I Dare You To Meet Me
Chapter 41:Epilogue

Nikolai POV

-I don’t feel good about this fight, please let’s just go home. Tasha insisted me while she helped me to put the bandages on my hands.

-Calm down kitty, it’s just a fight, I promise we won’t stay all night. I tried to reassure her but she made the grimace she makes when she doesn’t agree but doesn’t intend to argue.

I let out a sigh, not knowing how to reassure her.

The truth is that I knew what she meant, something in the atmosphere felt different since we had arrived at the abandoned building in our city that served as a ring for illegal fights.

It felt heavy, bad, like a rot or a hidden storm, waiting for you to get close to attack with full force.

But I couldn’t say that to my best friend, the green-eyed girl was quite capable of knocking me down with one punch and then dragging my unconscious a*s back home if she thought she was even a little bit right.

Which she was.

But she didn’t have to know that.

I was so close to getting enough money for grandpa’s bike.

So damn close.

If tonight ended as she hoped, she’d have enough to buy it and still have a little left over to buy another old bike that was missing as many parts as there were stars in the sky.

But that didn’t matter, he was going to buy it and then fix it up with Tasha, teach her how to build and care for it, just like his grandfather had taught him.

He would teach her how to run it, even though that would probably put the lives of half the population of Russia in danger, he would still do it.

-Listen, why don’t you think about what you want to eat when this is all over, it’s my treat. I winked and my little sister rolled her eyes as she pulled away from me and crossed her arms.

-Do you really think blackmailing me with food is going to work? I asked amused and mimicked her pose.

-Well, it’s always worked for me before, you’re a glutton, I don’t understand where you put so much food in that body. I tell her funny and she shrieks indignant while she gives me a kick in the shin that makes me jump on one leg.

F**k, I always forgot how strong this girl is.

-I’m not fat. She complains and I let out a curse.

-I never said you were, damn kitten, you’re going to send me to the ring already hurt and I won’t be at my full strength for the fight.

-Don’t be a baby, it was just a kick.” He threw another punch on my forehead, “You better concentrate and kick the a*s of that idiot that made us come here on our night off, when you beat him you can take me out for shawarma.

A smile stretched across my face as I pointed accusingly at her.

-Aha, so if you were thinking about food, I always knew the best way to get a girl is through her stomach. Tasha snorted in amusement as she shrugged her shoulders.

-I don’t know about any girl, but this girl in particular,” she pointed to herself, an insecure gleam appearing in her beautiful cat-green eyes, “Promise me you’ll be careful. A knot twisted in my stomach.

I hid it behind a confident smile.

-Kitten, your lack of faith is starting to hurt my feelings.” His eyes watched me unperturbed, and I let out a surrendered sigh, “Okay, I promise. Nikolai’s word. I raised my right hand and made a cross over my heart with my left.

Tasha visibly relaxed.

-Come on, everyone is waiting for you, Nightmare. She said mockingly and I reached over to ruffle her hair in the way I always hate.

-You know I don’t like being called by my nickname, speaking of which, we should get you one. What would you like us to call you? A shrug of the shoulders as we walked through the corridors, the bustle could be heard from far away- What do you think of Catwoman? a poisonous look that made me smile more- Catgirl, LadyCat? I kept trying until he stopped, making me bump into his body.

-You mention a cat nickname again and I swear you’ll end up sleeping with them tonight Niko and I’m serious. I know you’re serious, you never make an empty threat my friend.

I walked over ignoring her bad mood, probably caused by the unwanted combat, and gave her a k**s on the cheek.

-Stop being so surly, you should relax once in a while and live life,” I shook my head and shoulders to the rhythm of ACDC playing on the loud speakers.

Tasha opened her mouth, probably to scold me, but the organiser’s voice announced that I was cut off mid-sentence.

The fear and insecurity that had been gone returned full force in her eyes as she bit her l*p nervously.

I relaxed my muscles by moving them in circulatory exercises and jumped in place. I took off my T-shirt, leaving only my shorts and combat boots along with the bandages on my hands, I extended the garment to my friend.

