Page 136 of Hexed
“I don’t want to talk about this right now.” I pat Gio on the back.
A wicked look glints in his eyes. “You’re fucked up.”
I scoff and roll my neck. “Please. Just feeling good, like you suggested.”
Gio throws up his hands, that stupid smirk high on his face. “Yeah, yeah. Hey, sweetheart,” he hollers to a girl who walks over in booty shorts and a bedazzled bra top. I think she’s worked in our underground ring for a while, but I never get to know their names. It’s better if I keep separation.
“What’s up, Gio?” she replies.
“Grab my boy some water and some black coffee, would ya?”
She nods and winks at him. He smacks her ass before she walks away.
“You hitting that?” I ask.
He smirks. “Nah, I don’t like to mix business and pleasure, you know that.”
“Speaking of idiots who can’t separate business from pleasure, where the fuck is Scotty? Have you seen him?”
“I don’t know, man. He’s running around somewhere, probably talking shit.”
“Scotty ‘The Gossip’ Andretti. That’s gotta be his nickname when he gets made, because the kid’s always running his fucking mouth. We’ll have to get a handle on that if he ever wants to be on the books,” I say.
“Ain’t that the truth?” Gio straightens and looks around. “Speaking of…there he is.”
My eyes follow where he’s nodding to, and I see Scotty. His back is tense, and he’s gripping somebody, although it’s hard to tell who with the way they’re angled.
Interesting.
And then suddenly it’s as though the clouds part, the sun shines, and the birds fucking chirp, because he moves, and Venesa’s perfect face appears. IknewI wasn’t losing it.
Gio’s talking in my ear still, but I move off the wall and make my way toward them, leaving him hanging midsentence.
I’m over to them in a flash, and the closer I get, the more excitement I feel, because she’s here, and so am I, and I’m not engaged, and she’s fuckinghere.
She whispers something into Scotty’s ear, and he’s gripping her arm like he’s trying to hold her in place. Something foreign and hot rips through me at the sight, similar to how it felt when that woman was groping all over Venesa at the engagement party.
I’ve never been the jealous type, but I can’tstandwatching other people touch her.
When I get close, I glance around, noticing lingering eyes trying to eat her up. I shoot them dark looks, and their gazes skitter away like ants.
She’s saying something to Scotty about giving everyone a show when I step up behind her. Scotty’s eyes catch mine and widen like he’s in trouble.
I lean down and whisper in her ear. “No free shows, baby.”
Goose bumps sprout along her skin, and I want to lick them. I hold myself back, but only just.
“Scotty, I’d listen to her if I were you,” I say. “I’ve seen firsthand what she’s capable of, and I’d hate for her to embarrass you in front of your boys.”
He snatches his hand back in a heartbeat.
Venesa spins around and smiles at me, those damn dimples highlighting the apples of her cheeks. “Enzo.”
I grin back at her like an idiot. “Fuck, I love the way you say my name.”
Rowdy screams and catcalls break out behind us, then a loud thud as one fighter gets knocked out and slams into the metal cage.
“I need to talk to you,” she says loudly, trying to speak over the raucous noise of the space.
