Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Hell yeah, we’re going. No way am I going to miss that fight,” she says. “Hang on, shouldn’t you already be there?”
“That’s my problem. Xander is refusing to let me go. He says it’s too dangerous,” I say, mimicking his voice. “He’s certain I’ll end up kidnapped again, despite the hundreds of other people there.”
“Ugh, that blows,” she sighs.
“What do you mean that blows? I’m still going whether he likes it or not.”
“Oh, dear. This isn’t going to go down well,” she murmurs, though I hear the smile in her voice. “Tell me,” she says. “How do you assume you’re going to get there?”
“You’re going to get that hot boyfriend of yours to pick me up on the way, of course.”
She lets out a heavy breath. “There’s no way he’s going to go against Xander’s wishes.”
“Oh, please. Unbutton your top, push your tits up, grind against him, and that man will be putty in your hands,” I tell her. “Besides, you guys are still in that stage where he’s trying to impress you. You’ve got nothing to worry about. Now hurry up, I don’t want to miss anything.”
“Fine,” she laughs. “We’ll be there in twenty.”
She hangs up the phone, and I use the time to get myself ready. Doing everything one-handed is a shitload harder than I ever thought possible.
A knock sounds at the door twenty minutes later, and I rush through the house with Beast by my side before subtly peeping through the window to confirm it’s Zara and Aaron. When I’m certain I’m not about to be kidnapped again, I fling the door open and have Zara crashing into my arms.
“How are you feeling?” she questions straight away as I hold my breath, not wanting to let on just how much that hurt. “Are you sure you should be going out tonight?”
“I’m fine,” I groan. “Now, help me do up my pants. The button is too hard with one hand.”
She smirks at me but does what she’s told, only then giving Beast the attention he’s begging for. I grab my bag off the front table and lock up the house before climbing into the back seat of Aaron’s truck. “Thanks, Aaron,” I grin as he turns in his seat and gives me a scathing stare.
“You girls are going to get me in so much trouble,” he mutters before looking over the back seat. “Does the dog really have to come?”
“Don’t stress. By the time I’m through with Xander, he won’t even remember what he’s pissed about,” I inform him. “And yes, consider Beast my permanent guard dog. Where I go, he goes.”
I watch with a grin as Aaron shakes his head and murmurs to himself. “Yeah, I’m fucked.”
Chapter 24
XANDER
The place is packed as I make my way out to the ring with Cole heavy on my heels. He has just finished putting me through the warm-up of my life while Luke sputtered out every detail about Pitbull he could think of. Although I think it’s pretty damn clear that we know his fighting style by now.
I’ve never been more pumped for a fight. The adrenaline pulses through my veins, making me desperate to get in the ring and feel my fists pounding into his flesh. It’s strange, as for the first time in my life, I’m not fighting for myself. This is for Charli, and giving her the closure she deserves. Well, nailing this fucker in the face again is a little bit for me, too.
I stand at the entrance of the ring, and there’s still no sight of Pitbull. He wasn’t in the fighter’s room out back warming up, but I know with every ounce of my being that he isn’t missing this match, especially after everything that’s brought us to this point. Pitbull will want to go out with a bang, and I bet he’s hoping the rush of adrenaline is what will help him over the line.
But I’ve got a scorned girlfriend on my side, and just like I said to Charli, I will not come out of this ring without making him pay.
“Are you ready for this, kid?” Cole asks from behind me as the announcer starts his spiel about me.
I turn to face Cole and look him in the eye. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
“Alright,” he says. “Remember, he would have regrouped after the other night. He will try anything to win this. You need to be prepared for whatever he throws at you.”
I nod, acknowledging what he’s saying, but it’s not anything I haven’t already considered. When my name is called, I slip through the ropes of the ring and strut into the center, putting on my usual show. The crowd is wild tonight. There isn’t even standing room with so many bodies crammed in together.
I begin disrobing when I feel that familiar piercing stare right before a deep bark echoes over the crowd.