Page 42 of Cruel Crown

I couldn’t see Francesca, but when Daphne went on the defensive, throwing rapid punches, I forgot the bitch was also trained because she managed to block almost all of them.

Francesca threw a punch that Daphne not only ducked, but she dropped to the floor and extended her foot to trip her. As Francesca was falling, Daphne put her hands behind her head, raised her feet, and jumped up. Once up, she kicked Francesca on the side of her stomach.

Fuck. Me.

I was turned the fuck on right now, I felt like everyone could see my dick pointing at her.

Francesca held on to her stomach in pain. Before she could regain her composure, Daphne straddled her, and one of her hands came to her neck, choking her.

Everyone in the room was silent, watching intently to see what Daphne would do. I thought they were a little scared she might actually kill her.

“Next time you want to talk shit about me, do it to my fucking face.”

Like everyone in the room, I expected Daphne to get up now that she’d humiliated Francesca, but that’s not what she did. She grabbed both of her cheeks and bent down to kiss her.

Catcalls went around the room with Bas yelling, “Kiss and make up, baby.”

Francesca started to buck and mewl underneath Daphne, but Daphne didn’t budge.

I nearly came in my trousers at the sight before me. Daphne pulled away with blood all over her lips, and she cut me with a quick glance that was full of triumph, but the one who had won was me. As for Francesca, she wouldn’t be kissing nor blowing anyone in a while.

She held on to her lip, looking from Daphne and Damian. The cold bastard didn’t even fucking care, and everyone knew she was fucking him.

“You may go to the infirmary and get stitches. Hurry before you get more blood on the mat.”

Francesca glared at Daphne. “You will pay for this.”

Daphne removed her long-sleeve, leaving her in only a sports bra and all her scars on full display, and I got the feeling that was a statement all of itself. That’s when I scanned the room, and out of everyone here, she was the most scarred one. She had survived more than anyone, and she wanted them to know it. Daphne wiped her mouth with her shirt before she replied.

“Now imagine how much more I can make you bleed with a weapon?”

Francesca left the room without another word. Just as Daphne started to walk away, Damian spoke.

“Not so fast,little flower.” Damian smirked, and I wanted to punch him. Call me irrational, but no one got to call her anything other than her name but me. “You might not have broken the rules, but you know damn well you bent them.”

We all watched as he pulled out a black tactical hunting knife.

Daphne’s chest rose and fell, but she didn’t say anything more. She went to the other side of the mat and waited for further instructions.

Paco took a step forward and opened his mouth to speak, but before he did so, Damian called my name.

“Yes?” I replied casually.

“Since Daphne here stepped a little out of line, she gets another go, but this time there will be one weapon allowed.” He wiggled the knife between two fingers. “You will go to the opposite side of the mat, and I will throw this in the middle. The fight doesn’t stop until the knife makes a cut. Just one cut and it can’t be used to kill.”

“And maim?” I asked, grinning.

Damian guarded me with a look, “As long as the opponent doesn’t die, everything else goes.”

I made my way to the opposite side of Daphne and watched her as she looked at the middle of the floor, waiting to see where the knife would land.

The sound of the metal hitting the mat echoed in the silent room. I didn’t bother to look at Damian when I noticed he threw it closer to my side.

I grabbed the knife and saw the blur of Daphne’s feet retreat with my fucked-up eye. When I looked up, Daphne was looking at me those silver eyes, no longer like a lover or someone who she’d slept with but an enemy.

“The handle is nice and thick.” I winked at her. When her nose flared, I knew she caught the meaning of my message. She moved slowly because I had the upper hand, and she didn’t know how or where I would cut her.

She started to circle me, and I humored her, moving in the opposite direction. Guess we’d never had this dance before, and I just hoped people couldn’t see how hard my dick was.

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