Page 82 of Racing Dirty Trilogy Box Set

Ashley

We arrive back at the building where the underground fight is located. The bald man from earlier is still standing at the door, acting intimidating. He doesn’t scare me one bit. I walk up to him with Rush and Ashton right behind me, flanking me.

“Can I help you?” he asks, crossing his arms over his massive biceps.

“Looking for Amber,” I state, glaring right back at him. His lips curl into a menacing grin and I stand my ground, not backing down.

“They’ll let anyone in won’t they,” he responds, shaking his head. “Hope you know what you’re getting into sweet thang.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“First time here?” he asks ignoring my question.

I can hear Ashton take a deep breath behind me. After the blowup at the apartment, he told me everything he knows and we’re in a good place. My fears have been pushed away and I know without a shadow of a doubt, Nolan didn’t leave me by choice. Which is why I’m here now.

Footsteps crunch against the sidewalk from behind us, but I don’t turn around to see who it is. I keep my eyes on this guy blocking my way into getting my man back. His glare leaves mine and glances at the people behind us. His eyes grow wide and he swallows hard.

“Is there a problem here?” the guy behind me asks.

I turn my attention from the bald guy and spot a tall, black man scowling at the guard.

A thin goatee covers his chiseled face, and he’s wearing a yellow bandana around his head, covering his buzz-cut hair.

He’s dressed in all black, from his hoodie to his boots.

His light brown eyes are cold and deadly as he stares at the doorman.

The four men behind him are all dressed in black, wearing their yellow bandanas, standing tall and glaring at the guard.

“No problems, Ace,” the man says with a tremble in his voice.

Ace swings his deadly eyes in my direction and a smile curves his full lips.

“Krimson, welcome to The Circle.” Confusion etched on my face, Ace releases a rough chuckle and approaches me.

The smell of his cologne is strong. “Come on, you’re going to need me inside.

I’ve been watching for Mayhem to arrive. Where is he?”

Unable to form words, I keep my mouth shut and follow Ace inside. He throws his arm around my shoulder and mumbles low enough for only me to understand. “Keep quiet and play along. Nolan’s life depends on it.”

Ashton grunts behind us and Ace removes his arm from around my shoulders.

Rush is walking next to Ashton; he’s clenching his hands at his sides and he’s glaring at Ace.

Ace’s four men are behind Ashton and Rush.

No one says another word as we walk down a dirty hallway.

Vibrations below us are rumbling the floor as we walk.

The air smells like sweat and copper, causing my stomach to churn.

I bite back the vomit threatening to make an appearance when Ace opens a heavy metal door at the end of the hallway.

Chants and music fill the stairwell, the adrenaline down below seeps into my body and I feel my fight or flight instincts kick in.

Ace leans in next to me so we’re eye to eye.

“Shit, you’ve never seen before is down there. Keep your game face on and don’t show emotion no matter what you see.”

“Why are you helping me and who are you?” I ask.

Ace releases a chuckle from deep in his throat.

His cold brown eyes turn soft for a moment when he looks me over.

“Names Ace and I’m the leader of The Black Heart Crew.

I want to help Nolan because what The Corridore Rosso’s has done to him is unjust. We have a code we live by and those fuckers don’t.

They think they own this city, but they’ve fucked with the wrong people.

I’m out for revenge. Once this is taken care of, I’ll go my way and Nolan will go his.

He’s a badass fucker I don’t ever want to cross.

He needs us to help him, so here I am.” He stretches his muscular arms out wide.

“Come on Krimson, let’s get the show started. ”

We descend the dark stairwell. My hands are gripping the metal railing as we go down, afraid if I let go, I’ll lose my footing and tumble to the bottom because my legs are shaking badly.

The further down we walk, the louder the crowd gets.

Once we reach the bottom, I glance around.

Concrete floors, walls, and ceilings are what’s holding everyone inside.

Bodies are crushed together, sweat pouring off them in waves.

Shouting, screaming the smell of blood is so much thicker down here, I feel like I’m going to suffocate.

