Page 83 of Sticks & Serpents

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off those feelings as I stepped closer to them. The anger simmered beneath my skin again—an itch demanding release—but seeing them together stirred a different kind of rage within me: jealousy.

I slowed my steps, each one heavy with the weight of frustration and anger. My chest tightened as I took in the scene before me.

What the fuck was he doing here?

Cooper stood in the cage, arms crossed, his presence both familiar and infuriating. His gaze met mine—steady, unwavering—as if he could see right through the chaos swirling inside me.

“You look like shit, little brother,” he said, his voice calm yet laced with concern.

I glared at him, feeling the familiar rush of heat rise in my cheeks. “You don’t get to say that.”

He sighed, a long-suffering sound that felt like it echoed off the walls of the underground arena. “Yeah. I figured.”

I hated how well he knew me. How effortlessly he could poke at my vulnerabilities just by being there. My fists clenched at my sides as I watched him step into the cage. He didn’t even flinch as he moved; instead, he just waited for me to follow.

“Get your ass in here,” he called over his shoulder, and something primal twisted inside me at his challenge.

Part of me wanted to walk away—to brush him off like I always did when he tried to play the big brother role—but another part hungered for this confrontation. The fight wasn’t just about my rage anymore; it was about proving I could still hold my own against anyone—even Cooper.

But as I stepped into the cage, every ounce of confidence began to drain from me. The crowd roared around us, but all I could hear was the thudding of my heart and the echoing whispers of Holly’s last words ringing in my ears.

“Damien…”

Damn it.

She wasn’t here, but she haunted every thought that flickered through my mind like a ghost refusing to let go.

Cooper’s stance shifted slightly as he studied me. His eyes narrowed slightly; there was no judgment there—just an expectation that felt suffocating.

I squared my shoulders and met his gaze head-on. If this was going to be a fight—a reckoning—I wouldn’t back down from it.

“Let’s do this,” I growled, already feeling that familiar rush of adrenaline surge through my veins as we circled each other in the cage.

The first punch landed hard, and I barely had time to brace myself. Cooper didn’t hold back, driving his fist into my gut with a force that knocked the wind from my lungs. I staggered back but quickly regained my footing. Adrenaline surged through me like wildfire; I wouldn’t let him take control.

I swung at him, my fist connecting with his jaw. The impact sent a satisfying jolt up my arm, but Cooper just grinned. He was bigger and stronger, every bit the older brother who had always towered over me in both size and composure. But I was faster, fueled by desperation—by all the chaos swirling in my head that needed an outlet.

He blocked my next punch with ease, exhaling sharply between hits as if he were trying to keep his breath steady while I struggled to catch mine.

“You gonna talk about it?” he asked, his voice calm despite the chaos of fists and sweat around us.

“About what?” I snapped back, swinging harder this time, desperation driving me forward. I couldn’t let him get inside my head—not now.

“Mom.”

I froze for half a second—just long enough for him to clock me hard on the side of my face. Pain exploded across my skull as I hit the ground, the world spinning around me. Blood pooled in my mouth from where I bit down too hard on my tongue.

I spat onto the floor as I pushed myself up, growling through gritted teeth. He stood there like a statue, unfazed and waiting for me to make the next move.

“You don’t know shit,” I spat, my voice low and laced with venom.

Cooper didn’t hit me again. He just stood there, unyielding, eyes locked onto mine like he was trying to peel back the layers of whatever façade I had left.

“I know something happened. You think I never noticed?” he said, his tone even but firm.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a relentless reminder of how tightly coiled the tension between us had become. My skin felt too tight, suffocating under the weight of his scrutiny. This was the one thing I wouldn’t talk about—the one thing no one ever believed.

I scoffed, wiping blood from my mouth with the back of my hand. “And if I did tell you? You’d believe me?”

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