that weave right off her ass. She gives me a smug smile as she pulls her hair up into a bun before stepping into the ring.
Ignoring her, I look to John and Nate. They seem to be in a deep conservation. He hasn’t been around in months and it’s like I don’t exist.
Why am I here? What am I training for? If he’s not checking in on me, it’s clear he’s not interested in giving me the job anymore. I should leave and find Natasha on my own. I’ve learned enough now.
Fuck them. You don’t have to work for any of them.
Pissed, I pull my gloves off. I’m done. I turn to walk out of the ring, moving toward the ropes. My back caves in and I stumble forward.
Reaching for my back, I turn to find this blue-eyed bitch grinning at me. “Never turn your back on me. I’m the last person you give your back to.”
I grimace and look this crazy ass chick over. I toss the gloves in my hand down and step toward her. The gleam in her eyes tells me she’s a damn nut for sure.
“Val,” John bellows through the gym.
She ignores him. Calmly, as if she didn’t just kick me, she looks at Jasper. “Clear the gym. Leave us.”
“I’m done with this shit. Whatever you think you’re about to do, you can save it. I’m leaving.”
She laughs. I jerk my head back. When did I say something funny?
“You invite a snake into the ring and try to leave. I have much teach you, bella.”
A quick glance around the gym and everyone’s leaving. John, Nate, and Uri have moved to the side of the ring. Jasper has left with everyone else.
“Attention on me. Roni is it?”
“Fuck you. That’s who I am.”
She snorts. “You are pretty, but my husband suits me fine.” She circles me, walking backwards. Her gaze taking me in from head to toe. She shoves me by my shoulder. “You are angry.”
I ball my fists. I’m about to beat her ass. Let her touch me one more time.
“You’re the best here,” she says and taps my forehead with her fingers. I shove her arm away. “But you are locked in here. I can smell the vengeance on you. You want revenge, but you don’t know how to get it.”
“You know nothing about me.”
She laughs again. “I am you,” she says bitterly. “I’ve done what you want to. I’ve made them pay.”
“Get out of my face.” She’s too close and I’m beyond pissed.
“Not until you fight me.”
I grin and fold my arms over my chest. “Then we’ll be here all day, bitch.”
She smiles so wide her pretty teeth are on full display. “You want them to respect you, to set you free to be who you are? You fight me. Show you can gain control of that rage. Fight me.” She pushes me.
I stumble back and ball my fists. Tears build as my anger simmers. I have nothing to prove to her or anyone else.
“If I want to leave, I’ll leave. I don’t need anyone’s permission,” I snarl.
“Yet you are still here. And you and I know that’s not the freedom I’m talking about. I see you.
“You’re haunted. You reek of it. It’s in your eyes.” She starts to circle me again as she continues, poking me in the chest with her words. “The freedom you need is in here. You want to go after the ones that hurt you, don’t you? That means you need control of here.”
She taps my temple again. I ball my fists tighter and narrow my eyes. My chest tightens. It’s as if I’ll choke on the rage that’s clawing up.
There’s a reason I’m here. I know in my heart that I’m not like the others. There’s so much more to why I ended up in that sex trafficking operation, but I can’t put the pieces together to figure it out. For the last few months that feeling has been getting stronger. She’s speaking to the turmoil inside and I hate it.
“Fight me.”
“No,” I growl.
“Fight me,” she hollers at the top of her lungs.
“No,” I shout back.
She gets nose to nose with me. “You want revenge? Here is how you begin to get it. I will make you what they cannot. Your soul is already black. Accept it.” She pushes me. “Fight me.”
I don’t move.
“Argh,” she’s screams in my face and backs me up. “Argh.” She yells again, still backing me up, her neck straining. She’s shorter than me, but