Jonah’s corner is empty. No familiar faces in sight. I look up the aisle. They must all be in the back with him. The thought brings my heart rate down and the muscles in my shoulders ease up their grip. We’ll be together soon enough, but for now it’s good he’s surrounded by his team. I’d probably only make him worry.
Eight minutes, four seconds.
“Hey, Raven. This seat taken?”
My back stiffens at the grating voice. Candy. Swift air brushes my arm as she sits in the seat to my right. I turn to look at her, certain my face conveys my shock. My jaw falls slack as I take in her clothes. Not clothes, more like a modest bikini.
I’m speechless.
“Hello. Are you Raven’s friend?” Katherine reaches her hand across my lap towards Candy. “I’m Katherine Slade.”
Candy leans in, pressing her hard, fake boob into my arm, making me cringe and recoil. I stare in amazement as an angel and the devil shake hands. In my lap.
“Yes, I am.” Candy’s tone nauseates me. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Slade. I’m also friends with your son. We’re very close.” Her words are said to Katherine, but the way her eyes slide to mine, they’re meant for me. Bitch.
“Oh, really, you know Joey?”
“Yes, I do. We’ve been close for a while now.” Her saccharine smile and overly painted face lean towards Katherine. “As a matter of fact, I just left him backstage.”
My heart cramps violently. I lock my narrow eyes on her. She was with him?
“I don’t understand. You were with him just now?” Katherine sounds as confused as I feel.
A wicked smile stretches across Candy’s face, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had fangs. “Yes. He’s doing great. A little tense, so I rubbed his shoulders forever.” She draws out the last word as she rubs her hands and flexes her fingers. “My hands are killing me.”
Fucking bitch!
Shocked, I meet Katherine’s eyes. She looks . . . disappointed. She believes Candy. Well, I don’t.
With my elbows resting on my knees, I drop my head into my hands, rubbing my temples. This is not happening. If I get into it with Candy, that will only upset Katherine. But if I don’t call her out, then Katherine will think her son is a low-down, dirty dog. What do I do?
I love Jonah and I trust him more than anyone. Candy is lying. I bet she wasn’t even back there with him. For the first time, the familiar creeping doubt that normally seeps in is absent. He’s putting everything on the line for me tonight. Putting everything he’s worked for aside for me and our future. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let Candy make him out to be anything less than the hero he is.
My shoulders relax and I sit up straight. I turn into Candy’s face as she forces an innocent expression, and fails.
“You know what, Candy?” I’m ready to unleash on the evil slut.
“So, Raven, what are you doing here anyway?” Candy starts talking as if I hadn’t even opened my mouth. “Jonah told me you weren’t able to come. Something about, hm, what was it?” She snaps her fingers. “Oh, yeah, something about getting a new job with your father? Dominick?”
Katherine gasps, and my jaw locks down, making my teeth ache.
How does she know about Dominick? Jonah and Blake are the only two people who know. My head spins. How else would she know that unless she was back there? Talking about me. They would never do that.
None of this makes sense.
Unless?
She’s working for Dominick.
My heart pounds and I want to scream. Adrenaline fists my hands. I can’t lose it here. Not in front of her. I won’t give her the satisfaction. But one thing’s certain: I need to get out of here.
“Excuse me,” I mumble and stand to leave.
“Raven?” Katherine stands next to me, her eyebrows pinched together.
“I’m fine, Katherine. I’ll just be a minute.”
I scoot past Candy into the aisle, grasping my hands together to keep from backhanding her. She coughs to cover her snicker. I whirl to face her, giving up my restraint. One slap. Then I’m out of here.
The lights go dark. The room explodes in a fan-crazed roar. I’m frozen in place, unable to see in front of me. A spotlight cuts through the darkness. The top of the stairs illuminates a group of very large men. A man wearing a black shirt that says “Crew” in yellow across his chest ushers me back, telling me to take my seat. Back in place, Katherine grabs my hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to UFL one-ninety-eight.” The announcer’s voice fills the room.
The crowd roars and my shoulders tighten with tension.
“Six-time Heavyweight Champion, Victor ‘The Bull’ Del Toro, will defend his title against the undefeated Jonah ‘The Assassin’ Slade.”
A mix of boos and cheers ring in my ears. Katherine’s grip tightens. The driving bass of Jay-Z’s song “Niggas in Paris” fills the dome-shaped arena, sending the fans into a frenzy. The air electrifies my skin, every hair standing on end.
“Let’s welcome our challenger. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Jonah ‘The Assassin’ Slade.” The announcer’s voice draws out his name and my body breaks out in goose bumps.
A bright light flashes to the top of the stairs. My eyes squint and burn trying to make out a familiar face. Out in front of the group are Rex and Caleb, but I’ve never seen them like this before. Their faces are masks of concentration. Their bodies are taut and unforgiving. They descend the stairs with the bravado of well-trained soldiers. I struggle for breath, suffocated by the anticipation in the air.
