Page 19 of The Fighter

“No, he’s single.”

“Are you opposed to casual sex?”

I exhale in a long breath. “I’m opposed to sex with a business partner, Lidya. That’s how I got stuck with Simon, remember?” Yes, annoying bossiness and mafia connections aside, Tomas seems perfect. But the moment I start to believe that, everything will go to hell. The only person I can trust is myself. “So, any money-making ideas?”

“Hmm. According to this romance I’m reading, you could auction off your virginity to the highest bidder.”

And people think I go off on conversational tangents. “First, that ship has sailed. Second, what the hell are you reading? Virginity auction, really? The very concept of virginity is a tool of the patriarchy, a way to repress women’s sexual desires.”

“I agree,” Lidya replies. “But that’s not what romance novels are doing. They’re tapping into the underlying fantasy of your first time being amazing. How was yours?”

“Adequate.” I didn’t have an orgasm—I don’t think Dino even knew what a clitoris was, let alone how to locate it. Mostly, I remember wishing he’d hurry up already and finish.

“Mine was… underwhelming. Romance novels offer you a chance to remake that experience into one that’s better. I wrote an entire PhD thesis about it. But back to the point. It’s not anything close to a million euros, but there’s a fight this weekend in Milan.”

“A fight?”

“Underground cage fighting.”

I make a face. “Don’t those pay next to nothing? A guy from my gym in Rome used to do them, and he said the money didn’t even cover the doctor’s bill.”

“Not this one. Ciro Del Barba runs it. According to the rumors, he controls Milan’s underworld. There’ll be illegal gambling, but the fighting itself is legit. Five hundred euros to show, twenty thousand if you win. Four rounds, one right after another, and it’ll be live-streamed.”

“Are you doing it?”

“Not this weekend. I have to go to Addis for my grandmother’s birthday next week, and my mother will lose her mind if I show up at the party with a black eye. But I’ve done it before, and I can get you in.”

“What’s the competition like? Do I have a shot at winning?”

“You better win; I’m planning to place a hundred euro wager on you.”

Five hundred isn’t much. Twenty thousand doesn’t seem like a lot either, not when I’m trying to raise a million euros.

But it’s a start.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

14

TOMAS

Later that morning, I’m still thinking of Alina when Dante swings by my office. “I haven’t seen you much all week. Where have you been?”

“I bought a gym.”

He chuckles. “Yes, Daniel mentioned your impulse purchase. How’s it going?”

The people who think women gossip too much have never met my co-workers. “It’s a mess. I’ve been fixing the books all week.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You, personally? That’s rather like buying a Ferrari and only using it to run errands. Couldn’t you find someone else to do the grunt work?”

Joao walks by just then and catches Dante’s comment. “He likes the girl,” he says with a grin. “Isn’t it obvious? That’s why he’s been there every single day this week.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. “I’ve been there every single day this week,” I bite out, “because there are two sets of books, one real and one fake, and it takes a certain amount of skill to reconcile them.”

“Luigi couldn’t do it?” Dante asks, referring to the bookkeeper we sometimes use. “He’s good at that kind of work, isn’t he?”

“He was busy,” I lie shamelessly.

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