Page 75 of Clinch'd

Pulling away from him, I sit rigidly, until Jordan says rudely in my ear, “You better be nice to me. I could make this very painful for you.”

“You already are,” I hiss, ignoring the painful slide of caution telling me to shut the fuck up before I end up a statistic in this fucking town.

Jordan’s brows slam over his eyes but he drops the subject and his gaze when Suit says, “Enough. Leave us.”

Hm, so he’s not as all fucking powerful as he’d have me believe. Dick.

Jordan slides from the booth and walks away but I see the stiff set to his shoulders and bite my lip, turning back toSuit. It would seem that I’m piling up dicks with bad attitudes everywhere I go, but Jordan feels particularly slimy and I’m uneasy about our next meet up alone. Which I will have to studiously avoid if at all possible.

“Well,” Suit says turning to me with his dead as fuck eyes. Shifting, uncomfortably I whisper, “I’m in. Sort of.”

“What does sort of, mean?” he demands, and I cower.

I hate myself for it, but where Jordan makes my skin crawl this guy makes me see my death and it isn't fucking pretty. His blank stare alone contains horrors I want no part of.

And with a sinking sensation I stare into his eyes and realize they’re not going to let me live after this. Why would they? They’re using me for god knows what and when my usefulness ends, so too will my fucking existence.

My lungs constrict and I suck in a breath to try and contain the feeling, but I’m fighting for air as I gaze at him mutely, trying to remember what he just fucking said.

His eyes narrow thoughtfully before he murmurs, “Well?”

“I’m, yes, I’m in,” I mutter, turning my burning gaze to my lap where my hands are clenched so tightly, they actually sting. Still the feeling is far preferable to the panic squeezing my chest, so I don’t fight the surge.

“Hm, there’s a fight tonight. Mickey B will be there. When the time is right, you’ll get the goods from him, plant them and walk.”

“Goods?” I ask in horror, my eyes flying to his despite my efforts to avoid it.

“Yes, don’t worry about it. You do this and you’re out,” he says, standing and straightening his coat.

I’m dumbfounded, fucking reeling. Because nobody said anything about planting anything and I can’t fathom what this means for Cooper. I mean it was bad enough spying on him forfucking secrets or some shit, but this? Are they trying to ruin his career?

“I don’t know Mickey B,” I whisper, and he chuffs before saying coldly, “You will.”

Numbly I watch him walk away, meeting Jordan at the door where they exchange a few words and Jordan looks back at me with a sparkle in his eyes. Why is Jordan in on this? Do they have something over him, too?

Shit.

Downing my drink, I drop the glass to the table and rub my face. I’m playing a dangerous game here and as I sit and wait for Beast who I’m ghosting I guess; I realize that I don’t know who the fuck Cooper Jackson is any more than I know Suit or any other player. But if I don’t fucking figure it out, I’m dead, because Suit isn’t going to leave a liability breathing and Cooper is going to hate my guts if he finds out I’m the one who did whatever disgusting thing I’ve just been ordered to do.

I have the overwhelming need to be alone, so I can process what’s going on and get my head on straight. I don't really know what to do but I can't imagine choosing death over whatever nefarious shit is about to happen with Cooper even though the thought of betraying him curdles my stomach.

I’m fucking fucked. And so is Cooper.

Back in my room, I text Beast my change of plans and open up a new thread to Cooper.

Blankly, I stare at the screen before typing out the words with trembling fingers.

Change of plans. I’ll be here when you’re done

I’m hoping he invites me to the match otherwise I’ll have to find another way, but I can’t exactly invite myself.

Cooper: Come to the fight, I’ll have a ticket waiting for you

Minnie: Are you sure?

Cooper: Yeah baby, after I’ll fuck you in the locker room, I’ve been thinking about it since the last time

Bemused, I stare at the message before agreeing and closing out my phone. I’m so fucking fucked and beyond that, I’m scared. I don't know what to do, and I have less than an hour to figure it out. If I don't perform, I could die but if I do, I could do something to harm someone who for all I know is an innocent bystander.

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