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Kane kept his gaze on me. “I’ll take my chances.”
“Come on, Clay. Show ‘em what you’re made of.” Albert steered me to the doorway. I didn’t have the stomach to look back.
I hurt his ego, nothing more.
Kane Sullivan wasn’t accustomed to rejection. That was my whole appeal. A powerful woman who didn’t fall at his feet. The second I jumped into his arms, I would lose my shine like all the women who came before me. Of course, that wasn’t the reason I had to say no. If he knew the truth, he’d understand.
At least I hoped he would.
I followed the noise of the crowd until the heavy metal doors creaked open. Albert nudged me forward into a set of glaring lights.
Showtime.
Cheers erupted as I made my way to the ring. My opponent was already there—a muscular blonde with a scar down her cheek in the shape of a lightning bolt. Her impressive physique gave me pause.
Albert moved to stand in front of me, cutting off my view. “How do you feel?” he asked.
“Like I have no clue what’s going on. Why is she so ripped?” I gestured toward my opponent.
“Don’t worry about Kaleigh. You’re strong, Clay. I’ve seen your stats.”
They only knew a fraction of what I was capable of, and I had to keep it that way.
“Wait. That’s Kaleigh?” I peered around him. “That’s the one you mentioned during my assessment.”
“Really? What did I say?”
“That her stats were excellent.” And now I could see why. I thought Dr. Edmond’s comment about not being a betting man had been an offhand remark, not an actual reflection of the event. I should’ve known better.
Albert gripped my arms and tried to hold my attention. “When the bell rings again, you go out there and fight until it’s over. The enclosure is warded so the fight stays contained and so do you.”
“What qualifies as over?”
His face hardened. “When one of you goes down and doesn’t get up again.”
I stared back at him. “This isn’t MMA-style. This is a death match.”
“Not any death match. This is where we lesser beings get to witness the fury of the gods as they battle for dominance.”
“Why bother with elixirs? Why not have us fight the old-fashioned way?”
“Because anybody can host a match like that. Do you have any idea how much money spectators are willing to pay to see a divine brawl?”
“But it isn’t really. Kaleigh isn’t a god. You’re sacrificing innocent lives as entertainment.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Innocent? No one who steps inside the ring is innocent. That’s how you end up here in the first place.”
“Oh, so they make a mistake or a bad decision and, naturally, they deserve to die? Is that your take?”
“Do you think they allowed you to participate without finding out more about you first?”
“And what did you discover about me that was so bad that I deserve to be killed for your entertainment?”
“Nothing specific, but I know you don’t burn through multiple schools and foster homes if you’re a model kid.”
His answer took my breath away. “You have no idea why I changed schools so many times. For the record, it wasn’t a disciplinary issue.”
“Doesn’t matter now. Get in there and fulfill your obligation. I believe in you.”
