Ryker Davis

I whistled low underneath my breath as I looked over the engine of the Mustang. She was going to need a hefty bit of work over the next couple of weeks before the last race of the season. It would be the one that would get me out of debt, and potentially get my ass on Black’s radar so I could eventually get paid for all this bullshit.

“You’re still here?” A familiar voice spoke as footsteps sounded on the marble floor towards the side door.

“Of course, I am.” I picked up my grease rag off the table next to my car and straightened, facing Abraham just as the door closed behind him.

“Don’t you have anything better to do with your life?” Abraham smirked as he approached and sat it the chair closest to me that Nick had left in the middle of the garage just a few hours prior.

“Currently?” I cocked a brow. “No.”

“You’re in a mood.” He stated, seemingly bored.

“It’s Jay.”

“What’d Jay do to you?” I had piqued his interest.

“Come on, Abe. Let’s not pretend you don’t talk to her almost daily.”

“That may or may not be the case. But I can promise you, our conversations don’t usually involve you.” He crossed his ankles and folded his hands across his torso as he leaned back in the chair.

“If you really want to know, we slept together couple weeks back.” I gauged his face for a response, but he revealed nothing.

“And?”

“And, she has this ability to throw everything on the back burner, like it doesn’t even interest her.” I explained.

God, I sound like a bitch.

“You sound like a bitch.” Abraham smirked, mirroring my thoughts.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“I’ll tell you what I know.” He looked up at me, forcing himself to hide a smirk. “Jay, she’s the type of girl that needs a man, Rye. Not a boy. A man. She doesn’t do well with neediness, or feelings. I know you know that. So have you ever thought to maybe, I don’t know, back off her a bit?”

“She’s a fucking enigma, Abe. I’ve tried to leave her the hell alone. She’s more trouble than it seems worth nowadays. Black is constantly breathing down her fucking neck; she’s keeping all these secrets.”

“Man, she doesn’t even know that you are a part of the twelve families that serve under Black. We were all made aware of her arrival with little to no information about her at all. She has secrets, and so the fuck do you. So why is it so frustrating that she doesn’t tell you a damn thing? She barely fucking knows you.”

“She knows me better than you think.” I grumbled under my breath, refusing to admit that he was right.

“Just because she fucked you doesn’t mean a damn thing.” He rolled his eyes, but his jaw ticked. “You still haven’t ended things with Emma. Does Jay know that?”

“No.” My tone was clipped.

“Then why are you losing your mind over what Jay’s doing?” He asked.

“I can’t explain it.” I threw my rag down. “She makes me feel like I’m going fucking crazy.”

“In all the years that we’ve been friends, I’ve never seen you act like this over pussy.” Abe stated firmly.

“She’s not a fucking object, Abe. And we’ve never been friends.”

“Oh, I’m hurt.” He covered his chest over his heart dramatically. “We were friends when I got you out of trouble growing up with Black monitoring our every step because of Nick. We were friends when I had to teach you how to fuck properly with those escorts your dad hired, scared half to death thinking you were gay. We were friends when I took your beatings from your father after you fucked up. Every. Single. Time.”

My anger flared. “We’re not friends, Abraham. Not anymore.”

“Sure, we aren’t.” He stood. “But truly, we are. Whether you like it or not.”

“Where are you off to now?” I accused, hoping Jay would stay the fuck away from him.

“Don’t worry. Your side piece is still at dinner with the Black’s.” His voice rumbled through the garage. “Give Emma my best wishes when you talk to her.”

As soon as the door snapped shut, I picked up the closest wrench and slung it across the garage, not caring that it knocked down car parts that hung along the wall.

“No, I’ve just been...busy.” I stated into the phone, devoid of true emotion.

“Busy with her.” Emma whined from the other end.

“No, Emma. Not with her. Not with anyone.” I lied without effort. “I’ve been busy getting my car ready.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have been.” She sneered. “I told my daddy about her.”

