Prologue

Kieran

Standing in the corner of this extremely old octagon, in this run down warehouse I'm finding myself second guessing my decision to take this fight. My opponent is a squirrely motherfucker. James Hill stands about six-foot-four if I had to guess and about two hundred and thirty pounds of muscle. His basketball shorts are the only clothing on his body. I've got about two inches in height and twenty pounds of pure muscle on him. I'm also dressed similarly, the only difference being I wear a mouth guard. That's because my brothers are ruthless, they'll never let me live it down if I'm walking around with missing teeth. He's unpredictable, he's known for fighting dirty, which says something when we're already fighting underground.

I'm the best in this circuit. That's not me being cocky, it's the truth. I've been fighting in this octagon since before my sixteenth birthday. I can't remember a single time before my Da and his enforcer started training me and my brothers. That being said, the video I watched just before walking out here is clouding my brain. My every thought around the images now burned into my retinas .

My best friend, Ryan is in front of me bent down so we're eye to eye as I sit on this stool. He's calm as he uses a rag to wipe the blood off my brow, "Okay, Kie it's time to stop fucking around. Get in there and finish him. We'll grab your cash, then we can go find some good pussy for the night." He's smirking at me because he knows usually cash and women are the way to turn my mood around. That was before the video though. Now, all I want is to take all this rage out on someone. James just happens to be the unlucky guy who decided to talk shit today.

Nodding to Sam just as the bell rings to signal it's time for another round. Pushing up to my feet and clapping my hand on Sam's shoulder, my feet carry my tired body to the middle of the octagon. Taking a second to shake my arms out and set my stance, James makes his way to the center as well. My hands come up to guard my face just in time for the bell to ring. We circle each other a few times before I swing out with lightning speed and pop him on the jaw. His head snaps around as my hands come back to protect my face instinctively. I'm able to tag him a few more times in the body before deciding I'm done playing with him. I'm ready to get out of here.

Dropping my shoulder and shoving it into his stomach, I grab his legs and slam him into the floor. On the way down he throws a wild punch, aiming at nothing but making contact with the side of my head nonetheless. My vision blurs for a second as I get on his hips. Shaking the stars from my eyes, I force myself to focus. Raining my fists down all over his chest, head, arms, and face. All I can think about is that video, the images, the audio, the turning in my stomach that threatens to have me emptying its contents, again. Most importantly, how I can never allow my brothers to see it .

One moment I'm on James trying to get the K.O. The next thing I know Ryan has yanked me off of his bloody unconscious body. "Fucking quit it, Kieran. You got him. Stop!" My wild eyes snap to him as my erratic breathing tries to regulate. "He's down, Kieran. Let's go." We hop out of the octagon and I'm finally able to look around at the crowd. Everyone is going insane chanting my name, no doubt because they just won a shit ton of money betting on me.

After collecting my winnings and throwing on my hoodie and sneakers we head through the crowd to find the exit. James' brother comes barreling towards me, I think his name is Troy, Trae, or Travis, maybe Trent? I don't know, but what I do know is that he's headed straight for me. Ry looks at me and raises a singular brow, "I'll be fine, go grab the car so we can get out of here. I'm right behind you." He continues on as I wait for Trace to make his way fully to me. Stopping, I wait until he stops directly in front of me practically snarling at me. "I don't know what the fuck you thought that was Byrne, but once a man is unconscious you fucking stop. My brother's been rushed to the hospital potentially with brain damage because of you." Putting my hands out and trying not to snap on him I remind him, "Listen, I didn't set this shit up. Your brother came to me, not the other way around. Talk to him about it when his bell stops ringing."

"You think this is funny? Let's see if your brother's think it's funny when they're feeling what I am." Before I'm understanding what the fuck he's saying I feel it. The white hot pain in my side from being stabbed. Looking down, it's all I can do to watch him rip the six inch blade out of my side then plunge it in between my ribs. He repeats the process twice more before I drop to the ground, the knife clattering beside me.

Tristian takes off into the crowd as everyone starts screaming and panicking. I'm freezing, my entire body is in a soul shattering pain. White dots dance in my vision and all I know for sure is that I'm going to die here. Spitting and coughing blood out of my mouth. I think I hear voices, and hands grabbing at me. There's no way to be sure though, because my eyes wont open and everything sounds like I'm underwater. The last thing I think as the blackness takes over is that I didn't hide the video well enough. They're going to find it, and I can't protect them from this because I'm going to be as dead as our parents.