“I can’t believe Dick is still letting you bet.”
“To be honest, I haven’t made much money in the last couple of weeks. You’re no longer the underdog, so the odds are always in your favor.”
“If you’re not making bank, why do you continue to come here and bet?”
“Because it’s fun to watch you fight. Too bad you can’t see; otherwise, I’d show you videos of your matches. You’re a badass.”
Ezekiel whistles. “Oh, should I leave the room? That sounded like a love declaration.”
“Bite me, asshole,” Leroy retorts.
“Oh God. Pipe down, you two. I have one more fight tonight, and that’s about all I can handle.”
“Knock, knock,” Dick calls from the door. “I see you’re entertaining your fan club.”
“They were just about to leave,” I say
Both guys take the hint and make themselves scarce. When it’s only Dick and me, he says, “You’ve been winning all the fights pretty fast lately.”
“It’s not my fault my opponents are pathetic.”
“Well, everyone is scared to fight against you.”
I shrug. “I fail to see how that’s my problem.”
“Well, it’s my problem, and since I’m the boss around here, and you fight for me, it’s your problem too.”
“You know I don’t need the money, right? You can threaten to kick me out all you want.”
“Your bluff won’t work on me, kid. I know your kind. You’re not doing it for the cash, you’re doing it for the thrill. You’re addicted to it, just like a street junkie is addicted to crack.”
I narrow my eyes to slits. “What’s your point?”
“My point is you’re not going to walk away any time soon. You need my arena as much as I need my champion. There’s a small problem though. The crowd is getting bored. No one likes to see the same person win every single night.”
“Did you come here to ask me to lose on purpose?” My voice rises as my mood sours.
“That would be ideal, but no. I’m a fair judge of character. You’re too cocky to throw a fight. What I want is for you to take a couple of hits, appear to struggle. Give your fans a reason to cheer for you.”
I hate to admit that his logic is sound. I’ve noticed the crowd has become less enthusiastic in the past few days. I’d be bored too if the fights were all the same.
I sigh. “Fine. I can take a few hits.”
“Excellent. I knew I could count on you.”
Damn. That fucking Stone Man got me good. I touch the tender spot on my shoulder and wince. I let the motherfucker hit me so the crowd would be satisfied, but I didn’t think it would hurt this bad. I reach for the bag of ice and curse when I place it over my skin. At least I have the satisfaction that my opponent is in much worse pain now.
The bag slips from my grasp as searing pain makes my hand muscles spasm. Fuck. This. Shit. Nathaniel is back again. I can’t let him keep doing this to me. What if it happens during a fight?
I breathe through the pain, tempted to cut my damn hand off. When the pain finally fades to a throb, I walk over to my small kitchen and search for the bottle of tequila I bought the other day.
I unscrew the lid with a shaking hand and toss it back, taking a couple large gulps. It drips down my chin and sloshes on my robe a little. I’m acting like an ordinary Norm drunk, but I don’t care. There’s no one here to see me.
And then there’s a knock on my door. Of course. Some unfortunate soul had to come bother me when I’m wearing nothing but a bathrobe and reek of alcohol.
“Andy, are you there?” Stephan asks.
I freeze. Tired as I am, I didn’t immediately project my power to find out who was standing outside. Maybe if I don’t make a sound, he’ll go away.
“Please, if you’re there, I need to talk to you.”
He sounds sad, and it makes my resolution to stay away from him crumble. I’ve managed to avoid him, for a month. I even stopped my training. He respected my wishes and left me alone. So why is he here now?
I open the door with a hard yank. “What do you want?”
“May I come in?”
“You shouldn’t be here. It’s after hours. You can get in serious trouble.”
“I know, but it was a risk I had to take.”
Like a fool, I open the door wider and let him through. But I leave a good space between us, not wanting to be drawn into his orbit. He’s like the sun, and I’m a lonely planet looking for some warmth.
