I opened my mouth to speak.
The Prez’s eyes flicked to me, cool and assessing. “Your girl is pretty.” His gaze was lecherous. “I’ve never had a cheerleader.”
Beck narrowed his eyes. “No talking to or about her if you want me to fight.”
The old man straightened. “I’m trying to be generous, but you’re making it difficult.”
“If you guarantee her safety, I’ll do whatever you want me to.” Beck pulled me closer.
The Prez stood, “Follow me.”
He led us into a hallway that opened behind the bar—narrow and lit by a single strip of buzzing fluorescent light. He pushed through a reinforced door at the end.
The room was small and windowless, with a door on the far side. A large cot was pushed up against one wall. A scarred table and two chairs took up the rest of the space.
“I’ll have one of the girls bring you something to eat.” He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t try to leave. Big George and Red will keep watch, and you know George is dying for you to fuck up so he can get his hands on this beauty.” He flicked his gaze to me and licked his lips. “You can clean up in the bathroom.” He motioned to the door I’d seen.
Beck pushed me behind him and growled.
He laughed, “You’ll fight tomorrow,” the prez said to Beck, leaning back against the wall like he had all night. “We’ll talk after…unless you refuse to throw it.”
Beck didn’t take the bait. “And tonight?”
“Tonight,” the man said, “you rest. Fuck that sweet piece of ass.” He coughed roughly. “Relax.”
I noticed his face looked flushed.
He turned and grinned at me. “Keep him calm, girl. You don’t want to see the weapon in George’s pants up close and personal.” He laughed all the way out of the door.
I heard a lock click.
I waited a beat before exhaling. “What the hell are we going to do?”
Beck pulled me into a hug and then kissed the top of my head.
“I’m going to kill them, and you’re going to watch.” He whispered almost lovingly.
My eyes widened, and I jerked out of his arms, “There’s no way you can kill all of those men by yourself.”
He bopped me on the nose and smiled, “Don’t doubt me, Fox.”
Beck was as crazy as the old man.
“I’m assuming you have arealplan?” I wasn’t the type to count on a man to rescue me. My ass was too important to me to rely on anyone else to save it.
He led me to the table and pulled out my chair. “Maybe. Let’s eat and get some rest. Seems I’ve got a fight to lose tomorrow.”
Voices drifted through the door, and I could hear coughing over the loud music that was playing.
“Did you notice how many of them are sick?” I tucked my hair behind my ear.
“I did.” He sat in the other chair and rubbed a hand over his face. “It might work in our favor.”
The light in the room flickered, then steadied.
Outside the door, someone dragged what sounded like a chair across the floor, stopping outside our room. A cough followed—wet, ugly, and wrong.
Beck met my eyes, his expression grim. “I’ll get us out of this, Fox, I swear.”
