Leveled

by TC Matson

  “He’s trying to let you wear yourself down. Don’t fucking let him,” I yell and Ryker smirks.

  He knows I know him. Knows I know his fighting style. Therefore, I’ve ingrained it into Nick’s head. We have the advantage.

  Nick barrels in with an overhead right missing its intended target. Ryker answers with a jab and then stuns the fuck out of Nick with his right hook—the same one I’ve warned Nick about.

  “Block!” I slap the mat as Ryker attacks with a slurry of strikes. “Dammit. Block!” I shout.

  Nick ducks and moves away, rocking his head from shoulder to shoulder and bouncing on his toes. He lunges and slams an ugly right hook into Ryker’s face, stunning him with a taste of his own medicine. Nick doesn’t wait and takes advantage of the dazed Ryker, advancing forward. They’re toe to toe, trading punches—Ryker landing more than Nick.

  Panic twists Nick’s face and he begins tossing some weak and sloppy punches. Ryker feeds off that shit.

  “Don’t overthink it,” I bark.

  And then…the most glorious sight. Nick lands a vicious strike, splitting Ryker’s face, and rocking the fuck out of him.

  “Stay the fuck on him!” I wail watching Ryker stumble. “Don’t ease up.”

  Except the moron does the very fucking thing I’ve taught him not to do with Ryker—he wraps him up against the cage. Ryker’s aggressive against the fence and uses it to his advantage. He uses it for support while you waste all your energy trying to keep him there. While he’s there, he’ll brace his legs, creating a stronger base. Ryker relishes you wearing yourself out. It’s a smart move. Sure, the grinding pressure of the chains fucking sucks, but if your opponent is in a compromising situation like Nick, it’s a fucking walk in the park.

  Nick struggles to keep Ryker’s arms at his side, so much he’s forgetting about his fucking legs and reaps the repercussion as Ryker slams ugly knees into his upper body. Nick loses his breath and Ryker slips his hand out.

  In fucking horror, I watch Nick switch, twisting into a terrible position. “Watch his right!” I roar. “Move!”

  But it’s too late. Ryker steps into Nick and rocks him with a devastating uppercut. Instantly, Nick’s body slacks, his knees acting like rubber and he staggers backward. Ryker pounces.

  “Hands!” I bellow. “Put your fucking hands up!”

  Nick’s fazed, stunned and barely hanging on as he takes several more punches to the face without any protection.

  “Guard yourself,” I shout, angrier than I’ve ever been.

  A colossal hit and Nick crumples to the mat. Ryker’s on top of him, brutally driving combinations into his face, unrelenting until the referee shoves him off and calls the fight.

  “Fuck…”

  Ryker roars, raising his hands in victory. It’s taking everything I have, every fiber of my being, every ounce of strength to keep my promise to Paige and not storm the octagon and give the people a free show.

  Fucknut points to me, triumphantly arrogant. “You wanted a fucking battle? I’m bringing you a motherfucking war. I’m coming for you.”

  I grit my teeth, my fist balled at my side so tightly my fingertips are losing circulation and my forearms are on fire. I move into the cage, the same one Ryker is still in and make my way to Nick.

  His eyes are glassy when he blinks up to me. “I fucked up.”

  I nod. “Yeah, you did. You went against everything I taught you.”

  The medics sit him up. The officiant slaps my back. “We need to announce the winner.”

  I slice my view back to Nick and arch a brow.

  He’s right here. The motherfucker is right here within the striking zone as the referee stands in the middle of the two. I can taste the wrath I’m ready to unload on him. My body is on fire to explode. My fist is aching to feel his skin rip under my knuckles. My jaw is in utter agony from the clench its enduring. My temples are throbbing in rage, fury buzzing through my blood.

  I am this close and can’t do a thing about it without losing everything. No doubt Paige would leave me. And I’m certain the MMAP would banish me for inappropriate conduct.

  I tune out the announcement and watch as Nick shakes Ryker’s hand—good sportsmanship and all the bullshitery—when the bastard looks right at me and says, “You tell Levi I send my fucking regards.”

