Chapter Six
Tank
His stomach was tied in knots. He watched as Sledge circled Sapphire. This was not going to end well.
“Calm down,” Reaper whispered beside him.
“Are you kidding me?” Tank asked. “Sledge will hurt her.”
“Sledge won’t get close enough,” Reaper chuckled. “He has no idea what he’s about to unleash. You are about to witness a great moment. Our dear President is about to get his ass handed to him.”
Tank watched in shock as Reaper walked away to stand next to his wife, Amber.
What the hell is he talking about?
Sledge lose in hand-to-hand combat? Not a chance.
If Tank was shocked by Reaper’s prediction, he was even more so by the scene in front of him. It was like watching the clash of two titans.
Sledge struck out first. Sapphire countered. One by one they moved in a circle, each taking a shot. Watching Sapphire was a thing of beauty. Her body flowed with each movement.
It was in that very moment that Tank realized, Sapphire Kimber wasn’t just a doctor and future MC President. There was more to the woman than met the eye.
Looking over to Reaper, he saw the huge smile on the otherwise grim face. The man knew something and Tank wanted to know what it was, but he was afraid to move. Everyone seemed to feel the same way because as soon as Sledge and Sapphire connected — it was like the group stopped breathing.
“Beat his ass, Sapphire!” Reaper laughed. “Show our Pres exactly what it means to be a Kimber.”
“As you wish,” Sapphire called back.
Within seconds, Sapphire was on Sledge, driving him backwards with each swing. It was like a blast of energy and strength came out of nowhere. Blow for blow Sledge tried to block her hits, but she was too fast. Every fist swung managed to hit its target.
The quietness soon ended. Cheering erupted. The Henchmen all cheered for Sledge, with the exception of Reaper. He and the girls, including Beth, jumped on the Sapphire-wagon.
Tank stood there, unable to move. A part of him wanted to jump in the middle and beat the shit out of Sledge for even attempting to put his hands on his woman, while the other part knew Sapphire would be pissed if he got involved. The knots in his stomach grew bigger.
A sickening thud reached Tank’s ear and brought him back to the battle. He watched in horror as Sapphire stumbled backwards.
“Fuck!” Sledge bellowed. “I don’t want to fight you, Sapphire.”
“Too late,” Sapphire spat. “Now, you got your free hit. It’s the only one you will get.”
What? She let him hit her? Who the fuck does that?
Tank looked on as something close to craziness unfolded. Sapphire took a running leap and landed a square kick to Sledge’s midsection, and still — she never let up. It was like a switch was flipped. Quiet Sapphire Kimber turned into a beast. Tank could see Sledge was breathing hard and having a difficult time keeping up with her movements. She was fast. The fastest Tank had ever seen. Even in all his years in the military, he had never seen anyone move the way she did.
“Finish him!” Reaper yelled.
“Yes, sir!” Sapphire laughed.
One punch, two, three; a hard kick to the abdomen and Sledge was bent over with his hands grabbing his stomach. Sapphire took full advantage of the moment. With a high jump and a spin, she delivered a kick to Sledge’s jaw — knocking him to the ground. Landing on the balls of her feet, Sapphire stood there with her hands on her hips.
“You finished now?” she asked.
The only sound to leave Sledge was a low groan. Tank would have never believed what just happened unless he had seen it with his own eyes.
Sapphire squatted down beside Sledge and whispered something that nobody else could hear. Whatever was said, it caused Sledge’s eyes to widen and he nodded his head once.
The group looked on as Sapphire stood and reached out a hand to their President and helped the man up from the ground. That single act spoke volumes about Sapphire’s character.
Once Sledge was standing on his own accord, Sapphire let loose of his hand and stepped back.
“That was fuckin’ great, kid,” Reaper laughed, throwing an arm over Sapphire’s shoulders. “It has been a long time since I’ve seen you in action. I think you’ve gotten faster over the years.”
“Just a little bit,” Sapphire laughed.
