Morozov

Chapter 23

"Mallory, can we fight in the ring? I think I'm good enough" I heard Anne approach me again. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and then turned around. "Yeah sure" I said with a smile.

A few feet away from us I heard Archie scoff at Anne with his arms crossed, "No matter how good you think you are, be sure you're not when it comes to Mallory Morozov". I gave my friend a thankful smile but that quickly vanished.

"Morozov?" she asked confused and everyone looked at us. "She's from the Morozov Mafia?" a boy asked in shock. "No she's part of our Mafia. If you have a problem with her last name you can leave immediately" Ace snapped at him in a serious tone causing him to still immediately.

We got into the ring and everyone gathered around to watch. I readjusted my long blonde ponytail and blowed some baby hair out of my face.

Archie rang the bell and Anne immediately charged at me. I dodged her and punched her in the face. She backed up and held her cheek in shock. Then she swung at me again and I dodged it but the second attempt that followed her first one hit a strike on my jaw.

My head swung back from the impact and a stinging feeling followed by thumbing erupted from my jaw before I tasted iron.

Some trainees gasped in shock as blood was dripping out of my lower lip and I wiped it away with the back of my hand.

Anger rose in me due to the fact she was already pissing me off anyway. I kicked her against the nose hard causing a loud crack to echo through the hall and she fell on her back from the impact.

Now there were even more gasps while Anne was lying on her back, holding her bleeding nose and whimpering in pain.

I was breathing heavily, tightened my ponytail and got out of the ring after looking at her one last time.

Ace looked somewhat between proud and angry at once. We locked eyes as I walked past him and left the hall, slamming the heavy metallic door behind me.

I was in the nursery room, tending my lip as I saw the door opening in the mirror. Ace came in and stood right behind me, looking at me in concern.

"Let me see that" he said as he turned me around by my shoulders and took the cloth drowned in disinfectant out of my hand. Our bodies were just inches away, nearly gaping as he towered over me, having to bend his head down to look at me.

He dabbed my lip with it and then wiped the dried blood from my chin as I watched him. "I think you're good to go" he said as he threw the cloth into the trashcan next to us.

"Her nose is broken but Archie tended it so she'll be fine. It had to be put back in place. What was going through your head?" he asked both impressed and disturbed at the same time.

"She pisses me off" I scowled at him but then immediately pulled myself together "Sorry."

"It's okay when people piss you off but bringing it to the ring and doing severe damage is not the way to handle it. You might have ruined her chances to join. She won't be able to fight for a good 4 weeks," Ace said with his eyebrows raised but there was still a slight grin on his face.

"I don't want her to join, Ace" I said desperately. He brung his hands around my waist, pulling me slightly closer. My heart started pounding, I could hear my blood thumb in my ears.

My hands were against his chest but as his gaze lowered to my lips I wrapped them around his neck.

"Be careful with that. It would be a shame to ruin such beautiful lips" he broke the silence, suddenly separating his hands from my body causing me to mimic him. And then he left the room, leaving me speechless and confused.

Anne did not come to the training the following week and it has never been more chill. Then she came back. Way too early. And I hated her for it. Her nose was still bruised but other that that she looked fine.

As she stepped in her gaze immediately searched mine but I acted like I didn't notice her. When she did not approach me I got curious and looked around the hall to find her talking to Ace.

She was definitely flirting with him, making my blood boil. She played with a strand of her shoulder length hair while blinking at him and smiling as he talked.

Then she held onto his shoulder while laughing and that was when I had enough. I wanted to walk over to them but Archie grabbed my upper arm and yanked me back.

"You're not going to make a scene" he warned as I turned to look at him, shooting him an evil look.

He looked around like he was checking if someone was watching us and then leaned in. The following words he almost whispered made my curiosity grow even bigger.

"She seems suspicious to me as well. Trainee folder in my office, Tesla Rifle and Anne Quinn."

He gave me a serious look and then slid his key into my legging's side pocket on my thigh. "Go now" he demanded before patting my shoulder and smiling innocently in case anyone saw us, then he left.