UNBROKEN: A Bad Boy MMA Romance (Midwest Alphas) (Book 2) (18 page)

“Back off,” I seethe, my eyes targeting around his shoulders to find Tobias down the alleyway, still sandwiched between the men that look all too eager to harm him.

“Let me guess…” he says, refusing to budge. He jets his hands out and grips my arms. “You’re a
Dame
?”

“Get your hands off me or you’ll find out the hard way,” I warn.

He laughs even louder. “Last I checked, your boy was a little busy,” he says with a quick nod behind him. “There’s no one here to help you.”

My fingers roll into fists, subtlety gripping the front of his shirt. “Wrong,” I say. I yank him forward and ram my knee into his groin. He releases my arms and doubles over as he screams in pain. I slide my arm back and angle myself to deliver a swift uppercut to his jaw, catching the edge of his tooth against my knuckle. I wince at the pain, feeling it charge up my arm like lightning as he tumbles to the ground. His hands grip his junk as he writhes silently in the rainwater beneath us.

“Tobias!” I scream again and race towards the back.

“Claire,
stop!
” He holds up his hand and I halt quickly, realizing that I’ve jumped into a conflict I probably shouldn’t have. The two men standing in front of him give me nothing more than a cursory glance over their shoulders. The one to Tobias’ right is short, not much taller than myself, but his frightening muscles bulge out of his wet shirt.

There’s a low voice on the air, one that I pinpoint belongs to the man to Tobias’ left. “She with you?” he growls in his direction.

I step forward. “No, he’s with
me
,” I reply. “You want to explain what the hell you’re doing here?”

The man spins on his heels and takes a quick step in my direction. I see a scar against his face, stark and white, splitting his right eye down the center. “We told that bitch to keep her dog fights out of town,” he spits. “Springfield belongs to the Kings now.”

I swallow my fear away and look towards Tobias. He gives a slow head shake, signaling to me to back down, but my adrenaline pushes me forward. “Guess we didn’t get the memo,” I quip, “but I’m sure you wouldn’t mind sharing this one building — just for tonight.”

“Boss says no.”

“Who’s your boss?” I ask. “I’ll be happy to talk to him myself.”

“Claire—” I look over my shoulder as Rick’s voice travels to my ear. He pauses above my shoulder, his narrow eyes flicking between the two Kings.

The scarred man steps forward again, pushing even closer to intimidate me. “Look, I ain’t kidding,” he says to me. “Round up your Alpha bitches and get the hell out of town — and take your dogs with you.”

Rick moves between us, blocking him from me with his wide shoulders. “I wouldn’t talk to her like that if I were you.”

“Oh yeah?” he challenges with twitching lips. “And why not?”

“Because now it’s a fair fight.”

The Kings exchange looks of stunned amusement before they burst into laughter. “You two think you can take
us
on?” the scarred man laughs.

“Why not?” Rick asks, meeting Tobias’ eyes.

Movement draws my attentions behind Rick’s back as he slowly withdraws his hand from his pocket, the act out of sight to anyone but me. He silently flicks the black switchblade open and turns it over in his palm. I hesitate with confusion until he pushes it closer to me and I take it from him.

“I mean,” Rick continues on as if nothing happened, a chuckle dancing off his lips, “unless you two are scared or something…”

I look at Tobias as he slowly shifts his feet. I’ve seen it a thousand times during his training. Next, he’ll turn his hands into fists and he’ll raise them up to protect his face.

His fingers curl inward and I take a step back.

The King in front of Tobias points a threatening finger at me. “Don’t go anywhere, darling…” he says. “We’re not done with you yet.”

I cringe and watch the anger burn in Tobias’ eyes. “You
really
shouldn’t have said that…”

Tobias reaches out and grabs the short man’s hair to shove him forward into a dumpster. His head slams against the metal with a deafening smack as Rick throws his first punch at the scarred man’s face.

I step back again, holding onto the knife as hard as I can, hoping that I never have to use it. My eyes bounce between them, unsure which battle I should focus on the most.

Rick takes a fist to his jaw, but he easily bounces back to land a swift kick to the scarred man’s knee, dropping him hard to the ground. He punches his face once, twice, and again, forcing the King down harder each time. My eyes jump to Tobias as his opponent lunges at him and tackles him into the wall of the building, sending him back with the force of a truck. I move forward, determined to help him, but Rick pushes me out of the way before raising his leg and slamming it down on the scarred man’s head. He brushes passed me and reaches for a busted pallet between the dumpsters to rip off a large board of wood.

Tobias elbows the short man in the face and drops him to his knees with a fast sweep of his leg.

“Tobias!” Rick shouts.

He looks up as Rick tosses the wooden board in his direction. Tobias catches it easily and draws it back to hit the King with it. It knocks him in the jaw, hard, and he crumples to the ground below in a silent heap.

I gasp and bring a hand to my face in shock. The thunder above crashes loudly, welcoming another wave of pouring rain down on our heads. I stare at the bodies at our feet, my heart racing in my chest, gripped by a fear I’ve never quite felt before.

Tobias drops the wood and walks over to me. “Claire, are you hurt?” he asks.

I shake my head quickly and his eyes fall to the white-knuckle grip of my hand. I realize I’m still holding onto Rick’s knife — the same knife he attacked Tobias with last year. The same knife he held against me that left behind a scar of my very own.

Rick holds out his hand to me and I slowly drop the switchblade into his palm. “Thanks,” I say.

He slides the knife closed and stuffs it back into his pocket with an amused glance down the alley. “Not that you needed it though…” he mutters, jutting his chin in the direction of the man I assaulted all by myself. He glances at Tobias. “You teach her that?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Tobias answers. His eyes remain laser-focused on Rick, unwilling to put his guard down around him even for a second.

