Page 165 of Colt

Bowie sighed frustratedly. “Fuck!”

“I’ll call the other officers in,” Abe declared. “We’ll put it to a vote.”

“Nope,” Dagger scraped out. “All officers present got a vote. Colt’s goin’ in the ring.”

My stare went to Abe. His skin had paled, and he looked almost defeated. “It’s okay,” I assured him. “I’ll do it. Just need you to make sure things don’t get dirty.”

“You don’t have to, Son,” Abe insisted.

I dipped my chin. “I want to.”

His face fell, but he nodded regardless. “I’ll be your second. Can’t say I can jump in, but I can make sure nobody else does.” His stare fell on Prez again. “Don’t think for one minute I support what you’re doin’. I find it abhorrent.”

Dagger’s cool façade cracked, just for a second. Hurt flickered across his features before his expression shuttered again. “It’s done.” He nodded toward the stairs to the basement. “Come on. Time to kick some traitor ass.”

Chuckles rose through the air as Prez, and the men with him, made for the stairs.

Abe’s hand clasped my shoulder, and he leaned in to whisper, “He’ll go for broke. Watch him closely. I’ve seen you fight, you’re good, technically maybe better than him, but remember, he’s a street fighter and he’ll go sneaky if it means victory. Put him down and keep him down. Show no mercy, ‘cause he won’t.”

I took in everything he told me, nodding along and tucking his advice away to call on in the ring. We followed the crowd of men down the stairs and into the basement where we had a full-sized boxing ring set up, along with top of the range gym equipment.

“We gonna party or what?” Prez called out, his voice booming through the room.

Chest jerking, I stalked toward the ring, adrenaline and nerves battling inside me. I climbed up and opened a gap between the thick, elasticated ropes. As I stepped inside the ring, the men began to call out jeers.

I bounced on the balls of my feet, thankful that I remembered to put a pair of sneakers on. They wouldn’t do damage like a biker boot, but at least I’d be lighter on my feet.

“Yo!” Abe called from the corner behind me, passing me a pair of boxing gloves up.

“No gloves,” Prez bellowed. “We’re doin’ this old school. Bare knuckles, anythin’ goes.”

My gut dragged to the floor. Bare knuckles? No rules? Jesus, he already had the upper hand. This wasn’t a boxing match, it was a street brawl.

Dagger’s grin was almost feral. “What’s wrong, asshole? Not so confident now?”

Taking a deep breath, I tamped down my surging adrenaline, trying to keep my head clear. I shook my arms out, inhaling and exhaling slowly to calm my heart rate as Abe’s advice echoed through my mind.

No mercy.

I had to win if I wanted to walk outta this ring in one piece.

Shouts of encouragement for Prez filled the air.

“Clock him, Prez.”

“Show him how it’s done.”

“Kick his traitor ass.”

I tuned all the noise out until the only thing in the room was me and Dagger. My heart thumped so hard I could feel it in my ears.

He lunged for me so fast he seemed like a blur, swinging his fists toward my head.

I ducked so his fist caught my ear, then spinning to the side, I slammed a punch into his ribs causing him to grunt and stumble back on his heels.

My heart exploded in my chest with the blood pounding through my veins. I shook my hands out, waiting for him to make the next move, but he just circled me, eyes narrowed angrily.

Before I could react, he charged again, moving to swing left, then at the last-minute dodging to his right. I tried to deflect but I wasn’t fast enough to avoid his fist clipping my jaw. Pain ricocheted through my face and my mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood.

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