This is a part 5 chapter thing, so tomorrow's update will be the fourth for chapter 32! Enjoy! 🤍

"It always seems impossible until it's done."—Nelson Mandela

Chapter 32|part 3
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I gulped down any confidence I had left. "What do you do here, exactly?"

He ignored my question, reaching behind my seat. I watched as he pulled out a white tank, then took off his hoodie.

He placed the hoodie in my lap, and I let it sit there. "Kade."

Kade slid the tank over his head quickly. "Just...don't ask me any questions. Put the hoodie on," he said, voice detached. "Hurry."

I frowned at his newfound behavior, before putting on his hoodie. Immediately, I was flooded by his scent, a heavenly cologne and...holy shit, he smells good.

I didn't realize until now that he never had a shirt on underneath. Before he threw on the tank, I caught glance of his tanned, toned stomach. Immediately, I tore my gaze away as he turned toward me.

He handed me a band. "Put your hair up in a ponytail," he demanded, nodding toward me.

I did so quickly. As he leaned my way, I instinctively thought he was going to kiss me, or do something sensual, but of course, I was wrong.

He pulled the cap of the hoodie up the farthest it'd go. With lips pressed into a thin line, he examined me over closely before nodding to himself. We got out of his car, my presence lingering closely behind his.

Kade pulled at the hoodie again before his hand took mine. Even under these circumstances, I felt the heat float throughout me before reality set in.

"Stay close to me," he said, eyes ahead as we walked. "Don't leave my side."

I followed his instructions, keeping my head down, and my words low. I stared straight ahead, though I felt different sets of eyes on me as we continued on.

I glanced up from Kade's backside, holding in a gasp as I caught sight of our surroundings. It looked like something straight from an action movie, but that wasn't this case because it was right here.

We looked to be on a high floor, from my view. The ground level was so far, yet so audible, even from here. Right in the center was a large ring platform that was surrounded by four walls, which looked to be built out of wire.

I gasped as I saw the two large men on top of the platform. Instead of wrestling, they were fighting. Full blown punches, kicks, and blows to the face and body. They were trying to kill one another.

A couple of viewers were up here with this, but not as many as downstairs. There were scattered chairs and pieces on furniture on either side of the cage, all filled with yelling viewers. My ears clenched painfully at their loud cheers and curses.

Kade's eyes were on me, scanning for my reactions to the scene. I attempted to hold myself up, but as I heard the loud thump of what I assumed was a head, I covered my mouth.

Kade shook me out of it, grasping me by the elbow. "Come on."

He guided me down a flight of stairs, never removing his hand from me. On the way down, we passed other men who carried on as usual, sending small nods to Kade. By my quick glance at them, I knew that I wouldn't want to get on their bad side.

I mumbled a sorry as my shoulder bumped into a girls' but that wasn't what caught me off guard. I flushed at the sight; the girl had neither a shirt or a bra on, just a pair of low-riding shorts. Kade chuckled, a half-smirk along his lips as he watched me, but we continued on nonetheless.

By the time we stopped, I didn't even feel like we did. I had to force myself to look up, but Kade nearly had me molded into his backside. I swallowed tightly as he did a knock of some-sort against a door.

The door opened with a creak, and a moment later, a short, lanky bodied man came through. He did some type of handshake with Kade then nodded toward us. Kade nodded back, gripping me tighter as we walked through. Several men moved out of the way, before sending us, well me an odd look. One let their eyes linger on my chest, which Kade debunked immediately with a glare.

I nearly fell out as an arm wrapped around my shoulder until I realized. It was his.

Kade tightened his grip, his eyes glaring at any onlookers. I felt him crane his neck, leaning close enough so that only I could here. "You good?"

I couldn't answer; I didn't think myself able to. This was all...a lot. So instead, I just hardened my gaze ahead and carried on.

