One Choice (Hogan Brothers 2)

Not that Levi planned on bringing the man anywhere he went.

Casper was becoming a clingy weasel, out for money or blood, and not necessarily in that order.

“You ready, Knuckles!” Casper called as he entered the locker room.

“Would you quit with that name already?” he growled. He’d hated it from the first time he was called it.

“Fans love it. Gives you a good rep.” The man wasn’t even paying attention as he began naming all the bigwigs there, all of which went right over Levi’s head. He didn’t care.

He wasn’t after some fancy contract or title match. He wanted out. It’s all he’d been able to think about for days. He wasn’t stupid. It wasn’t enough time to wave the opportunity away, but it was sure time for reconsidering things.

When he started fighting, Levi had a void within him. He needed something to fill his soul and hadn’t known what. That was why it had been so easy to get into the ring. He wasn’t just fighting an opponent, he was fighting the urge to settle with his life.

His family was everything to him. After his dad had died, they had to rally around their mom. Make sure she was taken care of. But each of them had been left an empty shell.

Nox began rebuilding cars, connecting with their father that way. He and Loch had followed suit and been left hollow. Unfulfilled.

Now, Nox had Soph, and the man practically glowed with peace.

Levi wanted that.

With Hayes, he felt like the opportunity was there. If only he could hold onto her and grab it. Bind her to him.

When she’d asked him about spending the night, his gut reaction was no. After a fight, he had so much pent-up aggression and testosterone running through his system that he didn’t think he’d be able to keep his hands off of her.

His heart and mind screamed yes. He wanted Hayes in his home, for her to belong in his life outside of the ring. He wanted to see her red hair splayed out on his bed in the throes of passion. To see her back arch high in the air as he brought her more pleasure than she’d ever imagined before. He wanted to mark her as his and his alone, so no one could ever mistake her as single again.

“It’s time!” Casper yelled to him.

Shaking Hayes from his mind, he shook his body loose. Rolled his head from side to side, cracking it and loosening the muscles.

The crowd cheered.

Casper announced his opponent.

Booing ensued.

“Levi ‘Knuckles’ Hogan!” was screamed, and the crowd went wild.

Game time.

Just the sound of his name being announced sent shivers down her spine. Hayes watched as Levi left the back room, his body bouncing as he moved towards the ring.

Not wanting to distract him, she kept her cheering to herself, but his steely gaze found her anyway. Roaming her body, she felt it like a caress. His smirk as he saw the reaction, elicited one of her own. Blowing him a kiss, she winked as he entered the ring. His eyes heated, and she knew she’d made the right decision about demanding she spends the night with him.

The fighter’s tapped knuckles, and the bell was rung. Levi started out what she assumed was weakly, letting the much bigger man back him into a corner until Brett explained to her it was so the other guy would exhaust himself.

Once the opponent was worn down, Levi sprung like a snake in the grass waiting to strike. Just watching for the right moment, and then he had the other man on his knees with four solid hits to the kidneys and temple. One shot later, and it was announced a total knockout, and Levi was the winner. Her screams of victory couldn’t be contained as their gazes met. She cringed at the bruising around his eyes and jaw but knew he would be alright.

As he was about to leave the ring, two men in suits approached him, so she waited on the sidelines with Brett and Lys as the crowd got rowdier. Being pushed all around like a beach ball, it didn’t take long for her to lose sight of Levi. Brett grabbed hold of her and Lys, but that didn’t last long before the hold was broken, and she was inundated by a sea of bodies.

The farther Hayes was tussled around within the crowd, the greater the panic that seized her heart as she was lost to the angry mob. An elbow in her back had her crying out as she crashed into another person. His angry glare made her wish she could back away. When it turned lecherous, she wished she’d never come at all.

“Well, hello, sweet stuff,” he slurred, spittle flying everywhere.

Hayes flinched away from him just as she thought she heard her name being called. Turning, she tried to spot Levi, but because of her short stature, she couldn’t even find the ring. A hand on her shoulder made her entire body freeze like ice. Spun around, she slipped, and the drunk guy pulled her into his body. His greasy hands touched her everywhere he could. When his mouth began to descend on her, her instincts took over, and her knee came up, making him howl with pain.

The pure rage directed at her, made her scream, “Levi!”, as loud as she could.