The Security by Scott Butler

Author:Scott Butler [Butler, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780473512736
Publisher: Ink Productions.
Published: 2020-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

35.

‘C’mon, Toni, get your hands up,’ said Hadley, moving quickly around the ring. Toni replied with a quick jab to his face, followed by another to the left side of his rib cage. She smiled on connecting. ‘Keep your mouth shut and box, Hadley.’

‘There you go, she means business now.’ He lowered his head gear, faked left and boxed right, catching her hard on the side of her own helmet.

‘You like that?’ Hadley said. Toni shook it off, using her lips and tongue to work her mouthguard back into place. She loosened her arms with a shake and raised her hands again. Arvin watched from the couch alongside the ring. There was no sign of Paul. Hadley had come in this morning with a shiner that he refused to talk about. Arvin couldn’t help but think Paul’s absence was somehow linked to it.

Hadley looked off today. Not because of the way he was boxing, just how he’d gone about things. Quietly, saying very little, like something odd had somehow crept into his day without him being aware of it.

The front door was thrown open and Paul appeared. The midmorning sun caught the side of his face; it was bruised. He wore black tracksuit pants with a red and white Lonsdale singlet. A pool of sweat circled his neck. He had his white runners on and was breathing heavily.

He walked straight to his bag and took out his headgear and gloves. He pulled his helmet and gloves on, then held them out to Arvin to lace up.

Hadley waved Toni away and hung his arms over the side of the ropes.

‘Paul, what are you doing?’

Paul ignored him and swapped hands, letting Arvin lace up the second one. He walked to the side of the ring, climbed up and pulled the ropes aside.

‘Get out,’ he said to Toni.

‘Come in and drag me out, bitch,’ she replied.

‘It’s alright, Toni,’ said Hadley. ‘Let him in.’

Toni passed through the ropes. ‘Looks like you made some more friends last night.’

‘Paul … listen,’ said Hadley, raising both gloves.

But Paul was on top of him, swinging wildly at his head. Left and rights slammed into the side of Hadley’s head as he tried to bat them away. He pulled back, but Paul kept coming. Seeing no other way to slow him down, Hadley brought his knee up and drove it hard into Paul’s thigh.

‘Fuuuucck! You cunt!’ said Paul, doubling over.

‘I’m sorry, Paul, but what are we doing here?’ he replied.

‘You want to fight me drunk? Now you’re bringing fucking knees into the equation? You fucking coward!’

‘Whoa! Calm down boys, said Toni, standing outside the ring. ‘What’s going on here?’

‘What’s going on? What’s going on … is this right here, you motherfucker!’ replied Paul, charging at Hadley again.

Hadley ducked and came around with a huge right hand. Paul’s face crumpled under the connection, dropping him to the floor.

Paul rolled onto his feet. ‘You think that’s going to stop me … you bitch?’

Paul put some more distance between them now, one arm raised high, the other held slightly below it, his legs evenly spread.

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