Page 62 of Demons in My Bed
“New in town and you’ve already laid claim to The Exiled? That’s impressive. Not an easy feat, considering the amount of pussy and cock they get thrown at them on the daily.”
“Oh? What? Is your cock one of them? That why you’re over here talking to me?” I bit out, feeling possessive for some reason, and really not appreciating this guy’s tone.
He laughed, and it was full of gravel. His voice didn’t sound like a natural one, more like the kind of voice you’d have after smoking heavily for thirty years. “They fuckin’ wish but no, they’re not my type.”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “Sure. I’m pretty sure they’re everyone’s type.”
“I saw you walk in, and I’ve thought of nothing else since,” he confessed, stepping forward and crowding me.
I stepped back. “Wow, I’m honored. I managed to keep your focus for a whole what? Hour and a half? Sorry, bud, but as you already know, I’m not on the market.”
His eyes flashed with something dark, like his real self was being held back within the confines of his public persona, just waiting to bust out.
“And in ring six, we have a new fighter, taking on none other than the champ himself, Rhodes!”
I grinned at the guy as he glowered at me. “That’s my cue. Gotta run. You have a nice night now.” I turned on my heel and raced toward ring six. I felt those dark eyes on me the entire time. Whoever that dude was gave me the creeps, and not the creeps that got my panties a little wet—the kind of creeps that weren’t so nice.
I ran right up to the ring, only to be caught around the waist by a fuming Misha. “Where the hell did you go?”
“Put me down, Misha,”” I growled, wiggling in a lame attempt to get away.
“And you’re fighting him?” He sounded exasperated, like he was finally seeing me for the first time. A complete wild card that no man or beast would ever control.
“Sure am. Here’s my phone.” I pulled it out of my bra and shoved it in his face, forcing him to put me back on my feet. “Hold that for me while I whoop some ass, okay?”
I groaned when I heard my name being shouted by someone else. “Bun-Bun, do you have a death wish?” Talon reached me first, with his brother and Ashland on his heels. They all looked varying shades of pissed off.
“And you!” Ash roared, pointing a finger at Rhodes who was warming up in the ring. “Of all the possible opponents!”
“She is responsible for this, not me. So fuck all the way out of here if you think otherwise. I’d rather fight any other opponent, trust me on that,” Rhodes spat with a sneer in my direction.
“Listen, baby, if you are hell-bent on fighting, we can find you a more evenly matched—”
I shoved my finger in Felix’s face, cutting him off. “Just stop. All of you! Sit your asses down and shut up.”
Ashland’s eyes glittered with the promise of consequence for speaking to him like that, especially in front of all of these onlookers, but I was done. I never much liked being weak—being weak was what led to me not being able to save my family. That familiar feeling of shame and remorse started to spark in my chest. As hard as it was, I tried to not think of my parents often for this exact reason.
People had always told me that it would get easier with time. Time heals all wounds and all that shit. The only thing time had ever done for me was make it harder and harder for me to remember the sound of their voices telling me how much they loved me. How fucked was it that while those little whispered words of love faded, the sounds of their screams from that night got louder?
No. I’d never be weak again. Being weak had also led to me underestimating someone who I thought was—Fuck. No. Not going there right now. Point was, I wasn’t weak, and even pretending to be made me feel sick to my stomach. People treated you differently when they thought you weren’t capable.
I was capable. Of everything. I’d worked my gods damned ass off to be able to do absolutely anything I wanted. Maybe it made me egotistical that I wanted them to acknowledge my worth. They were badasses in their own right, but so was I. Maybe I’d even have a better shot at fully infiltrating them if they thought I was on their level.
Everyone sat down, except for Misha, who leaned down and put his mouth to my ear. “I told you not to wander off,kukola.” I shivered at his words. “I’m already looking forward to making sure you don’t do it again.”
My eyes widened as he leaned back and stared down at me. He was probably going to use that big dick to teach me a lesson.
“Are we fighting or what? I’m bored.” Rhodes’s snarky voice pierced through my thoughts.
I rolled my neck, enjoying the crack that followed. I was going to enjoy every second of this.
“Let’s do it, Monocle!” I called out, turning my back on the other four demons, who were staring at me like I’d just said my last words.
“Stop bloody calling me that. I don’t even own one of those vile accessories.”
I hopped up into the ring. “Mmhmm, sure. Can you even see properly when you’re not wearing it?” I knew taunting him could be dangerous. If he fought better when he was enraged, it was definitely a shit decision, but sometimes I could rile my opposition enough to throw them off their game.
All I could do was hope that I hadn’t made a huge mistake in challenging him.
