Page 64 of Clinch'd

Chapter 25

Minnie

Phoenix, Arizona is hotter than fuck but the cacti in the mini garden of the hotel are charming.

Beast texted me an hour ago and I’m waiting for him at the bar, slurping on my second drink and pathetically drowning my woes.

Rafe’s warning still rings in my ears not that there’s fuck all I can do about it. Some part of me wants to spill the beans and hope he has some magical cure but that would only complicate things and potentially put him in the line of fire.

With a sigh, I lean my head in my hand and close my eyes. I’m still the teensiest bit nauseous which isn’t helping matters because I have to suck it up for another event.

Will Cooper even be there or am I wasting my time? Fuck, I could use another nap.

My phone buzzes on the bar top and I snatch it up, like a pathetic fucking girl with her first crush. Hell, maybe it is my first?

Casting back over my memories, I come up woefully blank and snort. Shit. I’m more pathetic than I thought.

My heart sinks when I find a text from Lorri and ignoring it, I close out my phone. I can’t be myself right now, whatever that means and I’m afraid she’ll sniff out the truth as a result.

“Ready?” Beast growls and I nod, grabbing my purse. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.

As per usual, Beast is quiet on the ride, and I gaze out the window. When we arrive, one of his assistants leads me off to a box and once I’m inside, I collapse in a seat and stare into nothing.

The arena is packed, and I smile when chanting starts up, the collective sounds ofBeast, Beast, Beastrumbling through the building.

“Ah, I was hoping you’d be here.” When I glance up, I find Cross, who collapses in the seat beside me with a fat smile.

“Oh? Why is that?” Although he’s not who I was hoping to see, I’ll take the distraction from my swirling thoughts.

“It’s time for a little fun, Minnie dear.”

Turning to him, I raise a brow which is lost in the chaos when he grabs my head and proceeds to kiss me. I’m curious enough to allow it, wondering if maybe my angst with Cooper could be so easily replaced by another hot fighter. Maybe it’s the adrenaline I crave?

His lips are warm and surprisingly soft but that’s the only impression I get before Cross leans back or I guess, Cooper pulls him away. Bemused, I glance up into his glittering eyes, noting his flared nostrils before he turns to Cross and shoves him in the shoulder.

With a trickle of alarm, I rise, but pause when Cross says, “Now it’s getting interesting. What’s the matter, fucker? Jealous?”

Cooper falters, his spine going rigid, and I shrink in my seat when he scoffs, “Don’t be an asshole.”

Cross raises an amused brow and I slowly shrivel inside when he baits the beast. “Then what’s the problem? Minnie and I were just getting to know each other better. Say, Minnie, is that short for something else?”

“Um,” I say as Cooper’s stare drills holes in my skull. Swallowing, I whisper, “Minerva.”

Cross snorts and I give him a dirty look before my heart drops to my knees because Cooper sneers, “Minerva? No wonder you fuck like a grandma.”

After that horrible fucking statement, silence pervades the room. Even Cross grimaces and when he turns to me with his hand in the air, I back away. My face feels numb, and I’ve got nothing but this cold, dead feeling in my soul.

“Min—“ Cooper says but I ignore the pleading sound. Actually, I ignore him altogether beyond glancing back when I hear a ruckus break out.

The last thing I see is Cooper swinging at Cross before I rush down the hall and take the stairs two at a time. On the ground floor, I fight the masses, bumping my way through until I find the nearest exit.

The dry as fuck heat sears my lungs while I stalk down the street and when I pass a bar, I duck inside, before finding a booth. I can’t hold back the tears and they plop down my cheeks as the server approaches with a dubious expression.

Before she can ask, I rasp, “Tequila.”

Hours later, I’m face down on the table and although the tears have dried up, I’m still a hot mess.

My phone took off the minute I sat down, and I turned it off, unwilling to know if Cooper tried to outreach or someone else. His constant attempts to push me away while sucking me in hurt my fucking soul but more importantly, I can’t take the whiplash.

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