“Tequila?” he asks.
“Ugh. I don’t owe you any explanation. Go on, tell me what you want and get out.”
He turns to me, and my chains light up without me willing them to do so. It’s like they’re in love with Stephan. Traitors. Thanks to them, I see when he turns around and fixes his eyes on me. It’s weird that I can see him better now. Not quite like the image my chains gave me of him, but close enough. It’s almost like they get stronger when he’s around.
“I’ve missed you.”
A punch to my chest. That’s what his declaration feels like. I wasn’t expecting it, I wasn’t prepared, and the ache there is real.
“Fuck you, Stephan! You have no right to come here and say you’ve missed me.” Angry tears roll down my cheek.
Shit. He made me cry in less than a minute. Asshole.
He hangs his head. “I deserve that. I tried to stay away from you. I truly did. But I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“That’s too bad, because I don’t think about you at all.” I turn, hastily wiping the tears away.
I sense his approach, but I don’t move. My body craves his nearness, begs for a tender caress from him. How can I yearn for this man so much? A person I barely know.
“I’ve lost count of how many hours I spent replaying our last conversation in my head, agonizing over it. My initial motives to get closer to you were selfish and even cruel, but my feelings aren’t part of any scheme. They’re real, Andy.”
I shake my head, trying my hardest to stop my heart from believing his words. Deep down, I know he speaks the truth, but my pride won’t let me forgive him so easily.
“You manipulated me.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I’ve been lost for the longest time, Andy. Since I lost my mother and my sister, to be exact.”
I suck in a breath, remembering the cemetery scene. Stephan lost them to a Neo Gods terrorist attack. It’s not hard to understand why he would get involved with the Knights in the first place.
“Since it happened, I’ve been in a dark place. The Knights gave me a purpose, a way to deal with my demons. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s important when you’re in the thick of the fight. And I did, Andy. I knew it wasn’t right to use you like that, but I convinced myself that it was for the greater good. You have no idea how sorry I am that I didn’t listen to my conscience.”
I know regret when I hear it. I’ve made mistakes as well that I wish I could take back. And the truth is my sin is far worse than his.
Facing him, I ask, “Did you really miss me?”
“More than I thought possible.” He hooks his fingers on my robe’s sash and tugs me toward him. “I miss your smell.” He brings his nose to the crook of my neck, giving me goose bumps. “Your hair.” He runs his fingers through it. “Your sharp tongue and filthy mouth.”
“Hey, I don’t curs—”
He silences me by placing a finger over my lips.
“Shh. I’m not finished.”
My nipples are as hard as small pebbles, and desire has pooled between my legs. “Yes you have.” I wrap my lips around his finger, sucking it into my mouth.
Stephan hisses while things change in his body, meaning a certain part is getting bigger. He tangles his free hand in my hair, pulling at the strands. It hurts a little, but it’s the good kind of pain. I let go of his finger, and immediately his lips descend on mine. There’s no room between our bodies now, and also no way to stop the inevitable.
His kiss is hungry and full of teeth. It’s better than I remembered. My head is in the clouds, my body is melting against his, and when he leaves my mouth to trail wet kisses down my neck, I become combustible. With expert hands, he loosens the sash around my waist and parts my robe, exposing my left breast. No man has seen me naked before, and since I don’t know what I look like, apprehension makes me tense.
“Is this okay? We can stop if you want,” Stephan breathes out.
“No. Don’t stop.”
“You’re so beautiful, Andy.” He caresses my breast, kneading and rubbing his thumb over my nipple. Then his warm tongue captures my tight bud, and I lose it. I arch my back, causing the other side of my robe to slide down my arm.
Stephan takes his time lavishing my breast with attention, alternating between sucking and licking. I never knew I could feel this good. He lets go of my nipple with a loud pop, and I want to cry.
“Why did you stop?”
He doesn’t speak for a couple of beats.
“Stephan?”
