Page 17 of Dare to Dance
“Hopefully, you’ve placed your bets. We have a newbie here tonight. I know how you like newbies. I think she’ll give Mel a run for her money.”
“If Mel doesn’t fight tonight, this should be an easy win,” someone said. “My bet is on the newbie.”
“Asshole,” Mel murmured next to me.
Suddenly, my pulse went haywire. Mel, the scared girl with blue streaks through her blond hair and bruises dotting her delicate face, was not so innocent. Then I remembered something. A man I’d been standing next to while watching Mel and Vickie had said, “Some shy girls have so much adrenaline and anger, they can beat the shit out of the larger opponents.” I wasn’t larger than Mel by any means. If anything, we were both the same height, and we both had small frames. But she had one advantage over me—anger. I wasn’t nearly as enraged as she was at the moment. Besides, I was banking on keeping my cool. Maybe then I could fight strategically.
Norma’s cold hand touched my arm. “You can do this.”
I rolled my shoulders back. If I backed out, Tommy wouldn’t be pleased. In fact, he might skin me alive if he had money on the line. Still, all the money in the world wouldn’t stop my stomach from churning like a whirlpool.
“Go.” Norma nudged me. “He’s calling your name.”
I zeroed in on the here and now to find that Mel was already in the ring beside Tommy, who had an evil look on his face. I shuffled through a group of old men. One patted me on the back. Another slapped me on the butt. I almost hauled off and kicked him but decided to reserve my energy for Mel.
“No rules,” Tommy said once I was in the ring. “You fight until one of you gets knocked out. Shake.”
We bumped fists as if we were seasoned fighters.
“I love this shit,” Tommy mumbled as he walked away.
As soon as he left the ring, Mel came at me. Her fists were wild as though she was possessed. I shuffled, sidestepped, then ducked.
Whistles then shouts sang around the room. “Hit her already,” yelled one man.
I danced around her. My footwork was sloppy. It had been a long time since I had even tried to practice any of my ballet moves. I nearly laughed. I was in an illegal underground fight with no clue about what I was supposed to do.
Mel was still swinging. I was still stumbling.
“Fight,” Tommy said.
I threw a punch at air.
Mel laughed. “Pathetic.”
I was trying to wrap my head around how much she’d changed since the previous week.Screw that. Worry about your ass. Fight.
She jabbed, her knuckles connecting with my cheekbone. Stars floated in front of my vision as I returned a punch to her nose. Pain shot up my arm. It hurt more to punch someone than to be hit. I went at her again but missed. She reared back, snarling. Whoa! This couldn’t have been the same meek girl from the week before.
“What?” she asked as we both glided around each other. “Shocked I’m not the same girl you tried to get to fight last week? Well, thanks to you, I got off my ass. I won that fight.”
Great, I’d helped her. Now she was going to beat my pathetic butt.Weave, bob and dance,I repeated.I always tire my opponent out,Kross had said.
“Come on, Ruby,” Tommy shouted from somewhere close by. “I got money on you.”
You have nine hundred dollars on the line. Nine hundred,my inner voice blared.
“Sucks that the tables are turned,” Mel said. “Not so brave now, are you?”
The decibel level was deafening. Not to mention, the pain gripping my face was disorienting.Stay focused on Mel.Don’t waver. The moment you do, she’ll knock you out.
Her fists came at me. I ducked then punched. She bobbed her head to the left. I swung out with my right fist as I rammed my left into her stomach.
She bent over for a second then glared at me, nostrils flaring.
“See, I’m a fast learner. Unlike you.” I had no business getting cocky, but the adrenaline was overpowering and energizing.
Growling, she lunged forward. She extended her right hand, and her fist crashed into my eye.
