Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Keep an eye on it,” I ordered Lotto. “See if they post anything else before the next fight.”
“What are we keeping an eye on?”
At the question, I turned to the front desk. Ari set a bag of energy drinks down there and raised an eyebrow. Too lost in figuring out what to do, I hadn’t even heard her come in.
“Nothing,” I answered a little too quickly. Ari had enough on her plate with the fights and the scouting. She didn’t need another thorn in her side. “Just some shit talkers.”
She clearly didn’t buy my bullshit because she narrowed her eyes, stalked forward, and grabbed Lotto’s phone before he could pocket it. The screen still showed the freeze frame from earlier.
When she saw River’s face, she sighed. “River at Perk’s?”
“Looks like it.” Lotto glanced at me before adding, “Talking shit.”
“Don’t collude without me.” Ari playfully glared at the both of us before handing back the phone. “They can be shit-talkers and still be a huge problem for us. If River’s involved, we should be careful.”
Ari saying River’s name soured my mood as I recalled how he’d put his hands on her after the fight and the way his gaze had lingered on her dress. Clearly, the bastard wanted her. Who wouldn’t? Ari was sexy as fuck. Long legs, solid build, a smile to die for, and all ours.
Lotto’s phone pinged with a text, and when he read it, he frowned.
“Tomorrow’s fight is canceled.”
“What?” I took the phone from him and scanned the text. Canceled for inclement weather. I frowned. “Have they ever canceled a fight this early in advance?”
“They have when the ‘storm of the century’ is going to run through town,” Lotto answered and took his phone back. “It’s at Skunk’s. Forget the cage. A little rain and you’ll be fighting not to drown.”
I snorted. Skunk’s was one of the worst venues for fighting. An old underground factory, it smelled like shit and looked even worse. The lot had been for sale for years now, with no buyers, so the organizers of the cage matches swooped in every so often and put it to good use. Didn’t mean it wasn’t the worst place in Seattle to fight. As much as I wanted the money, I wasn’t too mad at the change of plans.
“We should head out soon,” Ari said. “I saw some nasty-looking clouds on my way back from the store.” She looked behind me into the rest of the gym and snorted. “And I’m sure the guys would love a break from you, drill sergeant.”
“Wouldn’t be a problem if they could actually fight,” I countered. “Teo couldn’t beat my grandma at this point.”
“Okay, but can we sign your grandma?” Ari grinned. “She’s definitely kicked your ass one or two times. She’d be perfect.”
I laughed. I had fond memories of Grandma Betty sitting a little too close to the TV, throwing right and left hooks as she cheered on boxers in the ring. I walked in the way of one of those punches once—and only once. It had been enough to clean my clock for two whole days.
“Let me ask her, and I’ll get back to you.” I nodded at Lotto. “In the meantime, watch over those douchebags. Let me know if they post anything else. Grab Bones and get home safe.”
“Sure thing. See you tomorrow.”
Lotto headed off toward where Bones and Teo chatted around the punching bags. I turned to Ari and nodded toward the bags of energy drinks on the front counter.
“Get ready to lock up. I’ll drive you home after.”
“You mean, I’ll drive you home,” she teased and pulled my keys from her back pocket.
“You’re lucky I let you drive to the store by yourself,” I complained and swiped them from her hand before she could pull away. “Looking to break any other laws today?”
Her grin turned a little more seductive. “Other than public indecency in parking lots?”
“Watch it,” I growled. “Or you might not make it home at all.”
“As if that’s a bad thing.” She shot me a wink and turned toward the front door with a flirtatious little wave.
As she went, Ari made sure to swivel her hips in a way that drew my eyes to her ass. Fuck the storm. If it weren’t already on its way in, I’d break more than laws right here in this very gym.
I ran a hand over my jaw before turning to the fighters. My loud hand clap brought their attention to me.
“Clean up and get out of here,” I demanded. “And see you bright and early tomorrow morning, rain or shine.”
Chapter 4
Lotto
I’d seen many things in the ring over my years as Bones’ manager—blood, tears, sweat, guts, vomit, cum. The usual.
Never in my life had I seen a fully grown tree.
Not that I could really call it a ring anymore. The tree had completely smashed the ring and taken a few punching bags with it. The wall connected to the showers was half gone, exposing underground pipes. Glass and branches were everywhere. Half of the equipment was buried under rubble and wet leaves.