“Don’t say that,” Chancey insisted. “You’re gonna go out there and win this fight, no matterwhoyou’re up against, you hear?”
“I’m sick of fighting,” I admitted. “And not just in the ring, either. Every day of my life is one battle after another. I don’t know how much longer I can go on like this.”
Chancey froze. “You’re not saying that you want to…?”
“No, I don’t want to kill myself,” I practically growled. “I want tolive. I’m just sick of fighting for the chance to survive, you know? It gets fucking old. Don’t you ever want to get out of here?”
Chancey sighed and sat beside me on the bench. “Yeah, of course I do. I’m sick of lying about fight club to Ives. I can’t keep going behind his back like this. I’m going to help you find who’s rigging the fights, and we’ll both get out of here.”
Chancey knew about my deal with Captain, because he’d been the first person I’d approached about it. Chancey took bets for the league, so if anyone had heard whispers of who was behind it, I figured Chancey would be the first to know. Unfortunately, Chancey knew as much about the rigging as I did.
“But until we catch this guy, do you want to tell me what’s really going on?” Chancey asked.
“I’m pretty sure the Warden wants to harvest my organs,” I said flatly.
Chancey chuckled. “Everything but your eyes.”
I smirked. “Of course.”
His laughter died, and his tone turned serious. “How can I help?”
“You haven’t heard any whispers about the rigged fights since I last asked, have you?”
“I haven’t heard a damn thing,” he said regrettably. “If I do, you’ll be the first to know. I hate seeing you get your ass kicked.”
I nudged him in the side. “You just want me out because my bets are shit.”
Chancey didn’t sound amused. “Your bets are shit because Captain’s punishing you. He never would’ve pit you against that vamp last week under normal circumstances.”
I pressed my fingers to the tender bruises I still had above my eye. The vampire I’d fought had pummeled me so freaking hard, I’d gone unconscious. “No kidding. I’m not looking forward to whatever flavor of poison he’s cooked up for me tonight.”
I’d found out nothing about the fights, and Captain was getting impatient.
“Rumor has it I’m up against Flames tonight,” Chancey said. “I hear he’s a little cheat who throws punches with a bit of Fire power behind them. Your bruises turn into burns, so that’ll be fun.”
“Suck a little life force out of him,” I suggested, only half-joking. “I’m sure that’ll slow him down.”
Chancey snorted. “I wish I could do that. Someday, maybe. But they’re not gonna teach me as long as I’m in this hellhole.”
Chancey couldn’t fool me. Helovedthe Institute. He’d once let it slip that it was the only place that had ever felt like home. If he didn’t end up in the adult penitentiary after he left here, it was only because he was smart and cunning, not because he’d changed his ways. He was a criminal through and through.
Though maybe that was changing now that he was with Ivy. His boyfriend was the only reason he wanted out of fight club, I was sure.
The crowd erupted outside, and an announcement boomed over the speakers.
Chancey clapped me on the shoulder. “Sounds like you’re up. Good luck out there. I hope to see you win.”
“Even though the bets are stacked against me?” I asked.
“It’s nice to keep things interesting.”
The door to the locker room burst open, and the last two fighters stormed inside, cursing up a storm at each other.
“Chancey, Bandit, you’re up!” Captain growled.
Chancey shot to his feet when his name was called, but he froze beside me.
“Both of us?” I gaped. “I thought Chancey was up against Flames.”
