He looks at me wide eyed and shakes his head. He’s a skinny guy, all bones no muscle, and doesn’t look like he’s part of any domain but his own stupidity.
“Good, back off,” I sneer.
I bring my attention back to the ring, where Carmine is arguing with the boss.
“Dresvanni! For fucks sake!” I rattle the chains, and several others do it too beside me in excitement.
Finally, I’ve had enough of it. I stomp around until I can find the entrance to the arena that’s blocked by two large guards. I’m bigger and taller than them.
“Let me get my friend outta there,” I demand.
“He walked in on his own free will,” one of them insists. “You gotta problem, you take it to the boss.”
I huff and slam my fist against the chain links. “Lemme take it to him then.” I move past them. They grab me by the arm, but a voice calls over the crowd, loud and clear.
“Let him in, boys!”
I yank myself from their loosening grip and make a beeline toward Carmine who is looking in my direction finally.
“I don’t need h-his help,” Carmine is insisting when I get over there.
“Clearly,” the owner, Tiger, says.
I grab Carmine by his upper arm. “He’s not fighting anyone tonight.”
“He walked in here willing and ready,” Tiger says, “but I don’t want him.” He waves a hand. “I’ve been trying to get him the fuck outta here for ten minutes. He’s holding up the main event.”
I can’t help but let out a laugh as Carmine growls in frustration.
“I told you; I can do it. Let me fight. Let me kick someone’s ass.” Carmine’s hands tighten into even whiter fists.
“I don’t care if you can or not,” Tiger says with a sigh.
I shake my head. “I’m happy to haul his ass out, but I’m curious, why not?” I raise a brow.
Carmine huffs and takes a step back. “This is bullshit!” He slams his fists against the chain, and the crowd laughs and cheers, with only a few boos throughout.
“Let him fight!” someone calls out.
“Ah damn, not this,” Tiger hisses. “He’s shitfaced, dealing with his daddy’s death, and I don’t need a Dresvanni’s blood onmy hands. No fucking way. I got some big boys lined up tonight for a lotta money. Half the crowd’s bets are making me more than enough to open up another ring on the other side of of town.”
His voice is loud enough for me to hear, but I doubt the crowd hears anything but muffled masculine tones. Tiger’s voice is deep and laced with a Grecian accent.
“Got it. I’ll get him out,” I promise.
Carmine is practically kicking up a dust storm a few feet away. He comes barreling back at me and grabs me by the front of my shirt. I can smell the alcohol practically leaking from his pores.
“Just let me do this,” he begs me. “I need it.”
I sigh and pull his hands off my shirt. “Come on.” I grab him by his arm again and try to pull him forward, but his feet are planted to the ground. Like a cat digging their claws in to the carpet, he refuses to move.
“Come on, Carm,” I whisper at him as I lean in further. “If you don’t get outta here, you might not make it out.”
“Maybe I don’t want to!” he shouts at me.
I blink, just staring at him for a moment. My chest aches. Like a stone surrounding my heart, another small piece of it starts to break away.
“You don’t mean that. Now come the fuck on.” I pull him, practically thrashing and kicking all the way to the exit of the arena.
