Not this time.

Growling, teeth bared on pink gums, the bigger man gripped Huck by the throat. In one wrench of his arms, he threw Huck into the cement. He bounced, skidding to a halt on his side. The scrape along his upper chest was like raw hamburger.

Unable to make anymore sounds, I just bit into his leather jacket. Was he going to die out there, die for real?

Shrapnel stalked towards him, ready to smother Huck into the floor. But my fighter, he wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

Huxton's eyes snapped open, and his feet snapped even faster. Kicking out, his heel exploded into the side of Shrapnel's knee. The crack was a gunshot, the huge beast howling as he went down.

Panting viciously, Huck crawled on top of the mountain of flesh. It wasn't needed; Shrapnel slapped his palm into the floor, tapping out. He was done, his injury too grave.

The bell announced that it was over. People rushed into the ring, dragging Shrapnel away to get him assistance. He'd end up under the care of Jean, one of the men who got paid good money to fix up the fighters on the down-low.

I'd stopped breathing; painful oxygen flowed into my lungs, restarting my heart, my hope. There was only one man left to face Huck. He could do it.

He had to do it.

Nehro stood at the end of the ring. The disgust living in his glare wouldn't show to the crowd, but I recognized it. He hated that we were winning. I think Huck saw it, too, because he stood taller and managed a proud grin.

His energy gave me new vigor. Pumping a fist, I shouted, “Huck! Huck! Huck!”

The patrons took up the call. They were blown away by this combatant, for not only was he new, but he was an anomaly. Nehro had organized the gauntlet to destroy him, but it couldn't be done.

Huck was invincible.

“Huxton versus Magnus,” Nehro called into the mic. “Rematch number two.”

Looking up, I saw the lean man step into the ring. Huck saw him, too, and he looked relieved. He'd taken Magnus down quickly the first time.

Smoothing his blonde hair, Magnus nodded once. It was a sign of respect. He knew that Huck was on his last legs.

Holding his fists high, Huck returned the nod. The bell rang, and the moment of peace was gone. It was all about the violence, the win.

Magnus moved like lightning. He was smaller than Huck, deceivingly so. In a blur, his knuckles smashed into his opponent's cheek, then an elbow sliced right above his eyebrow.

Huxton stumbled back, grasping at his face. The blood started in a slow drip, soon pouring into his vision, that eye closing tight.

“Oh god,” I gasped out loud.

Considering his soaked palm, Huck wiped it on his shirt and took up his stance again. I couldn't hear what he said, the noise was too much.

Lowering his chin, Magnus came at him again. Huck was prepared, blocking the hits, his knee sending the other man to the ground. Jumping down, they wrestled, a knot of arms and legs.

Red stained the floor, marks that imitated fingerprints. Most of it was a shapeless smear.

Magnus was winning, he was too fresh. Choking Huxton, he held him down, face to the floor. I saw Huck's grimace, the color of his skin; purple as a plum. I had the awful image of his head popping clean off, or his eyes exploding.

It wasn't likely, but severe injury was. Something as bad as Shrapnel's knee.

And then it hit me.

He doesn't need to win! Lifting my hands, I formed a megaphone and screamed, “Tap out! Tap out! It still counts!”

Across the ring, Nehro's eyes flashed to me. I ignored him, shouting louder, my voice turning into gravel from the strain.

Huxton must have heard my demands. His palm wavered, pounding the cement. It left wet, sticky imprints with each slap.

The bell went off, and Magnus let go. Wheezing, Huck bent over, holding his ribs. Ignoring the cheers and boos, I stormed over the chalk line. “Are you okay?” I asked, bending down to lift his chin.

Blinking, he gave me a small smile. His voice was gritty. “Please tell me I didn't hallucinate that. I didn't win, and that's alright?”

Nodding rapidly, I hugged him tight. “It's less money for me, but so what? Fuck, I should have suggested it earlier.” In the glory of Huck's constant successes, I'd taken for granted that he knew the rules. Had Nehro not told him?

As long as the fight went on for five minutes, to help avoid people cheating the system and betting without risk, it was still a fight.

It didn't count as a default.

I aided him to his feet, blood getting on my shirt. “Your face,” I said, frowning at the cut above his eye.

“Is it bad?”

“No, it's just bleeding like crazy. Let's clean you up.”

Before I had him out of the ring, the bell rang. The two of us jerked, hearts dipping into our stomachs. We turned back, staring in disbelief at Nehro.

Next to him, grinning and looking proud as punch, was Reese.

Nehro lifted the mic. “Final fight, Huxton versus Reese.”

“No,” I spat, pointing a finger. “No! He can't, this isn't happening!”

A massive wall of shouts took over, everyone so fucking happy at this turn of events. I hated this place more than ever. I wanted to burn it, to crush the ashes under my heel.

Huxton gently forced himself out of my arms. His long legs took him to the other men; I followed, still shaking my head and scowling.

Nehro watched us both, calm and smug and deserving of a kick to the mouth. “What are you doing?” he asked. “The fight starts, get in the ring.”

With his lips in a fierce line, Huck said flatly, “You really expect me to fight Reese, right now, after everything?”

Reese stepped forward, callous in his amusement. “Yeah. It's time for us to finally do this. I'm going to get you back for breaking my nose.”

Huck didn't acknowledge the man. He hadn't looked away from Nehro.

Lowering his eyebrows, Nehro said, “Will you refuse to do it?”

“Is this it?” Huck growled. “Just him, then we're done here?”

Nehro nodded. “Beat him, and I won't call on you for a few weeks.”

“How kind of you,” Huck laughed bitterly.

Tugging at his elbow, I whispered, “If you're doing this, just tap out like before. Okay? Reese won't go easy in there.”

Taking me by the jaw, he kissed me right in front of everyone. I spotted the glimmer of rage in Reese and Nehro. But I didn't care. Huck tasted like adrenaline, like a man on a mission. I wished that was comforting. I wanted him to go in there, endure five minutes, then give up.

I had a dreadful premonition that he would never concede to Reese.

Huck said into my ear, “I'm not going to go easy on him, either.”

Stunned, I looked on from my little world as we split apart. Huck went back to his position in the ring, and Reese to the opposite side.

Nehro put a hand on my shoulder; I shrugged it off violently, stomping backwards. “Don't touch me, you're not even human.”

His smile was thin as a razor. “I look forward to when you can no longer deny me.”

“I'll always deny you,” I hissed. Fury wriggled in my guts, controlling me so that I shook helplessly. “I hate you. Don't you get that?”

“Of course, it's part of what draws me to you.” Leaning close, Nehro thumped the mic into his other palm. “There's something thrilling about a girl who hates you, but has no choice in having to obey.” Straightening, he gazed over the crowd, lifted his arms; they saw him do it, took it as a sign to cheer louder. My skin crawled. “I love control. If you had given yourself up to me from the start, who knows? Maybe I wouldn't have wanted you at all.”

Pushing vomit back down, I turned away and paced into the thrumming bodies. They muted him, even as he shouted over the megaphone. I didn't want to think about Nehro. I wanted to get away from all of this.

Perching on the edge of the chalk, I clung to Huck's jacket and absorbed the determination in his eyes. Any belief that I had that he would back down and bow to Reese, just to save himself some pain, was erased.