A little bud of anxiety rose in my throat.

“Why?”

“Because.” She huffed. “She shouldn’t just be allowed to stay with you, working for Black or not. I told daddy that he needs to speak to him about it and get her removed from your apartment. I should be able to visit whenever I want.”

“You sound like a child, Emma.” I sighed.

“I don’t give a damn. I always get my way. If Black doesn’t do something about her, then I will.”

“You’re about as intimidating as a chihuahua, Em. I would warn you to reconsider.” I rolled my eyes as I unlocked my apartment door and found it to still be empty.

I threw down my tool bag and flipped on the lights. Everything was still in place as it had been when we had left earlier in the evening.

“I don’t need your warnings, Rye baby.” Her voice suddenly took on that sickly sweet tone she had used on me a million times before to get her way. “She doesn’t want to mess with me. I just don’t understand why you tolerate her. She isn’t bred for our kind. She doesn’t belong.”

“I’m not even sure I belong anymore, Emma.” The first truthful statement I had said to her in weeks.

“Rye baby, of course you belong.” She giggled. “We’re going to be the head of our houses one day and then when we get married, we’ll have our own empire to run.”

“That’s not how it works.” I ran my hand through my hair, trying to get through this phone call without vomiting. “The Black family will always be in control.”

“Not if something changes between now and then.” She snickered.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Emma?” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Well, I heard daddy talking about an hour ago on the phone. I don’t know who he was talking to, but your roommate is in for a big surprise tonight.” She giggled again, and I had a sudden urge to choke the life from her.

“And?”

“And because of that, tensions are high between the Jade Corporation and the Black Company. They’re talking about the possibility of an all-out brawl. Daddy had to send of his best men out there, under Black’s call.”

“So, what’s the surprise?” I deviated the conversation back to what really had my interest peaked.

“Well, she definitely might not be left standing after tonight. That’s all I’m going to share.” She snorted.

It was strange to think that at one point Emma and I had used to be friends. As soon as her end went silent, my phone buzzed into my hand. I pulled it away long enough to see my father’s name come across the screen.

Fuck.

“Emma, I have to go. My father is calling.” I almost sounded relieved.

“But...” She started, but I hung up quickly and answered just as quick.

“Yeah?”

“Son, we need to talk.” My father’s voice sounded more rough than usual.

“About what?”

“About the Company.”

Fucking great.

I couldn’t stop pacing from one side of the balcony to the other, trying to calm my nerves over the information clouding my thoughts. Jaylyn was in trouble. I didn’t know what kind of trouble. Hell, I didn’t even know where she was at the moment. If she was still with Black then at least I knew she wouldn’t be dead, but with the way Emma sounded, nothing good would come from tonight.

Was she even aware of what was going on? Did she know about anything revolving with Black’s Company as it was tonight? Did anyone warn her?

I felt like an asshole. Between Abraham, Emma, and my father, there was no room to feel anything otherwise. I should have told her the truth from the start. As soon as she started asking questions, I should have just been honest and laid it all out for her.

Would she feel betrayed if she knew the truth?

Would she be able to trust me?

I was honest when I told Abraham that she makes me feel like I’m going crazy half the time. It seems like she keeps me on this leash and doesn’t even know she’s doing it. I couldn’t understand why I felt the way I did about her. She was just different. She didn’t sugarcoat anything and isn’t afraid to tell anyone exactly how she feels.

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Unless it involved intimacy.

I peered down into the parking lot, trying to gain control over my swirling thoughts. I looked down just as a black limousine rolled up to the curb in front of our building and I raised a brow.

Until Jaylyn and Giovanni stepped out of it.

They looked like they were arguing; Jaylyn was keeping her distance and speaking firmly. I could tell by the way traces of her voice drifted upwards. The limo took off, not missing a beat. They stood and talked a bit more, before Abraham’s truck rolled up and he rolled down the window. My anger peaked as she got into the truck and Gio made his way inside.

