by Piper Rayne
I let out a scream. Fuck. I’m such a girl.
Darius grabs me and pulls me towards him out of the way of the breaking glass until his whole body is flush with mine. Without warning, tingles course like crazy from where he holds me tight. I can even feel him pressing against me. Before I can prevent myself, I cling to him like a monkey climbing a tree and give off a soft moan.
Fuck. You wouldn’t think moments ago I was running my hands all over his naked chest. Did he hear me moaning? Does he know how much he turns me on?
Of course, he fucking does.
I suck in a breath and look up at him. His pale-blue eyes colliding with mine.
“I can feel your heart racing.”
“It’s because you’re scaring me. Now let me go.” I try to step away but he grabs me by the neck and pushes me against the counter.
Darius smirks. “Are you sure it’s because you’re afraid of me? Because I think that’s all an act.”
“It’s not an act,” I breathe out.
He pushes against me and lowers his face and gently brushes his lips over mine. He’s so hard against the material of his shorts that it’s obvious he wants me. This close, his raw scent consumes me. He smells delicious; like uncontrollable fury waiting to be unleashed. The heat of his breath on me has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and goosebumps breaking out all over my arms.
Another soft moan escapes my lips and without thinking I grind into him. Like, I want him.
“Liar,” he chides. His fist around my neck tightens, my pulse is pounding under my skin. “This is what you want, isn’t it? That’s why you took this job. You crave the excitement, the rush, the adrenaline of living life on the edge. I’ve seen you watch my fights. You’re just as fucked up as I am.”
“You’re right. I am.” The words come out like I’m out of breath, barely above a whisper.
He’s right. If he wanted to, he could rip the life out of me and that thought excites some dark urge I have. Behind his eyes, I see the walls come crashing down and something raw within them tears into my soul, stripping everything away, leaving nothing but an intense heat burning through me.
He tightens his grip, cutting off all and any air.
My eyes flutter closed as my lips quiver and my heart skips several beats.
Hurry up. Fucking consume me, already.
I dare you.
A radio crackles to life with a message from the security team confirming their one last sweep of the venue before lockup.
His hands fall away. And cold air rushes in.
I come to, just in time to see him pulling back, away from me. I place my fingers on my neck. Where he touched my skin, heat lingers.
“Why—”
“I meant what I said. Be careful what you say or do around here,” he says, cutting me off.
“I’m not scared of the Twins,” I croak. The heat he left on my skin is beginning to creep into my cheeks. What I did just now, letting him almost kiss me, grinding against him like that…
Fuck. I’m so screwed.
“You should be.” He glances down at the mess of glass all over the floor. “You need help cleaning up?”
“No, I don’t need you,” I say, shaking my head, at once a truth and a lie.
“Okay then,” he says, seemingly not wholly convinced. He turns and leaves the room, severing whatever had just formed between us, leaving me to wonder if I know what I’m doing or if I’m just making it up as I go along.
Instead of cleaning, I let out a heavy sigh and slump into my office chair. I’m just lying there with my head on the desk, pretending the world doesn’t exist, when the radio goes off again. Everyone has left and I’m already late.
“Shit!” I say under my breath, and I rush to clean up the room. Five minutes later, lost in thought, I swap my white coat for a leather one and turn out the light. Usually, Elias drags me to the club for a drink after Darius’s fight, but tonight I have to sneak off before he comes looking. As much as I’d like another chance to talk to Darius, or well, let’s face it, I really want to see what would happen if we weren’t interrupted…
Right now, I have a meeting I can’t miss, one that might help me once and for all find my brother.
3
Darius
I end up getting a cold shower, changing into a black shirt and dark blue jeans, before pacing towards the Twins’ office. Usually, I don’t bother with the shirt but wearing one makes me feel more human and less like the fucking killer she accused me of being.
What the fuck just happened?
