I Take It Back Read online

  I was taken aback by how insanely loud it was out here. Everyone was yelling and slamming back more beers. There were a few designated people taking money and charting everyone’s bets. The odds were easily favoring Cade; it was obvious that he was the crowd favorite.

  “Who is Cade fighting? Do you know him?” I scanned the crowd for any familiar faces. A guy next to me stood at a small keg in the back of his truck. He was filling and passing out beers to anyone walking by. I quickly reached up and grabbed one, reminding myself to let loose a little. The guy nodded after I said a quick thank you and I looked up to Logan for a response to my question.

  “He’s fighting Devon Rantd. A Junior at Cambridge.” His voice was lower and I could hear a bit of hesitance in it. I pressed a little further.

  “So? Is he really good or something? I thought Cade hadn’t lost any fights?” It was true, I hadn’t heard of Cade losing any fights in the last year. But I also didn’t know exactly who he was until tonight.

  “He doesn’t lose fights, but this guy is a little different. He fights for a club outside of these underground rings. He has professional training and, last time they fought, which was almost two years ago, Cade almost lost.” Logan’s voice was tinged with worry. He was still confident in Cade, I could tell, but I could also tell that he was a little concerned for his old friend. I couldn’t help it, but I was also feeling the slightest pang of uneasiness in my chest as we worked our way closer to the center of the ring.

  I was still nursing my beer, and it was taking everything in me to ignore that familiar stale taste and continue drinking it. Savannah was hanging tightly onto Logan, his arms creating a solid barrier between her and all of the other people smashing against us. I was holding onto her hand as we finally broke through to the edge of the ring.

  My eyes immediately fell on Cade, who was silently standing toward the back. His dark jeans rode dangerously low on his hips, and his broad shoulders were completely exposed as he pulled off his black t-shirt and threw it to the ground. I tried to keep my eyes on his face, forcing myself to ignore the fact that his stomach rippled with tight, lean muscles. I also forced myself not to notice that inevitable V over his hips that lead straight down the front of his jeans. He was huge, probably standing at least 6’ 2” in height and well over two hundred pounds of pure muscle.

  Yeah, definitely not noticing a thing about him.

  I rolled my eyes when I saw a couple of girls reach forward and not so discreetly pulling his shirt off the ground, clutching it to their bodies and giggling relentlessly.

  I was still scanning the crowd for the second fighter when I finally spotted him. People started separating on the opposite side of the ring as he emerged from the group and didn’t even look in Cade’s direction. I couldn’t lie, the guy was huge as well. He even stood a couple inches taller than Cade and, while they both had similar muscular builds, the new guy had arms that looked a little longer, giving him a swinging advantage.

  Ryan, the blonde collecting bets earlier, made his way to the center of the ring, motioning both the fighters to join him. “Welcome to Fight Night!” he yelled, and the crowd erupted in excited screams. Everyone was moving and itching for everything to start. I grabbed onto Savannah’s arm and held on tightly while everyone started inching closer together. It was getting harder for me to breath in the cramped space and I closed my eyes, willing myself to shake it off and focus. The second I opened my eyes again I could feel my breath hitch.

  He was staring at me.

  Cade’s eyes met mine in a sharp, intense gaze. I immediately averted mine and, when I glanced back, Cade was eying his opponent. Sizing him up with a clear, detached look on his face; he didn’t look afraid. Not at all. He simply looked ready, even possibly bored at what was to come.

  “Tonight, we have two of the best fighters here in the state. You guys know them well, and this has been an incredibly anticipated rematch! On the right we have Devon Randt, here to stake claim to the title.” He grabbed Devon’s wrist and pulled his hand up above his head while the crowd split between yells of encouragement and scattered boos. He didn’t look the least bit affected by those who were betting against him, though, as he gazed over the crowd with such fire in his eyes that I couldn’t help but find myself feeling nervous for Cade.

