I was fighting a Harkwright, and I had no idea. Even now, looking at her. I can’t figure out who she is to these guys? A sister or a cousin? Who is she tied to?
“Two is going to stand there while darling Ava gives her a taste of her own medicine. She will not lift a hand to defend herself or strike back. Have fun, Ava.” He smirks before strolling over to the table, and all I can do is look at the woman who is going to make me hurt. She steps closer as a hush fills the room, her voice drops low and I know her words are only meant for me.
“This is going to hurt. I’m sorry, chick. This isn’t the way I like to fight, but at least you’ll get more control if I’m the one doing the punching. Anywhere you want me to avoid?” She arches one brow, and I shake my head. No limits, I know I brought this on myself.
She steps back and holds her fist out, I push mine against it, and she smiles. Right as her fist smacks into my eye. My head whips back, as she lands another blow to my stomach. I stumble, but I don’t react, I don’t even make a sound.
38
Time To Change
Aeron
“Really, you brought Ava in to do it? Fuck you, man. You’re a bad as Emmet and Tucker always said you were.” My hand shakes with my rage, as I watch the girl I love stand there getting pummelled.
“I’m exactly who you thought I was,” he snarls back, and his eyes don’t waiver from Little Zero.
“Come on, girl. Just make a sound. Act like you’re broken so I can stop this.”
No one looks at him as he says this, damn, I can’t handle this sober. I clock him on the side of his face, as I get to my feet. Attention is split between my girl and us. He throws himself at me, as I jump out of the chair, pick it up, and smash it into him.
He laughs darkly, as he rams me with his shoulder, sending my back into the wall behind us. I glance around, and no one is bothered about Little Zero anymore, they want to see the guys. Thallon slams my head down into his knee, my eyes cloud but I catch Ava’s mouth moving. But my girl isn’t listening. She turns to watch, her face falling as another strike lands on her stomach.
“What the fuck are you doing? Enough!” Emmet’s voice rings out, but we’re past listening to orders.
I grip Thallon’s arm, twist it around his back and send my foot into the base of his spine. He folds over, but I know he isn’t down. He lives for this, and I’m not a fighter, not really. I’m just quick, with a mean punch if I can land it right.
“Enough!” Tucker’s voice hits my ears, and the force of his order has me stopping, my fist only inches from Thallon’s face. He stops to, as we both turn to look at him. The guy who doesn’t shout, well, I guess I can’t say that anymore.
Only, he isn’t looking at us. He marches over to Ava, grips her elbow, and spins her into him. Her fist meets the side of his chin, and he laughs, before pulling her into him. People may think she’s fully grown, but that girl is only eighteen. Older than her years, and his little sister. She’s seen some shit. Unlike Tucker, she wasn’t brought into the family until she was eight, a chip on her shoulder, that only violence seems to help keep smooth.
“That’s enough, she’s had enough. Get out of here, Ava, you don’t belong. And stop avoiding them.” His eyes narrow as hers do, but she nods her head.
“See you around, chick. I think you’re gonna do just fine.” She smiles at Luna, before walking out the doors, as though she was never even here.
Tucker picks Little Zero up, despite her protests and heads out the door. We all just stand here, shocked to our core.
“What the fuck just happened?” Thallon mumbles, his eyes widening slightly, as I slap him on the back and head for the outside.
I make it to the steps before he asks the same question again, and I roll my eyes at him.
“You had Tucker’s sister go apeshit on a girl he cares for, that’s what happened.” I shake my head as I roll a cigarette, and spark it up.
“Got another?” His voice is dark, and his eyes look troubled. No way he’d ask for one otherwise. He doesn’t do that sort of thing, not anymore.
I pass over another, and he inhales as he leans back against the wall, as we look up at the sky.
“You, Emmet, and Tucker. Anyone else vying for her attention?” he asks, and I smirk as a name pops in my head, but I shake it off. Not my story to tell. She’ll spill her secrets eventually, and I’ll be there to make sure Emmet doesn’t do something stupid. Like tell Arthur.
“With her? Probably. Why, you want in? Feel like filing Tom’s rather small shoes now that he’s out of the picture?” I lace my tongue with sarcasm, but I think he knows I’m being serious.
“What if I do? Would it really be so bad? You guys tell me your secrets, and I’ll tell you mine. Think about it, Aeron, when Emmet gets her, she could be lost to all of you. If not, then how about bringing me into the fold?”
“You hate her.” I wink, and he laughs quietly as he shakes his head.
“I used to, until she got under my skin. That girl, there’s something about her, isn’t there?” He stares at the cigarette, as the embers burn it away.
“Oh yeah, damned if I know what though. The only thing I can figure out is that she’s real. Not like anyone else I’ve ever met. You want a place in our fucked up arrangement, then you fight for her. We’ll settle for nothing less, and she deserves that and more.” I ground my smoke into the floor, before walking off.
She’ll be in the medical center, and the fact Thallon hasn’t gone straight there and demanded Tucker leave, well that speaks volumes to me.
I stroll through, scowling when what’s her name comes up to me, batting her lashes like her shit don't stink. I really shouldn’t fuck the staff, then again, I don’t have the desire to fuck them anymore. I only want Little Zero.
“Hey, Aeron, back for a repeat?” She runs her tongue across her lips, and I laugh.
“Oh, honey, all you did was suck my cock. I forgot about you the moment I shot my load into your mouth.” I push her out of the way, until I reach the area where they keep the beds.
“She’ll be okay.” His voice comes from behind me and my jaw ticks as images of him kissing and touching her fill my mind.
“Yeah, because I’m supposed to believe you give a shit about her.”
“I do, Aeron, I was just confused. I was enamored by her, but I know it was wrong. You won’t have any more trouble from me. Besides, she’s happy. Now that she has Tucker with her.” His voice is laced with something, he’s angry but he’s trying to hide it.
I turn around and give Cole my full attention. His eyes are pulled tight, but his smile is relaxed. He really needs to work on his facial expressions if he wants to try and fool me.
“What did you expect? We can give her something that you never could, and it has nothing to do with our name. It’s all about who we are, and you, Cole, you’re rotten to the very core.” I tut, keep my face looking bored, as I leave him in the hallway and walk over to her bed.
“Fuck, Little Zero. Why didn’t you make a noise, a whimper, or something? We could have stopped it sooner.” I grip onto her hand as she looks at me through one eye.