Her Anchor (29 page)

Vincent beamed with pride as he heard his name escape her lips.  It felt good to make her feel good and soon he was also blowing his load all over her.  Breathing hard, they both collapsed on the bed, their hearts pounding in their chests.  Cassandra looked over at Vincent and blushed as she shivered in pleasure.  Deep down she knew she was falling for this man. 

Chapter 7

The audience was in a state of excitement as they waited for the big fight.  It was the talk of the city, a fight everyone had been waiting for.  The heavyweight champion Benjamin Clevosky was putting his belt on the line against Vincent Hayes, a lightweight Brazilian rooky.  Most of the viewers predicted a fight full of bloodshed and a quick ending for Vincent.  Nonetheless, there were some people in the audience rooting for the underdog, especially Cassandra. 

She was excited as she waited for the two men to make their appearance in the ring.  She had trained with Vincent every day until they were both completely exhausted by their efforts.  Tonight would be the night their hard work would finally pay off.

Cassandra was at the edge of her seat, excitement running through her veins as she thought of Vincent holding the heavyweight championship belt over his head.  She bit her lip as she thought of it slung over his well-sculpted hips.  Cassandra promised to congratulate him well when they got home that night. 

As she thought about this, the introductory music of Benjamin came on.  She glared at him as he cockily walked up to the ring, getting in, and showing off the belt he currently owned.  Cassandra couldn’t believe that Benjamin had been her favorite fighter in the Triple S.

Soon enough, Vincent’s song came on and he walked into the ring with a modest stance.  Cassandra frowned when she heard a loud, collective boo sound throughout the audience.  How could they not like him?

The two men shook hands before receding to their respective corners.  Cassandra’s eyes followed her new boyfriend smiling encouragingly at him as he looked in her direction.  “You’ll do great!”  She yelled out and he smiled as his temporary coach placed a mouth guard between his teeth.  He spat out words of advice at the young Brazilian, but he didn’t think Vincent would last one round with the Russian. 

Soon enough, the bell rang and the two men got up, looking at each other.  There was a moment of silence as the anticipation in the room reached its maximum point.  Suddenly, there was another buzz of the bell and the fight began.  At first, the two men moved around the ring slowly, gauging each other’s moves.  Benjamin had a clear weight and height advantage against Vincent, but it seemed like Vincent was faster. 

As the two of them made their third revolution around the ring, Vincent, to everyone’s surprise, landed the first blow.  He smirked as his fist came into contact with Benjamin’s face.  This successful hit increased Vincent’s confidence in himself.

He started to think that maybe he would be able to win this fight and prove everyone wrong.  However, Benjamin just chuckled, looking at Vincent.  It seemed like the punch didn’t affect the huge man at all.

Vincent quickly noticed this and kept on his feet, trying to throw more punches at him, but Benjamin easily avoided most of them.  Vincent wondered why Benjamin had yet to throw a punch.  As Vincent was about to land a kick on the side of Benjamin’s face his whole world turned upside down.

With one punch Benjamin knocked Vincent to the ground.  There was a loud crack that sounded through the ring as Vincent’s nose took a sharp turn to the left, obviously broken.  He collapsed to the ground, blood pouring out of his nose as he laid there. 

He could hear the referee start his count.  Vincent knew he had until the count of ten to get up, but his body felt like it weighed a ton.  He tried to move his arms, but nothing happened.  He cursed himself, trying to will himself to get up.  The referee was already at number 7.  He didn’t have much time.  Vincent put all the effort he had into moving, but still he stayed immobile. 

“Ten! … And the victor is Benjamin Clevosky!  Heavyweight champion!” 

Chapter 8

Benjamin walked out of the ring with a cocky smile on his face.  Cassandra glared at him, anger coursing through her veins.  Why did the man have to be such a jerk?  When the fight was over she quickly got up and made her way into the ring. 

“Vincent!”  She yelled out as she climbed inside.  She kneeled down by Vincent, thinking he was unconscious.  However, as she walked up to him she saw his pained eyes looking up at her.  He looked disappointed with himself.  “Hey… you did great.”  Cassandra whispered softly as she ran her fingers through Vincent's hair. 

