Reese

ChapterEighteen

The smell of blood and lust fills the air, stirring the crowd into a frenzy. It reminds me of those movies set during an apocalypse. The ones where you get to witness the fall of society and man becomes more monster than person, giving in to their baser needs like animals.

“This place is insane,” Blink mutters from beside me as we look out at the crowd that’s practically writhing with anticipation like a snake ready to strike.

“Are you sure about this?” Law leans down and whispers in my ear, his hands smoothing over my shoulders.

I turn to look up at him and nod, a look of resignation on his face that I’m sure resembles mine. “This place will get us on the right track. Where we go from here, I don’t know. But we’re about to find out. I need you to work the crowd while we’re down there since you’re not on until the end. Ply them with drinks and pump them for info while their guards are down.”

“I know. I’ve got this. You just concentrate on not getting hurt.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Besides, do you really think these guys are going to let anything happen to me?”

He looks at Vega, Blink, and Graves and smirks.

“Good point.”

“Go. We’ll talk more later.” I lift up onto my tiptoes and kiss his cheek.

“Be careful. Not all the fights will stay within the cage.”

I watch him as he leaves before turning back to the others.

“Does he know this fight is a solo one?” Vega frowns.

“He knows, but he’s struggling with the whole watching me get the crap kicked out of me thing. So, if I talk to him about it, I make it real, and he’d toss me over his shoulder and drag me home in a heartbeat. He’s much happier in the land of denial right now.”

Blink laughs, but he doesn’t dispute me because we both know I’m right.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the fighting will start in fifteen minutes. Place your bets now!”

I pause at the sound of the disembodied voice over the house speakers and wait for the shouting to die down before nudging Blink forward. He heads down the steps to the basement with Vega behind him.

I look up at Graves and see him watching me with an almost vacant look in his eyes. “You okay?”

His eyes focus on my face before he nods and reaches out to take my hand. I squeeze it tightly, not sure who is supporting who before he leads me after the others.

By contrast, it’s calm and quiet down here as fighters try to get in the zone and keep their heads in the game. I get a nod or two from people I recognize from the gym, but thankfully, nobody comes over.

Adrenaline sparks in my veins as my blood begins to heat, and only fucking or fighting will offer me a reprieve.

“Blink and I already got our spots. We’re just here to support you. And let the other teams scouting know you’re taken, so they don’t try to poach you. You’re up first, Mal, followed by Graves. You ready for this? You’ve been out of the game for a while.”

Vega looks worried, which makes me want to smack him upside the head. “I know you don’t like to see me get hit, but this is what I do, Vega. Just like you. These boobs don’t make me weak.”

He crowds me, his hands moving to my hips. “I never thought you were weak. But sending you out there to get punched in the face multiple times is never gonna be something I’m okay with.”

“You’ve seen me fight, Vega. You knew what I could do back then, and that was before I came back as who I am now.”

“And who’s that?”

“Well, I guess you’re about to find out.”

He blows out a breath and dips his head.

“Come on, man. Have a little faith in our woman,” Blink snaps at him.

“It’s not about faith, you asshole, and fuck you for saying that. If I thought for one second she couldn’t win, we wouldn’t be here.” He looks at me again and swallows. “A part of me hoped…” he shakes his head before continuing. “When you were gone, I used to pretend you were happy and married, maybe with a dog and a pretty house with a yard full of flowers and a white picket fence. Part of me wanted you back, and the other part was so fucking glad you got free.”