Game(59)

It wasn’t sanitary at all. The water they used to clean the floor was probably scarier than the blood on the floor.

“This is it,” Fiore whispered. “We’re going to clean up, Shayna. Now here’s your choice. You can walk out of here with me. We’re going to get some food and relax. You’re going to be sedated and properly checked by a doctor of mine. If you’re not pregnant, I have men ready to fix that. I’ll keep you sedated, okay? My gift to you. If you try to resist, I have men ready to attack. So does Zander. He’s hiding somewhere. You know how he does his business. He will cut off your limbs and I will make sure a doctor can keep you alive. Your choice.”

Fiore then stood tall and put a hand to my back.

A man walked to the middle of the circle.

“Are you ready for the main event?” he yelled.

The crowd went nuts. These sick people were going crazy for a fight involving two men against one.

The man in the circle waved his hands to calm the crowd. He put a finger to his lips.

“I want to yell it,” he said. He slowly turned in circles. “I want to bring you the greatest f*cking fight you ever saw. I want blood. I want teeth shattered on the ground. I want broken f*cking bones!”

The people started to yell again.

When they stopped, the man said, “But it’s not going to happen tonight.”

A few boos echoed.

“You see, Finn… f*cking Finn. The craziest f*cking fighter we’ve ever seen. A man who treated it all like some game. Fearless. Finn won’t be here tonight.”

More yells from the people.

“There’s only one thing that could keep Finn from a fight,” the man said. He made a fist and put it in the air. “Death.” He let a few seconds pass by. “Finn is dead.”

That got a big stir from the crowd.

Then the place fell silent.

“Finn passed away this afternoon in a tragic accident,” the man yelled. “He will be forever remembered as a man tough as nails with fists like rocks. A man who would fight any place, any time. A man…” The man bit his fist. Pretending to cry. “Sadly, this means Finn will have to forfeit the fight. All bets placed have been recorded and there are no changes. No matter what. Unless Finn rises from the dead…”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Just as the man said it, a figure stepped into the circle. Black boots. Blue jeans. A black t-shirt hugging thick muscle. A face like stone, a statue chiseled to perfection.

The man turned and when he saw the figure, he fell to one knee.

“What in the f*ck…,” Fiore muttered next to me. “Is that…”

I fought the urge to smile.

But I did nod.

Yes… it was… the figure… the man… it was Finn.





43.


(Finn)



It took everyone a few seconds to realize what was happening. I’m not going to lie - I enjoyed waiting for the right moment to walk into the circle. Just as my death was announced and the fight all but canceled, there I was… alive and ready to fight.

The man slowly rose back up and looked around.

The crowd was going wild.

I put my fists out, showing I was ready. I looked at him, knowing the guy was one of Fiore’s guys, and I smiled.

Right then, I had some power.

Fiore was somewhere close, probably right above me, staring down in disbelief. I wasn’t supposed to look for him, or for Shayna. I just needed to be there and be ready to fight. I was the ultimate diversion. Fiore had trusted his men to ensure my death. And it wasn’t like they f*cked up, right? They found a body in the cabin. Hell, Cormac’s drunken truck ride had actually saved my ass. He had crashed his truck in the woods, leaving it hidden. So Fiore and his guys never saw another truck near the cabin.

“Jesus Christ,” the man said, staring at me.

“I’m here to f*cking fight,” I said. “And everyone else is here to see me f*cking fight.”

“You’re supposed to be dead,” the man said.

I walked up to him, bumping my chest into him.

The crowd loved that. They started to cheer. I put my hands out and waved them, getting everyone louder. I knew how to work a crowd. I knew how to keep them jumping and screaming.

I curled my lip and stared at Fiore’s guy. “I’m not saying it again. I’m here to f*cking fight. So if I don’t get my opponents, I’m going to crush you.”

The man stepped back and away. He put his hands up. “Fair enough, Finn. Have a nice fight.”

A second later, two men tackled me to the ground.



~



I should have known it was coming.

I was standing and then I was on the ground. On my hands and knees, my head tucked between my shoulders. They could crack my ribs, whatever, but I needed to protect my head and face.

“There they are!” Fiore’s guy yelled over the crowd cheering. “The deadliest combo in fighting… Mikey and Malley.”

They were punks. Guys with gym muscles and a dream to be some kind of superstars of violence. Their fists and arms were heavy, like hammers as they attacked me. But they kept going for the same move over and over, hitting my back. I flexed my back and stayed with them. I controlled my breathing and didn’t panic.