at the beauty of his eyes. The rich amber color was flecked with green sometimes, but only in certain light.
“That, and for Connor.”
Callan’s brow arched. “He’ll be fine. I trained him.”
Nodding, I tried not to remember when I’d fought him the last time we were here. Despite my nails scratching his face and my hand tearing his shirt, Connor had shown restraint when he could have easily hurt me.
I still needed to apologize to him for that.
Beside me, Callan tensed, his eyes staring over my head as his arm wrapped around me. He tugged me closer, and I wondered about the sudden change in him for only a second.
It was Franklin who first spoke to Moritze as he stepped into the viewing box.
“It’s about time you show up. We thought you might have already known you were beat and decided to tuck tail and run.”
Mortize’s eyes slid my direction, disapproval and anger flashing behind them to see how Callan held me.
Bile crept up my throat when those slimy eyes slid down my body and back up again, his expression giving nothing away by the time he turned to Franklin.
“It’s only a matter of time before one of your men go down.”
Jacob laughed, the sound anything but funny.
“Good fucking luck. All you’re doing is building up a body count. How many more victims are you willing to give us before you finally give up?”
It didn’t escape my attention that Callan remained quiet, the threat of him a wave of heat against my body, his arm a steel band that held me close.
When Moritze looked at me again, Callan’s hand tightened over my hip, a low growl vibrating his chest that I wasn’t sure anybody but I could hear.
“Lisbeth,” Moritze crooned. “I see your handlers have given you a promotion. Are you finished playing servant and are now Callan’s full time whore? Seems fitting, given you were the daughter of one.”
My brows tugged together at the comment, but then Callan moved as if to lunge at him. Franklin and Jacob both stepped between the two men, and I buried my face into Callan’s chest, silently begging him to behave.
Moritze only laughed when I refused to answer, his voice grating my skin. “It’s fine, gentlemen. He’s only keeping Lisbeth warm until I have my turn with her.”
“Good fucking luck,” Callan growled. “You’ll lay a hand on her only when I’m dead. It’s unfortunate you’ll be in the ground long before that happens.”
I glanced up to see Moritze roll his eyes. “Says the man who can’t stay out of the ring for long.”
Franklin spoke up. “We have enough fighters to keep your men busy.”
Laughing Moritze straightened the cuffs of his sleeves. “Then it’s a win-win for me. The only man here that worries us is Callan. And with him out of the fight, then I’ll start making incredible sums of money.”
Jacob took instant offense. “The fuck ever. I’ll be sure to send your boy home in a wooden box next week.”
I didn’t like the way Moritze dropped his gaze to Jacob’s injured ankle, his lips curling into a sick grin when he answered, “Sure you will.”
Five minutes...
The announcer’s voice boomed through the arena. Thankful for the interruption, I clung tightly to Callan, happy to walk with him to the opposite side of the viewing box, as far from Moritze as possible.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t far enough for Moritze to stop poking the bear, practically begging for Callan to let go of the tenuous hold he had on his restraint.
“Tell me, Lisbeth, now that you’re back in the good graces of your family, have any of them mentioned any secrets they may have been hiding from you?”
My head snapped his direction, but it was Franklin’s expression that drew my notice more. Staring between the two men, I swallowed the bile that crept up my throat every time Moritze spoke.
“What secrets? Like the fact you had to blackmail the family for me rather than being able to attract a woman’s attention yourself?”
He grinned, his eyes darting Franklin’s way before returning to me. “No, actually. And for the record, I have plenty of women in my bed. I just happen to want you on your knees in front of me.”
Callan’s body tensed. “Say one more thing, asshole, and I swear to fucking God I’ll kill you right here.”
Rage emanated from Callan, his body going stock still beside me.
It didn’t affect Moritze, he only kept his stare directly on me. “Would you like to know what I know about