Page 5 of Tico

My appearance has also given me an edge. While I may be twenty-two, I’m short at just five-foot-fucking-three inches, something I inherited from my mom’s side of the family. My height combined with my fiery red hair and innocent looking face, if you ignore my scar that is, have most people underestimating me when I step into the pits. I’ve had people laugh in my face and ask when their real opponent was going to show up. Then I relished in the surprise on their faces when I attacked as soon as Big Mike, or any other announcer for the fights, rings the bell.

Needless to say, I’ve made my dad and the club a fuck ton of money even though I barely see any of it. If it weren’t for me needing to maintain a good diet to keep my body in good fighting condition, I doubt I’d be getting any of the money I bring in.

I both hate and love that I’m forced to fight in the pits. I hate the ‘why’ behind me getting into fighting, of escaping the fate that would have been forced on me for being born a woman, but I ended up loving fighting. I love the thrill of the fight. I love the feeling of the adrenaline that pumps through me as I fight. I love the high I feel when I win.

But the most important reason?

Fighting has allowed me to protect my little sister, Pyper, from being subjected to those roles as well thanks to an agreement I made with Dad and Scooter.

Three loud bangs sound through the metal door, jarring me out of my thoughts.

It’s time.

Shaking out my hands, I do one last quick check of my hands, put on my gloves, and then walk towards the metal door with Reese, Dad, and Uncle Ryan flanking me.

The music fades into an upbeat tempo with no lyrics. In my mind, I replay the last fight Luna and I had. We fight each other a few times a year and our fights always bring in a lot of money for the clubs. Unfortunately, I know she’s in the same shoes I’m in.

Reese massages my shoulders and quietly gives me tips, reminding me of Luna’s weak spots. While the stuff Dad told me before is useful, it’s also very basic information. Reese’s tips are more valuable.

A left knee that she’s been favoring since two fights ago.

How she slightly telegraphs her punches by minutely rolling the shoulder.

To grapple if I get her on the mat because she still struggles with her grappling.

The crowd roars and I know that Luna will be taking her place in the pit right about now. A few moments later, the beat changes outside and my excitement ratchets up. The doors open and the roar of the crowd hits me full force as I walk out into the tunnel. The pit is a bit lower than the stands and there’s a wire ‘cage’ for lack of a better word preventing those in the crowd from getting into the pits or throwing something into them.

“You got this, Kid,” Reese tells me before he, Dad, and Uncle Ryan step into the section for managers and trainers.

I tilt my head in acknowledgement at him before walking forward until Luna and I are a few feet apart. Big Mike is circling the pits, getting the crowd even more excited. My gaze roams over Luna’s body while he talks, cataloging the fading bruises she tried to hide with makeup and how she carries herself while she does the same to me. She stands a little over a head taller than me and her body is a bit bulkier than mine. Despite her being taller and bigger than me, I know she’s quick on her feet. Thankfully, I’m quick as well.

“Are you ready?” Big Mike yells into his microphone. “In one corner, we have Luna! And in the other, we have our very own, Viper!”

I fight not to roll my eyes at the name Dad gave me. Naming me ‘Viper’ is just another way of tying my life to the Chrome Vipers MC. I know I could get out like Duncan did a few years ago, but I stayed to protect Pyper. As long as I fight and keep bringing in money for the club, our agreement is that they keep their fucking hands off her. She gets to be a normal kid rather than being groomed for the club’s and Oasis’ goals.

Luna and I tap fists and I drop into my fighting stance.

“Fight!” Big Mike yells as he rings the bell.

I dart forward, landing a few jabs to her ribs before dancing back out of range. Her fist just barely misses me and frustration flares in her amber eyes. We repeat our dance, trading blows, each of us trying to gain the upper hand. The blows she’s managed to land on me hurt, but the pain fuels my attacks. I hit back harder and faster, just like my namesake.

After a few minutes, Luna stumbles when I land a blow to her leg, right by her bad knee, and I take the chance to strike. Her eyes widen in surprise right before my roundhouse kick connects and her eyes roll back as her body drops. I follow her body down and latch onto her like a monkey, preventing her from movingwhile also getting into position to do a chokehold in case the hit only stunned her. However, she remains limp in my arms.

A few seconds later, Big Mike calls the fight. I jerk my arms away from her and am relieved to see her chest still rising and falling. That’s my one fear with fighting this hard.

That I’ll accidentally kill someone.

Especially when I know a lot of my opponents are forced into fighting like me.

The pit fights require a knockout or a tap out, though to my knowledge, no one in the same shoes as me has ever tapped out. Reason being is that most of the fighters belong to a club in some way and the penalty for tapping out, especially for the clubs like the Chrome Vipers, is severe. Dad and Uncle Ryan have repeatedly threatened that I’d be beaten within an inch of my life and then sold to some sick fuck if I ever tapped out.

The crowd roars as I get to my feet and Big Mike declares me the winner.

I look out into the crowd and my gaze locks on warm, chocolate brown eyes that are laser focused on me. The man’s hair is a bit short on top and the sides of his head are shaved. He’s got tattoos on the shaved sides of his head as well as his face, neck, and arms. Fuck, the man is sexy as all hell and I have to fight to tear my eyes off of him. When I do finally manage to break eye contact, my eyes widen and I try to keep my face neutral when I see someone here that I never thought I’d see again.

Duncan.

And he looks fucking pissed.