Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

100

I was moving behind Kie when the second bike cut its engine. The hair at the back of my neck raised as I held my breath.

"Hey, there." Hindsight-- should have kept breathing.

"Motherfucker." I took a half-step in front of Kie, discreetly pushing her backward with my arm as I stared Rafe down.

"What's going on? JJ? Xena, great to see you again, Darling. How you guys doing?" He sent me a wink before hopping up and climbing into the back of the boat.

Kie and I turned back to JJ as a whistle came from behind us. My eyes narrowed as I watched Barry come from around the side of Kie's car. Rafe still acting like a damn hooligan behind me as I shared a look with JJ.

"Well, well." I moved to stand on the other side of Kie effectively caging her between myself and JJ. My error was that I made JJ face Barry while I still had my back to Rafe and now Kie was in between us.

A gun clicked and I felt hands wrap around my waist and hips and yank me backward into a hard chest.

"See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road." Barry's eyes drifted towards me for a second as I had my hands ready to rip Rafe's off me.

"Really wish you weren't here, Darling." Rafe's whisper in my ear was the last piece of calm I had.

"I'm here because I want my motherfuckin' money!" Barry shouted then backhanded JJ with his gun. I watched JJ go down and Kie scream as Rafe threw my body into the side of the boat. My hands came up to my head protecting me from a concussion but left me vulnerable to the metal trailer beam below folding me in half.

I wheezed, gasping for air while pushing my hands under my torso to grab the metal I had been slammed into. The world was black as I fought for air. My diaphragm seizing as my body forgot how to breathe.

Ten seconds, you get ten seconds after being knocked down.

I managed to slide down onto the cement still trying to breathe. My eyes blinking rapidly.

If you need to, you use four of them and start standing up.

My eyes wide but unfocused as I held my chest and the ground. I watched the blurry figures of JJ and Barry as Barry beat JJ into the ground.

The most you ever take is six seconds.

"JJ." I wheezed trying to push off the floor. I glanced to watch Rafe's back no longer able to see Kiara but I could hear her.

What happens if I need more, Dad?

"You murdered Peterkin." I pushed a small breath out of my lungs and raise my hands upward. A ringing zing traveling in my ears as I watch Barry continue to beat up JJ.

Then you better hope the end of the round is coming. Six seconds and you get back up.

"Kie." I coughed watching as Rafe tilted just enough so I could see Kie being held up by her neck. "Bastards." I hissed my breath shaky as I slowly crawled to my hands and knees.

Get back up.

Call me stupid, call me crazy, call me broken, call me whatever the hell you want. Cause the only thing I'm calling myself is a fighter. And well. All those names and more fall under that category.

Get. Back. Up.

"Where's John B!" I ignored Rafe's yelling as I breathed out, my eyes on the bigger threat.

"Stay down bo--" Barry didn't get to finish his yell as I pushed off the ground and ran at him. My shoulder dropping into his solar plexus as I caught him by surprise. This time as he hit the ground, he was the one gasping for breath.

"You forgot," I took an inhale as I rose my fist, "about me. Bitch." The world shifted as I focused only on Barry. My fists falling again and again. The gold ring on my finger doing significant damage as my fists grew bloody. I hit his nose as I watched him reach upwards for his gun that had been thrown from our momentum. I pushed off him, grabbing it and chucking it far from us.

The metal slid across the floor towards Kie. My eyes widened as I turned to find Pope had arrived and was dealing with Rafe.

"Kick it, Kie!" I shouted as I watch JJ grab Barry by his tank top and slam him into the side of the boat. They were outmatched now. A losing fight and both bleeding badly.

"Pope. Pope!" I turned to find what Kie's distress was over. Pope had Rafe by the shirt and was pummeling the Kook.

"Okay, Pope."

I was already there beside him as I stepped between the two. My hands blocking Pope's punch as it came towards my face in its path to hit Rafe. Rafe who was falling backwards now that he was no longer being held up by Pope.

"It's done, Pope." My voice was quiet but commanding, my hands lowering as Pope seethed. "She's safe." His shoulders sank even though his breathing was still ramped up. "We need to go. Now."

My de-escalation only worked until Rafe moved again. Pope was in fight mode, his rage in control as I was pushed out of the way by him. His hands found a piece of tubing or something and I watched as he pulled Rafe to his knees, the piece looped around his neck, choking him.

"Pope!" Kie was screaming. JJ was at Pope's back trying to pry him off the Kook. While I was stuck staring into ocean blue eyes pleading for air, for help, for me.

"Look at me! Look at me!" Kie roared finally snapping Pope from his trance. I hesitated looking at the three Pogues before dropping to my knees beside Rafe.

I set two fingers on his pulse point as he peered up at me. He coughed his hand rising to his chest as the other fell limp on my outer thigh. He had blood all over his mouth and exploding outward. Pope left a number on him.

"Come on, we gotta go. We gotta go!" Kie shouted drawing my attention away from Rafe as she turned on her heel towards her car.

I pulled my hand away and pushed off the ground. Our eyes meeting one more time before I followed Kie. The boys behind us as they looked at the aftermath.