Page 36 of Echoes of Obsession

“They won’t find shit on King,” Hunter says. “Besides, I told you I took care of everything. It’s on me if something happens.”

“You’re my silent fucking partner,” Ghost reminds him. “Your name isn’t even attached to this damn place.”

“But it is on the release form for the kid. I promise, man, nothing will touch your family if something goes wrong.”

“Damnit, Hunter.”

“That man raped his sister, Ghost,” Hunter says, causing me to gasp. “Wouldn’t you want revenge, too? If he had gone after him on the streets, then he would have been jumped by all of The Reaper’s men. This way, The Reaper has no choice but to fight back without fucking cheating. He wouldn’t want to pay the damn fine.”

“You know as well as I do that going into a match with nothing but rage is going to end in a bloodbath.”

“Look, Venom and Reynolds are both down there in the corners waiting to intervene if need be,” Hunter says. “I’ve also watched the boy fight. Who do you think gave him the name Firecracker?”

“If this goes south, Hunter, it better not touch my family.”

“It won’t. Promise.”

“Fuck.”

Ghost finally turns and heads back towards me. He grips my shoulders and pulls me up and into his body.

“If it touches her, I’ll fucking kill you.”

I don’t say anything as Ghost holds me tightly. It seems he needs a hug.

“Got it,” Hunter says.

With that, nothing else is said. I wrap my arms around Ghost’s back as he continues to hold me against his body. We stand there until the loud bell rings, indicating the first round of the fight is over.

“I need to go and talk to the kid before the next round,” Ghost tells me. “Please, don’t leave this room, babe.”

With a kiss on my forehead, he leaves without looking at his best friend.

“That went better than expected,” Hunter smiles. “If you weren’t here to calm that beast, I most definitely wouldn’t be standing here.”

“He would have killed you?” I ask, not as scared as I should be at the idea of Ghost killing a person.

“In a heartbeat,” he laughs. “He would have at least broken a bone…or three. He must really like you to remain so calm.”

“That was calm?” I ask.

“Oh, yeah,” he laughs. “You’re my good luck charm.”

Laughing, he walks out of the room and heads towards the cage.

“What have I gotten myself into, Sky?” I ask my dog.

His only response was to curl up under my feet and take a nap.

Chapter Nine

Ghost

Hunter: Everything worked out. We made twenty grand.

It takes everything in me not to throw my phone across the room. Sure, the kid wasn’t killed. This time. But he didn’t walk away unmarked. I hope he got out all of his aggression because he won’t be back in my cage until he has at least six months of training under his belt.

Fucking Hunter.