I tore through the apartment blindly, grabbing my keys off the table and heading straight for the door. It slammed behind me as I jogged down the hallway and down the stairwell, stopping at the bottom of the stairs before I ran headfirst into Giovanni.

He looked up. “Oh, hey, man.”

“Where are they going?” I didn’t waste any time.

“How should I know?” He sounded pissed.

I looked around him, watching what looked like an argument between Jaylyn and Abraham.

“What’s going on?”

“Between them?” He shrugged stepping around me. “No idea. I got grounded to my fucking apartment, though. Night.”

I didn’t blink as Abraham pulled away from the curb.

“Night.”

I jogged out to my car and hurriedly got inside, hoping they wouldn’t get too far ahead for me to follow. If anything, I at least needed to warn her about what was going on, even though I had no idea what was going on.

Fucking secrets.

I caught up to them easily and I cruised behind them at a safe distance. The tint in the back of Abraham’s truck made it impossible to see what was going on inside, and the ride was longer than I expected.

My nerves jumped as we crossed over into Jade territory and drove through a maze of warehouses. When they finally pulled into a parking lot, I had to take it in. These were Lee’s warehouses, where he managed most of his dealings. Too many people died in these buildings for me to calm down as I parked and watched Jaylyn and Abraham make their way up to one of the entrances.

What the fuck would they be doing here?

When they entered the building, I looked down at the clock on the dash. I started counting in my head, monitoring the time as it passed by, glancing up only to see if they would reemerge. When thirty minutes had come and gone, I couldn’t take it anymore and exited my car. Bending forward I reached into the glove box and pulled out the small Beretta Pico I had stashed there. I hid it in my waistband under my shirt and slammed the door closed, locking my car.

When I approached the door, a man smiled at me.

“Mr. Davis, it is nice to see you well.” He said in a friendly tone. “I am Kindred, and I was warned that you might be in attendance tonight.”

“Oh yeah?” I looked around. “By whom?”

“Oh well, Mr. Black, of course.” He stated. “You are permitted entrance for tonight’s showing, but only for tonight. He wanted me to express his pleasure that you remain for the entirety of the show.”

I swallowed hard. “Of course.”

Something wasn’t right. How could Black be tied into this?

I wasn’t prepared for the crowd that I walked into as I passed the threshold. There were hundreds of people standing around and chatting amongst themselves, creating a dull roar. Once I made it down the initial hallway, it opened into a huge room, taking up the entire warehouse. There was a ring dead center in the middle, rows and rows of seating and tables littering the outskirts. Box seating circled the room as high as the ceiling would allow.

I moved around the crowd looking for the section that had the least amount of people and came up empty handed. I instead chose a section that wasn’t as loud as the others and found a singular open seat.

The man sitting next to it smiled and held out his hand.

“Jerry Griffin.” He chuckled. “Nice to meet you.”

“Ryker Davis.” I shook his hand firmly. “Likewise.”

“You’re sitting in my wife’s seat.” He looked amused.

“Oh, shit.” I stood.

“No, no. Feel free. She didn’t want to attend anyways.” He motioned for me to sit back down.

“Oh.” I sat back down.

“What brings a young lad like yourself down into the Underground?” He asked as he sipped on his drink.

“I don’t actually know, honestly.” I said as I looked around for any trace of Jaylyn or Abe.

“Well, it’s going to be quite the spectacular event. Is this your first time?” He questioned.

“Yeah.” I offered him a gruff smile.

“Oh, I remember my first time watching a match in the Underground.” He mused. “There was blood everywhere. I’m sure even a man died that night. Tonight, will be no different. The finale is said to rival all matches for the past ten years.”

“Finale?” I questioned.

“Somehow, Lee has acquired an off the market fighter to contend in tonight’s gathering. I suppose, since this is your first time, that you don’t know much about the ranks of fighters in the Underground.”

