The basement was damp, grimy, and perfect for what I had in mind. I stood there under the flickering light, muscles tight and ready, staring down Katie like the punk she’d always been. My fists clenched at my sides, and my shirt clung to my chest with sweat, the smell of mildew and adrenaline thick in the air.
Katie was pale and flustered, her freckled skin blotchy from the heat and anger radiating off her. Those stupid pigtails hung limp, sticking to the sides of her flushed, sweaty face. Her chest—overfed and sagging—heaved beneath her stained tank top as she spat at the ground.
“You think you’re some big man, don’t you?” she snarled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “All talk, no bite. I’ve dealt with tougher pieces of shit on the street.”
I smirked, rolling my shoulders as I stepped closer, letting my shadow stretch over her. “Tougher than me? That’s bullshit. You’ve been running your mouth for years, Katie. Tonight, I shut you the fuck up.”
She scoffed, spitting again, this time at my feet. “Try me, big man. You’ll regret it.”
I didn’t waste time with more words. She swung first, a clumsy, wide punch that I dodged easily. Her knuckles grazed air, and I stepped in, driving a hard right hook into her jaw. The satisfying crack of bone meeting bone echoed through the room, and she stumbled back, spitting blood.
“You’re too slow,” I growled, closing the distance. Before she could recover, I grabbed the front of her tank top and yanked her toward me. “Let me show you how it’s done.”
My knee came up hard, smashing into her groin. Katie’s eyes widened, and a broken scream tore from her throat as she doubled over, clutching herself.
“You like that, huh?” I sneered, grabbing her by one of those dumb pigtails and yanking her head back. “Get used to it.”
I didn’t give her a chance to answer. My fist came down like a hammer, slamming into her nose. Blood erupted, pouring down her freckled face and dripping onto her chest.
“You fucking bastard!” she screamed, tears mixing with the blood and snot running down her face.
I laughed, shoving her back. She hit the wall hard, her pale, sweaty skin leaving a streak on the cracked concrete. “You’re pathetic,” I said, spitting at her. The glob hit her cheek and slid down to her lips.
She lunged at me, desperation in her movements, but I was ready. I stepped aside and drove my knee into her stomach. She gagged, doubling over as a string of spit and bile dangled from her mouth.
“You don’t learn, do you?” I said, grabbing her by the straps of her tank top. With a savage yank, I tore the fabric, exposing her sagging, freckled chest.
“You fucking asshole!” she shrieked, swinging wildly.
Her fist caught me in the side of the head, making me stagger for half a second. I shook it off and grinned. “That all you got?” I grabbed her by the arm and twisted it behind her back, forcing her against the wall.
Her chest heaved against the cold concrete as she struggled. “Let me go, you piece of shit!”
“Not until I’m done,” I hissed, slamming her face into the wall. Blood smeared across the gray surface as she let out a choked sob.
Spinning her around, I let her stumble before delivering a hard punch to her left breast. The heavy flesh rippled under the impact, and she screamed, clutching at her chest. I followed up with another blow to her right breast, watching her wince and falter.
“Hurts, doesn’t it?” I spat, wiping sweat from my forehead.
Katie’s eyes were wide with pain and fury as she lunged at me again, but I caught her mid-charge. My fist slammed into her stomach, doubling her over. I grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head up so I could see the tears streaming down her bloodied face.
“You’re done,” I growled, slamming my knee into her groin again. She collapsed to the floor, gasping and choking.
“Fuck...you,” she rasped, but her voice was weak, broken.
I grabbed her by the pigtails again, yanking her to her knees. She looked up at me, her face a mess of blood, sweat, and tears. “Stay down, Katie,” I said, spitting into her face. The thick glob hit her square in the mouth, mixing with the blood already there.
When she didn’t respond, I slammed my fist into her jaw one last time. Her head snapped back, and she crumpled to the floor, motionless.
Breathing hard, I stood over her, my chest heaving. Blood dripped from my knuckles, and my shirt clung to me like a second skin. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, spitting on the ground beside her.
“You’re nothing,” I muttered, turning and heading for the stairs. She wasn’t getting up. She wasn’t ever going to forget this.
