This. This was the reason I felt so uneasy despite finding the fire exits and knowing that my phone and wallet were with me.

Jacob was fighting the defending champion. He was the royalty he was talking about because he was The King. Jacob Kingston. The king who could choose any beauty to be his queen. The one who could make anyone bow to his every command. I just prayed he would get the huge Torpedo to follow his command and submit.

The first bell rang signaling the start of the match. They eyed each other, gauging, watching, waiting. I haven't made a sound or a movement since Jacob entered the ring. I wasn't even sure if I was still breathing because my heart has either stopped or was running too fast I couldn't discern the beats.

Torpedo made the first swing, a deliberately slow one, which was meant as bait. Jacob took it and responded quickly. Too quick that Torpedo didn't expect a hard, solid punch in the first twenty seconds of the game. That was the only thing I dared to remember from the fight because after that ego-crushing hit, the Torpedo declared an all-out war against The King. The horror of seeing blood spurting out of orifices and cuts, the sickening sound of fists pounding and bones breaking, and the painful gasps and groans made me want to vomit dinner and the rest of my guts.

Oblivious to my plight, Jaxx continued to shout and coach just like a backseat driver. Is there such a thing as an audience box coach? Because that was him right there.

"Jake, watch out!" and just as Jaxx finished, the bell rang but it was too late to stop the missile punch that Torpedo launched. It landed squarely on The King's side causing him to grunt and hunch over. Collective gasps were heard. The avid supporters of Torpedo cheered while those of The King's cried foul.

The referee immediately stood in between and put his hands on both players' shoulders. They were breathing harshly, glaring hard at each other. Torpedo raised a loose fist at Jacob to which he bumped his fist against, telling him and everyone that he was all right, that the last attack was all in the name of the game. Still, some people booed.

Without warning, Jaxx jumped off our spot and made his way to our employee. Not knowing what else I should do, I followed him though I knew it was not a smart idea.

"Jake, what the fuck, man? What was that?" he angrily scolded the fighter.

"Thanks for coming, man," Jacob replied, giving him a literal bloody grin. He swished water in his mouth and spit it out right in front of me. He apologized mindlessly but once my presence registered, he did a double-take, blue eyes locking on mine. His eyes widened. Surprise was an understatement.

"Y-you're here," he said, stating the obvious. I nodded slightly but stayed rooted to my spot. His eyebrows furrowed as he leaned a little towards me. "Are you all right, though? You look pale."

"He's fine," Jaxx interrupted, not caring how I truly was. He slapped Jacob's leg and this caught his attention once more.

"Look, that punch was not an accident. I told you that guy plays dirty. He knows when the bell is about to ring then he throws a solid punch to the nearest opening. While it might not be counted as a point, it definitely will hurt you. And tonight, you're not playing for points. You're playing for submission."

Jacob nodded as Jaxx continued to quickly give him tips and his analysis of how the champion played. As they talked, my eyes were only focused on Jacob. It was a highly inappropriate time to do it but I was compelled to stare and ogle at him. I had no idea why I was checking him out.

Well, I may or may not. 

His hair was long on the top and was tied in a man bun at the back. The sides were cleanly tapered. He had a perpetual five o'clock shadow that ran across his strong, angular jaw. His lips were full, but right now they were fuller and swollen. My eyes wandered to his, catching him already staring at me. His eyes were most absorbing -- a deep azure blue that was so beautifully endless I could fall through them.

I don't know how long I was staring when the bell rang for the second round. I quickly blinked regaining my senses and he continued to nod at Jaxx but there was now a smirk on his lips. They both looked at me, then at each other before Jaxx sighed.

"I'll take care of him," he mumbled and pushed Jacob off the stool

"Thanks," he grinned at him and turned to wink at me.

My jaw dropped to the floor; I was discombobulated. Did he just wink at me? I think he did. He winked at me. He fucking winked at me. Like, what the fuck?

"Let's go," Jaxx dragged me back to our spot, saying he could see the play better from that perspective. Again, the horrific sights and sounds started, and the bile in my stomach began to rise.

"How many more rounds are there?" I was getting extremely nauseous watching, I had to look away.

Why is it that watching these things on television didn't make me sick? I liked watching MMA and boxing matches that was why I immediately agreed to come here. I watched The Fight Club a hundred times and I wasn't even bothered by the blood and gore, and I was around thirteen then. Now that I'm turning thirty I have degraded into a pathetic pussy with a weak stomach. Just fantastic!

Another sound of bone crunching made me slap my hand over my mouth as I retched. "Are you sick or something?" he asked, dividing his attention between me and his other friend in the ring.

"I'm sick, and something. Jesus, I don't know how many more hits I can take," I croaked, feeling sicker by the minute.

I willed myself to look at the ring and it was one of the worst of many wrong decisions that night. I was just in time to see the entire sole of Jacob's foot plant on Torpedo's face, with the heel hitting the huge guy squarely on the mouth. The opponent's head snapped back as he staggered and lost his balance. Jacob took this opportunity to straddle the fallen combatant and release several blows to the torso and head. As the contender struggled to stand, he immediately wrapped his legs from behind and engaged a rear-naked choke.

