Fight Like A Girl

Chapter 3- Dallas

I had so many emotions running through my head the moment I saw Sailor outside of the front door. I wasn’t expecting her to look that f*****g amazing. Sure I’d seen her on the runway, she made us a f**k ton of money doing that, but it was different than seeing her in person. The way her blue eyes stared at me with so much shock and emotion, I couldn’t handle it and put the hardened mask on that I’d been so good at faking the last ten years. She tore my heart out that night, but I understand. She thinks we betrayed her, and maybe we did by not telling her everything, but Nix wasn’t supposed to take her. That wasn’t part of the plan at all.

When Aries said she was joining us at the table, I inwardly smirked. She was in for a surprise that’s for sure. There was no way Nix told her about me coming up after him. It wasn’t even a light request. My boys and I had worked our way up to the top and all but forced him out. We wanted revenge on him taking what was ours. For taking her. She won our freedom and we never stopped fighting to get her out. Not that she’d ever know that, not yet anyway. All the things we did to keep her safe from the shadows, she’d kill us if she knew.

Aries entered the living room without her and I raised my brow in question. I was just about to open my mouth to ask where she was when I heard her squeal in joy. f**k. Who was making her that damn happy? Then the asshole walked in holding her like he was the only one that owned her and I couldn’t hold back a growl. He was taunting me with her wrapped around him like that. Dumbass would get it later, and by the smirk on his face he knew it too. She was ours, we’d made that agreement after that night, but that didn’t mean it made it easier to see her like that around him. If I’d been more open when I first saw her, that could have been me. Fat chance. She hated me more than the rest.

‘I loved you. You ripped out my heart and stomped on it. You’re all dead to me.’

Her words from that night cut through me like a knife and I had to tear my gaze away from the two of them. There’s no way I was going to be able to keep my cool if I kept looking. It took too long for our meeting to get going. I spoke the words that she needed to hear when she asked who the new boss was going to be. The look on her face said it all, she was afraid that her freedom was going to be taken away. If only she knew. Watching her run out of the living room like that had me standing and shouting her name, but she didn’t stop. I could hear her bedroom door slam from upstairs and I sank back down into the chair, running a hand over my face.

“Well, she took that well. “ Aries joked and I growled at him. He knew she wasn’t going to take it well, he even warned me she wouldn’t. But she had a right to know about the changes and how hairy it was going to get around here.

“Give her time, I’m sure she’ll come around.” Bentley’s voice came from next to me and it took everything I had not to punch him in his stupid face.

“Glad to see how friendly you two are.” I gritted out, my hands curling into balls.

“We’ve been talking over email and texts the last few years. You knew this. I apologized. Maybe you should try that some time.” He shoved his chair back as he stood and I did the same thing.

“She won’t even give me the time of day to apologize. She’ll never forgive me, Bent. I ripped her heart out and stomped on it.” I repeated her words from that night and the room went quiet.

“She said that to all of us, D. Don’t take it too personally.” Gage said, rolling his eyes. He’s the only one out of all of us that didn’t crumble at the sound of her name the last ten years, even though I know he missed her. He has her posters plastered all over the walls of his room like some teenager, but none of us have ever said anything to him about it. It’s his way of handling his feelings, not like mine is much better.

Aries cleared his throat. “Look, guys. We’re not stupid, okay. We know that she’s important to the four of you and that once, you were just as important to her. We saw it back then and we see it now. “ He leaned forward, taking in my shocked face. “But if any of you break her heart again, I’ll kill you in an instant. She deserves to be happy after the last ten years she’s had. “ He crossed his arms and nodded towards the stairs. “Someone, not us, and probably not Bentley,, needs to go check on her. You three figure it out.” He said pointing between me and the two sitting next to me before he turned and walked away.

Gage and Matthew looked at me like I was the one supposed to check on her. “I can’t do it.” I managed to get out through my gritted teeth. Didn’t any of them understand how hard this was for me? She was the only girl I’d ever loved, ever touched in a meaningful way. She understood me like no one else had before, or since. And she hated me.

Matt rolled his eyes and stood up. “I’ll go check on her. “

“You do that. I’ll be in the basement.” I huffed and quickly walked out of the room before I changed my mind. I wasn’t ready to face her, not yet. I’d let her keep hating me, I deserved it after everything I’d put her through.

Aries was already in the basement when I came down the stairs. He stared at me a moment and then shook his head. “I was really hoping you wouldn’t be that stupid, but..” He didn’t even finish his sentence before he started going at the punching bag. I knew what they all wanted me to do, but I wasn’t going to be forced into it. Hell, if they could make me do that, we were f****d when I took over. I couldn’t show weakness, not even to them. They’re my family, they see every side of me, but weakness is something I don’t even show myself. Part of me is afraid that’s what she’s going to bring out in me. Because she is my weakness.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to look at it. Nix was calling me, that’s just super.

“Yeah.” I didn’t have time for his s**t right now.

“She get there okay?” He asked like he cared, which was surprising. I never did understand why Nix kept her for so long, especially after the rest of us decided to stay on, for her. He made a s**t ton of money off of her though, maybe that was why.

“Uh-huh.” I gave him short answers, it kept our phone calls to a minimum.

“Good, good. Shipment should be in town tomorrow by midnight. “ He paused for a moment, like there was something he wanted to add and I waited. “She’s a good girl, Dallas. I regret how things played out with her.”

I scoffed. “Then why keep her all these years? You still had all of us in your pocket. Why her, Nix?” I turned to face Aries as I spoke so he knew who I was talking to.

“Honestly? At first I kept her to keep you lot in line. All I had to do was mention her name and you guys did whatever I asked. Then after a few years..” He sighed on the other end and I put him on speaker as Aries walked up to us. “She wormed her way into my heart. f****d up as it sounds. That’s why I took her off of fighting so soon. I hated seeing her afterwards. She put me in my place plenty of times, but the thought of letting her go, I dunno, just made me feel empty. She’s a special girl. “

I could see Aries seething with rage at the insight Nix just gave us. He thought of her like a daughter, or maybe more. The though had my blood boiling.

“Did you ever sleep with her?” I found myself asking without even thinking. Even Aries was a little set back with my question.

There was a sigh from the other end and I waited too long for his answer. “No. It was never like that for me.” He said almost softly and I relaxed a little.

“How many more shipments after this one?” I asked, changing the topic.

“Two. And then we’ll do the transfer of power.” I nodded, not that he could see me but I needed this to be over, so she could be free, so we all could be free of Nix.

“Don’t call me with useless s**t. “ I hung up on him and lifted my eyes to Aries. “What kind of f****d up s**t is that? She could have been free if we’d known this earlier. “ I growled, wanting nothing more than to throw my phone across the room. He took everything from us when he took her. When the guys had woken up from their comas, we’d thought they’d be mad at us for putting her in that position, but they knew Nix wouldn’t have let them live if she hadn’t.

I watched Aries run a hand through his wet hair and sigh. “She deserved so much better than what we’ve done. D, when you take over you have to let her go, no matter how much money she makes us.” He said softly, his eyes glazing over with tears. The man could take a punch, but talking about his little sister like this always made him tear up.

I nodded. I’d already thought about it, but some sick part of me wanted to let her sweat it out until then. It was still another month or two off before I could even think about letting her go. When that came along, we were paying everything for her. She’d always have an allowance from us. She deserved that and so much more. “It’ll be the first thing I do.” I said nodding my head again. “Want to spar a bit?” I asked, pulling my shirt over my head.

Aries grinned like a kid in a candy store. “Hell yes.”