Chapter 6

JACOB

The guy Rico had me up against next was heavier than me by twenty pounds, taller than me by at least three inches, and had a longer reach than I did. Fuck, I didn't lack confidence, far from it, but I was a little bit sceptical as to whether I'd beat him. I'd aired my concerns to Ethan and Danny. As usual, Danny didn't want to listen to me whining, instead he pushed me, like he always did. If anything, he helped my ego. He made me believe I could do it. So, after a few affirmations before the fight, I was ready for my opponent. My uncle's words also crept back into my head. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I just had to remember that when I went for the final blows.

As it turned out, he was heavy, out of shape and too slow. Too slow for me anyway. I pretty much came out of the fight unscathed. A small bruise darkened my eye from one of the very few hits that had made contact with my face and body, but that was it. I was like a bull at a gate as I charged in there and hit him with everything I had. Rabbit punches and swinging lunges, but every hit met its mark. And that was all I needed to do. He had a faraway look in his eyes after the first ten minutes, which made me push on.

The crowd roared with excitement; it spurred me on as I bounced harder on my toes and dodged his fist. When he tried to keep me at arm's reach, I hit him so hard in the stomach and ribs that his body practically folded in on itself.I held his shoulders and slammed my knee into his gut so severely his feet lifted slightly from the ground. His head hung between his shoulders, but I wasn't finished yet. I grabbed his hair tightly in my fingers, brought his head down to my already rising leg and smashed his face off my knee.

His legs buckled beneath him, his body became heavy and slowly slumped to the ground. I let him go and he fell into a heap.

Within half an hour of the fight starting, I was pronounced the winner. With two wins already under my belt, and no losses, I hoped I was becoming a crowd favourite.

After the fight, Danny suggested we celebrate my win. I was up for a pint. There was a place just down from Brawlers. I quickly sent Phoenix a text asking if she wanted to join us. I wasn't sure she would.

Hey gorgeous, going for a pint with the boys, fancy coming?

I slipped my phone into the pocket of my jeans and pulled my bag onto my shoulder and made my way to the exit to find Danny and Ethan. As I reached the bouncers, they opened the door and greeted me with a nod as I walked through between them. My phone buzzed with Phoenix's reply.

Nix: No I don't think so, I've got work to do for Uni tomorrow. You go out with the guys.

I love you, gorgeous. Xxx

I pocketed my phone again and carried on out of the exit and met the guys at my car.

The pub down the road looked as seedy from the outside as the club was, but I was only here for a quick pint and I'd be gone, hopefully to celebrate privately with Phoenix.

"What can I get you boys?" The barmaid asked us. While Danny was calling up the drinks for us and I looked around me. Call it sizing the place up if you want to, but I was wary of new places, especially in this part of town.

Two guys, one smartly dressed and the other in jeans and t-shirt stood at the end of the bar having a conversation, but I'd clocked them watch us as we walked in. There was a table of thuggish looking guys sitting on a table down the other end, they turned their heads too as we spoke to the barmaid. I was beginning to think we were a little out of place in this pub.

"That looks like it's going to be a nice shiner." The blonde behind the bar observed.

"Yeah. You should see the other guy," Danny piped up and smiled triumphantly. I turned my hard stare on Danny.

"Oh yeah…"

"Yeah. I belong to Brawlers down the road."

"I've heard about that place." She glanced at the two guys at the end of the bar.

"And who are you then?" The smarter dressed one of the two asked.

I stood up a little straighter and pushed my shoulders back. I wasn't the sort to look for trouble, but I wasn't the kind to back down either. "Jacob King." I pushed my hand out in front of me and waited for the guys to take it.

"I've heard about you. I thought Rico might have brought you round to introduce us. I'm always after extra muscle." He looked me over, scrutinising my size as he smirked slightly. When I realised he wasn't going to accept my offer of a handshake, I took my hand back.

"So you know Rico?" I asked, confused.

He nodded once. "He told me he had a new fighter, and you were something special. If you're up for it, I can put lots of fights your way."

Pints of beer were placed in front of us, I picked up my glass and sipped at my lager. "Legit?" I asked as I observed him from over the rim of my glass. I glanced at Danny and Ethan before turning back to the big guy. "And can I ask who you are?" My chin lifted as I questioned him.

"Liam Adams." He offered me his hand and not being the ignorant type, I shook it. "There's nothing legit in this business, Mr King. I'm sure even you know that."

I sipped on my drink and eyed Danny and Ethan over my pint before turning my back on them.

"You know Mr King, you could be just what we need." I turned my head and saw him step closer and reach into his pocket. I watched closely, my guard was up, I didn't know this guy and a smart suit doesn't mean anything. Not to me anyway. With a card slotted between his fingers he held it out for me. "Take my card." I took it from his fingers and flicked my gaze to the other guy that was stood with him, he hadn't said a fucking word yet.