“No, but I would like to.” I played his game.

“Smoke is on the roster tonight. She is the only woman in this league that fights only men and is reigning champion for the last three or four years. Undefeated in the ring. Should be quite a show.”

“Smoke?”

“Her fighting name. No one knows what her real name is. You see, she doesn’t show her real face. Rumored to always have it concealed under dark paint. Looks like she smears ash all over her face. They dubbed her name after a year of her fighting unnamed and undefeated.”

A knot in my stomach grew. There was no fucking way.

Music started blaring over the speakers and I turned as the once mostly seated crowd all stood in unison, cheering loudly as the lights dimmed, leaving only the ring illuminated. I turned to see a fighter burst out from the doors adjacent to my current seat and watched as he controlled the crowd’s reaction with obscene gestures.

When a different song started to play, everyone’s attention turned to the opposite side of the ring where a female stood, Abraham directly behind her.

And then it fucking clicked.

Jaylyn approached the mat, determination on her face. She didn’t look like herself with dark greyish black paint covering her face. But I could spot her a million miles away. She hopped up the side steps to enter the ring and I had to blink twice before I realized that she had tattoos covering both of her arms down to her wrists. Intricate designs and patterns flowed together to create a haunted mural. Under the top she wore, more ink peeked out from her chest and neck.

Anger flickered in the back of my head as I watched her turn to look directly at Abraham. He placed his hands on either side of her face and was telling her something, inaudible to the crowd, and he fucking smiled.

I wanted to rip his fucking throat out.

What the fuck was his problem?

I knew it was childish to get angry over something so trivial, but the anger began to roll off my shoulders in waves anyways.

I must get her out of this fucking mess.

I move forward, abandoning my spot, but the older gentleman grabbed my elbow before I was out of range and a bell rang over the speakers.

“Hey, where are you going? The show is just starting.” He smirked. “Mr. Davis.”

I swallowed the rock in my throat and turned to watch whatever horror I was meant to witness. Jaylyn was nearly flawless in this element. She knew how to maneuver her opponent to get him in the exact spot she desired. I winced as the man cornered her against the ropes and delivered a painful blow to her ribs.

The crowd went wild.

When she recovered, the man grabbed her foot, mid-kick and she used her body weight and his momentum to land a square kick to his jaw with her loose foot. The crowd lost their wits as the giant came crashing down, blood splattering across the ring.

I kept my eyes on Jaylyn as she retired to her corner and Abraham helped her recover. The murderous anger threatened to supersede the anxiety I felt for Jaylyn’s life. Something wasn’t right. Emma was a great many things, but she never lied about any family's gossip. I could only simply watch and listen as the crowd divided from cheering to chattering away about the new contender, Smoke.

A drunken man to my left nudged my arm. “That’s one bad bitch.”

You have no fucking idea, man.

But honestly, I didn’t know either.

When the music starts again, the whole crowd goes wild. The announcer reveals the big show, three against one. I yank my arm away from the older gentleman and he chuckles. It all fell into place then. This was a goddamn setup.

And there was nothing I could do.

I watched in horror as the realization came across Jaylyn’s face and she turned to peer upwards. I followed her line of sight to see Lee and Black both sitting in boxes above the arena, Black had a smirk on his face as he tilted his glass to her.

I looked back down to Jay, as she tried to get Abraham to understand what was going on, but it was realized a little too late. The three targets were towering the ring, and Jaylyn came forward. For a split second, you could see actual fear in her eyes.

My nerves didn’t settle until she had already downed two out of the three men and her chest was heaving with aggression and adrenaline. I could tell she was in pain, how she slightly bent more towards the side she had earlier received a wicked punch.

Most likely a broken rib.

The drunkard bumped my arm again and I glared over at him. “Smoke is looking straight at you, man!”