-Here, do me a favour and keep this for my kitty, try not to scratch her or fill her with hair while I kick that a*****e’s a*s. I said intentionally to distract her, which half worked because the colour rose to her cheeks.

I’d rather she was angry than scared.

-Now, introducing one of the veterans of the grids, one of the incredible, one of the legends, make way, stop it, Nikolai “Nightmare” Orlov! It was my turn to leave and I took a step in that direction.

As I passed by Tasha, she pulled me by the arm and gave me a k**s on the cheek, just like the one I had given her moments before.

-Remember your promise. She warned me before nudging me in the right direction.

-You should know that I never break a promise Tasha! I shouted at him and his response was drowned out by the screams of the people.

People who had nothing better to do than come and lose their money in illegal f*****g fights.

Not that I could complain, this place paid for my food and my debts.

And while boxing was something I was passionate about, it certainly wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was definitely my dream to open my garage in my grandfather’s name and continue the business.

There was a calmness with engines that I didn’t replace with humans.

I shook my head to get all thoughts out of my head, I needed to concentrate. Tate “Crossbow” I don’t know what else, was a good opponent.

What the hell.

He was a hell of an opponent.

0 losses, over 50 fights won, a little over half by knock out.

A mass of testosterone and steroids that was a good thirty inches taller than me, and about twenty pounds heavier.

And maybe and maybe Tasha was right and I was crazy to take this fight, but as I stood in the ring, listening to the screams of the crowd, with the announcer reminding us of the few and almost non-existent rules, as I watched the bastard’s brown eyes, everything disappeared from around me.

It was just me and him.

Man against man.

Fist against fist.

And when the whistle blew to start the fight, I started to give it my best shot.

Because it had only taken me ninety seconds or less in the same place as Ballesta to realise that this was indeed not a normal fight.

His blows, his movements, his intentions were not those of a simple fighter looking for victory.

No.

They were the instincts of a hunter trying to bring down his prey.

Damn Tasha for always being right. When this is over I’ll buy you the f*****g shawarma restaurant if you buy a lottery ticket in my name.

I thought before his fist connected with my eyebrow making me bleed and leaving me blind for a few seconds. Survival instinct with training did its thing and I moved before his knee hit my abdomen.

We exchanged blows until the other was panting and we were staggering from exhaustion. Time was running out and I needed to win this damn fight, now not just for the money or my life, but for revenge.

Revenge for all the idiots who underestimated me before.

Revenge for all the bastards who thought I was easy prey.

And revenge for this fool who thought I was going down without a fight.

The crowd began to shout out the final count starting from fifteen as I went backwards.

With my last reserves of energy I threw every combination of punches and kicks I was able to land, mostly successful. When the count reached number four my prayers were answered and a right uppercut threw Ballesta to the ground.

Stunned enough to lay there for the remainder of the fight, when the crowd shouted out the number 0, my soul returned to my body and I slowly lowered my arms.

I was breathing deeply but I didn’t feel the air reaching my lungs, my legs dragged wearily and it was a superhuman effort to keep my eyes open.

-And tonight’s winner is Nikolai “Nightmare” Orlov! The announcer announced as I raised my arms and looked around in delight.

A big grin showed all my teeth and I cracked my brain in two.

In the distance from a corner I could see my friends shouting with excitement.

Rey was shouting loudly, Boris was whistling loudly, Iven and Celeb were shaking their shoulders, while Anton had his minuses like an eltoperlente and was shouting as if he had a life of his own.

A little closer Sebrine and Teshe ebrezeben while chilleben extesiedes. Getite’s green eyes met mine and I gave him a wink.

You see, I told you everything would be fine.

A shiver ran down my spine as Teshe’s face melted into a mask of horror and horror.

-NIKOLAI, LOOK OUT. I screamed and my first impulse was to turn and face him head on.

But a blow as I had never felt before hit me in the neck, my knees gave way making me believe, my lesser treteron to go to the wounded area to protect him but more blows started making me see black.