Rick’s eyes move between us slowly before he turns around. “I’ll see you inside.”

It’s a strange sensation, almost like being side-swiped on the highway. You sit there, staring off into space, wondering what the hell hit you while the other party fades off into the distance. I’m shaking in my soaked clothing, completely lost and confused, blinded by the bright headlights of passing trucks.

“Claire…”

I pull my eyes away from Rick’s disappearing form. “What?” I mutter quickly, forcing myself to look up at Tobias.

He stares back at me with a firm face as water rolls down his cheeks. The scarred man starts with a groan and Tobias reaches out to take my hand. “We should get inside,” he says. I wince as his finger slides across my knuckle. He pauses and raises it up to inspect the scraped skin. “Does it hurt?” he asks.

Rain taps at the small wound, washing away any sign of blood, but I feel a fresh sting with each drop of it. “A little…” I say, “but it’s nothing to worry about.”

He lets my hand fall back down. “You sure there’s nothing to worry about?” he asks slowly.

I shake my head. “I have no idea.”

***

The show must go on.

It doesn’t take long for the make-shift arena to populate with the Midwest Alpha’s adoring public, each one just begging to see the long-awaited rematch between
Tobias the Untouchable
and
Rick the Unbreakable
. Little do they know, if they had only shown up a bit earlier, they would have caught a glimpse of them fighting on the same side.

I haven’t gotten over it yet. Rick. The man of my nightmares. He stuck his neck out for me, for
Tobias,
almost as if it was a given. He could have left us there and abandoned Tobias to an unfair fight, but he stayed to help, never thinking twice about it.

The
Alphas
always protect their own.

I guess we are all on the same side of this conflict against the Double Ex Kings.

I’d be lying if I said I that didn’t make me nervous.

Heather stands in the middle of the arena, her hands waving in the air as the audience chants for her. There’s plenty of locals here, many of whom I’ve never seen before, as is the case with most local fights. I’ve seen the crowds back home fall head over heels for Amy every week, but these people are different. There are the ones that have stuck around in spite of the Kings spreading quiet threats throughout the community, striking fear into them in the hopes of making them sit this one out. Lillian made the call that brought every Alpha fighter in the area to our door. They stand among the crowd, large and threatening, their eyes on the constant watch, just begging to give a King the taste of their fists.

“I want to thank each and every one of you for coming tonight,” Heather says, her smile slowly dropping from her bruised face. Fear plagues her shaking voice. Her black hair is tied back tight, forced away from her face to make sure everyone can see what’s been done to her. The crowd goes silent, hanging on her every word. “The Midwest Alphas suffered an attack tonight, one that
will not
be forgotten or forgiven. I will not roll over and let them take over what is rightfully ours!” She pauses as the room shouts in agreement. “This is our city,” she continues. “This is our home. I promised you all a fight tonight... and I never break a promise.”

I look at Tobias, standing just below the ring, and notice Rick standing silently to his right. Scott stands to the left, glancing nervously around him. That familiar jolt of worry strikes my chest. We all might have a common enemy, but Rick and Tobias are still rivals. There’s still a bet to be won. My fate is still up for grabs.

The door opens and a few more late-arrivals come inside. Kimi begins to take their entrance fees, but pauses as one of them leans down to whisper in her ear. I recognize his hooded sweater, having seen it at every fight so far this season.

I watch as Kimi’s brown eyes search around, but I quickly step forward to draw him away from her. “Ryan…” I say, leading him back to the door, out of earshot of everyone else. “You shouldn’t be here.”

He peeks out at me and sighs. “I just need to talk to Amy,” he says.

“An Alpha fight is the
last
place you should be right now,” I warn.

“I know,” he says. “Believe me — but I didn’t know—”

“Save it, Ryan,” I whisper. “Go —
now
.”

He looks over my shoulder and his eyes fall soft. “Amy, I—”

She pushes passed me and shoves him hard, forcing him backwards against the door. “Don’t you dare say my name,” she growls.

“Would you two please let me explain—?”

“No.”
Amy shoves him again. “I honestly don’t care for an explanation as to why your boys attacked one of us tonight—”

“I had nothing to do with that—”

“Get out.”
Amy grabs the door knob and pulls the door open, knocking him off balance. “I never want to see you again.” She leaves the door ajar and turns around to leave him there.

Ryan hesitates. “Amy,
please
,” he whispers.

She spins back around, flipping her head so quickly her damp hair slaps against her mouth.
“Stay the hell away from me,”
she seethes before rushing off to rejoin the crowd.

“Claire, you believe me, right?”

I look up at him and shake my head. “You should just go, Ryan,” I say. I place a hand on his shoulder and push him softly. He doesn’t resist it and he steps back outside into the rain without saying a word.

Sorry, Ryan, but it’s not just you. I don’t know what to believe anymore.

The roar of the crowd draws my eyes back to the ring, where the three fighters climb in to stand behind Heather. Part of me wants to run outside into the night, never wanting to know the outcome of all this. The Alphas vs. The Kings. Tobias vs. Rick.

“Rick the Unbreakable!”

The name barely leaves Heather’s lips before the crowd starts screaming, especially the sizable group of ladies that populate the front row. Their swooning makes me laugh, but only for a second. If only they knew who he really was. I doubt they’d be screaming so loudly if they did.

“And
Scott the Sinister
!”

There’s a familiar groan of disappointment, but it’s not surprising to see the ultimate battle has been delayed yet another week. Tobias climbs out of the ring, his face stoic and brave, but I can tell he’s just as relieved as I am as he wanders through the crowd towards me.