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I should have told Erin I was coming here. Instead I told her I was meeting Amalie for a coffee and not to wait up. She’ll wait up. Hell, she’ll call soon just to check on me. I should have been honest, but I know she’d tell me I was crazy for coming here. Hell, I probably am crazy for coming here, but curiosity got the better of me, and I needed to know...I needed to see what Finn spoke of.
I arrive at the garage after sun down, when it’s closed. Finn is waiting out front. He might be the younger of the brothers, but he’s big, and he’s manly, and he’s extremely attractive. Any woman would do a double take. Tonight he’s wearing a tight fitting black tee and black jeans. His hair is tied and braided down his back. I don’t know why he keeps it long, but it suits him. His olive skin glistens under the street light, and his blue eyes lock onto mine the moment I stop in front of him.
It’s probably not safe for me to be out here.
But I trust Finn, and I know he’ll make sure nothing happens to me.
“Hey,” he murmurs. “You ready?”
I nod, rubbing my upper arms.
“Come on.”
He turns and walks through the garage, locking it behind us, and then out the back and down a small alley. We reach a building, red brick, abandoned, basically connecting to the garage. It looks unused, but I’m guessing they want it to look that way. I don’t actually think it’s part of it, but it looks as though it is. The garage kind of outshines it, making it seem unimportant, again, what I think the goal is.
Finn goes around the side of the building and unlocks a door, it almost seems...dead. Like nobody is here. He opens the door and we step inside, walking into the old, crappy building. He walks us down a hall and we reach another door. He opens it and then I can hear it, the thumping, the grunting, the chattering, the yelling. It’s almost completely masked by the door, and the building.
Very clever.
Finn reaches back and grabs my hand, for a moment I freeze, but then I let him hang onto me, because I don’t honestly know what I’m about to walk into. We go down a flight of stairs and into a huge open area underground. It takes me by surprise. I’m guessing whoever owned this building before, took a lot of effort to transform this basement into...this...this fighting ring.
This basement is extra-large, which makes it perfect for what it’s being used for. My guess, if I were to have one, would be that this building might have been an old storage place, hence the need for large underground basements. It also seemed to have a lot of different rooms upstairs, making me think it was used for storing things. Down here though, wow. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
There are, what I’d guess to be, about a hundred people down here, all of them surrounding a massive fighting cage. Not a ring, a cage. Floor to ceiling mesh stops anyone getting in...or out. There are seats lined up around it, and people are both standing and sitting. There are more than one large men getting around, my guess, security. Lincoln isn’t stupid, something like this would need security, or it could get very out of hand.
The main thing I notice, is that there are very few females down here, which makes me stick out like a sore thumb. More than one person has turned to glance at me as we move through the crowd. They obviously know Finn, because none of them question anything. It’s loud down here, but not rowdy, I’m guessing there are noise restrictions. If the police got wind of this place, they’d fine Lincoln, or worse. I don’t think these things are legal.
I’m surprised he hasn’t been caught yet.
“Slater is up next, there is a lot of money on this fight.”
“People actually bet?” I whisper.
Finn nods. “How do you think Lincoln keeps that garage going, and all our houses, and the cars we drive. He makes a fuckin’ killing out of this place.”
“Why did he do it?” I ask, curious, as we move into a darker corner of the room, with a clear view of the ring.
“Long story, leave it to Slater to tell you all of it, but let’s just say he needed the money, so he started fighting himself and then...well...he became the best, well known, and so he started his own. He’s respected. He tolerates no shit. He’s the best there is.”
I can imagine he is.
Lincoln is terrifying in his own right.
And yet, not as awful as you’d imagine.
He’s actually kind, at least, he was to me.
“Are you going to get into trouble for me being down here?”
Finn looks around, “Hoping no one is goin’ to see you, but yeah, if you’re seen in here, I’ll hear about it. So stay near me.”
We watch in awe as the fight is announced, and out into the ring comes Slater, and another massive man, with dark hair and so many scars on his face, they’re literally calling him scar face. He looks terrifying, and like he could just eat Slater alive. But, he’s almost too big, too over formed, Slater is huge, but he’s well put together, maybe that’s his advantage.
The fight is counted down, and the crowd goes absolutely nuts, waving their hands around, cash in them, barking at the two men. Most of their demands are what they should be doing, where they should be hitting. There is a whole lot of “Hit him low!” flying around. My heart races and my adrenalin spikes as I watch the two men begin their fight.
And for a moment, I’m almost certain I’m not breathing. I couldn’t be.
