“Of course he is,” I snarl, loving every second.
Diesel gets a few good shots in, but nothing lands clean. Raf’s defense is too good. He dances out of range, then comes back with a left hook that almost takes Diesel off his feet.
The crowd goes berserk, beer flying, people screaming over each other. I lose my mind a little, too, and grab Ava, spinningher in a circle before planting a hard, possessive kiss on her mouth. She tastes like whiskey and sin, and it’s almost as good as the fight.
The first round ends with Diesel on the ropes, face a mess of blood and spit. Raf looks untouched by comparison. He turns to our corner, stalking over as the ref calls for the break.
Wes quickly moves toward him, a towel in hand, popping up a stool for Raf to rest. He leans in, murmuring something in Raf’s ear, while Ava climbs up on the lower rope, leaning in so she’s practically in the ring. “You’re amazing!” she yells, and Raf glances at her. For a split second, his face softens, then hardens again.
Poor guy’s a fucking goner. This is more than violence for him, more than an outlet for his rage. He’s doing it forher.
She drops back to the ground, chest heaving, and I drape my arm around her shoulders. “Told you,” I murmur in her ear. “King of the ring.”
She laughs, leaning into me, and we just stand there for a second, watching Raf as he gets patched up by Wes.
“How many rounds are there?” Ava asks, glancing up at me nervously.
“Three, unless one of them gets knocked out first,” I reply. “Don’t worry, you’ll get to watch Raf humiliate this asshole at least one more time.”
She nods, but she’s jittery now, shifting from foot to foot. “How long do we have before the next round?”
“Minute, tops,” I tell her, cocking a brow. “You got somewhere better to be?”
She glances out at the crowd, then back at me, leaning in close enough that I feel the heat of her breath on my neck. “I really need to pee.”
I burst out laughing. “Now? In the middle of the best fight of the year?”
She glares at me, lips pursed. “I’m serious, Ford. I gotta go.”
“Fine, fine.” I roll my eyes, then catch sight of Wes and Raf both staring at us from the corner. Wes looks exasperated, Raf just pissed. I ignore them. “Make it quick,” I snap, grabbing Ava’s hand and hauling her out of the press of bodies, toward the makeshift bathroom sign posted on the far wall.
We get there just as the bell rings for round two. I’m half-tempted to just leave her and go back, but I don’t trust the drunk townies not to try something. I hover outside the bathroom door, cracking my knuckles, squinting through the crowd to see what the hell’s going on in the ring.
Raf is getting hit harder this round, but he’s still landing the better punches. Diesel’s bleeding from his mouth now, a steady drip staining the mat, and there’s something different in Raf’s face. He’s angry, sure, but less focused. Like he’s looking past Diesel, thinking about something else entirely.
I shake it off, glancing at the bathroom door. Ava’s taking fuckingforever.
I tap my foot, counting down the seconds. When she finally emerges, her eyes are glazed. She stumbles a little, catching herself on the wall.
“The fuck, you okay?” I ask.
She grins, still wobbly on her feet. “Never better.”
I grab her arm, steadying her. “Come on, you’re missing the good shit.”
I go to pull her back through the crowd, but she digs her heels in, tugging me back. “Wait,” she gasps, panting. “Just… wait a sec.”
I sigh, ready to drag her if I have to, but she’s already up against me, her hands sliding down my chest. “I want to feel you,” she whispers, voice gone all husky.
I glance at the fight, then back at her. “You can feel me when Raf’s done knocking this guy out.”
She shakes her head, then suddenly her lips are on mine, hungry and hard. Her tongue is hot, aggressive, and she tastes like whiskey and something sweeter. She pulls me against her, grinding her body into mine.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she wants to fuck. Right here, right now, in the middle of a warehouse full of degenerates.
Goddamn, I love her for it.
I forget all about the mayhem on the mat and push her against the wall, pinning her with my hips. She wraps her arms around my neck, legs parting so I can wedge my thigh between them. She’s panting, grinding on me like a cat in heat. I cup her ass, squeezing to remind her of the toy there, then slide my hand up under her shirt, feeling the flush of her skin.
