Page 20 of Strike Zone

“You’re not getting rid of me. I’ll tell everyone else to bounce, even my husband. But, if you call him Tweedle anything again, you and I are going to have a problem.”

“Sorry. I can’t believe this is happening. I’m going to go soak my hands in the bathroom. When I come back, it better just be you in here.”

“I’ll be here with a bottle of tequila.”

I throw my phone on the couch before heading for the bedroom and the massive tub waiting in the bathroom to drown my sorrows.

“When you boys are done trying on my underwear and making out with each other, can you leave? I have a tub that’s calling my name.”

“That’s weird. I thought I heard it saying my name a few seconds ago. Do you need company?” I don’t know if he’s trying to lighten the mood, but I have no patience for him today.

“Go away, Linc.”

“Are you sure?” He gives me a sly wink that fills me with contempt. I spin on my heels and shove his chest, walking him backward to the open door, forcing him out of the bedroom.

“Get out. Get out. Get out!”

Anders stares me down as he follows behind. “I get that you’re upset, Dee, but it’s not his fault that your fight isn’t happening. He’s a good guy, and I know there’s no love lost between you two, but damn, girl, give him a break.”

“Then why don’t you fuck him, and maybe that’ll stop him trying to get into my panties.”

Linc scrubs his hand over the scruff of his jaw with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Diana, I no longer have any interest in your panties or lack thereof. I figured all the hype about you being a cold bitch was just that. Hype. It’s rare that the press pegs someone’s personality, but with you, I think they nailed it.”

“Fuck you, Linc.”

“You wish, sweetheart. Guess you’ll be zero for two today.”

As he disappears out of sight, Anders hesitates just long enough to chastise me some more. “Get yourself together, Dee.”

I slam the door to the bathroom, turning the faucet on full power to drown out the muffled voices in the living room area of my suite. I don’t bother with bubbles, shrugging out of my clothes as soon as the tub has filled and immersing myself until I’m staring up through the rippling surface of the water.

My vision is slowly clouded red by the cuts on my knuckles, spreading through the water like a disease. I’ve never had a fight canceled like this before, and I have no idea what to do with the store of adrenaline my body is desperate to unleash. I’m literally spoiling for a fight.

I hold my breath as long as I can, attempting to calm myself in the cocoon of the bathtub, but eventually, I have to come up for air, and the reality of the situation crashes over me like a tsunami. It’s not just me who’ll be affected by this. There are going to be bars that have organized extra stock for fight night—small business owners who could suffer much worse than I will due to something like this being canceled. The MGM Grand can afford it, and they’re able to sit back and wait on whenever this can be rescheduled, but there’s a domino effect.

“Brooke! Brooke, can you come here a minute?” Within seconds, she’s on the other side of the door.

“Are you okay? Can you let me in?”

“I’m fine. I just need to talk to you about something. Is everyone else gone?”

“Yeah. You drove them off with your warm and fuzzy personality. What the fuck did you say to Linc? He and Anders left before I even got a chance to throw them out.”

“I’m sure Anders will fill you in later.”

“Are you going to let me in or not?”

“I’m naked in the tub with no bubbles, and it’s like a scene from a horror movie.”

“What?”

“The cuts on my hands. Calm down. I’m fine. I’ll be out in a few minutes. I have an idea, and I need your help. Start searching for small bars around here that were doing a fight night event.”

“What did your last slave die of?”

“I didn’t bring my phone in here with me. I don’t need it pinging all damn day with commiserations and notifications. Let Gray deal with all that bullshit.”

“Fine. Just so you know, he was not happy at being kicked out. I think he’s aged ten years in the space of an hour.”

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