Page 34 of Wolf's Gambit

“Zia…”

It was his tone that made me turn to look at him. Was that concern? “What’s wrong with you?” When his eyes shifted to my side, I barked out an incredulous laugh. “Are you worried about me?” I could hear my shock, and so could he.

His eyes narrowed defensively. “Not worried, but you seem to be eager to fight more and more.”

“So?” I moved to face him head-on, turning my back on the crowd. “You keep betting on me, I’ll keep making you money, and everyone’s happy, right?” When he chewed the inside of his cheek and said nothing, I stepped toward him. “Right?”

Finally, he met my gaze. “Get in the ring…try to let this one walk out.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I eyed the winner of the last fight. Turning back to Vance, I grinned. “Give me five percent more on my win, and I’ll make sure he can still walk.”

Vance tilted his head to the side as he considered me. “You’re too young to be such a fucking savage.”

Walking backward to the ring, I held his stare, my eyebrow lifting in a challenge.

“Two and a half,” Vance growled low enough not to be heard by everyone else. He saw I heard him and shook his head at my mock pout. “Zia!” he called out, and I could hear the warning in his tone.

I pretended I didn’t hear him, turning to face the ring. I jumped onto the skirt of the ring and rolled under the ropes. Leaping to my feet gracefully, I grinned at my opponent as I kicked off my boots. In bare feet, tight black jeans, and a black tank that molded to my body, I jumped on the spot, shaking my arms out and loosening them up.

My eyes never left my opponent. He’d won his last fight, and in this ring, you kept going until you couldn’t. He’d beat his last opponent easily enough, so he wouldn’t be too fatigued.

When Vance met me the first night, he’d laughed in my face when I laid down my five hundred dollars to enter. He’d then asked me where I stole the money from, and when I said nothing, he threatened to kick my ass.

I told him it was none of his business. He didn’t need to know that the money came from another fight in another town.

I’d been alone for two months when I knew odd jobs would not keep me going in rent and food. I was a shifter. I had a healthy appetite, and my wolf was always hungry.

I’d stumbled across the first fight ring by accident. I’d watched from the shadows, and when I had studied all their fighters, a week later, I was in the ring myself.

I wasn’t stupid. I was careful, and I never brought my wolf forward. The simple truth was I was genuinely a better fighter than these stupid hulks of men who thought muscles and tattoos made them fighters.

They were brawlers, nothing more.

They were missing the two vital components I had—agility and years of my brother’s training.

This “mere slip of a girl” as Vance had called me, beat their asses fair and square every night I fought. Because I fought with my brain as much as my fists and feet, I reserved my strength for the finishing blows. I didn’t hammer into them the minute I got in the ring.

I waited.

I took the punches.

I let them wear themselves out by using all their energy, and then I fought back.

Cranking my neck from side to side, I looked at Bullet in the middle of the ring. He was the emcee, and he was already frowning at me. Bullet and I weren’t on friendly terms.

The first night I was here, I accidentally broke his nose on purpose. He’d made a comment about my ass and what he’d like to do to it under his breath, and my elbow had flung too wide and smashed into his face when I stumbled.

My bad.

I’d apologized. He hadn’t accepted. It may have been my wide grin as I said sorry that made him not believe me.

“Why are you back in this ring, Zia?” he asked, coming toward me. “You fought two nights ago.”

“And I fight tonight,” I told him. “Vance let me in. Let’s get to it. Start the fight.”

Bullet looked to the back of the room where I left Vance. I didn’t look, knowing he was checking to see the fight terms.

“Rounds,” Bullet said with a grunt. “I hope he kicks your ass,” he added with an insincere smile.

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