Jax backpedals in a subtle manner, then stops and sets his feet. He quickly swivels his hips thrusting his rear left leg forward and lands a low strike on Caden just below the knee. Catching Caden in a moment of unbalance forces him to retreat from his attack and reset himself. Not many fighters would have taken two strong hits and have been able to turn it around so quickly like Jax just did. Whereas Caden’s strength is in his offense, Jax is equally strong both offensively and defensively and seems to have picked up on Caden’s weaknesses quickly.

Jax plants his feet again and prepares to unload another kick. This time Caden sees it coming, however, he assumes it will be another attack to his leg. Defensively, Caden drops his posture preparing to catch the kick and turns, leaving his head unprotected. Jax strikes, landing a powerful kick flush to Caden’s face and stumbles him backwards again. Before Caden can reset, Jax capitalizes with a combination of punches. Round two may have started off strong for Caden, but by the time the bell dings, Jax has turned things around and clearly taken the points.

Round three opens no different than the two before, with the two men delivering blow after blow. Jax takes each hit in stride, without as much as a waiver of his balance. Frustrated, and the effects of the relentless pummeling beginning to show on Caden, Jax lunges, forcing him to the ground and the two men grapple for dominant positioning.

Jax moves fast, and within seconds he has Caden in some convoluted hold that looks like if Caden moves a fraction of an inch, his arm might snap in two. But Caden is way too stubborn to give. He’d sooner have his arm shattered and be forced out on a stretcher than concede anything in this fight. Jax twists his body again to add pressure, there is no possible way Caden isn’t in excruciating pain, yet an eerily sadistic smile crosses Caden’s face. Right before he delivers a heal strike from the guard directly to the kidney. A completely illegal move for a reason.

The referee calls a timeout, scolding Caden as he sends him to his corner for committing the foul and checks on Jax who is writhing in pain on the mat.

“There’s an ugly streak in that boy. I know he’s my nephew, but god damn him, if he can’t win a fight fair and square, he tries to steal it,” Joe grumbles, as we both look on at the ref attending to Jax.

Jax motions he wants to continue, the ref forcing him to take another minute before bringing the two back to the center of the ring. The ref spends a minute dishing a stern warning to Caden and then the two are back at it. Unfortunately, the foul accomplished what Caden set out to do, allow him time to reset and catch his breath again. With less than ninety seconds left on the clock, the blows start back up again right away. Jax just needs to keep things at bay and he’ll win by decision. Even if the judges weighed the first round as even, Jax dominated the second and this one is weighing heavily in his favor.

With an easy leg sweep, Jax takes Caden to the ground again and the two men roll around. Jax captures Caden in a scarf hold, but his grip slips and Caden escapes. It would have been easy for Caden to assume the dominating position, and score points with the judges, but instead he pops to his feet unexpectedly and rears his leg up high, stomping heavily on Jax who’s still grounded. The force of his illegal stomp from the upright position to Jax’s exposed torso, likely breaking at least one rib.

The ref jumps between the men before Caden can stomp again, but like a starving wild animal ready to attack anything in the way of its weakened prey, Caden throws a punch at the ref. And then the cage fills…security, trainers, judges, Vince Stone and Nico Hunter even flanking to stop the ensuing mayhem.

The crowd roars to a frenzied level, people standing on their seats and filling the aisles. Luckily, the organizers know how easily things can go from bad to worse in a room filled with raging testosterone, and they are prepared. Thank god. A few minutes later the cage is empty except for Jax, his trainer, and Vince Stone, and the crowd is back under control. The referee raises Jax’s arm, declaring him the winner by disqualification and he winces at the pain in his ribs as his arm is lifted.

Chapter 33

Jax

“At least everything underneath is clear,” the ER Doctor turns the portable cart to face me and the large screen lights up with x-rays. He points to an area of my ribcage. “You have a fracture here, but the lungs and spleen are intact. It’s probably going to feel like you were trampled by a herd of elephants for a while with the looks of that bruise already forming, but it’s a clean break and will heal.”

“What’s the treatment for it?”

“Not much. We used to wrap patients in a rib belt, but a while back they did a study and found it didn’t provide any benefit. It’ll heal on its own, with plenty of rest and pain killers.” The doctor takes out his prescription pad. “Ice for twenty minutes of every hour when you’re awake for the next two days. I’m going to prescribe you a week of Vicodin to start out. Did you drive?” he asks Vince.

Vince nods.

“Good I’m going to give you a loading dose now to get you more comfortable and hopefully you can get some rest tonight.” The doctor looks over my face, turning it to the right and then the left, examining the lacerations. “Hate to see what the other guy looks like if you won.” He shakes his head. “You staying with him tonight?” again he addresses Vince, but this time I respond.

“I’m alone, but I’m fine,” my voice trails off, breathing hurts, but speaking is even worse.

“You’re fine now. Can’t always see everything on an x-ray though. If your breathing gets too shallow tonight could indicate a small puncture we can’t see. You shouldn’t be alone.” The Doctor looks at me and then Vince and back to me.

Vince speaks up. “He’ll stay with us tonight.”

“I’m…,” I begin to object but Vince talks right over me.

“We’re good. Suite has an extra bedroom.” I look at him uneasily and he smiles and teases. “We’ll make forts out of sheets and catch up for the shit we missed doing the first twenty years.”

***

I wake confused, looking around at the room I’m in, nothing looks familiar. The heavy drapes are drawn but I can still see the glimmer of sunshine peering in through the small gap pulling them closed left behind. I cough, pain shoots in my chest and I groan from the grueling ache in my ribs. Someone cracks open the bedroom door and peaks in, but says nothing.

“Who’s there?” I ask. Speaking increases the intensity of the pain and shortens each breath to the point where I feel like I’m drowning. It makes me gasp for air and I cough again.