the loose blond waves of her hair, a stern contrast against frightened blue eyes and spotless fair skin. She didn’t belong here, and I had half a mind to drag her from the arena to demand Gretchen escort her home.
While we waited at the large double doors near the front for the guests to arrive, I couldn’t help my question.
“Why are you here? This place isn’t for you.”
“I’m here for you,” she admitted, her voice like steel, surprising me. “You’ll need me. Gretchen knew it, so she asked me to come.”
I was terrified to ask anything else. But there was no time like the present to learn what was so bad I’d need a person to keep me from collapsing.
I opened my mouth to finally ask the question, but guests poured through the door, the absolute worst fucking timing. I didn’t recognize many of them as they stepped through in their expensive suits and shiny shoes. It seemed every one had their hand gripped on the hip of a beautiful woman dressed in clothes that competed with mine for whore of the year.
As they passed, their eyes slid over me, recognition blazing, their mouths pulling into smirks that I brushed off and squared my shoulders against.
I was a Rose, damn it.
Prideful even when stripped down to nothing.
The seating filled up quickly, not that it was a full stadium. A little over a hundred could sit in the audience. My stomach was doing somersaults by that point, but I ignored it while filling drink orders, my teeth grinding every time a hand slapped my ass without permission.
I shot a look at one asshole who tried to run his fingers up my skirt, the threat hitting home when he attempted to take what wasn’t offered and a guard stepped up to almost break his finger for the effort.
Surprised, I shot a glance at the guard, only to discover it was the fighter, Conner, that I’d brushed shoulders with in Callan’s room.
Turning to him, I grabbed the lapel of his suit jacket and tugged his ear down to my mouth.
“Don’t worry about me. Keep an eye on Holly. These guys will eat her alive.”
He glared at my hand, and I released my hold, patting at the fabric to smooth the wrinkles.
“Sorry.”
Escorting me down the steps so I could fill more drink orders, he planted a hand on my lower back and said, “Holly will be fine. My instructions are to watch you.”
That surprised me.
“To keep the men from touching me?”
“To keep you from running,” he answered, his eyes sweeping the chaos in the arena.
Of course. I should have known that.
Fifteen minutes...
The voice over the loudspeaker caused me to jump in place, meanwhile the crowd around me became more chaotic, their eyes locking to the ring while their bodies straightened in their seats.
Dread chewed at me while terror sliced at my veins. I turned to look at the center arena, but it was still empty, the large gates on the far end securely closed.
Behind me, a throat cleared and I spun when a hand touched me.
“I’m surprised they don’t have you hidden downstairs. Typically the prize isn’t allowed to wander.”
Disgust swept in to mix with the dread and terror. Bile coated the back of my tongue as I met the stare of Antonio Mortize. My eyes flicked to where Connor stood in the distance. Although his eyes weren’t on me, I could sense he was watching. It only made me feel a little safer.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. As you can see,” I said, sweeping a hand down to indicate my uniform, “I’m working.”
Antonio’s lips curled at the corners, the lights above us reflecting sharply off the gold jewelry he wore. Just like last time I’d seen him, he was dressed in a suit that screamed money, the grey fabric a touch too shiny. It was apparent money couldn’t buy taste.
Stepping into me, his breath brushed my cheek, and I shivered in disgust.
His voice was a deep whisper. “You’re my prize when my fighter kills Callan in the ring tonight.” His tongue smacked against his cheek, and I threw up in my mouth. “I have all sorts of ideas how much work you’ll be doing once I have you.”
Fat chance. I’d die before letting this asshole touch me.
Stepping away from him, I met his stare, Rose pride intact and in place. “Callan will kill anybody you send down there.”
It felt weird saying those words, but hell, if this was what my family