Page 32 of Beautifully Savage Butterfly

His eyes dart into the crowd, and I’m not sure who he’s looking at, or if he’s trying to figure out who I was looking at. Either way, the half-second distraction is long enough to convince me to throw out my usual playbook and strike first. I knock Nelson back with a right hook to the jaw, but he recovers quickly and gets his head back in the fight. He comes back swinging, and the arena fades into nothing more than background noise as we trade blows.

I’m slower than usual, taking more damage than I would on a typical night. But even the points he does manage to rack up on me feel like they’re only half heat. Why the hell would he bother to pull his punches though? The question settles into the back of my mind, not important enough to worry about right now. Maybe he’s not going easy on me. Maybe he’s just having an off night too.

I knock him off of his feet with an uppercut. He tries to kick my legs out from under me on his way down, but I’ve studied his fights and I’m expecting the move. I don’t give him a chance to bounce back up before I’m on him, pinning him down. Greg doesn’t give up without a tussle and a few more body blows, but eventually he taps out and I’m hauled off of him, panting for breath as I spit out my mouthguard along with a mouthful of blood.

I even manage to smile for a change in the post-fight interview. Of course, I leave my mouth bloody when I do, just to see the way the reporters squirm. Shit like that is exactly why I’ll never be the star I should have been, regardless of my win record. My life would be easier if I could play nice, but I just can’t live with the hypocrisy. These people show up to salivate over our violence and then cringe over a little bit of blood when all is said and done. They don’t like the ugly side of life? Well, join the fucking club.

It doesn’t take long before they all clear out, leaving me alone in the locker room with my ears ringing from the sudden silence. My eyelids droop and my shoulders sag with a renewed wave of exhaustion that’s right on the heels of the fading surge of adrenaline. I grab a fresh towel and wipe the sweat and blood off of my face. I can feel myself moving at half speed, my limbs heavy like I’m moving through molasses.

The sound of the locker room door opening behind me isn’t a surprise, and I don’t have to look over my shoulder to know who it is. My lips spasm with another smirk. The motion splits open the small cut, filling my mouth with the salty iron flavor of blood all over again. I bring the towel to my mouth and dab at the flow, tracking the click of Elio’s shoes across the linoleum floor one step at a time. He doesn’t say a word as he approaches, but I can hear the uptick of his breathing as he gets closer.

“You planning to lurk back there until I give you a formal invitation or what, Brat?” I ask in a low rumble, hiding the smile in my voice.

He chuckles, and it’s startling how familiar the carefree sound is. I’ve barely started to accept that Elio might not be as evil as I thought. Meanwhile, some primal, caveman part of my brain has already decided to memorize the warm vibration of his laughter and claim it as something that belongs to me. Even entertaining the idea that any sound he makes is something I could own fills me with a deep sense of satisfaction.

“Not sure yet, Boss. I was actually trying to decide whether I wanted to wind you up or give you a break for a change,” he confesses.

I snort and toss the towel onto the nearby bench before turning around to take him in. He looks the same as always, his hair neatly styled, expensive suit fitted and unwrinkled. It’s the way he always looks before I get my hands on him, anyway. Before I leave him rumpled and used with a sated smile on his face. There’s a fading bruise on his jaw, right below his ear that makes me want to beat my chest and bite him again to leave a fresh mark before this one has a chance to disappear completely.

Elio steps over the bench, stopping right in front of me. I reach for him, a twinge in my shoulder making me groan through my teeth.

His eyebrows pull together, and he looks me up and down. “You okay, Boss?” A flicker of fire and rage passes through his eyes. “Did Nelson hurt you?”

I roll my eyes. “It was a fight, genius. Hurting each other is the whole point.”

He scoffs and reaches up to drag his thumb along the side of my mouth, pulling it back with a smear of crimson across the pad. Unlike the reporters, he doesn’t flinch. Why would he? As many criticisms as I’ve managed to come up with for Elio, he’s never been a hypocrite like everyone else. He licks my blood off of his thumb without a second thought and then tilts his chin up, like he’s expecting a kiss, hoping for one, but he’s leaving the decision up to me.

After three days of hell and stress, he somehow managed to figure out exactly what I need to feel like I’m on steady ground. An emotion I don’t bother trying to name swells in my chest, and I grab him by the tie to pull him into a kiss. The flavor of blood is still lingering on my tongue, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. Elio parts his lips for me and sighs into my mouth, his cock slowly swelling against me as I stroke his tongue with mine, coaxing him into a tangle of heavy breathing and roaming hands.

My dick reacts the same way his does, getting hard and heavy as I devour his lips. But fatigue is catching up with me fast, and I end up leaning on him the way he typically melts into me. Elio breaks the kiss and drags his tongue over his damp bottom lip, his face still close to mine, our noses bumping.

“You sure you’re alright, Boss?”

“I’ll live,” I assure him. “But you could probably talk me into killing a man with my bare hands in exchange for a hot bath and a comfortable bed.” I huff a laugh so he knows I’m not serious. I probably shouldn’t put ideas like that in his head, actually. Fuck knows he might just ask me to do it.

“Well, shit. Forget the plan for tonight then. We can do that instead,” he says.

“Did we have a plan for tonight?” I remember Elio’s suggestion that we hit up a bar and rattle some cages after the fight tonight before I’ve even finished asking the question. “Dammit,” I mutter.

“Don’t worry about it. One more night won’t be the end of the world. Whatever illegal shit Casimir is up to, he’ll still be up to it tomorrow.” He shrugs.

I release my hold on him and scrub my hands over my face, dragging in a deep breath and convincing my tired body to rally.

“No, let’s get it over with.” The sooner we get started, the sooner I get paid. Besides, I would rather get this over with. Maybe Elio isn’t what I thought he was, but working for the Morettis isn’t exactly something I relish.

He studies my face for a few seconds, and I can tell he’s about to argue. I bare my teeth and put a hand over his mouth before he can ask if I’m sure again, or worse, try to insist that he knows better than I do what my body and mind can handle.

“Let me get dressed and we’ll go. Be a good brat and go have a seat so you won’t distract me.” I leave my hand over his mouth until I see the argument drain from his expression.

I put both hands on his shoulders and spin him around, then give him a patronizing pat on the ass to send him on his way. He doesn’t protest, but I’m pretty sure I hear him mutter the words “stubborn ass” on his way out of the locker room.

I grin, imagining how I’ll punish him for that later. If he wants a stubborn ass, he’ll get one.

ELIO

Death & Company couldn’t be more different from The Starlight. The drinks are top shelf, the owner, Sid, knows what’s good for him, and there’s never a shortage of customers. In particular, the exact kinds of lowlifes we’re looking for tonight.

Orion is right behind me as we step inside. I stop just a few feet past the door to do a visual sweep of the bar, straightening my shoulders and making sure everyone gets a good look at me. I want this to be quick and easy tonight, and making these spineless criminals shake in their boots is the fastest way to get answers. Am I here for one of them? Or did I just stop in for a drink or ten? None of them know, but they’ll be nervous now until they find out.

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