Brooklyn's Baddest: A Bad Boy Fighter Romance (5 page)

The two men reached them and bowed to Lisa, who bowed back to them, and they turned and bowed to Jake, who took Lisa’s hint, and returned their bow.

Lisa spoke as Jake watched them silently. “Jake, this is Master Masahiro Hayashi, owner of the Hayashi dojo.”

He held his hand out to Jake, and Jake took it. Lisa looked at the younger man. “This is Master Koichi Susaki; he is our head instructor.”

Koichi shook Jake’s hand, his eyes keenly focused on Jake. Jake felt as if the man was looking straight through him, and as though there was no secret he could keep from him. It unnerved him completely, though he tried with everything in him not to show it. His heart began to beat swifter.

“Gentlemen, this is Jake Allen. I am bringing him in to try out here for a fighter position.” She smiled at both of the older men.

Masahiro nodded and moved to stand beside Lisa. Koichi regarded him silently for a long moment and then nodded. “You will come and spar with me.” Then he turned and led Jake to the center of the room. Jake’s heart began to pound as he followed the older man. He could not believe that he was where he was, and about to do what he was about to do. It was more than he had ever even let himself imagine, and he wasn’t sure about any of it, other than that he was going to do everything he could to pass the tryout so that he could be taken on as a fighter for the Hayashi dojo. He knew there would never be another chance like it in his lifetime.

Koichi faced him and bowed again, and Jake bowed in return. They stood then, and Koichi moved subtly into form, his dark eyes locked on Jake’s blue ones. Jake took his own form and waited. Koichi did not move; he only watched Jake. Jake waited a few moments, realizing that Koichi was doing exactly what he always did with the men he fought in the street. Watch and wait; let them make the first move.

He began to circle, wanting Koichi to move first, but knowing in his core that Koichi would not. The older man circled with him, keeping an exact equidistance from him. Jake took his time and tried to calm his pounding heart and slow the blood that rushed through him. He focused with everything in him, trying to find the anger and rage that always drove him to success in a fight, but he was quickly discovering that it was almost impossible to be angry in a place as peaceful and beautiful as the studio and the dojo that he was in.

Anxious to do his best, he began to search through his memories and grasp tightly to the ones that had hurt him the most. He could feel the pain and anger of his youth building up in him and he focused on it with everything in him until it began to course through him. It was slow and subtle at first, but then as he concentrated on it, it began to burn in him until he could feel it moving through him, almost as if it was alive.

Both he and Koichi continued to circle one another, and in his anxiety and rush of anger and adrenaline, he did something he never did. He made the first move, as Koichi watched him like a silent bird of prey, waiting patiently; unmoving on the wind above its target. Jake’s arm flashed out toward Koichi, and Koichi seemed to move like water, turning and bending, simultaneously fluid and strong, and Jake never touched him, but Koichi lightly struck him, and it sent him to his knees momentarily.

Jake launched himself back up and sucked in his breath, trying to steady himself. He forced himself to regain his focus and concentration, and he centered all of his attention on the man in front of him. He watched carefully as they circled and moved, and Koichi’s eyes never left him. He grew uncertain and anxious, and from the corner of his eye, he saw the older man’s hands and feet moving in strange ways that he thought might be the precursor to a strike, and for a split second, he looked away from Koichi’s eyes toward his feet, and in that moment, Koichi struck him lightly again, bringing his hand to Jake’s chest and sending him backward, flailing for a short distance before Jake regained his balance and returned to the match.

Frustrated with his lack of success, Jake channeled all of his angry energy and directed it in what he hoped was a surprise kick toward Koichi’s chest. That style of kick had landed several men bigger than Koichi on their backs. Once again, he never touched the older man. Koichi moved again, like water, twisting and gliding; one moment he was in a new place, and the next moment he was gone again and in another place. Jake couldn’t tell where he was going to go next or how he would move. He was completely unpredictable, and that only served to frustrate Jake even more.