“You...you could have...warned me...” Sledge said, having a hard time breathing.
“Where would the fun be in that?” Reaper asked. “You’re the asshole who thought you’d put a woman in her place.”
“Yeah,” Sledge moaned.
“There is no putting Sapphire Kimber in her place. Her place is wherever the fuck she wants it to be.”
“Thanks...for...the info, Reaper,” Sledge groaned. “Nice...meeting you, Sapp...hire.”
“Likewise, Sledge,” Sapphire grinned.
“Where did you learn to fight like that?” Rachel asked, excitement pouring from her voice.
Tank could tell the question made Sapphire nervous. He watched as she glanced quickly at Reaper who inclined his head, as if telling her it was okay to share with the group. But by the look on Sapphire’s face, she wasn’t buying it.
“Several years ago,” Reaper began, “When Sapphire was about fourteen, she was taken by a human trafficking ring. She was sent to Thailand and sold to a fight club owner.”
“Human trafficking?” Rachel gasped. “Oh my God!”
“Oh no!” Beth breathed.
“You poor thing!” Amber said, moving in to embrace Sapphire in a tight hug. “How did you get out?”
“Reaper’s father,” Sapphire answered.
“Oh! Wow,” Amber whispered wide-eyed.
“So wait,” Diesel piped in. “You were kidnapped, taken to a fight club, and actually taught how to fight?”
“Not really,” Sapphire replied. “I was taken to be sold as a sex slave. I learned to fight by watching the guys in the club and mimicking their movements.”
“The group kidnapped young girls. They would keep them in cages in a warehouse,” Reaper explained. “And then later, have auctions to sell them to the highest bidder. What they didn’t count on was Sapphire learning the moves of the fighters.”
“Damn. I mean, shit happens, but still,” Sledge shrugged. “But hey, next time you’re mine.”
“Anytime you’re ready,” Sapphire laughed.
“Okay, so they put a fourteen-year-old child against grown men?” Diesel asked, confused.
“Yes,” Reaper replied. “There were girls in there as young as ten. Sapphire was just as strong-willed back then as she is now.”
“I was,” she chuckled. “So, I spent hours watching the fighters practice. I would stand in my cage and follow every move. One day, the leader of the group came downstairs and noticed me. As punishment, I guess, he had one of the men get me out of the cage and toss me into a ring with a trained fighter and I won. Fourteen years old and I beat a grown man over three times my size. After that, I became a regular. Fight after fight. They just kept continuing.”
“How long were you held there?” Beth asked.
“About a year.”
“A year!” Several voices said at once.
“The club bounced around Thailand, making it hard to be tracked,” she explained.
“Oh my!” Amber said, hugging her again.
Tank stood there, speechless.
How could he not have known any of this?
He listened as Sapphire and Reaper told the story of her escape and how she literally ran into Reaper’s father and the rescue team sent in to find her. He listened as she explained using every skill her captors taught her to break free of the prison they had kept her in. Tank listened to every word and his heart broke. Stephanie ‘Sapphire’ Kimber was just as broken as he was. Tank could tell. The emotion of the past moved clearly across her face. She was reliving that time all over again. He wanted to make her stop the story, but if she wanted to tell it, who was he to stop her?
“And you’re the future president of the Iron Angels?” Sledge finally joined in the conversation. “Next in line for the crown, so to speak.”
“No,” Sapphire said quickly, maybe a little too quickly.
“Aren’t you the oldest?” Sledge asked.
“Yes,” she replied. “But I’ve already denounced my place as President. I don’t want anything to do with the MC life.”
Nothing to do with the MC life?
Tank loved his brothers. The guys and the club, even if he wasn’t a member, were a huge part of his life. He couldn’t imagine not being a part of this every day. This was family.
Did she not have this type of relationship with her mother’s club?
Tank had a lot of questions, but now wasn’t the time to voice them. In due time, he would have his answers and if he played his cards right, he would have Sapphire Kimber, too.