Uppercut Princess (The Heights Crew #1)(81)

There aren’t a lot of people here. Mostly members of each gang. There are no crowds hungry for a fight, just those who have a stake in the outcome. Evan is already bouncing on his feet in front of a bunch of strangers I don’t recognize except for Roza Fonz. She’s sitting in a folding chair, still smoking her cigar, and surrounded by a bunch of men with guns on their hips.

Magnum cocks his head, telling us to go ahead of him. Johnny must sense that I’m in the zone because he doesn’t try to talk to me, and he doesn’t offer me his arm like he usually does either.

On the opposite side of Roza Fonz’s group is ours. I recognize a few from school. Brawler is there, leaning against a folding chair. My heart hiccups when he turns to look at me. He stands up straight, eyeing me as we approach. Oscar is standing in the back, too, talking quietly to someone in the shadows. The only person I don’t see here yet is Big Daddy K, but I know he will be. I’m not worried about that at all.

Roza nods at Johnny and me. I nod back at her, then switch my gaze to Evan to watch him as he warms up. He’s what I pictured after only seriously seeing him for half a minute. Magnum really was the perfect training partner for this guy. His build is so similar. My confidence ratchets up. I’ve prepared all I can, now it’s just time to lay everything out and see which fighter is best tonight.

Hopefully things will swing my way.

Johnny sits in one of the chairs waiting for him and his father, and I slip into the background with Brawler. His tense jawline tells me everything I need to know. He’s worried.

“I got this,” I say.

“I know you do,” he says, taking the reaction I wish Johnny had the other day and using it to settle my nerves. His gaze says everything else. It apologizes to me for even being in this mess. It tells me he hopes I don’t get hurt too badly. It tells me he wishes he was the one going out there instead of me. Instead of saying all that, he asks, “Did you warm up?”

“Yep.”

“Do some more,” he says. “Big Daddy will be here any moment and then this is on. There won’t be any time to talk or discuss.”

I start stretching, bouncing on my toes as I go to get the blood flowing. Broken gravel crunches under my feet. I take a moment to check out the area we’ll be fighting in. There are a few potholes barely visible in the low light of the old streetlights lighting this area. Dust, rocks, basically shit that might make my shoes slip.

I test the grip of my sneakers, making sure I know how they’re going to react in the fight. Not good, but not terrible either. It’ll suck if this goes to the ground because all those tiny rocks are going to get imbedded into our skin.

A flash of headlights sweep over us as another car approaches.

I glance away. We already know who it’s going to be.

I can hardly even believe I’m here in this moment. I know I have to do it to get in, but who would’ve thought a daughter of a couple Big Daddy murdered would be fighting for him? The irony isn’t lost on me even though I should be focusing on nothing but the fight.

I work my shoulders out, rotating one then the other. Brawler’s heated gaze settles on me again, but neither one of us is stupid to do or say anything that would put a spotlight on us. Not with members of both the Heights Crew and a rival gang here. Tension is already thick, like a black cloud over us all.

Big Daddy K approaches our side with three guards surrounding him. He sits in the chair, and he and Johnny speak in low whispers to each other before Big Daddy K sits up straight. Johnny turns, giving me a nod. I step forward, but two strong hands on my shoulders stop me for a second. He pulls me back, massaging my shoulders quickly like he’s getting me ready for the fight. “Do everything you fucking have to. Do you hear me, Kyla? Everything. Whatever it takes.”

I nod, hop up and down a few times, and then make my way out into the center of the area everyone surrounds. Evan moves forward, too. We look each other up and down. I doubt anyone is going to come out and tell us when to fight, so I’m cautious of when he’s going to make the first move.

“I have to admit I was shocked when they said I was fighting a girl.”

“Yeah?” I ask, grinning. I love being the underdog. I hope he underestimated me. I hope he thought this fight was going to be a walk in the park. “This isn’t the first time I’ve fought an overconfident douche.”

Evan’s lip curls. “It’s sad I have to kick your ass.”

I shrug. “What can you do? Life of a fighter.”

“You can give in now.” His eyes gleam with hope, but I’m not stupid enough to think he wants to stop this fight because he doesn’t think he can win. In his head, he’ll feel bad if he kicks my ass because I’m a precious girl.

Well, he needs to get the fuck over it.

“Just kick her ass, so we can get on with this, Evan,” Roza says from behind him.

That makes me smile even wider.

I know from experience that I have to wait for his move. His reach is far longer than mine, so I have to get through his to the inside. I have to be quick. Strike hard and strike fast before getting out again.

We circle one another, and this time, it’s apparent the fight has started. He won’t be saying any more remarks to me. He’s in his own head, just like I’m in mine.

He’s watching every move I make, just like I’m watching his. He has good technique. Unlike Brawler, he’s had technical training.