UNBROKEN: A Bad Boy MMA Romance (Midwest Alphas) (Book 2)

by Kiss, Tabatha

  “Pike and Lillian go back pretty far,” he says. “It’s possible she’s letting that history get in the way, but…” He chews on his lip, frustration pausing his breath. “I don’t know.”

  “What do we do?” I ask.

  He inhales deep. “We train,” he answers. “I keep fighting. You keep your eyes open. We trust no one but each other.”

  “Seems a little drastic, don’t you think?” I chuckle nervously.

  “It might be, but I’d rather be safe. This could all be nothing, but with what we know now and the fact that the Double Ex Kings are suddenly popping up everywhere, I don’t think we can afford to trust anyone else.”

  I hold my breath, but that only illuminates the shaking in my limbs. “Okay…”

  “And please,” he whispers, “don’t go somewhere alone with him again.”

  “I won’t,” I reply. “I promise.”

  “He’s already shown he won’t hurt you, for now — but I’m not willing to place any bets on that.”

  “Me neither.” I look up at his concerned eyes. “I’m sorry I went.”

  “Don’t be,” he smiles. “As reckless as you are, it’s rarely ever for nothing.”

  “I guess.”

  He wraps his arms around me and holds me close. “I love you. That’s never going to change, Claire.”

  My body absorbs his warmth, leaving me with a pleasant smile, but I imagine it will be short lived. I thought all of this was because of my mistakes. Oddly, I was okay with that. It meant I could take charge of it and hopefully control the outcome. Having the responsibility to fix it gave me a sense of purpose and power. If there really is something else happening here, something beyond “our little love triangle” as Lillian said, then all my effort will be for naught.

  I fall even deeper into Tobias’ embrace; possibly the only safe place I have left.

  Chapter 10

  Let It Bleed

  We train. Tobias fights. I keep my eyes open. We trust no one but each other.

  A life of espionage may seem intriguing and fun in the movies, but I’ve come to reject any delusions I may have had on the subject. Lying to Charlie is one thing, but now, I’m lying to Amy, Lillian, even myself at times about what I know. The last few weeks have been a haze of near slip-ups, each one triggering my guilty conscience. I’ve bitten my tongue so many times, I’ve left marks along my taste buds.

  But as Tobias said, it’s necessary.

  I let my eyes wander the abandoned school basement. I stand by the door with the glass jar in my hands, taking cash from the giant crowd that’s formed, as Amy’s eyes grow wider and wider. “This turnout is nuts,” she says.

  “I guess word got around about Tobias being back in the tournament,” I say.

  “You know what?” she says, nodding with satisfaction. “That’s exactly what this is…” A grin touches her lips. “All these people have come out here to see my boy…”

  “Your boy?”

  “It’s my district, Claire,” she teases. “Inside the ring, Toby is mine. You can have him everywhere else.”

  “Fair enough,” I chuckle.

  My smile fades as the door opens and Rick steps inside. He’s alone, not surrounded by adoring fans as many other fighters are at this stage of the tournament. He’s firm and focused, ready for a fight.

  I like to imagine I look the same way, but I highly doubt it.

  “Rick,” Amy greets him with a smile, the same smile she shoots at everyone else. “Gotta love a man who’s punctual.”

  He says nothing and he steps around her, his eyes shifting towards to me. “Can we talk in the back?” he asks.

  “Why?” I ask, genuine curiosity lingering at the edge of my mind.

  “Just…” He sighs. “Please. It’s a family matter.”

  I pause, taken back by the intensity of his stare. Amy’s little eyes peek in our direction, but she pretends they don’t. “What’s wrong?” I ask, refusing to leave my position.

  “Okay…” he says, giving in. “When is the last time you spoke with your mother?”

  “Last week,” I answer. “Why?”

  “Where is she?”

  I blink. “At home, in Chicago, last I heard.” He stares at me, searching my eyes for a lie that’s not there. “What’s going on, Rick?”

  “You tell me,” he says. “Apparently, she’s disappeared.”

  “What do you mean disappeared?” I ask, panic rising in me. “What happened?”

