After a couple of seconds staring into thin air, Dimitri locks his icy blue eyes with mine. “Where is the fight scheduled to take place?”
“That’s another thing.” I swallow to eradicate the annoying nerves in my voice before saying, “I lost the card he printed the details on.” When Dimitri’s jaw grits, I talk faster, “I know it is in Hopeton and that I have to arrive at nine o’clock sharp.” Rocco snickers when I add, “I was hoping you could fill in the blanks.”
Dimitri leans forward until his elbows are propped on his desk. “Let me check if I have this right. You want me to grant you permission to fightafterIunearth the location where the event is taking place, even with you being a no-show atmyevents both Thursdayandlast night? Is that right?”
Rocco calls me a fucking idiot under his breath when I lift my chin. “You need to learn the art of ass-kissing, my friend,” he suggests at the same time Dimitri says, “Not interested.”
“I’m willing to negotiate. State your terms.” When he orders Rocco to remove me from his office, I shrug out of his hold. He may have a gun, but I have unquenched desperation. There’s nothing more potent than that. “I’ll do anything. I’ll give you a bigger cut of the proceeds. I’ll even compete in your Friday night schedule if that’s what it will take for you to help me. State your terms, and I’ll agree with them.”
Dimitri slices his hand through the air, wordlessly requesting for Rocco to stop hauling me out of his office. “You want herthatbad?”
Some may call me a fool for immediately nodding, but I can’t help it.
Lying isn’t my forte.
“All right,” Dimitri breathes out many prolonged seconds later. “But it’ll cost you more than a bigger slice of the pie.”
Having nothing to lose, I once again nod.
16
Demi
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” I murmur to my reflection in the mirror.
I’ve scrubbed my face clean, filled in the gash under my right eye with liquid foundation, and done up my face as if I’m about to spend the night on the town, yet, only now is the real show about to begin.
I had hoped my life would never reach this stage, but I can no longer walk around wearing a blindfold. Everyone knew my life would eventually take this path, even Maddox. That’s why he fought so hard to make me forget last night, and it’s the very reason I fled the instant he snuck out of his room this morning.
My uncle’s monarch sucks the blood out of the veins of the heirs born to rule it, so imagine the damage it will cause a man not programmed to jump on cue. Maddox may last a couple of months in this realm, perhaps even a year, but eventually, it would wear him down as it has me.
I refuse to let that happen.
Iswung the bat.
Imissed the ball.
Now I’m hoping like hell I don’t punch out.
After ensuring my face is half presentable, I pat down the hem of my floral dress before exiting the washroom. Like they doeverytime I’m in their vicinity, the men of my uncle’s crew wolf-whistle and call me derogative names. A handful of them even go as far as fanning up my dress like I have no rights whatsoever.
I’d slap away their hands, but since that only ever encourages them to badger me more, I act as if they’re not in the room with me. My focus is on one man and one man only, and when I reach him, I’m reasonably sure even more unwanted attention will be directed my way.
“You’re early,” my uncle says with a disgruntled grunt. “Is he done with you already? Why am I not surprised?”
“Can I speak with you? I-In private, please.” The stutter of my words is understandable. It isn’t every day a woman puts herself in this predicament, much less with a man who has the same blood as her. “Perhaps in your office? It’s quieter there.” I gather his hand in mine like mine aren’t shaking a million miles an hour before peering at him like he’s a saint, and I’m a sinner willing to do anything to be granted a stay of execution. “Please. I’m sure it won’t take more than a minute.”
Fear encroaches me from all angles when he drags the back of his index finger down my bruised cheek. He isn’t remorseful he hurt me. If anything, he’s turned on by the fact he marked me so well, my welts are still noticeable twenty-hours later.
Hurting women is a favorite pastime of his. It also explains where I went wrong last night. I exposed that my biggest fear isn’t him hitting me. His gentle touch is what scares me the most because I know it will only be gentle for so long before it jumps to maiming.
I don’t know whether to barf or silently cheer that my plan is working when my uncle mutters, “Everything with me, dear, takes longer than a minute.”
“Then perhaps you can grant me two?” I talk as if I’m a regal princess even with me feeling anything but regal. I feel dirty and disgusting, a stark contradiction to my emotional state most of last night.
Maddox.Oh.I never realized how much the world spun until the wee hours of this morning. The Walsh brothers are known for their playboy ways. They have a reputation almost every woman on the planet would happily ignore for a chance to occupy their bed, and after last night, I can confidently declare I’m now on that list.
Maddox was attentive, gentle, sweet, and mind-blowingly skilled. He heightened my sexual palate to a level I didn’t realize it could reach, then he catapulted over it with a second round that was even better than the first.
