“Do you still think he deserves to die for that choice?” I ask him.
“He hurt you,” Tobias answers. “He deserves worse.”
I bite my lip, torn in two by my own feelings. “You should get going—”
“Claire—” He grabs my wrist to keep me from leaving. “I need you to do something for me.”
“What?” I ask.
Tobias loosens his grip and shifts his hands to my cheeks. “Kiss me,” he whispers.
He pulls me closer and I feel his warm lips on mine. I kiss him back, hoping to somehow freeze time and stay like this forever with him. “I love you, Tobias,” I whisper, fighting the tears from spilling down my cheeks.
“Tobias…” We turn to see Amy standing at end of the hall. “They’re ready for you.”
He looks down at me and lays his forehead against mine. “I love you, Claire,” he replies, his voice so low I can barely even hear him. “You’re my strength, you know that, right?”
“I know,” I say.
“Stay close to Amy,” he says. “If something happens, I’ll find you.”
I kiss him one more time. “Go,” I nod. “Go before I don’t let you go at all.”
He smiles and stands up tall. “You know, I really like bossy Claire…”
I watch him leave. I can feel each step he takes in my chest, every single one of them a painful stab to the heart. “Tobias—” He pauses at the door. “Kick his ass.”
He smiles again before pushing the door open and a loud cacophony of shouts and whistles greets him as he enters the arena.
Chapter 14
The Unbreakable
“Ladies and gentlemen!”
Lillian’s voice calls above the fray. She stands in the center of the ring with her hands on her hips and a fake smile on her face, unlike every other time I’ve seen her speak to her adoring public. The last few days have taken quite the toll on Lillian Tombs. I glance around the crowd, noticing the hushed whispers from the regulars. They see it, too. They know there’s something wrong.
“Welcome to the fight you’ve all be dying to see!”
A roaring applause fills our ears as Tobias and Rick take the stage behind Lillian. I look at Amy next to me as her own eyes scan the room, on alert for anything out of the ordinary.
“Last year’s Alpha is back to reclaim his title,” she continues. “This will be Tobias the Untouchable’s final battle in the Midwest Alphas.” A series of boos interrupts her voice and she pauses to let the sound sink in, no doubt hoping it will change Tobias’ mind. He stares straight ahead without flinching. His mind will never be changed, but I give her credit for trying. “But first…” Lillian pauses. “Let’s talk about Rick the Unbreakable.”
The audience erupts, waving their arms and chanting Rick’s name as his lips twitch with delight. Lillian raises a finger to her bright, red lips and the voices quickly settle down. “He is a fierce fighter. A memorable opponent.” She pauses in front of him with her chin held high. “But he does not deserve the title he holds,” she says, staring him down. He stares back at her with a smug expression, not the least bit jarred by the accusation.
I turn to Amy and she stares back at me with the same confusion. “What is she doing?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” she replies.
“Most of you have heard of the Double Ex Kings.” Lillian turns away from him and speaks to the silent room. “Some of you might even be loyal to them.”
“More than some.”
Amy and I twist around to find Ryan lingering behind our shoulders. Her mouth drops. “Ryan, what—”
“Shh!” he urges, his eyes shifting around us behind his hooded sweater. “Turn back around. Don’t look at me.”
We do as we’re told and look back to the cage. I look to Tobias, but he’s too busy staring at Lillian to notice who’s behind us. I bite my lip in fear, instantly picturing a knife at my back again.
“Ryan, what’s going on?” Amy asks, facing forward.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says. “But there are a lot of people here that will.”
“How many are we talking here?” I ask.
“Too many.”
Lillian raises her voice. “I’m not going to ask you all to leave,” she says. “Because I want all of you, Kings and Alphas alike, to witness this fight. I want you all to see what happens when you mess with the Midwest Alphas.” She spins back around and faces Rick. Her lips move. The faint sound of her voice fills the space between them, but it’s far too low to hear what she’s saying.
“I have to get you two out of here,” Ryan says. “Now.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I say, watching Tobias’ face. “Especially not with you.”
