One to Save (One to Hold 6)

I grip the weight bar and push up, feeling the burn in the pit of my biceps. I haven’t worked out in almost a month. I’ve been away from home, dealing with the separation, dealing with this situation. Bennett’s manipulation was clever. It showed how well he knew me. I wouldn’t let Star pay for my crimes. I couldn’t value my family above hers, even if she insisted her life was worth less than mine. Who makes those kinds of decisions?

The question has only entered my mind when I realize I’m not alone. I return the five hundred pound load to the rack, and my peripheral vision counts five men in the room with me. Lowering my arms, I sit up, not quite ready to make contact.

A deep inhale. I allow the battle I fought all night to flood my veins with anger. I focus all my frustrations over Melissa, Sloan, my future, to compress into one raging need for expression. I need an outlet. Looks like I have five.

“I got your message, boy.” Chairman stands at the head of the bench. “You’re a pussy. You’ll do real good inside. Lots of cocks to suck.”

I don’t answer. I only sit up slowly allowing the gates I’ve opened to flood me with rage. What’s about to happen will be sweet release. I can feel the strength building in my fists in anticipation.

“He’s a pretty boy.” The voice came from behind me, but my eyes are locked on Chairman’s. “Hold him. I want him to be my pussy.”

Try it, fucknut. The thought tickles in my brain before it closes in like a steel trap. A touch on my shoulder, and my hand snaps over it, clasping the wrist and flipping it around in a move so fast, everyone jumps back. It’s the big white guy. He’s on his knees with a broken wrist. A scream starts, but I punch him in the face and he drops. One down, four to go.

Only, they’re ready now. I might have gotten lucky with the first one, but now two mountains of black flesh have me by each arm. Chairman stands back and watches. Rev is in front of me, and his black eyes narrow like a snake. I don’t think, I only respond. A swift kick to the face, and he flies back to the wall.

“You’ve got to be faster than that, little man,” I growl, but the hulks holding my arms aren’t finished.

“It’s about to get rough, pussy,” the one on my left snarls.

My arm is jerked up behind my back, bending me forward, and the asshole on my right grabs my face. I know what’s coming when I see him shift his balance to the other leg. I only have one chance. A loud groan scrapes from my throat as I throw everything I’ve got to the right. His knee flies past my head making contact with the fucker behind me. It’s not a hard hit, but it stuns him. His grip loosens a fraction, and I spin around, out of his control.

“Oh, I like this one,” Fucker to my left smiles.

Chairman moves his back to the wall and is making his way around the perimeter. I don’t have time to wonder why he isn’t getting involved. The two are slowly approaching me again, both smiling. What happens next is so fast, the specifics are fuzzy.

One guy lunges at my torso while the other takes a shot at my face. His fist makes contact with my cheekbone, and a flash of white explodes behind my eyes. I was already in the process of shooting a roundhouse kick to the right while driving a punch to the left. The punch misses but my foot makes contact with the other guy’s face. I feel the crunch of his jaw in my bones, and I know he’s out of commission.

He goes down, but so do I. Puncher is over me ready to start raining blows. A fist like a concrete block slams into my kidney, and I can’t stop a groan of agony as pain blasts through my torso. His next punch is right to my gut, and my wind disappears.

I reach out and grab the metal leg of a weight stand near my head. Pulling with all my strength, I drag my body out of the line of his next, finishing blow.

His fist makes contact with a metal rack, and a howl of pain fills my ears. I only have one chance to get the upper hand. Pushing off the floor with both arms, I shoot my leg back, making contact with the soft flesh of his throat. A sick gulp, and he drops like a tree. I don’t have time to check, but I hope I haven’t added a second murder to my rap.

Panting, I face Chairman. Rev is on his feet against the wall, but he’s not making a move yet. Keeping him in my view, I step back until I’ve got a wall behind me as well.

“Not bad, soldier,” Chairman says, nodding. “Maybe you are a badass, but you crossed me. Can’t let that pass.”

I’m breathing hard, and my eyes move from him to Rev. “Bring it.”

A flick of his wrist, and both men lunge for me at the same time. I see the glint of light off the weapon in Rev’s hand, but I don’t have time to block it before Chairman has my arms. Flexing my muscles, I twist away, but Rev is ready. He stabs me deep in the left side.

“FUCK!” I shout, struggling to get my arms free before he’s able to do it again.

I’m too late. He’s driving it into me again as I try to shift my weight so I can kick him into next week. Chairman anticipates my plan and jerks my body to the side, knocking me off balance. The movement drives the knife between my ribs. All at once, I can’t breathe.

I go down gasping. I’m suffocating. Hot, sticky liquid is flooding around me on the floor. It’s my blood. The room is receding... moving out from my vision. I feel the clock ticking as my muscles go weak. I can’t get air.

Commotion fills the space around me, and I register two things before I blackout—Rev is slammed against the wall, and Chairman’s arms are jerked behind him.

“Captain!” The word echoes in my ears, and I remember it was Ben’s nickname for me when we were in training.

“You’re a cop.” Chairman’s says, hatred dripping in his tone.

It’s the last thing I hear before the curtain falls.

Chapter 16: The Worst

Melissa