Drago's Woman

“Rumor has it that they have forced Belle here for some reason.”

“What do you mean? I thought she left the fighting life.”

“She did,” Carlos said. “This is the first fight in over a year.” Carlos stopped as they listened to who was going to be her opponent.

Drago kept up to date with everything that was going on in the streets, and tonight was no different. He’d caught wind of the fight, of the bet that was being placed. Belle didn’t have great odds, and as Ben announced her opponent, he knew she was going to get slaughtered.

Belle was fucking good. A damn good fighter, which was saying something considering how much she hated it. There was no heart in her skill. She did everything she could to defend herself, but that was all.

They had both been handed shit lives, and they’d done what they could to make a life within blood, pain, and misery.

“I mean this is her tenth fight,” Carlos said.

“Her tenth?” Drago shouldn’t be surprised. She didn’t look refreshed nor ready to take on the fight of her life.

Deadman came out, and he was easily twice the size of this woman. This wasn’t a fair fight, and he didn’t like it. People were known for being sick fucks, but right now, he watched as Belle looked at Deadman. He approached her, and Drago cursed when he witnessed her flinch.

She wasn’t ready for this fight, and every instinct inside him demanded that he call an end to this. He didn’t know why she was back. When he’d gotten word that she’d left the life for good, he’d been impressed and proud. He’d not liked that her father had so much control, that she’d been forced to do this.

There was always a softness about her, a sweetness that she had to fight in order to get where she was right now.

“Something’s not right.”

“You want me to find out everything?” Carlos asked. “It’s going to cost money.”

Drago pulled out an envelope stuffed with cash. “Find out everything, and I want answers now.”

Carlos scurried away, and he turned his attention back toward the ring. Ben spoke for another couple of minutes, and then he left the ring. Belle and Deadman faced off one against the other. There was some fighting talk coming from Deadman, but Belle had nothing.

She wore a pair of shorts and a sports bra, and it showed the bruises, hinting at the pain she must be in. Ten fights, and from the sight of her, not a single reprieve.

“What the fuck happened to you?” he muttered.

The bell dinged, and he gripped the edge of the balustrade. Where they were had many levels, and he was able to look down from his position to watch.

Back when he was fighting, the cops were always paid a tidy sum to look the other way, and it seemed that was still the case now.

Deadman held Belle and brought his head forward, but she moved left then right, and sank to the floor, landing a blow to Deadman’s crotch. Her movements were slow, sluggish, and as the minutes ticked by, she wasn’t able to dodge Deadman’s fists.

One landed against the cheek, and blood sprayed from her mouth. He picked her up, and threw her across the ring. She landed with a thud on the floor.

Every instinct in Drago’s body screamed at him to get to her, to help her. He hadn’t fought in years, not in a competition, but he’d kept his body at the peak of health. No one could best him in a fight, just like they hadn’t been able to back then. The only reason Deadman was number one right now was because Drago wasn’t there.

Deadman kicked her stomach, shoving her across the floor. She screamed out in pain, and it was the first time Drago had ever seen her like that.

She got to her feet, but her hand was poised in front of her ribs. She’d been hurt bad. This wasn’t going to end well.

Deadman picked her up and tossed her across the ring again, stomping on her stomach. She spat out blood and tried to get away.

“She’s not here because she wants to be,” Carlos said, breaking through the crowd.

He didn’t know how his friend could get the information that he did, only that he knew what to say and do to get what Drago needed.

“She has a kid. They’ve got the kid and are forcing her to do ten fights. She wins ten fights, she gets her little girl back.”

Drago removed his jacket. “That’s not how this fucking works. She wins ten, they want ten more. There’s no way they’ll let her go.”

Rushing toward the edge of the ring, he saw that Deadman was just landing blow upon blow on her body.

He didn’t have time to remove his clothing. Charging into the ring, he shoved Deadman off her, crouching over her body. He sensed Carlos near him. Keeping his gaze on Deadman, he saw that the man recognized him.