Dom
I LOOK MR. Smith directly in the eyes as he smirks my way. ‘I have a lot of money riding on this fight, Dom, do not lose.’
‘I’ll fucking win, but you’re taking me to Chloe afterward.’
‘Get in the fucking cage.’
I do reluctantly. I’m the first to enter. I haven’t had a second to prepare myself like I normally would. But I’m still confident I can wipe the floor with the guy walking toward the cage. He’s tall I’d say six foot six and he’s built, pretty much matching me in muscle. I haven’t seen this guy around before. A thought flits through my mind as I walk to the centre where the ref holds both our hands together as he chats his usual shit. Maybe this is a set-up, maybe this guy’s a ringer, and he’s got him in specifically in the hopes he’d beat me. Maybe he doesn’t really want me to win, so he can have me over a barrel. Fucker, either way I’m winning, even if it kills me.
He show boats a little around the ring and looks toward the crowd left of the cage, right where Mr. Smith is sitting. Motherfucker. As he bounces on his toes stepping toward me I test his reflexes, with a quick jab, he’s fast and he blocks with his elbow. The guy has game, but I’m better. I walk a few steps with my guard dropped giving him the perfect opportunity to take me down. He takes the bait and as he throws a right, I swing mine and clock him on the chin. He looks pissed but he’s steady.
We play around like this for four rounds. I should have finished it in round two but I wanted to make Mr. Smith sweat. We’ve traded blows and right now it’s a close call to anyone looking in, but only because I’ve let it be. See the guy now feels confident he can win, and Mr. Smith is worried as fuck not knowing who will win. Will he lose more money or win big? Who the fuck knows, but what I do know is I’ve been holding back. And when I finally let loose, he’s not going to know what the fuck has hit him. Round six and I decide I’ve had enough play now. I want to see Chloe. I wait for the tell when he drops his shoulder. I know where he is going and what he’s going to hit me with. Every damn time he throws a left he drops his right shoulder. I duck move forward and pound his body with blows, up against the cage he tries to push me off but I hold him trading blows from his solar plexus and kidneys. When he looks like he has nothing more to give I step back and give him a sporting chance. He raises his hands feebly trying to protect his face and body with his elbows. But it doesn’t stop me. I side step, bringing up my leg in a roundhouse kick. Knocking him out cold.
I leave the ring and head straight to Mr. Smith. He has two men guarding him and they both square up to me. I’m bleeding and my eye is stinging like a bitch, but my adrenaline is pumping and I’d be more than happy to take on both right now.
‘Sit the fuck down.’ Mr. Smith tells them rolling his eyes. ‘Dom, you did as you were told, good lad,’ he says like he’s talking to a fucking dog. I grind my teeth and tense my jaw.
‘I want to see her. Now.’
‘No.’
‘Either take me to her or I’ll ring the cops and have this whole fucking place shut down.’
He laughs like I just cracked the funniest joke in the world. ‘Half the fuckers here are coppers, Dom, don’t be an idiot.’
‘I’m not fighting again until I see her.’
‘Oh for fucks sake you have it bad eh? She got your balls real tight huh?’ I don’t give him the satisfaction of an answer. I just glare at him.
‘Come on then, I suppose we can manage a conjugal visit. If you don’t mind an audience while you fuck her?’ He chuckles—he actually thinks he’s funny.
‘Go fuck yourself.’ I tell him as he stands from his seat.
‘Oh here I was thinking you wanted to see your little whore? Maybe I should go fuck her instead?’
‘You touch her and I’ll fucking kill you.’ I growl and his bodyguards put their hands on me, blocking my view of him. He swats them away and walks through the gap.
‘Come on, Dom, I’m feeling generous but don’t push your luck.’ I should strangle the fucker right here for what he did to my nan, but I need to know where he’s keeping Chloe, I can’t do jack shit until I know where she is. He leads me to a door through the back and we walk down what looks like an old maintenance corridor. All the pipes and shit run right down it. We walk to the bottom and come to another door. As we get through there I see a guard on the other side, he has a cache of weapons and CCTV monitors. I do a quick once over and try to memorise every camera position from the screens.
We pass through three more doors and up a flight of stairs before we stop at a locked door. Mr. Smith knocks three times and the locks sound on the other side. I listen as the metal grinds against metal as each bolt slides home. As the door opens, Mr. Smith turns to me and gets all up in my face. I can smell the liquor on his breath.
‘You make a move, they’ll shoot to kill. I’ll dump her so no-one fucking finds her body, we clear?’
Gritting my teeth together and holding my tongue, I nod my head. As I walk in behind him, the first thing I notice is the bruise across her cheek. I inhale and hold my temper. Her eyes widen at seeing me and then tears stream down her face. My chest hurts from being so fucking helpless. I move to walk forward and the fucker guarding her steps in my way. I stand toe to toe with him.
‘Call your fucking dog off.’ I growl to Mr. Smith, not taking my eyes off the fucker in front of me.
‘Grant, back up.’ The man blocking my path sneers as he backs the fuck up, but I pay him no mind. Chloe has my full attention as everything else pales into insignificance as I cup her face in my bruised hands.
‘I’m so fucking sorry, Chlo.’
‘This isn’t your fault, Dom, none of it. Just go and don’t look back, get out while you can. Look after Nan.’
I frown as she spouts that shit. Like she believes I’ll actually leave her here. That pisses me off for a second. But then I realise she’s just cut up about it, she’s talking shit trying to save us. I smile as she pleads with me.
