HEY THIS CHAPTER IS REVISED/REWRITTEN. SOMEHOW THIS CHAPTER WAS DELETED SO I HAD TO REWRITE IT. (I shall be fixing it later in the future probably. I'm sorry for the confusion and inconvenience)
Emmalyn POV
I really don't like it when people touch me. I also really don't like it when people invade my personal bubble. I feel better when people are exactly one feet away from me. It's wonderful. There are still some exceptions. For example, my family is fine. My close friends are fine. Anyone I trust as a matter of fact are fine, but I don't trust easily. No, I do not. I think I can count the number of people I trust with my ten fingers: mom, dad, Jason, the twins, and Jason's idiotic six friends. Oh wait, that's eleven. Whoops. Now is just not a good time to be doing math in my head. I'm freaking being stared down by a gang of guys, and he is just casually behind me.
As soon as I felt the hands on my shoulders, I inwardly freaked. My first instinct was to go all Kung-fu on him. That's what I usually do. It's just my typical reaction. But I recognized him. I knew him. Judging my current situation, it would be much much easier if I didn't provoke him.
"Nice to meet you all." I greet rather cordially. I think I sound and look rather convincing. I've got my smile pasted on, along with my cheerful voice. I'm not scared. No, I am so not scared. Keep repeating that and it may actually come true. A voice whispers in my head. Shut up. I scowl at it.
"Boss." The guys nod. I nod along, inching away from him. I don't get far, his arm is latching onto my shoulder like super glue.
"Well, what are you all doing standing here like buffoons?" He barks. "Go do what you're supposed to be doing!" Within seconds, the group disperses. I finally see where I am. It's the Ring, Jason's so-called haven. I always feel a pit in my stomach when I see it, remembering unpleasant memories. I still remember when I first came here, stupidly following Jason here when he was a sophomore.
"He'll love his birthday gift." I smile excitedly, hugging the shopping bag and skateboarding through the city. I looked for the gift in every store I could find that had it. Only one store at the edge of the city had it, the not-so-great part of town. Still, it would just be a short trip. I can quickly buy the gift and skate the hell out of this part. "Now, I just need to wrap it up. I'm glad Jason is staying over at Tyler's this weekend." I do not feel safe here at all. This is where the most beatings, assaults and other crimes occurred. Maybe I shouldn't have come here all alone? Stupid, stupid me. Why do I always act first, think later? I am glad the sun is still out. Otherwise, I would be crapping my pants.
I see a flash of blond hair. Jason? No, it can't be. He's at Tyler's house, the opposite side of the city...I search for the blonde color. There it is! It is Jason! I start following him, even into a big construction building. It looks like a plain, empty building that no one would look twice at. What is he doing here? I pause at I seem him walk right through. There is nobody around. I follow after him, walking straight through the building.
I wish I never did.
I enter through. It looks like a normal office building. Nothing special. However, I see Jason enter through one of the doors on the right. I do the same. There is cheering and swearing as soon as I go through. What is going on? The air is filled with sweat, blood, and a swirl of other things. Bodies are all close together, nobody knows the idea of personal space. There are shouts and screams hurting my eardrums. My eyes widen as I see the huge ring smack in the middle of the place. How can they fit the audience and the ring in this place?
There is a really muscular young man standing on top of another man. He is grinning with bloodied teeth, one foot stepping on the unconscious man on the ground. His body language emanates cocky, arrogant, and just bad altogether. The two fighters look badly beat up, except the champion does not look as bad. He just has blood running down his face from his nose and mouth. I wince at how much pain he must be in, but here he is, standing in all his glory.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Actually, scratch that. Fighters and you blood-thirsty audience..." This earns a few chuckles, whistles, and complaints," ...the winner is Hugh White, who has been undefeated with thirty-six wins!" A man with a microphone grins as he points to the fighter who is standing. "Next up, the fresh young man who has been fighting his way up the ladder already! He is making a name for himself down in the Ring....Here is Jason Carter!" The man waves to a corner, where Jason walks out. My eyes pop wide open.