  “Dad came home last night and she was gone,” he answers. “Packed a bag, emptied their bank account — gone.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Where is she, Claire?” he asks me again, this time with a much firmer tone.

  “I don’t know. Why would I know?”

  “Dad seems to think it was all your idea.”

  I flinch. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Claire…” Rick leans in closer to me, so close I can feel his breath on my cheek. “If you know anything, now is the time to say.”

  “Hey, Rick!” Amy steps forward and lays a hand on his shoulder. “It’s time to suit up, honey. We’re waiting on you.”

  He clenches his jaw, his eyes still locked on mine. “This conversation isn’t over.”

  “Yes, it is,” I say. I lean in closer, bringing my lips just below his earlobe. “I don’t know where she went. I didn’t even know she was gone. But to be honest, I’m happy she escaped.”

  “Claire—” he growls.

  “Don’t ask me about her again,” I interrupt. “Even if she does contact me, I won’t tell you. You’ll get nothing from me, Rick. She’s better off without him.” I take a step back. “You can go now.”

  He stares at me with such disdain, such disappointment, but I catch a glimpse of desire behind it all. Finally, he turns away and drifts off into the crowd towards the back to get changed.

  “What was that about?” Amy asks as she passes around me towards the cage.

  “Just a family matter,” I answer, watching Rick closely as he walks away.

  My mother ran off. She did it. She actually did it. It wasn’t exactly what I expected her to do, but I’m not complaining either. I reach into my back pocket for my phone, but the roar of the crowd draws my attentions towards the arena. Amy steps inside, bearing her midriff for all to see and waving her arms around to stir the ravenous hungry of the room.

  “Hello, there!” she calls out. “I’m so happy to see you all here tonight!” They scream and beg for her, just as they always do. I’ll admit, I’m a bit envious of her confidence, her grace, but I’ll find my own eventually.

  “Shouldn’t it be you up there?”

  I turn around to find Ryan standing above my shoulder. “She won’t let me up there just yet,” I answer.

  He chuckles. “She’s still a little protective of her introductions?”

  “Yeah,” I say. “Shouldn’t you be elsewhere?” I ask him with a smirk.

  “You mean somewhere that’s not a Midwest Alpha fight?” he quips.

  “Yes.”

  He shrugs. “Probably.” His eyes rise up again to stare at Amy. “But this is more fun.”

  I follow his gaze, making note of his warm expression. “You really like her, don’t you?” I ask.

  “Let’s just say my feelings are a bit… conflicted.”

  “You know, there’s a play about this exact same thing. Can’t quite remember the name of it,” I joke.

  “Oh yeah?” He smiles at me. “How’s it end?”

  “Not well.”

  “Well, darn,” he laughs. “Sounds like I should pack it up and head home then.”

  “You probably won’t though,” I say.

  “No, I will not.” He inhales a deep breath and glances down at me. “I get the feeling you wouldn’t either.”

  I turn back to the ring as tonight’s fighters climb inside, Tobias and Rick included. It’s strange to see them standing next to each other like that, espe
cially without one of them taking a swing at the other one. It’s only a matter of time, I guess. “Probably not,” I tell Ryan.

  “Tonight, we narrow down our fighters to three,” Amy says slowly, milking it with all she’s got. “It’s elimination night, folks!”

  The crowd screams. I hear various names on their tongues, each fighter with their own fan club in tow. But it’s obvious which fighters are the most popular and which fight all these people came out here in the hopes of witnessing.

  Rick, the current Alpha, and Tobias, the reigning champion.

  “Rick the Unbreakable!” Amy cries, her voice barely audible over the joyous noise. I cringe at the name. It’s so similar to Tobias’, but I’m sure Lillian chose it that way on purpose. “And…” She steps around the ring, her feet lingering in front of Tobias for longer than necessary. The crowd eats it up, begging and pulsating, waiting for her to announce his name. “Devlin the Daring!”

  The crowd deflates, most of them disappointed that they’ll have to wait yet another week to see if they’ll ever see a rematch between Rick and Tobias, but I breathe a sigh of relief at the thought. I’m honestly not ready for that rematch just yet — especially since losing my freedom is a very possible outcome.