“Look, Claire,” he says, “I totally get where you’re coming from and all, but we don’t really have time to chit chat about it.”
“You’re a King,” Amy spits, clearly not caring who hears her. “What makes you think we’d trust you?”
“Because it was Lillian that sent me to get you out of here.”
I turn around, ignoring his command not to. “What did you just say?”
“Not a whole lot of time to explain that either, Claire,” he says. “I just need you to trust me on this one.”
I look at Tobias again and I shake my head. “No,” I say. “I’m not leaving with you.”
Ryan sighs. “Yeah, she told me you’d probably say that. Look around you right now. Do you see any other Dames anywhere?”
I glance around, searching the crowd for Veronica and Heather, but neither of them are in sight. Even Lisa and Kimi have disappeared from their stations by the doors. I look at Amy and she shakes her head.
“Where are they?” she asks him.
“Like I said… Lillian sent me to get you all out.”
“Why you?” I ask.
He signs again, rolling his eyes. “It’s a long story, but obviously, I’m not a very good Double Ex King…” he mutters quietly through his teeth. “Now, if you don’t mind… it’s time to go.”
“Where are we going?” Amy asks.
“Someplace safe.”
I look at the ring as Lillian brings her metal whistle to her lips. Tobias and Rick stand in opposite corners, each of them in their fighting stances. “No,” I say. “I’m staying here.”
“How about I come back for you then? Okay?” Ryan says with a defeated tone as he grips Amy’s arm. “Come on, Amy.”
“Claire…”
“It’s all right, Amy. You go,” I nod.
“Just keep your head down,” Ryan warns me. “The Kings know your face.” He guides Amy away, leaving me alone in the pulsing crowd as the whistle calls.
I step closer to the ring, sliding between shoulders as I go. Tobias holds his fists in front of his face, just like he always taught me to do. He told me he protected his face because Charlie would notice the bruises if he didn’t. I suppose he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore now that his father knows everything.
My pulse quickens in my chest as I look down his body. Even in a moment like this, I find him completely irresistible in those tight, black shorts. His chest glistens with a thin layer of nervous sweat covering his bruised, inked skin. Deep scabs line his side where the cage sliced him open two weeks ago, healing slower than they should. I feel a smile hidden beneath my lips, just barely reaching the surface of me, squashed down by the dark dread plaguing my guts.
Rick darts forward and throws the first punch at Tobias’ face, an easily countered jab that does little to rattle him. He pushes Rick away, but he quickly doubles back for a second punch. It’s a glancing blow, just barely grazing Tobias’ ear as he jerks his head out of the way. Tobias raises his foot and kicks Rick backward into the metal cage.
The crowd screams with delight, but I’m not as easily swayed. It’s painfully obvious that Rick isn’t even trying. He’s killing time, drawing out the fight with slow hooks and jabs, but for what?
I look around me,
searching for anything out of the ordinary. My eyes fall on others in the sea of men, their rugged, expressionless features a dead giveaway of their intentions. Ryan said there were others. As I count them and the number climbs higher in my head, the threat finally sinks in.
I’m surrounded.
I keep my fists at my sides as I push through the crowd, slowly easing towards the cage with my face down low. My eyes drift towards Tobias, but his laser-focus won’t budge from Rick’s determined face. I see the wheels spinning in his head, wondering what move Rick will pull next. I silently urge him to look at me, to see my eyes and read my mind, but it’s not his eyes that turn my way.
The sudden shift in Rick’s gaze turns my blood cold. His eyes find mine instantly and he shoots me a clever smile before kicking off the mat and slamming his foot against Tobias’ jaw.
I gasp as he tumbles to the floor. “Tobias—!” I scream. I’m several feet away from the cage, but my voice refuses to travel to his ears. He shakes his head as he pulls himself up, no doubt dizzy and disoriented from the lightning fast kick.
Rick takes the chance to throw another fast punch, but Tobias knocks him back again, this time keeping a firm grip on his wrist to hold him close. Tobias jerks Rick off balance and lands a quick chop to Rick’s throat.
