Page 27 of Shifting Gears

I tugged it on and placed my ball cap back on my head, and then I threw my hood up over it, shrouding my face in even more darkness.

“There. Better?” I asked with a chuckle.

She sighed, but nodded. “You really can be a pain sometimes, AJ. Stick close to me, and don’t say anything to anyone, please.”

We walked across the street and turned down an alley until we approached the end, where two very large bouncers stood outside a door. A few people were lined up along the side, waiting to get in. Music bumped in a low bass tone around the area.

Is she taking me to some secret nightclub? Weird place in town to have one of those.

We came to a stop right outside the door, completely bypassing the line. Raven looked between the two bouncers. Finally, the one on the left opened the door for us, and we walked past them.

As we walked in, the door closed behind us. A neon-lit staircase led downward, and graffiti covered the walls, including a familiar design that the yakuza she was tied to all had tattooed on their bodies.

I tensed, but continued to follow. If I was going to be walked into some shit, I wasn’t about to be caught off guard.

But when she hit the bottom step and the room opened up to a large space packed with people, my adrenaline spiked.Through the crowd of people here drinking, I could see fighters. She’d walked me right into the belly of the beast I knew all too well. I should have figured there would be illegal fight nights in Japan.

I stood there, taking in the details of the room. On one wall was a giant betting cage, which I guessed by the looks of the money piled on the back tables. This wasn’t anything like the fights in LA. This was the big leagues of fighting underground. I continued around the room. There were small rings, punching bags, and sparring dummies at one end of the room, where I could see multiple guys warming up—no doubt for the matches about to happen tonight. Then I directed my attention to the giant ring in the middle of the room.

Which was when Raven tapped my arm and nodded toward it.

We walked over, and I smirked at how big the ring was. There was stadium seating around the entire space, except for one side, which had fancy-ass box-style sections with some rich-looking people already sitting in them along with bodyguards standing behind them.

As we stood there, people walked by her and bowed to her before continuing on. Even two of the rich bastards got up and came over to pay their respects to her, all of them eyeing me as they did.

That was when I knew.

She wasn’t just some hot chick in a shitty situation with a guy she didn’t really want. If she was in a place like this and known here, she was hiding a lot more than she was letting on. And I was going to find out what she was really hiding.

CHAPTER 10

RAVEN

“Who the hell are you?Don’t bullshit me,” AJ said behind me.

I stopped in my tracks. A few people around turned their attention to us at his statement. I glanced over to where Kaito would sit if he were here, but the seat was empty. It might be risky, telling him some of the truth here, but I turned to face him, ready to let him in a little more.

“I am the eldest daughter of a very prominent sensei in the city. Especially in the fights people only hear whispers about. When my father passed away, I took up his mantle and am now the sensei of his dojo. People know me because I have students who fight in this ring,” I said, meeting his gaze and wondering what his next move would be.

His muscles bunched as his fists clenched. His eyes narrowed at me.

Anger. Distrust. I don’t blame him. I haven’t been completely up front with the details of my life.

“Oh, yeah? And whatstudentis that? Because if you think you can throw me into a ring and I’ll fight for you with nothing in it for me, you’re dead wrong,” he said, his voice deep and stern.

I shook my head and gestured to the side of the stadium seating. I walked over with AJ hot on my heels, and when I came to a stop, he placed a hand next to my head and blocked me from most of the crowd behind us.

“It’s nothing like that,” I said as my heart rate picked up with him so close to me.

“Right. So, I’m supposed to believe you had no idea who I was after you brought me here?” His words came out fast and harsh.

I reached up to place my hand on his chest, but he swatted it away, swearing under his breath.

“Nah. Don’t try to be sweet now. It’s not gonna get you out of this,” AJ said.

“I wasn’t. I need you to understand. I had no idea who you were or what you did before we met at the bar that night. I didn’t bring you here to fight anyone. AJ, please just relax for a minute and listen to me. And can you lower your hand? You’re drawing too much attention toward us,” I said as I looked up into his eyes, hoping he would feel the sincerity in my words.

Because I had no idea about his past. What he did and where he had come from were never really shared with me. I had to get AJ to calm down and not cause a scene tonight. The last thing I needed was for Kaito to find out another man was this close to me and get the idea we were more than what I wanted Kaito to think we were to one another.

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