Lisa watched from Masahiro’s side, her eyes taking in every movement. She knew exactly what was going on, and the more she watched, the more she hoped that Jake would make it through the tryout and that he would be accepted. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and though she seemed calm and unruffled on the outside, her heart was beginning to beat faster just watching the match, and her fingers closed snugly around each other.

Koichi’s eyes never left Jake, and Jake felt as if he had never been so keenly watched in his life. His steel blue eyes stared straight at his opponent, and he drew in a deep breath and told himself that he had to remain focused if he was going to succeed at all. He concentrated on all of his anger; on everything that had made him bitter of the course of his lifetime, over every wrong and unfairness that he felt he had suffered. Gritting his teeth and clenching his jaw, he lowered his position slightly, so that he was head level with Koichi’s chest.

He knew he would have to strike at the other man’s core. Glaring icily at Koichi, he waited as long as he could, until the fire in him was at its hottest, and then he rocketed forward, his closed fists headed straight for the other man’s ribs and stomach.

Koichi simply turned gracefully on the spot and closed both of his hands over Jake’s wrists and arms, flipping him in a circle, using his own momentum against him as he turned him over once and landed him flat on his back.

Jake coughed and wheezed a moment, but he was back on his feet quickly, wheeling on his feet with a growl of frustration. He met the older man’s steady and unwavering gaze, and he felt a rush of incomprehension that the other man could fight so calmly, as though they might be doing nothing more than having a quiet conversation, or looking at the garden outside together, or watching a sunset together in silence.

It was infuriating and confusing to Jake, and he was glad for it, because he took all of that pent up consternation and with every bit of power in him, he leapt into the air with a spinning kick, aiming his foot for the older man’s head.

Koichi ducked and simultaneously shot his fist out, hitting Jake’s inner thigh sharply, and when Jake landed, he stumbled sorely for a moment before standing again. He launched himself at Koichi again, and once again, he never touched him, and Koichi struck without being hit, and Jake fell and stumbled over and over, but every time it happened, he stood up again, sore and in increasing pain, and continued to fight.

He had not managed to touch Koichi, not once, when after a lengthy time, the older man finally stepped backward and stood up straight, holding his hand up and speaking. “Stop now.” He waited as Jake, breathing hard and doubled over, stood up and collected himself.

“Come.” Koichi said simply and calmly, bowing before he turned and walked toward Masahiro and Lisa. Lisa was trying not to stare wide eyed, struggling to hide the hope she had inside of her. She said nothing, and only watched in silence as Jake bowed back to Koichi and followed him to face Masahiro.

Masahiro took a long and deep breath, letting it out slowly as he regarded the young man standing before him. Jake felt like every single cell in his body was about to explode simultaneously. He tried to breathe, though his breathing was ragged and shallow, and his body burned with the strain of the match he had just faced.

Koichi stood near him, his eyes on Masahiro. Jake glanced from one of them to the other, and waited. Masahiro did not speak right away, but instead looked at Jake thoughtfully. Jake’s eyes flitted momentarily to Lisa, but she was watching Masahiro as well, and Jake knew that his fate was in the hands of the old master before him.

Masahiro did not take his eyes off Jake, and when he spoke, Jake could hear the strength in his voice, as well as patience and no end of wisdom. “Why do you want to come and train here?” he asked evenly.

Jake felt like his whole life was hinged on the words that would come from his mouth, and for a moment, there were no words; they were all trapped in his head. All the billions of them he wanted to say, all of them raging through him as his heart jabbed at his rib cage trying to escape. A bead of sweat rolled from his forehead and fell to his chest, landing on the gi he was wearing. The silence in the room was the thickest he had ever known, and the only thing louder than the silence was his own hot blood, crashing and rushing through his ears.

