The Skulls and Bones?

-Dominic's POV-

"The Skulls and Bones? I thought you said they weren't a big deal?" I asked as Xavier shut off his phone which had been playing the news of a drug deal scheme being found out by the police in Texas. The gangs involved couldn't be identified but the situation was huge. 

"They aren't to us, but the country? Maybe." I raised my eyebrow, not really believing his concern which makes him chuckle.

"They're getting famous fast, Demon, and they're dangerous. Be wary of them, it should be easy considering they bully you at school." I scoffed at him, wrapping my knuckles, preparing for tonight. 

"They don't bully me, they just hate me, insult me" 

"Beat you up." 

"Beat me-" I stopped myself and glared at Xavier when I found myself close to repeating what he said. He smirked back.

"They've been watching you, you know," Xavier says suddenly in a low voice. 

"Stalkerish much?" I respond casually, jumping on the spot, punching the space in front of me a couple of times. He looks at me seriously, 

"I've only ever seen one of them but...Don't let them take you in Demon." I stopped and looked back at him in seriousness too. 

"I know, I have no reason to join them anyway. Fucktards." I said, putting a hand on my stomach. It was throbbing. I swore I'd make him feel this one day too.

Xavier nodded in approval before standing in front of me and throwing a punch. I was quick to react though. I ducked and kicked his legs instead, making him fall back while I go back up again. "That's 66 to 70, I'm catching uppp" I sang making him smile. 

"I guess you're ready then."

I froze and slowly asked, "Ready...for what?" He casually got up and walked past me towards a mirror in our room to do his hair. 

"The face-offs this afternoon. I told you a week ago, did you forget?" He questions, and I could feel the blood drain from my face. How did I forget the face-offs?

Xavier caught onto my lack of response and looked at me through the mirror with nothing but disappointment. I looked away from him to hide my embarrassment but once I did, I received a punch to my stomach. My eyes widened, and I immediately bent down in pain, groaning loudly. "Why the stomach? You...you know how much I've been hit there already." I say almost whining, but he just glared and instructed that I do 100 push-ups to warm up.

I sighed and after my recovery, I did as instructed. "You can't keep forgetting these things, Demon. You could lose your title to some other fucker out there. Or even worse, you could be labelled as weak and an insolent little brat which is what you're fighting against. It won't be the same as other nights, Demon. There won't be newbies who you can easily win against. These fights will be against the very best."

I panted as I went down and did what I thought was my last push up but when I got up, I see Xavier glaring down at me. "What?" I asked.

"That was only 99," he says darkly. I sigh and go down to do one more but when I push up, I feel a foot on my back, forcefully making me hit the floor with a grunt. I hear him laugh at me which makes me roll my eyes and watch him bend down to my face. "That's 71 to 66," he whispers in my ear before getting up.

I groan a little as I stand which makes Xavier smirk at my pain, but he probably felt a little guilty because he walked towards our mini-fridge and tossed me an energy drink. "Thanks" I mumbled and started gulping it down. When I was done with it I looked up to see Xavier watching me, so I stared back at him. "What is it this time?" I asked and waited for an answer but instead, he shook his head with a smile before turning away. 

"It's nothing."

I scoff playfully and continue to watch him as he drinks his own energy drink with his back faced to me. "No no no, there was something. You gave me a look." I say, marching up to him and turning him around. 

"A look? I didn't give you a look." He denied, not looking me in the eye but I didn't accept it. I pushed his shoulder, making him reverse and fall back onto a chair, that way I was able to look down at him and force him to look at me. 

"Tell me."

He sighed but smiles anyway. "I was just thinking of how much you've grown from when you first came here with your stepbrother. He would have been so proud, seeing you this strong, as am I." I'm taken back for a little bit, stepping back and sitting at another chair in front of him. 

My hand instinctively goes to my necklace as I think of him. I smile gently. "I miss him."

---

Time was moving fast. Xavier and I were training in preparation for the face-offs that would be starting very soon which reminded me of a certain gang that may be watching me tonight.

Nickolas is the leader for the Skulls and Bones and he may be watching me fight? There's no way he knows it's me but even then, what could he want? I can't help but be curious.

I was cut out of my thoughts when I received a punch to the face. "Come on Demon! You can't be zoning out in the middle of your training!" 

"Sorry," I apologized genuinely before standing in my position again and focused.

There were only a couple of hours left and I didn't want to mess it up and let Xavier or myself down for that matter.

The Skulls and Bones may be watching me for whatever reason but tonight I'll show them and everyone else that they won't have me and never will.