“What’s this?” He touches my injured shoulder.
Shit. I had completely forgotten about it. I step away from him, hastily pulling my robe up to hide the obvious. “It’s nothing.”
“That doesn’t look like nothing. Who did that to you? Tell me the name of the punk, and I’ll make sure he never lays a hand on you again.”
“I already said it’s nothing. Drop it.”
“Who are you protecting, Andy? Is it that Leroy guy?”
“What? You think Leroy did this?”
“If not him, then who?”
“No one from school, and it’s really not a big deal.”
“And your hand?”
“What about my hand?” I try to hide it from his view.
“Why is it purple?”
Damn it. The boys were right.
“Ugh. If you must know, I fight professionally,” I blurt out.
“Come again?”
“Underground fighting. Leroy took me there. I challenged the champion and won. It was awesome.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Stephan yells, making me wince.
Okay, now I’m pissed.
“I’m not crazy. As a matter of fact, I’ve never felt more alive than when I fight in the pit. You have no idea what it’s like for me. Everyone only sees the blind girl. No one cares about me, what my dreams are, my goals. Until I moved here, I couldn’t even pick my own clothes.”
“I see you,” he replies in a lower tone of voice, but he’s still mad.
“Do you, Stephan? Or are you just in awe of my powers?”
“How can you say that?”
I whirl around and walk to the window. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to stop fighting because you disapprove.”
“The hell you won’t.”
Furious, I face him again. “Who do you think you are to boss me around? You’re not my father.”
“I’m your—”
“What, Stephan? What? My mentor? My boyfriend?” I laugh without humor. “None of those titles gives you the right to tell me what to do. And honestly, after this little prick show, fat chance you will ever be any of those things.”
“I’m still your mentor whether you like it or not. One word from me and you can say goodbye to your brief stay here. It’s back to homeschooling.”
I gasp, feeling the sharp pain of his invisible dagger twisting into my chest. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
“Fine. Do you want to resort to dirty tricks? I can play that game too. I’m not the only one here with a secret, darling.”
I regret my words as soon as they leave my mouth, but I’m too angry to retract them. It wouldn’t do any good anyway. The damage is done.
Stephan’s energy changes to something cold and menacing.
“Okay, Andy. You win.”
He walks out, shutting the door softly, not banging it hard as I would have in his place.
I collapse to the floor. Drained. Wrecked. I threatened to rat him out, tell the authorities he’s a Knight, something that will result in imprisonment and death. I can’t believe I was so careless, so cruel.
He said I won. So how come it feels like I lost not only the battle but the entire war?
27
Stephan
I want to destroy everything in my path as I storm out of Andy’s apartment. I’m furious at her for putting herself in harm’s way like that. But I’m angrier at myself for letting it happen in the first place. If I hadn’t spent the last month avoiding her at all cost, I might have discovered her little secret sooner.
It was stupid of me to order her to stop. I have no right to issue commands like that. No one does. But seeing the bruise on her triggered a deep-rooted protective instinct in me. I became a caveman, lost in my thirst for retribution.
With that one-track thought, I burst through the boys’ side of the dorm building, almost blowing the double doors off their hinges with a gust of wind. I don’t care that I’m making a scene. I need to have a word with the jackass responsible for the mess Andy’s in.
A freshman sees me in the hallway and freezes. His eyes widen when he catches the murderous glint in my gaze.
“Where is Leroy Wallace’s room?” I ask.
The kid points a shaking hand to the end of the corridor. “L-Left. Room 141.”
“Thanks.”
I fly the rest of the way, and three seconds later, I’m about to punch a hole through Leroy’s door with the way I’m knocking.
“What the hell!” He yanks the door open, dressed in only a towel wrapped around his waist. “Stephan? What are you doing here?”
I shove him out of my way and enter, closing the door with a flick of my wrist. “You and I need to talk.”
Clutching his towel, he shuffles back until he collides with the bed and parks his ass there.
