Frailties of the Bond

Bring the Pain

Luca shook his head and dipped into the changing room. He took off his hoodie, the rest of his clothes and sneakers, grabbing a pair of fighting shorts and hand tape from his locker.

His keys caught his eye. Vivie's peace sign mood ring dangled from the chain, quickening his heart.

She wore no other jewelry, keeping the ring on her pinky finger from the moment Luca gave it to her a few birthdays earlier. Before the last breath whispered from her body on that terrible day, she slipped it into his palm, enclosing his fingers around it.

After a few steady breaths, Luca put on his shorts and stepped back out to face the inevitable.

 "Thought you ran away again, scrawny guido," Wick shouted. His boys grinned to back up his big talk.

I never liked being called a guido. Scrawny, I could deal with. But not that other noise.

Luca stepped close to the ring. "I don't want to do this, Wick. But you're worse than a yapping Chihuahua."

Wick pushed out his chest, stretching his height two inches taller, and dropped his fists to his side. He lunged for the ring and scuttled in beneath the bottom rope. "No more words then. I'm calling you out! This time, you better come with it!"

James glanced from Luca to Wick. "You both want this?"

Luca sighed, shoulders drooping, resigned to fight. Wick yanked off his jacket and tossed it over the ropes to his friends.

James pulled back on the top rope and leaped over, landing beside Luca with feline ease.

"You sure about this, Luca? That guy's twice your size."

James had only been his sparring partner since the gym's owner got called in for reserve duty two weeks ago. If it were Frag, as the owner preferred to be called, there would be no question. He'd wrap Luca's hands and send him in the ring. James hadn't had a chance to get to know Luca, so the concern on his face and in his voice was understandable.

Luca nodded.

James puffed his cheeks and blew out a whistle. "I don't know."

Whatever doubts James held, he voiced them no more. He wrapped Luca's hands to technical perfection and gave Luca a pat on his back.

After Luca entered the ring, James said, "Man on man. Two rules. No outside objects and no killing. Understood?"

Luca agreed with a curt bob of his head.

Wick sneered.

Other gym members gathered around, the fight too irresistible to miss.

Wick's friends yelled out encouragement, mostly "Kick his ass!"

"We don't have to do this. Vivie'd be pissed if she saw us." Luca tried to reason with Wick one last time. His mind raced back to her ring. I'm trying Vivie.

"You're just scared 'cause I whipped your ass good last time." Wick brought his hands up into a boxer's guarding stance.

"That was elementary school," Luca reminded him, hoping to end it without violence. "I've learned a few things since then."

Luca often wondered if he should thank Wick for that so-called "welcome to school." Vivie jumped in and stopped Wick before things got too far, leaving Luca with scuffed elbows and knees, a black eye and a new best friend.

His muscles flexed warm and loose from the mile long run from school. His breathing controlled. He shifted his legs shoulder width apart, slightly bent at the knees. Ready for anything.

Anything was exactly what Wick brought. He rushed in with a jab. Luca side-stepped, caught him by the arm and propelled Wick into the ropes from his own forward motion.

Wick sneered again. This time, he danced around the middle of the ring in a circle. Luca faced him all the way. Wick forced a quick step, leaning in to add weight to his oncoming uppercut. Wick moved fast, but Luca leaned just out of reach as Wick's fist passed by. Luca grit his teeth and plowed a vicious head butt right between Wick's eyes.

Wick cried out and stumbled back into the ropes. Curse words flew from his lips with enough ferocity to make a hitman cry.

"Enough, already! I got it," Luca ground out between clenched teeth. "You're pissed the hell off. But she's gone!"

"You could have saved her," Wick spat back. Spittle spray glistened beneath the lights over the ring. He held his hand to his head.

"I tried."

Wick dropped his hand. "Not hard enough! You're still alive!"

Luca threw his hands up in frustration.

Wick lunged forward, wrapped his arms around Luca's waist and hurtled them both to the other side of the ring.

Luca slammed against the ropes. Wind gushed from his lungs. One of Wick's friends grabbed Luca's ankles. The other reached up to hold his arms.

James screamed a few choice words and shuffled through the onlookers to get to Wick's friends. Wick got in two quick gut punches when Luca butted his head again, sending him staggering back. Luca lifted a foot and kicked one friend in the face. The other immediately let go of his arms.

Luca took slow, calculated steps to meet Wick in the middle of the ring. "Do you feel better? Is this what you wanted?"

Planting his forward foot, Luca shifted his hips, reached deep for an uppercut, broke through Wick's feeble guard, and connected to that sweet spot on his chin. Wick flew up and back in a time-stopping moment of silence, then flopped on the mat, dead to the world.