This is so...intense.
Scar face circles Slater, and then hits low, fist connecting with Slater’s stomach. Slater takes a shaky step backwards and the crowd goes wild, and then he looks him right in the eye, and moves like lightning. I could never have guessed a man Slater’s size could move the way he’s moving, but he does, he moves so fast that he takes Scar face off guard. He hits him in the ribs, so hard a loud crack echoes through the room.
I feel a little unwell.
I shuffle closer to Finn.
Scar face doubles over, and Slater takes the chance to hit him in the mouth, sending blood flying across the already stained floor. Then punch after punch, hit after hit, Slater just brings Scar face to his knees, like he’s not even trying. When the man falls face first onto the floor, completely knocked out, Slater steps back, panting, fists clench and bloodied, eyes completely...empty.
He’s not wearing a shirt, and his skin is glistening with sweat. When he turns our way, my eyes widen at the tattoo across his chest. Sitting right over his heart, is my name. My chest clenches and I swallow, unable to take my eyes off the words that are scrawled over his heart. Next to it, is a flower design, five of them, all tangled in an intricate design. And I could swear I’ve seen that before.
My hand goes up to my neck, as if to grab a necklace, but nothing is there.
I shake my head, and turn to Finn. “Is he hurt?”
Finn shakes his head. “That’s not really what I wanted to show you. Come with me.”
He pulls me through the crowd and towards a back door, we go through it and come to a screaming halt when we run into Lincoln. His dark eyes swing to mine, and his jaw tightens. “Finn, what in the ever lovin’ fuck is she doin’ in here?”
“Fuck me,” Finn growls. “Was told you weren’t here tonight.”
“Answer the damned question!” Lincoln barks.
My heart starts racing.
And I step back, just a little.
Lincoln looks to me, closes his eyes, and then exhales. “Fuck, sorry sweetheart. But you shouldn’t be in here.”
“I wanted her to see Slater, but I want to show her something else. You know what.”
Lincoln looks to Finn. “You’re messin’ with shit that ain’t yours to mess with, Finn.”
“No,” Finn grunts. “I’m puttin’ our family back together. Let me show her.”
Lincoln exhales. “Ten minutes, then I never wanna see her in here again.”
Finn nods, and grabs my hand, dragging me into a room. It looks like an office of sorts. It has a desk, a few papers, some safes, things like that. Finn walks over to a safe and looks to me, “Turn around.”
I turn, and he dials a number into the combination lock. Then I turn back just as he’s opening it. What I see inside, nearly knocks the wind out of me. There is just mountain after mountain of cash sitting inside the safe.
“What exactly does this have to do with me,” I whisper.
“That’s yours.”
I blink, staring at Finn. “Excuse me.”
“That’s yours. Every fight he wins, he puts every cent into this safe. When it’s full, he puts it into a bank account under your name. He does it, because he wanted to be able to buy you a home when you came back to him, he wanted a safe haven, he wanted you to have something. Now you’re back, he still wants that. He wants you safe, but most of all, he wants you taken care of.”
I blink, because my eyes start to burn. He’s putting all this money away, just so I can have a home of my own?
He’s doing all this...for me?
He’s fighting and risking his life...for me?
“He’s never spent a cent of it, every single dollar goes into this safe for you. He hasn’t been doing it long, because he was working for Shanks for so long, but in the time he has been doing it, he’s probably fought enough to buy you a home.”
I swallow, because I feel like I’m going to cry, or throw up, or just lose it completely.
I don’t know what to feel.
Or what to do.
Something catches my eye, and I step forward, shoving my hand into the safe and hooking my fingers around it. I pull it out and stare down at it. It’s a necklace, with the exact same design that was tattooed across Slater’s chest.
It’s so familiar.
And I know it’s mine.
I know it with all of my being.
“This is mine,” I whisper.
“You remember that?” Finn asks.
“No...No, but...I just know it’s mine. I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Yeah. We got it for you for your eighteenth birthday. Five flowers. It stands for all of us. Family.”
My heart aches. It literally feels like it’s going to bust out of my chest.
Family.
Us.
The five of us.
I clutch the necklace in my hands.
I’m overwhelmed.
I turn and start rushing out of the room.
“Ellie, wait!” Finn calls, quickly locking the safe and following me. “Let me show you something else, please.”
“I don’t know how much more I can take, Finn.”
“Please.”
I rub my hands down my face, and turn to him. “I want to go home.”
He reaches for my hand, eyes locked on mine.