The room looked old, but it was furnished with slightly new furniture. Random chairs and sofas with different sizes and colors of bottles and leftover food wrappers, all against either surface of the space. The white tile was shaded with both cigarette ash and butts, all presumably old. The longer we carried on down the space, the more the white walls were lined by large lockers.

There were men already there, all too focused on searching through their lockers to notice anything else. I still held my head down, only glancing up when I felt the need to. I even caught sight of one of the man as they undid some type of wrapping around his hands, tearing at a piece with his teeth until it was gone.

Kade stopped abruptly, right in front of another door. He pulled a key from his pocket, pushed the door open, then turned to me. Without another word, he grasped my hand and tugged me inside. "You'll be safe in here. Don't come out, Kimberly. I'm not kidding."

The room smelled dusty, and I could sort of see why. Cobwebs shadowed different corners of the medium sized space. A sofa was situated against the far right of the peeling painted wall. It faced the side of a large table, one that nearly stretched to the other wall. Chairs were scattered on either side, but they didn't seem very reliable. Above it all hung a television with dust building up on the top. 

I swung my head back to Kade's direction but froze when I saw that he was no longer there.

What the...

I stood by myself in the room, staring at the door, which I had attempted but it was locked shut. I wanted him to come back, to tell me what the hell was going on here.

I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have came here; I should have minded my own business. In a place like this, I obviously didn't belong, nor did I want to belong. There was no way in hell that I could understand the things going on here.

I felt my face grow flush at the possibilities. What if Ryland and my father found out I had been here? In this incredibly violent place, where god knows what else goes on. I'd only seen a speck and was petrified.

How deeply was Kade involved? Why would he be in the first place? The man was rich, really rich, from what I could tell. He had everything, possession wise, so, why need to do this?

I pushed those thoughts behind me, and instead focused on my surroundings. The door was locked, so I was stuck here, not that I wanted to rejoin the men outside anyway. I sighed; there was nothing I could do but wait. Just as I begun to sit, the door clicked and was pushed open from the either side.

At the look on Luke's face, my relief soon shifted into indignation.

His frown turned into a scoff as he set eyes on me. Levi followed right behind him, a small smile upturning his lips when he noticed me.

I was hoping to that Kade would be in tow, but it was only them. Luke's glare never died down, so I removed my eyes from him. With a huff, I took a seat right behind the table.

Levi plopped down next to me. "What's up?"

"Kade's dick for her, apparently," Luke muttered, leaning against the door. One ankle crossed over the other, arms locked against his chest, and scowl never down.

Levi shot a look toward him, which Luke shrugged at, before pulling out his phone.

Luke swept a hand through his hair, typing away at his phone with a much harder force than necessary. "I can't believe I have to babysit her, again."

Levi opened his mouth, but I beat him to the punch. "You don't have to do anything."

Luke chuckled, raising his gaze from the phone. "Really now, princess?"

Anger began to gnaw me until their was nothing left. I couldn't help my mouth. I didn't know what his problem was, but I wasn't that same girl he thought he could torment.

My fingers curled around the table as I glared down at it. "You know what's stupid?"

"Other than you?" he snorted.

"It's not stupid. It's funny, actually." My skin torched as I shook my head. "You call me a princess when you've probably gotten what you've wanted all of your life." His nostrils flared, only pushing and pushing at my anger before I continued, "I'm not even sure what your problem is with me, but you should just be a man, get over it, and stop tormenting other people just because you think it's funny rather than just dealing with your own shit." I held up throughout my words but by the time I was finished, I thought I'd fall out from nerves.

Luke's face contorted with rage, slow and steady. His darkened stare fell onto my frightened stature, dark eyes narrowed at me.

His expression broke for a chuckle as he took a step closer. "Oh! So, now the princess talks?"

Levi shook his head, "Vaudest, man stop." He nodded toward my still figure, glaring back at Luke.

Luke and his long legs reached me in a stride, too quickly to recount. With a gulp, I leaned back into my seat until I couldn't.

