fight? I darted forward, just as she lunged at her opponent. Ducking low, she rammed her shoulder into the brunette with such strength, the girl bent over from the pain. But not before she drove a fist to Selena’s back.
I cringed, pushing people out of my way who were rushing to the mess hall. Legs pumping, my boots smacked the floor, and I wove myself closer.
Another guard stood just inside the room, leaning against the door, arms crossed, watching the spectacle, grinning. That would be me, except my girl was up there.
Suddenly, she unleashed a war cry and threw herself at the brunette, fists swinging. She was feral, and received her own fair share of hits. A thrill raced through me at seeing my little warrior, and damn, I was proud of her, but after what she just went through, she shouldn’t be fighting. And most importantly, since when did she behave his way?
My heart spun with confusion. The feisty girl up on the table wasn’t behaving like Selena.
“Out of my way,” I growled, carving a path through the crowd. Reaching the table, I snatched Selena’s pants and tugged her in my direction, just as she ducked a swinging punch.
Losing her balance, her arms jutted out, cartwheeling as she fell.
I caught her in my arms and held her cradled as she shoved her fists against my chest.
“Put me down,” she cried as the crowd booed me, and her opponent stood over us.
Fury bled through my veins. I jerked my head up to meet her gaze. “Get the fuck down before I get up there and you’ll end up in the infirmary for a month straight.” I didn’t hurt women or children. Even I held onto a code I followed, but if she hurt my Selena, I was going in blazing.
“I will finish her,” Selena roared, wriggling in my arms, and I grasped her tighter.
The brunette’s lips pinched, defeat flaring over her face. She turned and hopped off the table before blending in with the masses. Their whispers flooded the room. I lowered Selena to her feet and grasped her wrist as she flung herself after the girl.
Dragging her to my side, I hissed, “What the fuck is going on? Did she hurt you?”
She sucked in a long breath, her nostrils flaring as she looked up at me. Something swam behind her eyes, and for those few moments, she stared at me like she didn’t recognize me.
“Are you all right?” I asked. A chill seeped into my gut and spread outward.
“Yeah of course. But you shouldn’t have stopped me. I was winning.”
I licked my dried lips, pulling back the anger rising through me. “You’re coming with me.” Not waiting for her to respond, I hauled her out of the mess hall to the amusement of the other inmates, who cheered. Fucking asses.
“Keon, stop.” She wrenched against my grip as I dragged her down the corridor. She punched my hand, and I swung back around and came face to face with her. Inches away, she didn’t back down, and there was something fucking sexy about a woman who stood toe to toe against me.
“What’s gotten into you? Since when do you fight other inmates? If you want to give the warden any reason to dismiss you from your delivery work, you’re doing a great job.” I couldn’t believe I, of all people, was trying to talk sense into her.
Her nose wrinkled. “What do you care? You tried to kill me, remember?” Her eyes shone, lips stretching wide.
Who the hell was she today? “Selena,” I warned, the word hissing through my clenched teeth.
“I want out of here.” Raising her chin to me, she hurled her fist, whacking me right in the jaw. I saw it coming but didn’t react, purely out of shock, and her small bony hand carried a sharp bite. Grinding my teeth, I squeezed my grip on her wrist until she grimaced.
“Nothing good can come out of this for you,” I reprimanded her.
“Is that right, lover boy? How about you let your demon out again and let’s fight.”
What the fuck?
She didn’t back down, but I wasn’t having this conversation in front of everyone.
“Move,” I yelled in an inmate’s face for standing close to us, watching us, then I marched, still gripping her wrist. We made our way back down the hallway and along another passage until we reached her prison cell. She stumbled inside and glanced around, then back at me. The flash of darkness in her eyes unnerved me.