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The room was dimly lit, filled with the low hum of fluorescent lights buzzing overhead and the faint smell of sweat and old leather. Ryder stood in front of the grimy mirror of the small, windowless gym bathroom, staring at his reflection. His hands gripped the edges of the sink, knuckles white, his chest rising and falling with slow, measured breaths. He looked calm on the outside—cool, controlled—but inside, a storm was brewing. His mind raced, replaying every step that had brought him here, every choice he had made that had led him back to this place.
The underground fighting circuit had once been his whole world. A brutal, relentless world where pain was currency and survival meant embracing the darkness inside you. It had taken everything from him—his peace, his sense of self, and nearly his soul. He had walked away from that life, but now, he found himself on the brink of re-entering it, just for one night. Not as a fighter, but as a man seeking closure, to end this once and for all.
Behind him, the door creaked open, and Skye stepped into the small room, her presence grounding him immediately. She was a light in the dark, her steady, calming energy giving him the strength he needed. She was dressed simply, her hair pulled back, her eyes serious but filled with unwavering support. Ryder had asked her to stay back, to let him handle this alone, but Skye had refused. She had insisted on being here with him, and he was grateful for it. He wasn’t sure he could do this without her.
“Hey,” Skye said softly, her voice cutting through the tension in the air.
Ryder glanced at her reflection in the mirror, his chest tightening as he met her eyes. “Hey.”
She stepped closer, her hand resting on his arm as she looked up at him with concern. “How are you feeling?”
Ryder let out a slow breath, his fingers loosening their grip on the sink as he straightened up. “I don’t know. Part of me feels ready. The other part... feels like I’m walking into a fight I can’t win.”
Skye’s expression softened, and she moved to stand in front of him, her hands resting gently on his chest. “You’re not going in there to fight, Ryder. You’re going in there to end it. And you’re not alone. I’m with you.”
Ryder swallowed hard, his heart pounding as he looked down at her. Her words were a lifeline, pulling him back from the edge of the fear that had been creeping in all day. “I just don’t want to drag you into this. It’s dangerous.”
Skye’s eyes softened, her thumb brushing over his chest. “We’ve talked about this. I’m not going anywhere, no matter how dangerous it gets. We’re in this together.”
Ryder closed his eyes, his forehead resting against hers. The warmth of her skin, the soft scent of her hair, everything about her calmed him in ways he couldn’t explain. She had become his anchor, the one person who could keep him from spiraling into the darkness that still lingered on the edges of his mind.
“I’m scared, Skye,” he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Not for me, but for you. For us.”
Skye pulled back slightly, her hands moving to cup his face as she made him look at her. “You don’t have to be scared. We’ve come too far to let fear stop us now. You’ve already faced so much, Ryder. This is just one more step.”
Ryder’s chest tightened, his heart aching with the weight of her words. She was right, of course. They had already faced so much together—his past, his demons, the fear that had kept them both from truly opening up to one another. And now, standing on the precipice of what could be the most dangerous confrontation of his life, Ryder knew that he couldn’t turn back. Not if he wanted a future with Skye. Not if he wanted to leave this world behind for good.
“Okay,” Ryder said, his voice steady now. “Let’s do this.”
The underground fighting ring was a world all its own—hidden in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of the law and society. Tonight, it felt even more foreboding, the air thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and fear. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation, the energy electric as men and women crowded around the makeshift ring, eager for the violence that was to come.
Ryder hadn’t been in this world for years, but the moment he stepped into the warehouse, it all came rushing back to him. The faces, the sounds, the memories of every fight he had ever endured here. The adrenaline spiked in his veins, his body instinctively tensing, ready for a fight. But this time, he wasn’t here to throw punches. He was here to end something much bigger than a single fight.
Skye walked beside him, her hand wrapped tightly around his, her presence a constant reminder that he wasn’t alone in this. They had discussed the plan before coming—Ryder wasn’t going to fight tonight, no matter what provocation came his way. He was here to confront the people who still held a claim over him, the ones who had tried to pull him back into this world. It was time to sever those ties for good.
As they made their way through the crowd, heads began to turn, whispers spreading like wildfire. People recognized Ryder. He had been one of the best fighters in the underground circuit—known for his brutal efficiency and his ability to take down anyone who stepped into the ring with him. But he had disappeared after the incident, after he nearly killed a man in a fight that had spiraled out of control. And now, here he was, back in the place where it had all started.
At the far end of the warehouse, a group of men stood gathered around a large, muscular figure that Skye immediately recognized as one of the underground’s top enforcers—Marcus, a man who had been instrumental in controlling the fighters and keeping them in line. His cold, calculating eyes landed on Ryder as they approached, and a slow, predatory smile spread across his face.
“Well, well, look who it is,” Marcus said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Ryder. I never thought I’d see you back here again. You got a death wish, or are you just feeling nostalgic?”
Ryder’s jaw tightened, but he kept his expression neutral as he stopped a few feet from Marcus, Skye by his side. “I’m not here to fight,” Ryder said, his voice steady. “I’m here to end this.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. “End what, exactly? You think you can just walk away? You tried that once before, and look where it got you.”
“I’m not walking away this time,” Ryder said, his voice firm. “I’m done. For good. You don’t own me anymore.”
Marcus’s smile faltered, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. He stepped closer, his massive frame looming over Ryder as he lowered his voice. “You think you can just waltz in here, make your little declaration, and walk out? It doesn’t work like that, Ryder. You owe us.”
