Union

4.

Roel
With Niko busy playing happy families, Lucky takes pity on me and agrees to attend tonight's fight. Alissandru already has his hands wrapped and he's not the little kid who would chase us around anymore. Slapping his back a little too hard he doesn't flinch at the move and I wish him luck in the only way I know how. "Don't fucking lose, I've got a number on you." Holding his middle finger up he pushes it into my face until I move away.
Kendrix is fighting tonight and I leave to check in on him before I decide to lose money on the bastard. There's no noise coming from his room making me sto outside the door. Fighters all have a ritual, we're superstitious believing if we change course it'll impact our performance. And Kendrix always plays music and jumps.
Pushing the door I keep my steps silent in case he's fucking bailed like a bitch. I'm not prepared for the sight of Angel laid out like a meal with a familiar head of hair between her legs. The little black dress and thigh highs are a near replica to the night we met and I can feel the lust coating my face.
Two things I know and all I'm good for, fighting and fucking. Now Angel has stepped into my arena and I'll toy with her using either of them. Leaning against the wall I fold my arms over my chest and she doesn't look away. Her hand digging into his scalp needing him closer.
Maria doesn't settle for pulling him closer and grinds into his face. There's no space separating them but she's using him physically, mentally she's getting off on me. Thats why her back is arched impossibly and her thighs clench pulling him closer. I'm already rock hard but the sight of her heel dragging up his back has my own remembering the feel of her coming undone around me.
The moans are trapped in her throat and I want to pull them out. I deserve to fucking hear what I do to her. She has defiance in her eyes knowing what I want and she won't give me it. Two can play at her fucking game. Clearing my throat before she can climax, Kendrix pulls back and she rolls her eyes at me. "You should learn how to share, man." My voice is cool like the vixen usually fakes and Kendrix laughs it off. Stepping back he kisses her thigh sweetly and stands adjusting himself. "After. I'm first on but the devil inside you tempted me." He directs the last part at Maria and I feel protectiveness come over me when her face falls. It's only for a split second but it looks like hurt passed her features.
I must have imagined it, I don't think Maria is capable of showing hurt. Or anything at all. She walks around like a building could fall in front of her and it wouldn't be out of the norm, a swan above water never letting anyone see her feet peddling madly below.
Valentin knocks on the door signalling the first fight of the night and as cool and calm as ever, Maria slides off the table pulling her dress down as she goes. It looks like a practised move and I mentally file the question away for Kendrix. If the prick has been fucking her and not telling me it'll stop now.
Once we're alone, she busies herself by fixing her makeup that hasn't even fucking moved. Standing behind her I see the fight in her pupils, she wants to look at me but refuses to. "Want me to make you cum?" My hand slides across her waist at the same pace of my words but she doesn't brush me off. Or acknowledge I'm fucking touching her. "I'm busy, maybe later." Maria's reply makes it sound as though I suggested picking up shit. Not fucking her senseless. Brushing me away, she walks out with the same air of grace. I want to dirty it, have her under my control and will. Make her bend to me and for me while she loses that fucking fake ass attitude.

Alissandru's fight is changed to a double when some fucker backs out and Lucky thankfully keeps his ass out of the spot. I don't have any shorts with me and go out in my boxers. Entering the cage my teammate shakes his head laughing. "You know it's a fight, not a fuck right?" I shrug loosening my muscles and my smile feels wide with the promise of blood. "What's the difference?" He doesn't answer my question and laughs it off.
There isn't a difference between them, we both know it. Both are about dominance and leave you breathless. It's a biological reaction from our cavemen ancestors, the need for violence isn't new. If it was wars would be a recent invention rather than a tool for the weak fuckers to try and satiate themselves. At least the people in this cage have a fucking spine and can fight for themselves, no one else is paying for our needs. You can fight your way through life or fuck your way through it. I'm just the clever bastard who has mastered the art of both.
Everyone faces a crossroads in their life, you either run towards what hurt you or run away from it. Our experiences can shape us but it's our choice on how it does. The hand that hurts can be mimicked and you hate every fucker or it's used as a tool selectively. I'm not the piece of shit who donated his sperm, I've never needed a weaker opponent.
Picking the bigger fucker out of the two in front of me, I'm moving as soon as the clack comes. His size is his detriment making him too slow to anticipate my shots or block them effectively. By the time the round is over he's covered in blood and wavering on his feet.

