I remembered my trips to Ruby’s Diner, how I looked forward to the kind words from a friendly waitress. Especially since I was invisible to the rest of the world. I understood exactly how these animals felt.
The panther growled when Rafferty opened the cell and tossed the bucket of meat inside. He quickly slammed the door, startling the animal.
Audrey clucked her tongue. “One of these days, that one is going to get himself eaten.”
Rafferty jogged over and fumbled in his pocket before pulling out the key and opening the gate.
Audrey collected the torch and strolled out as if we were walking alongside a lake on a moonlit night. “Now that we have the questions out of the way, tell me your thoughts.”
“Well, I think only a crazy person would accept a job like this. Screw up and you die. Lose the fight and you die. But win, now that’s the part that interests me.” I moved my plastic bag to my other hand. “I love the rush of a good fight. And whatever Flynn told you, well, he doesn’t know the real me. I’m ruthless, and I don’t like losing. How much does it pay?”
“Two million per match,” she replied, her voice as detached as someone talking about the price of apples. “Flynn takes his cut from the topside fights, but he doesn’t know what goes on down here. Any arrangement you have with him stops now.”
“I can’t take off work without everyone knowing. He’ll get suspicious.”
She stopped to face me. “The girls who work down here resigned, and you’ll do the same. These fights aren’t weekly or every fortnight like the ones upstairs. You’ll fight once a month. Pablo will set you up with our banker so we can do the transactions directly through him. I’ll arrange for an escort. Pablo will fill you in on where you’ll enter the building.”
“He already has.”
“Splendid. As for attire, wear whatever pleases you. I want you to be comfortable and confident. Is that your change of clothes?” she asked, gesturing to my plastic bag.
“I brought these in case, but what I’m wearing now are my fight clothes. I don’t like a lot of skin showing. More to slice up.”
“You’re so different, Robin White. There’s something in those brown eyes that reminds me of my best fighter.”
“Can I have a tour of the upstairs area? I’d love to see what the ring looks like from above.”
“Next time.”
“It’ll only take a minute.”
“I’m afraid I can’t spare a minute.”
“Maybe Pablo can walk me around if you’re occupied.”
When we reached the door again, Audrey opened it. “As I said, maybe on your next visit we’ll show you the upstairs viewing area.”
I strode into the arena. “Is there another secret passageway?”
“Yes. Pablo will show you the way out.” She set the torch back in the holder. “If you survive.”
Audrey closed the door, shutting me in.
Electricity crackled in the air, and when I looked up, all the dark gaps in the archways filled with spectators.
Chapter 27
Wyatt gripped his laptop when the van hit another pothole. “Son of a ghost! Slow down before you bust my equipment.”
Shep took the cigarette out of his mouth and held it between two fingers. “Maybe you need to buckle up, Spooky. And turn that music off. It’s distracting me.”
“It’s my laptop, and nobody touches my playlist.”
“How many songs by Bread exist?” Gem grumped from the back. “You should really try something more upbeat. Like maybe a little Spice Girls or, oh! Do you have the ‘Love Shack’ song?”
Shortly after Raven left the hotel, Shepherd packed the van with weapons, then loaded everyone up and sped to the subway station to get Blue. Now they were headed to the auction house.
Ignoring Gem, Wyatt searched the network connections. He could have installed a router in the van, but anything can be hacked. For trips like these, he preferred piggybacking off someone else’s connection. Technology was another reason he’d chosen a classic Mini Cooper as his mode of transportation. Some modern cars had computer systems and Wi-Fi.
“Not too close,” Viktor cautioned Shepherd from the back of the van. “I do not want anyone to see our vehicle.”
Shepherd slowed down. “Got it. We’ll park here unless Spooky has a problem with that.”
Wyatt spotted a vulnerability in his list. “No problem at all.”
Shepherd shut off the engine. “Turn down the brightness on that thing. It’s like the fucking sun is in here.”
Wyatt didn’t like dimming his workstation, so he got up and climbed into the back