Page 41 of From Best To Bested

“Heard you got an offer to walk away,” Ezra said so matter-of-factly that it sent an icy jolt of fear through Roman.

“W-what?”

“I always have eyes to keep you safe.”

Roman recalled the conversation earlier. The way Ezra said protection would be close, but he’d be unbothered. He hadn’t noticed anyone watching him, but he supposed that was the point of their job. Go unseen unless required to step in.

“I didn’t suggest or ask anything,” Roman tried to clarify, tried to downplay, tried to hope Ezra would believe him.

“Shush.” Ezra stepped toward him, hands wrapped around the back of Roman’s neck. “I know. I know you chose to stay. I know you will always choose me. Just like I will always choose you.”

“We’re friends,” Roman said, dwelling on the fact he was also friends with Levi, confused by what the word really meant anymore.

“I know.” Ezra brushed a hand over Roman’s “Bested” neck tattoo. “Why don’t you show me what a good friend you are? It’s been a long day, and I could use some relief.”

Roman obediently slipped off the bed and dropped to his knees, then he fished Ezra’s cock out of his pants and went to work. He was still so furious with Levi, so goddamn mad at how he looked down on him, it filled Roman’s thoughts with the same resentment, the same fire he had when he first started submitting to Ezra. He’d learned long ago to accept and enjoy what their arrangement brought, but tonight, as he sucked Ezraoff, he held onto that spark of rage, and he found himself thinking about Levi, picturing him as he bobbed his head up and down Ezra’s shaft.

Chapter Fourteen

Roman trained exceptionally hard during his gym routine over the course of the next several days, biting back his rage during the sparring bouts with Ezra. Despite avoiding Levi since their last conversation, Roman hadn’t lost the spark of anger Levi’s protective judgment brought out.

Roman ran faster on the treadmill, and he did extra reps on his glute’s routine, his leg routine, and the core workout meant to tighten his waist to Ezra’s liking instead of bulk up to Roman’s preference.

When the time came to go to the back training room and get a little private sparring in, Roman took deep breaths to let go of his anger. It’d do him no good here. As Ezra and Roman stretched in preparation, they found someone breaking their privacy.

“Whoa, so this is the champion’s setup?” Levi waltzed inside like he owned the place, which he very much did not.

This space belonged to Ezra. Everything belonged to Ezra.

“Do you mind?” Roman asked, accusatory and not seeking an answer.

“Not at all.” Levi shrugged. “I came here to train, but I guess I can watch you guys work.”

“It’s private,” Roman snapped, instinctive and not remotely hiding his annoyance for Levi. “You can’t be in here.”

“I assumed this was open to everyone, like the rest of the champion’s things.” Levi pointed to the surroundings of the private gym currently in use but eyed Roman.

That pissed Roman off. Was Levi insinuating he was a thing?

“It’s not,” Roman snapped.

“Now, now.” Ezra slapped a hand to Roman’s chest. “I do try to share when I can. It keeps the people happy.”

“I do like to be a happy person.” Levi grinned at both men. “I can think of a few things that’d make me happy.”

“Well, the list better be limited to what we can do on the mat,” Roman interjected, desperate for Levi not to bring up what he had in the cafeteria, which Ezra was already aware of.

“I can think of a lot of things to do on these mats.” Levi wiggled his toes and pressed his feet into the cushioned flooring.

“I’d love to see what you’re capable of, Levi.” Ezra locked eyes with him. “Fighting wise, of course.”

“Of course.” Levi smiled. “I’ll gladly show you.”

Levi stripped off his shirt, revealing his flawless skin. Not a bragging point for a fighter. While Levi might’ve stepped into the arena and had a few successful bouts, none had proven a struggle, and his unblemished skin was proof of that. It didn’t mean Levi was just that skilled; no, Roman declared in his thoughts, it was merely a sign of Levi’s weakness, of the fact he hadn’t gotten dirty enough. An omen he’d only scratched the surface of the brutality in the underground arena.

Still, Roman couldn’t help but steal glances at Levi’s muscular abdomen. He’d always been bigger than Roman, more fit, but Roman had only now started to realize just how firm and strong his body was. Levi’s arms and chest were so broad it would take Ezra and Roman combined to reach those measurements.

The tight joggers Levi wore clung to his thick thighs and strong calves, a gift from a patron of the Lawless Authority, nodoubt, sponsoring Levi’s meager successes in the fighting arena. Roman suspected as much because the gray left little to the imagination, and the fabric accentuated the curve of Levi’s thick ass. No way would Levi acquire something so striking without help from the audience on the balcony.

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