  Furious has a new feeling. It’s an instant pound through my muscles, drumming against my ears. I’m downright bloodthirsty…murderous…

  Although, technically it wasn’t my fight, I still feel as if I’ve lost. A feeling I’ve not experienced to this day. I’ve never been dealt this hand before. It’s a low, deprived feeling.

  I slap Nick on the shoulder. “Learn from this and pound it into the next guy’s face.”

  He nods but doesn’t say anything as we walk back to the locker room with a medic towing along.

  When we enter the room, Paige and Holly are sitting in the chairs toward the back. My wife approaches me with caution. She’s hesitant standing before me, unsure what to say.

  “I’m proud of you,” she says quietly.

  I kiss her cheek. “Yeah.”

  She grabs my hand and squeezes it. “You know his loss isn’t yours. You didn’t do this. Levi Stiles is still undefeated.”

  I nod and walk away.

  My wife is my angel, but I need to calm down and deal with how I’m feeling.

  Note to self: Losing sucks.

  Also, also: Stay undefeated.

  Chapter 10

  Four months after Nick’s loss to Ryker…

  Nick might have won against Edgar, but Levi is livid. Nick almost threw the fight by getting himself in a really weird position and taking a hell of a punishment. Levi’s warned him about it so many times, but he hasn’t listened.

  The locker room is full of reporters and medics. Edgar slashed both of Nick’s cheeks and then left an ugly gouge in his forehead. That fight had so much blood I almost lost my lunch. It was brutal. Not as vicious as Levi and Ryker’s bloody fight, but that’s only because the man I love was in that cage.

  Levi leans against the wall. His arms are crossed, his scowl watching Nick.

  “Levi…?” I tread carefully because he’s mad.

  He arches his brow and turns his head to look at me.

  “I’m going to the bathroom,” I say, mainly because I need to, partly because I need him to take a breather.

  He glances toward the door on the other side of the room and then back to me. “Come on.”

  He pushes off the wall and grabs my hand, leading me down the hall. “I’m going to ruin his ass in training. I’m going to work that shit move right out of his thoughts,” he grumbles. “You’d think he learned from Ryker. But the dumbass did it again. This time he was lucky.”

  I don’t answer because it’s not worth the argument.

  Abandoning Levi in the hall, I push open the door just in time to see a man sitting on a woman and punching her in the face. Her head bounces off the floor and her grunt is eerily cold and arid.

  “Levi!” I scream out in sheer fear.

  The man doesn’t move when he hears my voice, instead he says something else to the woman and slams his fist into her face again. Her body goes limp, arms and legs out straight.

  Before my brain registers to jump on the man’s back, Levi pushes through the door and snatches him up by his throat. The guy tries to fight back, but Levi shoves his fist into his ribs and slams several punches into his face, instantly producing blood. The man stumbles, but Levi doesn’t stop his assault—his knuckles wailing into the guy as he falls out the door.

  I spring to the side of the woman and gasp. This woman is…

  “Levi, it’s Whitney!” I yell.

  Levi’s head snaps my way and then he slams the guy on his back, mounts him and chokes him.

  Her face is swollen and bloody. Her lip is busted open with blood trickling from it. I reach to touch her cheek but pull back, scared to death I’ll hurt her.

  “Wha
t the fuck?” Adam snaps coming from around the corner.

  “Go get Ryker!” Levi yells.

  “He’s lined up to fight,” Adam replies.

  “He’s not out there yet. Go fucking get him. And grab security,” Levi barks, panic searing his throat.

  My heartbeat is erratic. Easily, I grab her hand. “Whitney?”

  Please be alive.

  Her eyes flutter, but she doesn’t move.

  “Is she fucking alive?” Levi growls. He’s still sitting on the guy and holding his throat, but the guy isn’t moving.

  “I…yes,” I answer.

  “You’re a sorry motherfucker,” Levi spits at the guy and punches him in the stomach. The guy doesn’t move.

  “Levi, what do I do?” I’m frantic and scared.

  “What you’re doing,” he barks back.

  First, I see Adam and then Ryker, and I call his name. His eyes land on us. I watch in slow motion everything scatter across his gaze—terror, anger, fear, and then murder explodes. He lunges toward Levi and the man, but Adam moves in front of him, trying to hold him back.

