Weapons Master Galactic Gladia - Anna Hackett Page 0,14
barely hurt, but he did grunt.
She’d made her point.
Eyes shooting daggers at him, she strode out.
Chapter Six
She was going to her first arena fight.
Bellamy walked through the wide tunnel, flanked by Jayna and Sage. The other House of Rone women had already gone on ahead to the House of Rone’s seats. Right now, Bellamy wasn’t thinking of stupid men and bone-headed cyborgs.
She was still incandescently angry at Maxon. His controlling actions made her want to punch him again. She knew all about men who thought they were in charge and had the right to boss her around. She’d started to trust the idiot, then he’d ripped her open and exposed her vulnerabilities to everyone.
She kept stoking her anger. It was better than feeling hurt.
“I knew that scarf would look great on you.” Jayna bumped her hip companionably against Bellamy.
Bellamy stroked the silky scarf tied jauntily around her neck. Jayna had given it to her, and Bellamy loved the swirls of blues, greens, and silver.
“You’re going to love the arena.” Jayna’s dark-brown curls spilled around her attractive face. She had brown skin and a curvy body. “Watching muscled, sweaty gladiators fight.” The woman waggled her eyebrows.
Bellamy had to smile. “I wouldn’t let your cyborg hear you saying that.”
Jayna laughed, dark curls bouncing. “He can get a little possessive.”
“A little?”
“Okay, Mace doesn’t really do subtle. He’s a lot possessive, but I like it.” Then her face turned serious. “These cyborgs aren’t that great with relationships, or coping with emotions that they aren’t used to dealing with.”
Bellamy stiffened. “Jayna—”
“I’m just saying. I heard what Maxon said. I don’t know him well because he purposely keeps to himself—”
“Because he’s a grumpy beast of an asshole.”
Jayna bit her lip, clearly hiding a smile. “I’m just saying, all our cyborgs have screwed up lots of times. They kind of need a little help to work out what’s right in a relationship.”
“I don’t have a relationship with Maxon.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Sage murmured from the other side of Bellamy.
“I don’t. I like his workshop.”
“Right,” Jayna said. “It’s nothing to do with that muscled body, golden-brown skin, all that hair, and that intense scowl that makes a woman want to run…or shiver.”
“I don’t do relationships. I had a bad one and I say good riddance to it. I don’t mind tearing up the sheets with a hot guy, but that’s it. They’re more trouble than they’re worth.”
Sage shifted and popped her head between Jayna and Bellamy, her copper-colored hair in a messy bun. She linked arms with them both. “I get the feeling the lady is protesting way too much.”
Bellamy sniffed. “I’m not dignifying that with an answer.”
Luckily, she was saved from adding more because they reached the end of the tunnel and stepped into the arena.
The crowd was cheering and chanting from the tiers of seats that ringed the arena floor below.
For a horrible second, an image of the Edull battle arena popped into her head. The screams of the crowd vying with the roar of engines.
Bellamy blinked hard, and saw only the sand-covered arena below. No battle bots. No Edull. She sucked in some air.
“Bellamy?” There was concern in Jayna’s voice.
“I’m good.”
“It reminds you of—”
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Hungry. What is there to eat?”
“I’ll grab us something,” Sage said.
As they walked down a set of steps between the seats, Bellamy spotted the House of Rone cyborgs. Jayna led her to a stone bench.
“I really wish our guys could fight in the arena more. Cyborgs are banned, but the House of Galen is always a treat to watch. And occasionally, they have an exhibition match where our guys can fight.”
Magnus and Jax were deep in conversation near the railing. The other cyborgs stood nearby. Ever, with Asha sitting on her lap, was sitting beside Calla and Quinn on the benches. Seren was leaning into a muscled, dark-skinned gladiator. Wow, when the tough female cyborg looked at the man, she looked almost…soft. Well, as soft as Seren could ever look.
“That’s Xias,” Jayna said. “He’s the champion gladiator of the House of Rone.”
“He’s not a cyborg?” Bellamy asked.
“No, but still an amazing fighter. Seren put up an impressive fight, but he finally claimed her.”
Another couple in love. Dammit. They were everywhere.
A young boy moved to join the pair. Xias elbowed the boy playfully and Seren said something that made the boy smile. He had black, tattoo-like markings on his face similar to Seren’s.
Jayne leaned closer. “That’s Virin. He recently joined the House of Rone. He’s the same species as Seren, and she