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Kingston’s left hook came just as Aiden suspected it would. He hadn’t planned on the level of pain that exploded through the side of his head. Nobody had been exaggerating their worry about Aiden fighting the beefy, accomplished, and renowned leader of Magna’s military.
Aiden smiled and shook his head. “Good one. I like it. Keep them coming.”
Kingston didn’t disappoint. His lips pressed into a thin line. He moved in with powerful, well-placed hits that would be game-enders in a lot of heavyweight boxing matches.
Aiden deflected some, got in a few jabs of his own to Kingston’s face, and knees to his ribs. Mostly he took the beating and learned and bided his time. He’d calculate how best to defeat the general with style, and then he’d show off his skills to Chalisa.
If Kingston didn’t kill him first.
Chapter
Five
Chalisa was furious with Aiden and Kingston. Why wouldn’t Aiden listen to her? Why did Kingston have to pummel him? Since seeing Aiden, she’d all but forgotten about the reason she was here. To win a million dollars. If Kingston broke Aiden in two, they’d lose for sure. Not watching Aiden get injured was as high on her priority list as winning the money. That was messed up as he didn’t love her.
Aiden was far too sure of himself, and she was far too gone over him. It wasn’t smart, but how could she resist him when he looked at her with those blue eyes, flirted with her, and then swooped her into his arms and made her entire body fill with liquid heat and longing for him?
He strutted off and she couldn’t stop noticing how chiseled and lean his body was. Normally when she saw muscular builds, she named the muscles in her head. With Aiden, she simply stared. He was strong. She’d felt that and could see it even more clearly without his shirt on.
But nobody was as strong as her brother-in-law.
Aiden strode right up to Kingston, and immediately Kingston lunged at him. Luckily Aiden was quick enough to dodge him, but Kingston came right around and hit him so hard it jarred Aiden to the side.
Chalisa cried out and clung to Aiden’s shirt.
Kingston started pummeling Aiden, just as she’d feared and tried to warn the cocksure and far too appealing man about. Why hadn’t he listened to her? Too-confident alpha males trying to prove their dominance. Why did Aiden still have a smile on his face and why did he keep moving in for more punishment? He got a few hits and kicks in, but nothing compared to what Kingston was doling out. It was vicious and she hated it, but she couldn’t look away.
Hope cried out for her dad over and over again, but Kingston was not paying attention to anything but destroying Aiden’s body and his pride.
“I’m taking Hope to the park,” their mom declared, cuddling her granddaughter close and hurrying toward the closest exit.
“Thank you,” Reagan called after her.
Reagan edged closer to Chalisa and wrapped one of her hands around hers. “You okay?”
“I hate this,” Chalisa gritted out. “Why do they have to act like this?”
“I adore my husband,” Reagan said, “but I have no answer for you. He can’t even explain it to me.” She shrugged. “Men are wired differently.”
“You can say that again.” Chalisa grimaced as Aiden took a particularly vicious hit to the nose and blood sprayed him and Kingston.
She was a moment away from rushing down there and stopping this insanity. The cameraman was focused on the battle. Royal guards lined the stadium, watching with compassionate and knowing smiles as if they knew how it felt to get thumped by the general.
The only sounds were the hits and grunts, some horses neighing in the stables, and Aiden … taunting Kingston. His voice didn’t carry well enough to hear everything he said, but the voice and the tone and the smile. He was definitely taunting, and Kingston was definitely rising to the bait.
Did Aiden want Kingston to kill him? Maybe he didn’t want to participate in the reality show with her this week so he was going to let Kingston fracture something or give him a concussion severe enough to disqualify him. She had no idea what he was thinking or why he was subjecting himself to such a brutal thumping.
Stuart grabbed Kingston’s arm and tugged him back. Wes hurried to Aiden and offered him a towel and a carafe of water while Stuart and Kingston talked. Mary handed Kingston a towel and water as well.
Was it over?
“Thank heavens,” she murmured, letting out all the oxygen she’d been holding and sinking onto the bleachers behind them.
“Seriously.” Reagan sat next to her. “I’m sorry Kingston hurt your guy, but it’s impressive that he’s still standing. He’s tough and super charming. You like him a lot, don’t you? Why didn’t you tell us about him?”
Chalisa didn’t know what to admit to, even to her sister, who she adored and usually confided in. “Because I shouldn’t like him. He’s the ultimate player and is dating Jezebel Noir right now.”
“Oh. Dang.”