NO. I hear the words that would make me do the stupidest thing ever.
"ANDDD he's going to be fighting HUGH WHITE!" The entire place vibrates from the roars of the audience. "We all know that Hugh has just finished a fight, but rules are rules. Well, there really is no rules! Just no weapons,dirty fighting, and I can't remember the rest! Challenges are challenges. You don't have to accept, but you don't want to be a chicken do you?" The crowd shouts no. "Well then, Jason has challenged Huge for the title. The first person to be knocked unconscious or tap out wins!"
I can feel my eyes growing wider and wider. Jason? My kind, loving brother challenged that hulk of a man? Though I can tell Hugh is probably in his early twenties, he looks menacing with his faded scars along his body. This dude was built with ripped muscles. Jason looks like a twig next to him.
I feel protective of him, running and pushing through the crowd. It is to no avail. What can one small girl do against a crowd of people? I am thrown back out of the audience. I feel myself knock right into a body.
"Sorry!" I stammer, looking at the ground. I feel cold fingers grip my chin, forcing me to look up. I am staring right in the face of a handsome young man. However, I sense the cold, calculating look in his eyes. This man is not a good person. I take a few steps back. "I am truly sorry. I'll be on my way then..."
"Stop. Who are you?" Those four words chills me to the bones. Just four simple words.
"-Emma." I glance around nervously.
"Your full name." He says calmly, but I can hear the underlining warning.
"Emmalyn Carter."
"You wouldn't happen to be related to Mr. Jason Carter?" He looks at me with a blank face.
"Y-yes sir." I add the sir because it feels necessary.
"What is such a young girl like you doing in a place like this?" He arches an eyebrow at me. He observes me as if I am an animal in a zoo.
"I felt like it." I stubbornly say. Then, I add, "...sir."
"OH THAT HAS GOT TO HURT." The man holding the microphone winces. He directs my attention back to the fight. I worry as I see Jason limping and panting. One of his eyes has a deep cut above it. There is also a nasty-looking bruise forming on his right cheek. The fighters are both wearing only shorts. I can see more bruises on Jason's torso. It's weird, but Hugh actually has some damage on him.
"You have to stop that match! Jason will seriously get hurt!" I plead towards the stranger.
"I don't have to do anything." He sounds amused.
"Look at his condition!" I point at Jason.
"If he's a fighter, he will keep going. It's not my problem." He shrugs, looking bored.
I cry out of anger and lash at him. I barely move a centimeter when two strong arms grip me roughly. "Shall we deal with her?" Someone to my right grumbles.
"It's fine. She's just a child." The man waves them away. My rage increases at the word 'child.' I escape their grip and aim a punch at the man. He catches it and kicks me, throwing me against the wall.
I groan and clutch my stomach. The wall is freaking cement! His kick feels like a freight train ran into me. He has no hesitation at all. I think he even cracked a rib or two.
"You dare to fight back and disrespect me?" His eyes flash in anger and amusement.
I only glare back in pain and silence. I spit on the floor for good measure. In any other situation, I would be repulsed with the action I just did.
One of the men, who I assume was his bodyguard or henchman, rudely kicks me in the stomach.
A ragged gasp comes out of my mouth though I try not to make a sound. I coil into a fetal position, clutching my stomach and trying not to cry. "Ef you."
"Ef you?" The man smirks. "You can't even say the word properly." He crouches down to my level and gets right in my face. "Why, the word you are trying to say is "fuck." It's not that hard to say." Then, he leaves me on the cold cement.
"Oh yeah, enjoy the show!" He sneers, waving grandly at the match ahead of me...
"Hello my dear Emmalyn." A voice brings me back to the present.
"What a pleasant surprise Boss." I sneer, feeling anything but.
"Come." He decides to ignore my blatant show of loathing towards him. He heads to his office, not bothering to see if I am following. To my reluctance, I trail after him.
"Sit." He points to a chair in front of his desk as soon as we enter his office. Looking out through the huge glass window, Boss examines the training and activities of his trainers and fighters down below.
"Why did you so kindly kidnap me and beat me half to death?" I sarcastically say.
