“Well, I’m not sure how I feel about kicking the ass of a man who is smiling at me.”
Vero cackles from the top of the cage and nearly loses his grip. “She isn’t wrong. You look a little unhinged when you smile like that.”
“I will put your ass on the ground next,” Brawley shouts to him without taking his eyes off Kayla.
“Threats don’t work on me. You know I consider that a good time.”
Kayla fakes left and cuts right, scoring one clean shot to Brawley’s ribs before he catches her wrist and holds it.
He looks down at where she made contact and back up to her face. “That was a good one.”
She shakes her hand out and scoffs. “I didn’t expect it to land.”
“Neither did I,” Brawley says.
I push off the cage, moving to the door, and Kayla sees me when I step through.
“How long have you been here?” she asks.
“Long enough.”
She smiles. “Did you see me hit him?”
“Long enough that I saw him let you hit him.”
Brawley scoffs, but I know the truth. Kayla turns back to scowl at him.
“You wanna get in here and let her take a shot at you?” Brawley snaps.
“I’m not fighting her,” I reply.
Vero makes clucking noises overhead.
“Scared?” Kayla asks.
“Of you? No.”
“You just don’t want to be shown up by a girl.”
Vero drops from the top of the cage and lands beside us. “I will referee.”
“No one asked you.”
“I’m offering anyway. It will be fun—I’ve trained for this.”
I laugh. “You’ve not trained for anything.”
Vero turns his attention to Ares. “What about you, Ares? Want to get beat up by our girl?”
“No thanks, I’m good just watching.”
“You’re all a bunch of chickens.”
Kayla has her arms crossed and looks at me as if to say she agrees with Vero.
I roll my neck and step forward. “Fine, but don’t cry when I win.”
“Don’t limp out of here when I’m done with you,” she fires back.