Page 96 of The Deceptions
My skin prickles, heating under the glare of the jeering crowd, getting louder by the second. A few laughs ring out mockingly. The air thickens around me. It’s too heavy. Tearing straight through my disguise and seeing me for who I am—Olivia.
I could refuse this fight. Sit it out and take the shame of saying no. But where does that get me? Nowhere. I’m already on Hux’s radar. I’m sure he and Mack would find a way to make my life even more miserable. Fuck. I have to prove myself to them. Make it seem like I’m a good candidate for their club.
There’s no backing out.
No weakness. No hesitation.
I roll my shoulders back, sinking into the feeling of my newly found confidence. Fake it til you make it, is what I always say.
"You obviously have made waves somehow.” No shit, Sherlock. Thanks for that observation–is what I want to say, but I bite my tongue. “But maybe this is an opportunity for you to make yourself better known. It's a part of your job, right?" I hate him. He's always making sense. I guess that's why he's technically my in-the-field partner. Usually, we aren't alone on cases. Someone is always nearby investigating something else. Or we work the job together.
My shoulders slump. "Ugh. I guess." It's a necessity that I make myself known to Hux, Mack, and JJ to infiltrate their organization. Maybe this will bring me closer to being their friend instead of hating me for whatever I did to them on Monday. I guess it was the poking Hux in the chest for being a dickweed to me. Or maybe it's for grabbing his girlfriend's wrist in the hallway so she wouldn't poke me anymore. Nothing provokes me more than some asshole poking me in the chest to get a rise out of me. Well, mission accomplished. You'll get a rise out of me.
"You have to check in at the table." Simon's long face and pale features have my stomach churning. "But you got this! I believe in you." He doesn't. I can tell by the sadness in his eyes that he thinks I'm going to die a swift death from a fist.
It could happen. I'm not that cocky. But I've been training for five years now to regain my strength and learn how to defend myself. Fighting with Jordy and the other guys at the Veritas bunker.
"I'll be okay," I say, squeezing his shoulder and turning toward the table to face Hux and Mack head-on.
Mack smirks, tossing his shaggy blond locks out his eyes. There’s something there in his gaze. A cockiness I can’t place.
"Well, well, well. It's you again, Oliver fucking Davenport." He folds his arms over his chest. "You here to back off from the fight? Run away like a little bitch who…"
“Fucking, Mack,” Hux growls, almost pushing him out of the way and looking deep into my eyes. It’s weird, sending shivers down my spine. “You…”’
"Oh, I'll fight," I interrupt, leaning forward and placing my palms on the fold-out table, glaring into each of their eyes.
Hux blinks several times, shutting his mouth tight. I don’t know what he was going to say, but whatever it was–it’s too late.
It’s almost too bad it’s not Mack who is fighting. I’d love to show him a thing or two about my skills. Say goodbye to your balls, Macklyn Owens. They’re going to eventually belong to me.
"You will?" Hux asks, rubbing his chin with a displeased frown. "That's unexpected. You sure you’re up to it?" He frowns more, taking me in with an intense gaze like he's sizing me up to fight me himself. An uneasy feeling unfurls in my stomach when he shakes his head, ready to retort something else, but Mack cuts him off.
"I bet you won't last a fucking second," Mack snorts, shaking his head. An easy grin spreads across his lips. "But that's on you.Don't worry, we have trained medical professionals who will help you after the event."
"Who is he fighting?" Jordy asks, stepping up to the table and standing beside me with his chest puffed out. There’s murder on his mind as he gets up close and personal with Mack and Hux. No doubt, he’d stab them both in the heart right now. Instead, he throws an arm over my shoulders again and tucks me into his side protectively.
"Who the fuck are you?" Hux's teeth clench when his gaze connects with Jordy's, searing through the arm over my shoulders and then examining Jordy’s features. “You don’t belong here.”
"Now, why is that any of your business, big guy?" Jordy asks, cocking his head with a knowing smirk. “I’m here to enjoy the fights. Oliver invited me.” A challenging expression hardens Jordy’s face, and he steps closer to the table and drops his arm from me. Reading the room, I grab Jordy’s arm and discreetly shake my head.
"It's my business because this is my fight. My fucking kingdom and you’re invading. Maybe I should kick both of you out and stop the fight right now.” Hux raises his brows like he’s gotten something over on us.
"Our fight," Mack huffs, getting to his feet. “Our fucking business.” He glowers at Hux. “And they can’t both leave. He’s been called out.” He tosses a hand in my direction.
"I'm Oliver's cousin.” Jordy shrugs off my arm, stepping back.
“And I want to fight,” I retort, sending Jordy the stank eye. Even if I’d rather swim with crocodiles and flail like a dying fish than be here in front of these two. I have to fight. This is mandatory. No matter who they’re pitting me against. I can’t be a fucking pariah. I’m supposed to become besties with my ex lovers.
How fun.
Fuck. This is escalating quickly. Jordy will be over that table in a matter of seconds, choking the life out of Hux and Mack at the same time and successfully killing them with little effort. They may run these fights and have experience throwing punches from their lifestyle, but Jordy is a trained assassin. I’ve seen him drop a guy by flicking his forehead. It’s nothing new to him. He may not seem like it with his flirty ways, but he was serious about taking them out with his sniper rifle.
“Cousins?” Hux raises a brow, seeming to relax slightly. Only slightly, though. His jaw clenches again as he looks between the two of us and opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
"Enough of this," Mack says. "You're fighting?"
I give a shaky nod. My confirmation. I may die at the hands of my unknown opponent, but I don't have a choice. If I don't fight, then I can't go to parties. And theirs is a necessary party to go to. It's the initiation interest party for their frat. And I have to be there. So, tonight has to happen. No matter if I face a guy who could kill me with one blow. I have my advantages. I'm scrappy as hell. I can kick out their legs and knock them out with one punch. My petite frame makes me faster.
