Page 70 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

“It definitely is. Just don’t tell the other fighters or it’ll ruin my image,” he teased.

“Fighters?” I was missing something.

He smirked down at me like he found my question adorable. “I cage fight, sweetness. Not to brag, but I’m pretty damn good at it, too. I’ve got a reputation to keep as a badass. If the guys heard I was getting soft, they’d never let me hear the end of it.”

I reared back, placing both my hands on his chest to create some space between us. “Cage fighting? The ‘locked in a wire box and punch each other silly’ kind of cage fighting? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“For the other guy, maybe.” He lifted a shoulder in an apathetic shrug.

“Gio! You could get hurt.”

“You worried about me?” That cocky smirk on his face told me he was loving my distress.

I feigned disinterest, though I wasn’t fooling anybody. “Maybe.”

He chuckled, the sound rolling over me like sweet, dark molasses—slow and delicious. “I think I’m into it.”

“Seeing me distressed?”

“No, sweetness. It’s nice knowing how much you care. But you don’t need to be worried. I’ve been cage fighting for years, and I’m fine. The sport has always given me an outlet to work through my shit.”

I drew in a deep breath, letting it fill and stretch my lungs before exhaling it slowly, giving myself time to process this new information.

There were many Alphas who needed a way to channel their natural aggressions. I’d learned as much in classes at the OMA. Yet, I wasn’t sure how to feel about any of this.

Was it sexy as fuck? Absolutely. Now I understood why Giovanni’s palms were rough and calloused. He had the physique of a fighter; big, muscled, and strong. Just watching him in the gym got me all hot and bothered. But the thought about anyone potentially hurting my mate made my vision go red at the edges.

Gio’s finger traced a gentle path over the crease that had taken up residence in the center of my forehead, his touch barely grazing my skin. The tenderness left me breathless, and I leaned into him.

“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours,Dolcezza?” he murmured inquisitively. “I’d give anything to read your mind right now.”

A playful smirk tugged at my lips. “You know the rules. You’ve got to win at poker if you want another question.”

His eyes filled with amusement, and he leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over my ear. “You looking for a challenge?”

Two could play this game. I popped onto my tiptoes and nipped his earlobe. “Perhaps.”

“How about a new competition, like who can do more pushups?”

I reared back and my brows rose, trying to meet my hairline. “Have you seen you? You already know you’d win.”

“Then maybe we should just skip straight to the question portion of our little wager.” He smirked, not the least bit sorry. “Come on, sweetness. Penny for your thoughts?”

Releasing a playful growl of frustration, I gave in. “Newsflash, big guy, but you’re my Alpha and I hate the idea of anyone hurting you—for sport or otherwise.”

A predatory, possessive gleam lit his eyes. With a rough purr, he scooped down, grabbed my ass, and lifted me straight off my feet.

A squeal tore from my lungs. My arms flew around his neck and my legs instinctively encircled his waist, holding onto him like a koala bear.

“Say it again,” he demanded.

“Say what?” I breathed, my mind whirling from being pressed against him so intimately. My imagination was running away with everything I wanted him to do to me. And everythingIwanted to do tohimin return.

“Youknowwhat,” Gio rasped.

I bit my lip, deciding to oblige. “You’re my Alpha.”

“Again,” he commanded, deep and gravelly, revealing how close that feral part of him had risen to the surface.

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