Alec gives me a long look before he nods. “I told you I’m done with secrets,” he says softly. He slips his hand over mine, entwining our fingers.
Maybe it should bother me. Maybe he’s right to be worried that learning more about his world might drive me away. But I saw him murder a man in cold blood for hurting me. Trafficking guns feels light in comparison.
“I’ve never been to a fight before,” I admit, changing the subject. Truthfully, I’ve never wanted to see one, never had the slightest inclination to watch grown men hurt each other for sport.
“I’m not surprised,” Alec tells me. He turns to watch me, and I can’t bring myself to look at him. I concentrate on the people below us as, one by one, all the empty seats begin to fill. “This isn’t something you would seek out on your own, is it?”
I shrug. “No,” I answer honestly. “No offense, but it seems a bit boring to me.”
Alec makes a small affirmative sound deep in his throat. “I think you might enjoy it,” he tells me smoothly. “If you give it a chance.”
I hum in answer, a noncommittal noise. Smirking, Alec plants a kiss on my hair and moves toward the wet bar. He returns with a flute of champagne for me, and a glass of something dark and golden for himself.
“So, how does this work?” I ask, figuring I might as well put in the effort of feigning interest.
“There will be two fights tonight,” Alec informs me, sipping his drink. “The first will be a warm-up. An opening act, if you will. Two good fighters, decent but not great, to get the crowd going.”
“I see,” I say, frowning at the ring below us. Great. So, I have to watch more than one of these. Maybe I should be drinking an espresso martini to keep myself awake.
“Each fight consists of three rounds, with a break between them,” he explains. “The rounds last for five minutes, or until a fighter taps out. Or is unable to continue fighting.”
I take a sip of my drink, trying to look interested.
When I lower my glass, Alec is watching me with a playful smile on his face. “Lend me a little trust tonight, Sydney,” he murmurs. He glides a finger over my arm, raising goosebumps on my skin.
Licking a drop of champagne from my lower lip, I nod.
I’mon my second glass when the first fight starts.
The announcer steps into the ring, listing the stats and credentials of the first round of fighters. The crowd cheers wildly as the men enter and tap their hands together, dipping their chins to one another.
When the bell rings, Alec moves to stand behind me, placing one hand on either side of mine on the guard rail.
They circle each other for a few seconds, and when the first punch lands, I wince. Not at the violence of it, but the surprise. It’s fast. Much faster than I expected.
The next hit makes me jump, my muscles tensing. But I’m ready for the one after that. And the one after that. Excitement pools deep in my belly, growing as I watch.
To my untrained eye, the fighters feel evenly matched. For every hit that sends one reeling, another is returned with equal force. It’s mesmerizing, enticing.
I can’t bring myself to look away.
“How are you liking the fight?” Alec asks, in a voice I wouldn’t call gentle.
“I like it. I… I think I might like it too much,” I confess, letting the truth sink in. My eyes are glued to the men circling each other, testing each other’s weaknesses. I can see the crowd cheering in my peripheral vision, excitement growing as another punch lands hard.
To my surprise, Alec laughs.
I glance over my shoulder at him. “I’m not kidding. What kind of person am I becoming?” I shake my head. “Who likes this sort of thing?”
“Oh, darling.” He chuckles darkly behind me. “You’re notbecominganything. It’s already who you are, who you’ve always been. And you’re not alone. This country was built on violence. Our economy practically runs on it.”
I chew my lip at that, not liking the way it makes me feel. When I turn away from him, he reaches out, taking my jaw in his hand.
“Sydney.” Alec’s voice is much darker now, the grip on my jaw tight. “You will let yourself enjoy this tonight. For me.”
Swallowing, I obey, turning back to the fight.
Alec holds my head in place, fingers digging a little hard into my skin. His breath is warm against my cheek when he bends down to speak.
