"Carlos!" Mason roared, reaching the arena of the gym where the ring had a practise in progress. Carlos looked away from them and walked to Mason, waving for them to continue.
"Mason."
"Take me to her, now!" He ordered.
"What?"
"I know he's taken her. Take me to her right now."
"Mason, I have no idea what you're on about."
"Is there a fight today?"
"A fight?"
"A fight with Monroe's bet on it?" He asked in a low growl. His eyes moved as he thought for a bit, his jaw clenching then a realization dawning on him. He nodded.
"Take to her, now." He fought.
"You can't." They turned and Raven stood behind Mason.
"Raven, don't start with me, I won't think twice before burying you alive today." He fought.
"She gave you the ring." He grinned.
"Oh fuck off." Mason grumbled.
"South Rock." He spoke and Mason's brows furrowed, "Where the fight is tonight. He's got twenty-million riding on it. She wins? He lets her go. She loses? He sells her for fifty million and pays a debt off." He told them.
"Why are you telling us this?" Mason asked.
"Tired of being second. I'm tired of her. Just getting her out of the way."
Carlos grinned.
"Its not what you think." He muttered harshly.
"Then how is it?" Mason couldn't trust him. He shared an eye contact with Carlos.
"He's not a good man." He spoke.
"I figured."
"No, you..." He bit his lip, "I dont want another Monroe done wrong by him."
"What do you mean, Raven?" Carlos asked.
"You really think Aaron was gonna commit suicide?" His eyes teared up.
"Raven?" Carlos asked as Raven cleaned a tear from under his eye.
"You... were you and Aaron..." Mason started.
"Not like that. No." Raven shook his head, "We were best friends." He pulled his hand out from his pocket and showed a familiar black ring, "We were family."
"What do you mean by doing wrong? Monroe didn't..." Carlos started.
"The bastard killed him." He bit out.
"What?" Mason paled.
"Poisoned him because Aaron wanted out. He won the money from the game and Rib-steel got kicked out of the tournament." He wiped his eyes, aggressively, "I promised him I'd watch out for Raina. I didn't like you so I tried to keep her around us. But I can't let him sell her. I'm not saying I like you, Golden Boy, but I'm not going to let her be sold, either." He sniffed and looked at Carlos as well.
"What makes you so sure that she'll lose?" Mason inquired.
"Monroe's lying to her, isn't he?" He asked Raven.
"She thinks she's fighting for twenty-million. It's fifty. The game's rigged. She wins and Benson get's Raina forever. And Monroe gets his fifty-million."
"No. No. No." Mason shook his head, mumbling to himself.
"She'll do whatever it takes to win." Carlos understood.
"We need to go there." He told him.
Carlos nodded.
"If you're lying..." He turned to Raven.
"I'll be right there for you to kill." He was coming along.
***
The ride to the location was half hour and according to Raven, the fight was scheduled fifteen minutes later than their arrival. He led them into the tall apartment complex. He suggested the parking lot and then a corner elevator with the same keypad he'd seen before. As they hopped in, Raven put the code and Mason waited in anticipation, fearing that he was too late. When the elevator doors opened, he was standing in a subtle brown carpeted, white walled. They could see two black suited men by the end and Raven and Carlos came in front of him as they made way. He waled with his ball cap on and head slightly, yet not suspiciously bowed.
"No one can see her." One of the guards stopped them.
"Well, she needs to see her coach before a game, doesn't she? Mr. Monroe sent us." Carlos told them. He looked at the three of them, "You must head off to the arena, he's waiting."
"He told us to keep her close."
"And now we're here." Raven told them, "So, leave. It's almost time."
The two glared at them and one stared at him.
"Who's this?" He pointed at Mason.
"Part of our team, anything else Hade?" Raven asked with a clenched jaw. Mason stood confidently, though kept his head a bit low. Hade, the dark guy with ear length hair, licked his teeth, and nodded at his blonde friend and they made way past them. Carlos watched them leave as Raven entered her room first, Mason was next and after a few seconds, Carlos came in. The room was a double bed, a round coffee table in a corner and a door to the left that took to the bathroom. Frantic steps came from the corner hidden by the corridor of the room they stood in an expecting hope Raina stood in yoga pants and a black crop top. Her hair tired back and face frantic until she found Mason.
