“Looks like you are.”
This time they let me walk away. Although Rebel called after me, “We want that info, Noah. You have twenty-four hours.”
I didn’t bother to reply. Better to leave them hanging. They would get what I wanted to give them when I was ready to give it to them. Until then they could kiss my ass.
CHAPTER FOUR
DOM
I stared after Noah as he left the basement, wishing I could finish what I’d started with his face. Casper refused to let me go until Noah was out of sight.
“That fucker needs to know how lucky he is to still be alive.” I pulled free of Casper, strongly considering racing after Noah. “I can’t let him get away with that shit.”
“You need to let this go for now,” Rebel said, turning back to the pool table. “He has twenty-four hours to give us something we can use. If he doesn’t produce, then he’s all yours.”
The need to hurt someone burned through me, setting me ablaze. I was just the right amount of drunk to seek out a good scrap. No longer in the mood to play pool with my friends, I decided to head outside for some action. Of course Casper came with me, not trusting me to go alone.
“Don’t do anything crazy,” he signed. “Maybe we should take off. Find another party or call it an early night.”
“You can take off. I’m going outside. If there’s a fight ring, I’m getting in it.” This fucking frat house was far too packed. The chaotic energy got inside my head, feeding my need for release.
I shoved my way through until finally we emerged into the backyard. There wasn’t an actual fight ring but a dedicated areato those who wanted to scrap. A wide open space at the back of the yard where the snow had been packed down by everyone’s shoes and boots.
Spectators kept their distance, continuing to drink and party while cheering on their chosen winner. Currently one of the football players was throwing hands with one of the hockey players. I made my way through the crowd to the guy in charge of who went next.
Pushing my way to the front of the line, I said, “I’ll take the winner. Hell I’ll take anyone who wants to get in there with me.”
The guy looked me up and down, nodding. “I’m sure you won’t have any trouble finding an opponent.”
Again Casper tried to convince me to leave. “Are you sure you don’t want to get out of here? We could grab something to eat.”
Casper was like a brother to me. All the Kings were, but he and I were especially close. He’d been through hell and back. Although he was doing much better now, I still worried about him. Evidently, he worried about me too.
I clapped him on the back. “I need to do this. If I don’t get this out of my system, I’m going to hunt Noah down and finish him off. It’s cool. You don’t have to stay.”
Casper rolled his eyes, his hands moving quickly. “Of course I do. Someone has to drag your broken and beaten ass out of here.”
“You think I’m going to lose?” I managed to look offended even though I knew he was just fucking with me.
“I think you’re drunk and not thinking clearly. Not a great combination.”
Before he could make another attempt to talk me out of it, the current fight ended, and I was waved over for my turn. The hockey player who won decided he’d had enough. Someone else had to step up. I stood there waiting for someone to take thechallenge. My gaze landed on Noah who stood several feet away. Watching me.
Of course he never accepted the challenge. Probably didn’t want to have his ass beat in front of all these witnesses. It was one of the frat bros that accepted. He eyed me up with disinterest. Already deciding I wasn’t a threat. He didn’t know how wrong he was.
Even though it was cold outside, I barely felt the chill. I was too amped up on adrenaline and alcohol. I moved to the center of the fight zone, waiting for my opponent to be ready. As soon as he joined me, I rushed him. Taking him by surprise with a punch that threw him to his ass.
The heavy weight of Noah’s watchful gaze followed me. I felt him there. His presence loud. Every punch I threw, I pictured his face on the end of it. Knowing he watched only pissed me off more.
My frat guy opponent did his best to fight back. He managed to take me by surprise with an unexpected headbutt. Instead of nailing me in the nose, he caught me on the chin. I gave my head a shake, clearing my brain before retaliating.
I fumbled my next punch. My opponent saw it coming, managing to block while nailing me with a clear shot to the face. Son of a bitch. I almost went down, slipping on an icy patch.
“Come on, Dom,” Noah shouted, his voice carrying above the rest. “Is that the best you can do?”
Noah was a fucking dead man. Trying to get inside my head to make me fuck up. All it did was give me the extra boost I needed to win this thing.
As a surge of rage exploded through me, I tackled my opponent, taking him down to the snow packed ground. Climbing on top of him, I wrapped my hands around his throat, squeezing tight. The guy overseeing the whole thing shouted atme to stop. When I saw my opponent’s eyes roll back in his head, I switched to dropping punches into his face.