I proceeded to get my back closer against the metal, only to be let down as Luke got closer and closer. Either hand slammed onto the table, his eyes narrowing at me.

"Now, you listen, because I don't ever repeat shit," he spat. "I don't give two fucks if you're Kade's new flavor of the week. You may think you're tough as nails right now, but if I throw you outside of this room with those guys right now, I promise you'll be begging on your knees to come back. I won't ever put my hands on women, but I sure as hell know how to make them cry. Especially bitchy little princesses like you." he hissed, his venomous gaze slicing right through my fearful one. "Now. Shut the fuck up, and don't say shit else to me, get me?"

The confidence I did have was long gone, and now, it was edged out by the fear. My body quivered under his harsh glare the longer we held eyes.

Levi moved too quickly for my eyes to catch, leaping right out of his seat. He shoved Luke's chest so hard, he slammed right against the wall.

"So what, Luke? You're doing pussy shit, now?" Levi shoved him again, their faces mere inches apart "You've been messing with the goddamned girl for ages, but the moment she says something back, you start acting like a little bitch? We both know damn well you wouldn't have said that stupid shit with Ryder in the room."

I silently screamed a thank you to Levi. Luke had a good two inches on him, but they were both similar in their builds. My money would be on neither man if they were to fight.

Dark eyes glared down at his friend as he shoved his hand away from his chest. Levi didn't move, his stance remaining the same as he spat, "If you need it, go get some pussy, smoke, drink, do whatever." With one last shove, he stepped away from Luke and fell back into his seat beside me, still glaring up at Luke. "Just sit down, quit being a bitch to her, and chill the fuck out."

Luke's lethal expression slowly shifted into a dull state as he grinned at his friend. "Chill, man. I was only joking with her."

But, I knew that wasn't the case. By the blazing tension left in his body, I knew that his words were no joke.

Luke settled into the chair nearest the television, kicking his feet back onto the table as he reached for the remote. By the televisions' ragged appearance, I didn't believe it would work, but by one click of the remote button, it powered on.

Levi left his chair, then sat on top of the desk, his gaze settling on the television immediately. I thought that they were going to find some show, but my mouth fell open as the tv displayed the same arena I had seen earlier.

But, the thing that truly triggered my heart into stopping?

Kade was the one on the arena platform, with his back to the ground and Angelo on top of him.

"Damn, the fuckers' really off his game tonight, huh?" Levi mumbled, eyeing the tv.

Luke side-glanced me with a snort. "Wonder why."

Levi crossed either arm across his chest, muscles staining in his shirt as he sighed. "He'll give it to him in the next round; he's never lost to Calloway and he sure as hell won't now."

Pulled nodded, mumbling, "Fucker better get his shit together when he hits the tracks, though."

Their eyes never left the screen, and mine sure didn't either. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. No, I didn't want to believe what what right in front of me.

Kade was still under him, but he was returning punches to the same effect. Either way, he was stuck and he was definitely hurt from Angelo's punches.

I sat up in my seat as the panic seized me. "Stop him!" I shouted at his best friends, who watched the fight without a care in the world.

Luke groaned, twiddling the remote around in his hand. "Shut the—" Luke was cut off by Levi.

"We can't," he shrugged, eyes never leaving the screen.

My eyes widened them as I attempted to withhold my rage. "What do you mean you can't?"

"He means we literally can't stop the fight," Luke said with an eye roll. "Ryder would kill us if we left you here, well...not that the idea doesn't sound entertaining," he paused to chuckle. "Besides, it would be against the guidelines for his trainers' to interfere."

I still couldn't understand his words, not when the screen said otherwise. "He's your friend, how could you—"

Luke sighed. "Well, how about you go out there and save him, princess." His chuckle killed me like seeing Kade get hurt killed me. "Go ahead. The doors unlocked and shit." His head tilted at it before moving back to the television screen.

Without another thought, I did just that.

I ran out.