Fight Dirty (Black Rose Kisses 1)

It’s been another exhausting week, and I’m pretty close to losing my mind. After Levi’s stunt with Dean after my class last Friday, I’ve been giving him the cold shoulder, but it hasn’t done anything to change the fact that he’s still always there.

Usually, on the weekends I have plenty to do. I go dancing with Scarlett or go to a fight. I go to the gym, do grocery shopping, whatever. Something other than sitting in a room, staring at the same four walls.

I could go downstairs and make use of the guys’ gaming systems or watch a movie or something, but the tradeoff of having to deal with them doesn’t seem all that worth it.

“The worst part is, I still haven’t heard from Dad. I feel like anxiety is eating me alive.” I shake my head, letting out a breath. “I don’t know if it would be better or worse if I knew what he’s supposed to be doing for them, but at least if I knew something, maybe I wouldn’t worry about him so damn much.”

“Yeah.” I can practically hear the grimace in her voice. “That sucks. He’s strong though. He’s a fighter. You know he’ll be okay.”

I nod, chewing hard on my lower lip. I know the first two things are true, and I try to let my faith in my dad’s strength convince me that he’ll come out of this just fine. But it’s hard. He’s just one guy, and I have no idea if what they asked of him was reasonable or not.

What if it’s some Herculean task that no one could accomplish? What if that’s why they gave it to him? As a way of just fucking with him, punishing him for not throwing the fight like they asked?

My mind starts spiraling through dire thoughts and imagined scenarios again, and I drag a hand through my hair.

“Fuck. I need to get out and get some space or I’m going to go crazy.” I sigh.

“So go out,” Scarlett says. “What’s the worst they can do?”

“I don’t know, lock me in my room? We haven’t really talked about the boundaries of this… arrangement. Except that I can’t go on a date without one of them chaperoning me, which none of them will do. So basically, I can’t date.”

She sucks her teeth, making an annoyed sound. “They sound like

control freaks.”

“They really are,” I agree immediately. “I mean, I told you what happened with Dean last week. They act like just because I have to be here with them for the foreseeable future, they can run my life. I’m fucking sick of it.”

“Maybe it’s time to test the waters a bit,” Scarlett suggests. “They can’t really expect you to just sit at home doing nothing, right? You’re a young, hot woman in the prime of her life. Making you into a boring old homebody is a crime.”

I laugh at her outraged tone and roll onto my stomach. “Something tells me it’s not a crime they really care about. But you’re right. I need to see what they’ll let me get away with. Clearly I can’t go out with a guy without them getting all alpha male on me, but maybe getting a drink with a girl is okay.”

“Yes!” She perks up immediately at that suggestion. “You should come out with me. We’ll get drinks and go dancing or whatever. Have a girl’s night!”

It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen my best friend for more than five minutes at a time on campus, so the idea makes me smile. It sounds like the perfect thing to get me out of the funk I’m in and give me a little space to clear my head from the guys. Not that I think they’ll let me go alone, but in a club with the dim lights and ever shifting crowd, it should be pretty easy to get some distance.

Sitting up, I square my shoulders. “Okay. I’ll tell them and then text you.”

“Yay, I can’t wait! Let me know what they say.”

I hang up the call and leave my room, padding downstairs. My three keepers are in the living room, Rory and Levi on the couch while Sloan is draped over the armchair. There’s a movie on the TV, but they don’t seem to be paying too much attention to it.

Rory is the first one to see me when I walk in, and he pats the spot on the couch next to him with a grin. Levi glances over at me and then back to the TV, and Sloan seems happy enough to pretend I’m not there at all. That’s fine with me.

“I’m going out,” I announce, arms folded.

Levi lifts an eyebrow and hits pause on the movie. “Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s so. I’ve been nowhere but class and this house since you brought me here, and you can’t keep me locked up forever. I’m not trying to run away or whatever. I just need a break. You can come if you want, but I’m going.”

None of their expressions have changed one bit. I grit my teeth, determination rising up in me.

“Look, I don’t know why my dad didn’t throw that fight. Fuck, I don’t know why he agreed to throw it in the first place. He’s always fought fair, and he’s never let anyone buy him before.” I pause, wrestling my emotions under control. “But he’s trying to make amends for that now, right? He’s playing along, doing what you guys are asking of him. So am I. I’m not gonna run or do anything shady. I just need to get out for a little while before I go fucking nuts.” I hesitate again, and the last word is the hardest one of all. “Please.”

The three of them exchange glances, and Sloan goes so far as to shrug. “Fine. It’s not like we had anything to do anyway.”

“Let’s all go,” Rory suggests. “I could use a night out. It’s been a while.”

Honestly, I’m shocked that I got my way. I truly expected them to tell me to fuck off back to my room and maybe lock the door on me for good measure, but I’m not about to complain.