Page 30 of Ace's Ascension

I look into the room through Liz’s eyes. I’ve come here so often, I don’t ever stop to take it all in. I’m usually here to fuck someone up and not take names. The ring in the center of the room has bright lights shining down onto the two fighters battling it out. Blood and sweat stains coat the mat under their bare feet. There is a metal cage wrapping around the ring keeping the fighters in and the crowd out. A ref is standing inside of the cage, keeping the fight somewhat under control. I’ve seen refs die inside trying to break up two men full of adrenaline battling it out. If that happens, even by accident, the fighter is punished until they can’t breathe anymore. Men and women surround the cage, shouting, screaming and yelling at the carnage in front of them. Even in the middle of the day, this place is always packed when there is a fight.

To the left of the cage, money is being exchanged between the bookie and the spectators. The bookie is guarded by three men, showing their weapons and the warning not to fuck with them. To the right of the cage are the changing rooms for the fighters. Some share a locker room and others, like me, have their own room that no one is allowed to enter. Behind the cage and all around us in the darkness are men and women fucking when the adrenaline gets to be too much. Fighter bunnies are walking around to both men and women, seeing if they need any sexual assistance. I’ve never had one before, but many fighters have and so have the spectators. The bunnies aren’t forced to be here, but like the Club Bunnies, they enjoy the same proclivities and help keep things under control.

“Wow,” Liz whispers, releasing her death grip on my hand. I’m not letting her go, but I am letting her loose. Her feet carry her to the edge of the cage and she watches with rapt attentionas the two men inside pound the shit out of each other. Stone and I stand tall behind her, watching her back as she soaks up the adrenaline. Liz turns her head in my direction and pulls me close. “Can I get in there?”

Her words shock the shit out of me and I’m speechless for a beat. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Ace, this is what I was trained to do in Louisiana. Like I said before, I haven’t found a gym that can handle my type of sparing. All those pussies thought I was nuts for wanting blood to be shed.”

Cue my jeans growing tighter from Liz’s words. Damn, this woman is perfect for me. “Let me see what I can do.”

My eyes connect with Seth to the right of the cage and motion for him to meet me in my dinky room. He nods back twice telling me to give him a few. “C’mon.” I turn to Stone who hasn’t shown any emotion since walking down here. “Need you to keep watch outside my door. Don’t let anyone but Seth inside with us.” Stone nods his head and follows us to my room. Once I open the door, I pull Liz in behind me and Stone stands guard.

“Fuck, I need you right now,” I growl picking Liz up. She wraps her legs around my waist and grinds herself onto me.

“I need you, Ace.” Liz moans between kisses. She’s rocking her hips back and forth, trying to create friction on her clit. I lean her against the wall on the far side of the room and unbutton her jeans. I don’t have time to fuck her properly, but I can help her take the edge off. My hand dives behind her panties and my fingers graze her clit causing Liz to moan. I plunge two fingers inside of her and flick her clit with my thumb. In a matter of moments, Liz is screaming out my name as I take her over the edge.

Once she comes back down, I pull my hand out and lick my fingers clean. “Heaven.” A knock on the door has me settling Liz on her feet. I walk to the door and wait for her to straighten herclothes and her hair the best she can. She nods and I open the door. Seth comes in and his gaze goes from me to Liz, then back to me.

“I’ve got a fight set up for the both of you.” I shake my head. “Ace, you’ll want to take this one. If you win, which I have no doubt you will, you’ll get a lead on the issue you’ve been working on.”

“Are you fucking serious? How?” I ask in shock.

“Thank Rooster for getting us this far, man. He’s the one who found this guy.”

“And Liz?”

“Her opponent needs their ass kicked for being a cocky bitch and a cheater.” Seth shrugs, then he looks at Liz. “Can you handle it?”

“Oh, I can handle her alright,” Liz confirms.

“Thanks, Seth. I owe you one,” I hold out my hand and Seth takes it.

“Nah, every time you fight, I roll in the cash. You don’t owe me anything.” Seth shakes his head. “When this is over, what are you going to do?”

Seth knows why I do this, but he doesn’t know the real reason why. He only knows what I’ve shared and that was the bare minimum.

“I’m not sure, but when this is over and I do anything, I’ll be taking you with me.” I offer Seth.

“Fuck yeah, we’ve been in this together for so long, it’d be weird without you.” I release Seth’s hand. “5 minutes until your girl is up.” Seth leaves and shuts the door behind him.

My girl in the ring, fighting. A smile lifts my lips and pride fills my body. Liz is my girl and she’s going to kill it tonight.

Chapter Seventeen

Liz

Sweat drips from every pour in my body as I control my breathing the best I can. My sports bra is soaked and my hair is plastered to my face. Ace taped my hands and I removed my socks and shoes before entering the cage. My body and jeans are splattered with both my and my opponent's blood. Adrenaline is pumping through my system while I deliver the final blow and knock my opponent on her ass. Seth was right, she was a cocky bitch and thought she had the upper hand on me. I prove that bitch wrong when I land a hard uppercut directly to her chin watching her eyes roll to the back of her head and she falls like a sack of bricks.

The crowd goes crazy when the fan favorite goes down and I’m declared the winner. Seth comes into The Cage and holds one of my bloody fists up announcing me as the winner. My ears are ringing and my body is shaking from the adrenaline rush running through my system. I haven’t felt this way in years and it’s a feeling I don’t want to let go, especially when my gaze lands on Ace next to the doors of The Cage. He is whistling andclapping over the roar of the crowd with a huge grin on his face and pride in his whiskey depths. Stone is standing behind Ace, watching his back and making sure no one touches him. He has a slight smirk on his face, but nothing else. Typical Stone.

Seth opens the door for me to exit and before my bare feet hit the concrete floor, Ace lifts me in his arms and plants a smoldering kiss on my lips. The crowd quiets down from our display and now I’m really uncomfortable.

Stone stands tall and whistles moving everyone’s attention away from us. “You got a problem with our champ kissing his woman, you can take it up with me. Get your fucking eyes off them or I’ll remove them from your skull while you’re still alive and shove them up your ass!”

Murmurs and groans of disapproval filter around us. Ace lifts his head and stares at a man who is the loudest. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” He snarls at Stone.

Stone steps up to the man and leans in close enough to kiss him. “I’m your worst fucking nightmare, asshole.” The deadly glare in Stone's grey eyes doesn’t even blink when he delivers his threat.

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