“About what?”
His eyes are bulging from his skull, and the blood has vanished from his face. At level twelve, he ought to be terrified of me.
“About Andromeda Belfor.”
“Listen, man. Whatever you heard, it’s not true. Andy and I are just friends. There’s nothing going on between us.”
“Do you think I’m here because I think you’re dating her?” I take a step forward.
“I-I don’t know. But you look pretty pissed off right now for a mentor.”
“I’m here because I learned about your underground fight club. You took Andy to that shit?”
If possible, Leroy looks even more terrified. “I thought it would be fun. She’s savage, man. You didn’t see the chaos she unleashed at a party in Soho last month.”
“Oh, I know all about that stupid party. I had to bail her and my brother out from the police station.”
Leroy runs a hand over his short hair. “Oh, fuck. I didn’t know they had been arrested.”
“It doesn’t matter. I want the address.”
When he doesn’t do anything besides stare at me like a moron, I shout, “Now!”
He scrambles to his feet, scribbles something on a piece of paper, and hands it over. I glance briefly at the note, then shove it in my pocket.
“What are you going to do?” Leroy asks.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to report them. You said she was good, right? Well, I want to see it for myself.”
“You’re planning to go tomorrow night?” His voice rises to a shrill.
Fuck. She’s planning on fighting again so soon? The bruise on her shoulder looked bad, and although Idols heal fast, we shouldn’t push our limits. Not when a slipup could result in death. I have no illusions regarding this fight club. You enter knowing you might not survive. Again, what the hell was Andy thinking?
“Yes, and you’d better not tell her I was here or that I plan to show up tomorrow.”
He shakes his head. “No, man. I won’t breathe a word.”
“Good.”
“So, are we cool?”
“N
o, Leroy. We’re not cool. You’re on my watch list. One step out of line and you’ll find yourself strapped to a rocket ship on the way back to Minnesota.”
Waiting twenty-four hours to do something about Andy’s reckless behavior killed me. I was still fuming when I left Leroy’s apartment, and the temptation to go back to hers was almost overwhelming. I’m glad I found the strength to resist. I needed to cool down.
I spent the entire evening awake, trying to come up with a plan. I got the address of the underground fight, but I have no idea what I’m going to do once I get there. Dragging Andy out of the place kicking and screaming isn’t going to fly.
It’s 8:00 p.m. now, which means I haven’t slept in over thirty-six hours. The trip to Saturn’s Bay brought more problems to the plate. We have a mole who could be anyone, and only another Morph can tell. Xavier’s refusal to travel with us to identify the culprit didn’t sit well with anyone, but the man was adamant he couldn’t leave Saturn’s Bay right now, and he wouldn’t budge. As a compromise, Dad agreed to send him tapes of our members, hoping Xavier can identify the rat remotely. I’m not holding my breath.
I came to see Andy as soon as I returned, spurred on by Soren’s advice. Everything was going well, until I lost my cool. I’m such an idiot. There were a thousand better ways I could have handled the situation.
I’m about to leave when Soren texts me asking about patrol tonight. Fuck. I completely forgot I agreed to go back on the streets right away. I hate to blow him off and not tell why, but if I say where I’m going instead, he’ll insist on joining me. I’m already on the verge of exploding; I don’t need another short-fused person tagging along. I can’t worry about him blowing while I’m trying to keep my shit together. It’s definitely best if he doesn’t know.
I text him back, pushing our meetup to later in the evening. I’m not sure if I’ll have to cancel on him altogether, but by then, all the mistakes of the evening will be in the past.
The underground fighting takes place in an old warehouse on the outskirts of town. It’s an industrial area, deserted at night. As far as I can see, the storage buildings here are used by Idol-owned companies, which means law enforcement must patrol the area often. I bet whoever owns the arena has the cops in their pockets.
Reckless Times: A Paranormal Romance (Paragon Society Book 1) Page 15
