Page 28 of Ignite
It only took twenty-four hours for the rejections to start flooding in. Every time I checked my email or looked in the letterbox, it was like being hit with a bullet in my heart. My confidence dipped, my panic rose, and my stress levels grewunchecked.
After a week, I couldn’t handle itanymore.
I went to The Underground, desperate for something, anything, to happen. It was where I’d finally started to live again, so it was inevitable in a way, even though it had caused me a great deal oftrouble.
The Underground was the lesser of two evils, so I got into my car and drove across the city, trying and failing to keep Liam out of mymind.
I was playing with fire…bigtime.
* * *
Rakingmy gaze over the fight board, I saw Liam was up tonight. He would be here someplace, so I had to keep my eyes peeled. I wasn’t ready to see him yet even though I ached to hear his voice and feel his touch against myskin.
Turning, I noticed a man watching me. He was lingering a few paces away, his gaze raking over my body. He wasn’t even trying to hide his outright ogling, and I began to wonder if there was someone much better looking behind me. No one had ever checked me out…besidesLiam.
Looking the man over, I made the assumption he was a fighter. On the surface, he was muscled, had old cuts on his face that were in the final stages of healing, and seemed well aware he was hot as hell. Shaved head, tattoos, stubble on his chin. The rugged kind of sexy I liked about Liam. Most of the fighters here had the same air about them—the underwear model vibe—besides Mountain, thatwas.
“Hey,” he said, flashing asmile.
I hesitated, not entirely sure he was talking tome.
“Are you new around here?” he went on. Definitely talking to me. “I haven’t seen you before. Are you withsomeone?”
I glanced around, but I couldn’t see Liam anywhere. Why was I even looking? He didn’t want me, so what was the harm in talking to this guy?None.
“No, I’m not new,” I replied. “I’m supposed to meet someone, but they’re late.” The last part was a lie, but after the first time I came here alone, I figured it was better to be safe thansorry.
“I’m Viper,” he said, steppingcloser.
“With a name like that, I suppose youfight.”
He nodded, his lips curving upward. “And what can I callyou?”
“Ali.”
“Ali…” His gaze dropped, drinking in my breasts before lowering further. “What do you do with yourself,Ali?”
“Uh, currently unemployed and looking,” I repliedawkwardly.
“A beautiful woman like you?” His eyebrows rose as his gaze returned to mine. “With all the fighters in this place, none have come forward and offered to take care ofyou?”
I frowned, thinking about Liam. “I’m not looking for an easyride.”
“Nothing wrong with it,” Viper said. “Nothing wrong with wanting to earn your own way, either. Sorry if I offended you. It’s just, most women around here are looking for a fighter to keep them, you know? After a while, it becomes almost expected. Shit double standard if you askme.”
“It wouldn’t sit right,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ve always earned my ownway.”
“Would it sit all right if I bought you a drink?” He smiled, nodding toward thebar.
Hesitating, I cast my gaze over the warehouse. Spotting Liam’s familiar shoulders through the crowd, my heart leapt. As if he sensed me looking at him, his head turned, searching the space aroundhim.
I used to turn my nose up at people who acted like I was about to. How they couldn’t hold onto their emotions and acted erratically, all because they were hot for someone. How they felt the uncontrollable need to drive the other person crazy with jealousy just so they could get a shred of attention from their heart’sdesire.
Heartache sent people loopy, and it irritated the hell out of me. Now I understood. When you wanted someone so badly and didn’t know how to let them know they meant more, you would do almost anything to get theirattention.
The moment Liam’s gaze found mine, I turned away and smiled atViper.
“Sure,” I said. “Whynot.”
