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“Are any of you pricks going to get me a drink and explain why the fuck I’m here?” she snaps.
“Allow me,” I reply, holding out my arm to her. She hesitates, her eyes flicking between Axel and Zie, and then she takes it. I know she’s only done it to piss them off but if she wants to use me to wind both of them up, I am more than willing and ready. I guess I’m the lesser of three evils, in her eyes at least.
We leave the other two staring in our wake as I carefully guide Odi through the crowded space toward the bar on the far side of The Pit. It’s too rammed to keep her on my arm the entire way, but when we can no longer walk two abreast, I push my way through the throng of people, firmly keeping her hand in mine.
When we reach the bar I wordlessly hold up my fingers to order us two rum and cokes when I catch the bartender’s eye. I come here for normal fight nights often enough that the staff all know me, and my tipple of choice. A moment later our drinks are in front of us and Odile takes a sip of hers and grimaces.
“Not a fan of rum and coke?” I ask.
She shrugs, turns around to lean back on the bar with both elbows and glances around. “What is this place?”
“It’s known as The Pit.”
“Fitting, the whole place looks like a damn dive.”
“It’s part of the hotel. The Arcelia Grande. We recently invested in her. She’s currently closed to the public for renovations, but she’ll be up and running soon enough.”
Odi wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Seems to me like there’s a lot of work to be done before this place is ready to function as a hotel. So tell me, what kind of hotel needs an underground fighting ring in its basement?”
“The special kind,” I reply with a wink.
“And you guys own a hotel now?”
“Sort of. We’re more, silent investors on this particular venture,” I explain evasively. “Call it a philanthropic passion project if you like.”
Odi opens her mouth like she wants to ask something else but a massive roar goes up from the crowd, distracting her. A second later the bell goes to signal the end of the fight. Cheers and clapping fill the air. I slide in close to whisper in her ear.
“If you have questions, babygirl, just spit them out. I’m sure we can find a way to trade information together.”
She shivers but doesn’t rise to my teasing bait.
“Do you own any bars or clubs too?” She eventually asks. I grin, knowing she’s referring to Peony’s and Trinity’s.
“One or two.”
“Which ones?”
“I’m sure none that you’ll have heard of. I hear you don’t get off campus much so you mustn’t know the area well at all.”
“And how would you know?”
“You know what Axel’s like. He always has eyes on you.”
“Even this past week?”
“Especially this past week. We were stuck in the city on business the entire time. He wouldn’t leave you alone like that.”
“Oh so he’ll know all about the guy who drugged me then…” she snaps, her face instantly becoming thunderous. “Or did he orchestrate it? Was he hoping I’d pass out again? Does he need to fuck with my birth control some more or did he want to tattoo my ass this time?”
I blink in shock. Whoa the tone of this conversation took an unexpected turn. I grab Odi by the elbow and pull her close. The noise in the bar has reached fever pitch with the commentator announcing Hades as one of the next fighters.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I growl. I know Axel wanted us all to watch The Gods’ fights so that we could take notes on their skills and pitfalls, but this is way more important.
“Let go of me!” Odi cries as I drag her back through the crowd with a lot less care this time. I shove people out of my way, ignoring the shouts and grumbles of protest, and the fearful apologies when they realise who they’re snapping at.
“What’s going on?” Axel asks when I stop and jerk Odi before him. He looks down at her and scowls. “I told you to dress appropriately. It’s baking in here and you’re going to be too hot in that scruffy jumper.”
Only Axel could call a vintage Jimmy Eat World tour hoodie a scruffy jumper. Granted, I wasn’t even alive when that tour took place, but that’s not the point. I fucking love that hoodie and it’s not scruffy.
