BLOOD TIES (Decklan Jennings Thriller Book 1) by Philip Duncan (book recommendations for young adults txt) 📕

Decklan quickly stepped to the side, barely missing the three-hundred-pound bulldozer. The guy turned around to make another attempt but Decklan took a step toward him and landed a heavy low kick to the outside of his knee. This put the big guy down to one knee and Decklan followed up with a quick right hook to the jaw. Two quick, hard blows to start the fight, but the guy seemed relatively unfazed.

Shit, how the hell did he take those shots like that?

This was clearly going to be harder than Decklan thought. The guy made it back to his feet, ready to return the favor. He grabbed Decklan by the shoulder, pulled him in and landed a shot to the stomach. All the air from his lungs blew out like a popped balloon. This put Decklan down on all fours, and before he had the chance to get back up, the big guy picked him up like a baby and launched him against the metal dumpster against the wall. Decklan felt like he had just been run over by a bus but knew he had to get back to his feet or it would only get worse.

He stood up, trying to regroup himself, and another blow landed. This time it was a front kick that knocked him back against the dumpster again. He hit it full force and fell ass-first to the pavement. Despite getting his ass handed to him thus far, Decklan noticed that the big guy getting tired. As he went in to apply more damage, Decklan landed a foot sweep, knocking him down to the same pavement he was currently occupying. They were on the same level now, but Decklan knew he couldn’t stay here, so despite the pain radiating through his bones, he got to his feet as quickly as possible and landed a kick to the side of his head.

This kind of blow would knock out ninety-nine percent of people, but apparently this guy was made of steel. Decklan backed up a little to gather himself and prepare for the next wave of violence. The big guy managed to get back to his feet as well, but he was clearly slowing down and in pain himself. This was good news for Decklan, if he could survive a little longer and not take too much damage.

“Not bad for a little guy,” the Russian giant said, smiling and wiping blood from his face like he was having fun.

“Don’t worry, asshole, there is plenty more where that came from,” Decklan responded confidently.

Decklan took a quick glance over at Vladimir to see his reaction. Nothing. Completely stoic. He might as well have been watching paint dry.

I guess this guy really is a psychopath, Decklan thought.

“Well, come on already, you big ape,” Decklan said, hoping to entice the big guy into wearing himself out. He figured his best bet was to be a counter striker as opposed to making the first move.

This clearly pissed the big guy off and he went to attack. He led with a huge, looping punch, but Decklan saw it coming a mile away. Then he came back up with his own shot, landing a clean uppercut to his chin and stumbling him backwards. Again, the big guy let a shot rip and again he missed, only to absorb another shot from Decklan. With every miss, he was taking one in return, which was causing him to get more and more tired. Decklan had seen this countless times in a fight. The bigger, stronger guy gassing out too quickly, only to get his own lights put out because he didn’t have the energy to fight back. The longer the fight went, the better chance Decklan had at coming out on top.

They exchanged a few more shots, but Decklan could tell the punches from the big guy didn't have the same force behind them as the first few. Unfortunately, the lactic acid building up in his own muscles was taking away his speed and power as well. This was when he acted against his better judgment and took the fight to the ground.

Decklan figured he could catch him off guard and get him on his back. He hadn't wrestled since high school, but there were some things that a wrestler never forgot. He waited for another missed punch to get the guy off balance and then he shot for the takedown. He hit the big guy right at mid-thighs, wrapped both arms around his legs, and used everything in his heart and soul to lift this giant off the ground. He had him lifted about a foot off the ground, took a few steps forward and then slammed him back first on the hard pavement.

Unfortunately, he had to pay the price of having his arms slammed between the pavement and the big guy’s back, but it was a price he was willing to pay to try and end this fight once and for all. Decklan could see the exhaustion and surprise in his opponent’s eyes. This was a look he had seen many times, and it always indicated that victory was close. The only difference here was in order to win, he had to kill him or risk being killed himself. Decklan started raining down shots in such volume that the big guy had no choice but to cover up and take a purely defensive position. After about ten straight shots landed, Decklan quickly advanced his position up toward his chest, grabbed his left arm and slid off the side.

He made sure to keep his legs wrapped around the secured arm by keeping one leg on the head and the other on the chest. Then he leaned back and pulled with all his strength until he was lying flat on his back and had the big guy’s arm hyperextended. He kept applying pressure until he heard a loud pop, indicating he had just broken the guy’s arm. A loud, deep scream