Chapter 41

Josh stood tall but he was swaying slightly, still exhausted from his vicious battle against Tucker less than an hour ago.  I could see Josh's eyes taking in the situation - my tear-streaked face looking at him with terror; the handcuffs restraining me to the very same drainpipe where I'd been cuffed on my first night here; the way Jacob panted as he approached, barely keeping his urge to attack in check.

 

"Josh!" I called out.

Jacob stepped right up to Josh until their faces were barely apart.



"You did well in the pit today," Jacob said. "I didn't think you had it in you to take Tucker down. You're a tenacious bastard, I'll give you that."  He circled behind Josh, who stood silently, eyes fixed on me.

I shook my head subtly at Josh, trying to let him know there was trouble ahead and suddenly Josh reacted, spinning away just as Jacob swung up to grab him from behind.

Josh swung a leg up but Jacob caught the leg mid-flight and dropped an elbow onto his thigh. Josh cried out as he dropped.  Jacob threw Josh's leg away, spinning Josh around in the process, then grabbed him in a reverse headlock from behind and pulled Josh back across his knee.

Josh arched over the bent knee and Jacob reach around to pound him in the gut with a quick succession of blows before throwing Josh off.  Josh rolled on the floor, curling into a ball clutching his stomach. I couldn't imagine the pain he was feeling on top of the beating he'd already taken today.

Jacob waited for Josh to stagger to all fours before landing a kick in Josh's gut.  Josh went over again with a grunt. He rolled away and tried to rise only to have Jacob kick him once more. 

Josh rolled into the side of the desk. He reached up, clasping the woodwork to haul himself up.  Jacob waited until he was almost on his feet, then stepped in and landed a blow to the kidneys.

Josh gagged, his legs giving way as he fell into Jacob's waiting arms. He was lifted off the ground and Jacob rammed Josh hard against the wall. Josh's legs gave away again and Jacob's lifted Josh into the air, face up, racking Josh across his broad shoulders, wrapping one arm around Josh's throat, the other at his legs, holding him in a back breaker.

All Josh to do was moan. Jacob carried him over to me and stood in front of me, chest proudly puffed out as he displayed his masculinity.

"You still think he's a champion?" Jacob said, bouncing Josh across his shoulders.  He looked up at Josh and said, "Let me hear you submit!"

Josh gargled his refusal and Jacob smirked. "The sooner you submit, the less pain you'll feel, boy! Or do you like to suffer?!" He dropped to a knee giving Josh a final hard crack across the back before letting him tumble to the floor.  Josh lay there groaning.

Jacob sat on Josh's waist. For a moment, he savoured the sight of Josh lying beneath him unable to fight back, then he grabbed Josh's pecs and squeezed.

Josh cried out again as his chest thrust upwards and his hands came up to claw hopelessly at Jacob's painful grip.  Jacob held him like that for ages until Josh's face turned bright red from the strain.  When he released the pec claw, Josh fell back gasping. He rubbed his pecs only to have Jacob knock his hands away and apply the hold again.

"Arrrggghhhh!!!"  Josh cried as the muscles were crushed in Jacob's fingers.  Josh shook his head frantically, refusing to give in. He punched out at Jacob's legs with the seeming strength of a child. Jacob sniggered and released the pec claw, sitting back to admire Josh's suffering.

Josh punched Jacob in the balls. Jacob had left himself exposed, not expecting a retaliation. He yelped and Josh shoved him off to the side then landed the sole of his foot in Jacob's chest, winding him. Josh pressed the flat of his foot into Jacob's ribs and grabbed and arm and a leg, pulling them towards him. Jacob roared as he arched sidways around the foot, his ribs taking the brunt of the pressure. Josh was too weak to hold him though and Jacob yanked his arm free with a tug.

Josh rolled away and crawled towards me but as he reached me, Jacob was there, lifting him to his feet.

"Josh!" I gasped, reaching out to him.

Catching Josh around the throat, Jacob spun around so they were standing back to back, then bent over forward. Josh's feet left the ground as he hung across Jacob's back in a hangman's hold.  Josh's feet kicked out. I could hear him choking.

"Stop it, please!" I begged.

"I want to hear him submit!" Jacob roared.

"Josh, please! He's going to kill you!" My voice had risen to fever pitch, seeing Josh's face turning from red to purple. "Give him what he wants, please!" Josh somehow managed to shake his head.

"Josh! No!" I screamed. "You have to live to fight another day. You said yourself it's better to run sometimes! Please!" I fell back against the wall sobbing. "Please…"

Josh's arms had stopped flailing. His fingers, now clawing weakly at the hands around his neck, began to drop away And then the moment I thought would never happen, did.

"I give," croaked Josh and the words pierced me like a knife. Josh crumpled to the floor like a rag doll, wheezing and coughing. I'd begged him to submit but deep down, I never thought he would. He always found a way back from the edge. He was my champion, no matter how broken and spent.

Jacob cheered, punching his hand in the air victoriously.  He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into him and kissed me, barely noticing my lack of response as he turned and rolled Josh onto his back. He put his foot on Josh's chest and flexed.

I looked down at the pain and exhaustion on Josh's face. His eyes were half closed, his knees curling up to ease the aches that wracked his body. There was nothing left in him. Josh was a man who was completely and utterly defeated.

[ END OF PART 1 - STAY TUNED FOR MORE, COMING SOON!  ]