Page 92 of SINS & Temptation

I sigh, pulling the drive from my pocket. The second he catches sight of what’s written on it, his smile vanishes, replaced by a deep, intense frown.

Enzo.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

ENZO

“Ready kid?”

The air is thick with the acrid stench of sweat and the metallic bite of blood. My heart slams against my ribcage, each beat a ticking countdown to my first fight.

In my mind, I’m already there—dancing through the jabs, delivering surprise kicks, executing every move Mullvain drilled into me.

Left hook, right jab, keep my guard up.

Breathe.

Focus.

This isn’t just about proving myself to my father or placating my uncle. This is about making Mullvain proud. And, if I’m being honest, earning some serious bragging rights when I finally meet his pretty daughter one day.

The referee pats me down for weapons, his one good eye sharp and assessing, the other a lifeless void beneath a brutal scar.

His hands are rough, patting me down with a thoroughness that borders on invasive. “You sure you’re ready for this, kid?” he growls, his breath a mix of stale beer and legendary regrets.

I nod, swallowing the lump of fear in my throat. “I’m ready.”

“Once you’re in the cage, that’s it. No one comes out until one of you wins and the other one is dead. Whatever’s thrown in the ring, try to grab it with your hands.” He raises his hands, clenching them into tight fists. “Then it’s yours for the fight. Otherwise, you’ll be defending yourself against it.”

Not exactly comforting, considering he’s missing two fingers.

The crowd is a frenzied beast, their roars and cheers electric and terrifying. The air crackles as I’m led through the sea of people, the cage a shadowy outline ahead.

Each step fires pure adrenaline through my body. My pulse thuds loud in my ears in time to the deafening roar of the filthy rich and deeply depraved.

The cage door slams shut with a resounding clang, and then I see him.

My feet stop cold.

The rush of blood freezes in my veins.

He’s the biggest, most ruthless man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Monstrous, towering, and twice my height. Shit, my entire body weight would probably fit in one of his legs.

It’s the moment I realize just how hard my uncle fucked me over, and how life as I know it is about to nosedive into the worst part of hell.

“Mullvain.”

The man who’s shaped every punch, every move, locks eyes with me, his steely green gaze wide with panic.

“Stop the match!” Mullvain’s voice cracks with desperation as he pleads through the cage to Andre.

Uncle Andre chuckles, his eyes glinting with that trademark cruelty. “You know the rules. Not until one of you is dead.” He glances at me, then back to Mullvain. “Well, did you show him the ropes? Or does that happen now?”

“No! I won’t fight him. He’s just a kid!” Mullvain’s voice is swallowed by the crowd’s roar, and the bitter desperation in his eyes is haunting.

A buzzer blares, and Mullvain turns to me, his form seeming to grow three times in size, eyes wild, teeth gnarled. “Defend yourself!”

“What?”

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