For several moments, Torpedo grappled and tried to escape the hold but this proved futile. He was struggling to keep his eyes open and for a few more seconds he would have passed out if he didn't tap out. And tap out he did.

The crowd erupted in cheers and mad jubilation. My stomach, not wanting to be left out, insisted on joining the eruption, too. 

I jumped and quickly hid behind the crates away from the crowd. There, dinner and lunch finally met the ground. I stayed there for a long while until my stomach settled. My shoulder pressed against the crates as I steadied my breathing before realizing that Jaxx had not returned and the throng of people had dispersed. The lights were turned back on and I squinted.

"Is it your first time tonight?" a woman's voice asked from behind me.

"Is it that obvious? Can't I make it pass for shellfish poisoning?" I jested, trying to hide my embarrassment because there was no way I could hide the mess on the floor.

She was a pretty little thing in a black muscle shirt that was a size too big for her but was knotted on her side to reveal her tiny waist. The distressed skinny jeans she wore fit her body nicely. Her light purple hair reached only up to her chin, but the bob contoured her heart-shaped face nicely. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she leaned her shoulder on the crates. She stood a few feet away from me but I took a step closer to block her view of my unsightly vomit.

"Just a little," she giggled. "Though I don't see any sign of shellfish..." she trailed off as she peered behind my shoulder.

"Oh, please, don't," I gently held her shoulders to push her back just as my friend rounded the corner.

"He was just—Ace! There you are. I thought you followed me?" Jaxx breathed before he noticed the girl between us and my hands on her shoulder.

"Uh, did we interrupt something?" he asked, holding an arm out to his side to stop Jacob as he rounded the corner. I didn't miss the disbelief in his eyes as his gaze shifted between the girl and me.

"No, not really. I just found him too," she smirked. Her smile widened when she recognized Jacob. "Congratulations, to the new champion! That forward kick was sick!"

"Thanks," he smiled as they shook hands. Jaxx eyed me suspiciously all the while that they talked. She turned back to me and handed me the bottle of water I didn't notice she was holding. "Here, you need this more than I do. Hope to see more of you around," she winked before excusing herself.

What's with people winking at me?

There was a flash of emotion in Jacob's clear eyes as he clenched his jaw. I felt the need to explain myself but I did not have any reason why. It was absurd to see him hurt or angry. There must be a reason other than because I was talking to someone else. Was he upset that I didn't rush to congratulate him immediately after the fight? But we were not even close I probably meant nothing to him other than being his employer. So why get upset over some dumb shit like that?

"What's that stench?" Jaxx scrunched his nose at the acrid, acidic smell of my stomach contents. I swallowed the water in my mouth so fast I almost choked.

"That? That would be my dignity. Let's go. Don't look!" I coughed. I spun him around and pushed him when he tried to find the source.

"You, too. Don't look!" I pulled on Jacob's sleeve. He moved all right, but in slow motion, his eyes glued to the puddle of grossness. Desperate and thoroughly embarrassed, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him roughly. "Will you please move faster?"

A smirk came on his face as he turned away from the scene of the crime. "That's what she said," he chuckled. 

I was stunned for a microsecond hearing him say that. It was a regular phrase and guys used it left and right, but it had a different effect on me. It brought back memories I shoved to the back of my head. Dammit. Not him, too.

Once we were outside, the fresh night breeze invaded my lungs in a way that made me realize how suffocating it was inside that warehouse. The guard chained the door behind us and congratulated Jacob. He even asked for his autograph. The same thing happened with the guard at the gate.

I walked a few steps behind the two, listening to their post-match analyses. But it wasn't long when my mind drifted off to my past because of a stupid sentence. I was deep in thought that I didn't notice the two make a turn while I continued walking straight. I only came to when a sharp object was pressed to my side and an unfriendly voice asked for money and for my phone.

"Just my fucking luck!" I groaned, resigned. I took out my wallet and phone and did not attempt to fight the robber. He was young, probably in his early twenties but there was something familiar about him. My eyes narrowed and he took a step back. Recognition was also on his face.

"Aren't you the guy that picked up The King at the precinct?"

"Yes. You're the other guy he gave his money to?" He nodded and laughed. At this, he put the knife away and returned my belongings.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Could you spare me a few hundred, though?"

It was my turn to chuckle. I would rather give him money than have him take my phone and wallet forcibly. "Sure. I hope you made good on your promise that night."

He gave me a confused look as I handed him the bills. "You said you would bet on him so he'd get his money back when he won."

"That debt was paid a long time ago. He's actually earned from me already, and I'm the one who needs money," he laughed lightly and shoved the money in his pocket. "They went that way. Be careful," he said, pointing me in the right direction.

We met halfway, them frantically searching while I casually jogged to them.

"You lousy piece of shit! What's wrong with you? Why do you keep on disappearing on me?" the bear growled. I just scratched the back of my neck. Honesty would not do me any good anyway, I might as well just let him vent out his anger.

"Remind me to cuff you to me the next time we come here so you won't disappear from my sight!" he barked as he stormed away.

"Oh, cuffs. Kinky," I joked after him.

Jacob smirked. "That's what she said."

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