“Wait, where are you going?!” my almost-hookup demands.
I sigh and look back at him, my cheek stinging from the slap. “I guess tonight isn’t the night, Rolan.”
“It’s Riley,” he corrects, and I know without a doubt that’s my cue to leave.
“You have nothing else to say?” the redhead screams behind me. And the truth of the matter is, I don’t. I know I’m the jerk for using people to distract myself. Most of them are fine with the one-night stands, but this encounter definitely soured my mood for tonight.
I’m a fucking mess. I know it. Don’t need anyone to tell me that.
But the lingering sting of her hand is a warm welcome.
5
DANTE
Ismile at the screen when she doesn’t reply. To be honest, I didn’t expect her to, but to say I’m intrigued by her is an understatement.
The only thing I know is her first name is Romi. And although I could learn everything I need to about her with one simple payment, I’ve decided to do this the old-fashioned way. I am, after all, only living with her to immerse myself into my brother's world to piss him off. And until then, I’ll play the nice guy.
The moment I walk into Luca Armani’s Balmere club, I’m in awe of the haven he’s built. Naked men and women dance in cages, ready to be purchased by the highest bidder. Men sit at tables, gambling.
Luca isn’t in tonight, but it’s not him I’ve come for. I walk through the club and past his office. The security guard stands aside for me, and I head down the stairs to where the real gambling happens. The underground fighting ring attracts all kinds of interesting characters to spend big money, but it’s the first time I’ve seen it in person.
A single ring is positioned in the center of the room, with stadium chairs surrounding it. However, tonight, it’s eerily quiet because matches are only hosted once a week. Five men wait for me at the bottom of those stairs. The hounds.
“Hello, boys,” I purr with satisfaction that they’re obliged to meet me here after my summons. None of them replies, but they all watch me carefully. As I walk closer, two of them slowly circle me to block my path to the exit.
The smell of a fight lingering in the air makes me spectacularly happy. “The least you can do is remove your masks so I can see your hideous faces.”
The first to remove their mask is the blue-gemmed hound, revealing light-blue eyes, blond hair, and an elegant face that is almost doll-like.
“On the contrary, I’ve been told all my life that I’m beautiful,” Sky says, but the charm doesn’t meet his gaze. No, he wants to murder me. Delightful.
The rest follow Sky's lead, removing their masks. The brown-gemmed hound is the oldest of the five, Tony, who’s been acting as Ara’s personal security.
The next is Izak, who assisted me only days ago in ensuring I was the only applicant for my current residence.
The other two are the ones I can’t wait for. The green-gemmed hound removes his, licking his lips, predatory-like. “I can’t wait to kill you tonight,” Tyson says, cracking his knuckles.
The red-gemmed hound removes his, and it’s the stoic expression on his face that should be terrifying, but I can see the bloodthirsty psychopath beneath. There’s always something off about people like him. Although they might adapt to society, I’ve learned to trust my instinct. In summary, he’s the only one I should worry about.
But this is also the only way to assert my authority, the one way to gain their respect. I crack my own knuckles, a shot of adrenaline coursing through my veins.
“Well, boys, know there will be consequences if you kill him,” Tony says as he whittles what looks like a wooden animal.
“That doesn’t exactly sound like you’re trying to dissuade us,” Tyson says as he steps toward me. I undo the top two buttons on my shirt and roll up my sleeves, a gentle buzz of excitement coursing through my veins.
Tony shrugs as Izak looks back down at his laptop, uninterested and busily types away, stating. “Do whatever you want, but I’m not helping anyone with a body bag tonight.”
“You’re so lazy,” Sky says with a smile as he and Tyson circle me. It’s Kage who stands back, not out of fear, but because he's sizing up his competition. He might be a psycho, but he’s at least a calculated one.
“Let’s make it thrilling, shall we?” I pull a small case out of my leather jacket before shaking it off. I’m always so excited to acquaint others with my favorite weapons. The two scalpels glint under the lights.
Tyson scoffs as he pulls out his own blades. “Pfft, he’s a doc through and through, huh? What are you going to do, stitch us up after?”
I can’t help but smile to antagonize him further. Men like him are all the same. Short-tempered and always the first to bleed.
“Your mistake would be thinking my curiosity for the blades came during my studies and not before. You’d be surprised by how deadly nicking the right arteries can be,” I tell him.