Rick’s face instantly turns red as he falls to his knees and struggles to breathe. Adrenaline pounds in my ears and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring me great pleasure to watch Rick on the ground, coughing and gasping for air.
Tobias steps forward and draws his fist back to strike Rick while he’s down. The blow knocks Rick closer to the floor. Blood spills from his nose, crawling down his face to drip onto his pecks. Rick pushes himself up onto his knees, fighting hard to regain his balance, but Tobias spins on his heal and uses the fierce momentum to deliver a clean kick against his cheek.
My ears twitch. It’s the faintest sound, lost in the thick air of the arena, but I’ve heard it far too many times not to notice. I step closer to confirm my suspicions.
Rick is laughing.
Tobias reaches down and grabs a fistful of Rick’s hair before pulling him up onto his shaking feet. He holds him steady, forcing Rick to look at him while his chuckle intensifies. I reach the cage, pushing in as close as I can, hoping to hear the words on Tobias’ lips, but I can’t make out any of it.
Rick says something back to him and Tobias’ eyes fall on me.
I freeze, crushed by the weight of his stare. There’s an anger in his green eyes, but he sets it aside for the shortest of moments as he studies my face.
Trust. Strength. Love. I feel everything he feels, every thought he thinks.
Rick’s lips move, filling Tobias’ ears, and the anger returns to his eyes.
Tobias spins and forces Rick back down to his knees. I bite my lip to keep from screaming, knowing that there’s a voice inside of me that would beg him to stop. I keep it silent, preparing myself for what’s to come.
Tobias holds Rick by the neck, his fingers digging hard into his flesh. Rick’s cheeks turn blue. The crowd screams with jubilation, each one of them overwhelmed by the spectacle, wondering if this will end the way they think it will. They scream louder as Tobias punches Rick’s purple face. A red mist covers his hand. I honestly can’t tell if it’s all Rick’s blood or a little bit of Tobias’, too.
I gasp as the lights go black, plunging the entire arena into darkness.
Panic rolls through the audience, screams of confusion filling my ears. I grip the cage and hold myself against it while the stampeding feet charge towards the nearest exits, their paths lit up by the blue screens of their phones. I blink repeatedly, hoping to trick my eyes into adjusting to the sudden shift of darkness, but I can’t see a thing past the blurred, dim lights of touch screens.
“Tobias!” I cry out. Shadows dance behind the cage, but they’re both far too similar in height and weight for me to determine who is whom as they both continue trading blows.
Running feet fire passed me, knocking me loose. My trembling fingers let go of the cage and I stumble to the floor. I shove their bodies away as they kick and stomp on me, struggling through the pain to get back on my feet.
I look up as small sabers of light pierce the darkness. Flashlights turn on one-by-one at random in the crowd. They cast the round lights onto the faces of those rushing by them, focusing on women alone.
Keep your head down. The Kings know your face.
I duck under the panic, forcing my hair down to obscure my features. The bright lights catch my eyes and leave auras on my vision, making me more lost than ever in the surging panic.
A hand grasps my wrist. Strong fingers, damp with sweat, tug hard at me to pull me out of danger.
Tobias.
I follow his feet as he leads me towards the back, his iron grip never wavering no matter how many shoulders I blindly bump into. He kicks the black door open and pushes me inside the deserted hallway leading to the locker rooms and offices in the back.
“Tobias…” I breathe his name, happy to be able to hear my own voice behind the closed door, and fall into his thick arms.
“No, Claire…”
The rumble of his voice charges through my body, reigniting the fear in me. I push away from him, throwing myself back against the wall as he flicks his flashlight on to illuminate the small space between us.
Tears tumble down my cheeks, but I can still easily make out the face of Pike the Punisher.
Chapter 15
Everyone’s Got Their Demons
“Claire, we need to talk.”
I spin on my heels, determined to run away from him, but he easily catches up with me. “Let me go!” I scream, kicking my feet as he raises me off the ground.