"Mason?" She gasped and he pushed past the two, taking her in a tight hug, "Oh." Her voice grew heavy and he cooed her close.
"Are you okay?" He muttered, in her ear. She nodded and moved back, eyes tearful but contained.
"What are you all doing here? What the fuck is he doing here?" She asked with a clenched jaw, glaring at Raven.
"He brought us here." Mason told her.
"Oh, I bet. Whats in it for you, asshole? I bet dad told you to bring them here."
"Listen, I have no fucking interest in you, either. Just trying to fulfil a promise." He bit out.
"Yeah." Raina scoffed, "And I'm the Queen. Talk sense man." She bit out.
"Its true." Mason stopped her from jumping and killing Raven.
"Mason, you don't know him. He doesn't do anything for others. It's only for his wellbeing!" She jumped but Mason caught her by the waist, keeping her back.
"Raina, Raina." He stopped her, "You have to listen to me. You have to run. If you fight tonight, things could spiral out of control."
"What?" She blinked.
"Your father's made a deal."
"Yeah I know. He offered it to me."
"No, no." Mason took her hands, "He made one with Benson. The game's rigged. If you win, Benson gets you and your dad walks away with fifty million."
"What? No. The deal is if I win, I get to walk away."
"No, you don't." Raven added, "He knows you wanna leave but he'll only be in loss if you do. So selling you, in turn of fifty million sounds like a pretty sweet deal at the moment."
"But why the game then?"
"Its the final. Remember?" Raven added, "You win this, you are the ultimate champion."
"But..." She slumped moving away, "I knew I'd lose tonight but..." She gulped, "What... happens if I lose?"
"He'll keep you." Raven told her, "I've only come to tell you to lose. I brought pretty boy here so you'll listen. Staying with him, is better than being taken by Benson." Raven's jaw clenched in disgust.
"No, she isn't fighting, period." Mason stood between them, "I'm taking Raina away and then we're getting him arrested for taking her even though he lost the custody case."
Carlos shared a look with Raven and sighed.
"Or, I fight and lose." Raina suggested.
"Are you crazy?" Mason snapped at her.
"Hear me out." She raised a hand, "I lose and he loses the fifty million."
"And never gets his money for his debt to Carson."
"I knew it." Her eyes widened and watered with the intensity, "That arena in Brazil! He borrowed money, didn't he?"
Raven blinked and she slammed a fist in her palm.
"I'm playing and I'm losing. I don't care if I die, he's losing tonight and there's no place, he's taking me."
"Stormy. Stormy. Look at me, baby." He whipped her around to face him, "You are losing it."
"Yes I will."
"You- what? No! I mean you are losing your mind!" He squeezed her shoulders, "You cannot fight tonight."
"Yes, yes, I will and I can."
"Raina, no!" He boomed and everyone froze, "You aren't fighting and that's final! Am I clear?" He looked around.
They all blinked quietly and dropped their heads. Raina's eyes blinked up at him, slowly, analyzing his outburst.
"Did I make myself clear?" He asked lowly, keeping his jaw set and eyes boring into her. She flinched and then nodded. He knew he was being rude and quiet harsh but he didn't have a choice. Raina fighting meant worse things along the way and he'd had it up to everywhere that pissed his clock off. Now, he was walking her out of here and if it took beating Monroe up himself, he might just not care about age anymore. Shrugging off his jacket, he looked back at Carlos and Raven. Carlos took off his rag red scarf and gave it to Mason. Mason opened the gigantic square cloth and folded it into a triangle. Pouting, he thought for a bit. Bringing the longer ends behind her neck, he tied them up and then used the corner pieces that came to her stomach and parted them from the fold. Pulling each corner in separate direction, he wrapped it around her chest and tied it in the back.
Raven scoffed in amusement and Mason glared at him. He lost his smile. Raina cocked a brow up at him.
