JJ knew those were the weighted gloves that Maura had talked
about when they first met.  She knew the
impact of his strikes would be much greater with those on.

Knowing she had to do something, JJ stepped in front of Jane
“fight me” she said.

“No!” Jane tried to move her out of the way.

“Well look at this dad, what do you think, the blond first?
The elder Rodriguez clapped his hands together rubbing them greedily, “why
not?”

Waving her toward him, Max taunted, “come on sweet thing,
let’s see what you got” bouncing on the balls of his feet, he waited for JJ to
approach.

Trying to buy some time, “don’t I get gloves?” seeing his
look, “What, not even a sporting chance? Scared a girl might beat you, much
less a *****” JJ taunted him, hoping that threatening his manhood would make him
careless.

“You *****!” ready to rush her, he was stopped by a booming
voice.

“Wait!” his father said, pulling out another pair from his
cargo pants he tossed them at JJ’s feet and yanked Jane toward him.

“No funny business blondie or I get to play with my son’s
little friend first.”  Pulling Jane
roughly in front of him, she fought against his grasp but was brought to her
knees when he grabbed her around the waist.

JJ looked at the gloves and at Jane kneeling in front of him
and could see the pain etched in her face.

Picking up the gloves, she kept her eyes on Rodriguez until
she had them on.  The speed of his first
blow caught her unaware and she grunted as his hand plowed into her right
hip.  The strength of the blow was
incredible and as she swung back she was glad to see she caught him in the
face.  Broken nose, score one for
them.  They circled and gauged each
other, she had sparred plenty with Emily but had never really fought for her
life before now.

Dodging a jab to her face he caught her with a glancing
right hook that sent her into the wall.
She could feel her lip swelling and the blood flowing down as she shook
off the blow.  Moving back in she
practiced one of Emily’s moves and as she jabbed, she spun around with a back
hook kick and sent him crashing into the stairs.

“***** *****!” His father’s laughter ringing in his ears,
he charged her and rammed into her picking her up bodily and slamming her into
the stone wall.  Backing off she fell to
her knees in front of him and kicked at her face.  Blocking the kick with the gloves, she
twisted his foot and sent him crashing to the ground.  She couldn’t get up; her legs were refusing
to respond to her commands after being slammed into the wall.  Throwing herself on top of him, she swung one
weighted hand and punched him in the head, once, twice until he threw her off
him.