‘Chloe, I got this okay?’ Her eyes widen as she realises I’m not going to run.
‘Dom, you don’t have to—’
‘Stop, I’m not leaving you here, you’re going home with me.’ A cold, calculated laugh, sounds behind me and I know who it is. I close my eyes and tense my jaw so tight my teeth grind together.
‘Dom... Dom… Dom, the girl is staying with me. I’ve been generous, you’ve seen her, now get the fuck out.’
I don’t move. The guy giving me the evil eye when I entered, steps to my right side. He looks huge from my low kneeling position, but he’s going down.
‘Dom please… please, I’m begging you… just go.’ Chloe cries in front of me. I move closer to her and kiss her on the cheek, whispering in her ear.
‘I have to go now, but I’m not leaving you. I’ll be back I swear, I got this Chlo.’ I watch as she nods frantically trying to stop the tears. I kiss her gently on the lips, and then stand.
‘Enough of the fucking waterworks woman, you’re in good hands.’ Mr. Smith leers like a fucking predator. Instinct takes over and I swing for him. But I’m closed down by two men either side of me. I take multiple hits to the ribs and face. I curl up as I hit the floor and protect my head. Chloe screams out as they land blow after blow. That’s the last thing I hear before I’m out cold.
Chloe
‘Dommmm!’ My wrists burn as I pull against the ropes, trying to free them so I can get to him. I can’t tell if he’s breathing. ‘Stop. Please! Leave him alone.’ The fucker chuckles as my chair topples over and my head bashes into the wall.
‘Stupid girl. You idiots should have known not to mess with me. And to swing on me…’ A guttural laugh comes out of his nasty ass mouth and fuels me more to try to get to Dom. ‘…Big mistake.’
I wiggle my legs trying to get leverage to drag the chair across the floor, a foot lands on top of the chair and a heavy weight stops me from going any further.
‘Please... leave him be. Please, I’ll do whatever you want.’ Tears stream down the corner of my eyes, making it hard for me to tell if Dom is breathing. ‘Is he breathing? Did you kill him?’ I gasp in between words, struggling to get them out.
‘He’s fine.’ He states without even checking. ‘Grant, take this fool out back to the alley. I’m sure he can get himself home from there.’ My heart plummets with thoughts of him all alone back there, struggling to live.
‘Please, can you at least call an ambulance.’ I choke out as Grant grabs Dom by his legs and starts dragging him out the door. His head hits the door hinge and I can no longer hold back the sob that breaks free.
Mr. Smith turns and closes the door as the last bit of Dom clears it. ‘Okay, now that’s dealt with and Dom knows where we stand and what to do now, I’m going to need you to call your father. We need to know what his plans are for his daughter’s future.’ He pulls my chair from the ground and puts me back on four legs. ‘Do you think you can do that for me, sweetheart?’
‘Yes, I can call him.’ I quickly agree and make the choice of not starting more problems by throwing his condescending endearment back in his face. I’m smart enough to know that this is not the time, and after what they just did to Dom? I actually fear for my life now. ‘If you have a phone I can use, I’ll call him right away. Maybe if you guys come to an agreement, you will let me go?’
‘Yeah, uh huh. Let’s just see what daddio has to say before we go jumping to shit. Give me your phone.’ He demands and holds out his hand for the fucktard goon to give his phone over. ‘What’s the number?’ he directs towards me and I rattle off my father’s number to him. ‘I’m gonna put it on speaker, don’t try anything stupid. Remember what your boy toy looked like just now? Don’t make stupid choices, ya hear?’
‘Yes.’ Pushing send, he sits the phone facing up on the table closest to my rickety wooden chair, and it immediately starts to ring.
‘This is Mike, how can I help you.’
‘Daddy…? It’s Chloe.’ Tears well up in my eyes at the sound of his voice.
‘Chloe, where are you? Are you alright? Where are you calling from?’ He rapid fires the questions before I have an opportunity to even answer one.
‘Dad, I’m with Mr. Smith again. I can’t say much right now, but he’s wanting me to ask, what you plan on doing to save me, daddy?’ My chest starts trembling as more sobs break loose. ‘Dad, they hurt Dom, really bad. And I don’t know if he’s okay.’ I glance up at Mr. Smith and the glower he has on his face tells me that I need to stay on topic. ‘Dad?’
‘I’m here Chloe. Is he there with you?’
‘Um, Dom or Mr. Smith?’
‘Yes, Patrick… Mr. Smith. Whatever he’s choosing to go by now. If he’s there, put him on the phone, baby.’
‘I’m right here, Mike. But I figured you’d want to talk to your daughter and tell her how you’re gonna fix this mess you’ve got her in.’ He leans on the table, crossing his ankles, with a smug look on his face. He knows he’s holding all the cards. If my father doesn’t have a solution, I know for sure I’m not going home today.
‘Patrick, just let her go. We can make some sort of an arrangement. You don’t need her.’ I can hear the pleading in my dad’s voice.
‘Dad, what are you going to do?’
‘I’ll take care of it honey, I promise.’ He clears his throat. ‘Pat, just let her go and you and I can work it out.’
‘Nope that’s not gonna work. I tried the whole work something out shit already, and so far all it’s done is land your daughter right back in my lap. I will do this though, I’ll give you a week to get me my money, or Imma start with her fingers. Maybe I’ll even send you a video so you can hear her screams.’ My heart plummets into my stomach at his words.
‘Alright, alright, Patrick, I’ll figure it out. Just give me the week.’
‘One week, Mike. One week!’