I gasped.
"Uncle!"
My uncle laughed at me and so did his men.
"Sorry baby girl, it's only business."
I mentally rolled my eyes.
Gangsters.
I heard commotion behind me then shouting, it got everyone's attention.
"Get your fucking hands off me."
The man's voice wasn't Toby's so I guessed him to be Marco's other thug.
Thomas.
I heard Bronagh laugh as she spoke to Thomas and said, "It's not nice bein' pushed around by someone bigger than you, is it?"
Oh, he must have been the one to strike her.
"Fuck you!" Thomas snarled at her then hollered in pain.
I turned back to my uncle who stepped forward and snatched Marco's gun from his hand while he was distracted by Thomas. Marco didn't react though, he just sighed.
"Go ahead, shoot me! I have nothing left."
My uncle smiled.
"That would be too clean, Marco. You kidnapped me niece, that won't go unpunished."
Whoa, uncle Brandon looked feral.
My uncle looked behind him. "Turn the lights on for the back of the club."
I heard footsteps then after a moment the darkened area of the club lit up.
"Lads, help Thomas here up onto the platform."
Oh, Jesus Christ.
"Slater family, the fine man headin' to the platform gave that beautiful darlin' on the floor that pretty nasty mark on her face. Who wants to tell him it's not nice to hit women?" my uncle asked, grinning.
Nico Slater instantly walked forward, he paused by Bronagh and glanced down at her. She looked up at him, her hair fell out of her face showing just how swollen and red her cheek really was.
Fuck, Thomas hit her hard.
"I'll be back in two minutes, pretty girl," Nico said to Bronagh then looked towards the platform, set his jaw and walked forward.
Bronagh groaned, "Here we go again."
I watched as Nico reached his hands up to the platform and pulled his body up in one swift movement.
I swallowed when Nico rid him of his shirt and kicked his runners off. He stood facing a mean looking Thomas in just a pair of dark blue jeans.
Alec's little brother was fucking hot.
"Damn," I muttered.
"Are you kidding me?"
I jumped and looked up at Alec.
I smiled then winced. "Damn, me head hurts."
Alec rolled his eyes at me and looked back to the platform. I was waiting for some sort of whistle to blow, but none of the lads were waiting for one to blow. Not Thomas anyway who shot forward and speared Nico to the ground.
"Oh, fuck!" I shouted.
His poor back!
I think I felt Nico's pain because he didn't cry out, cringe or reach for his back at all, he simply wrapped his legs around Thomas's hips then used his power to roll Thomas under him.
I gasped and flung my hand over my mouth as I watched Nico deliver punch after lightening fast punch to Thomas's unguarded head.
"Cover your head!" I shouted.
I felt everyone's eyes on me then.
"Whose side are you on?" Bronagh asked me.
I flushed. "Sorry, I was sort of caught up in the moment."
My uncle laughed at me and shook his head. I looked back to the platform then and winced when Nico stood up and delivered a powerful kick to Thomas's stomach.
Nico paced back and fourth in front of him like a lion stalking his prey and it gave me goose bumps, he was straight animalistic on that platform. I can tell exactly why he won so many fights. He was amazing.
He didn't need to pace though because Thomas wasn't getting up; he was too busy writhing on the ground in pain.
"Dominic!" Bronagh shouted.
Nico looked to her and she said, "You won, babe."
Nico looked down at Thomas and kicked him once more then he hopped down off the platform and jogged over to Bronagh. He stood her up off the ground and hugged her body to his.
I smiled and leaned against Alec before I closed my eyes.
"Keela!" I jumped.
"What?"
I looked at my uncle who shouted my name and glared, "Don't do that."
I put my hand over my hammering heart and shook my head at my uncle.
He nodded to Marco.
"I thought you would like you witness Marco's platform debut."
What?
"What?" all the brothers said in unison.
Uncle Brandon nodded his head and suddenly two of his men grabbed Marco and forced him over to the platform. They got him up on it then kicked Thomas off it. He landed on the ground with a thud.
He was moaning in pain and for a moment I felt sorry for him, but then I looked at Bronagh's face and that sympathy went away.
"Who is fightin' Marco?" Bronagh asked.
"Me," Nico growled.
That seemed the logical choice since he was a fighter but when my uncle looked at Alec with raised eyebrows I broke out in a sweat.
"No," I said.
No way, he was not fighting Marco.
Alec sighed from beside me. "Keela, I have so much hate for that man right now, he has destroyed me family for too long, he has disrupted the Murphy sisters' lives for too long, and he did that to your face. Don't you fucking dare say no to me teaching that prick a lesson.”
Holy fucking God.
"I don't want you to get hurt though," I whispered.
"I’ll be fine."
"But Nico is the fighter, not you."
I started to cry.
"Sit tight and watch, you will see what a man is capable of when he is pushed to the edge."
Alec, please.
Alec got up and walked towards the platform. I stumbled out of the booth after him but arms came around me and halted my movements.
"Let him do this, red."
Kane.
I leaned my head back against Kane's chest because I felt so lightheaded I was afraid I would fall forward. I forced my eyes open just as Alec got up on the platform.
"How long have you wanted to get me into a situation like this, boy?"
Alec clenched his hands into fists. "For a long time."
Marco smiled and cracked his neck then rolled his head on his shoulders.
"Stay away from my ass, I don't swing that way."
That prick!
Alec laughed then pushed the sleeves of his t-shirt up to his elbows.
"The only thing going up your ass old man is my foot."
My uncle, his men and Alec's brothers either chuckled or flat out snickered.
I grinned as well.
Marco glared at Alec then out of nowhere rushed at him. I widened my eyes expecting to see Alec get speared to the ground like Nico did, but when Alec lifted his arms and swung at Marco the most disgusting thing happened.
Alec's elbow smashed into Marco's face and I heard the crunching sound from across the room.
"Oh my God!" I shouted.
Marco fell to the ground and hollered in pain. Alec reached down and pulled him back to his knees before punching him in the face and sending him back to the ground.
Marco turned in our direction and his face was covered in blood. I didn't know were it came from because it was all over his face.
He tried to crawl off the platform but Alec grabbed his legs and pulled him back.
"Stop!" Marco screamed.
Alec didn't.
Alec straddled Marco's chest, gripped his hair in his left hand and balled his right hand into a fist.
"This is for my parents," Alec snapped and punched Marco in the face. "This is for Nala." Another punch. "This is for Bronagh and Branna." Another punch. "This is for Aideen and Storm." Another punch. "This is for my kitten." Another punch. "And this if for me and my brothers you son of a bitch. You ruined our lives." Countless punches.
I felt my eyes well up with tears when Alec's voice cracked.
I looked away when Alec continued to beat Marco long after he stopped moving.
I moved out of Kane's hold and stumbled over to my uncle. I put my arms around his waist and placed my face against his chest and closed my eyes.
"I've got you, baby girl."
I gave him a squeeze.
"I'm sorry for what I did, I made a business choice and allowed it hurt you. I regret it dearly. I would take it back if I could, I swear it."