"A source says that my prized fighter is quitting. Usually, I don't listen to the rumors and gossips, but my source is trustworthy." His back faces me, hiding the emotions on his face. He ignores my question, acting as if he did not hear it.
I gulp. I feel like I know where this is heading.
"I've spent too much time and money on him. Yes, your dear brother Jason." He turns around quickly with an expressionless mask. "I would say he is expendable, but he is not. I have an eye for innate talent, and he is a rare gem..."
"Get to the point." I fold my arms and lean back on the chair.
"You're smart. You should have figured it out already."
I laugh humorlessly. "Am I the damsel in distress, the bait? You think Jason will come running to save me? Sure, he will. Yet, you think he is going to willingly fight for you after he finds out you have kidnapped his little sister?"
"All that matters is that he fights under me." He shrugs.
"For someone so smart and high up, this is a rather naive thought Boss." I mock his title.
"I told you to call me Zach." He commands sharply. Did I touched a nerve or something? I arch an eyebrow, but I shut my mouth from another snarky comment.
"Alright, yes sir." I mock-salute. "I mean Zach." I can't help but do that.
He steps forward and I automatically shut up.
"Let me explain this to you." He pronounces the words as if I am dumb. "I run a business. In this business, only the best survive. It is a competitive world. I happen be the very best. Now, Jason is a valuable asset to this business. If he suddenly decides to quit...well we would not want that at all. Another competitor may offer him a better deal. That would be worse. What I am saying is, you don't want to have to be taught a lesson. Perhaps, you want Jason to be taught a little lesson?"
"Are you threatening me?" Is he part of a gang? I can imagine him as some gang leader; he has the cold and murderous aura about him. All I know is that Zach is a mystery. He runs the Ring as a hobby of his. That is all I know.
"Don't you want a hundred percent effort rather than fifty? He will never have his heart in the fight if he finds out about this. Yeah, his body and mind will fight, but his heart will never forgive you." I point out and change the subject. By now, I'm just stalling with random stuff. "I say you just let him go and we will all be happy. Come on, Drake is pretty much an equal to Jason. Let him take Jason's place. Your so-called business won't change."
The betrayal is still fresh. Freaking Drake, my brother from another mother, attacked and kidnapped me! He would go against his childhood best friend and do such a thing! Drake has definitely lost my trust. I am going to make his life a living hell; he will wish he never betrayed us.
"No." He says flatly.
"No?" I stand up. I had to quickly think of something. "Drake is just as strong and skilled!"
"Let's make a deal." I blurt out.
"What part of this situation do you think you have the authority to make a deal?"
"Just listen?" I don't wait him to answer. "Let's make a match. Put me against one of your female fighters. If I win two out of three rounds, Jason and I walk out of here. If you win, Jason stays."
"This is to your favor, not mine. Why should I even agree?" He scrutinizes me, making me shift around.
"Jason, believe it or not, wants to stay here. You'll be keeping your best fighter if you win. Plus, if you keep this deal a secret from him, he wouldn't know. He will still keep winning the fights and giving his all." I pause, taking a risk. "You can choose what happens if you win."
"Join my company." He states.
"Wait, hold on a second." My eyes widen. "Why would you want me in this company of yours?" I don't even know anything besides that he trains fighters and run underground fights. I'm pretty sure this is all illegal!
"Exactly. You don't know anything." His lips purse in a thin line. Darn, I must have said my thoughts aloud.
"I'm agreeing to your deal," he raises an eyebrow at me. "Do you not want me to agree?"
"Fine. Fine. I'll join your stupid company." I mutter.
"I'll be keeping tabs on you." He warns.
"I'm not going to be backing out." I feel slightly offended.
"Match is at the end of the month." With that, he leaves me alone in his office.
Wait, what the hell am I supposed to do? Do I just walk right out of here?
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a/N
To be honest, this chapter sucks. I liked my old one a lot better. I'm sorry you have to read such a bad chapter. I'm just sad and mad at myself. How the heck did this chapter, my most important one, get deleted? I'm not happy with this revised one. :S