  Following suit, Ryan then lifted Cade’s arm into the air and, just when I thought it couldn’t get any louder, my ears were ringing with the screams surrounding me. Cade kept his eyes locked straight ahead, though, ignoring everyone shouting around him.

  “And our undefeated champion, Cade Davenport! You all have seen him fight before, and tonight is sure to be an interesting round! Last chance to place your bets, everyone!” Ryan collected the money from a few more stragglers and walked to the outside of the ring.

  “Cade doesn’t respond to the crowd when he fights, he gets completely into his own head. He’s focused on the fight and refuses to let anyone or anything distract him. He hates this part, the introductions, because he just wants to get it done and collect his money,” Logan explained after he noticed mine and Savannah’s stares of curiosity.

  Just as the tension was building in the ring, it was also building in the crowd and in my stomach. The wave of adrenaline coursed through me, and I was actually surprised by the fun I was having. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still scary as hell, and I was nervous about this fight, but damn if I hadn’t done anything this wild in years.

  In the next moment, I caught a glimpse of a small white flag getting thrown into the center of the ring, signaling the start of the fight. I watched intently as Cade slowly moved around Devon, both of them staring at each other.

  Quickly, Devon inched forward, bringing his hands up in front of his face, preparing for a block if necessary. But it was almost as if Cade were waiting for him to make the first move. Cade continued moving and, in a split second, Devon darted his fist straight in front of him, aiming for Cade’s eye. Easily, though, he ducked and stayed on the move. The two continued this hit and miss pattern for a few more paces until Cade finally took his first shot and hit Devon straight in the ribs as he avoided one of his own blows. Devon stumbled back but quickly recovered, coming toward Cade in a heated stride.

  Just before Cade could lay another hit, I winced in reaction as one of Devon’s punches finally made contact. He hit Cade straight in the nose, and immediately there was blood pouring on the ground. The two continued going at each other, each taking and giving their own hits while splattering blood on the ground. I found myself glad to say that Cade was landing far more hits than Devon, but he was definitely holding his own.

  Devon stumbled to the ground, and Cade took advantage of the opportunity. Reaching forward, he pulled Devon’s head up and smashed it against his knee. I continued to watch, not realizing that I was holding my breath throughout the fight. That is, until a flickering light behind the crowd caught my attention.

  “Guys ...” I choked out while nudging Savannah in the side. That was when I realized exactly what I was looking at: red and blue flashing lights quickly approaching the field. I didn’t hesitate to grab Savannah’s arm and jerk her behind me as I tried to pull us through the crowd.

  “Let’s go! Look, cops!” I yelled, and Logan immediately noticed. He jumped ahead of us and aggressively pushed people aside, yelling and informing people to get out immediately. The news spread like wildfire, and everyone scrambled to run to their cars. But everyone was also incredibly wasted, so it was difficult to make it through without getting trampled.

  I felt my fingers slip from Savannah’s hands as my knees and palms hit the dirt below me. I was trying to stand up, but just when I got a foot below, someone else was crashing me to the ground.

  Savannah and Logan disappeared from view, and I was stumbling in the process of standing back up. The panic rose in my chest and, just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, a sharp pain shot through my fingertips. I looked down and watched as a huge black timberland boot stepped
off of my hand without even noticing my crushed fingers below. A strained shriek escaped my lips as I clutched my hand to my chest.

  Shit, was all I could manage to think as my head went fuzzy and I tried to remain focused. The alcohol in my system wasn’t helping at all.

  Instantly, I felt long, strong fingers wrap around my upper arm, pulling me up above the crowd. Then, I was being pulled across the field quickly and I found my feet running below me. My brain was still foggy from the chaos, so I wasn’t not sure who I was running with.

  “Come on, Bambi. We need to get out of here.”

  Logan’s jeep came screeching to a halt in front of us, and the backdoor swung open. I was immediately lifted and thrown into the seat, sliding over to make room for whoever was with me.

  “Go, go go go now!” he yelled, and that rough, familiar voice sent shivers through me. I glanced over and instantly realized who’d just pulled me from the trampling crowd and brought me to safety.

