Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Oh, fuck off,” Bones said and lightly pushed him away. “You gave me plenty of luck last night.”
I leaned up to press a small kiss to Bones’ lips with a grin. “Knock ’em dead.”
“Before he knocks me.”
Bones glanced over his shoulder toward the betting table. Standing next to Otto was the man of the hour himself. River’s eyes pierced into us, his half-naked body oiled up and accenting his muscles. The previous time I saw him, he’d looked jovial. Now he looked downright mean. I shuddered at the hooded look, but Bones didn’t even bat an eye. He threw off his T-shirt and handed it to Lotto.
“Tell Troy to have a dry martini waiting for me at the bar.”
When Bones looked back at me, his lips grew into a smirk.
“It’s the least he can do when I kick River’s ass and make him a millionaire.”
Chapter 26
Bones
River looked much thicker than the last time I saw him.
He also looked a whole lot angrier.
We circled each other in the ring like hawks, the jeers of the crowd behind us keeping us on our toes.
Perk’s vs. Smiley’s. River vs. Me. Two heavyweights going for the jugular.
It all came down to this.
I wasn’t sure who moved first, but River was on me in an instant. He threw punches, knees, kicks. I blocked and ducked, returning the blows. His knuckles collided with my shoulder and sent pain screaming down my arm. I punched his jaw and marred his skin with fleshy pink. Too bad. He was looking extremely fucking handsome tonight.
But I wasn’t here to appreciate.
I was here to prove a point.
The roar of the crowd swelled with each block, hook, and jump. We grappled with each other and sent each other to the mat. We kicked for freedom, leaving bruises and bites all over each other’s bodies to get free. Every move was calculated; each jab was well-placed.
While I was used to losers in the rings who went down way too easily, River was another level. He met me blow for blow while barely breaking a sweat. I didn’t know how long we circled and swiped at each other, but it was far too long. I was growing tired, and my concentration was waning. He got in a few good hits on the side of my head that made my ears ring. I got some good hits on him, too, and blood dripped from a cut above his thick right eyebrow. It coated the tape around his knuckles and the fists he threw at my side.
I was too slow to avoid his next jab. My head snapped back, and I stumbled, grabbing onto the cage to right myself. Shit. If he got me here, it was over. I’d spent too long trying to figure out his game and make my mark. Now River had the upper hand.
And was coming straight for me.
Someone screamed as River charged at me. It took me a second to recognize the voice within a sea of yells.
Frankie.
And he was pretty pissed off.
“Duck, you fucking idiot! Don’t let him get you down!”
If I had time to snort, I would have. Even in an important moment like that, his training was all barbs.
I waited until the right moment and ducked out of the way. River’s fist collided with the cage, and he hissed. I kneed his side to free myself, pulling away to shake out my body and gain my bearings.
The crowd shook the cage and somehow escalated even further.
Among the sea of chants and jeers, another voice.
“Keep your left side covered!” That was Lotto, somewhere near Frankie. “He keeps targeting it!”
Yeah, because he got two good hits on me earlier and it hurt like a bitch.
Right on cue, River stepped forward and swung for my left side. I blocked his arm and grappled him, throwing him over my shoulder. He held onto my arm, and we both tumbled to the mat. We rolled around together, trying to get the upper hand. My hands slid off his stocky sides thanks to the oil and sweat; he tried to grab at my hair and missed when I juked out of the way.
Then, one last voice.
“Grapple his arm!” That was Ari. This time, I did laugh. When did she start giving me fighting tips? “Put him in a headlock!”
Not a bad idea.
I grabbed onto River’s shoulders and forced him onto his stomach with my legs around his chest. I gripped his left arm and yanked as hard as I could. River cried out in pain but didn’t tap out, even as I tugged even harder. But my grip was weak and River was strong, and he almost slipped through my fingers.
Frankie, Lotto, and Ari were screaming my name. My heart swelled. I had to do this. For them. There were no rules here. Only winning.