Page 70 of Bride By Coronation

Nausea hits me again, but I fight through it. I lift my chin and step past her, cursing my father, Sean, and Zara.

There's no way out and only one place to enter.

The Underworld.

12

Kirill

The Next Morning

"You wanted to see us?" Sean states, entering the gym with Brax.

"Which one of you wants to fight?" I ask, grabbing my boxing gloves off the wall.

"I will," they both say in unison, with deep scowls on their faces.

It's a perfect way to greet me. I've barely slept, fighting my guilt, going over the different options before me. It all makes me feel unhinged, and the need to take it out on someone digs into the pit of my gut.

"Get out of the way, Brax," Sean orders, reaching for another pair of gloves. His hatred for me flares like fire raging in a dry forest, ready to incinerate everything in its path.

Brax whines, "You always take all the fun away."

Sean ignores him, steps under the rope, and cracks his neck. He pounds his gloves together, then warms up by jumping up and down.

My trainer, Vlad, studies him, then glances at me. "Sir, are you sure this is smart on such an important day?"

"Yep," I answer, ducking under the rope.

Vlad argues, "We don't have a referee."

I grunt. "Brax can do it."

"He's his friend," Vlad points out.

"Shut the fuck up," Brax snarls, insulted.

Vlad crosses his arms. "You aren't unbiased."

"Neither are you."

"I'm not the one calling the shots in the ring."

"You aren't qualified," Brax asserts.

Vlad barks, "A referee should have no conflict of interest."

"Does anyone in our world ever have no conflict of interest?" Brax spouts.

"Enough!" I snap.

Sean fumes, "Are we doing this or not?"

"We are," I reply, and step to the center of the ring.

Sean moves in front of me. "Good. I've been waiting to pound your face until it's bloody."

Brax enters the ring, holds his arm in the air, then brings it down, shouting, "Box!"

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