I take his with a deep exhale.
He leads me down the hall a little more, to a big glass window, and I stare into a small locker room. And there’s Slater, sitting on a bench, head in his hands, elbows on his knees. Seeing a man like him, so big and strong, in this position, makes my heart burn. It makes my soul ache. He looks so broken. So hurt.
“He sits like this for hours after every fight. Sometimes, I think fighting is the only way he can get out his frustration. He spent so long looking for you, he did shitty things hoping it would get him information, he lost every single piece of who he was. All because he loved you so damned much. He still does.”
I stare at the broken man, and my heart aches for him.
And I feel so guilty, even though I know I haven’t done anything wrong.
“Can we go?” I whisper.
“Yeah,” Finn says. “Yeah, let’s go.”
We turn to walk away and Slater looks up. His eyes connect with mine, and a flash of surprises passes through them, before that surprise is replaced with anger. He stares at Finn, and then stands.
“Fuck,” Finn mutters.
“What do we do?” I say, panicked, because it looks like Slater is about to come out here and lose his mind.
Panicking, I turn and just rush off down the hall and practically dart out of the door and back into the crowd. I need to get out of here. As if seeing Slater fight wasn’t overwhelming enough, knowing that he’s suffering the way he is, makes it even worse. And all the people. And the necklace. And seeing him like that. I can’t think. I need to leave.
“Ellie!” I hear Finn yell, but I don’t stop.
I know how to get out of here, and I’m going to do just that.
I rush past people, some of which give me rather startled stares, as if they’re wondering what the hell I’m doing in here. Then I run into a hard form, and hands go up to my shoulders, stopping me. I jump backwards quickly and look up to see a blond man with a really rugged, worn out face, staring down at me. His eyes scan over me, and then widen in surprise, and his fingers tighten around my shoulders.
“Well, I didn’t think you’d actually run into my grasps, but I’ve been looking for you, Raven.”
Raven.
What?
What did he just call me?
That’s not my name.
I jerk backwards, trying to get out of his grips, but he squeezes so tightly I wince.
“No, let me go.”
I frantically thrash, but to no avail.
“Let her go, right fuckin’ now.”
Slater’s voice booms even over the chatter of the crowd, and the man holding me lets me go immediately.
“Sorry, man, I was just helping her out. She seemed lost. You know her?”
Slater walks over, grabs the man by the shoulder with little to no effort, and slams him up against the wall. “Who the fuck are you?”
“H-h-h-h-he called me Raven,” I whisper. “He’s...he’s working for him.”
Slater’s eyes flare and he stares at the man, then he turns to Finn, “Get Lincoln, now.”
Finn moves quickly, disappearing into the crowd. Slater looks at me. “You know him?”
“No,” I tremble. “But he’s looking for me.”
“I don’t know what she’s fucking talking about,” the man protests. “She ran into me.”
“You’re coming with us, and you’re goin’ to talk.”
Lincoln and Finn appear, and Lincoln’s eyes go to Slater, and then to everyone who has stopped to watch Slater.
“What’s goin’ on?”
“He’s one of them. Lookin’ for Ellie. Was tryin’ to drag her out.”
Lincoln’s eyes flash to the man. And then he walks over, curling his big hand around his shoulder. “Take Ellie home. He’ll be here when you return.”
Slater looks at Lincoln, and he nods, letting the man go. Lincoln spins him around, jerking his hands behind his back. “You’re comin’ with me.”
The man protests as Lincoln disappears into the crowd with him, Finn following. I watch Finn desperately. He’s leaving me to Slater. After everything he just showed me? My heart is racing, and I stare at the ground, hands trembling.
“Let’s get you out of here.”
Slater guides me gently to the exit and we slowly make our way out of the huge building. People stop and try to talk with Slater, but one angry look from him has them pulling up pretty quickly and disappearing. Once we’re back at the garage, Slater stops and I hesitantly turn to him.
I can hardly breathe.
What was that man doing down there?
Do they know that the Knight brothers know me? If they do, that means everyone is in danger, not just me.
I can’t imagine the lengths he might go to, to get his hands on me.
Including wiping out anyone in his way.
“You good?” Slater asks me, his dark eyes scanning my face.
He’s still covered in blood, though his face is wiped clean.
He’s terrifying.
“I just want to go home.”
He nods, and points to a truck parked around the side of the garage. “That’s mine, let’s go.”
This is going to be one hell of an awkward drive home.
And yet, I’m kind of glad Slater is the one taking me.
Go figure.
~*~*~*~