  Levi stretches his arm out. “He’s out. I’ve got him. He’s out, man!”

  It doesn’t comfort Ryker’s anger and he continues to push against Adam. Adam stumbles just as officers rush in. Two of them immediately jump on the guy on the floor, and three assist Levi, who has sprung to his feet to help Adam hold Ryker back.

  Suddenly, Ryker snaps his head to Whitney and rushes to her side.

  “Whit.” Frantic terror rides out with his exhale. He wipes his hand over her forehead, moving the bloody hair from her face. “Whitney. Wake up, baby.” It’s full of anguish and scared desperation.

  And it breaks my heart. I glance to Levi. Anger has his eyes in slits, and worry has them glazed over.

  Ryker checks her pulse and I watch him take a deep breath moments before the paramedics storm in.

  “Move, please. Move,” one of the paramedics says.

  Immediately, I’m in Levi’s side and he grips me tightly.

  “Get off me,” the guy says behind us and I jump, twisting around to him. He yanks his shoulders away from the police officers.

  Ryker’s wide worried eyes blink and land on the guy as his feet start toward him.

  His left eye is swollen shut, his nose bleeding when he grins like the devil to Ryker. “You lost.”

  I gasp as Levi pushes me out of the way, stepping in front of Ryker with Adam. “Don’t put yourself in jail. She needs you more,” Levi says.

  Ryker looks past Levi, rage dripping from his eyes. “I’ll fucking kill you. You look over your shoulder for the rest of your life because I’m going to fucking murder you. Do you hear me, you fucking bastard? You’re fucking dead.”

  The paramedics strap the man to the stretcher and wheel him off quickly.

  Ryker jerks his arms from Adam and Levi. “Get the fuck off me.”

  The paramedics rush out of the bathroom with Whitney on the stretcher, and Ryker grabs her lifeless hand at her side. “Whit?”

  “I’m fucking going with you,” he looks to one of the paramedics. “I’m not leaving her side.”

  He clambers into the back of the ambulance and they shut the door. With sirens blaring, they take off, disappearing out of the parking lot.

  “Get your shit. We’re going to the hospital,” I tell Levi, grabbing his arm and pulling him back toward Nick’s room so we can get our things.

  He stops. “Paige. That’s not our problem. She’s in good hands now.”

  I shove his chest, scared irritation coursing through me. “Don’t. Don’t act like a heartless bastard. I know you better than that.” My voice shakes as anger tumbles out.

  There’s turmoil in his eyes, but he agrees.

  “Are you going?” A gravelly voice says from behind me.

  Levi’s jaw ticks as he looks over me. “Yeah.”

  “Whitney’s purse has everything Ryker needs. Would you take it to her?” Ryker’s coach asks…looking directly at me. Not Levi. “I have to handle some things with the association before I can leave. I don’t know how long it’ll take me.”

  “Yeah,” I tell him taking her purse.

  Chapter 11

  Reaching over, I squeeze Paige’s leg. She’s crying, has been since we pulled out of the parking lot and started toward the hospital. I’ll openly admit, that whole blur of a mess was dis-fucking-gusting. Whitney looked dead. Her color, the blood…

  We make our way into the hospital and find where we need to go. I’m reluctant, my feet heavy as hell as we get closer to the waiting room. The door squeaks as we enter. It’s clear on Ryker’s face he was hoping for someone else and isn’t too happy to see us.

  Paige immediately offers Ryker Whitney’s purse and then asks if the doctors have said how she’s doing.

  Ryker swallows. “They’re running some tests to make sure there isn’t any brain damage. Past that, I don’t know what the fuck is going on.” He sounds mad and vanquished.

  I plop my ass in the hard plastic seat and stare at the white and black speckled floor.

  “What happened?” Ryker asks, his view on the wall across the room.

  “He…” Paige starts but stops, fighting off her emotions. “I’m sorry.”

  Ryker doesn’t respond.

  “Do you want some coffee or something?” she asks and I know it’s because she needs a breather. Ryker shakes his head. “I’ll get you a water,” she tells him anyway.

