huffed out several breaths, his cheeks puffing up.
“Dale!”
Jackson stood at the doorway, filling the frame. He still wore his red fighting glove on his left hand, but his right was free.
Dale pulled Jenny closer.
She pressed her palm over his chest, willing Billy to disappear and leave them all alone.
“How fucking dare you.” Billy clenched his fists and shook it at Dale. “Get the hell out of my club. Your membership has been revoked. No refund.”
“You know damn well you can’t do that,” Dale said.
“Yeah I can. You’ve served your purpose. Sparred with Jackson to get him up to speed. Now you’re loose change.” He stepped closer. “Now you’re banned.”
Jenny tensed.
“I really don’t think so.” Dale released her, then pushed her with a firm but gentle movement to one side.
“Watch me make you,” Billy said.
As her hip bumped
the filing cabinet, she saw Billy’s uppercut heading for Dale.
It caught Dale on the chin, making his head snap backward.
Dale instantly retaliated with a fast left jab which hit Billy just to the right of his cheekbone.
“Jesus Christ.” Jackson shot into the room. He moved fast and caught Billy’s arm as he tried to fire off another punch.
“Get the hell off me,” Billy said, lunging for Dale in what was a more of a street fighter’s move than a boxer’s move.
Dale skipped to the right. His hands were up, ready for defense or strike.
Jenny clasped her fingers under her chin. How the hell had it come to this?
“What the fuck is going on?” Jackson didn’t let go of Billy.
“I mean it, get off me. Or you’re banned too.” Billy glowered at Jackson.
“Yeah, like that’s going to happen.” Jackson put his face close to Billy’s. His biceps bulged, the tendons in his neck stood out. “So shut the fuck up.”
Billy dragged his arm back, putting all his body weight into it.
Jackson let him go but put himself between Dale and Billy.
“Let me the fuck at him,” Billy said. “This is the bastard who’s taken my girl away from me. I just saw them kissing.” He swung an evil glare at Jenny.
She pressed her hands to her lips though held his gaze. He was a big, mean bastard but she wasn’t scared of him. At least not when Dale and Jackson were there.
“So I’m going to fucking kill him.” Billy raised his fists again. “For what he’s done.”
“Yeah, you really think you can?” Dale said, rounding his shoulders and dropping his arms. He stepped closer, his body seeming to grow in size. “Come on then. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Billy lunged forward.
Jackson placed his gloved hand on Billy’s chest and shoved him away.
Billy staggered back, hitting the desk and sending several things flying to the floor.
Dale shot around Jackson, fury on his face. He was all about the fight now. Jenny could tell.
“Take this into the damn ring!”
Jackson, Dale and Billy all stilled at the sound of Michael’s booming voice.
“Whatever the hell this is about.” Michael glanced at Jenny then swung his gaze around them all. “Take it into the ring. You’re not cage fighters. You’re boxers. Show a bit of respect for each other and the sport.” He paused. “Gloves on, not off.” He pointed at the door. “Now.”
“Yeah, suits me,” Dale said, wiping his forearm over his damp brow. “I’ll take him in the ring any time.”
“No,” Jenny said, stepping forward. “That’s not necessary.”
“Yeah it is,” Billy said. “I’m gonna kick lover boy’s ass.”
“You think so, you really fucking think so?” Dale said, grabbing his red gloves. “Come on then. If you’ve got the bottle to.” He stormed from the room, his shoulder brushing Michael’s as he strode past.
Billy turned in a circle, as if not quite sure what to do with himself. Then he dragged off his t-shirt and flung it onto the desk. He wrenched open the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet, narrowly missing knocking Jenny’s leg, and pulled out a pair of navy blue boxing gloves.
He stood tall, downturned his mouth and marched out. Michael followed him.
“Jackson,” Jenny said, reaching for him. “You can’t let them do this.”
“It’s not up to me.” He frowned at her.
“But you can tell Dale not to.”
“No I can’t. He’s his own man. He’s wanted Billy taken down a peg or two for a long time. And now’s his chance.”
“But what if he gets hurt?” She paused, remembering another time and place. “Billy might not fight professionally anymore. But he’s good, he was more than good, he was winning titles.”
“In the olden days.” Jackson ran his hand over her hair. “And it’s clear Dale’s willing to take that risk.”
“I don’t want him to. Not on my behalf.”
“This is something Dale needs to do. Billy has wound him up for years, not just how he’s treated you but how he disrespects everyone around here.” Jackson glanced at the door. “I gotta get out there.”
She held in a shiver of apprehension. She had a bad feeling about what was going to go down. Billy, as she’d heard Grinder was, could be a dirty fighter. And now, not scoring points, but going for a knock out, it would be a filthy scrap.
Jackson stepped away. “Don’t worry. I won’t let it get out of hand. But to do that, I need to be there.”
“Yes. Yes. Go.” She pointed at the door.
