Savage Craving - Cecilia Lane Page 0,33

different from any other time I’ve been here.”

Zeke, that motherfucker, slunk around the bouncers. Seth felt a rattle in his throat at the bastard’s appearance. His blood boiled, absolutely boiled, to even the score from their last match. His hands tightened at his sides, already relishing being driven into the asshole’s face.

The other lion stepped behind the organizer and looped an arm around her neck. Zeke leaned close, lips almost touching her ear while his eyes locked on Seth. “Got a problem, darlin’?”

She shivered and caught her lip between her teeth. “Nothing I can’t handle. You know that, baby.”

“If the man wants to fight, let him fight.” Zeke nipped at her earlobe. “No skin off my back.”

“But what—”

Zeke slid a finger under her chin and turned her face toward his. “Times change, darlin’. Get this man set up. Let’s see if he’s still the best brawler around.”

Seth smirked. “Where have you been, Zeke? Last two nights proved that.”

The man ran a thumb over his fingernails. “What can I say? The fuckers around here just aren’t believable. I need to see the proof with my own eyes.” He met Seth’s look with murder in his eye. “Especially since you’re not supposed to be here.”

“You sure about that, Zeke?” Seth asked in a low, challenging voice. “Or do you need a handful of your friends to deliver the message?”

The roar of the crowd nearly drowned out the clang of the bell announcing the end of a match. Some of the bleacher crowd stomped their feet or threw arms around one another. Still others sulked with slumped shoulders or grimaces at those that bet the right way. The bookies and bouncers jumped into action to dole out cash in a somewhat orderly fashion.

“You’re up, boys,” Zeke’s woman called to them over the rush.

Seth made the familiar trip to the ring. He stripped off his shirt and emptied his pockets, then stepped through the doors to the buzz of excitement. His father was a bastard in nearly every aspect of his life, but he gave Seth a gift when he introduced him to the fighting circuit.

Power flowed into him. Along his skin. He could feel the electricity building in his muscles, ready to rip out in a flurry of blows.

He needed the release. He wanted to feel those brushes of his other side. With Lilah leaving, it was the only thing left to make him feel alive.

Sharp points raked through his insides right before Zeke nailed him with a punch to the ribs.

“Watch it!” the ref shouted from outside the fencing. Too late, doors still closing and locking them inside, the bell sounded the start of the match.

Seth staggered back to put extra space between him and Zeke. He raised his hands and prowled the edge of the ring, watching the other lion. Waiting for his moment to attack.

Fight hard. Fight smart. Fight to win. Dear old Dad’s words echoed through his head.

Zeke launched forward with his fists swinging wildly. Seth battered him back and slammed his own fist across the man’s cheek. His knuckles complained, but he grinned through the pain to see the fucker fall back against the chain-link fence and shake his head to clear the little birdies no doubt swimming in his vision.

He spotted Lilah first. Shining beacon that she was, he was momentarily blinded to anything else. His entire body twisted to stay squared to hers as she made her way through the crowd. His... something surged inside him, harder than ever, ready with a possessive need to keep the woman close. Now. Forever. No one touched her. No one threatened her. She belonged with him.

A shove from behind sent him stumbling into the fence. That break in his line of sight was enough to let him focus on everything else. Sights and sounds rushed in at him. The faces of the crowd filled his vision. Their bellowing cheers and cries for blood burrowed into his ears. He scanned the crowd again and found her. Found them. The rest of the Crowleys were with her.

Fuck. Fuck. What the hell were they doing there? Why had they let Lilah tag along? Why would she even agree to join them?

The fighting ring wasn’t the place for her. She was too jumpy. Too anxious. She didn’t trust shifters. Hell, she’d practically accused him of wanting to murder her the moment they met.

Worst of all, he didn’t want her to see him as the monster she’d imagined.

Zeke took advantage of his distraction. The