  I bite my tongue behind my lips, watching as Rick and Devlin take opposite corners of the stage, knowing with prophetic eyes how this match will end. I know Devlin, he’s one of my own fighters. I know his style. He’s strong and fast, but not nearly as strong or fast as Rick. I curse under my breath. Rick will win this fight and he’ll be locked into the tournament for another week. Amy brings the metal whistle to her lips and quickly blows, signaling the start of the match.

  “Hang in there, Claire,” I hear Ryan say as his hand squeezes my shoulder.

  I peek up at him out of the corner of my eye, wondering just how much Amy has whispered into his ear during late night pillow talk. I say nothing, but I give him an understanding nod. He winks back at me, his hand slipping off my shoulder, and flicks his hood over his head to cover his eyes before walking off into the crowd.

  He bumps arms with Tobias as he passes by, but he leaves him with an apologetic pat on his bare shoulder. Tobias does a quick double take before finally stopping near me. “Was that…?”

  “Ryan,” I answer with a nod.

  He sighs, shaking his head. “What is she thinking?” he asks, his eyes darting towards Amy as she steps out of the ring and falls into Ryan’s secret arms.

  “She’s thinking about the incredibly handsome and dangerous boy that’s obviously head over heels for her.” My lips curl. “I can relate.”

  His eyes narrow. “He’s not that good-looking…”

  I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t think he’s a danger, yet. And Amy’s smart. She won’t let it become a problem.”

  “It’s already a problem…”

  “Feel free to bring it up,” I joke, “I’m sure she’ll take it well.”

  Tobias stares at them for a moment, his eyes shifting beneath his forehead. Finally, he gives up and looks back at the ring as Devlin knocks Rick backward with a fierce kick to the chest.

  I watch them spar back and forth, Devlin putting everything he has into each kick and punch. Rick blocks each time, following it up with his own powerful hits, but I can tell he’s holding back. He’s toying with Devlin like an alley cat, letting his prey believe he has a chance to walk away before sinking his teeth in. “He’s the last of our district,” I say, “other than you.”

  “As if I wasn’t under enough pressure…” Tobias mutters.

  I open my mouth to speak, to inform him of what Rick told me about my mother, but I bite my lip instead. He stares at the fight in front of us, his eyes darting around with quick concentration, studying Rick as much as Rick studies him. I can’t tell him about my mother yet. It’d only serve as a distraction, one he doesn’t need right now.

  The crowd winces and I look up to see Rick on his knees with Devlin behind him, his arms locked around his throat in a fierce headlock. A jolt of excitement stirs in my breast. My feet carry my forward, enticed by the fantasy of Rick losing this battle.

  Rick squirms, his limbs flailing around, trying to get loose from Devlin’s iron grip. I hold my breath, watching what I can see of Rick’s face. My fantasy turns to horror as Rick’s lips curl in a devilish grin. I sigh with disappointment as he easily flips forward, casting Devlin over his shoulders to the floor in front of him. Of course he was in no real danger of losing. He’s playing with his audience just as much as he’s playing with Devlin.

  His gaze finds mine in the crowd and his deep blue eyes turn my senses to stone. He presses his knee against Devlin’s neck and Rick holds him there, staring back at me the entire time, until Devlin’s skin turns purple and his hand taps hard against Rick’s shin.

  Rick’s adoring fans go wild, screaming his name, calling out to their Alpha in triumph.

  “Claire…” Tobias pulls me away, shifting his body between myself and the cage.

  I push myself onto my toes and steal a hard kiss from his lips. “Go,” I tell him.

  His mouth splits, but he holds back any words he has for me. With a quick nod, he pushes away and makes his way back towards the cage.

  Amy climbs back inside the ring as Devlin pulls himself off the floor. “Well, shit!” she cries. “He was one of mine…” Her whimpering lips bring a series of adorable aww’s from the crowd around her. “But I guess that’s another win for Rick the Unbreakable! He’s the Alpha, after all…” Her audience screams as her words fall for a moment and her eyes dance with amusement. “For now.”

