Chapter Fourteen

Micah threw punches into the air as the heavy metal blared into his ears through his ear buds. A jab, a cross, an uppercut. Each smooth, fast, and deadly. Since he typically spent his time in the office as his brothers’ manager and not on the mats with them, he didn’t have a specialty. His standup was just as good as his ground game. Hopefully, all the time the boys spent with him sparring and grappling got him ready enough for this.

His fists stopped short of hitting Josiah. His older brother grinned as he held up a pair of pads. “How about we give you something to hit?”

Micah chuckled as he pulled his ear buds from his ears. He tossed them and his phone he had tucked in his shorts into his bag. “Sounds like a plan.”

He threw jabs and crosses at the pads as Josiah shuffled around to make him move. On command, he shot a couple of body kicks into Josiah’s ribs and one kick to the temple. They stopped when the door opened.

Joshua stepped inside. “You’re two fights out,” he informed Micah.

“Awesome,” Micah replied.

“And someone wants to see you.” He pushed the door open farther. Eve stood there, dressed in a Hallow Brothers T-shirt. It was a design the brothers had agree to years ago. Each used it. On her, it was just breathtaking. She strutted into the room, pulled him to her, and parted his lips with a kiss. He held her close, instinctively tipping her back as he reveled in the feeling of her body tight against his.

As the kiss broke, he smiled. “Fuck, baby. That was incredible.”

“Thank you.”

“How are your seats?”

“Awesome. So close to the cage I’m practically in there fighting with them.”

“And how do you like MMA?”

“I thought I’d hate it, but I love it. It’s probably good. Since I’m marrying a fighter soon.”

“I’ll probably go back to being a manager.”

“With a belt?”

He chuckled. “Hadn’t thought that far through.”

She laughed with him. They were distracted from each other by the door opening. He set her on her feet. Ezekiel slipped inside. “Knockout. One fight left.”

“Micah, you need to get ready,” Josiah reminded.

Micah placed one last kiss on Eve’s lips. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, baby. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

She kissed him one last time before Joshua escorted her back to the arena. Josiah clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, Mike. Let’s get ready.”

“I have a losing record, Joe.”

“Until tonight. Tonight you send the motherfucker packing. You do it for your mate. You do it to keep her alive, to show him that she isn’t dispensable.”

Rage flowed with anxiety through his body like a wild, fierce current. It made him shake. It made him feel sick. He looked up to find the rest of his brothers filing in the room. The last in the room was Littlefoot.

“It’s time,” the older man announced.

Micah nodded. He flexed his fingerless gloves a couple of times, bounced from one foot to the other, and then stormed to the door, leading the procession to the arena.

The sounds of ancient, tribal music drifted into the hall from the arena. Micah frowned and shook his head. He stopped at the curtain and waited, his head low, his feet bouncing. Let the brainwashed freak show enjoy whatever music this was. He’d get blasted out of the cage in a minute.

There was a moment of quiet before the old school rap song thudded the bass beat. Between the music and the roar of the crowd the building shook. Micah leaped off his toes and strode into the arena. His brothers followed close as they made their way to the cage. Even though Josiah and Littlefoot would corner him, the others wouldn’t be far in case something went down.

He gave his brothers each a quick hug before turning to Littlefoot. The older man gently rubbed petroleum jelly onto his face. His gaze fell on Roman as he turned to the official. Once he was patted down and showed the official his mouth guard, he jogged into the cage.

The referee called them to the center to go over the rules. Then he ordered them to shake hands. He frowned as he noticed Roman staring off into the distance, licking his lips. He followed the stare to Eve. Roman’s glare was pure evil.

“Start the fight,” Micah demanded with a snarl. He paced back to his corner. He seethed as he hopped up and down. The ref looked to him and then to Roman. He dropped his hand. “Fight!”

The two men circled, each looking for a moment to strike. Roman lunged forward as he threw a jab and then a cross. He finished it with a leg kick to Micah’s thigh. Micah returned with punches of his own before backing away. Roman looked dazed but far from done. Micah threw another jab and cross. His head snapped back from Roman’s uppercut. His thoughts spun in his head as he staggered back. He caught himself before he fell.

Roman rushed him to take him down to the mat. Instead of falling to the mat, the two men ended up against the wall of the cage. They clinched up as they traded punches and kicks. As Roman shoved away from Micah, Micah reared back with a knee connecting to Roman’s nose. Roman stumbled back and landed on his back on the mat.

Micah sprang forward and descended on Roman, hailing down fists on his opponent. Roman struggled to lock Micah up in his guard. It only lasted a second or two before Micah’s punches overpowered him. He tried to cover up as his head bounced off the canvas. The ref pulled Micah off before he knocked Roman out.

The crowd roared as Micah stumbled back to his corner. The door opened. Josiah and Littlefoot were by his side. The ref motioned him back to the center of the cage. His hand was raised in victory. The announcer wrapped the belt around his waist and fastened it.

Just as the ref dropped his hand, he grabbed Roman’s bicep and glared at him. “Go back to Maine. Tell my grandfather to leave us the fuck alone.”

Roman snorted as he wrenched his arm free and followed his team out. Josiah and Littlefoot congratulated him as photos were taken. He searched the crowd frantically. If Roman cut through the crowd, if he found Eve…

“Who are you looking for?”

He glanced down to find his mate at his side. She thumbed over her shoulder. Caleb stood against the cage wall, hugging Meg for all he was worth. “Cay snuck us in.”

Micah stared at her. She was the reason he stepped into the cage. He did it to save her life. In the end, she saved his too. “I love you, baby.”

“Love you too, champ.”

The rest of the chaos faded away as he kissed her. The future was unclear. It was dangerous. But with her by his side, he was invincible.