Chapter 1
Ripley
Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do?
Like drugs? Like preaching? Like killing people? Or like throwing a kid on the steps of an orphanage? Have you ever thought about what goes through their minds right at the second they do whatever it is that they do?
Just like now... why would someone end up in a ring, standing in front of a big muscly guy, going toe to toe against each other? Especially since I’m a girl... People have asked me over the years, 'Why do it?' Why do I step into the ring knowing I’m going to be up against people like ‘Milo’ here? Why would I put myself in danger of getting hurt badly?
Why would I put myself through hours of training? Why would I put myself through this?
One word: Adrenaline!
It made me feel like I was on top of the world. I knew I was good but I wanted to be better, I pushed myself harder than anyone. I made sure my hits were harder than my opponents. I made sure I left my opponent feeling like shit as I watched their blood drip down their sweaty bodies.
I bounced on the balls of my feet, watching, waiting for my opponent to gain his stability again. On the inside, I was hoping he would just stay on the floor but Milo here wasn’t backing down. He ready did a number on me, I could feel my right side of my face bruising already. Probably wouldn’t be able to see out of my right eye in the morning.
I fought in an illegal underground fight club, called the Blood Lake Arena.
At the age of 15 years old, I became homeless and I stumbled across a gym, Mighty Jim’s. The owner gave me a place to stay, some food and made me feel welcome. Over a year of helping Jim around the place plus going to work at the local diner, I saw a flyer on his notice board, it was a competition at the Blood Lake Arena. The winner took home $1,000. Wasn’t much to some people but to me, that was a lot. So I decided to train, Jim taught me everything. He got me to this point. Jim got me to the point that I became the best here.
I can’t believe that was 13 years ago...
Do I ever stop and think about my next move? No. I act before I ask questions.
I stood here in the ring surrounded by people shouting, swearing, cheering as I breathed heavily. My body hurt but adrenaline was pumping through my veins, I couldn’t help myself as I spun around and flew through the air, kicking Milo in the side of the head. As I landed back on my feet Milo landed on the floor with a thump. The crowd roared as they cheered, I stepped back as the referee came in and checked on Milo, he looked towards the glass box where the big bosses and the commentators sat.
The fight was over.
I had won.
I quickly jumped off the ring where I met Jim before he helped me push past people heading to the locker rooms. “You did real good out there Ripley. I’m proud of your baby girl” he tells me once we were inside. I started to pull off the tape I had wrapped around my hands when I took a seat on the bench. “You need to put ice on that cheek of yours too” I looked up at him and nodded my head. He squeezed my shoulder before he left to go collect the money I won tonight.
I quickly showered and changed into sweats before I met him by the back door. Once I was in the car, Jim handed me the cash. $2500. I gave a grand to Jim before putting the rest away. I pulled out my phone and saw I had a missed call from Minx.
Through school, Minx had been the shy girl type and when I was the new kid, she became my best friend. I was the rebel child back then and I guess I still was. When I was kicked out of home, I had gone two towns over and never stepped foot in that home town of Bar Harbour again. It had been years since I had seen Minx, so as I licked my lips tasting the bleed from my split lip, I thought about her. When I was kicked out of home I had only my backpack and the clothing on my back, I had enough money to catch a bus but I never told anyone where I went...
It was a shitty thing for me to do.
When I heard Minx’ voice, shaken and scared, my eyes closed and my fist clenched. Listening to her explain to me how scared she was and how much she misses me made me sigh. It was time to return to Bar Harbour.
A day later I had packed a few bags and threw them into the car before I drove the few hours. She gave me her address over the message and that was where I was heading. The Armoured Beasts Clubhouse. Thought it was weird though... what would Minx be doing at a biker clubhouse? But she had told me it was her brother’s club... but growing up she only had a foster brother...
When I finally got to Bar Harbour I had found the clubhouse easily and pulled into the compound. You couldn’t miss it as the ARMOURED BEASTS logo was huge. Motorcycles and other cars filled the lot, men in leather kutte’s and girls in barely any clothing stood outside but when I pulled in, they all turned to me. I sighed and climbed out of my 1970 Dodge Challenger. “Sweet ride,” a guy said as he stepped towards me.
“Do you know where I can find Minx?” I asked him. I noticed his kutte had ‘President’ on it and when I looked up at him, it was like he hadn’t changed.
“And what do you want with my sister? And how did ya get that?” He asked me, knowing I looked like hell with my black eye, I rolled my eyes.
“Listen here, Mason. I don’t need your shit right now, just tell me where I can find her” I said, he glared hard before he stepped closer to me. My childhood crush and boyfriend was standing in front of me once again.
“Watch your mouth around here, don’t want your pretty little head blown off now.” He takes a sip of his beer that a girl gave to him, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders “Minx is inside behind the bar. Oh and Ripley, it’s good to see ya.” he said, giving me a wink before walking off.
I rolled my eyes once again and walked towards the clubhouse doors, the inside of the club was crowded too I had to move around people until I saw the bar. When I took a seat Minx looked up and was about to speak until she saw who it was. I saw her eyes fill up with tears before she rushed around the bar and straight into my open arms. “I’m so sorry,” I said over and over as I heard her cry.
She had been through a lot when we were in school, so god only knows what has happened over the last few years.
