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CJ SAT IN THE MIDDLE of the empty locker room with his head down and his hands resting on his thighs. Anger burned through him and he silently counted, getting control over the overwhelming hostility. If he didn’t have this under control when the team came through the door, there wouldn’t be anything to stop the bloodbath.
The bell sounded, and the shuffle of students heading for the buses filled the hallway. Each second that ticked by increased the thrum of power in his veins and CJ closed his eyes, trying to find his chi, his calm place where his temper was always in check.
But it remained elusive, just out of reach.
He didn’t budge from his spot when the first player stepped into the locker room. He didn’t even raise his head, but his hands tightened on his thighs.
“Joe, you might want to be scarce for a while,” he said, and his voice carried a dangerous edge that blanketed a chill over the entire room.
Joe didn’t have a chance to leave before the rest of the team came in, including the group that pounded Tom into oblivion. As soon as they were inside the locker room, all the doors slammed, locking at CJ's will, and an eerie silence settled over everyone.
CJ clamped his teeth together and raised his head, glaring at the group. He stood, kicking the chair behind him and settled into his ready stance with his hands loose by his side. “You assholes blindsided Tom.”
“CJ, we don’t...” Bear started but CJ cut him off.
“Shut the fuck up.” CJ growled. “He’s my brother. You should have thought of that before you beat the shit out of him."
“But...”
“I’m interested in finding out how you would do in a fair fight,” CJ said, staring down Bear. He moved his gaze to the rest of the team gathered behind Bear. “How you all do against someone who knows you’re coming.”
“We don’t have a beef with you,” Bear said, bringing his palms up in an attempt to calm CJ.
“It’s your choice, Bear. You can leave here with just a few broken bones or you can leave in a body bag,” CJ said. The anger bubbled just below the surface and he spread his arms wide. “I’ll even give you the first shot.”
No one moved.
“Come on!” CJ bellowed and his hands curled into fists.
“Maybe you should take a walk,” Joe said and CJ turned his gaze to his right, meeting Joe’s stare.
“They put Tom in the hospital. It’s payback time.”
“He got what he deserved,” Bear said and stepped into the empty space, throwing a right hook in CJ’s direction.
CJ parried, blocking the blow and sending a punch of his own into Bear’s stomach. Bear’s grunt of pain sent a thrill of satisfaction through CJ, but before he could deliver the knock out strike, his intuition prickled and he spun, his arm already in motion to block, but he miscalculated and the biggest linebacker on the team hit him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling back a few steps.
CJ shook off the blow and reset his stance, waving the team in.
This time they didn’t hesitate, coming at him as one unified unit.
Anger transitioned to desperation and even though he threatened body bags, CJ couldn’t bring himself to enlist his powers against the team he had shared the football field with over the last three years. He couldn’t condone drawing blood with an invisible hand they couldn’t defend against, but that didn’t stop him from using his fists, doling out hits that cracked a few bones. But even his third-degree black belt wasn’t enough to defend against seven linebackers, and their fists connected more times than he could count, leaving substantial bruises.
Exhaustion took its toll, squeezing the fire out of CJ and he stumbled back against the lockers, surveying the damage in front of him. A couple of the guys were out cold on the floor, their temples bruised from where CJ’s punches landed. One linebacker gripped his leg, his face contorted in extreme pain and Bear leaned against the opposite bank of lockers, holding his side and flexing his hand, his face a grim mask.
CJ ran the back of his hand across his lips, pulling it away and staring at the blood on his fist. He raised his gaze. “Tom’s innocent and if you so much as lay a finger on him again, this will feel like a walk in the park compared to what I’ll do to you next time.”
He stumbled toward the door and a shadow passed over him as he reached for the lock. He shot a glare over his shoulder and the chair coming down toward his head stopped in mid-air. He met Bear’s shocked gaze and slowly turned.
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with or what I really could do to you,” he growled and let a push escape. Bear and the chair he was swinging at CJ went flying across the locker room into the beat up mass of linebackers, knocking them to the ground like a group of bowling pins.
CJ willed the locks to release and took off, limping down the hall using the building anger to drive his steps forward despite the pain. When he got to the car, he slid onto the seat and flipped his phone open. He leaned back and dialed, putting the receiver to his ear.
“I’m not going to make it in tonight,” he said with a voice that was shallow and weak now that the adrenaline had drained from his bones. The restaurant didn’t question him, and he hung up, started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. He shut his mind off, diffused his anger, and followed his heart.