Page 33 of Echoes of Obsession
“Think nothing of it, pretty lady,” Hunter shrugs. “I was practically raised by wolves. Animals can sense the wild in me. Anyway, welcome to the Undercage.”
“Hunter is my best friend and my not-so-silent partner,” I explain.
“The Cage and the Undercage?” Snow smiles. “Kinda sneaky.”
“Let’s get you in the box and settled before the crowd comes in,” I say. “They can get rowdy, and if someone hurts you, I’ll fucking kill them.”
Her giggles follow behind me.
“He’s not kidding, girlie,” Hunter says. “He won’t give anyone a pass for hurting someone he loves.”
“Oh, we’re just friends,” she says, stopping me in my tracks. I turn and grip her shoulders before she can bump into me.
“We’re what?” I ask quietly.
Maybe I don’t love her just yet, but I know deep down that it won’t be long before I do. However, just friends won’t work for me.
“Oh, uhm. Well, we are friends, right? Even though we’re a couple, we can still be friends.”
“Nice save, girlie,” Hunter laughs.
I grip the back of her neck and pull her lips to mine. Taking my time, I make sure she knows exactly what kind offriendswe are. By the time I pull away, her eyes are glazed over, and I nod with satisfaction.
“So fucking sexy,” Hunter says from behind me. “You need to keep her looking just like that for the rest of her days, brother.”
“You only get one,” I warn him. “The next time you look at or talk about my woman like that, I’ll shoot you. Friend or not.”
“Ghost,” Snow gasps.
“Don’t worry, girlie,” Hunter laughs. “He’ll make sure to shoot me where I won’t die.”
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. As fast as my feelings are developing for this woman, I wouldn’t be surprised if I shot someone between the eyes for simply looking at her wrong.
Even my best friend.
I think King is rubbing off on me.
“Who’s on the docket for tonight?” I ask, changing the subject.
“We have six competitors between three matches,” Hunter says eagerly, leaning forward. “First up, there’s that rematch everyone’s been dying to see. Remember that controversial decision from last month? Those two are squaring off again.”
I nod, recalling the uproar the fight between the two siblings had caused. “Should be interesting,” I say, careful to keep my voice measured. I can feel the energy building, but I don’t usually show it as openly as Hunter.
Beside me, Snow watches us with a soft smile. Her calm presence is grounding, a steady light against Hunter’s overly vibrant enthusiasm. Needing more, I scoot closer and place my hand on her knee.
“Then we’ve got Zara ‘The Hurricane’ Hops. She’s up against a rookie, and you know how she fights. Those kicks are lethal. Should be a real test for the new kid.”
I nod again, thoughtfully this time. “I’ve seen her fight. Tough as nails.” The image of Zara’s last match flashes through my mind. She was relentless, a real force in the cage.
Snow’s smile widens, and I catch the glint of amusement in her eyes as she looks at me. What is she thinking?
Hunter leans in closer, his voice lowering as if he’s sharing a secret. “And for the main event, it’s Raul ‘The Reaper’ Mendoza. This guy’s a knockout artist. His last match? Over in under a minute. If he wins tonight, he’ll remain undefeated.”
My interest piqued. “He’s got the skills, no doubt about it. But I thought he wasn’t on the list for a fight for several more weeks.”
“He was asked to move it up,” Hunter says, practically bouncing in his seat. “If he wins, we’ll cash in tens of thousands of dollars. But, if something happens and he loses tonight, we’ll bank at least five hundred grand. Maybe even double, depending on tonight’s bets. People want to see him lose, so I know those bets are going to be high.”
Snow chuckles softly beside me, her eyes twinkling. “Sounds like it’s going to be quite the show,” she says, her voice warm and amused.