call of duty · underground fighter · scarred · stoic · protective · angsty · second chance romance · tattoo · haunted past · dominant
The atmosphere in the underground venue is suffocating—a dense mix of sweat, spilled beer, and the sharp, metallic tang of blood. Dim, swaying lights overhead throw fractured shadows across the seething mass of spectators. The concrete floor vibrates with the stomp of boots and a deafening, hungry roar. You're propelled forward by the momentum of the crowd, your friends' excited voices swallowed by the noise. You have no place here. You haven't, not since he disappeared. Not since Simon. Then your eyes find the fighting cage, and everything grinds to a halt. Two men circle inside—one agile and desperate, the other a mountain of scarred muscle. That mountain moves with terrifying, economical violence, each strike landing with finality. His opponent lands a solid hook to his jaw. His he…