Page 71 of Breaking the Habit

“Hi guys,” Riley said with a little smile. Her hair looked different—no longer rich mahogany but lighter now. Summery, somehow. And maybe shorter. Whatever it was, his abs tightened as usual. He didn’t bother trying to hide his stare.

“What’d you do?” Levi asked. “You look different.” In his head, he added,killer as usual.

“I got my hair cut.” She grinned at the three of them.

“Just one? Why didn’t you get all of them cut?” Levi asked.

“Oh, for God’s sake—” Lex started.

“Dammit, I didn’t see that coming,” Riley said, shaking her head.

“I think that’s the pre-fight joke right there,” Travis said, clapping Levi on the back. “Which means we’re ready to go.”

Travis and Lex filed out of the room. Riley held up a hand. “You wait. I want to get a picture first.”

He sauntered closer to her until her hand pressed against his chest. He leaned forward and snagged the kiss he’d been craving since she’d shown up. Since the last time he’d seen her, really.

“Anything you want, Ri.” He coaxed another kiss from her lips.

“Don’t,” she said, sliding her palm over his bicep. “You need to be ready for your fight.”

“Mmmm.” He extracted a sloppy kiss from her, pressing his tongue against hers. His thighs tensed from wanting more. “This made me readier.”

She smiled up at him, the pure joy he saw there completely addictive. He could look at this face for an entire month and still want more.

“Stay there.” She hurried into the doorway and lined up a shot, giving him instructions on how to stand. Travis came back to the door.

“You lovebirds ready?” Travis barked. “Come on. We’ve got a fight to win!”

Those were the last words he needed to hear. Levi started bouncing, hopping from foot to foot as he followed Lex and Travis down the narrow hallway leading up to the arena. The closer they got, the louder the rumble of the crowd.

Adrenaline prickled through him, the rising swell of people and shouts and energy reducing him to tunnel vision. It happened automatically, the thunder and weight of the crowd forcing him into hyper-focus. The octagon grew nearer; Riley fell away. Lights blazed, causing him to squint.

And the chanting. Oh, the chanting was out in full force.

“LE-VI LEAD FIST. LE-VI LEAD FIST.”

It was louder than it had ever been. An intense chorus that almost—almost—broke him out of his trance. Trav and Lex herded him up into the cage. Hands taped. Opponent in view.

The announcer went through introductions as usual. When it came time for Levi to parade around a little in the ring, he caught sight of Riley down in the photographer’s pit. Her words came rushing back to him. The broken lens. The asshole who’d smacked her.

Levi catapulted toward the cage, hooking his fingers in the steel mesh. He shook it for effect as he caught the attention of everyone nearby.

“Are you the prick that broke her lens?” Levi shouted over the roar of the crowd, scanning the men around Riley. His back prickled with awareness. He didn’t have much time to make his point. The fight couldn’t get held up. The referee could be on him in a second. Riley looked up with him at wide eyes, but she jerked her thumb to the right, pointing out the offending photographer from the last match.

“You stay the fuck off of her.” Levi’s voice came out hoarse as he shook the cage again, locking eyes with the bald guy to her right. Everything rattled and hissed. “You break her camera again, and I’m coming foryou.”

“There’s a reason they keep you assholes in a cage!” shouted the photographer, a stupid sneer on his face. Levi’s remaining thread of composure snapped, and he launched himself up the wall of the cage. The arena roared with excitement as he scrambled up the side and launched himself over top. He had no idea what he was even doing, what the game plan was. He just needed to make a point. Make a scene. Protect Riley.

The photographers on the other side splayed out as he came barreling down. His feet landed with a thud on the other side. Levi grabbed the photographer by the shirt collar and backed him against the wall of the cage, pressing that white dome into the mesh.

“What about when I’m out of the cage?” Levi demanded, shaking him like a rag doll. The shock on his face was gold. Everyone around them spilled away, a wave-like rush to get out of Levi’s path. Travis was on him a second later, tugging Levi back toward the ramp up to the cage. Baldy looked jostled—maybe downright scared—once Levi released him. Travis pushed him back up the pathway toward the cage.

“And what the fuck was that display?” he hissed. “You trying to get disqualified?”

“Just making a point.”

“The whole point is to fight inside the cage, Levi!” Lex taunted as they entered the octagon for a second time. Back in the cage, judges were confused, and Levi made quick work of pleading his case. His photographer had been threatened—nothing further like that would happen. He got a warning, with a possibility for a purse deduction. Losing money from his payout for threatening the photographer. Wasn’t the worst that could happen.

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