The Ring

Chapter 1

 A sickening crack reaches my ears amidst the screaming crowd around me and my opponent falls to the ground with a loud thud. I don't let myself look at him, knowing I'll regret every punch I've thrown. Instead, I turn and begin shoving my way through the crowd. People I don't know throw themselves at me, patting me firmly on the back or shoving me into other people. Everyone here lives to push peoples' buttons, test the fighters' patience, see what sets them off. Resisting the urge to fight back, I shove my way roughly through the crowd, breaking through the mass of people to find the only person in this hell hole I would ever go home with.

Will reaches up and brushes his thumb across a cut above my eyebrow. His thumb comes away from my face stained red. His eyes do a quick run over of my body before his gaze returns to mine. "You alright?"

I nod, taking my jacket from him and shrugging it on over my sports bra. "Thanks," I tell him, flipping my hood up over my head to drown out some of my surroundings.

"You gonna get your winnings?"

I shake my head. "I'll pick it up after my fight tomorrow, just take me home."

"Since when do you have a fight scheduled for tomorrow? I thought he was giving you the rest of the week off."

"He called last night. Wants me to break in the new recruit."

Will nods several times, understanding mixing with the concern that's always there. "Do you need a ride?"

I look up at him from under my hood as we jog up the old rusty stairs of the underground club and push through the heavy metal doors. "Are you free?"

He smirks and nudges me with his elbow. "Of course, I am, but I'm flattered that you actually think I have a life that doesn't revolve around you."

Looking away, I swallow through the heavy emotion in my throat. "I wish you did."

Will takes me by the shoulders, turning me to face him and ducking to look into my eyes. "We've been over this a million times, Nat. So long as you're fighting, we're in this mess together."

Twisting out of his grip, I mutter, "I know," and head for his familiar rusted green pickup truck. Hopping into the back seat, I pull my jeans and t-shirt out of my duffle bag.

"No peeking," I tease Will as he slides into the front seat and meets my eyes through the rearview mirror.

He rolls his eyes and starts the truck. "Do I ever?"

I let out a short laugh. "Thank God for the friend zone."

"More like the brother zone." Will's eyes return to the road as he backs the truth out of the parking spot and out onto the street.

"I'm pretty sure that's not even a thing." Sliding down the seat a little, I slip off my boxing shorts, tossing them onto the seat beside me before slipping my jeans on.

"Then let me ask you this; Do you consider me a friend or a brother?" he questions.

I think about it for a moment before answering. "Both. You're not brother by blood, but I think you're more than a friend."

I see Will's mouth form a teasing grin in the rearview mirror and lean forward to punch him on the shoulder.

"You know what I meant, Will."

"Yeah," he agrees. "We're agreed that we'd never even consider sleeping together."

My lips turn up in a grimace at the thought. "Yeah, ew. No offense," I add.

He chuckles. "None taken. I feel exactly the same way."

Unzipping my sweater, I shrug it off and replace it with a loose fitting t-shirt. I look at my reflection in the window and my stomach twists and knots in disgust at the sight of a blood splatter across one cheek that very likely isn't mine. I use my discarded sweater to scrub it away before stuffing it and my shorts back into my duffle bag on the floor. Swinging myself over the front bench seat, I land on the passenger side with a huff.