After a moment, she got up and grabbed a towel from the side of the ring and started to gently clean off Vincent’s face.  Vincent wanted to look away, but he was too light headed to move.  He wanted to run away and hide from Cassandra and everyone else that had believed in him.  He felt ashamed.  He felt pathetic for letting Benjamin knock him out in the first round. 

Cassandra, however, was proud of him.  He hadn’t won the fight, but he had composed himself in a dignified manner and had stood up to a man much bigger than him.  In retrospect, Vincent did very well. 

Eventually, Vincent found the strength to move.  He sat up and looked at Cassandra.  Tears formed in the corner of his eyes that he quickly wiped away before taking off his boxing gloves in frustration. 

“Cassandra… I’m sorry…”  He whispered, his eyes downcast.  He refused to look at her as he looked down at the blood stain on the ring. 

“Hey… don’t apologize!  You did really well!”  She said, trying to cheer him up.  His frown only deepened.

“I was knocked out in the first round, Cassandra.  The first round.  That’s pathetic.”  He said, spite in his voice.  He hated how weak he was.  He hated how he was unable to live up to his brother’s legacy.  He felt like he was letting everyone down. 

In frustration, he got up, wincing in pain.  Cassandra, still sitting down, looked up at him with large eyes.  She wondered what he was doing.  Before she could react he was walking out of the ring.  Somehow, he managed the energy needed to run out of the ring.  He needed to be alone.  Cassandra frowned as she watched the doors swing behind him. 

Cassandra was about to get up and follow her boyfriend when someone suddenly grabbed her from behind.  She tried to scream out, but there was a large hand covering her mouth.  She tried to scream and struggle, but the man who grabbed her was too strong.  Suddenly she felt him apply pressure to one of her pressure points.  As he did, everything went black. 

***

Vincent looked out at the dark water as the waves crashed against the rocky shore.  No one came to this abandoned bridge and it felt good to be alone as the wind stung his face.  He looked down at the dark water and imagined what it would be like to jump and allow the water to come over him, to swallow him whole. 

Before he could continue to think about it his cell phone started to buzz in his pocket.  He sighed before taking it out, looking at the screen.  There was an unknown number staring at him.  He scrunched his face before answering.  He wondered who it could be. 

“Hello?” 

“Vincent.”  There was a rough voice sounding through the line.  Vincent’s eyes grew big as he recognized Benjamin’s voice.  What did he want?  “I think I have something you might want back.”  Vincent looked confused.  What did he mean?

“Benjamin, what the hell are you talking about?” 

“I have Cassandra.”  Vincent’s eyes nearly popped out of his head as he thought about the meaning behind Benjamin’s words. 

“What do you mean?  What are you going to do with her?”  Vincent said through strained teeth. 

“Nothing… if you meet me at the abandoned RadioX warehouse downtown.  Come within the hour and I promise I won’t lay a finger on her… maybe.”  Vincent could almost see the smirk on Benjamin’s face.  He felt sick to his stomach as he thought of Cassandra stuck with him. 

“I will be there.  Don’t you dare touch her.”  With his blood boiling, Vincent quickly got into his car before speeding off toward the destination.  As he pushed the limits of his car he thought about Cassandra.  He couldn’t let her get hurt. 

In what felt like forever, he finally arrived at the warehouse.  He got out quickly, before entering through a rickety door on the left.  He looked around trying to spot Cassandra but saw nothing.  Sighing, he climbed a flight of stairs.  The stairway was dark and grimy.  Finally, he made his way to the top.  The door, however, was locked. 

He tried to turn the knob again, but it wouldn’t budge.  Taking a deep breath he rammed himself forward, crashing into the door until it broke away under his weight.  He coughed a bit as the debris surrounded him before looking around.  His eyes fell on Cassandra who was in Benjamin’s grasp. 

“Vincent!”  Benjamin suddenly pulled her hair making her wince. 

Benjamin glared at him angrily.  “Let her go!”  He yelled, looking at the Russian, fury in his eyes.  The Russian chuckled. 