My head snapped back to the ring, meeting her shocked expression as she looked directly at me. In those small seconds, I couldn’t contain my own glare that flickered as her remaining opponent stalked forward and she didn’t turn to look at him, keeping her eyes on me. His arm swung around and landed a brutal punch to her jaw that slammed her straight down onto the mat and the crowd cheered heavily.

The noise deafened me as I watched in real time slow motion as the referee counted the seconds she had been down. The number kept climbing and she rolled with attempts to get up. I begged in the back of my mind for whatever higher being watched over us that she would make it out of this unharmed, for the most part at least.

Suddenly, she was on her feet when the man had his back to her. She lunged forward and swung around to aim a kick straight to the back of his head and I smirked as she spun and brought the giant down. Just like she had done to me. Only this ended completely different. Instead of the light kiss to my cheek, which felt like a ghost of a motion, she delivered blow after continuous blow; until the referee finally pulled her loose.

The crowd cheered regardless of them hoping for her demise. It was a mixture of adoration and anger for those who had lost bets against high-ranking members of the mafia. I looked over the crowd as they doted their affections and then looked back towards the stage.

My only thought.

Murder.

Abraham had her pressed up against his chest, his lips connected to hers, and I thought of all the way I would hide his body. Too soon, they were swept from the stage, and I tried to fight my way through the crowd, proving to be harder than it seemed due to the fighting that broke out over who owed whom how much. Everywhere, someone was shouting for someone else, and I lost Jaylyn in the crowd.

I tried to move as stealthy as possible but knew I had failed when a hand came to rest on my shoulder. I turned, ready to swing, and stopped short.

Lee had a healthy glow surrounding him as he smiled.

“Well, Mr. Davis, it seems like your debt has been paid ten times over tonight. Miss Sloan is a real gem. Earned back tenfold what you were required to pay for your debt, so a deal is a deal. You’re free.”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Lee. It’s an honor doing business with you.” No need to insult the man in his own home, especially not in his own home.

“A word of advice, young man?” He paused. “A woman that will go to the ends of the Earth and is willing to sacrifice her own life for you, is not one that you should ignore or take for granted.”

“Understood, sir.” I confirmed and he turned with his entourage to greet the other guests.

I turned away, not willing to stand out in the open longer than I needed to. Upon turning, I bumped into the familiar man from the front of the warehouse and caught his attention.

“Mr. Davis, how can I assist you?”

“Where is Smoke’s room?”

“I’m sorry, sir. No one is permitted in the fighter’s locker area.”

“Take me there, now.”

Kindred barely nodded. “If you insist, sir.”

I followed him close on his heel as he made too many unrecognizable turns and stopped in front of an ornate door.

“Thank you.”

He only nodded once again and briskly walked away.

I took a deep breath before I entered the locker room and took in the extravagance of it. Lee could afford the necessities and then some. I surveyed the room quickly, not finding a trace of Jaylyn, thinking that she must have already changed and left.

I turned to leave and stopped dead in my tracks when an all too familiar noise carried from around the corner. A weight filled my chest as I refused to recognize the familiar and instead turned back around to investigate.

As I got closer, the sounds of hushed murmurs grew louder.

Rounding the corner, I stopped in front of the only closed door in the two rows of what looked like a shower room. I put my hand on the handle and watched myself like I was a ghost opening turning the knob.

When it opened, the rock in my chest expanded and I couldn’t look away.

Jaylyn wrapped around Abraham as he fucked her against the wall.

My jaw clenched as white-hot anger spilled over and I glared at her face that was gilded in satisfaction. She turned to rest her head on his shoulder, and barely opened her eyes.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

And realization dawned on her.

She struggled for Abraham to drop her.

I hadn’t heard what he said to her, looking confused, he turned and looked directly at me.

He shielded her body from my line of sight.

The anger seared.

“Get the fuck out...now.” Abraham grew increasingly raged.

I let go of the door and watched Jaylyn’s look of horror as it snapped shut.