My mouth dropped open. Those words had to be one of the nicest things Aiden had ever said to me. I couldn’t find any words, my chest heavy and throat tight.
“What if I have to do something, even if I want to listen?”
“No.”
Before I had any time to think more, Aiden pushed me back to the path, leading me to my seat without another word.
“Trouble?” Regan asked, her eyebrows jumping up as Aiden looked me over before disappearing into the crowd again.
“I don’t think so. I’m being escorted everywhere because someone might want to kill me. Or kill us? I’m not sure, but as always, Aiden was forced to be the bodyguard.”
“Forced?Right,” Harper said, rolling her eyes.
Hero shifted, leaning forward from his seat behind Harper. “He’s not forced because the only other option is watching over Harper, and that would include getting your foot run over like I did earlier tonight. For once, you are the safer option, Evie, so Aiden is happy to be at your side.”
“Wow, Harper, really coming in to steal my place,” I said with a grin as she scowled.
“He wanted me to move one of the bikes so he could get his out, and then he started yelling at me. It’s not like I did it on purpose.”
He leaned in again, closer to her now. “That’s what you always say, but you’re a jinx. A curse on my life.”
“I hope I ruin every damn day for you forever, then.”
The crowd went silent. The boom of the announcer filled the space around us. It wasn’t a professional ring by any means, but it was permanent enough. And Asher had installed professional speakers around the entire warehouse. There wasn’t a single inch of this place that would miss out on the energy of the fight.
He announced the first fighter as a large man stepped into the ring, glaring at the crowd. I couldn’t tell if he just looked mean or really was mean, but I was into it either way.
The next guy walked out, a familiar grin on his face.
“What the hell is Mason doing?” I asked.
“And why does he look so good doing it?” Harper added.
I only nodded, taking a hard look at Mason. A sheen of sweat was already beading over his chest.
“Did he really decide to fight when he got here?”
Hero’s eyes narrowed. “Considering he is here most weeks for fights? No, I don’t think it was a new thing.”
I turned in my chair, my eyes narrowing.
How could I be this shocked so many times in one night?
With the threat of Anderson being close tonight, I was hoping it would be a rhetorical question.
“You’re serious?”
“The man likes to spill blood.”
I turned back in my seat, glancing between Mason and scanning the crowd.
I needed to find Anderson. That’s why I was here—why we were all here—but I needed to get to Anderson before anyone else.
Rook still didn’t know what I was looking into and I planned to never tell him. He did his part of letting our parents rest—now I needed to do mine.
I sat back without a word, my eyes wandering back to the fight. Mason was electric, jumping forward with ease. His punch landed with a loud cheer from the crowd.
Aiden’s eyes found mine the moment I needed him—he was always there when I needed him—the thought settled something in my bones.
