Chapter 7

 

It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. - Rocky Balboa

Kenna

Phoenix jumps up to into the ring just as a man approaches my left handing me a Corona. I know I’m a little more than drunk right now but fuck if this backyard boxing ring isn’t sobering me up quick.

“Thanks,” I murmur to Lynch, who nods in response.

I do have to say, Phoenix has already surprised me, and I didn’t think that was possible. I came here tonight to figure out just how he runs the Devil’s Ash MC. What I didn’t come here for was a kiss, to get felt up or to like the dude but look where we are.

I bring the bottle of Corona to my lips, sipping the amber liquid slowly as I watch the men huddle around the ring, hoots and hollers echoing around us. Even the girls come up, cozying up to any man that they can as they anxiously await the fight that is about to break out.

“I know. I don’t have to say jack shit. We all know why Micky got his ass in this situation, cause of that damn big mouth of his. So, let’s settle it, man to man!” Phoenix booms, causing the crowd around him to scream and shout in unison.

I see a girl toss tape to Phoenix, who quickly wraps his hands. He then tosses it to Micky, and I can’t say that I’m not surprised.

“What, tough guy? You not gonna open your mouth now? You’re so fuckin’ good at doin’ it”

“Told you I didn’t know who she was,” Micky comments back to him, I take another sip of my Corona, watching the show unfold before my eyes.

“Phoenix is gonna lay into him good for what he said about you,” Leo mutters, standing right next to me.

“As he should. He needs to set an example. If this jackoff Micky gets away with it, others will follow his lead. Once is a mistake, but twice is a pattern and something tells me that this one doesn’t have many mistakes. He’s a man of repetition, right?”

“You are one smart chick, Kenna Vernon.” I smile to myself at his words, it doesn’t hurt to know that I’m right in my thoughts. I’m caught inside my mind when I hear the unique sound of bone hitting bone. There’s nothing like it. It sounds like a fist hitting a punching bag, with a snap like a twig that follows shortly thereafter. It’s my first indication that someone broke something. I can only hope that it isn’t Phoenix who’s hurt.

I glance up to the ring, and see Micky holding his face, blood sliding down his forearm and dripping below him.

Good, Phoenix, I think to myself. I take another sip of Corona, unable to peel my eyes away from the sight before my very eyes. There’s something exhilarating about men fighting. I’m not gonna lie, I am a girl who loves some MMA...but when one of the men in the ring is fighting for you? Fuck, it makes it that much hotter.

My attention is torn away from the ring as something cold is placed into my hands, I look to Leo who I assume has put a shot of fireball in my hand. He even has one in his own. I didn’t even notice the guy walk away to go get one. He smirks at me and we both take our shots back; the cinnamon hits my senses like nothing else. Shoot, I’ve never drank fireball after having a couple Corona’s before but I sure as hell better start now.

The crowd screams, and I see Phoenix on the ground. Micky is smiling over him, circling him like a lion does a gazelle. I shake my head, smiling. Micky doesn’t get it. He doesn’t see that he’s the gazelle in this situation, and his mistake is going to be what costs him winning. His overconfidence is what will grant him his failure.

Phoenix jumps up from the ground, bringing his fist up in an uppercut that jolts Micky just under the jaw, sending him flying back. “Reckless idiot,” Phoenix laughs, looking down to Micky. “No matter what I fuckin’ tell you. You’re never gonna learn, not now, not ever. Bet you don’t even feel sorry for sayin’ that shit about my Kenna, do you?”

Micky doesn’t look up to Phoenix, his Prez who is beating him to a pulp and ripping him a new one. Nope. He looks at me as he speaks. “She’s just a walkin’ pussy that’s your key to Miami. Not even a cute one at that. You could be doin’ much better, marryin’ someone who matters, but nah, you want this skank just ‘cause she’s Vernon’s daughter.”

Oh. Fuck. No.

No way in hell was I going to let this little weasel talk about me like this. I’m all about letting a man defend my honor, but fuck no. I may be a little drunk, but what I’m not is stupid, and I’ll be damned if some fucking scumbag acts like I’m at the bottom of the totem pole, or like Phoenix is settling for me. I know my worth, and I will rot in hell before I ever allow a man to put me down.