Pike hugs me tightly against his chest from behind. “Calm down!” he shouts into my ear. “Or I’ll snap your little neck like a fucking twig—”
I brace myself for pain and slam my head back to bash his nose. His grip loosens enough for me to slide from his grasp. I rub the back of my skull, feeling the fresh lump growing, but I ignore the red in my vision to get moving again. Pike drops his flashlight as he stumbles backward, his hands covering his busted nose. I reach for the light and flick it off before bolting down the hallway, obscured in total darkness. I use my memory, recalling the locations of doors as I push them open in the dark to confuse him before rushing into the locker room.
“Claire!”
I ignore his shouts and continue my run through the room, bumping into benches and walls as I go. Pain shoots through my toes with each stub, but I hold my lips together to keep from crying out. I feel the walls, searching for another door or an exit, anything that will get me as far away from Pike as possible.
“Claire!”
His voice echoes through the locker room, startling me enough to drop the flashlight. I curse under my breath as it clatters to the floor.
“I know you’re in here!” he shouts.
I lower to the floor to grab the light and force my back into a dark corner with no idea of where I am. The walls around me offer a little comfort, but the sound of his boots stomping around keep me on edge.
“I just want to talk to you, Claire.”
I hold my breath, but the air shoots loudly out of my nostrils. I cover my face with my hands, but that just makes it worse. It’s only a matter of time until he finds me. I can’t stay in this location. I have to move. I have to think fast. I have to—
“I didn’t come here to hurt you,” Pike says, his voice echoing throughout the room. “We’re just two old friends hashing it out…”
My sense of hearing clicks, pinpointing his location nearby. I steady my breathing, forcing only smooth, deliberate breaths as I raise the flashlight above my head. I throw it hard and it sails through the darkness until it strikes a locker across the room and clatters to the floor.
Pike’s feet rush towards the sound and I move quickly in the opposite direction, keeping light on my toes.
�
�What are you going to do?” he asks out of frustration. “You going to go back out there? They’re looking for you, Claire, and they’re a heck of a lot scarier than I am. I don’t like your chances.”
I pause against a new corner, steading myself against the walls. “If you want to talk, then talk!” I shout, a charge of courage teasing my nerves. His boots click in my direction. I focus on the sound and move again to the next corner away from him.
“Okay, then…” he says, following my voice. I push on, keeping my distance from him while he speaks. “I think the two of us can come to an arrangement, Claire. There’s no reason why we both can’t come out on top here.”
“What kind of arrangement?” I ask, buying time until I can find the door again.
His heals spin to face me, but he doesn’t move from his spot. “Simply put,” he begins, “I want back in the Alphas.”
“What makes you think I have any say in that?”
“You don’t,” he replies. “But Lillian does.”
“Then why don’t you ask her?” I ask.
“I have.”
“You have your answer then.”
He sighs. “I met Lillian when I was twelve years old, Claire. She got me off the streets, gave me a purpose. A life. Loyalty like that doesn’t change overnight.”
“If you’re so loyal to the Alphas,” I say, “then why did you stab Tobias last year?”
He laughs. “See, now you’re asking the right questions.” His heels tap the floor. “What could possibly have happened to make me do that?”
“I know what happened,” I scoff. “Rick promised you twenty minutes alone with me.”
Pike pauses, the long silence filling the air. “Is that what you think?” He chuckles. “You’re cute, Claire — but you’re hardly worth stabbing a guy over.”
I settle into a corner, listening closely to his words. “Then why?”
“Come with me and I’ll tell you,” he says.
“Not a chance.”
“Claire—” A dull light turns on and the screen of his phone illuminates his face in the dark. With a quick flick of his thumb, he enables the camera light and I gasp at the sudden, bright beam shining into my eyes. I stand still, frozen in the corner as he walks towards me. He pauses a few feet away and turns the light away so I can see him. “If I really wanted to hurt you, you’d be dead by now.”
UNBROKEN: A Bad Boy MMA Romance (Midwest Alphas) (Book 2) Page 16