Page 9 of Ignite
“We all get a little lost sometimes,” I saidreassuringly.
She snorted and rolled her eyes. “I’m more than a littlelost.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, the words coming out of my stupid mouth before I could stopthem.
Dammit, I was becoming invested in a woman I didn’t even know. A woman who would probably become attached to me for all the wrong reasons if I kept asking about her feelings. That was a surefire way of getting my cock into her pussy if I ever saw one. Women loved to talk about emotions andshit.
I was just a delinquent fighter with a short lifespan. I was not a fucking therapist. There was no way in hell I was making things worse for her. I couldn’thelp.
Glancing toward the back of The Underground, I saw Faye wiping down the bar, her tits swaying back and forth. What Ali needed was another woman to talk to. Someone smart, clued up, tough, and knew all the right things to say. Someone she couldn’t fall in love with unless she swung thatway.
Ali opened her mouth to reply to my stupid question, but I spoke before she could get a wordout.
“I’ve got an idea,” I declared, wrapping my arm around hershoulders.
Guiding my startled little mouse toward the bar, I whistled at Faye to get herattention.
She smiled when she saw me, her lips quirking in amusement when she took in Ali. Her eyebrows rose as she noticed the position of my arm, but thankfully, she didn’t have anything smart to say. I knew I could count onher.
“Hey, Blade,” she said in a sultry voice. “Who’s your ladyfriend?”
“Faye,” I said. “This is Ali. She’s new aroundhere.”
“A newbie, huh?” She looked her over and nodded. “You look tough. I likeit.”
“I was thinkin’…” I began, but Faye was all overit.
“You’ll do fine if you stick with me,” she said to Ali. “I’ll show you the ins and outs of this place. Who’s an asshole, who’s a total sweetie, and who to kick in the balls.” Reaching over the bar, she picked up Ali’s braid and caressed it between her fingers. “Your hair is such a pretty color. Do you always wear it likethat?”
“Uh…” Ali mumbled, looking overwhelmed. “Yeah?”
Faye glared at me and waved herhand.
“What are you still doing here, Liam?” she asked, scowling. “Don’t you have a male pissing contest to prepare for orsomething?”
Grinning, I flashed her a wink. “I’ve a fight in a half hour.” Glancing at Ali, she looked petrified, but she would be more than okay with Faye. Hopefully, she would come out of her shell a bit with a little overenthusiastic encouragement. “I’m up against Goblin tonight, so if you want an insider tip, bet on the Irish. He’s a tough guy tobeat.”
She blinked, her eyelashesfluttering.
“I’ll see you later,Ali.”
As I walked away, I caught the beginning of Faye’s next round of questioning andsnorted.
“What are you doing tomorrow? Do you likechurros?”
5
Alison
Isaton the stairs out the front of the State Library of Victoria, watching the city come and go aroundme.
The sun was shining, so people were lounging on one of the only green spots in the CBD, soaking up the warmth. I pulled my jacket closer, more out of nervous habit than anything. It was autumn, so the sunshine was rare, and the air was stillcold.
Somehow, Liam’s friend Faye had talked me into meeting her here this morning. It was the first time anyone had invited me anywhere in what felt like years, and I wasn’t sure how to takeit.
Speaking of the mysterious, and oddly friendly, Blade, I hadn’t seen him again last night, but I did see him fight. For the first time, he’d lost, and I wondered if that was why he left early. It seemed like he’d expected it from the tip he’d given me on parting.Bet on theIrish.
I began to think about him and realized I was crushing on the guy. Bad move.Bad, badmove.
