“Then we sit.” I leaned forward, popping my knuckles. “But we may have just gotten lucky.”
A set of lights turned down the gravel road and the vehicle sped our way.
I focused on controlling my breath as my anticipation grew. I liked to go into fights as controlled as possible. It made picking apart the opposition that much easier. It was something my boxing instructor had taught me growing up and had proven to be right every time I needed it … and I had needed it a time or twelve.
“It looks like his SUV,” Max said quietly, leaning forward on the steering wheel.
“Okay. As soon as he pulls in, slide the truck in behind him. If he gets in the house, he won’t come out. He’ll know why I’m here.”
Adrenaline started shooting through me, making me feel like a live wire. I inhaled deeply, trying to keep myself in check and ready for the task at hand.
The task of tearing Simon Powers apart limb by limb.
Max slowly pulled his truck around the barn with the lights off as the Avalanche approached the house. Simon hit the gravel of his driveway and Max hit the gas, flying up to the mouth of the driveway as Simon exited his SUV.
I hopped out of the truck, my nostrils flaring, and rushed around the front.
I vaguely heard Max’s footsteps behind me as I stalked forward. Simon stood beside the front of his car, his eyes darting around the darkness.
“Well, well, well. Imagine finding you out here,” Simon said, the arrogance I had always known him to have loud and clear.
I couldn’t stop the smile that slowly spread across my face. I was going to enjoy this way more than was fucking right.
With every step, my heart beat faster, every sense heightened. It was all I could do to reign myself in and not just knock him the fuck out. But I couldn’t do that.
Anticipation was half the fight and I wanted him to have the full experience.
Simon stood upright, throwing his shoulders back. His fists were balled at his side and I grinned, hoping he would at least fight back so I could extend his pain … and my pleasure.
“Put your hands up,” I instructed, trying to keep myself from just planting him into the ground.
Simon cocked his head to the side, eyeing Max for a split second before landing his sights on me again. “You know I’m a lover not a fighter, Cane. Just ask the little bitch I took to dinner tonight.”
The words were the detonator to my fuse, ensuring that he would be unrecognizable the next morning.
“Put your motherfucking hands up, Powers!” I boomed, motioning for him to raise his fists. I brought mine up to my chin and looked down my knuckles, waiting for him to get ready.
There would be no mistake this was a fight.
Reality washed over Simon like a hurricane. His face paled, his eyes grew wide as his fate became clear.
I watched with impatience as he did the predictable—the same thing that every guy that watched too many Van Damme movies did. He brought his hands waist high and began bouncing around like a kangaroo.
Good enough.
I threw a jab crisply, snapping his head back. Simon stumbled backwards before righting himself, a look of disbelief in his eyes.
I took a step forward and threw another jab, landing it flush, causing his head to snap back again. A cracking sound echoed through the night and Simon’s hands flew to his face, his eyes wide.
I laughed as blood oozed between his fingers.
He withdrew them from his face and held them in front of him, looking down at the crimson dripping off his fingers to the ground. His eyes rose to mine, before back to the blood.
“What the fuck?” Simon yelled in disbelief, wiping the blood off his face with his hands. As his hand got near his nose, he jumped back in pain.
His nose was bent, clearly broken.
“Just giving you something to remember me by in the morning. Don’t worry. I have more presents up my sleeve.”
“Cane,” Simon began, his voice frantic, “I don’t know what’s going on.”
I took a step towards him and drew my hand back, making him flinch. “I just heard you owed someone something tonight and I came to collect.”
“There was a misunderstanding.” Simon took a few steps backwards towards the house.
I leapt forward, smashing my right hand into the side of his face. His head fell to his right, but was stopped by my left hand, driving his head the other way. His eyes rolled back upon impact and he fell to the ground with a thud.
Round one—me.
I breathed heavily, my chest rising and falling with such force that it almost felt like I wasn’t breathing at all. I looked down at the piece of shit at my feet as he found his wits.
“We are going to make sure there are no more misunderstandings. Get up,” I commanded.