"Does your friend not speak?" I lifted my chin at him and studied his face.

"I'm nobody, mate. Just here observing and having a pint." The other guy replied. I didn't know whether to believe that. The quiet ones were the ones you really needed to watch.

Quickly, I sunk my pint and decided it was time to leave. I had to get to Phoenix anyway.

"Right boys, I'm off." I set my glass on the bar and thanked the barmaid before I clapped hands with Danny and Ethan. The other two guys nodded my way also.

"Give us a call." The guy that hadn't introduced himself said.

I'll think on it." I told him as I moved towards the door and left. I turned to go back to my car and heard my name shouted from behind.

"Hey, King." I turned back and saw the guy from the bar, not the suited one but the quiet one. "If it's the money, we can top whatever Rico is paying you."

"You sound confident."

"I'm always confident. But Rico is a very small fish in a huge pond. If you want to go somewhere, Rico ain't the answer." He lifted a brow and stepped backwards. "Think on it and give me a call." I looked down at the card still in my hand. Lewis Campbell. By the time I looked back up he'd gone. I studied the card again swiftly before I slipped it into my pocket.

What the fuck just happened?

As soon as I pulled up outside of Phoenix's house I jumped out of my car, swung the door shut and jogged up the drive, banging on the front door like there was an emergency. I was half expecting it to be Phoenix that answered, so as a gap in the door appeared, I stepped up onto the doorstep and put my hand on the door, ready to push my way in. The door opened swiftly. I almost fell inside, and faceplanted the floor.

"Come in why don't you, Jacob." Phoenix's dad stood just inside the door. He stopped me from taking him with me as he held my arm until I'd steadied myself. "What can I do for you, young man?"

"Well, I just wanted to see Phoenix." I said with a tight grin.

He studied my face. Considering I'd just come from the club, I didn't look too bad, and I'd only had one pint. I thought that was good. "Been in a fight on your way here?" he exclaimed, expressionless. Phoenix's dad knew I fought, but he didn't know about the illegal fight club. Phoenix and I decided we wouldn't let the parents in on what I was doing. I didn't need their negativity, and that was pretty much all I'd have gotten.

"Oh, I've been to the gym, sparring…you know." I added hesitantly. I didn't want to say too much. Philip Clarke had a way of getting me to talk without even realising it. He only had to stare at me a little too hard and I folded under the pressure.

His chin lifted slightly; I was sure he didn't believe me but I wasn't about to call him out on the look he was giving me. "So, is Phoenix around?" he nodded, but still stared at me, roaming my face with his hawk-like glare. He stood to the side for me to pass by. "Thanks, Mr Clarke."

"You know I like you, don't you Jacob?" I stopped and turned and gave him a cautious nod. "But Phoenix is my little girl, even though she's the oldest, I'll always worry about her."

"I know." I thought that was every father's prerogative to worry about their daughters, I would never have expected anything less.

"So, when I see you with black eyes and cut lips and you can barely stand, I have to wonder if it's just sparring you're doing." He pushed his hands into the pockets in his joggers, with his shoulders pushed back, he puffed out his chest. I'll admit, Mr Clarke was a fair size and kept himself fit. As he held that stance, he was quite imposing; even to me, a guy that's come up against some big men. "You see, when I see you being helped up the drive by your two friends, I worry she's getting in way over her head."

My feet fidgeted once I realised he was talking about the last fight I'd had. I'd completely forgot about the video doorbell they had on the front door. To be honest, this wasn't a bad area, but there had been a lot of break-ins and car theft. I swallowed hard but tried to conceal my nervousness. I pushed my shoulders back to match and pulled in a steadying breath.

"I love Phoenix, Mr Clarke, and I promise I would never let her come to any harm. From me or anyone else."

Mr Clarke stepped up to me and wound his hand around the back of my neck to hold me steady. "That is all I want for her. Of course, as well as her nursing career she's already working so hard to achieve." His hand moved to my shoulder. "I just wanted your word," his fingers tightened slightly to give me a friendly shake. With a smile, he released me and finally, I relaxed.

"Phoenix," Mr Clarke shouted up the stairs. "Jacob's here." In just a moment, she appeared at the top of the stairs and greeted me with a smile. Her smile was so bright it could stop traffic.

"Off you go then." Mr Clarke prompted, and I disappeared with a tight grin. It soon turned to a warm smile as I looked up at Phoenix and I took the stairs two at a time. "Oh, and Jacob," I glance back and paused with my foot on the step, "don't forget what I said."

"I won't." I took the rest of the steps two at a time until I reached the top and slid my arm around her waist, bringing her against me. I'd been waiting for this all day.