Her Best Second Chance

Chapter 26: Reckless

~Solayne's POV ~

Friday arrives in a whirlwind, and before I know it, I'm settled in Jasper's car, my nerves on high alert. My fingers tap out a restless rhythm on my thighs, a giveaway of my anxiety, until Jasper's hand gently envelops mine, his touch a calming comfort.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asks, his voice low and soothing, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. I pause, uncertain how to answer, my mind a tangled mix of emotions.

'How can I tell him I've changed my mind about going with him tonight?' I wonder.

He wants me by his side, that much is clear, he wouldn't have invited me if my presence didn't hold significance. But as I try to convince myself to go through with it, memories of Jasper's turbulent past come flooding back.

The fights, the triggers, the carefully crafted mask he wears, it all resurfaces. I thought we'd moved beyond this, but his return to street fighting has unleashed the demons he thought he'd long conquered.

"Hey Solayne," he breaks the silence, his voice piercing the stillness. I hum a brief response, and he presses on with his question. "Are you okay?" His eyes lock onto mine, probing for answers. I can tell he's sensed that something's off about me, just like Myra, he's always been able to read my moods and see right through me. With a sigh, he pulls into the parking lot and parks, the air now heavy with unspoken words.

With a curt nod, he meets my gaze for a brief, weighted moment before turning away and stepping out of the car. He leads us both inside, ensuring I am comfortable before heading to start his fight.

~*~

From my spot in the crowd, I watch in horror as the two fighters exchange brutal blows, each punch landing with a sickening crunch that draws blood from both men. I wince with each impact, my body instinctively mirroring the movements as if I'm absorbing the hits.

The air is heavy with the sound of cracking bones, making my skin crawl. Just as I'm frozen in discomfort, a deep, resonant voice booms in my ear, making me jump.

"Hey!" I spin around, meeting piercing hazel eyes that seem to bore into my very soul. His smile reveals perfectly straight teeth reminding me of the exact reason I spent time with him. 

"I didn't take this as your type of scenery!" he shouts over the din, his voice laced with amusement. As he turns back to face the ring, a sudden ringing in my ears makes me wince, and I cover them to protect my hearing. I shoot him a glance, wondering if he is trying to deafen me.

Removing my hands, I decide to respond. "It usually isn't," I say, my voice audible but not loud enough to compete with the noise. He nods, then tugs on my hand, pulling me to follow him.

"Come with me," he says. I pull my hand free, giving him a once-over from head to toe.

"No!" I say firmly, turning back to face Jasper. But my attention is divided between him and Clayton.

Seeing him staring back at us, he is  caught off guard as his  opponent lands a solid punch, sending Jasper's head snapping to the left. Blood spills from his mouth, and I feel a jolt of shock, my skin crawling.

Jasper tries to throw punch to redeem himself, but he's overpowered and takes two blows to the abdomen instead. Wincing I cover my face feeling Clayton pulling at me again.

Turning to face him annoyed, I glower at him, my mouth twitching upwards.

'Doesn't he understand that no means no?'