I don't believe my eyes. My stomach contracts and I grip it tightly, I'm going to throw up. Maverick holds me tight to his side, shielding me from anyone and everyone.
Marshall was right about the ring, it is a rope circle in the dirt. But he left out a few very significant details. On the outer edge of the ring, there's bleeding men laying there. No one seems to be helping them even though they're hurt. The only light source is a single torch on either side of the 'ring'.
Two men are in the center of the ring, one of them seems to be bleeding badly out of his neck and I squint to see better. The other man is bleeding out of his lip and both his knuckles are busted. I can't believe this is where he's been. Doing this. It's so unsanitary and dangerous and lethal. He's so stupid for coming here.
"It's not too late to go home." Maverick says, looking down at me. "I think you've seen enough."
"I want to find Marshall." I say harshly, shielding my fear.
I begin to walk forward and Maverick latches onto me, keeping me pressed to his side. As we get closer I gasp as I see the guys inside the ring. The one bleeding out of his lip isn't bleeding out of his lip at all, it is the other mans blood. From the bite he took out of his neck.
"I told you we shouldn't have come." Maverick says, turning our direction so he's blocking my view of the ring.
I feel the eyes of many on me as we make our way around. I glance down at the ground and see the injured fighters on the outside of the ring. Many of them are groaning in agony while no one does anything to help them. It's hard for me to walk by but Maverick keeps me going.
We get to walk for only a few more minutes before a couple of guys walk towards us. Maverick slows down and eventually stops, pulling me behind him. He's in defense mode, and I grip his hand tight. I'm scared, and I cling to him in hopes of going unnoticed.
"What do we have here?" One of them says, he sounds disgusting. I can almost hear his smile. "Looks like somebody brought this evening's entertainment."
"Fuck off." Maverick hisses, squeezing my hand.
"Hey man don't worry, we can take turns on her." He laughs, and the other two that are with him laugh as well.
My heart pounds fiercely in my chest and I feel like I'm going to cry. Maverick senses this and he kicks it up a notch.
"She's mine." He snarls at them. "Keep walking."
"Hey boys, isn't she a pretty little thing?" He asks his friends and I almost throw up from fear. "Haven't seen one like that in a long time. Bet she's a virgin too."
"Damn." Another one says, catcalling at me. "Baby why don't you come on over here and let me show you a good time-"
"Do you know who I am?" Maverick yells at them.
There's a brief silence between them and then one of them makes the realization.
"Dude that's Maverick Cox." He says to the other.
They immediately change their demeanor, all three of them apologizing vigorously. He keeps me behind him, breathing hard out of his nostrils with anger.
"Get out of my fucking way." Maverick hisses at them and they all scramble to leave.
We walk past them and he pulls me back to his side. What the fuck was that all about? I look at him and see that he is so beyond angry. His chest heaves in giant frustrated breaths. I've never seen him like this before, he's always so calm.
