I still come right back around to the simple fact that I don’t want to.
I just don’t fucking want to.
The guy leaves, and Magnum walks toward me. He moves my chin, so I look up into his hazel-green eyes. “Focus.”
I nod.
“Future.”
I nod again, threads of steel spreading out to harden my veins. Johnny moves to my back, pressing close to me as he massages my shoulders. I stretch my neck from side-to-side while he digs his fingers in. “Have I told you lately that I think you’re perfect?”
Magnum moves in from the front, and suddenly, I’m in a Magnum-Johnny sandwich, each pressing against me, their body heat breaking through the tension and flowing through me.
My mouth parts, and Jacob takes advantage, swooping down to press his lips to mine. Johnny drops his head to kiss the curve of my neck, and suddenly, my mind is preoccupied in a completely different way. I moan, relishing in the love from all sides, not wanting it to end.
Before it can get too far, Jacob pulls away, pinning me with his gorgeous stare. Johnny works his lips up my neck. “You have a lot to look forward to, babe.”
A shiver runs through me. If they’re promising me an incentive, this might be... No, it’s still going to suck, but I’ll take it as a recuperation present.
Johnny reaches over to grab my robe off the bench and helps me put it on. Magnum pulls it closed in front, hands lingering near my hips. “Remember how much he cares for you,” he says, his voice a little off from his usual sure tenor.
“I know,” I tell him, giving him a small smile. I create some space between us all, so I can continue my stretches. I get another five minutes before the same guy returns to lead me to the middle of the ring. My dry throat sticks, so I swallow the thin air as I walk out after him. My robe billows out, but I can’t even enjoy it because I’m so focused on what’s waiting for me when I get out there.
Johnny and Magnum follow after me, but I may as well be by myself. I block out everything I’ve built here and focus on the insurmountable task ahead of me.
The crowd’s excitement level ratchets up when they first see me. It allays some of the nerves, but frays others. Johnny and Magnum act like bodyguards beside me, but people still get their hands in to brush against my skin. I hardly notice. The arena drowns out. I see them, their mouths open, their hands raised while I walk down the path to the middle of the room, but I don’t hear them. My mind works on overtime to mute it all out.
I almost stumble when I walk into the circle to find Brawler step out at the same time I do. He’s so fucking handsome. I thought so the first time I saw him. He’s even hotter now that he’s got fighting shorts on, a bare-chest, and fists clenched like he wants to beat the shit out of something.
I bite my lip, eerily aroused by the scene in front of me. His eyes are more of a cobalt blue today, not the swirling turquoise I’m used to seeing. The ink on his body appears darker, more pronounced. The tribal tattoos swim up his arm as if moving while he shakes his hands out. The angel wings on his neck are alive, beating life’s blood into him.
I’ve only ever seen Brawler fight once. From up in the Crew box in the warehouse. Sure, I’ve seen him train a bunch of times, but this will be something. I’d kill to have a spot front row, watching him tear into somebody.
The crowd roars. The nameless, faceless people around us are literally just that: nothing. Their faces are all striated and muted, like nothing matters but Brawler in front of me.
The guy who’s taken over for Brawler for the night steps into the middle of the circled area. Real bleachers rise up along the circle, reaching all the way to the ceiling. It’s so hot in here, my skin already sticky with sweat. Gone is the smell of stale beer from the warehouse, even though alcohol is still all around. They’ve just gotten fancier. It’s not just cheap beer, it’s mixed drinks and shots too. One of these days, I’ll have to come to the fights just as a spectator. Wouldn’t that be nice?