Page 9 of Tandem

We exchanged nods, and I headed out, strolling down the alleyway, keeping one hand on the cash tucked in the front of my hoodie pocket and the other wrapped on my brass knuckles. People knew what Pops did and they knew people leave with cold cash often. Most wouldn’t try and fuck with me, but some new shit on an acid trip might, so better to be prepared.

Once I had my cash stashed and had taken a warm shower, I got out and threw on some fresh joggers. I saw my phone go off, so I walked over and grabbed it, scanning the texts flashing on the screen.

“Fuck, this is turning into a good day.” I smiled as I read a new text. Next fight tonight, that was two in one week. I might actually get enough to buy that new whip I’d been saving for. I did some stretches and boxed my punching bag a few moments before throwing on my fight gear, which wasn’t much different from my regular workout gear, grabbing my keys, and walking out the door. I slid into the driver’s seat and mapped to the location on the text, some alley behind a group of warehouses outside the industrial district.“Perfect, the train nearby will block some of the noise, too,” I said to myself as I turned on the music and drove.

I pulled into the lot for the fight, walking inside the warehouse where several temporary spaces for different fighters were set up. I found one with my name on it. They knew by now to put my spot closest to the exit. If a quick getaway was needed,I was closest to my whip that way. I went inside the room and started stretching. Clicking play on my playlist and listening to some good old Ice Cube, Biggie, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac songs as I warmed up. Something about old-school hip-hop got my blood pumping.

I heard the announcer call another fight, and the crowd erupted as the two fighters went at it. This fight lasted a while, there must be two newer bloods, as an OG against a new fighter would have had it finished by now, and it was too early in the night for two experienced fighters to be matched. Then you heard a mix of boos and screams of excitement as the announcer yelled the victor's name.

This was the fourth week of the new year of fights, and the winner keeps fighting, so when the announcer called one of my biggest rival’s names for the last winner to face, I already knew what the outcome would be. I opened the curtain of my space and walked out in the background, striding up some steps to see more of the ring. The last winner took some hits. A leaner build, pretty young-looking, with a swelling black eye and busted lip resting in one corner of the ring.

“Annnnnd now, facing the winner of the last match is one of the favorites, from Baldwin Village, Jabari "The Hook" Youngggg!” the announcer called his name and in the ring ran Jabari. Living up to his name, his hooks were some of the hardest in the underground scene, and most of his KOs came from those specifically. Sporting a green durag over his dark black dreads, he stood at 6 '4, 240lbs, and most of his mass was in his chest and arms. And he dwarfed his opponent, who stood and tried to hide the fear behind his non-swollen eye.

The announcer dropped his arm and ran to the edge of the ring as they started to circle each other around the right. Jabari struck first, and surprisingly, the young blood blocked the first two hits. But he got tripped up on his own feet and Jabari tookadvantage, sending in a jab that absolutely flatlines the kid. The announcer went down and slapped the ground and, just like that, in under two minutes this match was over.

“Yo, AJ! You’re up in ring three!” I glanced down to see a guy throwing his finger out back behind the warehouse. I nodded and did a few final stretches as I walked to my ring. This one wasn’t as official-looking as the other. Instead of a ring with actual ropes, this one was made out of four cars being parked in a square. It was my kind of fight ring.

I cracked my neck and slid over the hood of the car nearest to me as the announcer on the hood called my name. “And in the right corner, slides in last year’s runner-up, Aaaaaa-J!” My eyebrow twitched, I was only runner-up due to a cheap shot from Jabari in the last round. Not because he was a better fighter than me. Not this year. I wasn’t going to be outed this year by some cheap tricks because I knew how he fought now. Dirty.

My opponent already stood in his corner, throwing out kicks and jabs. As the fight began, I strolled out into the middle of the ring. He jumped right, then left.

“Come on, boy, I’ll let you get the first hit,” I said with a smirk on my face. I was not even standing with my arms at the ready yet, but he looked me over and hesitated a bit. My smirk grew, and I chuckled. This pushed him over the edge and he moved forward, throwing a kick at my torso, which I blocked easily. I brought my right fist up and felt my adrenaline rush when it connected with his jaw, and I felt it slack under the pressure of the blow.

He fell to the ground but rolled to his feet quickly, trying to shake it off. I let him get up. I needed to warm up somehow, right? I shifted my weight from left to right over and over as he charged at me again. Swinging a right hook, this time at my face, I blocked and countered with a barrage into his ribs, and downhe went again. This time, he stayed down, the breath knocked out of him.

