On The Ropes (Tapped Out 3)

Mia’s debt had supposedly been paid off when she’d agreed to fight Evie Pierce last month, due to the amount of bets that would be generated on that kind of fight. Women’s MMA was coming up fast, and Mia had a rep in the game. Her retirement last winter had surprised a lot of people, and many of them had come out to bet that night. I’d been promised her acquiescence had been enough to quiet Lo and his men’s ire, but I didn’t trust them.

Especially since a vendetta against Mia was way too close to Carly.

“Are you sure?” I demanded. “You’re certain this Olivia person is really the one who was harassing you, Mia?”

“Lorenzo flat out told me she was involved.”

“You spoke to Lorenzo again?” I moved forward. “When?”

“Hey there, buddy, you might want to watch whose face you get into.” Fox pressed his hand into my chest, not so subtly holding me back. “I’d hate to have to break your nose.”

I lifted a brow. “I’d love to see you try.”

“Boys,” Carly said from right behind Fox. “Seriously, my sister could break both of your noses, so cool it with the posturing.”

“Yeah, but she likes mine.”

“Some days,” Mia agreed. “Yeah, Costas, I talked to Lorenzo. Weeks ago, before the fight with Evie. They tried to convince me to see things their way, and I declined.”

“What things?” I took another step forward, and resoundingly met with Fox’s hand—now a fist—one more time. “Do you really think she needs you as her guard dog? Seems to me she’s quite capable of handling herself.”

“I am, but he enjoys playing the tough guy. I let him take his jollies where he can find them.”

Fox dropped his fist. “Yeah, well, my jollies just deflated.”

Carly rolled her eyes. “Can we get back to the point, please?”

I ignored their byplay. I had more important concerns at the moment. “What did they try to convince you of? Did Lorenzo hurt you?”

Mia’s spine snapped ruler straight. “Hell no, he didn’t hurt me. You think some pussy in a thousand dollar suit can slow me down with his threats?”

Carly’s eyes widened. “He threatened you?”

“What did he say to you?” I asked carefully, wishing I could get Carly out of the room. Or at least hold her hand. But I couldn’t, because we weren’t supposed to be anything to each other.

Less than nothing.

“It wasn’t any big deal.” Mia shrugged, though I suspected she was downplaying things for her sister’s benefit. “He wanted me to throw the fight, because they felt Evie was a bankable fighter and they wanted her to win. Beating me would hasten along her restarted MMA career, I guess. But I said no. I don’t throw a fight for any goddamn reason. They tossed a few empty threats around, tried to use some scare tactics to—”

“What threats?” I stepped forward and took Mia’s wrists, and this time, Fox didn’t make any move to stop me. “I need to know exactly what they said, and how. It’s important. Not just for curiosity’s sake,” I added, catching Carly’s eye over Mia’s shoulder. I knew she was thinking, as I was, of that conversation we’d had about Mia in my bed last week. “But because I know these men, and I can’t help ensure your safety if I’m in the dark.”

“You know them, all right, because you’re in league with them.” Mia shook me off. “Why should I tell you anything?”

Behind Mia, Carly’s face gave away nothing. She was waiting for an answer too.

“I give you my word on my mamma’s grave, I would never see you harmed. Any of you.” I looked at each of them in turn. “My word is all I have to give.”

Mia frowned. “Your mother is dead too?”

I swallowed hard. All these years later, it was still difficult to say. To acknowledge. “Yes. Six years now.”

“I’m sorry. Ours is too.”

“I know. My condolences as well.”

At Mia’s frown, I realized I wasn’t supposed to have intimate knowledge like that of them. I was a stranger. An outsider.

Carly lowered her gaze, her long, dark lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. Did she wish she could tell them what we were to each other, or was she happy we’d agreed to