  When she leaves, the door shuts and silence soaks the room. For once there isn’t any animosity between us. Instead, we’re both sharing the feelings of worry, his more deeply than mine, but it’s still a shared feeling.

  “Thanks for taking care of him,” Ryker says and I can tell it was a strain to say.

  I puff a breath through my nose. “I’m sure I didn’t do as good of a job on him as you would.”

  Ryker glares at me. “He’s still alive.”

  Flashbacks of slamming every bit of my power behind my punches storm me and I remember hearing the distinctive sounds of bones crushing under my knuckles. I smirk. “Yeah, but he’ll need some help fixing his face.”

  “If he presses charges against you, I’ll pay for your fees,” he tells me.

  All I can do is nod.

  He shifts forward, dropping his elbows on his knees and dragging his hands across his face. “I didn’t mean for it to go as far as it did. It started as a way to get a rile out of you.” He shakes his head. “I deserved it. I deserved to lose that fight.”

  I grit the fuck out of my teeth. Bite the everliving shit out of my tongue. I’ve dreamed of the day I could confront him about it, fantasized about making him apologize for the fucked up, ball-less shit he did with Paige. But I know right now is not the place to do it. So I do what I barely can do the best—sit quietly.

  Paige brings back our waters and hands him one before sitting beside me. She leans into me, and I hold her hand.

  Moments later Ryker’s fucking shorter and smaller twin walks in. The air in the room shifts, exploding with heavy hostility and friction.

  “Is she okay?” the twin asks.

  When Ryker stands, he does so with so much unbridled rage, I shift, planting my feet on the ground just in case I’m playing referee and prying these two apart. Twin’s got to be his brother and Ryker’s ready to murder him too.

  “Where the fuck were you?” Ryker snaps.

  Twin only shakes his head shamefully.

  “I asked you a question,” Ryker growls.

  “I told her to stay where she was. I was just a few seats away. I didn’t see her leave.” Twin’s voice shakes, worry riding out every syllable.

  Paige scoots closer to me, but I’m not taking my eyes off these two. From what I’ve gathered, the protector he sent with her failed at his job. I’d be just as livid as Ryker is.

  “Doing what?” Ryker asks.

  Twin doesn’t answer him and it sets Ryker off in a flurry of rage.

/>   “You let this happen to her,” he roars, stalking toward him with his fist balled.

  Yep. Cue body guard.

  I stand, facing Ryker and placing my body between the two. I keep my hands at my side, but my feet are braced to quickly move if I’m stopping something.

  “I trusted her with you. To you. I watched you walk away with her. How the fuck could you?” Ryker snarls.

  Twin starts to say something, but from the sound of his shaking voice, he knows better. Ryker’s pissed.

  “I’ll never fucking forgive you. You better be glad he’s here,” Ryker barks and then points to me. “Or else you’d be lying in the fucking morgue where you belong. I’ll never forgive you. Get the fuck out of here. You’re not welcome here.”

  I can feel the fury billowing off Ryker, the sensation so thick and heavy, my muscles are winding up. It permeates my body and fuels me to be just as irate with Twin as Ryker is. Except I won’t act on it. All this has been one fucked up night.

  I step out of the shower and into the room to find Paige lying in the bed bawling. I slide in, pull her against me and hold her. Her body is shaking from her sobs as she buries her head into my chest. The adrenaline crashed and unfortunately, reality has slapped her.

  “I can’t stop seeing it,” she cries. “When he punched her, I saw her entire body just…she was limp.”

  I tighten my grip on her.

  “I thought she was dead. I’ve never been so scared. She was helpless and he kept…” she chokes on a sob.

  “She’s fine, baby,” I say softly. “She’ll be fine.”

  Her body trembles and she cries harder. “That could’ve been me. That could’ve been me lying on that floor.”

  I sigh. “No, baby,” I whisper, kissing the side of her head. “I’ve got you. No one saw that coming. That was a freak accident.”

  “What if I—”

  “You weren’t,” I interrupt sternly, stopping where she was going. “Sunshine, no one knew he had a bounty over his fight.”

  “You have big fights. What if—”