I didn’t want to let her go. Not after she floored me with that reaction. Baring herself to me like that. I almost lost it. Had I stayed, I would have ravaged her. I wanted to squeeze her pretty little neck and shove my cock inside her so deep, she’d either beg me to stop or beg me for more.
As much as Rae pretends she’s a saint, I know different. She’s just like me. Exactly like me. Pain makes everything better. I don’t do drugs for that very reason. As well, it was the doctors who fucked up my memory loss with an overdose during a major recovery. What was supposed to be a friendly fight against Elias in training two years ago, turned into a dark cloud hanging over my past that I’ll never be rid of. It was the only time I lost, or so I’m told. I don’t fucking remember.
So no, I don’t do drugs. I binned what she gave me as soon as I got back to my apartment. I don’t give a fuck if my wound gets infected.
Fuck, she drives me crazy.
“Darius. There you are. Great performance tonight as usual.” Elias says, looking up from his lounge seat as I walk into his office. He’s bent over the table, rolled up fifty dollar bill in hand, a dusting of powder under his nose. He gestures to the remaining lines of white on the mirrored glass table.
I shake my head. I’m not in the mood to party. And if I was, I wouldn’t be sticking shit up my nose.
Elias raises a brow. “Suit yourself. Oh, I forgot to say. Next time do us a fucking favor and kill him in the tenth round like we asked. You know what happens when we have to finish the fight early. Less time in the ring, less money for us.” The smile he gives me is cold and doesn’t reach his stark gray eyes.
“What’s the damage?” I ask, ignoring Elias, taking my usual spot against the wall by the door.
The younger twin has a bad habit of posturing. His brother on the other hand, Alexei, the real demon in the room, is opposite Elias on a matching seat drinking bourbon and counting The Pit’s takings for the night. I’ve no idea why the two blond-haired siblings like to do the counting themselves after every match, but they do it without fail.
I lean back, seeing the whole room, placed so I can exit quickly if I need to. The brothers may be my business partners, but I don’t trust the pair of them not to screw me over one day. In fact, I’m just waiting for the day when I stop being of use to them. It’s long overdue.
Alexei looks up from counting, eyes a darker shade of gray than his brother’s. “Two hundred large, or thereabouts. I’m just recounting it. Your share is on Elias’s desk.”
My eyes glance to a small pile of notes neatly stacked on the dark wood of Elias’s ornate writing desk. I know it’s mine because it’s the only pile on Elias’s desk amidst the clutter.
“So what’s that off my debt this month?” I ask, doing the math in my head.
“Ten. We had to deduct for rent and extra for the rising medical expenses,” Elias chips in.
It’s the same every month; a grand a week for a paltry room above The Pit and a meal every night at the club. Plus I’m supposed to pay fifty percent of my total medical bill. There’s no way that’s what it costs. That said, I don’t care about the money. I figured long ago that it doesn’t matter how much I win; I’ll never pay off this debt. As long as I have enough to live the life I want, that’s all that counts.
“I have a question.”
Two sets of steel-gray eyes settle on me.
“What happens to the bodies after the fight?�
� I ask, wanting to change the subject. I’m also feeling a little reckless. It must be the adrenaline from the fight… And the interest from Rae. Why the fuck did I run off like that? She probably thinks I’m dickless or something.
Elias frowns. “What bodies?”
“My fucking opponents’” I growl. “If I end up killing them, where do they go?” After Rae asked me, I’ve been racking my brains trying to remember who comes to take them away. At the end if every fight I leave the ring straight after. Some of them make it and I just assumed they went back to wherever they came from. I try my hardest not to kill, even if the devil inside of me wants to.
“That’s an odd question. Why do you want to know?” Alexei drawls in that languid way of his.
It is an odd question. Alexei is staring at me waiting for an answer, counting his cash without looking down. Why does she want to know? Why the fuck am I even asking?
Elias is also giving me a curious look now, as though he genuinely can’t imagine why the hell I need to know.
