Page 22 of Uppercut Princess

“Brawler jumped into a fight. Rocket had to take care of it,” Magnum answers.

Oscar rolls his eyes. “Always so dramatic, the big lug.”

Oscar looks at peace here. Maybe he wasn’t at my fight earlier, but he’s certainly watched the fights from up here before. The way he joined the Heights Crew would make me believe he would be a low-rung guy, but his attitude at school and familiarity with this place makes me think he has a bigger stake in the Crew than I thought.

He winks at the girls in the back, and they titter. As I’m beginning to notice, Mag doesn’t prolong their conversation, so Oscar has to return to looking at me. His dark eyes narrow, taking me in in my outfit that is so different from what I normally wear to school.

“What’s she doing here?” he finally asks, inclining his head toward me. His gaze moves down my body, pricking my skin at his attention. In this outfit, I’m exposed. Not that I don’t like it. I actually do. But to be this revealed in front of him makes me want to go hide in a corner.

“What? You just get here?” Magnum asks.

“Had to take care of some shit.”

Magnum eyes Oscar as he moves closer to me. I stand up straighter. Mag’s voice sounds far away as he says, “Let’s just say she kicked Cherry’s ass. Rocket was impressed.”

Oscar’s eyes gleam. “Kicked Cherry’s ass? Didn’t know you had it in you, Princess.”

“Don’t call me Princess.”

Magnum’s marble-like face starts to move until I see him almost smile. “If you saw her fighting, you wouldn’t use that nickname anymore. She was far from it.”

I glance over. The smile of appreciation hinting at his face leaves as soon as he realizes I’m looking at him.

Oscar can’t help but to be surprised. His lips part while he studies me again. This time paying particular attention to my arms and shoulders. “That good, huh? It’s a shame I missed it.”

“You mean it’s a shame it wasn’t Nevaeh whose ass I kicked.”

He winks. “Maybe we could still make that happen.” Moving closer, Oscar’s all smiles, slinking in like he’s got charm in spades to spare for me.

His heavy gaze drowns me in lust. I felt it the first time I saw him, and I feel it now. This time’s worse, though. He’s trying to draw me in. The sexy smirk of his plays on his lips like he knows exactly what he’s doing, and what girl doesn’t want a guy who knows exactly what he’s doing?

Before I know it, Oscar’s being hauled backward. He’s slammed into the opposite wall as I stifle a scream.

“My. Girl,” Rocket seethes. “You’re already on thin ice, Drego. Don’t make me kick your ass for this.”

Oscar holds up his hands. He’s trying to be his casual, nonchalant self, but his gaze flicks to the imposing body in front of him and then back to me. Magnum’s hand hovers over his gun as he eyes Oscar to make sure he won’t retaliate, but he doesn’t move from his spot either. When Rocket turns to look at me, Oscar drills a hole into the back of his head.

Rocket’s pale blue eyes harden to ice chips. “If someone touches you, it’s your responsibility to tell me. Got it?”

His curt words drill a warning into me. In theory, possessive guys are sexy. Hell, maybe they can be if I actually had a say in the matter, but it’s alarmingly clear Rocket claimed me, and there’s nothing I can do or say about it.

I may as well have my muzzle still in place when it comes to Rocket because I’m sure he wouldn’t find it endearing if I told him just what I thought of him claiming my body for his and no one else’s. Instead, I push my now dry hair off my shoulder. “He didn’t touch me.”

Behind Rocket, Oscar whispers, “A heads up would’ve been nice, Asshole.”

I peek at Magnum who doesn’t respond to Oscar’s comment at all. He’s too busy glaring at the two of us.

Rocket cups my face, and my stomach bottoms out. He’s far too touchy feely for someone I just met, for someone who’s staked a claim on me. The thought rattles me. I came here to take back control of my life. Not the other way around.

I peel his hands away from me, hoping I won’t get my ass tossed out a mere half an hour after I made it in. Hopefully Rocket likes girls who play hard-to-get because I’m about to be as hard-to-get as they come.

It turns out, I don’t have to just yet. Magnum speaks up. “Boss called. There’s been an update he needs to fill you in on.”

Rocket licks his lips, leaving them glistening as he stares at me. Anger flits through his gaze but it’s gone before I can even decipher it fully. “Looks like we’ll have to get to know one another better some other time, Kyla. Oscar?”

Oscar clears his throat. “Yeah?”

“Can you see to it that Kyla gets home safely?”

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