Chapter 12

“Fight?”Trent frowned at me. “I-I don’t like that idea, Anson.”

“I know.” I sighed. I’d decided I was going to hit the Underground ring and try my first fight. Maybe I’d come back as a winner. If I didn’t. . . well, I told myself I’d scope out the competition, and if I felt confident in it, I’d throw myself into the ring too.

“Listen, I could get us a lot of money. You know I can hold my own. If I can do this, I could make enough to get us out of here.”

“I don’t want you to go,” he said, his voice trembling. “If you get killed. . .”

I winced. I knew what he was saying. I was all he had left, and this was dangerous. Stupid. But it could also save us. I could be safe. I was mature. My thought process was above most others my age. I was logical and intelligent. But I was a risk taker. I’d always been one.

Shit.

I wanted us to not struggle to survive. It was something I had to do.

“Anson, please,” Trent whispered. “Don’t do it. I-I’m scared.”

“I know,” I murmured, reaching for him and dragging him against my chest. He clung to me, his body shaking.

Fuck, I hated him crying. I’d never seen him cry a day in my life. Even as a baby, he laughed more than anything.

If I got myself killed. . .

But if I won. . .

“It’s late,” I said, pulling away from him. “How about we just go to sleep?”

He nodded and wiped at the tears on his cheeks before going to climb into his bed.

I got in my bed, and we lay in the dark for a long time before he spoke.

“Do you love Alice?”

I was quiet for a moment. “No. I care about her.”

“Do you think you will love her someday?”

I shrugged, even though I knew he couldn’t really see me in the dark.

“I don’t know. Maybe. I think anything is possible.”

“If you do fall in love with her, do you promise not to leave me? I don’t want to be alone, Anson. I’m really scared after-after Mom a-and T-Tia.”

“I’m not ever leaving you,” I said fiercely. “I promise you that I will always be with you, Trent. Nothing will ever take me away. OK?”

“OK,” he whispered. “I believe you.”

“I love you,” I said softly into the darkness.

“I love you too,” he answered back before going silent. Moments later, his deep breathing sounded out.

I lay in bed until my phone buzzed, signaling Alice had arrived.

Quietly, I got out of bed, hating that I was even considering this fight when I’d just promised Trent I’d not leave him.

I wasn’t leaving him, though. If it looked too rough, I’d come right back home.

Quickly, I opened the door and let Alice in. Her lips met mine in a deep kiss before we broke apart.

“Are you doing this?” she asked, staring up at me.

I nodded. “Yeah. I gotta try. Take care of Trent. If-if something happens—”

“I’ll make sure he’s taken care of,” she said solemnly. “You just go win some fights.”

I studied her for a moment. “OK. I-I’ll see you later.”

She smiled as I grabbed my backpack and opened the door. “Good luck.”

I really fucking hoped so.

* * *

I watchedas fighter after fighter got their shit kicked in by some meathead whom the crowd roared for.

He was probably mid-twenties. Big. Loads of muscles. But I had that shit too. Well, I did at one point. It had been some time since I’d been in the gym, but I also had skills to fall back on.

I could do this.

I went to the guy who was clearly in charge.

“Name?” he asked, not bothering to even look at me.

“Uh. . .” All these fighters had cool names. I hadn’t even considered what mine would be.

He glanced at me. “Listen, kid. Smash will kick your ass if you get into that ring. What are you? Seventeen?”

“Something like that,” I muttered, thinking of my birthday next week.

“Go home. Play your Xbox.”

My mom’s face flashed in my mind.

My angel.

Angels didn’t beat the shit out of people for money, but I knew an archangel would.

“My name is Archangel,” I said firmly.

He raised his brows at me and scoffed. “Hundred bucks, Cupid.”

I handed him the money, and he stuffed it into his jacket.

“You sure you’re good with that pretty face of yours getting smashed in?”

“Positive,” I said with a nod.

He shook his head at me. “Go on then. Go line up with the rest of the idiots.” He jerked his thumb behind him where there was a group of guys waiting to fight this guy named Smash.

The meathead.

I stood in line, keeping my breathing even and watching how he moved. The way he fought. The sneer and overly confident look in his eyes.

He was slow.

He took cheap shots.

If he managed to land a hit, it was all over. He’d literally smash his way to a win, his fists colliding over and over with the fighter in the ring against him.

“What are the rules?” I asked the guy in front of me.

“Rules? Don’t hit people in the balls. Everything else is a go.”

I nodded.

Everything else was a go.

I could do that.