Shards of Glass

C h a p t e r 2 8

Chapter 28: It Always Comes Back To The Pain You Caused

"I was the ocean, you wanted rivers. I was the moon, you chased the stars."

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"Dad?"

Keaton turns in my direction. "That's your dad?" His voice breaks.

I shake my head taking steps back.

"Don't call me dad!" He barks through the room.

I flinch back.

Why did I do that? I have never done that before.

"Why would you ever lay a hand on your daughter!" Keaton yells through gritted teeth.

Dad laughs.

"Niall Carter." I whisper. "Camryn Brooks-Camryn Carter... Mr.Brooks is Niall Carter." I whisper.

I look up to meet my dad's eyes. "Camryn was a fighter?"

He nods simply. "The best female one here."

Keaton interlocks his left hand with my right hand. He squeezes it before whispering, "I will get us out of here."

Meeting my dad's eyes, anger flows in my veins. "Explain now!"

Melanie leaves through the steel door.

My dad sits down in the chair. "Every year there is a competition between all of the underground fighters. Our rival arena holds the title. I want the title back."

"What does that have to do with me? You clearly have plenty of fighters."

He smirks. "You win more money if it's a girl versus a boy. Plus we're related so automatically it looks better."

"You're sick!" I snap.

My dad laughs. "Do you want to know why?"

I roll my eyes. "Obviously."

"You didn't end up working here by accident."

Keaton and I share a glance before we simultaneously say, "huh?"

"When you were 12, I could see how good of a fighter you would be. So in order to get you to work here, I beat you so badly to the point you had to figure out how to use stitches. 6 months later, you sent in an application to be on the medical team."

Keaton was growing more mad by the second. He is going to snap soon if we don't get out of here.

"The title is held by Shadow Thorton. I need you to practice and win the title." He states.

"Who the hell is Shadow Thorton?"

"A fighter you need to beat."

"I'm not doing that! You have better fighters than me!" I yell.

"You will and Keaton is going to teach you. If you choose to not participate-let's just say, your break up would be tragic."

I gulp, feeling nauseous. "I'll do it."

"Cami, no!" Keaton whisper-shouts.

"You will have to participate in normal fights upstairs. The fighters have to lower their skills so no one is suspicious." Dad states.

I look over at Keaton. "You mean, you can fight better than what I have seen?"

He nods hesitantly.

"If you haven't noticed, I was pushed through a window and fell down the stairs a week ago. I am not exactly fit to fight right now." I remind him with a snarky tone.

"I knew you would say that."

He stands up and walks over in front of Keaton and I.

Keaton takes a protective step in front of me. "You are not going to hurt her!" He yells through gritted teeth.

Dad pushes him away from me and he grabs me by my left arm.

He slams me into the wall, roughly.

He pulls me up and digs his nails into my left shoulder until it draws blood.

I scream in agony as he slams me back into the wall.

I look over and see Keaton trying to get out of the grip of someone holding him down... someone twice his size.

I look over to Adrian and see him still fighting with Devin.

Dad snaps his fingers, everyone leaving the room except for Adrian and Keaton. Even Devin got up and walked out.

Before dad left he said, "Leggings and a sports bra will be your attire for Monday." The door slams shut.

Keaton rushes over to me. "Cami! It's going to be okay, you are going to be okay." He says in a manner to convince himself.

He looks over at Adrian, gives him the infirmary keys. "Take these. Open the infirmary and get a bed ready."

Adrian nods and rushes out of the room towards the stairs without a second thought.

"I am going to pick you up. Just breathe." He says before bringing me to his arms.

He walks towards the stairs, into the infirmary.

Keaton sets me on bed 3. Grabbing medical supplies he says, "there is no way in hell I am letting you risk your life for me."