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Phoenix threw a right and left hook then danced out of reach. His opponent—Jake Flynn, from what the announcer said—shook off the punches. I watched Phoenix closely, having learned more about him just from the football game and this fight. He analyzed his opponents and then exploited them for all they were worth. He saw things I was sure few others did and employed bursts of speed that left my head reeling.
“Max!” A shrill voice tore my gaze away from the ring for a split second when a tall, thin guy wrapped Max in a hug.
When he pulled back, Max made quick introductions.
“Hi, Elias,” I said, a shiver of dislike running down my spine. We’d seen each other on campus and in a class before, and yes, I was going out on a limb, but I knew we wouldn’t be friends. Something sparked in Elias’s eyes, too, but he gave me a partial smile then leaned into Max’s other side.
A flurry of movement caused my focus to jump back to the ring, and with Max’s friend forgotten, I waited with bated breath as the fight ensued.
Jake struck out. The punch was sloppy, and Phoenix easily blocked it then delivered one back that stunned his opponent, if only for a fraction of a second, with the strength behind it. Jake’s confidence appeared shaky as Phoenix moved in and out. His endurance was higher, his skills sharper. Every once in a while, Jake would get a punishing blow in. Phoenix shook them off as if they were nothing. They weren’t, though, and my heart was in my throat.
Finish this. I wanted him out. Safe. I shouldn’t have cared, but for some stupid reason, I did.
He moved in, hitting Jake with a right cross then a left hook. Immediately, he danced out of reach. Again, he repeated the same move, looking for Jake’s tells.
Jake retaliated. Phoenix blocked the jab then retaliated aggressively. He seemed to want to shake Jake’s confidence further.
Max’s hand gripped mine, and I squeezed so hard he had to pry my fingers off. I gave him a shaky grin before jerking my gaze back to the ring. There was blood on both guys’ faces. My stomach was a mess.Finish this, Phoenix.
A girl not far from where I stood was screaming and jumping up and down. There was more chanting. The crowd seemed to press forward, the aggression of the fight affecting the audience.
Minutes passed, and Phoenix delivered a brutal combination that caused Jake to stagger back and drop to a knee. He didn’t get up. The ref counted him off. And when he reached ten, the fight was over.
The announcer held Phoenix’s arm up and called the fight. Our eyes met and held, making me dizzy with desire. Watching him had been incredible, and he was so freaking hot. But I recognized the adrenaline pumping through his body for what it was. If he caught up with me, I wouldn’t be able—or want—to stop the inevitable from happening. There was too much heat and lust between us.
I shivered, wanting to tempt fate and wait for him to come to me. But it wasn’t smart. We had too many problems that sex would only complicate. And as my adrenaline faded, exhaustion crept in.
I needed to get out of that stifling and overcrowded place. I tugged on Max’s sleeve, and he turned from talking with his guy friend. “Hey, I’m going to head out.”
“Oh, yeah.” He glanced back Elias, and I thought I saw something between them. “I’ll go with you.”
“No.” I made a point of looking at his friend. “You stay. There’s no reason for you to go with me. I’ll grab an Uber. And I’m wiped out. I need to crash.”
Max frowned but must have seen how tired I was. He pulled me in for a hug. “Text me when you’re back at the dorms and in your room, so I know you made it safely.”
I squeezed him back. “I will.” I waved bye to his friend then hurried toward the area where bets were taken. I needed to get out fast before Phoenix found me. I hit the Uber app and called for a ride.
It took some shoving and squeezing to move through the crowd. I finally reached the enormous guys that acted like security around the bookie.
Behind the table, a huge guy regarded me. A large snake tattoo climbed the side of his neck and disappeared under his shirt. Intense black eyes met mine, and I shivered. He looked like someone I wouldn’t want to run into in a dark alley.
I gave him my ticket, and he grinned, cold and calculating. When he spoke, his deep voice cut through the noise and held me captive.
“Jake was favored to win. Since you bet on Phoenix, you tripled your money.”
My jaw dropped. I snapped it shut then nodded. He counted out the cash and handed it to me. Before leaving, I tucked it into the front pocket of my jeans. I needed to get out of there, not only because of the large amount of cash on me but because I could sense Phoenix getting closer. I’d worn a lightweight zip hoodie and flipped the hood up to cover my hair, hoping it would work as a disguise so he couldn’t spot me, then headed for the exit.
I was almost out of there when I squeezed through a group of guys, and a brunette whirled around. We made eye contact, and a heavy weariness settled over me. Suddenly, I wished that Phoenix had found me. Then he could go at Jillian, and I could make my escape.
Jillian yanked a tall blonde close. “Look at the groupie that showed up tonight.”
They zeroed in on me, but I wasn’t backing down. “Why are you talking about yourself?” I widened my eyes, feigning innocence. “Is it because you’re trying to make a statement?”
“Hardly. I’m not the one trapping Phoenix.” They shared a look then laughed before Jillian got in my face. “Phoenix may want you as a little plaything for now, but there’s no way he’ll stick around, especially when you get fat.”
I rolled my eyes. “Keep telling yourself that.” I snapped my fingers in her face as I sidestepped her. “Better yet, why don’t you tell him what you think? He should be heading this way.”
It worked like a charm. Jillian’s gaze jerked over my shoulder, and I squeezed through the rest of the crowd. I had no idea how close Phoenix was, but I could bet he was nearby by the way the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention.