“I’m wondering what would happen to me if I lost,” I lie. It’s a terrible lie. When have I ever thought that?
Elias chuckles and leans back casually against the bar, his whisky glass in hand.
“Why the fuck would you? You’re undefeated,” he smirks. “In the ring anyway.”
I sigh and say the words I've never thought to say. “Because if there’s a profit, I want in. Not just a share of the profit you make on fight night. I want in on the whole thing. I can’t cheat death forever.”
Alexei looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. “How about this, you just focus on winning and making us a shit load of money, and then we won’t have to have these pointless talks about what happens to those who don’t make the fucking cut?”
Shit. He didn't buy it. Why would he? I’ve never asked about other parts of the business. For all I know they sell the bodies for fucking pig feed. May as well crash and burn.
Elias snarls at me. “Darius, you fucking ungrateful bastard. After everything we’ve done—”
Alexei cuts in, holding up a hand to his brother, cocking his head. “It might make commercial sense to bring Darius in to your little side project. He’s proven his worth, after all.”
Elias looks at him like he’s insane. “Commercial sense? How the fuck do you work that out?”
Alexei sighs as he finishes counting his pile of cash. “Leverage, brother.”
It dawns on me just what Alexei is asking. It’s what he’s been asking of me since day fucking one and I’ve always said no. “You want me to agree to more fights?”
Alexei shakes his head. “And devalue your reputation, I should fucking think not. No I’m talking about taking bigger risks. They want to see you fall Darius. Watching you has become boring.”
He’s right. I've proven myself unbeatable for an extended run up until now. It’s the only reason the punters keep coming back, to finally see me fall. Something that only has to happen once.
“What kind of risks?”
“The type the punters can’t ignore. Bigger opponents. Unfair advantages. That sort of thing.”
“And you’ll cut me into your other business If I agree to this?”
“Why not, you’d be risking your life even more.”
“I think… I need to consider what you’re asking me to do,” I say, eyeing the both of them.
I still don’t know what’s in it for them. Money seems the obvious choice, but the Twins aren’t exactly poor, if Elias’s garage full of super cars is anything to go by.
Alexei nods. “Of course, give us your answer whenever you’re ready. We’re not in any rush.”
Elias stands up and goes to the bar, grabbing a bottle of some kind of expensive whisky. His back is turned but I can tell he’s composing himself. I’ve never seen him go against his brother, even if he disagrees.
“A drink while you’re here, Darius?” He turns around, eyeing me with distaste, his tone is unnaturally upbeat. “We’re not going to the club yet. The sweet and delightful Rae has ditched us males for a date so we’re waiting for some other talent to arrive.”
“Oh?” I say, for want of anything better to say. I’m all of a sudden wide awake, feeling my blood boil.
Rae has a fucking date? Since when? Trust Elias to twist the knife in.
The Twins have already figured out my weakness for her. Elias even has the balls to invite her out to our celebration nights at the club after each match to flirt with her endlessly right in my face. Disregarding the fact that she’s not officially mine, he enjoys teasing me and getting me riled up and restless, rubbing my face in something I can never have.
Because in their eyes, she belongs to them.
Elias flashes a grin as two girls appear at the door. They eye me up as they enter.
“Looks like the party has arrived. Darius, are you joining us?”
I shake my head. If Rae isn’t coming tonight, the last thing I want to do is go to the club and get wasted with hired guns. I’d rather drink myself into oblivion.
Leaving the Twins to their evening entertainment, I exit the warehouse by taking the stairs down that lead to the loading bay, instead of the old-style caged elevator. It takes longer but I’ve had enough of cages to last me a lifetime.
I step outside, grateful for how empty it feels. After having thousands of eyes on me, it’s a relief to be alone.
