"You hit like your sister," The Executioner mocked with a grin, her mouth guard looking to leave her swollen lips when she expressed her rubbish opinion.

I bounced backward, then froze like an ice cube when her ridiculous, taunting accusations hit me—she said, my sister.

She knows I have a sister?

Which one of my sisters is she referring to? And how does she know who's related to me when I had just recently found out there are two of them out there? Then Walter's allegation immediately returned to my mind, a claim I wished to have kept buried deep inside me, hoping he was wrong about something for once. 'Felicia's your sister, and she, too, is a fighter.'

"What's the matter, Aria? Are you upset that you're weaker than you thought?" she mocked again before her glove met my face, knocking me to the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing, Aria? Get back up and fight the bitch!" Neron yelled. "You're not here to make us all look like fools. Now get the fuck up!

'You hit like your sister,' repeatedly replayed in my mind as I stared at the mat, my ears focused on Neron yelling at me and his warnings about how he'll discipline me for my lack of focus and what I'm allowing my challenger to do to me.

My head turned toward Gunner when the referee began counting down, and he didn't look happy with me. He was standing, ferociously waving his arms upward, yelling and begging that I stand and fight—and win. And then my eyes flickered to The Executioner after hearing her taunting, evil laughs. So before the referee got down to zero and I gave her the win, I quickly dug my gloves into the mat, pushed up, and shoved the referee away from me as I stood.

"Are you coming back for more of me?" The Executioner evilly smiled, smiling like Ursula, the sea witch. "Because if you are, you'll be sorry."

"Not as sorry as you'll be," I taunted in return.

She swung, I blocked, and then I surprised her with the combo Gunner insisted I do—the one, two, five, two-hit combo... knocking her down to the ground.

But it did nothing as he thought it would.

The Executioner laughed while standing back on her feet. "You must have studied the tapes to know that usually gets me. I will say that was good, but not good enough to end this fight," she mocked, using her glove to wipe the drool mixed with blood away from her mouth. "As I stated earlier, you hit like your sister." She laughed. "And you're exactly like her—pathetic and weak."

We circled the mat, our eyes directly on one another, with our fists up held up to protect whatever jab came our way, and the arena was louder than it was moments earlier from the spectators chanting for me to finish her.

I wanted to make those chanting fans happy and end this fight, but I wasn't ready.

Not just yet.

Not after she mocked me again with her ridiculous claims, and because of that, I was now more than curious to learn more about what The Executioner knew about the girl I hadn't seen since her first birthday. I wanted to know her fighting name—to see if I had fought her in the past and if she was the one who confronted me in the restroom back in Texas. And for personal reasons, I wanted to know where I could find her.

"If anyone is pathetic, it's you," I responded with a quick double punch to her stomach. "What do you know about my sister?" I asked as she bounced backward.

She returned with a right-handed jab to my face. "Apparently more than you."

"Who is she?"

She laughed, refraining from answering me.

"What's her fighting name?" I asked as she began shoving me to where I didn't want to be—the ropes. "Where can I find her?"

She laughed again, still ignoring the questions I wished to know while she continued pushing me toward the ropes. "That's for me to know and for you to figure out," The Executioner finally responded, causing the blood flowing through my veins to boil instantly and my face and ears to heat. As her green eyes remained on me, the dissatisfied look on my face must have been apparent because she laughed scornfully. "You've got her eyes, lips, and devilish attitude," she hinted, then made my hackles rise when she poked fun at us both. "She can also be a big baby like you."

Knowing where she had me, I hurriedly swayed sideways, then circled her to avoid her trapping me against the ropes.

It angered me that she avoided my questions and mocked us instead. So, letting her know how furious I was, and that I wasn't playing any more games with her, I showed her what kind of high-powered fists I had. And showed her my five punch combo—a jab, lead uppercut to her body, following it with a lead hook-right hook to her head. And then I finished her with a powerful lead uppercut that knocked her out cold, satisfying every fan inside the arena, including my grouchy coach—Neron.

While Gunner proudly made his way inside the ring, as well as Neron, I removed my mouthpiece, then lowered to my knees and her ear, returning the insult, "I'm the pathetic and weak one, you say? It looks like you were talking about your pitiful self to me."

***

Neron acted happy after I won my match, but it didn't take long for that satisfied look to disappear when he entered the locker room. With his hands planted firmly on his hips, he walked toward me with a scowled look. "What on earth was that, Aria? Huh? What the hell were you thinking when you stood still, allowing the bitch's fists to come at you?"

