My eyebrows push together. “Oh, no. I’m not fighting.”
She sucks her teeth, and steps so close to me I can smell the sour scent of beer on her breath. “What’s the matter? You scared?”
I shake my head, squeezing Leo’s arm. “I came here to watch.”
“That was before you crossed my path.” She yanks my elbow. “Now you can watch as I kick your ass.”
Fear courses through my veins, adrenaline kicking my heart into overdrive. “N-no. I’m not fighting.”
“Leave her alone. She said she was sorry.” Leo’s fingers tighten around my wrist. “Go fight someone your own size.”
The crazy woman laughs. “Don’t worry, pretty boy. When I’m done with your girl, I’ll make sure you get a taste too.”
Before I can blink, she charges me, digging her shoulder into my midsection and knocking me back onto my ass. The crowd roars as she mounts me and begins throwing punches at my face.
Leo attempts to rip her off me, but a few men grab him so he can’t intervene.
It’s just me and this psychopath.
A warm stream trickles into my eyes, making it hard to see. Pain splits into my face from the force of her fists as she lands each punch. It’s fight or flight, and with her on top of me, I’m not going anywhere.
“Put your arms up! Block her!” Leo’s voice rises above the screams from the crowd.
“What’s the matter, Bambi? You’re too scared to hit back? Don’t want to chip a nail?”
All of a sudden, my mother’s face flashes in my mind. She’s looking down her nose at me, top lip curled in disgust, and speaking to me with that condescending tone in her voice.You’ve got to toughen up. You can’t crumble at every inconvenience. People in the world have it so much worse than you. Don’t be so weak.
I gnash my teeth, and buck my hips as hard as I can, throwing her off-kilter. I slip out from under her and scramble to my feet, backing away and putting up my fists to block my face. I bounce around her as she pushes to her feet.
She grins. “You should’ve stayed down, bitch.”
She throws another punch, but I duck out of the way. I step to the side and land a right hook on her cheekbone, but she barely notices it.
The fight continues like this for what feels like an eternity, with me attempting to land a punch here and there in between blocking my face from her heavy fists.
But I’m not a fighter.
I’m not tough.
I can’t do this.
I can’t beat her.
She rushes me again and slams me down onto my back. All the air is knocked out of my lungs, and a splitting pain shoots through my side. My arms are tired, and I don’t have any fight left in me. I just want this to be over. I let her hit me until someone jumps in and calls the match.
Leo dives down beside me and scoops me into his arms.
And that’s when everything goes black.
9
James
My phone buzzeson my nightstand, and I roll over to see my brother’s name on the screen.
This can’t be good.It’s after midnight, and Leo only calls me when he’s in trouble. I swipe my thumb across the screen. “What did you do now?”
“James, you need to come next door.”