“Fight me for her then,” he said calmly.  Vincent looked at the Russian as he mentally thought of the crooked nose he now wore on his face.  Taking a deep breath he nodded.  This time, he wouldn’t lose. 

Benjamin smirked and handed off Cassandra to a man standing nearby. 

“Now this will be a dirty fight.  Anything applies.”  Benjamin took a quick look at Cassandra who looked nervous.  She wondered what would happen if Vincent lost this fight.  She knew it wouldn’t be a good thing for her or for Vincent.  With her heart in her throat, she watched as the two men circled around each other. 

Unlike at the Triple S they had no protective equipment.  This meant they could get seriously hurt.  They continued to circle around before Benjamin suddenly pulled out a knife.  Vincent’s eyes went big as he looked at the long blade, but he knew he had to keep his head in the game if he wanted to save his girlfriend. 

So as Benjamin tried to jab at his opponent, Vincent dodged.  He managed to dodge every attack, sidestepping and jumping at all the right moments until he saw his target of opportunity.  With Benjamin slightly distracted he threw his punch with all the strength he had.  Benjamin, caught by surprise took on the full effect of the blow and fell to the ground, unconscious. 

Vincent looked down at the fallen brute in surprise.  He had done it.  Somehow he had beaten his enemy.  He smiled big looking at Cassandra.  The man holding her looked shocked before leaving the room, leaving them alone. 

With a smirk on his face, he walked over to her. 

“My knight in shining armor,” she whispered, looking up at him, wrapping her arms around him, kissing him deeply.  They continued to kiss for a moment, their lips dancing with their passion.  Eventually, they pulled away and Vincent looked down into her beautiful eyes knowing that this woman wasn’t just his trainer, she was someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. 

*****

THE END

The wheels of the plane landed on the ground and the entire plane shuddered, jostling Melissa awake. She hadn’t meant to sleep through the whole flight to Vegas but she never did, it always found a way of happening though. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and stared out the window.

The lights from the strip could still be seen, even from the landing strip. It was truly something to be admired. Melissa looked down and looked at her watch. She had planned out the trip so that she would arrive a little bit before her best friend, and nearly newlywed, Sarah.

The whole trip to Vegas had been planned around her, but Melissa knew that she would need to make sure that she didn’t get left behind. While Sarah may be her best friend the two had grown apart over the past few years.

Sarah was the typical good girl and when she started dating her financial advisor husband, she didn’t have time for the rebellious Melissa anymore. They talked over text and email, but their days of going out and drinking were over. Sarah had found new friends and there was nothing she could do about it. They were the perfect cookie cutter women for her new life.

So, when Sarah told Melissa that she would be celebrating her bachelorette party in Vegas, Melissa knew that if she wanted to enjoy the trip she would have to take some things into her own hands.

Namely, she needed to get there early so she could test her luck at the Blackjack tables before the others had a chance to tell her not to waste her money on gambling. Melissa was in Vegas, she was going gamble.

She made her way off the plane and got a taxi to take her to their hotel. She couldn’t check in for a few hours, but at least she would be in the right place for when Sarah would arrive. Melissa dropped off her bags at the main reception area and walked in through the large doors towards the gambling lounge. She stepped through the doors and was immediately in heaven.

In one corner of the large room were slot machines, their arms rattling and their slots shooting out coins. In the center of the room were large tables with people circled around them watching as dice rolled up and down the felt tops.

Roulette tables were scattered throughout, small white balls clacking around, waiting to drop. As her eyes scanned the room she found what she was looking for. The Blackjack tables. She made a beeline for the tables and sat down at the first one she came across.

The dealer was a small man with wrinkles covering his face. His hands were small and frail and as she sat down she was unsure that he would even be able to deal out the cards. He looked up at her slowly and saw the money she had her hands clenched around. His eyes widened and he smiled.

“Change only, one thousand dollars,” the small man shouted over his shoulder. Melissa watched as he laid out the money and counted it. He pulled out a few chips and slid them across the table for her. “Seeing as it’s only you at the table. You know the rules of Blackjack?” Melissa nodded without a word. “Alright, good luck.”

