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Ray delivered more than his fair share of solid hits and kicks. Finally Tiny, seemed to be tiring and getting frustrated. Ray only checked Macey’s position and expression every few seconds. She looked impressed and it fueled his confidence and knowledge that he’d win any battle if it impressed her. Ray used a flurry of jabs and kicks that drove Tiny back and then a semi-final upper cut to his chin followed by a kick to his head that took the kid to his rear.
“General, General!” his men cheered.
Ray straightened, only flexing slightly, and gave Macey a confident smirk. She arched her eyebrows at him, folded her arms across her chest, and then gifted him with her radiant smile. Ray was instantly out of breath and disoriented.
Tiny was suddenly in his space and slammed his fist into Ray’s abdomen. Ray gasped out a breath. His body wanted to fold forward, but he stayed as straight as humanly possible.
It was time to stop messing around.
He came at Tiny with uppercuts, jabs, roundhouse kicks, and knees to the man’s obliques and ribs. Tiny was flung one way and then another, trying to deflect or dodge, but Ray was on fire. He was proving himself to the woman who had captured him, despite being unable to act on his desire for her.
He knocked Tiny to the ground. Some would go after him and keep hitting to finish him off, but that wasn’t Ray’s style. He watched Tiny. The guy tried to rise, but he swayed and sank back down.
“Do you yield?” he asked quietly, not wanting to embarrass the kid.
“Yes, sir,” Tiny said just as quietly.
Ray stuck out his hand. Tiny grasped it and he pulled him to his feet and clasped his thick shoulder with his palm. The men cheered.
“Incredible fight, Tiny.” Ray leaned close to his ear so he could hear over the raucous cheers for their general. “You did great. Another six months of working as hard as you have, and you might have me.”
“I’ll pray for that, sir.” Tiny wiped at a trickle of blood on his nose with the back of his glove. The crowd settled somewhat around them.
“Prayer and hard work will take you wherever you want to go.”
“Thank you, General.”
Ray lifted his chin to the kid and released him. He heard murmuring, oohing, and a few low whistles. Sensing someone approaching from behind, he spun.
Macey was walking toward him, sliding gloves on. Her fancy shirt and high heels were gone. She was in a fitted white tank top with the black pants, pink-painted toenails peeking out at him. The womanly shape and lean muscles revealed in her shoulders, arms, and legs because of the fitted clothing made his pulse quicken. She looked absolutely irresistible.
“Macey?”
“Do you only fight men, General, or will you give me a chance to best you?”
The men hooted and cheered at that. Ray knew she could fight, but what was she doing? He gave her a questioning look, even as fire raced through him at the idea of touching her and how insanely appealing she was. There was no way he’d hit a woman, no matter how well-trained she was, and especially not Macey, but he could and would gently restrain her if she kept pushing him.
She shrugged her trim shoulders and eased closer. “T bribed me to show off my skills,” she whispered.
He glanced at his brother. T grinned happily as if his fiancée and his brother fighting was the best entertainment he could imagine. What was T playing at? What had he bribed her with? Ray didn’t want everybody to know that Macey was a well-trained weapon, and he didn’t want anybody to know that he was falling for her. Both would be revealed if they sparred.
“Not a good idea,” he whispered back.
Macey gave him a challenging look. Then she threw a right hook at his cheek. He barely dodged it. She smiled sweetly and brought her knee up quick, delivering a nice blow to his ribs. He flinched and grunted. That made her grin bigger, and the men let out sounds of surprise and more hoots and hollers.
Ray was going to cuss out his brother. What did he think they’d gain from this display? Every man at this compound was already going insane over Macey. This would have most of Ray’s army issuing death threats to the crown prince to try to have a chance with her.
She tried to jab at his jaw, but he deflected it and grabbed her wrist. He then grasped her other wrist, crossed her arms at her chest, and pulled her against him. The feel of her arms brushing his bare chest made every cell in his body tingle.
Calls of, “Ooh,” and “You got her, General” came from the men. Ray gritted his teeth. He had no idea how to stay in control. He was on fire for Macey. Her trying to fight him and looking so tough and alluring secured her as his dream woman.
T knew exactly what he was doing to him. Why would he try to force Ray to reveal how deeply gone he was over her in front of Ray’s men? What an idiot. There was much more at stake here than Ray’s crush on Macey. He couldn’t let it show. T might be trying to make this into a joke or a ploy to force Ray’s hand, but Ray had to keep him safe and find their mum’s murderer. He wasn’t losing another family member. No matter how ticked he was at T right now.
“What is T playing at?” he whispered against Macey’s cheek.
“He’s not the one playing,” she said, smiling beautifully.
Using her secured hands as an anchor, she jumped and hooked both of her legs behind his and buckled his knees. Ray flew forward with their combined weight. He barely had time to release her wrists, wrap her up in his arms, and roll slightly so he took the hit on his shoulder and side instead of taking her out. His weight on top of her could’ve done some serious damage.
