Page 134 of King of the Cage

Aldo narrowed his eyes at me, but I was saved from his questions by the sound of a grunt from the cage. I spun back, searching for Bran.

He’d been distracted, watching me with Aldo. That had given his two remaining opponents the opportunity they’d needed. He’d been pinning one man against the side of the cage, when the other came up and stabbed him in the back. Literally.

I screamed. I couldn’t help it. I dashed forward and grabbed the cage, my fingers sinking through the mesh, right where Bran had fallen. He’d managed to knock out the other guy while being stabbed. The last man standing checked on his friend. Bran’squick twist had saved his back, and the knife had sunk into the thick muscle of his shoulder.

Bran groaned and shifted to his knees.

“Why are you here, wee one? That was never part of the plan.”

“What plan?” I wondered.

“You need to get out of here. It’s not safe.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, O’Connor… I don’t go for bossy, domineering men, remember?” I said firmly.

Bran jerked, startled by the familiar words. He studied me.

“No, I’m not… I am your husband, though, unless your brother paid for the expedited service,” he said.

I laughed. I fucking laughed. If anything was a testament to how this man made me feel, it was the fact that I could laugh while in this situation.

“That’s right. You are. So, stop messing around and get up, Lost Boy. End this. If it’s dangerous here… then I need you with me.”

Something moved in Bran’s gaze when he realized I’d remembered our history. Remembered us.

“Selkie?” Bran murmured, almost reverently.

I nodded, a lone tear sliding down my cheek. Now I was crying? I couldn’t stop the emotions crowding in. Relief and love, fear, and the very real need to hold this man, lying bleeding before me.

“You — you came back,” he murmured.

I looked up at Bran’s opponent, who had straightened up and turned to watch us.

“Yeah, I did… so make sure there was a reason. If you die in there, I’d rather not have remembered any of it. So, finish this, get out of there, and come and kiss me.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Bran growled.

I glanced to the side. “He’s coming on your left,” I murmured.

Bran’s eyes darted that way, all without moving his head. His opponent thought he was taking him by surprise. The man reached us as I stepped back. He swung the knife toward Bran, who suddenly fell back, passing under the blade. The man stumbled, clearly caught off guard, but Bran was already moving. He kicked the knife from the guy’s hand and yanked him to the floor beside him. Then, they were wrestling. It was hard to see what was happening and who was getting the upper hand, until Bran ended up on top, the other guy facedown with his hands trapped. Bran grabbed the guy’s hair and counted himself out.

“One.” He smashed the guy’s head against the floor.

“Two.” Again.

“Three.” Once more.

The man went limp, and Bran pushed himself off and staggered to his feet.

“Brandon O’Connor. You have succeeded in your trials,” Archibald announced.

The crowd went wild.

I caught Bran’s eye, just before the lights went out and darkness fell across everyone… and all hell broke loose. The crowd was silent for a moment, people waiting to see if the lights going out was some kind of mistake. Surely, they’d pop back on any second?

When that didn’t happen, panic hit.

Someone grabbed me, and I punched at them, worried it was Aldo. I felt my way along the cage to the opening. Huge hands closed around my shoulders.

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