My apartment, if you could call the tiny, two room studio I rent from the Twins such, is actually located on the tenth floor of the warehouse arena. But I’m not going home just yet, I need to take an extended walk in the city for a few hours, until sunrise hits. I can go for days without seeing natural light but it’s only when I start to feel trapped that I need to do this—get out and take a walk until dawn, think things through maybe. And after the night I’ve had, I need to be anywhere but here.
I suck down a lungful of air, enjoying the freshness and the false freedom as I duck under the barrier marking the edge of the grounds. It’s tempting to leave and not come back, but where the fuck would I go? I’d forever be looking over my damn shoulder. And how could I leave now Rae is working here?
What the Twins are asking now is insane. And while the demon side of me wants to accept the challenge, I’m wary of what it all means. Change is never fucking good. It means I can get out of this life, though, that would be reason enough.
Sure. Go ahead, Darius. Sign your fucking death warrant.
More thoughts like that bombard me as I stalk the streets. Mostly though, I think about Rae. The sound of her breath catching as she allowed me to come close to her. The heat of her body against mine, tempting me to do more than just stand there. The color of her eyes, alternating between a soft gray and severe blue, blazing into sapphire fire the moment she gave into her desires. She has the kind of eyes that change color with the light. Never once while looking into them are they the same.
I wanted to taste her, touch her, reach around and thread my fingers through her silky, raven hair, crushing her soft, pink lips onto mine. Fuck. The image of me pushing her down onto the exam table, pulling up her skirt and fucking her brains out has me instantly hard. But it’s not just her damn irresistible body that has me wound tight like a hurricane about to explode.
There’s something about her that I can’t ignore, some spell she has over me.
I definitely know her from somewhere.
Who the hell are you, Rae?
The sound of a scream ringing out, piercing the night, has me frozen in my tracks. My first thought is Rae, but I’ve no reason to think it’s her. I’m probably making connections that aren’t there.
But when a scream rips through me a second time, not far from here, I’m running through the deserted streets before I can stop myself.
When I get to the corner, another cry sends my blood running hot and cold in my veins. Then I hear the unmistakable sound of her voice.
“What the fuck? Get off me, you dick!”
Fuck, t
hat’s her alright.
I follow the sound of her voice into an alleyway and immediately see her on the ground. Her pale limbs appear scratched and bloodied in the moonlight. A massive guy is stooped over her, hands clamped around her throat as she lays sprawled across the ground. Next thing I know I’m seeing red, throwing myself at the bastard.
4
Rae
I don’t know when or how Darius found me but the moment I saw him, I’m ashamed to admit I cried with relief. I lie there half stunned as he launches himself at my attacker, beating the shit out of him. It’s not until there so much blood and I worry he might accidentally kill the guy and get put away for life, that I yell out.
“Don’t kill him!”
Darius whips his head to me dropping the asshole trying to mug me to the ground. He’s at my side within seconds. “Oh fuck, Rae… Are you alright? How bad are you hurt?”
I gasp as the adrenaline subsides and waves of pain run ragged through me. When the guy shoved me and tried to steal my bag, I fell and twisted my ankle. It’s not broken, but it’s throbbing like a bitch.
I squeeze my eyes closed, hissing through my teeth. But I manage to open them to look into Darius’s perfect blues and give him a tight smile. “Bad enough, nothing a girl can’t handle,” I say between breaths. I glance over at the battered body of the man who tried to steal my bag. “Is he dead?”
“No, the fucker’s just out cold.” There’s anger in his voice. I don’t know if Darius is mad that I stopped him or mad that he maybe went to far, but I can’t feel bad about that now. A bout of pain rips through me. I clench my fists, gritting my teeth. It’s just a twisted fucking ankle. I can deal with that. Darius though, looks worse. His side is covered in blood, most of it looks to be coming from a familiar wound in his side.
“Your stitches! Fucking hell, Darius, I told you to lay off fighting until they healed!”
“I just stopped some fucker taking your wallet and you get mad at me? What happened to your date? Don’t tell me that’s him?” He points to the half-dead man on the ground.
