Page 29 of Ignite
He beamed. “Awesome. What do youlike?”
We walked toward the bar, and I shrugged. “I’m not a huge drinker, but I like sweet over bitter. So cider Iguess.”
“Cider it is.” He gestured to one of the bartenders who hurried off to fill theorder.
“You’re friends with Faye, right?” he went on, leaning an elbow on top of the bar. His muscles were well defined, his bicep twitching as he leaned weight on his right side. He didn’t have any tattoos, not like Liam, but it wasn’t aprerequisite.
“I thought you said you’d never seen me around before?” I asked, tilting my head to theside.
Viper grimaced and ran his hand over his face. “Ah, I lied…just a little. I wanted a goodopener.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly but couldn’t keep the smile off mylips.
“I saw you guys talking the other week, but I didn’t see you again,” he explained. “When I saw you over there just now, I had to take a chance just in case it was afluke.”
“You can take a chance somewhere else, Viper,” a deep voicerumbled.
A hand grasped my shoulder, and I turned, only to find Liam behind me. He did not look happy. Not onebit.
“What’s the matter Blade?” Viper asked, his lip curling. “We’re just having adrink.”
“It’s never just a drink with you,” Liam shot back, his grip tightening on me. “Leave heralone.”
“Liam,” I said through clenched teeth, picking up on the animosity between the two fighters. “What the hell is wrong withyou?”
“Fuck off, Viper,” he spat, completely ignoringme.
“Liam.” I wriggled out of hisgrasp.
“Yeah, Liam. What’s wrong with you?” Viper drawled, pushing away from the bar. “We’re just having a friendly drink. No need to get hostile in front of thelady.”
Jerking me behind him, Liam strode forward, getting up in Viper’s face. There was an inch between the two men, their hands curled into fists at their sides and their jaws tense. People were looking, whispering amongthemselves.
They’re gonnafight.
Isn’t that against therules?
Who’s thegirl?
Are they fighting overher?
“Start walking,” Liamgrowled.
“Or what?” Viper said. “You going to throw down righthere?”
“You would love that, wouldn’tyou?”
“Liam,” I cried, grasping his arm and pulling with all my strength. I hardly budged him, he was that strong, but he came alive at my touch. He moved away slightly, and the air lost some of itscharge.
Viper backed up a step, raising his hands in mock defense. “Last thing I want to do is start a fight outside the cage. Be careful,Blade.”
“Start walking,Viper.”
My hands shook with anger as Viper walked away, leaving me withLiam.
What the hell was that all about? It had all the hallmarks of a jealous boyfriend, but we weren’t like that. It was another painful reminder of what I wanted but couldn’thave.
“What do you think you’re playing at?” I asked, thumping my fist against Liam’schest.
