Page 103

The space was dimly lit with a bright white light focused on the ring.

His first fight was over before it even began. I didn’t know whether or not his opponent sucked or if Antonio just wasn’t interested in putting on a show.

Though, he seemed strange. Like he needed more than a win.

The next round consisted of two men I didn’t know and when it was finally over, the crowd didn’t seem to be pleased with the winner.

For the last round, a familiar face entered the ring, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. He looked young, but everything about him screamed trouble.

When Antonio stepped into the ring, covered in sweat and blood, he looked beyond pissed.

I swallowed hard, shifting in my seat. My eyes lifted to Kiryl and he gave me a reassuring nod.

When I looked back down at the ring, both men were facing each other, and the crowd seemed relentless as they screamed, cheered, and banged on whatever hard surface they could.

His opponent was smirking, seeming overly excited for this fight and worry brewed in my core. I didn’t like this.

Both men touched gloves then separated to opposite sides of the ring, still facing each other.

The fight started just like every other, but eventually, the punches turned brutal, the kicks turned forceful and the rage consumed both men.

He kept Antonio in the ring longer than any of the other men, and knowing Antonio, it frustrated him.

Antonio’s punch flew through the air, landing with force to his opponents face and his head shot back so fast before his body collapsed like a pile of bones.

A collective gasp filled the air and everyone, including myself, jumped to their feet as we stepped closer to the railing.

The referee pushed Antonio back and away from his opponent and I watched Antonio stand, chest heaving, eyes encapsulated with darkness.

Paramedics charged into the ring, surrounding his opponent.

Unfazed by this, Antonio brushed the back of his hand across his jaw and the referee approached him, grabbed his hand and lifted it into the air.

The bell sounded, signaling the end of the match and the crowd erupted into cheers. Lights flickered and I watched everyone shoot to their feet, screaming and chanting.

I exhaled in relief, but when my eyes shifted from Antonio’s unmoving opponent to him, he didn’t seem pleased at all. Not accomplished. Not happy. Nothing. And worse of all, he wasn’t even looking at me.

Someone else in the crowd—below me—held his attention before Samantha appeared, helping him out of the ring.

I looked over at Kiryl and he extended his arm toward me. With a knot in my throat I threaded my arm with his and he led me back down. “Is that guy dead?” I asked and it took him a second to answer.

As soon as we reached the bottom of the stairs, he pointed in the distance and my stomach churned when I saw the paramedics heading for the door with someone in a black body bag on a stretcher. Shit…

“Is Antonio going to get in trouble for killing him?” I fearfully asked, looking up and Kiryl shook his head.

“The police aren’t involved in this. Every man who gets in that ring accepts and acknowledges the possibility of not walking out.” He explained and I slowly nodded.

“Let’s just find him and go home.” I sighed.

“Now that’s what you call a jealous kill.” Fernandina’s voice stopped us in our tracks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fernandina approach us but I didn’t bother turning to look at her. “Do you want to know why he killed his last opponent?” she asked, stopping beside me.

She pushed her empty glass into the chest of a passing waiter who took it and disappeared again. Then, she leaned in, her lips next to my ear. “Because that was my husband.”

My racing heart skidded to a halt as my chest tightened. Her belittling laugh filled the air around us, and for a second I couldn’t breathe. Her… husband…?

CHAPTER 34