“I didn’t think I would ever see this place, or ever be here… this doesn’t even seem real to me. Maybe it isn’t real, but if it is, it’s the only chance I have at ever making anything with my life, and that’s something I’m willing to work for. This would be the best shot I ever get at changing myself and my life and giving myself some kind of future.” He spoke with a hoarse voice.

Masahiro didn’t even blink; he just watched in silence, listening to every word that Jake spoke, and holding the younger man’s gaze with his.

“Are you willing to be trained as we would train you, and forget everything you think you know about fighting?” Masahiro asked calmly.

Jake’s breath caught. He couldn’t understand what Masahiro had meant, asking him to forget everything he thought he knew, because if there was one thing he did know, it was fighting. He had been doing it all of his life. He thought of the sparring match he had just finished with Koichi, and he knew that he hadn’t even gotten in one hit. He knew he had a lot to learn, and he could tell that the master before him wanted someone who was willing to learn. He was sure that that was the answer the old man was looking for. He wanted to know if Jake was willing to learn.

“Yes.” Jake answered quietly, as everything inside of him whirled in turmoil.

Masahiro tilted his head ever so slightly. “You are angry. Very angry. Anger will tear you down and destroy you.” His words were almost a challenge to Jake. Jake felt the question of it as the words seemed to bind themselves around him. Those words could stop him. Those words could force him right out of the dojo and hold him back from creating a future there.

Jake swallowed hard and lifted his chin. “I can handle the anger. It won’t control me,” he vowed, his eyes locked on Masahiro’s.

Masahiro said nothing at first; he only watched Jake. Jake swallowed again, not allowing himself to hope, not allowing himself to think beyond the moment he was in. Time seemed to slow down until it felt to Jake like it might have just stopped all together. He could feel more beads of sweat rolling down his head to his temples, down the sides of his cheeks, slowly, wending their way over his skin as gravity pulled them persistently to the ground. The sweat at the back of his neck cooled as the air coming through one of the open windows moved over him.

Somewhere in the garden, a bird chirped, and he heard the soft whisper of the breeze moving through the pine boughs of the trees, and the gentle bubbling of the water in the fountains around the garden.

Masahiro remained silent and watched him. Jake did not take his eyes off of the white haired master before him. He had never felt so terrified or frozen in his life. An infinity later, Masahiro finally drew in a long, slow, deep breath, and when it came back out, it was exhaled with a voice that spoke Jake’s fate.

“You will be admitted here. You will train one on one with Koichi. You will be completely obedient to him. When he feels that you are ready for your first competition, you will be entered into a local competition. If you do well, you will move up the ranks to the higher competitions. You will train every day. There will be no break in your training. You will dedicate yourself to this, or you will leave and not return. Do you agree?” the old man asked.

Every cell in Jake’s body exploded simultaneously at the atomic level. At least, he was certain that the feeling that came over him was everything exploding. He felt himself nod, and though it took a moment, he finally heard himself speak.

“Yes, Master Hayashi. I’ll come and train here every day. I’ll do everything that Master Koichi tells me.” He swore, looking over at Koichi, and then back to Masahiro. “Thank you, Sir. I am going to be your best champion.”
If it killed him, he was going to be the best they ever saw,
he promised it to himself.

Masahiro looked at him thoughtfully again and then spoke without expression. “Good luck.” He turned then and walked from the room. Jake bowed after him as the older man left.

Koichi faced Jake. “Be here at nine in the morning tomorrow. Lisa will give you another gi so that you’ll have two. Get some rest tonight, because you’re going to need it when you come back.”

Jake bowed to Koichi and Koichi bowed back and then walked from the room. Jake turned to Lisa, who was grinning at him.

“You did it! Congratulations!” she gasped happily. Her smile began to fade a little. She looked at him seriously then. “You better listen to them, and you better get some rest tonight, because I can promise you that you’re going to need it.”

Jake smiled at her and wished that he could wrap his arms around her and hug her, but she turned and headed toward the door, looking back at him with a happy glow. “Let’s go and get your other gi, and you can get changed.”