Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
I take a deep breath. What’s the worst that could happen? They kick me off the show for telling Venom? No, they could kick both of us off the show.
I lean across the table and lower my voice, forcing him to lean in too. “If I tell you, it could get us both sent home.” I stare him dead in the eyes so he understands I’m serious. “Still want to know?”
His eyes narrow slightly. A flicker of concern creases his brow before he masks it with a casual chin lift. “Spill.”
So, I tell him everything I learned from Remy, leaving out the part about Molly destroying her car.
He sits back, takes a sip of coconut water and stares at me. “How’d they let you talk to your friend?”
Fuck, now I have to explain about the car and the cops being called.
Slowly, I unravel the whole story.
“Fuuuck.” Venom’s jaw tightens and he stares at the table. “No wonder Kelly’s been weird on all our calls. I thought she was just anxious because we’re being recorded.”
“She probably doesn’t like you makin’ friends with a lowlife who cheats on his girlfriend.”
He grunts but doesn’t agree or disagree. “Did Remy say if they showed anyone else in the house hooking up with the bunnies?”
“Honestly, I was too fucking pissed to ask.”
“Don’t blame you.” He frowns and doesn’t say anything for a few beats. “I knew this was probably bullshit. Especially after the girls showed up. But I thought that might be a side story, not the main event.”
“Same.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re kinda fucked.”
“Thanks. That hadn’t occurred to me.” I stab my fork into a piece of chicken and shove it in my mouth, chewing viciously.
“I mean, if you do get sent home after the next fight…”
I swallow and take a sip of water. “Everyone back home thinks I’m a cheater and a loser, I know.”
He huffs a silent laugh. “Well, yeah. Who do you think was actually in the video?”
“I don’t know.”
“Gotta be Naptime or Deadass. They’re roughly your size, although Deadass is covered in all those hideous tattoos.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
His lips pinch tight, as if he wants to disagree. But he picks up his fork and finishes eating. I do the same. We can only be out here for so long before someone in the house notices our absence.
“We’ll figure out something,” Venom says as he stuffs his empty container in the bag.
“What’s there to figure out? I’m just gonna keep grinding like I always do. Work hard. Keep my head down.” I throw a few punches in the air. “Fuck shit up in the cage.”
“They want the drama, though. You can’t hide and expect to make it to the final four.”
I glance toward the pool. “I can’t get drunk, run around in my underwear, and piss in the pool like those other jackasses. I’d rather leave with no money, than leave without my dignity.”
He rumbles with laughter. “Fair point.”
“What about you? Gonna strap into a banana hammock and put on a show for us later?”
“Fuck no.” He scowls. “Dropping Bull to the ground should be enough for a few days.”
“Cameras sure got lots of footage,” I agree, collecting my trash and stuffing it into one of the bags.
We walk into the house together. Loud voices and noise from the direction of the kitchen greet us.
“You good?” Venom asks. “I gotta run to my room for a minute.”
“Yeah.” A flicker of unease creeps over me. Is he going to find someone from the show and rat me out?
Too late now.
Gritting my teeth, I head to the kitchen. Woolly’s perched on a stool at the long counter that separates the kitchen area from the rest of the open room. He rocks sideways and almost falls off when he sees me.
“Stonewall!” he shouts. “Where’d ya go?”
A prickle of guilt jabs at me. I should’ve told him to join us. “Just outside for a minute.”
As one of the camera crew members turns in my direction, I quickly skirt by a bunch of guys and toss my bag in the overflowing can. The kitchen’s trashed. Food and garbage scattered everywhere. Fuckin’ slobs.
I grab a water from the fridge and take the stool next to Woolly. “What’d I miss?”
“Not much.” He gestures toward Deadass. “That one whipped out his dick and tried to piss in Thunder’s Mountain Dew bottle.”
“For fuck’s sake.” I scrub my hands over my face. “That’s fucking disgusting.”
Woolly shrugs. “It’s basically piss anyway. He wouldn’t have noticed.”
Naptime must’ve been listening in on our conversation. He grins and points at Deadass. “His dick’s the only one skinny enough to fit in the top of a soda bottle.”
“Wow.” I widen my eyes and stare at him. “That’s information no one needed.”
Venom joins us, slapping both of our shoulders. “Underhill wants us in the living room. We’re going to watch footage of our fights.”