Page 30 of The Rise

“I probably will get hurt, but I’m not going to lose.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

“Are you doubting me again? You need another reminder?” I shake my head. There is no way in hell I can go back into that chair right now. My body would completely give out then. “Good girl. I like it when you listen to me, Lana.”

“You do?”

“You know I do. Makes my fucking cock hard, but I also like watching your punishments too. It’s sexy as hell.” Hunter brings his mouth to mine, kissing me with a new passion. His mouth moves perfectly with mine, like we’re one. When he pulls back, I’m breathless, and my cheeks are heated.

“You know you’re going to be trouble, little rebel.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You like testing me and I think I like it when you do.”

“You like to punish me,” I add. Hunter smiles and nods his head.

“I love to punish you.”

“Is that your kink? Punishments?”

“My kink? I don’t really think of it as a kink. It’s just something I like to do,” he tells me. I nod my head and when he starts for the door, I follow him. We’re down the hall and into the main room when I see the other guys and the ring set up.

I follow Hunter over to the chairs where he nods for me to sit. I take the first seat, and then I watch. Hunter climbs in the ring first as another man is dragged toward it. Once they’re in the ring, all hell breaks loose. I’m not exactly sure what the hell I thought was going to happen, but this is brutal. They’re bare-knuckle fighting, blood slinging from their faces.

I wince every time Hunter gets hit, but he always comes right back, looking even more pissed than before. I watch the way he moves in the ring, throwing punch after punch. I can see the rage he was talking about deep down in him, and I think he’s right. When he snaps, I don’t want to see it. Yet, there’s a part of me that does because I wonder what he’d do to me if I were in his way at that time.

Rylan sits down next to me and watches the fight, calling out things to Hunter about keeping his hands up.

“Do you do this too?” I ask him.

“Sometimes.”

“And Tamsyn doesn’t care?”

“Oh, she cares. She hates it when I do this, but we all need a release, and sometimes this is it,” he explains to me as I continue to watch.

The guy falls to the ground as Hunter stands over him. He grabs his throat and lifts him off the ground before slamming his fist into his face once more. The guy’s head falls back, lifeless, and I gasp. It’s not like I’ve never seen anyone die before or by Hunter’s hands, but this is different. It feels different.

The others cheer as some guys drag the now dead man from the ring, and Hunter makes his way over, sitting next to me after fist-bumping Rylan. Then it’s Silas’s turn. I shake my head before starting to stand, but Hunter doesn’t let me get far. He pulls me back down into my seat and holds me there.

“I don’t want to watch this anymore,” I tell him.

“I didn’t ask you.”

“Hunter, I don’t want to see this,” I repeat.

“This is our life, Lana. This is what we do, and you might as well get used to it because you’re not going anywhere.” His words are like an icy hand wrapping around my spine and never letting go. I can’t do this. As much as I like Hunter, I don’t think I can do this. When Hunter releases his hold, I stand and run. I hear him cursing behind me, but I don’t stop. Thankfully, someone opens the front door, and I run out just before it closes.

“You know how much I like the chase, little rebel,” Hunter calls out. My heart has kicked up a notch as I dash through the trees. He’s going to find me. There’s no doubt in my mind, but I have to try, don’t I?

I run toward the edge of the trees, only to be met by the giant brick wall Hunter had built. Taking a deep breath, I scream. He’ll know exactly where I am, but I’m so frustrated I don’t know what else to do. It’s all too much, too fast. I can’t do this. I don’t know if I want to do this.

I hear the twigs crunching as Hunter approaches me, and I spin around just in time to see him lunging for me. I start to move out of the way but he’s already on me. He tackles me to the ground, my air leaving in a whoosh. Hunter crawls up my body, sitting on my hips so I can’t move, my hands thrust above my head.

“Where are you running to?”

“I can’t do this, Hunter.”

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