Page 32 of Unleash Hades
“There are no hard feelings in combat,” Bellamy said. “It’s just a job.”
What would he know about it?
That had not been my experience with soldiers in war, or among militants and rebels. There absolutely were hard feelings in war. Grudges, and vendettas were prevalent.
Our workplace was fueled by animosity and bitterness.
“Just a job, hmm?” I said, chewing my words before spitting them out. “Like when you stole the Somalian Pirate story from under me? Or the arms smuggling out of Transnistria? What about the Kaliningrad story…”
“Cali, I have good reasons for each one of those--”
“Oh, then I’d love to hear it!” I scoffed.
“-- that I willnotbe able to disclose to you at this moment.” He sighed theatrically. “Have a drink with me.”
“In your fucking dreams.”
He shrugged, and I turned back to Hugo.
“You’ll regret turning me down.” Bellamy’s words made my skin crawl.
I had heard many men say something similar. Richard was one of them. Vindictive, spoiled, arrogant and…
Hugo lunged at the She-Bear and they went down, the crowd applauding the commotion.
I almost screamed, coming to my feet with the crowd, as a tussle of elbows, and the sound of flesh meeting skin and bone rang out over the crowd.
There was blood. So much of it. Swollen eyes, and angry yells. There was so much going on that I didn’t know what to do, or what to think. First, Hugo was on top, reigning hellfire on the She-Bear.
Then they flipped and flipped again. Then Hugo was the one with his back to the canvas, his head almost pillowed on the chain-link as if she was squeezing him into the corner of chain and mat. Then they were stilled. Grunting, and heaving. Little movements gave away who was on top, and who wasn’t.
She let out a scream that was of incredible anguish and fear. Hugo’s hand lifted, and with small taps to her shoulder, slumped onto the ground.
I covered my lips with my fingers, trying to hold in a scream as I felt sympathy pain course through my body. He had tapped out. He had lost.
The She-Bear stood up. The crowd went wild, and a stone-faced Hugo gave a small nod, which was returned by his opponent.
The referee raised her hand as the victor and Hugo quietly walked out of the arena.
I got to my feet, ready to run to him.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Bellamy quietly said, his finger lightly pushing down on my shoulder to put me back in my seat.
Just enough to remind me that he was still there and watching.
“What the hell would you know about it?” I flinched away from him.
“I know that Rose is coming, and she’s looking straight at you, my dear.”
I had been so preoccupied with Hugo that I hadn’t even noticed that his coach turned away early. She made her way up the aisle, her eyes trained on me.
When she stood at the end of our row, she sneered. Her golden eyes assessing me. Whatever she saw, she didn’t like.
“Vixen!” Bellamy said with a knowing smirk. “How is your dear husband, Alastair? And your twins! They must be missing you dreadfully.”
The Vixen’s hazel eyes turned to him.
“I bet you like your title now. The Vixen isn’t half as dreadful as the She-Bear!” Bellamy rambled, theatrically shuddering at the names. “Who even thinks of these? Wildly sexist, I would say!”
