Page 1 of Bruised Hearts

PROLOGUE…

Landon “Breaker” Mercer One year prior…

The crowd was loud but still sounded so far away. Like someone turned them down but forgot to turn them back up. I couldn’t focus on what was going on outside of the ring because I was trying zone in on my fight I was somehow losing. I could taste the copper in my mouth before I felt the pain from my lip being split. My legs felt heavier, and I couldn’t bring myself to pull off the ropes. I could hear the referee saying something, but it wasn’t clear. The ringing in my ears was louder than him and the crowd chanting.

I couldn’t tell if they were cheering me on or hoping I failed. Everything on my body was hurting and I could hear them saxophones getting louder. I didn’t hear the bell, but I saw my corner climbing in the ring with the stool they hurriedly placed. I had no idea how my body made it over, but when I looked up, the ref was in my face looking me over.

“Can you see?”

“Yeah.” I was lying my ass off, but there was no way I was allowing him to call this fight. I had one round left and that’s all a fighter needed. One round could change everything.

“Show me your eye, Breaker.” I fought hard as fuck to open my eye, and when I did, all I could see is lights. The ref put his hand over my right eye before giving me a command. “Tell me how many you see.” Ford, my cut man tapped me on my shoulder four times letting me know how many fingers the ref was showing. That was illegal, but as long as we didn’t get caught, I could go back in the ring.

“Four man, I’m good.” The ref walked away, so he bought it.

“Breaker, you gone have to show me something. We didn’t come all this way for you to lose. Do you know what’s on the line?” My coach, Bud was looking annoyed. Or at least that’s how it looked to me through my fucked up eye.

“The belt.”

“We done worked hard as hell to get here. All those fights, the training, everything we’ve overcome was for this moment.” I finally made it to contend for the heavyweight title, and as of right now in the eleventh round, I was blowing it. Rodriguez had been getting the best of me and I couldn’t seem to find an angle. Every time I thought I had his ass, he countered and damn near took me out. This nigga had too much power, and I couldn’t figure it out, but as long as it was time on the clock, it wasn’t over.

“I know. I got this.”

“Do you?” Before I could go off, it was time for me to head back in. Trying my best to shake off the ass whooping I had gotten the previous rounds; I grimaced from the pain and made my way into the center of the ring. The bell sounded off and before I could move, Rodriguez had hit me with a combo. The pain was shooting through my entire body, and my legs waivered, but I stood strong waiting for the right moment. I could see that he was about to throw a right jab, and I went to block it, but moved too slow. Something in my side cracked and I immediately left the ring mentally. That sound was a trigger for me, and I was now seven years old in my front room.

“Didn’t I tell you about watching the tv that loud?” I nodded because it didn’t matter what the volume was on. My father, Raymond Washington was going to find a way to beat me.

“I turned it down like you asked.” Before I could say anything else, my father punched me in the head.

“Boy, quit talking back.” The tears welled up in my eyes, but I tried my best not to let them fall. If I did, I knew it would be worse. Once his hand went around my neck, I couldn’t breathe so the tears fell. “Didn’t I tell you crying is for sissies and I’m not raising no gay ass lil nigga.”

“I’m not gay.”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” he yelled before completely losing it on me. The hits were coming from everywhere, and I was now crying uncontrollably. Grabbing a bat that sat in the corner in case of intruders, he swung and hit me in my side cracking my ribs. Knowing he went too far; he dropped the bat and grabbed me to him. “You’re okay son. I’m just trying to teach you to be tough in case anybody run up on you. I love you.”

The pain shooting through my body brought me back to the now. I’m sure Rodriguez had broken my ribs, but I refused to fall. He was staring at me with so much anger inside of him. His was from fuel, but mine was from survival. We weren’t the same. In, out. I continued to breathe. In, out. I fought back the tears as I willed myself to continue on. He was swinging with all his might, and all I saw was Raymond. The man who hurt me for years. The man who broke me. Rodriguez hit me again, and my knees went weak. That’s when it came to me. His voice. Not Raymond’s, but Devin. The man who healed me. The man who saved my life.

“You wanna stop being a punching bag, then punch back.”

He told me that the night that I met him. Swallowing the blood down, I pushed off the ropes. He swung again, but this time I swerved it. A few more times, then jab. I caught him in the eye. I swung again, and it landed hard. It wasn’t perfect, or pretty, but it was intentional. I could tell Rodriguez was shook. The look in my eyes had changed. The monster had come out. Seeing him struggling to recover, I threw another combo. Two lefts and a right.

“Take what you went through and use it.”

I continued to hear Devin’s voice. Focusing on Rodriguez, I allowed his face to become Raymond’s. Blanking out, I continued to swing. Using every piece of strength that I had, I threw one last punch, and he went down. The ref counted as I leaned against the ropes. I slowly began to come back as I looked into the crowds. My family was standing there screaming and cheering me on. Devin wore the look of a proud father as he nodded to me and mouthed, ‘I knew you could do it’. I attempted a smile back, but my entire face hurt. I looked back towards the ref, and he was ending the fight. Dropping to my knees, I broke down. Who would have thought that everything I went through was preparing me for this moment. This chapter in my life was written the moment Raymond first put his hands on me.

Each tear represented a trial in my life that I had made it through. Screaming out, I prayed the world knew that was me giving my testimony. I could feel someone pulling me up, so I stood to my feet. Seeing it was Devin, I collapsed in his arms. He held me tight because if no one else knew or understood, he did. Hell, he was the reason I was here. He was the reason I believed in myself and when I couldn’t, he believed for me. Devin didn’t create me, but he was my father in every sense of the word.

“Son, I’m so proud of you. My lil nigga accomplished everything he set out to do.” Pulling back, I looked at him and smiled.

“I’m just getting started.”

Would you mind if I take my time and admire you? Candlelight, a little wine to set the mood. Baby no you won’t have to do much. Ain’t no pressure we ain’t gotta rush. Wanna know what’s on your mind before we touch. So do you mind if I take my time. Baby we got all night. I wanna love you right. Do you mind if I take it slow. We got all night to grow. Baby please just let me know.

- Chris Brown

Round 2 Landon vs The mystery woman

1- Landon “Breaker” Mercer