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None of my siblings have any idea that there was ever anything between Cade and me, and I’d like to keep it that way.
All that to say, after all these years, you’d think the idea of Jules being interested in him wouldn’t make me irrationally angry... But you’d be wrong.
Lucky for me, I’m saved by the bell when someone comes in, alerting everyone that it’s nearly time for Hudson to head out to the octagon so we should all go find our seats. Hudson is on the other side of the closed door separating the rooms I just saw Cade walk through.
“Come on, Scarlet. It’s time to go.” Lenny tugs on my arm as her fiancé wraps his around her waist.
“I’ll meet you there, Len. I’ve got to go speak with Imogen for a minute.” She nods and walks away as I knock on the door and am let through.
When I enter the room, Hudson is sitting on the floor.
His long legs are spread out in front of him.
A set of noise-canceling headphones cover his ears.
Eyes closed. His head leaning back against the wall.
Imogen isn’t too far away. She’s Cade’s younger sister, and she runs Crucible. Generally, they keep all the marketing and PR for the gym and their fighters in-house. But most of their fighters don’t have a PR queen like me in their corner. Not only do I run the Marketing and Public Relations Department for the Philadelphia Kings football team, but I oversee the marketing and PR for King Corporation as well. I’ve got more connections in the professional sports world than most publicists could ever dream of.
And I refuse to leave my little brother’s career to anyone else.
Imogen wasn’t thrilled by that.
I didn’t care.
“Gen.” I tap Imogen on the shoulder and interrupt the conversation she’s having with one of the guys in a Crucible t-shirt. “I don’t want any interviews. No questions. Nothing until after we’ve all had time to regroup. The only questions he’s allowed to answer are those asked by the announcer in the ring, which he’s contractually obligated to do. Got it?”
Imogen rolls her pretty green eyes. “I got it, Scarlet. I had it when you told me earlier today. I had it when you emailed me earlier in the week. I even had it when Connor repeated it two hours ago. No interviews.” She may continue speaking, but I tune her out. Hudson has stood and is warming up. He’s going through the motions with Cade. Hud doesn’t look at all like that little boy who used to secretly hide in the closet, hoping for the chance to jump out and scare me.
He’s a grown man now.
And God help his opponent tonight.
“Scarlet...” Imogen says my name as if waiting impatiently for an answer.
Shit. “Sorry, what was that?”
Another eye roll.
Jesus, someone needs to teach this woman how to school her features. Every thought she has is plastered across her face. “Was that everything, Scarlet?”
Once I pull my eyes away from my brother again, I nod and turn to walk out of the room but hear my name called out by Hudson. “Scarlet... No good luck?”
Every eye in the room is on me now as I walk slowly toward Hudson. Even standing in front of my brother in four-inch heels, he still towers over me. “Got any words of wisdom, Scar?” He leans in and kisses my cheek, then puts his taped hands in front of me.
I tap knuckles with Hud, then look over at Cade as he takes a step closer to us. “Of course, little brother.” I lean in and whisper in his ear, “Fucking eviscerate him,” then stand tall and add, “You’ve got this. I’ll see you afterward. And Hud...”
“Yeah, I know. No interviews until you’re with me.”
I smile and turn to leave, but I’m stopped by Cade. “You walking out there alone, Scarlet?”
“I’m a big girl, Saint. I think I can manage.”
A muscle in Cade’s jaw flexes before he yells over to his cousin, “Jax. Escort Scarlet to her seat. Make sure she gets there safely.” As if dismissing me, he turns back to Hudson, and they go back to what looks like a dance of sorts to continue warming up his muscles.
By the time I take the last open spot, next to my oldest brother, Max, in the front of the cage that’s set up for tonight’s spectacle, the lights are beginning to lower, and the music has changed.
A tremor of anticipation runs down my spine.
Showtime.
