Page 17 of The Fight For Survival

I turn around when I feel the hair on the back of my neck rise. I know who it is before I see him. It's as if my soul can track him before my eyes even need to. Cade. Fuck, not who I needed to see here tonight. I look next to him and see his friend Jake. Mia doesn't seem to be with them this time, I shouldn't be disappointed by that, but I am.

Looking back at Cade, my breath hitches as I suck in a breath, surprised at how he is watching me. His eyes smoldering, and his nostrils flared as though trying to control his breathing. It's like he wants to devour me.

Like I amhisto look at as he pleases and has zero fucks to give if anybody has a problem with that.

The possessive look in his eyes arouses me but also confuses me because Cade is with Mia, and I didn't think he was into men.

I'm not into men.

Shit, it must be my messed up head imagining that look. I shake myself off and turn my back to him, making a conscious effort to ignore him. It's more challenging than I thought it would be.

I can still feel his eyes on me, causing my skin to feel like it's on fire. Trying to douse the fire, I start bouncing on the balls of my bare feet, flexing my hands before shaking them out—the noise of the crowd increases.

Braylon enters the ring looking determined. Yeah, well, I am too. I need to get this fight over as quickly as possible, so I can get out of this town. It's done nothing but mess with my head. The bell rings, indicating the fight has started.

Usually, I would taunt my opponent, get them worked up, dodging their kicks and punches for minutes at a time sometimes. It's always my game plan, which I try to stick to. It tires them out and gets them pissed, making the final blow to their ego when I K/O them that much more satisfying.

That doesn't happen tonight. No, tonight I go straight for the kill. Bringing my fist forward, sending a right hook straight to Braylons jaw, causing spit and blood to fly from his mouth, coloring his beard red. Braylon snarls at me, baring his teeth, but all he does in return is kick out at me. His foot to my stomach take the air out of me, and I hunch over, fighting nausea. I stand up and give Braylon the signal to 'bring it on' with my hands.

The crowd starts getting rowdy and louder the longer the fight goes on. We spend a few minutes trading punches. Braylon goes for the body shots. His moves are more calculated than mine. I'm feeling spiteful and continue to hit him in the face. Braylon can take a fucking beating. I was hoping to have been done by now, but the man won't,punch. Go,punch. Down. Braylon shakes his head, trying to stay conscious as I shake out my sore knuckles.

I hear Damon shouting at me, trying to get my attention, but I dismiss him. I know he's pissed at me, but the reins are off, and I'm past giving a shit right now. Braylon is also getting annoyed. His face is swollen and bleeding, but he won't hit me in mine. Why? Braylon looks over my shoulder. I turn my back on him, interested to see what keeps drawing his attention away from me.

Or who.

I noticed Cade looking at him, his eyes narrowing, a silent conversation going on between the two. Cade nods slightly, causing me to turn back around, not having time to dodge the tackle as Braylon takes me to the ground. The impact causes my head to hit the floor hard.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I slur through the fog in my brain. He rolls me on my stomach and pulls my hands behind my back. The burning in my shoulders hurts like a motherfucker, but it's the position that gets my heart beating faster and causes my breaths to shorten.No. fuck, no. Not again- no, no, no, please get off of me!Dizziness takes over, and my vision darkens.

I look to the side, cheek to the mat, the crowd of strangers becoming the faces of my father's friends laughing at me, rubbing themselves through their trousers. Bile rises in my throat, and my ears ring. I'm familiar with this feeling but haven't experienced it in a long time—dread.

I know what's coming.

I go into the safe place inside my mind where red hair shines and scents of vanilla and sandalwood surround me.

Cade

(Daniel)

Kaneisn'tfightinglikehe usually does. I know this because I spent the rest of the day watching some of Kane's fights online with Braylon. Tonight he is fighting dirty and going for the quickest win. Bray won't fight back, he would have knocked him out by now, but he keeps looking at me for permission.

He's not getting it.

I won't let Braylon hurt him, and he knows it. He gives me a questioning look, asking if he could try to tackle him into a hold and get him to submit. I give him a slight nod telling him to do it.

Everything changes after that. Kane's face turns ashen, and the look in his vacant eyes sends me into protective overdrive. I storm over to Damon with urgency. He's watching Kane with worry and confusion on his face. Waving my hands in the air, I yell, "why are you just standing there? Get them to ring the damn bell!"

Braylon notices something isn't right because he lets go of Kane immediately. Ignoring the whispering crowd, I throw myself into the ring, pushing Braylon out of the way, smashing my knees to the mat, ignoring the jarring in my back from the impact. I just needed to get to him. "Kane! What's wrong? Talk to me." I'm panicking, shouting at him through my fear. I've never seen him like this, and it's scaring the shit out of me. He is shaking and whispering to himself. I lean down to listen. "Please, not again, not again, not again," There's a pleading in his voice as he continues to shake.

A desperation in his quiet words.

Furrowing my brow in confusion, I wonder what the hell has caused this. He's fuckingterrified.

Still lying on his stomach, I need to get him somewhere more private, so I grab him from under his arm. Fuck he's heavy now. Not the thin teen I could often throw down and pick back up like he weighed nothing. Damon rushes to help with his other arm. Kane thrashes, elbowing me in the side of my head in his attempt to get free," Fuck," I hiss, grabbing him a little tighter. We just need to get him into the locker room.

Braylon starts clearing a path toward the locker rooms, shouting at whoever doesn't move fast enough.

"What the fuck happened?" Damon asks wide-eyed as we guide Kane through the whispering onlookers.