Page 41 of The Billionaire Babe

“I’m sure.” I nod as the lights lower and loud music starts. Rago Ragatonio is announced. I don’t know anything about him other than he is AJ’s opponent tonight, and he dances around down the aisle, making his way to the ring. He is big, with bushy dark eyebrows, broad shoulders, and bulky arms. The applause for him is lackluster; he is clearly not the fan favorite. That makes me feel a little better.

He steps through the ropes and into the ring, shuffling around as the lights dim again and the announcer grabs the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen…” The announcer's booming voice makes my body jolt, and I swallow harshly. “He is the man, he is the machine, he is AJ Steeleeeeee!” His voice carries the E for a long time as loud thumping music comes on, and I think I might faint.

“Holy Mother of God.” I barely hear Simone as the audience is on its feet, grown men screaming. Thunderous applause radiates around the room as the deep base of the music pumps through my feet via the floor.

“Wow,” Chloe says, her mouth dropped open, her eyes even wider.

I can’t yet see what they can, so I turn my head and poke around the shoulders of the men in front of me to get a look, and when I do, my breath catches. He is beautiful. His skin is shiny from oil, tattoos on full display, which are dark and cover most of his torso. He is wearing a pair of shimmery red shorts, his thick thighs looking solid. I thought his opponent was large, but AJ is bigger. Everywhere. His arms, thighs, he is taller, broader, there is just more of him, more than I ever realized. Bouncing on his toes, he ducks under the rope and into the ring, and as the bright lights finally reach his face, I take in his heavy scowl. He looks dangerous. Deadly. Every inch a frightening fighter that he is, and it makes my mouth dry and my belly flutter. I feel unsteady with admiration.

“I can’t believe that is what is underneath all those black security clothes.” Chelsea giggles.

“No wonder you have been lusting after him for weeks,” Simone quips as we all sit down with the rest of the crowd and wait for the formalities to finish and the fight to start.

“I have not,” I refute with absolutely no conviction in my tone. I haven’t told them about last night other than that we went for a ride. I am not exactly sure what we are or if I should even label us.

“The drool coming from your mouth says differently,” Chloe says, grinning.

On instinct, I wipe my chin, and the girls cackle at me. I roll my eyes and look back up at the ring, and my smile disappears as I meet his icy-blue stare. He has spotted me, and as expected, he does not look happy.

I have no idea where I get the courage, but I don’t move my gaze, and instead, I place my fingers to my mouth and blow him a kiss. His jaw clenches, and he turns, saying something to his team, who all look in our direction.

“Ooohhhh, he is not happy…” Simone singsongs, and now all four of us watch as AJ, Brady, and his other friend, Cody, all stare at us, then turn away.

They whisper something to their security guys behind them, and while AJ is getting his mouthguard pushed in and a final drink of water sprayed into his mouth, two large security guys walk toward where we sit and stand next to us, like our own personal bodyguards.

“Oh shit, he just sent us security,” Simone says, looking them up and down.

“Shit, do we need security?” Chloe asks.

“I have no idea…” I say quietly, feeling out of my depth as a few men around us now look our way. I glance around and spot Tennyson’s eyebrows quirking up at me. I can only shrug. My heart is beating faster as I realize that AJ is protecting me, and I feel bad for a second because I know he didn’t want me coming here.

The ring of the bell pulls me from my thoughts, and I sit forward on the edge of my seat. My heart feels like it is going to leap out of my chest as the two men dance around each other. Then the punches start, and I feel physically ill. My arms immediately circle my waist as I lean forward and watch every step AJ takes, trying not to vomit.

I am captivated as AJ takes a few punches and gives a few, and before I realize it, we are two rounds in.

“This is intense…” I say to the girls, my eyes still on AJ where he sits in the corner of the ring, Brady yelling at him, and Cody squirting water into his mouth.

“This is hot,” Simone comments, still looking around at all the men in the crowd.

“I feel like I am going to throw up,” I tell them, wishing this was all over already.

“Not yet, the next round is about to start,” Chloe says, and my eyes immediately look back at the ring. The familiar bell signifies the start of the third round.

My eyes don’t leave AJ, and when a hard punch hits him right in the side, my body is up off the seat in a flash, as is everyone around him.

“No!” I yell as my friends grip my arms on either side. His blues find mine again. “Hit him!” I yell, scared that if he doesn’t, the other guy will get another one in. Fear creeps up my throat, and I watch with bated breath, and then I see it in his eyes. Fire.

He jumps around again, shaking his head and getting busy. He lands punch after punch, and the entire place is on their feet. There is yelling and screaming as AJ pummels his opponent, landing every punch as Rago wobbles. I can’t move, holding my breath, looking at every move as the crowd around us yells louder. We all watch as Rago’s barely able to stand from AJ’s punches, and then it's like the whole place holds their breath as AJ pulls his arm back and slams it into Rago’s chin. His eyes roll back as his back hits the floor, and he doesn’t move. He is out cold.

I’m jumping up and down, cheering my head off, a mix of relief taking over at him winning and not getting hurt and a feeling of pride that he succeeded at his sport. My smile is wide as I clap and us girls do high fives, laughing at each other, and as I look around, I see that absolute pandemonium has broken out. The crowd erupts, the men around us stand and shout, some jumping, whistling, fist-bumping, and us four women are immediately engulfed with what can only be described as pure masculine energy that we have no way of battling.

The two burley men AJ sent over round us up and move us immediately, and I start to get nervous. We are sandwiched between them both, and as we start walking, it’s almost as if we move as one. I turn to look for AJ, but I can’t see the ring anymore as people push us, clamoring to get closer. I can’t even see where we are going as the people around us push from all directions, the music deafening. But the four of us huddle together and walk holding hands with our heads down, rushing along an aisle and past another wall of security into the bowels of the warehouse. They are not escorting us outside, which means they are taking me to meet AJ. My body simmers in desire to see him, but my hands shake a little at being so out of my comfort zone. I am nervous because I don’t know what to expect.

“Through here.” one of the men says gruffly as he pushes us inside a huge room. Those are the first and the last words they say as they close the door behind them and leave the four of us girls inside. We look around and take in the room, the yelling from outside now muffled.

“That was intense,” Chloe says, looking at each of us.

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