Maria
I've been watching feigning disinterest since leaving the changing rooms. When Roel enters the cage, my interest sparks up and I can't look away. I've never seen him fight, only ever spar with the others. His body is lean and perfectly crafted for his skill. That's what his fighting is, a fucking skill. He's like a human weapon with unmatched precision and I'm shocked his opponent hasn't went down in the first round.
Klea is shouting encouragement for him and he looks giving her a smile and winking at me. If he wasn't so sure of himself, it would be endearing. Instead, the cockiness is a turn off. I've known men like Roel before, ones who only know how to give pain because it amuses them.
Going back to get his next fix, a deadliness settles into his muscles. He doesn't give him opponent a chance to fight back and blood sprays as soon as Roel's fist connects. The need to run doesn't come, a mental block in place that the violence isn't directed towards me and I keep my body relaxed.
It takes one more punch and he's out, his body slamming against the canvas limply and then Roel turns looking for more. Alissandru is easily beating his opponent but the destruction Roel needs isn't fed and he picks the remaining man up by his calves and slams him into the ground.
They share a look and the twisted smile on his face promises pain as they both step back. The man stands in the middle regaining his composure and wildly swings at both Roel and Alissandru. They seem to have some ethical code because they trade shots off, swinging at the man in the middle like that game with a stringed ball on a pole. He doesn't last three rotations and falls to the floor with his own teammate. Both of them out cold and declared the losers.
Klea and Vitali go off to eat each others faces and I go back to earning my money. Keeping myself away from the crowds because I don't need their judgement, my messages have piled up. I have four clients, all but one of them has anonymity. Declan likes me knowing who he is, knowing the power he has and giving that over to me never knowing when I'll let the knowledge of who he is drop like a guillotine on his neck.
I'm sending my next request when someone moves closer to me and I'm forced to stop. They aren't intruding or inconveniencing me. My services are all about the game, Declan seeing me type and then stop will only add to the zeroes I'm collecting.
The smell of sweat doesn't reach me despite the exertion I seen in the cage, Roel has smells faintly of soap, mandarin and a woodsy musk. Standing beside me, he looks out at the crowd with disdain and his voice is low. "Let's finish what we started. A happy wife is a happy life." Hearing someone reference me as that hideous word fills me with revulsion and I can't keep the emotion out of my voice. "I am not your wife."
Getting a peak behind the curtain, Roel tries to pull it open antagonising me now he's found a soft spot. "You will be, then whatever I say goes. You'll carry my name, wear my ring and til death do us fucking part, engjëlli." He whispers the promise in my ear and I smile coldly, the ice carrying into my words. "May I have a short life." It's a death sentence no matter who dies first. Fuck the final nail in the coffin, marriage is handing over my soul to the devil and waiting for the moment I'm placed inside my cell for eternity.
Roel visibly reacts to my words, his brows coming together and he takes a step back looking at me like he's never seen me before. Stepping away before emotions make me spill any more, he doesn't stop me and I call Lucio to pick me up. The only way I can get out of this is with a little help from a friend and if H won't do it, I'll make sure Mara and Ajla do.

Walking into their home feels more natural than the one I grew up in, Benjamin pokes his head out with his gaming headset on and gives a wave rushing back to do whatever he's doing. I'm not against marriage for anyone other than myself, Mara and H were written in the stars and they compliment each other. When she tells me he's in his office I don't wait around, the sooner the fake engagement is called off the better.
H has a knowing look on his face and he doesn't let me get the words out. Speaking before I can make my argument his tone is gentle but stern like I'm a child. "No. It's the best option and Rizzo won't fuck off until he knows you're married, he's still in the country." Everything inside of me deflates, the old fucking bastard is waiting to see me sentenced.
Changing course, I go to the next best option. "I'm not living with him." Crossing my arms over my chest I give a physical representation of my mood. If I have to marry Roel, I don't need to live with him. I'd go crazy having to see him everyday and watch the rotating door of whoever he'd fuck knowing he'd probably invite me to join at any opportunity. Leaning back in his chair, H nods and his tone is even. "I don't give a fuck what you two decide to do, but you're getting married." Rounding the desk he softens and squeezes my shoulder. "I won't let you sign your life away to that cunt, he's old enough to be your father and I doubt he's any better than his grandfather." I don't tell him I know he's worse. Ernesto visited while I worked for Rizzo, his leering felt like there were bugs crawling over my skin and I'd have to scrub my skin raw to get it off.