As the group walks down the steps, each member of the team comes into view. Wes walks behind Caleb and Rex, then Blake. His teasing eyes and easygoing smile are replaced by determination. I search for Jonah’s face in the group. Fans stand on their chairs, yelling and reaching to get to Jonah in the center of his crew. Security guards line the aisle, holding people back.
My hand squeezes Katherine’s tighter and I push up on my toes. I get a quick glimpse of the tips of dark mussed up hair.
There he is.
His face comes into view and I’m completely floored. He looks positively deadly and more beautiful than ever. My heart almost beats out of my chest. His eyebrows are low in a fixed state of focus, making his eyes look black. His full lips are held in a tight, straight line, framed by his set jaw. The muscles under his colorful skin seem bigger as they flex under the light. I suck in a breath and throw my hand over my gaping mouth.
I’ve seen Jonah train and he seemed lethal then. But now, he looks homicidal. I say a silent prayer that this is all an act, because the way he looks now, he’d snap at the slightest provocation.
They move down the stairs, passing rows of screaming fans. His team is circled around him protectively. They reach the bottom and walk down the aisle of our section. Then the group stops short. Right at our row.
I’m frozen, my eyes burning and stuck on Jonah. He turns his head towards me as if he’s responding to my call. His eyes don’t search, but land right on my face. Caught in the ferocity of his stare, I hold his gaze. A one-dimpled smile touches his face just long enough for me to see before it disappears and the focus is back.
That’s it. He’s letting me know that this is an act. I take a deep breath and smile back, huge. He gives me a wink and throws a quick look to Candy. His intense glare makes her cower.
Take that, bitch.
And with renewed hope, I watch the group continue down the aisle and into the octagon.
Jonah
“. . . sixth time returning Heavyweight Champion Victor ‘The Bull’ Del Toro.”
Standing in my corner of the octagon, I wait for Del Toro to make it down the aisle. I find my girl in the crowd. She’s holding my mom’s hand. Thank you, Mom.
And why in the hell is Candy sitting where Guy should be? Maybe he couldn’t make it? But that doesn’t explain why Dominick’s slut-bot is in his place.
It was one thing to see Candy waltz into my dressing room like she belonged there, but seeing her standing next to Raven is unsettling. I thought I scared her enough to get her to back off. Apparently whatever Dominick is paying is worth her continued humiliation. Candy spent the entire time in my dressing room, sitting in the corner on a plastic folding chair. Blake even made her and her slutty sidekick face the wall just to make a point.
I force my thoughts back to Del Toro and the fight. Nothing can throw me off my game. Not one f**king thing. Ten minutes. I need to stay up for the first two rounds. After that, game over. My eyes slide back to Raven like they’re magnetized.
“Get your head in the fight, Slade. Your girl’s still gonna be there when it’s over,” says Owen from behind me.
I nod. He’s right. I need to focus on the fight and keep the buzzing in my head down to a minimum. Candy works for the enemy, and seeing her so close to Raven makes me wish I’d locked my girl in the bedroom. Maybe I shouldn’t have had her come tonight. I could have set her up somewhere, far away from here, until the outcome was determined. But I need to see her face to stay grounded, to control the rage that’ll be riding me hard.
Del Toro stands in his corner, giving me the stare-down. I’d give almost anything to knock that confident look right off his scarred face. Almost.
The ref motions for us to meet in the middle of the octagon. He gives us the speech they always give before a fight about no hits below the belt and make it a clean fight. His words may as well be spoken in Japanese as much as I’m paying attention. Instead, I’m locked eye to eye with Del Toro. The ref yells something and then repeats it. It’s on the repeat that I hear he wants us to tap knuckles. Fuck that.
“You’re going down, you little bitch,” Del Toro growls as he takes his fighting stance.
He has no idea.
I raise my fists and we face off. My blood sizzles with restrained aggression.
The ref waves his hand between us. “Fight.”
Del Toro and I circle each other, sizing each other up, fists at the ready. I focus on his hands, keeping his legs on radar. The crowd roars over shouts from our cornermen. Mine yell, “Take a hit!” His shout, “Take him down!”
Del Toro turns his fist, palm up, taunting me. “Come on, p**sy. Take a shot.”
My jaw grinds against my mouth guard. This cocky f**k thinks I can’t lay him out. I mock swing. He flinches. Yeah, f**k you.
“Get movin’, guys,” the ref says. “Fans didn’t pay to watch two fairies circling the maypole—Fight.”
No more milking the clock.
I drop my guard. He throws the quick left. I dodge it. The crowd cheers. We circle again, and his right leg sweeps at my feet. I jump back. I feel the buzz in my head. My muscles coil. I find my groove and right jab a heavy body blow. He doubles, winded, but recovers. His fist comes at me. I duck. Shit. If this fight goes to decision, I’d win. I need to get hit.
I rush Del Toro and slam him against the fence, holding him in a clinch. A barrage of punches hammer my back.
My leg snakes around one of his, keeping him off balance. He attempts a knee to my thigh, but my hold locks him down. He tries for a chokehold. I bury my shoulder deeper into his chest. My body constricts around his. The clock ticks on.