Read Online Ink & Bone (New York Crime Kings Book 5) by Skyla Madi - Free Book Online
Authors: Skyla Madi
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lungs. How. Much. More? I’d have given up three guys ago, but Joker told me that only one of us has to join the gang in order for all of us to stay. I have to do it for Joel and Monique, to give them somewhere safe to sleep.
“Jai!” I lift my head, pointing my chin in the direction of Joel’s voice.
I blink repeatedly, clearing away the blur that has covered my eyes. My heart pounds in my ears.
“You don’t have to do this.”
Yes, I do.
My opponent is on the other side of the circle, chatting to friends with all of the confidence in the world, like he knows he’s already won. I force myself to my feet, ignoring the ring of leather and denim-clad assholes that yell at me. If I lose, what happens? That’s a risk I can’t take.
Growling, I clench my fist and launch forward, swinging with brute force. My opponent, Curtis, barely has time to turn around, and I slam my fist into the side of his face, tossing him out of the circle and into his group. They catch him and howl with laughter. He stepped out of the circle. I win.
I gasp for air and hunch forward, planting my hands on my knee. Is that it? Surely, that’s it.
In the distance, Joker shouts, and another man steps into the circle. He’s bigger than the last. I groan, straightening my posture and lifting my fists.
He swallows the distance before I have time to react and knocks me to the ground; he wraps his arms tightly around my waist and digs his shoulder into my stomach. Grunting, I grab his head and pull it in close. He swears under his breath and flicks his leg over my hip, straddling me. I flick my hips and release his head, throwing him off of me. Adrenaline pumps through my body, and it’s enough to get me going again. I scramble on my hands and knees until I have enough space to push myself back to my feet.
“You gotta do better than that if you want in, Stone,” my opponent sneers. “If you can’t put me to sleep, you can’t join.”
Put him to sleep? I’m half dead! How the hell am I going to put him to sleep? He dives at me again, and I dip low, dodging the gigantic fist he attempts to slam into my head. Growling, I hit him in his ribs, forcefully expelling the air from his lungs. He recoils, clenching his body. That’s when I notice the lazy smile on his face, the light sheen of sweat above his lip, and the slight sway in his step. He’s drunk. Just my luck.
“It’s afternoon somewhere, right?” I say.
He grins. “I could be completely wasted and I’d still flatten you.”
Gritting my teeth, I dive at him. He swings hard, clipping me on the jaw. It throws me, but I recover quickly, slamming my fist into his ribs. I work his sides over and over until he can no longer absorb my punches. He grabs at me, trying to clench me, but I shove him back before he can get a good grip on my shirt. Releasing me, he stumbles backwards, and I kick his ankle out from underneath him. He crashes to the concrete, and I dive on top of him. Clenching my teeth until my jaw aches, I drive my fists into his face relentlessly until he completely gives up on defending himself. With a pathetic squeak, he lifts his hands to shield his face, but I smash through them. When his eyes are swollen shut and his nose no longer has shape, I climb off of him, grab him by the scruff, and drag him out of the circle. I dump him there and turn to Joker and Crow, who watch from the top of their bar. If they send out someone else, I’ll kill everyone in this fucking room.
Crow mutters to Joker before dropping off the edge of the bar and disappearing down the hall. Joker smiles at me, his thin lips pulling tightly.
“Welcome to the fray, brother .”
Six
Emily
Almost Free
I wrap the sheets around each other one last time and tighten the knot. Exhaling, I wipe the sweat off of my forehead. Skull has been gone for an hour, and he’s locked me inside the room. I don’t know how much time I have left, but it can’t
“Jai!” I lift my head, pointing my chin in the direction of Joel’s voice.
I blink repeatedly, clearing away the blur that has covered my eyes. My heart pounds in my ears.
“You don’t have to do this.”
Yes, I do.
My opponent is on the other side of the circle, chatting to friends with all of the confidence in the world, like he knows he’s already won. I force myself to my feet, ignoring the ring of leather and denim-clad assholes that yell at me. If I lose, what happens? That’s a risk I can’t take.
Growling, I clench my fist and launch forward, swinging with brute force. My opponent, Curtis, barely has time to turn around, and I slam my fist into the side of his face, tossing him out of the circle and into his group. They catch him and howl with laughter. He stepped out of the circle. I win.
I gasp for air and hunch forward, planting my hands on my knee. Is that it? Surely, that’s it.
In the distance, Joker shouts, and another man steps into the circle. He’s bigger than the last. I groan, straightening my posture and lifting my fists.
He swallows the distance before I have time to react and knocks me to the ground; he wraps his arms tightly around my waist and digs his shoulder into my stomach. Grunting, I grab his head and pull it in close. He swears under his breath and flicks his leg over my hip, straddling me. I flick my hips and release his head, throwing him off of me. Adrenaline pumps through my body, and it’s enough to get me going again. I scramble on my hands and knees until I have enough space to push myself back to my feet.
“You gotta do better than that if you want in, Stone,” my opponent sneers. “If you can’t put me to sleep, you can’t join.”
Put him to sleep? I’m half dead! How the hell am I going to put him to sleep? He dives at me again, and I dip low, dodging the gigantic fist he attempts to slam into my head. Growling, I hit him in his ribs, forcefully expelling the air from his lungs. He recoils, clenching his body. That’s when I notice the lazy smile on his face, the light sheen of sweat above his lip, and the slight sway in his step. He’s drunk. Just my luck.
“It’s afternoon somewhere, right?” I say.
He grins. “I could be completely wasted and I’d still flatten you.”
Gritting my teeth, I dive at him. He swings hard, clipping me on the jaw. It throws me, but I recover quickly, slamming my fist into his ribs. I work his sides over and over until he can no longer absorb my punches. He grabs at me, trying to clench me, but I shove him back before he can get a good grip on my shirt. Releasing me, he stumbles backwards, and I kick his ankle out from underneath him. He crashes to the concrete, and I dive on top of him. Clenching my teeth until my jaw aches, I drive my fists into his face relentlessly until he completely gives up on defending himself. With a pathetic squeak, he lifts his hands to shield his face, but I smash through them. When his eyes are swollen shut and his nose no longer has shape, I climb off of him, grab him by the scruff, and drag him out of the circle. I dump him there and turn to Joker and Crow, who watch from the top of their bar. If they send out someone else, I’ll kill everyone in this fucking room.
Crow mutters to Joker before dropping off the edge of the bar and disappearing down the hall. Joker smiles at me, his thin lips pulling tightly.
“Welcome to the fray, brother .”
Six
Emily
Almost Free
I wrap the sheets around each other one last time and tighten the knot. Exhaling, I wipe the sweat off of my forehead. Skull has been gone for an hour, and he’s locked me inside the room. I don’t know how much time I have left, but it can’t
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