  Rick looks at her through the narrow slits of his eyes, but he does nothing in response to her joke. He can’t anyway. She’s a Dame and even more, he’s in her district. She can say whatever the hell she wants and he can’t touch her, but it certainly won’t stop him from thinking about it. I can tell by the darkness in his eyes that he is. He steps out of the arena, right into the open arms of his public while the remaining fighters take the stage.

  “Tobias the Untouchable!” Amy calls out his name with pride. “Let’s see what you’ve got against Peter the Phantom from St. Louis!”

  Tobias moves into his corner, his eyes locked on Peter with every step he takes. I smile, feeling the rush of heat through my body as he takes his fighting stance. He pauses and looks at me, taking the few seconds he has before Amy blows the whistle to remind himself of why he’s up there in the first place. I lick my lips and smile at him, my warm cheeks flooding my senses.

  The whistle calls and Peter charges forward before it even falls from Amy’s lips. It takes Tobias by surprise, but he slips away from him in the knick of time to avoid a crushing blow to the face. Peter punches wide, Tobias blocking each one, but with every strike, he falls backward another step.

  I bite my lip so hard, I taste blood on my tongue as Tobias falls back more and more with each blow. He’s still too slow, not nearly as fast as he once was. I throw all the negative thoughts away, eager to keep an optimistic outlook, but the crushing weight won’t fall off my shoulders.

  Peter juts forward, shoving his shoulders against Tobias to knock him back against the cage. He holds him there with his thick arms and slams his knee into Tobias’ kidneys to keep him off balance. The edges of the metal cage bite at Tobias’ skin, tearing at his flesh until blood seeps from the wounds. I flinch, unwilling to turn away from him until I see Rick’s familiar face flood my vision.

  “One last chance, Claire,” he says, blocking my view. “Where’s your mother?”

  I lick my lips, tasting the subtle heat and rage upon them. “Go to hell, Rick,” I say, letting my eyes fall back to the cage. I ignore his towering form above me, sensing his own anger. Finally, he walks away and I let a shiver of fear take control of me for a long second.

  “Come on, Tobias…” I whisper through bared teeth.

  Tobias kicks forward and wraps his foot around Peter’s knee, sweeping his leg out from under him. Pet
er topples backward, his back slamming against the floor, giving Tobias the leverage he needs to push off the cage. Fresh blood falls out of his wounds, staining down his white skin like spilled, red ink. The crowd screams, once again getting a taste of Tobias the Untouchable’s blood.

  Tobias throws another kick, this one connecting hard against Peter’s face. It’s a surprising blow, one that shocks me as much as anyone else. Tobias usually doesn’t take the easy shot while his opponent is down, but I see the determination in his eyes. He can’t lose this fight. He won’t lose this fight.

  No matter what.

  He pounces on Peter with white-knuckle fists, turning them red with each fresh blow to his face, striking him again and again until Peter falls limply to the floor. My eyes scan the room until I find Rick standing below the cage, frozen solid as the rest of the crowd jumps around him in excitement. I can see it in his eyes; that look of surprise. He wasn’t expecting Tobias to get his hands dirty, and truthfully, neither was I.

  One last kick from Tobias and Peter goes cold.

  “That’s my boy!” Amy screams as she steps inside the cage. She plants a kiss on Tobias’ sweaty cheek, but I won’t bust her on it. I’d do the same thing in her position. He’s the last of our fighters. Our district’s last chance at retaking Alpha. He’s too valuable, especially to me.

  I have far more to lose here than a bonus check.

  ***

  “Hold still,” I mutter as I soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol.

  Tobias looks up at me from his bed. “You don’t have to—”

  “Shut it,” I say. “Lift up your arm.”

  He sighs, but does as he’s told, gritting his teeth as the painful motion twinges his ribs. His entire side is wrecked with scratches, left behind by the jagged edges of the cage, many of which have yet to stop bleeding.

  “Should probably look into getting a tetanus shot,” I point out, although I already know what his response will be. I pull the temporary adhesive bandage free and dab the soaked cotton against the seeping wound.

  “I’m fine,” he says.