Page 31 of Always You

Right?

“Hunt?” she says, her voice all husky, sounding like a promise to the desire growing within me.

In response, my hands dig deeper into her hips. “Hmm?”

I want her to want me just as I want her. I want her to tell me‘fuck it,’even though I know I should never let her. I wish I didn’t have to choose to give her what she deserves or give in to what I want. And when I see the green in her eyes change to a darker hue, daring me, I hope she takes the choice for me.

“You’re up.” She pushes me off of her, giving me a wink that makes me gasp for air, then nods to the cage. “You better win,asshole.”

Son of a bitch.

I press my lips together, suppressing a smile while I shake my head. She ruins me every time her sass reaches another level, but for her, I’d go to fucking war, no matter how much she destroys me.

“I am an asshole. But I’myourasshole,” I clarify, backing away from her, then giving her a wink in return. A blush crawls up her cheeks, bringing back her soft side, even though she rolls her eyes, unimpressed. I throw my hoodie her way, and she catches it to her chest before raising her brows in question.

“You’re cold.” I shrug.

Something flickers in my stomach when whatever sternness was lingering on her face melts like snow before the sun, and I quickly spin on my heel to break our connection.

I only have so much willpower. If she keeps giving me sweet smiles like that, I won’t be able to keep my hands off her. And it’ll be hard to keep saying she’s my friend if my lips are glued against hers.

10

He gets into the cage, and I wonder if he doesn’t have a ritual or whatever it is that fighters do before a fight. I’m not an expert, but him poppin’ between those nets without any prep seems a bit cocky, even for him.

“Doesn’t he need to, like, warm up or something?” I glance at Phil, still standing next to me. I pull the sleeves of Hunter’s gray hoodie over my wrists and bury my neck into it. It smells fresh, yet manly, a hint of him entering my nose that I suck in deeply.

I don’t like him bringing me here. The thought of him getting hurt makes my stomach hurl in anticipation. Not that I mind seeing him without a shirt, getting all sweaty.

“Yeah, but he never does,” Phil says.

“He doesn’t?”

“Nah, he always gets in and gets out as fast as possible. Trust me, you’ll be back in his truck in ten minutes.”

“Ten?!” I screech, snapping my gaze up at Phil. “How is that possible? Isn’t there like a break between each round?

“There are no rounds.”

“What do you mean?”

He looks at me with a tender expression that makes me feel silly as fuck. “Look, honey, this isn’t an organized fight like you see on TV. That referee?” He points at the man in the cage who looks like he comes straight from a biker bar. “He is only there to make sure neither of them dies. There are no rules. There areno rounds. Whoever gets knocked out first loses. It’s as simple as that.”

I gasp to prevent myself from releasing my burger onto the floor. “Oh, God.”

That son of a bitch. He took me to a fight where he’s literally risking his life? Suddenly, the chill that ran down my spine seconds again is swept away by a heated fear. This could go to shit real fast. I don’t want to watch him get punched until he passes out.Or worse.

My face tenses both in worry and anger. “Is that even legal?”

“Of course not.” Phil chuckles. “Why do you think he makes so much money when he wins?”

The blood drains from my face, and I don’t know if I want to run out the door or run into that cage and kick his ass myself. The other guy is bulky as fuck. He looks like he’s the love child of Hercules and Mister T. A frame so chiseled, it’s disgusting. Hunter’s hot. He’s ripped for a teenager. But compared to this man, he also looks really fucking young.

I can’t believe Hunter thought this was a good idea.

“Hey, don’t worry.” Phil nudges his elbow into my side to grab my attention. “He’s the best in the county. He’ll be done before you know it. It never takes him more than five minutes.”

I peer up into Phil’s brown eyes, beaming at me with amusement. I assume his smile is supposed to be comforting. But instead, it feels like a hand enclosing my heart in a tight grip, while it’s trying to break free. I hear him. But I won’t believe him until I’m safely back in Hunter’s truck.With him in one piece.

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