Screams of horror, among which I could recognise the voice of my best friend, my sister.

Just like the dryness of a nightmare, sirens sounded close, and then the control was completely lost, my body, which was not responding to me, collapsed against the floor.

I felt the greatest pain in the Universe when tens, hundreds or thousands of stones weighed on my back, on my legs, on my heathers, on my bramble.

Stamps of endless pain, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think.

I felt many things in those moments, but I was overcome by many others.

I thanked my grandfather for being the father I never had.

I thanked Reykon for giving me the opportunity to see him and to save him.

I thanked the boys for welcoming me and for teaching me the joy of being emisted.

A big smile showing all my teeth split my face in two.

In the distance from a corner I could see my friends shouting with excitement.

Rey was clapping loudly, Boris was whistling loudly, Ivan and Caleb were jumping and bumping shoulders while Anton had his hands like a loudspeaker and was howling as if his life depended on it.

A little closer Sabrina and Tasha were hugging each other as they squealed in ecstasy. Kitty’s green eyes connected with mine and I gave her a wink.

You see precious, I told you it would be okay.

A shiver ran down my spine as Tasha’s face unravelled into a mask of horror and warning.

-NIKOLAI, WATCH OUT. I screamed and my first impulse was to turn to face the threat head on.

But a blow like I had never felt before hit me in the back of the head, my knees gave way making me fall, my hands tried to go to the wounded area to protect it but more blows hit me making me look black.

Screams of horror, from which I could recognise the voice of my best friend, my sister.

Just like out of a nightmare, sirens sounded nearby, and now control was completely lost, my body, no longer responding to me, slumped to the floor.

I felt the greatest pain in the Universe as tens, hundreds or thousands of footsteps passed over my back, over my legs, over my arms, over my head.

Bursts of endless pain, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think.

I heard Tasha screaming my name over and over again, though maybe it was just my imagination, I don’t know.

Seconds, milliseconds, hundredths of seconds that felt like hours, my body convulsed in a coughing fit and I knew that this was the end of my life.

I regretted many things in those moments, but I was grateful for many others.

I thanked my grandfather for being the father I never had.

I thanked Reykon for giving me the opportunity and saving my life.

I thanked the boys for welcoming me and teaching me the value of friendship.

And most of all, I thanked Tasha, for being the family I always dreamed of having.

My sister.

I love you kitty, remember to live the life you deserve.

I closed my eyes and all was silence, darkness.

(…)

-Tasha Kozlov, will you be my Old Lady?

Lady?

-Yes, of course I do, I most certainly do! I shouted and all the brothers along with my friends shouted in support.

Hunter smiled again hugging her around the waist as she wrapped her arm around his neck with the arm that held the ring box and with the other arm she held the waistcoat.

-I love you Tasha.

-I love you Hunter.

-Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” I shouted excitedly as I threw my fists in the air, “It’s about damn time,” I exclaimed excitedly as I jumped around them even though they couldn’t see me.

I reached over and tapped the biker’s shoulder hard.

-You took your time to ask, didn’t you bastard,” I complained and inspected him from top to bottom, I clicked my tongue while I shook my head, “I still don’t know if you’re worthy of my little sister, but for that smile she has right now I won’t make your existence a misery,” I said seriously.

I turned away from him and tried to rummage through the kitten’s hair without success.

-Ahhh, Tasha, who knew that underneath that big armour you really have a little heart, I was almost sure it didn’t exist- A critical look at the mountain of tattooed muscles that was now my kitty’s partner- You really have peculiar tastes my friend, but I don’t judge you-.

I left them alone as I walked away watching everyone celebrate.

-You’re finally starting to live sis, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

A glance in the direction of my favourite blonde who was searching the room for something lost.

Or rather someone.

I stole a beer as I made myself comfortable on a forgotten table.

Ah yes, the afterlife would never be boring as long as I kept an eye on these orangutans.

I raised my bottle in salute to my friends.

To my family.

CHEERS.