Page 34 of Echoes of Obsession

I turn to her, a faint smile pulling at my lips. “It usually is,” I say.

Hunter grins at us both, his enthusiasm lighting up his face. “You’re in for a treat, Snow. Cage fights like this? They’re a rush.”

Snow nods, still smiling. “I’ll take your word for it,” she replies, her gaze lingering on me.

I look back at Hunter, feeling a rare moment of shared excitement. Tonight’s matches are shaping up to be something special, and despite my usual reserve, I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

“Who’s fighting against The Reaper?” Snow asks. Sky seems to be paying closer attention to Snow, which also has me paying closer attention.

Will I be able to tell if she’s about to have a seizure?

“Oh,” Hunter says, rubbing his neck. “Someone named Firecracker. I think he’s going to give The Reaper a run for his money.”

“I’ve never heard of a fighter with that name,” I say. “We don’t usually let nobodies in main events, Hunter. I’d like to meet him before his fight.”

“No problem,” Hunter says, standing. “I’ll set that up. In the meantime, it looks like the crowd is coming in. I’m going to go make sure your men are doing their job.”

Venom is always on duty in the Undercage. I have no doubt that jobs are getting done.

“This is so interesting,” Snow says. “Can we go near the cage when they’re fighting?”

“There’s a reserved place for us,” I smile at her excitement. “But maybe this first time you should watch from here. I don’t think you realize how brutal it’s going to be. There will be blood, babe. Maybe even some broken body parts.”

“Well then,” she laughs. “I return to my original statement about this being a gladiator arena.”

Snow’s watch alarm goes off, and she reaches into her bag and pulls out a bottle.

“It’s not all the sexy, huh?” she laughs uncomfortably. “I’m always having to take some pill every few hours.”

“Do they keep you alive?” I ask as she swallows her meds.

“And coherent,” she nods. “And standing.”

“Then I think those are the sexiest pills I’ve ever seen.”

Her laughter brings out my own smile. That’s what I was looking for.

“Come on, babe. Let’s get these cameras up and running so we can get a close-up of all the blood splatters.”

“Eww,” she laughs. “But okay.”

“You don’t seem as freaked out as I thought you would be,” I admit.

“Oh, I edit romance books for a living,” she tells me. “I’m way more excited for this than any normal woman would be. But usually, the heroine’s man is the one in the cage.”

“Want me to fight for you, Snow?” I ask sincerely. “I’ll bloody a few faces if you want.”

“No,” she says quickly. “I’d rather sit here with you and watch other people bloody some faces.”

Nodding, I start turning on the systems but make a mental note to add myself to a future match. If my woman wants to see me beat the shit out of someone, she will.

***Amara***

This is awesome! The room below us is crowded with people cheering so loudly that I can feel the vibrations in this room. Ghost said there would be blood, and he wasn’t wrong. Six screens in front of me show close-ups of each person as they fight for their victory. All four have walked away with nearly unrecognizable faces.

The first two matches got my adrenaline pumping, but the excitement in the room as the announcer, Hunter, announces the last match has my head buzzing.

The excitement is addicting.

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