Ryley's Revenge (Gloves Off #2)(63)
Scar strolled out of the ring and shut the cage door, locking it with a chain as thick as my wrist. It made me wonder what happened if someone tried to break out before the fight was over. “You know the rules. No one leaves until the other is down.”
The energy crackled like fire, but I only had my focus on one thing . . . revenge. I blocked everything out and kept my sights on my brother, ready to strike when we were told to attack. Nothing else existed, except me and him.
“Fight!”
RYLEY ATTACKED FIRST and pummeled Camden, striking him hard on the side of the face. Camden laughed and spit blood onto the mat. However, Ryley didn’t stop there, he kept going. His brother reciprocated by rearing back and kicking Ryley in the shin, before slicing his hand across his back, blood pouring out in rivers and catching at the waistband of Ryley’s shorts.
Gasping, I tried to charge forward but Paxton tightened his grip on me and leaned down to growl in my ear. “If you don’t stop trying to run away, you’re going to have bruises all over your f*cking arms.”
Fighting against his hold, I gritted my teeth, watching Ryley’s blood pour freely. “This has to stop. It’s not fair,” I shouted. None of my screams could be heard through the deafening noise of the people surrounding me.
“I know it’s not fair. None of this is. But he agreed to this, Ashleigh. Now, let him do it.”
I didn’t want to let him do it. I wanted him safe and away from this place. The world moved in slow motion as I watched Camden and Ryley battle it out, blood blinding my vision. All I could see was red as Camden sliced Ryley’s skin over and over with the glass. Ryley never flinched, just kept striking and kicking like nothing was amiss, like he wasn’t bleeding out all over the mat.
My breaths were all I could hear. I almost felt as if I was in a different world. Hell would be the best word to describe it. I was in the dungeons of hell, having to spend the rest of eternity watching the only man I loved bleed to death inside a cage. As much as Ryley was ready for the fight, he still needed me. Every fighter needed something to fight for. He always told me he fought better with me by his side. How could he do that if he didn’t know I was there?
Lifting up on my tiptoes, I found Gabriella with her hand over her mouth, her stare full of torment. It wasn’t until I looked back up into the ring that everything spun out of control. Both guys were on the mat, grappling. My current location hindered a clear view.
“Paxton,” I ordered, “let me go. I need to be up there. He needs to see me.”
“No. It’ll only make him lose focus.”
Facing him head on, I stared up into his sea green eyes and nodded toward Gabriella. “Is that how you would feel if it was Gabby who wanted you to see her? What if you were fighting for her? Imagine how alone Ryley must feel being in a place that is clearly not on his side. We make each other stronger, Pax. Neither one of us is good without the other.”
Focusing on the ring, he huffed and took my hand. “Fuck, I’m going to regret this. Let’s go.” He charged toward the ring and pushed us through the crowd. The closer we got, the more scared I became.
Gabriella spotted us and got to her feet, tears streaming down her cheeks and eyes wide. It was then I noticed Ryley on the mat with Camden on top of him . . . a shard of glass at his throat.
AFTER THE FIRST slash to my back, I grew immune to the rest of the gashes littering my skin. Everywhere I looked, blood poured down my skin, soaking my shorts and getting into my eyes. I didn’t regret fighting defenseless, but I did regret losing my focus. My anger clouded my judgment and I made a wrong turn, over anticipating Camden’s next move.
His fist was at my throat, but I could feel the glass jabbing into my skin. I held him at bay, my muscles shaking, and I didn’t know how much longer I could hold off. If the glass cut into my neck, I’d bleed out and f*cking die. Is that what my brother wanted? To not have to compete with me anymore?
“Why don’t you tap out, o’ brother mine? And show these people how much of a * you are. Now everyone will know who I am. Your time is over. It’s a shame Ashleigh isn’t here to see you fail.”
Grunting, I pushed his fist back, giving me another centimeter of reprieve. “Don’t you say her f*cking name, *. Not after what you did to her . . . to me.”
“To you? You should be thanking me. I could’ve f*cked her and she wouldn’t have known the difference. She’s a goddamn money-grubbing whore who’s knocked up with another man’s bastard child.”
Staring up into Camden’s eyes, it was strange to think I was looking at my reflection. Well, my reflection if I was all jealousy and anger. God, I hated him; hated who he’d become. Ashleigh was my family now, not him. I would choose her over him any day, even if that meant putting him out of his jealous misery. I couldn’t watch over him anymore, or change him like I thought I could after our father died. He was gone and he wasn’t coming back.
“Tap out, brother,” Camden grunted. “I’m close to that carotid artery of yours. Only one slip and you’re done.”
Would he actually go through with it? I didn’t know, but I wasn’t about to find out. The sound of Ashleigh’s voice in my mind brought back my strength, it was almost like she was there, driving me on. If I didn’t win this match, my revenge would forever consume me, eating me alive from the inside out. I had no choice but to fight until I had nothing left.