They’re definitely not spandex on his skin. Not like those tight leggings Violet wears. The same words I told her about boxing come back to me.You need to hit them in the right spot.
If I can take this guy down, or at least prevent him from doing too much damage to me, I’ll worry about what Finn will make of it later.
It doesn’t take long for him to crowd my space. I keep my bookbag on in case I need to make a fast getaway. He throws the first jab, and I let him. That’s my first mistake. Finn watches from the sidelines, never getting his hands too dirty.
Finn’s muscle strikes me in the jaw, and a splitting pain sinks into my bones. He grabs me by my shoulder, driving his fist into my gut. It knocks the air out of me. I’m gasping and coughing through the pressure that spreads in the back of my neck when he latches onto it and squeezes hard enough to pop my head clean off.
I send a fist into his gut as soon as I gather a big enough breath. He barely stumbles back. All that fat protects him from the same effect it has on me. I need to get him in the face. Make him see stars. Dizzy that head of his.
“Oh, you’re gonna fight back?” Finn asks, chuckling. “This should be good. Nic, you know what to do.”
He doesn’t answer verbally but responds physically.
I’ve never actually heard him talk.
Maybe he doesn’t.
His fist flies for me again. This time splitting my lip and causing a sting to spread. Liquid metal coats my tongue.
He swings again, but this time I lift an arm to block the hit. I pull my right fist back and hook it into his cheek. This time, he does stumble. More than a step. I advance and hit him again.
That’s right,Nic.
Let those motherfucking stars lull you.
His expression grows dark, and if he was holding back before, he doesn’t plan on sticking to that. I work through the faster hits, forcing myself to stay on my feet. My stomach cramps. My hands cover my face as he stabs me two more times in the gut with his meaty paws. It’s too much.
I drop to my knees, my entire body screaming in pain.
But no matter how agonizing it gets, I keep my hands up, blocking as much as I can as he kicks my side. I topple over, splaying my palms on the rough asphalt.
Finn whistles. His goon backs up. I look up, noting the red spot on his cheek where I hit him twice.
“That’s good enough,” Finn says. Nic heads back to the car with a grunt, and I spit out a mouthful of blood. I run my tongue along the cut in my mouth and wince.
Finn gets closer. Kneels next to me. “This is what it’s going to be like every fucking time I see you until I get every last cent.”
I don’t repeat the fact that I have some of what he wants.
“Remember what I said about Janie.” He gives my cheek a light smack. “Something tells me she wouldn’t have as much of a problem as you seem to be having. Maybe I’ll go pay her a visit on the way home. What do you think?”
“Leave her alone.”
He grins as if he isn’t up to no good. “I’ll never understand why you protect a piece of shit like her, but hey, we’re all fuck-ups in our own ways.” He stands. “See you soon, Moore.”
I wait until they’re gone to lift to my feet. I’m slow to stand. Nic didn’t hold back. Not that I expected him to, but fuck, his punches had weight behind them. The pain thrumming through my body is proof. The two hits I got in on him are nothing compared to what he did to me.
I groan after I take a small step. There’s no way I’m jogging back to the complex. My mid-section won’t stand for it. For all I know, he could have bruised a rib or two. I press my hand into my side and hobble along, swallowing down the sharp stabs of pain that come with each step.
At the opening of the alley, I turn right and make it halfway down the block before I pull my phone out to check my face. It’s hard to see since it’s dusk, but I notice the cut at the corner of mylip. It’s not too bad, worse on the inside from what I can feel with my tongue, but I can’t go back to the apartment looking like this.
If Webber sees me, he’ll ask questionsandtell Sebastian.
And it’s late enough that Sebastian is probably already home from wherever he was.
Neither Sebastian nor Aunt Bess can know that I’ve been dealing with the Lincolns for as long as I have.
Aunt Bess is like a second mom to me. Sebastian is like a brother. Losing their support would sting worse than this goddamn cut in my mouth.
