28
Daniella
“This place is insane!”I yell over the noise at Peyton, who nods in agreement.
“I’ve only been here once, but it was just as crazy last time.”
From the outside, it looks like your typical warehouse, but inside, it’s been transformed into something you’d see on television.
A fighting ring—or whatever it’s called—is in the center of the huge space that’s filled with so many bodies. Women are dancing to the music, the alcohol is flowing, and bets are being made.
We’re sitting in the makeshift VIP section, away from everyone else, since it’s safer than being down with the crowd, and we have the perfect view of where the fight will be taking place. I watched a couple of Matteo’s fights on YouTube to prepare myself, but I still didn’t expect to see this type of crowd.
“It doesn’t help that he hasn’t fought in almost a year,” Lorenzo says.
Since Matteo needed to get ready for the fight, Lorenzo picked me up, and we met Matteo’s family here—along with Bri’s boyfriend, Theodore, who she formally introduced to her family tonight. Ian, the guard who’s stuck being my shadow, is standing in the corner, keeping watch, along with several other guards I recognize who work for Dominick andMatteo.
“How bad will he be when it’s over?” I ask Bri, knowing she’ll be honest with me.
We’re supposed to leave for Italy in the morning, but what if he’s hurt badly—gets a concussion or the opposing fighter breaks something vital on Matteo? I’m not worried about the trip, but about how badly Matteo is going to feel afterward. The videos only showed the fight, not the aftermath. It helps that Matteo is undefeated, but that doesn’t mean damage isn’t done.
“It varies,” she says. “They fight until one person can’t fight back, but Matteo is always the one left standing. Here.” She hands me a shot glass. “A little alcohol running through your system might help calm the nerves.”
“Thanks.” I down the shot, but within seconds, instead of feeling calm, nausea overtakes me, and I have to force the bile down.
I grab my bottle of water and chug almost the entire thing, which, of course, leads to me having to go pee.
“How long until the fight starts?” I ask Lorenzo.
“Maybe twenty minutes.”
“I need to use the restroom,” I announce to everyone, knowing Matteo told them to keep an eye on me.
It was a stipulation I agreed to in order to be here tonight—I go nowhere without letting everyone know, and I bring Ian everywhere.
“I’ll go with you,” Peyton says.
“Me too,” Bri adds.
“Do women ever go to the bathroom alone?” Dominick mutters.
“Nope,” the three of us say in unison and then laugh.
Since we all have guards with us, Ian walks in front of us, clearing the way, and Daniil and Denis take the rear.
The line to the bathroom is long, and I almost consider going back, not wanting to miss the fight, but I really do have to go.
“There are several stalls,” Peyton yells over the noise. “It should go fast.”
Ten minutes later, we make it inside, and I run to an empty stall and hover over the toilet to go pee. Once I’m done, I quicklywash my hands and then head out, figuring I’ll meet them outside so someone else can come in to use the stall I was just in.
Only when I step outside, the crowd for the restroom has deepened, and a fight between two women has broken out. In the midst of the chaos, I’m shoved out of the way and into the corner of the room. People are yelling and screaming, and it looks like several other women—and men—have joined in.
I try to locate the guards, but there are too many people crowding the area. It’s announced that the fight will be starting in two minutes, but it doesn’t stop the brawl that’s taking place from escalating.
I’m jostled every which way, and I get turned around. Since I can’t seem to find anyone I know, I make the decision to head back to the VIP section.
But before doing so, I pull my phone out to text Ian so he knows what’s happening. I’m typing out a text to him when I’m pushed forward, and I lose my balance. I reach out to steady myself, but before I can, strong arms wrap around me from behind, and I’m lifted off my feet.