He stepped close again, set a quick kiss on her cheek, then turned. Halfway across the room he stopped and turned. ““This is what we do, Jenny. We’re fighters.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter Sixteen
Jenny wrapped her arms around herself. Tristan was right when he’d said he didn’t want her near Billy on her own. The look in his eyes was murderous. He was out for blood.
Hell, he didn’t even seem to like her. Was he simply riled up for a fight? Looking for an opportunity to throw a few punches at a guy who irritated him because he could still train for something Billy would never have now?
She pulled in a deep breath then steeled herself to go out into the gym.
When she did the atmosphere was totally different from when she’d shown Mr. Davis around. Now it was sizzling with tension. The air seemed to be full of sparks. The other members were rushing to the ring where Billy and Dale were pulling on their gloves.
Michael was helping Dale.
One of the other members, a guy with a red Mohawk—known as ‘Mohawk’— was assisting Billy.
Her stomach churned. She swallowed, her mouth dry. How the hell had it come to this?
Jackson jumped into the ring. He gripped Dale’s shoulder and spoke into his ear.
Dale glanced at Jenny. His jaw tensed and he nodded, just once.
Jenny had no idea what Jackson had said to Dale.
Her mind was swirling as she moved nearer the crowd. The noise level was rising. Excited chatter in deep voices. There was no one on the weights anymore.
She pushed past a few large bodies, and stood near the ropes. She didn’t want to watch but was compelled to.
Billy smacked his gloved hands together and skipped on the spot, his full attention on Dale as Michael finished tightening his laces.
“What’s going on?” the guy to her left asked.
Mohawk, who’d jumped down from the ring, nodded at Billy. “Seems he’s got a beef with Dale and Dale ain’t taking it lying down.”
“What beef? What’s happened?”
“Dunno, but those two have wanted at each other for a while. You can tell.”
“Fuck. They ain’t messin’ then?”
“Nope.”
Jenny was glad her name hadn’t been dragged into the fight at this stage. But it likely would be at some point.
Dale suddenly skipped away from Michael, his hands raised, and as light on his feet as a dancer. “Come on then.” He gestured for Billy to come get him.
“Yeah, you asked for this. Remember that later when you’re in hospital,” Billy snarled.
Jenny held in a gasp. She was cold, despite the hot room.
For several seconds the two men twitched and hopped this way and that, eyeing each other up.
Jenny knew full well that despite his vision not being good enough to go professional, Billy could still throw a mean punch. Years of training didn’t get erased because his sight in one eye had.
Suddenly Billy lashed out. Throwing a hard, straight jab toward Dale.
But Dale was quick. He moved to the right and struck out himself, catching Billy on the side of his head.
Billy’s neck jerked to the left but he quickly recovered. In an instant he struck out again, hitting Dale’s right shoulder.
Dale didn’t appear to notice.
But Jenny did. She hated
seeing punches being thrown his way.
Michael was acting as referee and hovered around the two men.
Dale hit out, missed.
Billy did the same, got a lucky side punch to Dale’s torso.
Dale reacted fast, moved close and shot an uppercut into Billy’s chin sending his head reeling. He followed it up with a nose shot, then a rounded blow to his jaw.
Billy staggered backward. He hit the ropes, bounced off, then shook his head.
Jenny risked a glance at Jackson. He was at an outer corner of the ring, his arms hanging over the sides. He had a look of absolute concentration on his face as he watched his lover fighting. Jenny was sure he’d be as worried as her about the man he adored.
This was no ordinary fight.
The crowd were shouting and heckling.
Billy’s face was red, and his lips stretched in a grimace, showing off his mouth-shield. He aimed a right punch at Dale, caught his ear, chased it with a left catching Dale’s cheek.
Dale staggered for a second then retaliated. He got lucky with a temple blow, matched one to the other side.
The crowd pushed forward. Things were heating up.
Billy pirouetted as if to move away. Dale followed him, struck out again, catching his face. Billy’s knees appeared to give way and he bobbed down before straightening.
Michael moved closer.
Dale took full advantage of Billy’s weakness. He struck out again, a head blow, another and another.
Billy reeled back, grabbing the ropes as he twisted to escape.
Dale was behind him, firing off kidney blows.
“Enough!” Michael shouted, signaling it was over.
But Dale didn’t appear to hear. He carried on pummeling Billy, fury in his eyes.
“Jackson!” Jenny said, rushing to the ropes. “Do something.”
But Jackson was already in the ring. He’d leaped it in one smooth move. He rushed to Dale, wrapped his arms around his waist and dragged him away from Billy.
Dale writhed against him, trying to escape and continue the fight.
Billy slumped to the floor and landed on his hands and knees, head hanging down. His mouth-shield dropped to the ring.
“Oh, shit.” Jenny rushed to him. “Billy.” Much as she didn’t like the bloke, she didn’t want him hurt.