Tapout

Chapter.21.Put Them in Their Damn Place.

Chapter 21

My next fight is in an hour and Lucas has done nothing but love all over me since I got done. I chugged a bottle of amino and some glucose. Energy wise, I'm pretty great. Physically I look a little worn down. My left eye is swollen and my arms have some bruises from a few kicks. Josh is cleaning up a cut underneath my eye and shoving toilet paper up my nose –attractive- before he adds some Vaseline to my skin. "Are you okay beautiful?"

"I'm fine. Try to relax." I gesture for him to take a seat next to me and he does without hesitation, "I'm going to be fine Sparky." Like I've said before there are no guarantees, there is no reassurance, and quite frankly for the first time in a long time I'm intimidated. But she has a weakness, she does and if I can get her to the floor it'll be over fast.

Everyone must have caught onto the fact I was running through my plan because they stayed silent. You know until Ace couldn't take it anymore. "What's with the Vaseline?"

"Slides whenever you punch someone. Now shut the fuck up I'm thinking." I could sweep her legs but she'd be expecting that. I'll have to throw her off her game, by throwing my 'get in get out' game plan out the window, I've noticed her watching me. "I'll have to toy with her."

Josh glances at me and furrows his brows, seemingly thinking over what I had said before tossing his hands up in surrender. "This isn't me Riles. This is between you and Eagle."

"That's just it Josh, I have no idea how she fights anymore. I'll still do my best to block, and luckily I've sparred with Johnson but you and I both know she's a better fighter. The only thing I have going for me is that I'm smarter." Conceited but true. "Every fighter has a 'go to' Josh. I can't take her to the ground, she knows that's my 'go to' and she'll be expecting it. I have to toy with her, at least for a few minutes."

"Riley that's your only option." Lucas says sternly, clearly not even considering my new plan. "You don't need to toy with-"I place my hand over his mouth and he promptly removes it. Anger being the only emotion decipherable on his face. "No, you're going to fucking listen." Here we go, "Hit her where it hurts. You're best on the floor, you've said that. End it quickly. Right? You said that."

I caress his cheek and am about to explain my position whenever my uncle does it for me. "She's right Luke. Everyone knows Rebel subjects her victims to an arm bar. Ebony may not expect an ankle lock but she'll expect to go to the floor. If she keeps it up in the air for a few minutes, takes a few knocks, it'll throw Eagle off and she can get out of this with a win." I gaze into his eyes, the first thing catching my sight is that anger has slightly dissipated. Sadness, hurt, anxiety all fight their way to the surface. I don't know which hurts me more.

"So you're going to willingly let her hit you? Willingly sacrifice yourself?"

So damn dramatic. "For a few minutes, yes. I'll block still so I don't look like an idiot, but yeah."

He grits his teeth, "Give us a minute." I never once break eye contact but I can see the anger that won out burning through his eyes. I hear the fear in his voice as it shakes. I would normally love this demanding side but not right now. Right now he's pissed. "Riley I can't fucking sit here and let you do this. Watch you willingly get pummeled, it's idiotic."

I nod my head slowly, "That's the game plane, Sparky. I'm sorry you don't agree with it." This is why I'm the smart one in the ring. And he's making it seem like I'm going to get KO'd. It's just for a few minutes.

"I can't watch you do that."

Honestly, I don't want him to see that either. "I'm not asking you to stay." He scoffs and stands up, about to leave, "do me a favor though Sparky, make sure you aren't followed on your way home, drive around for a bit." His once gorgeous green eyes narrow on me, I knew he wasn't cut out for this life. I wish I could admit that everything I said was in the heat of the moment but it wasn't. I know it hurts him to see me like this, I get that more than anything else but I'm not going to go with a plan to take someone to the ground instantly if they suspect it. That's setting me up for disaster. I have some serious thinking to do once I get done here. "I love you Lucas. More than anything, but I know this ring. I know what will work and I get it that you can't stay."