Page 15 of Royal
I nod, readjusting my bra top as we get closer to the crowd. I have seen women perform this duty for various MMA or boxing matches, I just never imagined it’d be me up there with my ass half hanging out.
“Make way. Cage girl coming through!” Freya shouts. We stop to allow them time to move, and she has to nudge a big guy blocking our way to the side.
My stomach gives a flip, diving into my throat, then flopping back into place somewhere in my abdomen. This is it.
“There.” Freya points with a manicured finger. “There’s your guy. Royal Kaplan.”
Fuck me sideways.
I blink twice and try to pick up my jaw from where it fell onto the floor.
Royal. He’s one of the Sigma Iota Nu boys. One of their fighters.Myfighter.
Freya hisses in my ear, her hand on my upper back. “What the hell are you waiting for? Everyone is watching. Go!”
How had I not fucking known Royal is a brother at SIN? Why hadn’t Davis warned me? Panic races through my veins, and my eyes widen as I take in the crowd. The ring. And a pair of lethal green eyes that pierce holes into my heart.
Shoving all my apprehension down deep, I choose to ignore him for the moment and focus on the crowd. The people move as one, a rabid monster snarling and drooling as I lift my arms into the air and try to placate it by waving with both hands. I swing my hips and propel myself forward, each step bringing me closer and closer to certain annihilation. I could turn and run, tail between my legs, but as awkward as I find this, a tiny thrill does zip through me. I make the final call, affirming it in my brain: I fucking have to do this, put on the best motherfucking show I can. Flicking my eyes over to Morgan, I decide I’m going to embody every bit of that bitch’s sex-kitten persona I can. Really play the part. I won’t let Royal scare me. We’re in public. He can’t fucking hurt me here.
If I recall, Cassie said this was the first fight of the semester, and from the electric atmosphere filling the warehouse from floor to rafters, I believe this crowd is primed and ready to watch this matchup between Royal and Morgan’s guy. My eyes drift to the bench across the cage from where Royal is sitting, looking for Bear.
Oof.That’s gotta be him. He’s… something, all right. First of all, he’s enormous. I can tell he’s super tall, even while seated. Morgan hovers beside him, toying with the hair at his nape, and I can only imagine the coy, sultry things she’s whispering in his ear. Interestingly enough, this Bear guy doesn’t seem like he’s into it. In fact, she says something, and he suddenly stands, almost as if annoyed. My lips twitch, wondering if Morgan has actual carnal knowledge of him, or if she was simply trying to impress me. Or make me jealous? Scare the fuck out of me? I have no idea.
My breath stutters when I realize while I’ve been pondering what the deal is with Bear and Morgan that my feet have carried me all the way to Royal. I jerk to a stop, taking in the arch of his brow and the cool gaze he’s aiming at me. Groaning internally, I surrender to the feel of his eyes roaming over my body, touching me in all the places he used to. I swallow hard as he holds out a gloved hand and, with a beckoning of his fingers, he roughly demands, “Come here.”
A swarm of chaotic bees buzz in my lower abdomen. There’s an awareness that has always spiked inside me whenever I’m near him. He’ll use it against me. I know it. He’s not the same person he was. He’s changed, and I can’t say it’s for the better.
I let a steady exhale leave my lips as we face off. A stubborn streak a mile wide resides inside me that makes me not want to bow to his command, but I know I’m expected to put on a show for the audience. I’m supposed to gush over him and all his fighting prowess. Fuck it. I’ll do it.Show no fear. Make sure he understands he can’t fuck with you.
I’ve learned to be strong because life has handed me so much bullshit. If I hadn’t sucked it up and carried on, I’d have surely broken under the weight of everything that’s been dumped onto my shoulders.
Slowly, I close the distance between us until I’m right in front of him. Propping my hands on my hips, I bend at the waist, leaning close. I know better than to poke an angry beast, but I nail him with all the sass I can conjure up. “Hey, baby. What a nice surprise.”
There’s a flicker of annoyance in his eyes before he narrows them on me. His jaw works to the side. “In-fucking-deed. I could say the same.”
I blink and out of nowhere, his fingers have snaked around the back of my neck and tugged me within an inch of his face. My hands shoot out to brace me from falling. They make contact with the warm skin of his pecs, and the muscles immediately react, bunching under my fingertips. We’re so close our noses brush, and the corner of his mouth quirks up. He exhales, his minty breath cascading over my lips, and my heart hammers so hard I’m terrified he can see it because let’s face it, this stupid bikini top isn’t hiding much of anything.
Shifting, he whispers in my ear, “Princess, I don’t know why the fuck you’re here, but you’d better make this look good. There are plenty of girls watching tonight who would fuckingloveto be in your shoes right now.”
Fuming, I take in one breath. Then another. “Maybe you should do something to prove you’re worthy of the show I’m about to put on, then.” Fuck it and fuckhim.I turn my back on him, pop my hip to the side and give the crowd a wave and a big smile that makes a good percentage of them sit up and pay attention. The volume in the arena increases exponentially as they scramble to figure out what’s going on over here.
In the next instant, Royal grabs my elbow and spins me around. Air leaves my lungs in a violent rush, and I barely have time to process what’s happening. I stumble in my sky-high heels, and he has my back against the cage in no time flat. He’s caught both of my wrists with his free hand and holds them over my head.
It’s awkward, but the rowdy crowd goes wild as they watch our struggle. It’s entirely possible they think we’re putting on an act for them. My breasts brush Royal’s chest. All that’s separating our flesh is my skimpy bikini top. His hips have mine pinned, and with one of his thighs wedged between mine, I’m very cognizant of the fact that I’m bare under my skirt.
“If you’re not careful, I’m going to make you put that sassy mouth to work in front of this entire crowd.” His eyes glitter with malicious intent. He means it.
My breath catches in my throat, and I strain against his hold on me, bucking my body against his. We have these deranged jackasses surrounding us in the warehouse absolutely roaring. Sounds of encouragement fill the room, and the comments from faceless men come rapid-fire, one after another.
“Hey, Royal, who’s the little hottie?”
“So fucking hot.”
“I wonder if it’d be better for him to fuck her and get it out of his system or use all that pent-up frustration in the ring.”
I suck in a breath as Royal’s free hand grasps my ass and tugs me closer. The cup he’s wearing prevents me from feeling an erection if he has one, but his implication is clear as he rubs it against me. There’s a part of me that remembers his touch. My eyes flutter shut. Things worsen for me when he skims his lips along my jaw, then all the way up to my ear. Memories cascade over me with startling clarity.
Blood pumping through my body as sweat slicked my skin.
