Page 110 of Pulse
“Fine. Not without their trials, but fine.”
He crossed his arms over his broad chest and I knew the lecture was coming. It was sweet that Dean thought of me as his little sister and all, but I had enough protectiveness from Ash.
“Josie tells me you’re in the Championship,” he said.
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“I’m kinda surprised,” he said and I thumped him in the arm. “Hey!”
I best not tell him about my KO then. “Told you I could hold my own.”
“Was there any doubt?”
I laughed as his face began to soften and shoved him playfully. “Never.”
“So, when’s the big fight?”
“Next Thursday. Ash is fighting on Friday.”
“Against…”
My expression tightened. “He’s fighting Hammer.”
Dean nodded like he already knew…or suspected. He glanced over at Ash who was talking with Dad, their hand gestures getting wilder as they went. I could have a wild guess at what they were talking about and would probably hit the nail right on the head.
“What’s that meant to mean?” I asked.
“That guy’s had it coming for years,” he said. “I’ve never met the fucker, but even I want to serve him his ass for hurting you.” He glanced up again and this time he was watching his brother and I frowned.
“Lincoln?” I asked, remembering that he’d reacted strangely the day everything came out and especially when Violet was brought up.
“He won’t say, but I reckon he’s got a thing for Violet Fuller. Or had. It’s been five years or so since she used to hang around here.”
I turned my attention to Lincoln and realized he had been quiet the past few months. He was always the more level headed of the Twins and quiet by default, but this was different. With Violet being so…Violet, it was something I knew I had to stay out of.
Deciding not to press it, I said, “Then he’ll be glad to know that Hammer will be getting everything he deserves in that cage and then some.”
Dean placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “That’s if Fuller wins.”
I tensed and shook his hand away. When Ash was in that cage he was like a hurricane of destruction, untouchable, uncontrollable…unbeatable. Outside of it was when he was vulnerable…where he was just a man. He had an unbeaten record this season and I’d already decided in my heart and mind that he was going to win. That we both were. But, I hadn’t thought of one tiny little detail. Ash hadn’t fought Hammer all season. Anything could happen once that cage door closed.Anything.
I suddenly realized that’s why Ash had been feeling off. It had to be, because I couldn’t see any other reason for him to be so off kilter.
Dean’s expression softened and he went to wind his arm around my waist, but I stepped away. “Ren, I didn’t mean…”
“He’s going to win.” That was stubborn pride talking.
As far as I was concerned, he had to. My heart began to hammer in my chest as I realized what needed to be done. Hammer couldn’t get away with it. If Ash didn’t come out of that cage the victor, then I would do what he couldn’t go through with the night he left me at Beat.
If Hammer won the Championship, then I’d kill him myself.
Three things happened over the next three days. Some expected developments and some very unexpected.
The first was my debriefing with Josie about the season in Sydney. Ash and I had a lot going on, so we hadn’t seen any of the fights, but from what Josie said, the Twins both did really well in their weight class. They didn’t quite make their own Championship, but next year it was extremely likely. They’d been named the new fighters to watch going into the next round and I couldn’t be more proud of the meatheads. Especially Dean, who was the focus of the second thing on my list.
It seemed the waters between him and Ash had settled, and I’d even caught them wolfing down their breakfast in companionable silence. It wasn’t until I saw them training together and laughing, that I realized that in typical bloke fashion they’d just let shit go. They thought women were complicated, but men…sheesh. How they could solve a disagreement with nothing but a grunt had me scratching my head every time.
