Page 61 of Tico

Empress finally gets to her feet and glares at Ember. “He isn’t really with you. No one would want someone as used up as you.”

Ember’s dark grin deepens as she cracks her knuckles again. “That’s rich coming from you. The word on the circuit is that you used to fuck every contender at each of your fights until your leash got tightened and you were no longer allowed to travel for fights.”

Empress screams and darts towards Ember who easily sidesteps out of the way.Mis hermanos(My brothers) step forward, making a circle and holding the line so Empress can’t escape. Tables and chairs are moved to create more room.

“There’s no way Tico would choose a whore like you,” Empress seethes again as the women circle each other. “He needs a woman who knows how to please him.”

Empress goes in for another hit, but this time, Ember steps into her space and lands a hard hit to her stomach followed by another punch to her jaw. Unfortunately, Empress also gets in a few hits, and my muscles tense when one of them lands on her injured ribs.

“I’m not a whore,” Ember says, her voice even though it’s laced with icy coldness. “It’s kind of hard to be a whore when I’ve never had sex.”

For the first time, doubt flickers across Empress’ face but then it’s gone as she advances again.

My fingers itch to step in and end the fight, especially since Ember just had a fight last night and then another one two days prior to that. Empress must have seen the fight last night though, because more than once, she tries to land a hit to areas where I know Ember was hurt. Thankfully, Ember manages to block most of the attacks. As Empress winds up for another hit,Ember strikes out with a kick, causing Empress to cry out in pain when it connects with her knee. A knee I know she’s been favoring since her last fight.

Empress dodges another attack and with a cheap shot, she gets Ember on the ground. I step forward instinctively before I can stop myself. While I abso-fucking-lutely hate that I can’t interfere unless it’s necessary, I know that Ember needs to do this herself.

My gaze locks with Ember’s and when she gives me a little smirk and a wink, I wonder if she purposefully allowed the cheap shot. Then her face goes blank like it normally does in a fight.

She twists in Empress’ grasp and then Empress’ head flies back after Ember punches her. Empress cries out again as her arm gets twisted painfully in their grappling. I don’t think it’s broken but it’s definitely sprained.

Movement has me looking up, and I’m surprised to see that Bandit is still here. Then again,mis hermanos(my brothers) probably let him stay since he’s her brother. However, the resigned look on his face does not bode well for Empress. Especially after the news I got not too long ago.

Another cry of pain has me looking back down to find Ember has Empress pressed against the floor with a knee to her back. She has Empress’ hands locked behind her back in one hand, and with the other, she’s pressing Empress’ bloody face into the floor. Blood flows from a split lip and her nose. One of her eyes is already swelling while a couple of bruises have already formed along her jaw.

“I told you before that I would kick your ass if you ever laid hands on my man again,” Ember seethes, leaning close to Empress’ face. “You’re fucking done, bitch, and if you don’t want to end up in the hospital, you will stay the fuck away from Tico and me.”

“Get off me you fucking bitch! Why are all of you just standing there? Get this bitch off of me!”

Ember shifts, pressing her legs tighter around Empress’ waist. At the same time, her hand tightens around Empress’ wrists while also pressing hard with her thumb on the inner part of Empress’ injured wrist.

Seeing that the fight is pretty much finished, I step forward and squat down in front of Empress.

“This little stunt just cost you everything, Empress, or should I say, Ashley.”

Her eyes widen at the use of her real name instead of her moniker.

“You are banned from the clubhouse and all of our businesses. You’re also blacklisted in our circuits.” I look up at Taco. “Have a couple of Prospects go to her apartment and get everything out. Change the locks just in case she has a key hidden somewhere.”

Ashley screeches as she thrashes, trying to escape. Ember tightens her grip on her injured wrist which causes Ashley to cry out in pain.

“You can’t do that! That’s my home!”

“No, you rented Royal Bastards property. You should have read the fine print of your contract a little better because we made sure there was an exit clause in there for scenarios just like this.” I pause, leaning down a bit more. “You should have listened when I gave you the warning the other day. Now you have nothing.”

Ashley stares at me in shock at the coldness in my voice.

Claw’s mother, who is our lawyer, made sure there was no way those we evict could come back at us if that clause was activated. But Ashley isn’t getting evicted for attacking Ember. No, Wire had been keeping an eye on her since her little scene yesterday and she fucked up big time. But before I can say anything, Ashley twists in Ember’s arms again, trying to get her hands free.

“Why is everyone so obsessed with this piece of trash? She’s a used-up nobody! You should be with me! I’m the one that was at the top of your circuit! Me! Not her!” Ashley cries out and my lip curls in disgust at her entitled behavior. A quick look around shows that I’m not the only one feeling that way.

Ember twists her arm harder, making Ashley cry out in pain again. Tears pool in her eyes but I don’t know if they’re from pain or not.

“You’re delusional, Ashley. You may have been a good fighter, but that does not give you control over someone else. Tico isnota possession—he is a person. He is a man who is free to choose what he wants to do and who he wants to do it with. Tico is my Ol’ Man whether you like it or not.”

“You’re nothing! You’re just a patch-chasing bitch!”

Ember presses down harder on Ashley and leans down closer to her. “I see Tico for himself. I was raised in a club where people were disrespected all the time and women chased patches for status. I could care less if Tico were a Prospect instead of the President. I see him for him. Not his patch. Not the status. Him.”