“I don’t owe you anything,” Ryder shot back, his voice rising with anger. “I’ve paid my debts. I’ve bled for you. But I’m done now.”
The crowd around them had grown quiet, sensing the tension building between the two men. Skye’s hand tightened around Ryder’s, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the exchange. She knew this was dangerous—that one wrong move could ignite the powder keg of violence that simmered just beneath the surface in places like this. But she also knew that Ryder wasn’t going to back down. Not this time.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer. “You think you can just walk away? After everything you’ve done?”
“I’m not asking for your permission,” Ryder said, his voice cold and controlled. “I’m telling you—I’m out.”
The silence that followed was deafening, the tension so thick Skye could feel it pressing down on her. She held her breath, her eyes locked on Marcus, waiting to see what he would do. If this confrontation escalated into a fight, Ryder would be ready—Skye had no doubt about that. But she didn’t want it to come to that. She didn’t want to see Ryder dragged back into this world of violence, not after everything they had fought for.
For a moment, Marcus just stared at Ryder, his jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. And then, with a low, humorless laugh, he took a step back, shaking his head. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that. But if you think this is over, you’re more naive than I thought.”
Ryder didn’t flinch, didn’t back down. He met Marcus’s gaze head-on, his voice steady as he said, “It’s over.”
The two men stood in silence for a long, tense moment, the crowd around them holding its collective breath. Skye could feel her heart pounding in her chest, fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins as she waited for Marcus’s next move. But to her surprise, Marcus didn’t lash out. Instead, he turned to the men behind him, his expression cold and calculating.
“You hear that, boys?” Marcus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Ryder here thinks he’s too good for us now. Thinks he can just walk away.”
One of the men—a tall, lanky figure with a scar running down the side of his face—stepped forward, his eyes locked on Ryder. “What’s stopping us from making sure you never walk again?”
Ryder’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “I’m not here to fight.”
The man sneered, his fists clenching. “That’s too bad, because we’ve been waiting a long time to settle things with you.”
Before Ryder could respond, Marcus held up a hand, silencing the man with a sharp look. “Enough,” he said, his voice cold. “Ryder’s made his choice. He’s not worth the trouble.”
The lanky man looked like he wanted to argue, but Marcus’s expression left no room for debate. With a frustrated grunt, he stepped back, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Ryder. “You’re lucky Marcus is feeling generous.”
Skye exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding, relief flooding through her. But she knew this wasn’t over—not really. Ryder might have walked away from this confrontation without a fight, but the threat still lingered. Marcus had let him go this time, but there was no telling what would happen next. The underground circuit was a world built on violence, and people like Marcus didn’t let go easily.
Ryder turned to Skye, his hand tightening around hers as he gave her a reassuring nod. They had gotten through this without bloodshed, but they both knew it was only the first step. There would be more to face, more obstacles to overcome, but they were in this together. And that was what mattered.
Without another word, Ryder led Skye out of the warehouse, their footsteps echoing in the silence as they walked away from the past that had haunted them for so long.
The night air was cool and crisp as they stepped outside, the city lights casting a soft glow over the streets. Ryder’s shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched as he walked beside Skye, his hand still wrapped tightly around hers. Skye could feel the weight of everything that had just happened pressing down on him, the unspoken emotions swirling beneath the surface.
When they reached the car, Ryder stopped, leaning against the side of it as he let out a long, shaky breath. Skye watched him for a moment, her heart aching at the sight of him. He had faced so much tonight, confronted the people who had once controlled his life, and though they had walked away without a fight, she knew the emotional toll it had taken on him.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly, stepping closer to him.
Ryder closed his eyes, his hand running through his hair as he exhaled another slow breath. “I don’t know.”
Skye reached for his hand, her fingers lacing through his as she stood beside him. “You did it. You stood up to them, and you walked away.”
Ryder nodded, but his expression was still tense, his jaw tight with lingering frustration. “Yeah. But it’s not over. Guys like Marcus... they don’t just let things go.”
Skye’s chest tightened at his words, the fear she had been trying to push down rising to the surface. “What do you think will happen?”
Ryder shook his head, his eyes dark and distant. “I don’t know. But I do know one thing—I’m not going back to that life. No matter what happens, I’m done.”
Skye’s heart swelled with emotion at his words, and she stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him as she pressed her cheek against his chest. “We’ll figure it out. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”
Ryder’s arms tightened around her, and for a moment, they just stood there in the quiet of the night, holding on to each other. Skye could feel the tension slowly leaving his body, his breathing evening out as he rested his chin on top of her head.
“I love you,” Ryder whispered, his voice soft but filled with so much emotion that it made Skye’s heart ache.
“I love you too,” Skye whispered back, her arms tightening around him. “And we’re going to get through this. Together.”
Ryder pulled back slightly, his hand coming up to cup her cheek as he looked down at her, his dark eyes filled with a quiet determination. “I’m not letting anything come between us. Not ever.”
Skye smiled, her heart swelling with love as she leaned up to kiss him. “Nothing will.”
As they stood together in the cool night air, Skye knew that, no matter what the future held, they had built something unbreakable. They had faced their demons, confronted their pasts, and now, they were stronger for it. The road ahead might still be filled with challenges, but they would face it together, hand in hand.
And for the first time in a long time, Skye felt like the future was theirs for the taking.