  Cade frickin Davenport.

  Chapter 4

  Multiple cop cars came racing in behind us, but thanks to our strategic parking spot, we were able to barrel out of the area quicker than almost everyone else. Logan headed for the backroads, going through a wooded area with dirt pathways that led out onto the street. He must have been familiar with this fight location because of the way he was driving, and I can’t say I wasn’t thankful for that.

  “Shit, that was nuts,” Logan said, adrenaline dripping from his voice. Savannah had her hand wrapped tightly around his in the front seat.

  “Yeah it was, fuck. I’m glad we got out of there, though. I can’t get caught up with the police right now.” Cade was staring out the window when his phone started buzzing in his pocket. He reached down the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a space gray iPhone. I glanced over and noticed the name RYAN dance across his screen. He immediately answered it, the shouting on the other line clearly projecting to all of us in the jeep.

  “Dude where are you? ... Yeah, we got out of there. Shit man, how did they find out?” Cade was raking his hands through his dark hair when I realized how much blood was staining his clothes. I’d almost forgotten the fight had even taken place before all hell broke loose.

  Cade hung up the phone and leaned forward, nestling in between Savannah and Logan.

  “Jake says the cops are interrogating everyone left at the scene. He thinks someone from Devon’s team tipped them off once they saw he was going to lose.”

  Was that a smirk turning up the corners of Cade’s lips?

  Why was I staring at his lips?

  “That’s shitty, he shouldn’t fight if he’s going to pull the legal card if he loses.” Logan was annoyed, and I could hear it seeping through his voice.

  “Yeah, but hell, who can blame him? That’s the second fight he’s lost against me.” Yep, definitely a smirk. Cade glanced over at me and noticed that I was holding my hand against my chest. I had forgotten about the pain of it being crushed under running feet. But now that we had brought attention to it, the pain was rearing its ugly head in full force.

  Cade reached down and pulled my hand into his, gently spreading my fingers apart and checking for mobility. He was staring at me, almost as if he were gauging the severity of the pain I was feeling while he inspected my hand. My mind was caught between the pain and the surprise of what was happening. I glanced up and noticed Savannah was just as surprised as she intently watched our interaction. In an instant, though, I was yanked back to reality as the sharp pain magnified and shot up my wrist. Hissing, I pulled my hand back against me.

  Cade stifled a small laugh as he said, “What were you doing on the ground anyway, Bambi?” He pulled my hand back to him and reached for something in his pocket. It was a round, white puck that he set aside. He placed my hand on his knee, face up, and let it rest there.

  “Well, I wasn’t sitting down there for fun, that’s for sure. I fell, obviously.” I quickly realized that it was tape he had, made from a material that I was sure I had seen on other fighters’ or boxers’ wrists.

  Cade let out the most beautiful sound I had ever heard as he threw his head back in a laughter that sent fire crackling across my chest. He pulled the tape away from the dispenser and began wrapping it around my fingers. He continued wrapping until he made his way towards my wrist, securely immobilizing my hand.

  “Alright, alright. No need to get sassy with me. Your hand should be fine, nothing is broken. Just ice it and keep it wrapped if you can.” His attention was redirected to the front as he finished and released my hand from his grasp. “Logan, can you drop me back off at the frat house? I seriously need to call it a night and pretend I was at home sleeping the entire time this all happened.”

  “Won’t everyone be waiting for you? You think anyone will rat you out?” This time it was Savannah asking, genuine concern lacing her voice.

  “Nah, usually no one rats out when the fights get broken up. We’ll just have to lay low for a few weeks before the next one. Besides, I do what I want. I don’t care who’s at the house waiting, I have to be up early so this guy is doing exactly what I said, going home and passing out.” Cade didn’t even seem slightly concerned over what happened tonight, and his relaxed attitude was quickly rubbing off on all of us in the Jeep. I knew Logan wasn’t worried; besides, the two of them had been friends for years. Savannah and I mostly kept quiet, but I was eagerly awaiting our conversation when we were alone.

