Today was the day.

Today was the day that I would see my father for the first time since we moved down here. After yesterday, I was more than ready. With all my pent-up anger, I was ready to release it by fighting against my father.

When I saw Dakota, on the floor, as Jason stood above her, I've never felt so much rage flow through my veins. I was fucking livid. Seeing her on the floor, vulnerable and in pain, made me want to kill him. I've never felt so many emotions hit me all at once until yesterday.

Seeing her bloody nose, her purple abdomen, and the way Jason threw her around like a fucking toy made me nauseous. Seeing the only person I ever cared for this much to be in that type of pain made me want to do horrible things to that bastard. With everything she's already been through, and then Jason shows up just to hurt her? I couldn't even describe the type of anger I felt.

It was overwhelming. All I could see was red when I heard her scream my name. I ran as fast as I could to her and when her motionless body came into view, I immediately wanted to kill whoever did that to her. Of course it was Jason. Who else would've done something so fucked up like that? This girl couldn't catch a fucking break.

Even after I took her back to her house, I still couldn't shake away the anger that permanently rested in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't even look her in the eye when I gently placed ice over the bruised ares. I felt so guilty.

She kept telling me that it wasn't my fault, but I couldn't come to terms without thinking that it could've been prevented if only I didn't go into the locker room. Even after I left her house an hour later, I still felt so uneasy.

Her siblings were still with her friends, but I was able to convince her to let the people around her help her. She voluntarily chose to tell her siblings and my best friends why she was injured when I talked her into opening up to them instead of keeping it inside. I knew she struggled with feeling the need to keep everything inside because that's what her mother taught her. Her mother taught her that her emotions were invalid.

When she eventually told them what to expect when they saw her in person, they were livid. I knew that during the fight, I'd have to watch out for Jace, Braxton, and Colton because I knew that they would try to hurt Jason. We all wanted to, but we promised Dakota that we wouldn't. She always reminded us that we were the bigger person if we didn't stoop down to his level and hurt him the way he hurt her.

Dakota was too good for this world.

I quickly averted my gaze to try and clear the thoughts that clouded my mind. I was sitting on the edge of my bed as my leg anxiously bounced up and down. It was only a few minutes before we needed to leave, and I already had everything prepared.

I ran a shaky hand through my dark hair as I shot off my bed. I gently rolled my shoulders as my head tilted up to stare at the ceiling above me. I released a long breath before I let my eyes flutter shut. Deep breath in, deep breath out.

"Karson!" I heard Colton yell from downstairs as I huffed, opening my eyes as I began to head towards my door. "It's time to go!"

"Give me a damn second!" I yelled back as I quickly grabbed my bag by the door and walked out. I was only wearing shorts and a loose shirt so it was easy to change in and out of.

I quickly made my way down the hall until I reached the top of the stairs. My feet subconsciously skipped every other step until I landed on the bottom floor. My eyes wandered around until they landed on Braxton and Colton who were standing by the front door.

"Come on, man," Braxton sighed as he trudged towards me. He raised his arm and lightly patted my shoulder before draping his arm around my shoulder. They both knew how hard this was going to be for me, so they gave me some space this morning.

I wasn't in the mood to talk because of what happened yesterday and what's going to happen today. I just wanted everything to be over with and I just wanted to be with Dakota. All I wanted was for all of us to be happy.

I gently shook my head as a small laugh slipped off my tongue when Braxton's finger started poking the side of my cheek. I pulled his arm off of me as I swatted his arm away from my shoulder. I heard Colton snort, shaking his head in amusement as we both walked towards him.

"I can't wait to see the look on Damon's face when you beat him," Braxton beamed as a glint of evil flashed across his features.

"Don't jinx it, you dick," Colton muttered as his hand shot out to grab the door knob. He quickly pulled it open, almost hitting Braxton in the process as I barked a laugh.

"You did that on purpose," Braxton hissed as I had to lightly push him to get his figure fully out of the door.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," Colton shrugged as his back faced us. Braxton scoffed behind me as Colton managed to get a few feet in front of us as he walked to his car. I quickly closed the door behind us as I guided Braxton to Colton's car.

"He definitely did," I whispered only loud enough for Braxton to hear. I lightly pulled at his cheeks as his jaw clenched in frustration. He swatted my hands away before he picked up the pace and roughly slid into Colton's car.

"Both of you can fuck yourselves," Braxton grunted as I walked to the passenger side and easily slid in. Colton was already in the driver's seat as he glanced through the rear view mirror to see an annoyed Braxton. "What are you waiting for? Drive, you asshole!"

Colton and I shared a look before we both burst out into laughter. Even though today wasn't an easy day for me, they always found a way to make it better. I could always count on these two morons to distract me from all the shit that's been going on.

I knew that even though we were playing around now, right when we stepped foot into the gym my father told us to be at, our poker face would be on. We all knew that this wasn't a joking matter, and we would sober up when we'd see the man that put us through hell.

I was just afraid of how my father would react around Dakota. As much as I loved her wanting to be with me every step of the way, I wish she wasn't so set on coming today. With the events that happened yesterday, an unsettling feeling rested in my gut knowing that Jason would be there.

