Page 154 of More Tricks

“Yeah, said Jeff warned him you would hunt him down and make him pay for killing one of your people,” Eagle added. “After that, we made doubly sure he was safe so you could kill him properly.”

I nodded and started to pace as the plan I had started to build turned into something more. “Okay, good. Did Elena get back to Gabby?”

“Yup, they are safe, back home. We told them to stay at the compound just to be sure they were protected,” Eagle explained.

“Tommaso, did you have a grand entrance planned?” I inquired.

He frowned and shook his head. “No, do I need one?”

I flashed him a grin. “Oh, yeah, you do, and I have the perfect opportunity for you to really drive home everything you’ve been telling me. If you want this partnership between you and me to go off without a hitch, then you’ll have to trust me when I call you up to the ring tonight.”

“Yeah, I can do that,” Tommaso agreed. “If I’m going to pick a side in this fight, then might as well not be shy about it, right?”

I clapped my hands together, smiling like a fool. “Tonight is going to make such a splash, and no one will see it coming.”

“Walk us through what you can, little demon, so we can keep up,” Void requested, so I grabbed a pen and flipped over one of the maps for something big enough to draw on.

I carefully explained as I drew, watching them all realize what I was going to pull off. I was sure they understood the part I was keeping to myself, but I didn’t want to jinx it. This was risky as fuck, but dammit, it would be good to finally pull one over on Marco if this worked.

Chapter twenty-eight

Dax

The energy in the underground fighting ring was electric. The bleachers they had held about three hundred people and were packed. Then there were the box seats above that, protected by bulletproof glass, where the more important members of the criminal world sat. There were women in bikinis and heels selling shots, food, and themselves for the right price. When I say this place would have fit in ancient Rome with how debauchery was running wild, I wasn’t kidding. Men fucked right there in the bleachers, not giving a shit who was watching.

The fights had started by the time we arrived at nine since Void and I weren’t supposed to go on until ten. Or so they thought. We’d managed to smuggle in Diego and Axel with Betta’s help since she made it clear we needed our own space to ensure no fighting happened before the ring match.

Up on electronic scoreboards were the odds and bets people were making for each fight. These beginning ones weren’t as profitable as what they already had put down for Void and me. Too bad for them, they were never going to see a penny of it if they bet against me. I was just vindictive like that. I still needed to look the part, so I had on tight black shorts and a sports bra. Harper managed to braid my hair tight to my head, so if I had to fight, no one could grab it. I hoped the knife that was strapped to my thigh would deter them, but I didn’t trust anyone in here who wasn’t one of my people.

Knowing people would want to see me around, I headed out into the main area going for the bar. A double shot of whisky sounded perfect right now. The bartender spotted me and ditched the person who was trying to order to assist me. “What can I get you?”

“Whisky, make it a double,” I answered.

“On the rocks?” he asked.

“Nah, just make it the good shit,” I said, handing him over a twenty.

The man he’d ignored walked over to me, pissed as all hell. “Listen, you little bitch, I was ordering.”

I leaned on the bar and looked up at him. “Who do you work for?” I asked.

“What?”

“Sorry, let me try again slower. Who. Do. You. Work. For?” I tried again.

The man’s face turned red at the question. “I don’t work for anyone. I'm the leader of the Seven Snakes gang in Baltimore.”

“Ah, I see,” I said, nodding my head.

“Here you go, Tricks. Good luck with your fight tonight,” the bartender said, giving the gangbanger a telling look.

Mr. Snake realized what he said and backed up off me. “You’re Two Tricks?”

“I know, it’s the height. Everyone assumes I’d be taller, but you know what they say, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’ I feel like keeping it low to the ground helps me with that problem,” I shared, saluting him with my shot before tossing it back. “Damn, that hit the spot. Well, Mr. Snake, I hope you bet on the right person. Otherwise, this is not gonna be your night.”

“What do you mean by that?” he hollered after me, but I just kept walking.

I joined my guys in a section they had set aside for us to watch the fights if we wanted to. Some of these guys were actually pretty good, but some were just ruthless and would take any shot they could get in. Every fight ended with one of them dead, making Harper turn green and hide in Jaxson’s arms. We’d tried to tell her she didn’t want to come to this, but she refused to be put on the sidelines again. Hopefully, now when we said that, she’d listen.