-Dominic-
I walked through the front door of the bar, having the attention of everyone there turn to me as it always has.
But it's not the same.
I had some people greet me, others had their heads down, avoiding me. Word got around that I was here and soon someone came out to meet me.
"Miss Secter, I tried calling you earlier."
"Sorry Jessica, I was doing something important. Also, how many times do I have to tell you? Just Dominic is fine." After high school, Jessica decided she didn't want to go to college, it took her four years but she was able to raise in the ranks here and now she works as the CEO's secretary, my secretary.
We walked down to the basement where I knew my presence was expected with her by my side. "We have five guys on the list tonight, the fights will be starting in 45 minutes." She informed me which made me pause and turn to look at her.
"Only five?" I asked and she nodded back at me slowly. I turned my head forward again to keep her from seeing my discomforted face. This was starting to get ridiculous. The numbers of fighters were decreasing. There used to be up to fifty, hundreds signing up for a slot within a week. But now-
"Where's Xavier?"
"In the office."
By 'the office' she had meant our old training room. It still contained a lot of the equipment we used to have in there but now it was where he worked rather than where we trained. It was weird to say, I still wasn't used to it but he was a retired fighter and now, he was this bar's head manager. When I was at our other bars, he was in charge here.
As I walked by the ring, I took in the abnormal quietness of the room. Closing my eyes a second, I could almost hear the screaming, the shouting, the cheering that used to echo in this room for hours on end. Seats were unnecessary due to it being so packed everyone had to stand. And most of all, when the winner was declared, the name, 'M. D!' was chanted over and over. Now only a distant memory that laid in between the walls and me.
"Demon!"
"Don't call me 'demon'." Xavier rolled his eyes but stood anyway when I got inside of the room. "The number of fighters are getting less and less every week here, what the hell is going on?" I asked. This wasn't the first time we were having a conversation similar to this. He was probably tired of it too judging from his sigh.
"I told you, we can either hire strippers,-"
"We're a bar, not a cabaret, Xavier, I said no to that."
"Well, then I have to remind you after what happened people haven't been interested in getting involved anymore. The fighter they supported the most is gone, of course, everyone left! Demon we need you-!"
"Don't call me Demon. And why can't it be you? People love you too!"
"Of course. Who doesn't?" He smirked and winked at Jessica who stood silently behind us, making her smile and ease slightly. "But I could go out there, win, people would come in again temporarily, see there's no one to match me and I'd be the same as what's-his-fuck-face and they'd leave again!" He said, raising his voice a bit, walking towards me until we were face-to-face but, like always, he failed to intimidate me. His eyes looked daring though. He was going to say something he knew I didn't like but before I could let him say it, I diverted the topic to something else I remembered I came here to talk to him about.
"Why did you tell Blake we fucked?"
His smirk turned into a devilish grin. He lifted a hand and rubbed a finger against my jaw, holding my chin before having his face come dangerously close to mine, "It's a nice thought, isn't it? Something I'm sure many people have wanted from us. Even if there isn't a crowd, I could please you at least."
I took a strong step back, took a hold of the hand that had been on my face in a tight grip and in a swift motion twisted it into a kimura. I knocked his knees down after that, having his whole body kneel in front of me. "I guess we're both not very good crowd-pleasers," I say, trying to control my voice to be as monotone as possible despite feeling disrespected and used. "What plan are you stirring up this time?" I asked glancing back at Jessica who stood agape. I didn't want to do this in front of anyone anymore but he forces it out of me.
Xavier didn't answer my question straight away and instead, he went to trip me up but I saw it coming and jumped over his leg. He seemed to have predicted that though and quickly went in for a second kick to my stomach. It made contact and had me let go of him and fall into his desk. Instinctively I got up and ran if for a punch, he blocked it but my second one came in faster and stronger and hit the side of his jaw.
"That's it! That's what I'm looking for! Fight!" He shouted and swung, aiming for my side which I blocked but was hit on the other. "I know you still train every fucking day! You have the strength to beat him!" I spun and kicked, it made contact but he didn't fall.
"You know I can't!" I argued and swung again for another punch but he caught it in his fist.
"You can!"
I swung with my other hand but he caught that one in his other fist as well. "You saw what happened last time! I'm not going through that humiliation again!"
"But if we just had the Mysterious Demon-"
"THE MYSTERIOUS DEMON IS DEAD!"
I dropped my head. Silence.
The only thing that could be heard was my shaky pants as my fists were still in Xavier's hands. There was no reaction at first. I cursed myself for saying what I did in front of Jessica, it was supposed to just be a rumour that would eventually go away with time but now the embarrassment was there for the world to see once again.
I then felt Xavier's hands squeezing my fists. I thought he was going to say something but instead,
"Dominic?"
My eyes widened and I turned, almost afraid of who it was even though I recognised his voice instantly.
"Nick..." I mumbled, unsure of what to say, what I was going to tell him. I felt Xavier leaning closer to my ear but this time it was to say,
"I told you I wouldn't let you keep it a secret."
Before letting go of my hands and walking out of the room, motioning Jessica to follow him which she did after giving a lasting look at Nickolas.
"Did I just hear you say...?" He started, expecting a reply from me to finish but I just looked down, shutting my eyes tightly. "Dominic!" He shouted. It would have made me flinch if I wasn't immune to it from Xavier already. My mind distracted itself with how much more Nick had become a sort of darkened demeanour than a childish one like he used to be to keep me from answering him.
He seemed to get impatient with me though, walking up to me before putting a hand on my shoulder. It might have looked like a comforting action to anyone who was looking at it from the outside but the way he gripped at me was deadly, and his eyes, they looked down at me with disappointment.
The look that's scarred me.