I didn't want him in the same room as her. I didn't want him to breathe the same air as her. He said something to Dakota yesterday that really made me uneasy. He said he was going to be back for her tomorrow and we both didn't know what he meant. I knew that no matter what happened between my father or Jason, I would immediately drop everything to protect the girl that I fell in love with.

I started to fall in love with Dakota when she decided to help me find a dress for my little sister. I knew right then and there that I wouldn't be able to stay away from her. There was something about her that stood out to me. She never put up with any of my bullshit and I admired that. After everything we've said to each other, she still decided to stay. I think we both knew that there was more to each other than we thought. We understood each other like no one else. She was my equal.

A light smile grazed my lips as I gently shook my head to clear my thoughts. We fell into a comfortable silence as Colton put his car in drive, and started heading towards an unfamiliar part of town. I sighed, looking out the window as I watched the houses blur together as Colton accelerated.

I knew that this fight wasn't going to be easy, but I was ready. I was ready to finally break free from my father. I wanted nothing more for Amelia and I to be away from our fathers wrath. I was doing this for Amelia and Dakota. All I wanted was for them to be safe, and if that meant fighting my father for their safety, then I'm ready to beat that motherfucker.

~•~•~

Colton, Braxton, and I carefully walked into the rundown building. We were on the opposite side of town, only a few buildings surrounding the gym we were in. The lights were dim, only one light fixture providing the light inside. Every time we'd walk forward, something would crunch below us, probably debris or paint chips that fell off the wall.

When we walked further into the building, we saw the ring come into view. It was just like every boxing ring, just a little more rundown. I released a long breath when we walked further into the building until we spotted two figures intensely talking to each other.

I felt Colton's hand on my shoulder in reassurance when all three of us watched the two men aggressively throw their hands in the air. I glanced at my two best friends, giving them a reassuring look as we continued to walk closer to the ring.

I felt the outline of Colton's hand disappear when the two men only a few feet away from us went dangerously silent. I quickly let my eyes wander to take in our surroundings. There were a few men standing around the building, evenly spaced apart as they stood silent. They were definitely my fathers men. He used them for protection.

I sighed as my eyes flickered back to the two men who were now standing side by side, facing us. I sucked in a sharp breath when my gaze connected with a familiar set of green eyes. His eyes were just like mine, but they were filled with pure hatred as they only glared at me.

"Father," I rasped as my eyes briefly glanced at Jason next to him. I felt my blood run cold when I looked at the man who caused Dakota pain. I narrowed my eyes at him as I watched a glint of amusement swim through his eyes. He was fucking dead.

"Karson," my fathers voice was stern, showing no emotion as he never once glanced at Braxton or Colton.

I kept my eyes on him as I let them trail down to take in his appearance. He wasn't in his usual all-black suit. Instead, he was wearing a pair of black shorts along with a plain black fitted t-shirt. The lack of coverage on his arms and legs showcased the tattoos that covered almost every inch of his skin. Not many people knew he had tattoos because he wore suits almost 24/7.

I scoffed when my eyes landed on a specific tattoo he got at the ripe age of 23. It was an outline of him holding my mother in his arms. It was their favorite picture together. He went to the tattoo shop and asked for him just to do a simple outline of their bodies because my mother loved simple designs. He loved her so much at the time and wanted to surprise her.

Even when he cheated on her and she left, he never got the tattoo covered. He always kept it the same way it was when he first got it.

I felt my fists clench at my sides when I looked at his features. Not much has changed over the past few months. He still had his chiseled jawline, even though it wasn't as sharp as before because of his older age. He had midnight black hair, just like me, and the same colored eyes. I was his spitting image.

"Karson, I haven't seen you for so long," Jason chuckled to himself, breaking me away from my thoughts as my eyes darted to him.

"Go fuck yourself," I snarled as I felt Braxton fist the back of my shirt. He was holding me back. He knew the promise we made to Dakota.

"Don't talk to my brother like that, son," my father cut in, his voice sharp as his eyes shot daggers towards my face.

"Brother?" I scoffed as I let out a humorless laugh. "You're the one who kicked your so-called brother out on the street with nothing. You both are fucking hypocrites."

"Cut it out, Karson," Braxton mumbled beside me as I felt his grip tighten on my shirt. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress my anger as I glanced between the two men in front of me.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry. How could I forget about you two?" My father sarcastically gasped, his deep voice emotionless as he shook his head to himself. "How is your father, Colton? I've heard that he liked to push you around a little bit more than most parents, if you know what I mean. I need to meet him. I admire that man already and I haven't even met him."

"You fucker," Colton growled as his eyes went viciously dark. Colton almost threw himself at my father, but I quickly pulled on his shoulder as I felt his body shake under my touch from how angry he was. His father was not an easy topic to talk about.

"And Braxton," my father chuckled as he ignored Colton. "I find it hilarious that your parents hated you so much that they left you to fend for yourself. But of course, my son being the good little boy he is, he invited you to live at our house. Every time I looked at you, all I could think about was how I now understood why your parents didn't want you."

