"I'll explain it to you later. Just—damn it, I shouldn't have brought you here," he says through gritted teeth. To our right, a group of three hooligans stare at me hungrily. They definitely think I'm a hooker.
Damon shoots daggers at them with his eyes. He puts one hand on my waist, still watching them. He seems to consider something—possibly punching them. Then he turns to face me. With a jolt, he pulls me toward him until we are so close, so impossibly close that I feel his warm breath against my lips. I look at him, a question hanging on my lips. He answers it with a kiss. The moment his lips touch mine, something ignites inside me. Warm and rough, his lips are like magnets—they pull me in with a devastating force. Everything else fades into meaninglessness. The sounds, the people...
When we break apart, my knees sway. Luckily, Damon's arm is still around my waist. The moment our gazes lock, I become aware of the voices around us, beckoning him to start the fight. Damon drops his jacket and the two helmets on a nearby table.
I'm still floating somewhere above everything while Damon walks backward toward the ring. Just before he turns around, he mouths something that instantly snaps me from the clouds. One word. Sorry. I watch him step inside the ring while the question haunts me: sorry for what? Kissing me? The question drowns in fear when the fight starts. Punches fly in both directions.
"Don't worry," Alex says. "Damon's a pro."
"He's got bruises all the time," I counter.
"Of course. It's part of the job."
"How long has he been doing this?"
"Who knows? He joined us a few weeks ago and fights like he's been at it for a few years. He's the best there is right now. All the other fighters hate him." He beams.
"Why are you so cheerful about it?"
"Means he and I can make some good money. Tonight's match will turn the tide, so to speak."
"What do you mean?"
"Gabe," he motions to the guy Damon's fighting, "used to be the best before Damon arrived. It looks like Damon will beat him tonight. That'll mean a lot of money, but also trouble. Gabe isn't used to losing. He's the leader, and owes a lot of dangerous people money. If he starts losing matches, he’ll have nothing to pay them back with."
He directs his attention to the fight next. I can tell he'd like to go closer to watch, but he stays put, throwing a glance in my direction every now and again, keeping an eye on me, the way Damon asked him to. He needn't bother. The same guys who looked at me with what were clearly indecent thoughts in the beginning, now look at me like I have a disease. I realize the kiss was Damon's way of letting everyone know I am out of bounds. And he was sorry for the kiss. Well, I’m not. It made me blissfully happy, even if just for a moment.
As the fight gets more violent, I can't help moving forward. The punches grow more vicious, thrown with one purpose: win. Damon's good; even I can tell that. Still, he gets hit, and every time that happens my stomach churns violently. At least he manages to block most of the punches Gabe aims at his face. I turn around when I'm sure the fight is only minutes away from being over, unable to watch anymore. When the crowd erupts in cheers, congratulating Damon, I breathe with relief.
"Well done, Damon," Alex calls loudly.
"Shouldn't we go to him?" I ask.
"No, it's best to stay out of the ring, even after the fight is over." Alex remains by my side as the crowd moves. One moment, I see Damon washing himself at a sink at the back of the warehouse, but the next moment, I lose him. I bite my nails, only stopping when he appears in front of me.
"Dani, are you all right?" he asks.
"Yeah. You—?”
"I'm okay. I'll just have a black eye." He smiles tightly. "Let's go. Alex, I'll call you tomorrow."
The hall is still buzzing with people when Damon puts an arm around my waist, beckoning me toward the exit.
"Damon," a strong voice resounds in the hall. The buzz turns to silence so fast it's scary. Though I never heard his voice before, I know it's Gabe who spoke. "I want a rematch."
Damon and I turn in unison. A livid Gabe stands at the edge of the ring. People step apart, forming a corridor between us and Gabe.
"Certainly," Damon says in a measured tone. "Alex can schedule it."
Gabe smirks, but his eyes grow colder with fury. "Make sure you don't bring your beautiful friend. It might turn ugly for you. Wouldn't want her to witness it or...get caught in between." Damon's arm grows rigid around my waist. For the first time tonight, I feel a real pang of fear. Damon opens his mouth, and I sense he won't reply so calmly this time. Alex must sense it, too, because he steps in.
"I'll schedule the match. Let's go."
Damon grabs the jacket and helmets from the table. People still congratulate him on the way out, but much quieter than before. They are afraid of Gabe.
The second we're out the door, I ask, "Why did you agree to a rematch?"
Damon looks at me in surprise. "You can't deny an opponent that."