Looking over at the seats where Skyler should be sitting and seeing they’re still empty has a rock forming in the pit of my stomach.
We go through all the same steps. The refs check Ronan out and give their approval. Me and Kieran head to our corner with Scotty and get our shit set up. The announcer does his thing, and the fight starts without a hitch.
The crowd filters back in in waves. It’s hard to keep my focus on the fight happening in front of me. Thankfully, Kieran is on top of everything and is keeping Ronan on point with his strategy. By the end of the last round, I’m ready to get the fuck out of here and find my woman.
Ronan’s fight went to the cards and ended as a draw. Not quite the outcome we were hoping for, but not necessarily a bad thing for his first fight either. He went toe to toe with one badass motherfucker. As far as I’m concerned, he did great.
We’re all heading back to the dressing room when Mack’s phone goes off. At the same time, mine starts ringing.
“Yeah.” Mack answers his first. “He’s here with me.”
I grab mine and see it’s Hawk calling.
“What’s going on?”
“You and the guys need to get to the conference room,now.”He’s all business and zero fucking around.
Fucking hell.
“We’re heading there now.” I tell him, following Mack and Jameson to the hallway where the elevators are to take us up and out of the arena base level. “What’s going on, Hawk?”
“Violet’s been taken to the hospital for an apparent knife wound. And Skyler’s been taken.”
“Taken where? With Violet?” My heart slams into my chest, my muscles are tense, and I can’t shake the sudden sense of dread.
“Get to the conference room, Ethan.” NO sooner does he hang then we are making our way to the SUVs. Mack takes off down the short distance to the hotel and throws the keys at the valet not wanting to waste any time.
When we get to the conference room, Gabe, Eli, Caleb, Gus, Walker, Hawk and Xander are all already waiting for us.
Out of patience, I grind out, “Where is Skyler? What the fuck happened?”
“Calm down, Ethan. Have a seat. We’re waiting for…”
The door swings open and in walks Vincenzo and Matteo Parisi. “Gabriel, gentlemen. My apologies. I understand we’ve had an interesting turn of events this evening. How can I be of assistance?”
The air of nonchalance is rubbing me the wrong way.
“What the fuck happened over there today?” Gabe’s jaw clenches, flexing his hands at his side.
“Hawk, would you mind connecting your laptop to the tv on the wall there?” Vincenzo pointed to the flat screen behind him. “There should be a usb you can use to connect to it with. Forgive the old school technology.”
Hawk looked to Gabe. When he got the nod, he did as he was asked.
“Please pull up the cameras near the north exit where the ambulance was waiting to pick up your lady friend. Miss Dupree, isn’t it?”
Hawk fast forwarded through tons of footage until he reached the moment thew ambulance pulled into the parking lot.
“Wait.” Mack walks to the front of the room, stopping in front of the screen. “There. Is that Skyler?”
“What?”
Walker and Eli are in on me, wrestling my ass to my knees.
“Let me go! What the fuck do you mean that’s Skyler. I thought she was with Declan and Jake!” I’m thrashing against their hold, but it’s no use, Walker gets his arm under my chin and locks me in a choke hold.
“Calm the fuck down. If we’re busy fighting with you, we can’t find your woman. Which is it going to be?” Eli says sternly.
“I’m good. I’m good.” He’s got a valid point. I need our focus to be on Skyler right now. “Someone please tell me what the hell is happening.”