I felt Braxton's hand hesitantly release my shirt from his hold as his arm went limp by his side. My eyes widened in shock at the words that just fell from my fathers mouth. I hated him so fucking much. I hated the things he was saying to them.

"Rot in hell," Braxton hissed, his voice low as it shook with anger. I looked at him as his nostrils flared in frustration. His chest rapidly moved up and down, trying to hold himself back.

"I'm already there," my father smirked as his eyes found mine once again. "You three really thought you could get away from me without any consequences? All of you are morons."

"Dakota! You made it!" Jason's voice abruptly cut through the tense air as my body went rigid. I watched Jason's lip tug into a sinister smirk as his eyes followed something.

I quickly turned around to see Dakota and Jace walking side by side as their eyes focused on Jason. Jace stared at Jason with a look of fire igniting in his pupils, angry at what he did to his older sister.

I clenched my jaw at the memory as I let my eyes flicker to Dakota. Her bruised jaw was flawlessly covered in makeup, almost as if nothing happened yesterday. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, showcasing her beautiful features as her crystal blue eyes anxiously scanned around the building.

"So this must be the infamous Dakota," my father chuckled as I let my gaze flicker between my father and Dakota. I watched his eyes trail up and down Dakota's body, lingering on her chest for a bit longer. I felt anger course in my veins as I tried really hard not to lunge at him. Fucker.

"Damon," Dakota's voice was sharp as she gave him a brief nod. The siblings eventually stood beside Braxton, crossing their arms as their body language showed that they weren't afraid. When Dakota looked at Jason, she stared at him with a look of confidence. She wasn't afraid. That's my girl.

"I can already tell you're a feisty one. You're meeting your boyfriend's father for the first time and that's all you have to say to me?" He raised an eyebrow at her as a glint of annoyance briefly flashed across his green eyes. I didn't bother correcting him because we basically were together. It was only a matter of time until we put a label on our relationship.

"Would you like me to start off by explaining how much of an asshole you are?" Dakota fired back, her voice strong as a wave of confidence suddenly washed over her. God, she's so hot. "No? Aw, okay then. How about I go off on how you and your brother over there are miserable losers. You find making people's lives miserable, fun? Get a fucking life."

"Dakota," Jace warned, his voice only low enough for us to hear. I could hear Braxton snicker under his breath, but he quickly covered it when Jason narrowed his eyes at him.

"Jason was right," my father scoffed as he clasped his hands together. "You two are perfect for each other. That's too bad, isn't it?"

"What the fuck are you going on about?" I cut in as I shifted my weight onto one foot. I just wanted to get this fight over with.

"Anyways, let's get this over with, yes? I've been waiting all week for this moment," my father ignored my statement as his feet subconsciously moved towards the ring. All of us watched him as he swiftly swung himself into the ring before looking down on us. "You've cost me a shit ton of money, boy, and I'm not too happy about that."

"How the fuck is that my problem?" I questioned, purposely pushing his buttons as I watched his jaw clench in frustration. He never was a fan of me.

"Are you that dense? When you left, business went down. I lost a shit ton of money, and today I'm going to get that back. It's quite simple. You're my ticket to gaining back everything I lost," he smirked as his forearms cockily leaned against the ropes.

"You're just using me for money. That's all I'm good for, right?" I asked, my voice tight as my eyes flickered down to see Jason slowly make his way towards the outside of the ring.

"Exactly. I'm going to ruin your life just like how you ruined mine. You've got everything you want here, isn't that right? Say goodbye to it, Karson, because you're going to fucking regret ever leaving me," he growled before turning around and putting his boxing gloves on. He kept his shirt on as his arms swung forwards, striking the air as he practiced his aim.

My eyes never left his body as I studied his movements. He probably trained, just like me before coming down here, but unlike me, he was never a fighter. I knew he was strong, and he knew how to mentally tear me down, but that was his only strength. He didn't know all the techniques I've learned over the past few years. He wasn't nearly as experienced as I was, so he was absolutely fucked.

The only way he could win was if he pulled an illegal play, which could possibly happen. There were no judges, there was no crowd, so he could do whatever he wanted without automatically losing. He's been doing underground business practically all his life, so he knew what was illegal and what wasn't. He also knew what moves were the best to knock someone out in one hit.

My father was a smart man, but physically, he couldn't do near as much as I could do. I was in shape, constantly working out and moving around, while he just started training the past week. I had more advantages, but that didn't mean he didn't have his advantages either. I just needed to stick with what I knew, and not freeze when I got out there.

I lightly shook my head, clearing my thoughts when I felt a small hand being placed on my shoulder. I quickly turned around to be met with electrifying blue eyes. I felt my heart pound in my chest when I felt the warmth of her hand seep through my thin shirt. The effect she had on me was insane.

"You ready, Ryder?" Her small voice asked as her eyes scanned my face to see if how I reacted gave away anything. She was just as observant as I was. I guess my father was right on one thing, we were perfect for each other.

"More than I'll ever be, I guess," I shrugged my shoulders as I watched her eyebrows pinch together. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her graphic t-shirt and black leggings. She could wear a fucking trash bag and she would still be the most beautiful girl in the world.