Finding humor in Neron's dismay, the corner of my mouth slowly raised. I knew he'd call me out on what I did, but I didn't care. The only thing I care about right now is finding out who my sister is in this league and where my other long-lost, or shall I say kidnapped, sister is. "I won, didn't I?"

"That's not the response I wanted to hear. I asked you a question, and I expect you to answer it. So before we leave this room, I suggest you tell me why you went dormant," Neron scolded, stopping in front of me and invading my space.

I looked down to my feet, reminding myself of what The Executioner said and wondering if I should even say anything since he wouldn't care what she said to me, anyway.

"Look at me, Aria," Neron angrily ordered. "I want you to answer the damn question. What happened that caused you to freeze?"

My inner voice told me to get it over with and tell him. I slowly lifted my chin and forced myself to look Neron in the eye. "She said I hit like my sister," I finally admitted, "and I was as pathetic and weak as she was."

Neron's hands fell from his hips. Looking disappointed, he turned without saying a word, took one step, but then quickly spun around and reached for me as he stepped closer, resting his hands on either side of my shoulders while looking me in the eye. "Never. Ever. Let a challenger get to you. Got it? I don't care what they say to you," he groaned, "you're there to fight and win. Not freeze like a stiff morning cock and lose because your challenger's taunting affected your thinking process. You need to show them you're the bigger fighter, not the smaller fighter. Letting your opponent get to you shows them you are pathetic and weak. And everyone who knows you know that isn't the case."

"But I didn't lose, Neron. So no matter what she said to me, I still won tonight's match."

"I don't care," he hissed, "by you freezing the way you did, it could have cost you the win." His hands lowered from my shoulders and returned to his hips. He glanced at the ceiling for a moment, then sighed, lowering his head. "Who's this sister that she referred to?"

I shook my head, saying, "I have no idea. She refused to enlighten me when I asked who she was talking about. That's when I got pissed and lost it, knocking her out."

Neron finally turned that frown into a smile. "By the way, I have to say that was a perfect knockout. And a move for the advanced boxer, not a beginner." He furrowed his brows. "Where did you learn how to do that combo, anyway?"

"From me," Gunner replied for me as he entered the room and over to Neron and me with a massive grin on his face. Then, with his eyes on me, he admitted, "I wanted to be sure she won tonight, so after Walter and Wyatt went to bed at night, I worked with her every night on that move—all week," he added, looking at Neron. "And my God, she pulled it off flawlessly."

Neron frustratedly threw his hands in the air. "Are you her coach, or am I? Why didn't you tell me you were teaching her a new move?"

"Are you jealous?" Gunner teased. "Because if you are, I'll make sure to teach her another move that you haven't shown her yet."

I giggled but quickly stopped when Neron's eyes turned into slits as he looked at Gunner.

"Did you find that funny?" Neron asked, looking over at me.

I did, but I better not add more fuel to the fire. Not tonight. I prefer to leave here as soon as possible, go home, and go straight to bed instead of going home and Neron punishing me for hours for angering him again. "No," I lied, "it was a more nervous laugh."

"Nervous?" Neron asked, unimpressed.

"Yeah—"

"That's enough, Neron," Gunner interrupted, "Aria won, alright? Isn't that good enough for you?"

Thanks, I quietly mouthed to Gunner.

Neron huffed, shook his head, and then turned and headed to the door, saying, "I'll be waiting for you two deviant rule breakers in the car."

Gunner looked at me and chuckled after the door slammed shut. "Rules? What rules..."

He stepped in front of me with a grin. Then rested the palms of his hands on the sides of my face and lowered his mouth onto mine.

"You did good tonight; I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," I whispered. "I would have done better had the bitch not mocked my capabilities."

Gunner frowned. "What do you mean she mocked you? What did she say?"

"That I was pathetic and weak, and I hit like my sister." I grabbed my bag off the bench, slid the strap up my arm, securing it to my shoulder, then turned to Gunner. "I need to get out of here before I storm down the hallway and into The Executioner's room, beating her with my bare fists until she tells me who this sister of mine is."

His eyes widened, looking surprised. "Yeah, I'm going to agree with you on this one. So what do you say we get out of here," he was quick to say, his hand resting on the small of my back, "because I don't want or need my girl spending the night in the poky. And neither does Wyatt."

Jail isn't quite the type of place where I'd like to stay tonight either, so I dropped it; only the second we stepped out into the hallway, I couldn't help but turn my head and look at the room where The Executioner was. "Don't even think about it," Gunner warned, his arm tightening around me when I began stepping foot towards her room.

"I can't help it, Gunner. She knows something about my sister, and I'd really like to hear what she knows about her."

