I clench my teeth and don’t answer him because fuck him, he’s right. I can’t help but wonder why Ty’s fighting. I didn’t.. I thought he’d stopped fighting after I hit Mario.
My eyes move back to Ty and he shakes his head, letting go of Mickey before stepping back and turning his back to me.
That beautiful, strong, tattooed back that’s hunched over like he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I hold my breath because maybe, just maybe, he’s able to get us out of this.
Maybe,maybehe has a plan.
I can’t fight him.
How am I meant to fight the love of my life? All I’ve ever wanted…all I’ve ever done, is to try and keep him safe. Now I’m meant to…
No.
“I won’t do it.”
Mickey stalks over to my side of the ring, stops right in front of me with a smile on his face I desperately want to knock off painfully. With my fists. “Oh, you will. You both owe me.”
“I’ll stay in your debt. I’ll keep fighting. But I won’t fight Ty,” I say strongly, standing up as straight as I can with the asshole's arm around my shoulders.
“Do you see everyone here?” Mickey narrows his eyes, looking around slightly. “This fight has brought in more peoplethan any other fight all year. We didn’t even have to mention Ty’s name, just yours. Thousands of dollars have been bet and I’m standing to win thirty thousand no matter what. But you, my dear little Roxanne,” Mickey says my name with a dark chuckle, brushing his dirty finger over my face, “you will be fighting. Or I’ll make sure Ty doesn’t leave this ring.”
“I hate you,” I snarl.
“I really don’t care. But you better put on a good show, Roxie. Or I’ll make sure I kill him at your feet so you can know how he blames you for everything.”
“You’re evil.”
“I’m a business man. I’m just collecting on your own stupidity. Besides, do you think Ty cares about fighting you? You’re nothing. He’s going to crush you like the bug you are.” His words are like a barb to my heart, hitting me in all the places where my insecurity lies.
“Now get out there and actually try to win, otherwise, he’s probably going to kill you. Not that anyone would care.”
With that last dig, the babysitter abruptly lets go and pushes me forward, my feet dragging in the dirt and I catch myself before I fall.
The lights flash, a signal that the Ringmaster is about to announce things, and I feel like…my whole world has flashed before my eyes.
How… What wrong turn did I take to get here? I did everything I could… I sacrificed everything and yet, here I am. Here he is.
The only man I’ve ever wanted to protect with everything in me.
“Ladies and not-so-gentleman,” the Ringmaster’s smoker-gravel voice rings through the broken speakers and everyone starts to cheer. “Over on the right side, we havethebig fight. The one you’ve all come for, let’s be honest here. Little MissAnnihilator has been working for weeks on her comeback fight and we’ve got it. You all are in for quite the show,” he clears his throat and starts to cough. The disgusting hacking shaking me from my head for a moment and I look right at Ty.
Who’s not meeting my eye.
“Entering in the fight, we welcome back to the ring, The Destroyer!” The crowd loses its shit, erupting into cheers as Ty throws his hands up in the air, amping up the crowd.
Ty steps into the center, clearly intent on going through with this fight.
“Ty?” I ask softly, walking forward to try and, I don’t know, tell him I don’t want this. That we can figure it out, but he looks behind me suddenly and his eyes are dark and hard as he looks at me.
“What?” His voice is cold. So detached it makes me recoil.
I step closer, hands curled into fists as I step closer to him, trying to put an intimidating look on my face. I need to show everyone that I’m playing the game. I need to show Mickey that I’m keeping up my end of the bargain. Like the beginning of any fight, we step close together and the handler checks us over.
It’s now or never.
“I’ll figure something out. I love you,” I whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.
Look at me, Ty. Fucking look at me,I plead mentally as if he could somehow read my thoughts. But he steadfastly avoids my eyes.
