Page 71 of The Players

Bastard. “That must be such a hardship. Watching women wrestle in the mud.”

“Watching hot women in tiny bikinis role in the mud,” Angel corrected him. “Don’t say I never do anything for you. Want me to place a bet for you on your woman?”

“Fuck you, Angel. Just, fuck you.”

“I’ve been getting that a lot lately.”

“I wonder why,” Sy scoffed.

“Because haters are gonna hate, hate, hate?”

“It was a rhetorical question, asshole. Don’t let her out of your sight. I’m on my way.”

He sent Vince a message before he went over to Kristoff and Viking, who were still looking at the blueprint.

“Something came up. Call me when you’ve found Keegan.”

He then went over to Brian’s in his Jeep. It could come in handy if he had to hide bodies, or give Carmen the spanking of a lifetime.

He got to Brian’s place, his brain going a hundred miles an hour. Forgotten were the reasons why he should stay the fuck away from her. All he knew was that he had to get to his woman. She must be so frightened. He elbowed his way through the rowdy crowd until he had a front-row seat at the mud pit. On the stage was Carmen, about to jump into the small arena to face her opponent.

He recognized the blonde in the pit from a strip joint.

She sent him a kissy face. “Hi, Sy, came to see me again?”

Carmen's eyes flashed and promised retribution. With a fierce battle cry worthy of a lioness, she jumped off the stage, right on top of Ivana. Or maybe it was Ivanka. He wasn’t sure as he couldn’t keep the sisters apart.

What followed was one hell of a game. Carmen used every technique he and Vince had ever taught her. He winced together with the crowd as Carmen took her opponent in a headlock. That was gonna hurt in the morning.

Poor Ivana/Ivanka didn’t stand a chance. Over and over, she ended up face down in the mud. In the end, Carmen got up, victorious. He wondered if she knew that half her top had come off? Judging by her big smile, he doubted it. The crowd roared, and more bets were placed.

Then she turned back to him. Her eyes promised to kickhisass next.

He grinned. He couldn’t wait.

CHAPTER 26

CARMEN

She’d won! She made that blonde silicone bimbo eat mud. Sweet, sweet victory. Her muscles ached as never before, her back hurt because a foot had landed there, but still, Carmen had never felt better.

The crowd cheered her on as the microphone guy announced her victory. She almost forgot she was part of an underground fighting ring that preyed on women in dire circumstances.

It felt good to feel alive. And even better to win. Goatee directed her out of the arena, back up the stairs to her cage. That’s when it hit her she would have to go another round.

Crap. She should’ve thought that one through, but seeing that woman making a move on Sy had pushed her buttons. Speaking of which, where was he?

“Good game.” Goatee sounded impressed. She couldn’t help but preen at his praise.

She stilled when he opened the door to her cage. “Um, I really don’t want to go another round.”

As the adrenaline left her body, she remembered how she ended up here in the first place. But, more importantly, why she had to get the hell out.

“Too bad.” Goatee smirked. “Rules are rules. You have to—”

His words were cut short.

Two pissed-off, about-to-spout-fire dragons, stood behind him. Vince decked Goatee and the man dropped like a log. Two men carrying guns walked up to them, but after exchanging a few words with Sy, they backed off.

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