"That can wait another time. Right now, we need to leave to get home to Wyatt."

"He's sleeping."

Gunner groaned. "We need to get home, Aria. It's late, and Walter must also get to bed."

I looked away from Gunner and to the other locker room; the Executioner was in. "Five minutes... Just give me five minutes with her, and then we can leave."

My begging didn't get me anywhere; all that did was land me over Gunner's shoulder and then quickly carried out of the building and to the car. The look on his face, the look in his eyes, and the tone in his voice when he said we were leaving with no ifs and, or buts gave me a feeling that he knew something I didn't because it seemed he was doing his best to block me from having a conversation with her.

And now I'm infuriated with him.

Once Gunner had me in the car, I moved away from him and sat as far away from everyone as I could, my arms firmly crossed against my chest while looking out the window, avoiding looking at how everyone's eyes me.

"You must have pissed in Aria's Cheerios; she doesn't look too thrilled to be in this vehicle with us," Walter quipped. I looked away from the window and over at Walter. He was looking at Gunner with a questionable look in his eye. He raised his hand into a fist and shook it while telling Gunner, "If you upset my dear Aria, you'll be answering to me inside the ring once we get home. There's one thing I won't tolerate: Aria's lover-boy upsetting her."

I silently giggled, and Gunner laughed at Walter's remark. "Whatever you say, old man. Whatever you say."

Walter's bushy eyebrows drew down and formed into one large unibrow. "Do you think I'm joking?"

Gunner bellowed a laugh that came deep from the belly. "You can't even hurt a fly, so how on earth do you think you could hurt me?"

"You wait and see," Walter chimed back.

"Knock it off, you two," Neron finally piped in.

Gunner ignored Neron, and with a smile, he leaned closer to Walter, his chin extended towards him, and then he taunted, "Go ahead and hit me, wise guy; afterward, I'll fill you in on why Aria's angry with me."

Walter's fist tightened firmer, and then he did exactly as Gunner begged him to do—he punched Gunner between the eyes. "That's for Aria," Walter exclaimed.

The hit didn't phase Gunner; he chuckled, looked at me, and then at Walter while leaning back in his seat. "For your information, you old coot. Aria's upset with me because I refused to let her talk to Olivia—The Executioner."

"Why?"

"Because it's late, I'm tired, and I didn't feel like spending the night trying to bail her out of jail after she threatened to beat her to a pulp outside the ring."

Walter looked at me, confused. "Why would you want to do that to her?"

"The bitch mocked me," I admitted, then Walter's eyes widened when I explained what else she said to me.

Walter sat back in his seat, looking at Gunner. "You did the right thing by getting her out of there when you did. So, my apologies for getting upset and hitting you."

What the hell? Him too?

Do they both know something I don't?

"What are you two hiding from me?"

Gunner moved to my side, rested his hand on my leg, and squeezed while saying, "Nobody is hiding anything from you. We just don't want to see you land in a small, cold cell block for the night."

My eyes squinted while shoving his hand off my leg. "I'm not stupid, so don't lie to me. What do you two know that you're both avoiding telling me?"

Gunner's eyes stayed on mine, and after a long moment of silence, Walter opened his mouth, causing my heart to stop beating. "One week from today, you have a date. A date with Mr. Emasculation—the deadbeat asswipe that chose to live a new life. And the one who holds all the answers to what you've wished to know."

***

Punch. Punch. Twirl and kick.

Jab. Cross. Right hook. Left hook. Right uppercut. Left uppercut.

Jab. Cross. Jab. Cross. Jab. Body rip. Hook.

Jab. Cross. Uppercut. Cross. Hook.

I saw my father's face every time I hit the heavy bag, one by one, my knuckles splitting open after every punch. Not only did I picture his face, I imagined hers—the homewrecker that ruined my mother's and mine and Justin's lives. I won't lie, but I also tried picturing Gunner's face in the big red heavy bag after he hid from me how he's been in contact with my father, but it didn't work.

What did work was when I went to jab the bag again. Instead of hitting my intended target, my fist met Gunner's mouth. He rubbed his bottom lip with the back of his hand. "Please don't be angry with me."

"It's too late for that," I scowled, shoving him away from the bag. "Why don't you go to bed and leave me be? I have nothing more to say to you."

Instead of leaving and doing as I asked, he stepped between me and the heavy bag, holding his palms up to face me. "Calm down, beautiful. I was going to tell you, but after tonight's fight."

"Why? Why would you have kept that a secret?"

