Hate me

Heckles and shouts surround me in the secluded warehouse, their faces nothing but a blur. 

Another punch flies out. This time catching my lip. My tongue comes out and I lick it, tasting my blood. 

I point to my chin in invitation. “More.” 

He strikes me for a third time, and I welcome the rush of pain. 

Gimme more. 

Rage pushes through me, growing stronger with every breath I inhale. 

The pool of blood on the floor. 

The colorful bruises marring her skin. 

The helpless look on her face.

My fist co

I plow my fist into his kidney before bashing my elbow into his jaw. 

A ragged breath saws in and out of him as his head lolls to the side. 

A few people in the crowd gasp. My opponent easily has thirty pounds of solid muscle on me. 

The fight should be a cakewalk for him. 

But it’s not. 

A roundhouse kick to his chest has him staggering back, trying his hardest to maintain his balance. 

And that’s when I unleash the rest of my fury. 

Charging at him, I crack my head against his. Were this a legal fight, the move would get me thrown out of the makeshift ring.  

But it’s not. 

My body throbs when his eyes roll back. The lights are on, but no one’s home. 

Victory is mine for the taking. 

I plant a kiss on his sweaty forehead right before he crumbles like a sandcastle on the beach. 

People rush to help my opponent off the floor as I make my way over to Jerry. 

The dude’s a crook, and I can trust him about as far as I can throw him. Which isn’t far, considering he’s a fat fuck. 

However, he’s in charge of setting up these fights, so I have no choice but to deal with him. 

“Another win,” he says, slapping some cash into my hand. 

I quickly count it, grinding my molars when I notice he’s two-hundred short. 

“Where’s the rest?”

He shrugs sheepishly. “Money’s a little tight this week.” Reaching over, he squeezes my shoulder. “You know I’m good for it, Knox.” 

Bullshit. 

If he were good for it, I wouldn’t have to fucking ask. 

My glare darkens and the nervous way he shuffles his feet tells me it’s enough to shake him. 

“You have until next week to get me the rest of my money.” I lean in. “Otherwise, I’ll break your goddamn legs…after I rip your beating heart out of your chest and eat it for breakfast.” 

My expression must convey how serious I am because the color drains from his face. 

“Sure thing, man. You know I always take care of you.”

Removing his hand from my shoulder, I spit blood at his feet. “You better.” 

I wait for him to nod before I swipe my gym bag off the floor. 

“You were really something out there,” someone purrs. 

When I turn around, I see a leggy brunette smiling at me. She’s wearing a pair of black booty shorts and her white tank top is knotted just below her tits, showing off her toned abdomen. 

But that’s not what has me smiling back. 

She goes by Candi Kane at the Bashful Beaver. 

The same place Aspen works. 

Her gaze lingers on my bare chest and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth. “You want to get out of here?” 

Her breathy tone and the way she’s looking at me make it obvious that subtlety isn’t her style. 

I jerk my chin toward the door. “My jeep is outside.” 

I watch the way her throat works as she swallows. The rapid way her pulse thrums against her flesh. 

She’s not the one I want. 

But she’ll do. 

For now.