With incredibly speedy and deftness of hands the little man threw cards out right into their spot. He placed his own and then her second card. Melissa looked down to see what she was working with. An ace and a king. “Blackjack,” the dealer says with a smile. He flips his cards to reveal a ten and a four. Flipping a third card he sees a queen. “Dealer busts. Looks like it’s a lucky day for you.”

The next few hours flew by. Melissa’s chips fluctuated for a half hour, but the second half of her first hour was win after win. By the end of her gambling window she had turned her thousand dollars into ten thousand dollars.

She looked down at her watch and noticed that Sarah and the others would be arriving any minute and might already be arriving. She slid a chip worth one hundred dollars across the table to the man who took it with a wink. Grabbing her chips she made her way to cash out as quickly as possible.

As they finished cashing her out, Melissa turned and saw Sarah and the others walking into the main lobby of the hotel. She jogged out to meet them and watched as Sarah’s face lit up.

“Melissa, oh my god. It’s been too long.” Melissa and Sarah hugged as she said this.

“I know, we’ve just been so busy with everything we have going on.” Melissa nodded knowingly, but Melissa heard one of the Sarah’s friends scoff under her breath. Melissa looked over Sarah’s shoulder and picked the woman out. “I’m sorry, what was that?” The woman looked up horrified.

“What? Oh, nothing. There was, uh, something caught in my throat.” Melissa shot daggers out of her eyes at the woman, but Sarah intervened.

“Melissa, I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.” Sarah looked back at the woman averted her gaze. “I know that you’ve been working hard. And I know that things have been difficult since I met Brandon.” Melissa shook her head.

“It’s really not that big of a deal, I just wanted to make sure that your new friends knew where we stood.” Sarah laughed uncomfortably as Melissa stared them down. She knew that her job as a bartender wasn’t much compared to the jobs the men that these women were married to had, but she was proud.

Melissa had been moving up at her restaurant and was getting more responsibility. It was a big improvement from where she had been after college. She had always been impulsive, and the fact that she had a steady job meant a lot.

“So, how long have you been waiting? Not long I hope.” Sarah rested her hand on Melissa’s arm and she laughed.

“Oh, no. I only got here a few minutes before you. I was just checking out what the hotel had to offer.” Melissa said this with a smile as a man in a suit walked up and tapped Melissa on the shoulder. She turned and looked up at him. She didn’t think she had done anything wrong, she had only been here for a few hours.

“Ma’am, myself and the staff of this hotel would like to congratulate you on your winnings. We’d like to upgrade your rooms this evening and if there are any shows or events you’d like to see, please let the receptionist know and she’ll set everything up for you.”

Melissa thanked the man and took his card which had a few words scratched onto it for the receptionist. She turned around to see the look of shock on all of Sarah’s friends’ faces. Sarah however didn’t look surprised at all.

“Only a few minutes, huh?” Melissa shrugged causing them both to break into laughter. “Well, let’s go check out this upgraded room, shall we?”

****

Melissa and Sarah spent the next two hours catching up while the other girls got ready to go out for the night. Sarah and Melissa had made a pact that Melissa wouldn’t even try to go after any guys because this was their chance to be together once last time before Sarah became a responsible married woman forever.

While it pained Melissa to realize that this was the end of their long and glorious friendship of going out and getting trashed together, she always knew that it would end with Sarah being happy to leave the life behind.

So as the other girls gussied up, Sarah and Melissa sat drinking alcoholic ciders to prepare for the long evening. There was a knock at the door and Melissa stood up to get it. She swung the door open to reveal the same man from the lobby, however this time he was holding a stack of tickets. He held them out for her and she took them, flipping through them to see what they were.

“Hello, Ms. Brooks. As I said before, we’d love to comp an event for you this evening and I was wondering which one you had in mind.” From the other room Melissa heard a few of the girls shout about some pop star that was supposedly in town, but Melissa had done her research. The best way to get these ladies laid was to bring them to a place that would get everyone excited.