He lowered his hands, and I stepped back as he reached for me. "Aria, stop. I wasn't trying to keep it a secret. I waited on telling you because I didn't want you getting worked up before your fight. You're not on your game when your mind's focused on something else."

"You still hid it from me, Gunner." I gripped my hips and furrowed my brows. "One of your rules with me has always been to be open with one another—that we're to tell each other everything on our minds. No matter what it is. But, as usual, you broke a rule. Your own rule... a rule you've insisted that we never break."

"I see where you're going with this, and you're absolutely right about that rule. We're not to hide anything from each other. However, I didn't plan on keeping this from you. All I wanted was for you to keep your mind on winning the fight and not on who you'll be seeing a week from now, causing you to lose the fight and your chance of continuing to move up the ladder to the championship game."

As I stood listening to Gunner pleading for innocence, his and Walter's recent actions suddenly came to mind. The whispering, the sudden silence between them whenever I entered the room, and the guilty look on their faces anytime I asked what they were discussing tells me they've known about this meeting Gunner set up with my father for the past couple of weeks.

To be sure, I asked, "How long have you and Walter known about this upcoming shitshow?"

Gunner twisted his lips, and then with a guilty look in his eye, he bit down on his bottom lip before saying, "Do you remember that day when you were at the gym with Neron, and I left the room to take the phone call? And then took it outside after you came to check on me?"

"Yes, I remember."

He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and sighed. "That was him. That was your father."

"How would he know to call you, and how the fuck did he get your phone number?" I asked, raising my voice.

"Justin is going to kill me for telling her this," he quietly muttered, yet loud enough for me to hear.

"Justin?"

He nodded slowly.

"Why would he do that? What did he tell you? What are all of you hiding from me?"

Gunner's eyes shot open as he lowered his head. He stepped a couple of steps toward me, reached, and then quickly locked me into his arms, asking that I stay put and listen to what he had to say, causing my heart to gain speed, nervous and worried about what he was about to tell me.

"Not long ago, Justin made some comments while sitting around the table. Comments, I don't think he realized what he said out loud. And those brief comments got me thinking. After putting them together and realizing that he knew your father's whereabouts, I asked that he meet me for lunch."

I remember walking into the dining room a few weeks back when they were all sitting around the table talking quietly amongst themselves, and when they all realized I was in the room, they stopped conversing. "When was that?" I managed to choke out.

"Justin's comments were made about a month ago or so," he admitted.

"And when did you have a meeting with Justin?"

"The day I sold my nightclub," he confessed, his arms tightening around me after my eyes widened in surprise, and the second I opened my mouth to tell him what I thought, his mouth covered mine. Then, with his lips pressed on mine, he said, "Please. Don't hit or yell at me for keeping this from you, whatever you do. All I wanted was for you to focus on winning tonight. That's all." His mouth left mine but kept his face only mere inches away from mine. "And now that you did what I hoped to see and the cats out of the bag, I'll answer every question you have about what I know."

"When did you see my father last?"

"We've never met. We've only spoken on the phone."

"You two never met, yet he called your phone," I hissed. "So, are you telling me that Justin knew his phone number and where he lived this entire time and refused to tell me?"

"Yes, and no. No, he didn't have your father's phone number, but yes, about knowing where he lived."

Justin was highly embarrassed and hated that I kicked his ass a couple of months ago; I wonder what will go through his mind when he hears Gunner admitted everything to me and then sees me. I wonder if he'll shit his pants and run or allow himself to be my punching bag.

And I'd be more than satisfied if Justin chose the latter.

Gunner studied my face, then, using his knuckles, he gently caressed my cheek. "I know what you're thinking, Aria. And you need to know that Justin was only doing you a favor by protecting your heart and mind. So please, don't attack Justin for why and what he did."

"Easy for you to say..." I grumbled. "He's my brother, who should have told me what he knew. I'm not a child that needs protection. I'm a grown adult that can make my own decisions. And since he still looks at me as a child, then he needs to be shown by me that I'm not this little girl anymore. And about this so-called date you set up with my father? I thought I wanted to see him, but now I'm not so sure I'd be able to face him and feel that if I were to, I'd lose my temper and end up in jail."

"You know what, Aria? There comes a time when you have to choose between closing the book or turning the page. It's up to you about what you want to do. So, either you turn the page and see what your father has to say, or you close the book forever and forget that he's ever been a part of your life."

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!🤞🤞

Again, after getting this far into the story, I've been having a hard time writing and finishing it. And I'm not sure why. For some strange reason, I lost my train of thought and my mind went blank on how I wanted this story to end.

I need motivation everyone!🙏😘🥰