The announcer threw his arm in my direction. “THE WINNERRR, AJ!!!” I nodded and went back to my corner, not even breaking a sweat as the last guy pulled himself out of the ring. A new challenger jumped in, pounding his fists. This one was all top-heavy.

I went through my next four opponents rather easily. One or two actually landed the first hit, which only made me make damn sure they got knocked out instead of just down and out. Fuck yeah, fight nights were back in full swing, and my blood was roaring. I fucking loved and lived for this shit. Five fights per ring per heat was what was typically scheduled, and there were twelve heats tonight, which would narrow the field down to twenty-four fighters for the next night. The top two of each ring moved on to the next round, a series that lasted a few months around here. Typically, we did a summer and a winter circuit in LA. Spring and fall were for conditioning and healing.

Jumping over the hood of the car after my last opponent, more than a few women came rushing over. Ring hoes, all of them, jumping in bed from fighter to fighter. It was like their own battle: who got to sleep with the champion. But I was in a good mood and felt like I earned a few rounds of a different kind.

I threw my arms around two girls. I knew them from a local trap house. They were always clean and a safe bet. They giggled as they wrapped their arms around my waist and onto my chest. “A-Jaaay, we thought you forgot alllll about us!” The little redhead pouted, and the blonde kissed my neck. “He can’t forget about us, girly, we are waaaay too fun together.” They were entertaining in bed, that’s for sure. Not sure if they enjoyed fucking each other more than a man, but regardless, I’d have them every way I wanted before the morning was up.

I kept my eyes out to see if I could see any other winner from round one. And by the looks of the green SUV in the corner, Jabari won, surrounded by women and men alike, most sporting the color green of some kind. I walked past with a side glance, to which he responded by flipping me off.

“Hey, AJ! Don't worry if you can even make it to the championship again. I'll remind you how you won’t ever win, just like last year.” He threw an imitation of the move he used to knock me down last year.

I ignored his taunt and kept walking with my girls. Little bitch will have his day, I swore it at the end of last season. This year, I was taking what was rightfully mine.

We got over to my whip, and I slid in. The girls scooted in the back and started playing with each other as I pulled out of the warehouse. We cruised to my motel, where I enjoyed smoking a blunt outside my door as they made out. Watching them run their hands over the curves of each other's bodies had my dick stiff in my pants.

I sucked in slowly one last time, finishing the blunt. I flicked it onto the ground, seeing the warm glow of the final embers burned out. I walked to my door. Shoving it open, I wrapped my arms around the girls, lifting one over my shoulder. The second grabbed my hand and tugged me inside.

I tossed the one over my shoulder onto the bed, and she landed, laughing sexily. The other started to strip her top off, and I watched the skin tight fabric slip over her tits. The one on the bed began to slide her dress up and over her head, tossing it at me. I grabbed it in midair. Smirking, I let it drop into a pile on the floor.

“Get on the edge of the bed and spread those long legs for me, baby. Let me see what I have to work with.” My blood pounded as I watched her slowly stretch her legs apart. Her pierced clit’s diamond stone caught the dim light in the room. I kicked thedoor shut and ripped my hoodie over my head. Then I kicked my shoes off before the redhead walked over to me and gripped the sides of my joggers.

“Let me take care of this part, big guy. You know I like to watch your cock pop out.” Her lips popped the P and O on the last two words. She left her lips parted, and her hands yanked them slowly down my legs left and right. I watched her as her expression lit up with excitement as my dick stood rigid. I stepped out of my pants as she wrapped her silky lips around my tip and sucked.

“Mmmm, fuck…” I groaned as I reached down and gripped a fistful of her hair. I pulled her deeper onto my dick, feeling it pulse in her mouth as she moaned around me.

“Don’t forget about meee,” the blonde called out with a needy tone in her voice. I glanced over and saw her rubbing two fingers up and down her slit as she watched her friend blow me.

I held the redhead down on my cock, feeling her throat relax more, giving me deeper access. I thrust slowly. Then I pulled my cock out of her drooling mouth and pulled her up by her hair. She bit her lower lip and wiped her mouth as she stood up. I pressed her against the wall behind me, then picked her up. She quickly wrapped her legs around my waist, her skirt riding up, showing me she wasn’t wearing any panties either.

I smirked at that right before I slid my hands across her tits, gripping them hard while my body kept her firmly pressed against the wall. “Fuck, girl, did your tits get bigger since the last time I saw you? Because I’m about to slide my dick up in them.”

I pinched her nipple, leaving it hard when I moved my fingers away. Her loud moans flowed around the room, echoed by the blonde behind us. Always so loud, these two bitches, but I didn’t mind it. When they’d get too loud, I’d fill their mouths with something else to make them shut up.

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