“How about this MMA fight tonight? I heard that it was supposed to be a bloodbath.” The man nodded and picked out the ticket from the stack. He signed something onto the ticket and handed it back to her.

“Of course, just stop off at the front desk before you head out for your passes. Enjoy your evening, ma’am.” Melissa thanked him and closed the door as he walked away. She turned back around and saw all the girls in the room staring at her. Sarah merely sat on the couch and looked on in enjoyment.

“Is there a problem?” As soon as the last word left her lips there was a storm of questions that poured out of the women’s mouths. Some were surprisingly hurtful, but the majority were legitimate concerns. Melissa waved her hands to quiet them. “Listen, listen, listen. You all want to meet someone tonight, right?” They fell silent, and a few even nodded.

“Then we can’t spend our nights where they expect us to be. Those are where the sleaze balls will be. We need to go and find the good ones.” The women were now nodding knowingly. “So, we go to a fight. Men who go watch fights will have their testosterone spiked. They’ll be easy targets, ladies. Trust me.”

The hours before the fight were pretty hectic. The girls rushed to get ready and Melissa and Sarah continued to drink. They changed to shots when the others were ready and by the time they were ready to leave for the fight, Melissa and Sarah were fairly giggly. They stopped off at reception and got their wristbands and then like a gaggle of schoolgirls they made their way down the strip to the arena where the fight was.

Melissa must have been a big winner because they nearly had ringside seats when they were escorted to their seats by a small man dressed in a suit who read the note on their ticket. As they all sat down Melissa watched as the other women began to scan the crowd for potential targets. They were on high alert. However, Melissa couldn’t worry about that. She had to worry about being with Sarah. Just as she had that thought a man sat down in the seat beside her.

“Excuse me, miss.” She turned to see who had spoken and saw the most interesting man she had ever laid eyes on. He was a tall, Caucasian man but he had a dark, even tan as if he worked outside a lot. His profile was incredibly defined and his jawline looked like it could cut glass.

His eyes were an emerald green that caught the lights of the arena in a way that Melissa was almost nervous to look directly into them for fear of being blinded. His arms weren’t that large, but they were tense, like coiled metal.

She looked down at his knuckles and saw that they were shredded and covered in blood and scabs. He was wearing jeans with a baggy, white undershirt. It was slightly stained, but in the kind of way that it could have been bought that way.

“Oh, no problem at all, sir.” He turned and looked at her when she said ‘sir,’ and chuckled. He looked back towards the octagon where lightweight fighters had just started their fight. The arena was fairly empty, most people were waiting for the main event.

As soon as he settled into his seat one of Sarah’s friends leaned over in front of both Sarah and Melissa and shouted down the row of people at the man.

“Hey, handsome. My name is Madeline, what’s yours?” The man turned and politely cocked his head to hear her better. He held his finger up to his ear as if to say he couldn’t hear her so she yelled louder.

He continued to mime as though he couldn’t hear her until she gave up and turned her attention to her drink. Melissa laughed when she turned away and the man once again looked at her.

“Sorry, that’s not one of your friends is it?” Melissa looked at him and shook her head.

“Oh, no. I’m here for my friend’s bachelorette party. I’m the black sheep and the cling-on from her time as a fun, single lady.” The man held out his hand and introduced himself.

“Well it’s lovely to meet you, Black Sheep. I’m Thomas.” Melissa took his hand and shook it.

“That’s not a bad nickname, but my given name is Melissa in case you’re interested.” Thomas laughed and turned his attention back towards the fight.

“That’s a nice name, although I like Black Sheep too.” As he said this a few men dressed in suits run up and start shouting at Thomas. However, they’re not calling him Thomas, they’re calling him ‘Slain Lane.’ He absently waved towards the men and looked back at Melissa. “It’s a better nickname than that at least.”

“Well how’d you get that nickname?” She looked down at his knuckles as she asked the question and he followed her eyes.

“Yeah, I’m a fighter.” He pointed down towards the octagon. “I’ll actually be fighting right there tomorrow night.” Melissa looked back out towards the octagon. A few more people called out as they walked by.