  Before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of the frat house and, just as expected, there were plenty of people standing in the yard awaiting Cade’s arrival. He opened the backdoor and quickly jumped out, pounding fists with Logan and patting Sav on the shoulder as he thanked them for the drive home.

  His eyes meet mine under low lids when he said, “See you around, Bambi.”

  And shut the door behind him.

  Chapter 5

  “Uh. Bambi! What the hell is that?” Savannah lost every inch of the calm and collected attitude she was faking on the drive home. I had a feeling her insides were dancing with excitement. She turned in the light gray bucket seat to face me, eagerly anticipating my response. I could see a grin spread across Logan’s face as he continued driving us back to our dorm in silence.

  “I have no idea why he’s calling me that, he just doesn’t know my actual name. I’m sure he calls everyone Bambi,” I explained, justifying why this random guy, that I really just met tonight, was already giving me pet names.

  “Sure he does. Logan, does he call everyone Bambi?” She struggled choking out the words in between excited snickers. I rolled my eyes and let my head fall back against the window.

  “Ugh, stop. Please. This is just embarrassing,” I groaned, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands. I forced the uncomfortable feelings of what—butterflies?—back down to the pit of my stomach. I would not be another one of Cade’s super fans falling all over him.

  “I’m staying out of this one, you two can fantasize about Cade and his pet names all on your own.” Logan’s light tone gently set my mind at ease, and I found myself reliving tonight’s events all over again.

  While it was quite possibly the most insane night I had ever experienced, and my hand was throbbing from pain, I could honestly say that it was also surprisingly ... fun. I couldn’t even believe I was thinking that, but I felt the uncontrollable tug of a smile touch my lips as I continued staring out the window.

  We pulled into the small parking lot that led to Callaway Hall, and the jeep slowed to a stop in front of the old brick building. It was my favorite dormitory when I had toured campus because the walls were covered in a deep green ivy, stretching high above the windows and burying itself throughout the brick. I still admired them just as much now, even in the dark as we each climbed out of the Jeep.

  Savannah was running into Logan’s arms and leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him. I didn’t understand their relationship in the slightest, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. But they al
so never claimed to be dating exclusively. I guess it worked for them, but I had never seen either one even glance at another person when they were together.

  “Okay okay, get a room or come to bed, Sav. We have early classes tomorrow!” She swatted my hand away as I attempted to drag her back to our room. Logan was laughing with his lips pressed against her mouth, his hands traveling down to grip her ass. After a quick squeeze and pat goodbye, Savannah followed me—arm linked through mine—back to our dorm.

  It was well past midnight, almost three AM to be exact, and the hallway lined with identical dorm rooms was completely quiet. We hurried to our door, unlocked it, and shut it behind us. Our dorm was actually pretty nice. It offered two separate bedrooms and a common area sandwiched in between. I was always incredibly thankful for the separate rooms whenever Logan decided to crash here. The walls were paper thin, though, so I usually ended up falling asleep with ear buds in listening to music.

  Savannah kicked off her wedges and dropped her jacket and purse on the floor before diving onto the small green couch ahead of us. She was definitely the messier one out of the two of us, but I honestly didn’t mind. Her and I had lived together since we were fifteen, when her parents took me in after the accident. We rarely talked about it, though, because it was just too painful. But her parents, Ruth and Dan, had been a godsend for me. I couldn’t be more thankful to them. Sav was more than just a best friend to me, she was my sister, and was there for me when I literally had no one left. It was moments like that in our history that reminded me that I could always trust her with absolutely anything. Even if she were the wild child in our relationship, she was my balance, she kept me fun while I kept her from doing something too stupid or dangerous.

  I was already changing into my pajamas and getting ready to head to bed when Savannah’s eager voice broke the silence. “So? Did you have fun tonight?” The comment was teasing, she knew I had actually wanted to stay in tonight and binge the new season of the OA.