Ace gently grabs my elbow and steers me toward the back of the crowd, down a dark hallway.

The craziness of the crowd is shut out when we file into a small room and Ace’s men shut the door.

There’s nothing in here but a single metal folding chair, a fluorescent hanging light, and boxes in the corner piled up to the ceiling.

“Holy shit,” are the first words out of my mouth and I release a shaky breath.

Ace raises an eyebrow at me and smirks. “Told you it’s a different world down here. Those people out there,” he gestures to the closed door. “Are bloodthirsty. If you don’t put on a good show and shed someone else’s blood, they will eat you alive. Can you handle this?”

I look into Ace’s light brown eyes and he’s serious. Can I do this? Can I give these people the show they want?

Rush speaks up first, “Krimson, you can do this.” His tone is strong.

“Think of what these fuckers are doing to Izzy, the torture they’re putting that sweet innocent girl through.

What they made her do in the subway. Think of Xavier that video feed we watched while they taunted him.

Redline, who knows what they’ve done to him.

And most importantly think of what they’re doing to Nolan.

You’ve seen the scars, you know of his past. What are they doing to him right now?

Use that as fuel, go out there and kick some ass. We have faith you can do this.”

Listening to Rush talk sparks a fire in my veins.

He’s right, of course. The bruising on Izzy face flashes in my mind.

My anger starts brewing under the surface.

The torture on Xavier’s face while they taunted him flashes in my mind.

The rage I keep locked up comes roaring back.

My hands begin to shake with adrenaline.

Nolan. What they did to him in the past comes rearing its ugly head at me.

The scars that mar his body, the nightmares he has when he sleeps and lets his guard down.

The hopelessness he feels from these people are fueling me to fight.

To hear the sickening crunch of bones as my fists are pounding into my opponent.

“That a girl. You’re ready,” Ace’s smooth voice says next to me. My eyes narrow at him as he picks up my hands and tapes them from my knuckles to my wrists. He chuckles softly, “This is to protect your wrists. So, you don’t break anything.”

Once he’s finished, I remove my hoodie and jeans.

Underneath is a pair of black and red shorts and a matching sports bra.

He rubs oil over my skin and I pull my hair up in a tight ponytail, then braid the end and wrap it around the elastic.

That way my opponent can’t yank my hair and distract me.

The chants from the crowd beyond the door are growing louder, anxious for the next fight.

Ace settles his hands on my shoulders, “Come on you’re up.

Give them a show and I’ll guarantee Wrath will come running.

You know what to do,” he says. His massive black hands knead my shoulders, loosening up my tense muscles.

He nods and one of his guys opens the door and the crowd’s anticipation buzzes inside the tiny space.

One by one we file out of the room. Three of Ace’s men take the lead, then Ashton, who surprisingly hasn’t said a word, followed by Rush, then me.

Ace is behind me, his hand resting on the small of my back, guiding me and his other man is behind him, bringing up the rear, watching our backs as we walk to the edge of the crowd.

The bloodthirsty animals part for us and The Circle opens in front of me.

It isn’t anything special like I expected.

A blue tarp covers the surface, fastened down to the concrete floor.

There’s blood on it already from the fights before me.

Nothing is holding the crowd back from entering The Circle.

They form a tight ring around the two fighters and that’s it.

Shit, how are we supposed to control the crowd when nothing is separating me from them?

Ace must have sensed my distraught because he nudges me and nods his head.

I peel my eyes away from The Circle and look into the crowd.

Several other dark skin men are standing at the edges, wearing yellow bandanas around their heads or biceps, separating me from the crowd.

Satisfied they have it under control, I step away from my entourage and enter The Circle.

The crowd grows quiet, waiting for me to do or say something.

I narrow my eyes and scan around me, waiting for my opponent.

I’m ready to get this shit over with and get Nolan back.

A man dressed in dark blue jeans and a green t-shirt steps forward into The Circle with me.

His light blonde hair is cut short and his cloudy blue eyes scan the crowd.

A sneer curves his full lips and he holds his hands up in the air and the crowd stays silent. I don’t like this.