Tornado (18+)

23- Tez

The interior of Stallone's is a stark contrast from the glitz and glamour of last night. The gold and black decorations that adorned the building are now a distant memory, and adrenaline-pumping bass music has replaced the calming saxophone melodies that recently played through the large wall-mounted speakers.

Today's my first day at Stallone's working with new management, and I stupidly thought I'd be eased into things, given a chance to find my feet. But no, what is Jackson's first order? To get in the ring and spar with Lucien fucking Dean.

I stand at the side of Doris and finish taping my hands. "Why am I not sparring with Jace?"

"Boss's orders," Jackson says patting my back. "He wants to see what you're made of."

I glance to Jace who stands several feet away looking like a lost puppy as he runs his hands through his hair avoiding my stare.

Brent strolls from the office, his voice proceeding him as he comes into view. "Come on then, let's get this show on the road."

Lucien is already in the ring prancing around the canvas as if he's warming up for a televised fight that's going to catapult him into stardom. If I weren't so nervous, I'm sure I'd find it comical.

I step closer to Jackson and lower my voice. "I can't do this, he's Paisley's brother."

Jackson raises to full height, blocking out the view of everyone behind him as he folds his arms across his chest. "In that ring, he's just another contender, another fighter you have to take down to get to the top. If you don't, he wins and that's not how I work. I don't lose and neither will you."

Fuck.

"C'mon Terence, get your arse in the ring and fight my boy," Brent says followed by a deep chortle. "I haven't got all day."

I take a deep breath and look around for paisley, but I can't see her. Surely she wouldn't want me fighting her only brother. Surely she can put a stop to this.

As Jackson pushes me closer to Doris and tells me to get my shit together and take him down, I'm still silently praying that I don't have to go through with this.

I climb through the ropes and stare Lucien down, but all too soon the gym becomes a backdrop as we circle each other. He dives straight in and takes me down so fast, I can barely blink. On the second run, I catch him in a headlock, my arm pressing into his throat. I leave him no choice but tap out against the canvas.

I quickly realize that Lucien is no contest for me. He's only capable of grazing me with jabs before I knock him over on to his arse. A cheer goes up at the side of the ring but I pay it no mind. My focus is trained on Lucien as he comes at me again, swinging his fist towards my stomach. I dodge it and hit him in the back sending him to his knees.

We continue like this for a lot longer than the five minutes a round we'd have in a real fight, Brent lets this run on until Lucien is too weak to stand and has to rely on the ropes to hold him upright.

"Time!" Jackson yells eventually.

I glance down, Brent is nowhere to be seen but Jackson smiles approvingly and hands me a towel. "Great work, Tez."

Lucien comes towards me and pokes his glove in my chest, but I swat his hand away. "Stay away from my fucking sister," he warns through gasping breaths.

I tug off my gloves. "So now you want to be a decent brother?"

I hit a nerve. His green eyes cut to the side, his jaw clenching. "She doesn't need someone like you in her life."

I laugh, yanking the tape from my hands. "Like me? You don't even know me, Lucien. You know nothing about me outside of the cage."

"I know your type," he snarls.