I dart up to the ring, grab onto the ropes and pull my body up until I’m in the ring. I’m a little wobbly, but I don’t let that phase me. I’m a woman on a mission, and nothing will fucking stop me. Micky looks up at me with a devilish grin plastered across his face. “I don’t know what you’re smilin’ about, asshole.” Phoenix tells him.

“You should listen up quick, dipshit. I am not here because I am some pawn in my father’s game. Don’t get this shit twisted. I have the keys to Miami, yep. Me. Miami is mine. You may think you know shit, but you don’t you little weasel. You’ve made a couple of mistakes tonight, and I’m not in a very forgiving mood. I am my father’s daughter after all.” I smirk at him, pulling out the switchblade I have hidden in the pockets of my jeans.

I know they’ve heard the rumors, they know what my father is known for, and it isn’t how he conducts business. They know my father because of how he handles those who cross him, and the same goes for me. We’re Vernon’s - which means you don’t fuck with us.

I lean down and bring my blade right against Micky’s throat, pressing in slowly until I see a trickle of crimson red coating the metal. He looks up to Phoenix, and I stare deep into his eyes. “I don’t know why you’re looking at him. He’s not the one with a blade at your throat, and if you think he controls me...well….” I laugh, unable to keep myself from doing so. “He doesn’t. Phoenix respects me enough to let me slice your turkey neck open if I feel like it. He hasn’t told me to stop thus far, and I’m betting you he won’t.”

“I’m not gonna,” Phoenix confirms my thoughts and I smile.

 

“See. Told you. As I’ve said, I’m not in a forgiving mood.” I take my blade and dig it deep into his neck. I know where I’m cutting, careful enough to not hit any major arteries, but meticulous to where he will feel it, and see this scar for the rest of his days. “That’s strike number one. I don’t think I have to tell you what happens when you reach three.”

I bring my blade from his neck and stand, Phoenix comes close to me, feeling his body heat against my back. “What should we do with him, babe?”

“He’s your boy, you decide in church,” I mutter, sliding my blade back into my shorts.

“You heard her, we’ll figure this shit out later. Leo, make sure someone babysits Micky here. I think he’ll need it, especially if Kenna’s around. She might get knife happy.”

I chuckle at Phoenix as we both make our way out of the ring, he slides an arm around me as we walk towards the doorway, but Leo stops us, handing us both shots of fireball which we down in a second flat.

The alcohol hits my stomach, and after a few minutes of chatting with Leo and a couple of the other brothers, I’m being dragged with Phoenix back into the clubhouse and into his room. This is where I get a good look at how busted up his face really is. I slowly walk over to him, taking his hands in mine, I unwrap the tape, listening to his moans as his hands are freed from their constraints.

“You were kind of over the top, hot alpha male out there,” I tell him, smirking as I look up into those blue eyes of his.

“Kinda my M-O.” He chuckles, and I nod. Once the tape is completely off, I throw it onto the floor next to us. I slide my hands slowly up his chest and lean up as far as I can, meeting his lips swiftly in a hunger filled kiss.

“I know you said you won’t fuck me while I’m drunk, and I’m not drunk, but I’m buzzed out of my damn mind right now. Tomorrow, I want your cock so far inside of me that I’ll never remember another man before you. I want you to make me squirm and squirt. Think you can handle that?” I mutter against his lips, a devilish smile pulling at my lips as I glance back into his eyes.

I startle as he brings me up into his arms, causing me to wrap my legs around his waist. “You have no idea what you’ve just fuckin’ asked for little girl, no fuckin’ clue”

“Hmm. Well, Daddy, you’re just gonna have to show me tomorrow.” Phoenix’s eyes flash with something I haven’t seen from him yet. Right now, in this very moment he’s thinking about saying fuck it to his code about not fucking drunk girls. Fuck the code. I just want his cock inside of me.

He takes us both over to his bed and plops me down roughly before he settles himself on it as well, wrapping an arm around me, he brings me right up against him. “You’re not leavin’, either. You don’t get fucked and you don’t drive. Your lil’ ass is fallin’ asleep right here next to me, where I can make sure you’re safe”

“Fuck,” I breathe.

“What?”

“I just wanna jump your bones.”

“You’ve already scheduled our first fuck date tomorrow, babe. Be patient.” He laughs, lugging his ginormous arm to the left and shutting off the lights to his room. I have no idea what tomorrow holds but fuck it if I don’t wanna find out right this instant.