"Instagram." He answered, "shut up." He turned back to his stern face and hardened jaw. Picking up his jacket, he put it on her and she dug her arms in through the sleeves, slightly shivering, "Untie your hair." He pointed and she started untangling her knitted braid. By the time she let her loose which came to her shoulders, they remained wavy and tousled, making her look arousing.
"Hairspray." She gulped.
He nodded.
"We'll walk outta here. Her and me. You two, go to the arena."
Carlos and Raven nodded. They went out first and Carlos gave the all clear before he started dragging Raina out.
"Mason, you're making a mistake." She whispered.
"Yeah, well, too late. Keep walking. Head low." She gulped and her fingers tightened in his. They followed them out to the elevator and sliding in, they kept their heads normals but eyes still low, so as to not be recognized properly. The elevator opened into the garage and the two walked past them out of the elevator. They didn't look back as it shut and he walked her to his car.
"Mason." A call. Both froze. He tightened the hold on her and turning, he stood her behind him.
"Mr. Monroe, good evening." He grinned.
"You have something of mine."
"I don't follow." He shook his head, eyeing the two men beside him. The ones they'd removed from the detail outside her room.
"Don't be childish boy." He announced, "She knows the deal. And then all's done." He waved a hand.
"She's not fighting."
"So, he's making decisions for you now, huh girl?" He roared and Raina's fingers gently twitched in his. He squeezed back, looking over his shoulder.
"It's a mutual, decision." She walked ahead and stood next to him.
"You're leaving me?" He pointed at his chest, his mauve dress-up shirt crinkling with his point on himself, "For a few months of... high school romance? Where is your sense?" He scolded.
"No! I'm leaving you for my family! I'm leaving you because I don't want part in any of this!"
"You're going to leave your brother's legacy?" He asked gravely and Raina stiffened.
"Oh, this wasn't his legacy!" Mason called out, "His legacy is right here!" He raised their cluster off hands just a bit, "His sister, setting herself free from something he failed in doing so."
"What're you talking about?" She looked at him.
"You don't know anything about my son, boy."
"He was no son to you, Bruce." Mason called back, "He wanted out. He wanted his sister out but you knew he was going to run off, so you did something to benefit both your pride and bank."
"Mason." He warned.
"You poisoned him, right before the last round."
Raina's head whipped from Mason to Bruce.
"He... what?" She gasped. He finally looked down from their deathly glare match to Raina who seemed more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her.
"He knew your brother was going to throw the game. So... he poisoned him so that he got the truce money and his name remained intact, and all blame fell on the opponent."
"Is that true?" Raina's glossy eyes turned to Bruce again. His jaw hardened and he stared at her, not answering, unmoving, "How could you?" She whispered in disgust, "HOW COULD YOU?" She screamed, running ahead. Mason stumbled a little but managed to catch her back by the waist. She was growling like a wolf as he held her back.
"I wasn't thinking." He shook his head, not speaking apologetic but neither was he fighting the accusation. Sirens rang and Mason looked back to find two cop cars arriving the garage. Mr. Monroe stared with parted lips.
"You killed your own son!" Raina wailed, losing her ground, getting weak, "You killed your own son!" She cried, dropping her head back in Mason's shoulder, "He killed Aaron." She murmured. Mason's heart clenched at her weakness.
"Shh, it's okay." He dropped on his knees with her as she dropped back on her bottom on his thighs.
"He killed him, Mason."
"I'm sorry."
"Hands in the air Bruce Monroe!" One of the cops yelled.
He stared with white fists on each side. His eyes turning from the cops to them.
"Why?" She whispered as the cop walked to him. Two more came and caught the guards. As the last cop made a calm Bruce walk to the car, Raina spoke again, "Why?" She looked at him, shell-shocked. He paused and the cop stared at Raina as well.
"I wasn't thinking." He answered lowly.
"He..." She sobbed. Mr. Monroe's hardened face stared at Mason and he could've sworn that he saw a pain flash in his eye that soon disappeared and with a gruff he left with the cop. Raina sobbed harder in Mason's clutched and he rocked her to ease, though it didn't seem to come for the whole while they sat there until she became limp in his arms.