I'll Do Anything (The Challenge Night Series Book 1)

by K. L Mann

  “Men, this is Katherine Garcia. My fiancé.”

  “Hi.” She smiles nervously.

  They each shake her hand and say their names. They are a good bunch; they’ll be moved to assignments soon but they will work the wedding before they do.

  “You’ve got some serious blade skills.” Sánchez tells her. She smiles at him.

  “Gracias. ¿De dónde eres señor?” Katherine asks him. She must have picked up his accent.

  “Tijuana, señorita.” He seems happy that she asked, but keeps his face professional.

  A few more men compliment her knife skills and then first rounds end. The Graduates decide to move in closer to watch.

  Gio calls out the next two matches. Both are close fights, both end in a submission. Katherine is watching them carefully at the side of the rings, examining them. She watches every match until they are finished.

  Bruno, Chávez, Greco, and Piras are the final four remaining. They are each a bit bruised up, Piras is bleeding from his lip and they are all sweaty. I can practically taste their desire to win.

  “Bruno v García.” Gio announces. The crowd is buzzing, whispers about an easy win or underestimating her are evenly matched.

  “Here.” I hand her a trench knife with a curved blade. “No kill cuts. That’s your only rule, understand?”

  “Yes.” She takes it eagerly. “Hold this please.” She hands me her engagement ring. She was nervous before; I could feel it. But now, she feels like her old self.

  She climbs into the ring and stands opposite Bruno. Bruno is big, but he’s new and he’s not going to see what she has in store for him coming.

  “Fight.” Gio starts the match.

  Katherine doesn’t move, she waits for him to pounce. He goes right for her like he’s going to wrestle her for the knife. Stupid move.

  Katherine ducks and swings her body around him, slicing the front of his thigh on her way.

  “Oh shit.” Luca is standing next to me. “She’s actually gonna cut these guys to pieces, isn’t she?”

  I nod with a sly smile.

  Bruno groans and looks at his thigh, the cut is deep but not fatal. He touches it and it paints his hand red. She’s smiling at him like she’s a lion and he’s a gazelle. His face changes into anger. Also, not smart. Anger just clouds your judgement.

  He comes for her again, lower this time. She takes that as a cue to jump up and smash her knee into his face. His nose is bleeding instantly. He stammers back but she doesn’t allow him to gather himself. She uses this time to press the back of her blade into his groin.

  “Tap out or be neutered, big guy.” She taunts him and he obeys.

  He taps his own shoulder. He couldn’t have fought her off without losing some important skin. She lets her weapon off of him and he leaves the ring, he might need some stitches on that thigh.

  Katherine turns to me and smiles like a kid on Christmas. Gio cleans off her knife while a recruit wipes up the blood in the ring.

  “Greco v Garcia.” Gio pats her on the shoulders before leaving the ring.

  “You can tap out now if you want to save yourself the embarrassment.” Katherine teases her next appointment. Greco is smaller but faster and has a background in boxing, he’ll be a bit harder than Bruno.

  “Funny, I was going to extend the same offer to you.” He retorts. She smiles, she likes that false sense of confidence.

  “Fight.” Gio calls out.

  Greco stalks around the ring, watching her. With a knife, defensive is safer than offensive but she’s craving the fight, she needs it. She makes her move, rushing him and seemingly aiming high for a stab. His body shifts lower to dodge but she jumps and wraps her legs around his neck, and tucks her body to make him flip beneath her. She tightens her grip on his neck, crossing her feet and squeezing her thighs.

  After a few more seconds, Greco taps and more shock falls over the crowd. The Graduates are laughing and clapping for her.

  Greco leaves the ring holding the back of his neck with his head down. Katherine smiles at me again and I smile back.

  “Little demon.” Luca laughs under his breath.

  “My little demon.” I remind him.

  He nods and smiles. Prick.

  “Piras v García.” Gio calls out Katherine’s third opponent.

  Piras keeps his face neutral. He’s been here for a while, but he has at least two more months until he can test out. He’s the biggest of the contenders, but he’s slow and she knows that.

  “Fight.”

  The match begins and Katherine doesn’t move again. She waits for him, she looks like she has a plan. Piras doesn't hesitate to take his shot, he lands a heavy hit to her abdomen and she drops to the floor. She gasps in pain and I wince. I knew she would probably take a hit or two, but I didn’t fucking like it.

  He moves to pick her up and she stabs him in the foot. Piras falls to his knees and she rips out the knife before he can stop her. It’s at his throat now, covered in his own blood.

  “Tap.” She commands him.

  He listens, the crowd goes wild.

  She wanted him to hit her, she didn’t even try to dodge his punch. Crazy little demon, borderline psychotic, probably demented, so fucking hot.

  “Final match. Chávez v García.” Gio is trying so hard not to laugh at how giddy Katherine is. Luca is too.

  “Buena suerte.” Good luck? Chávez tells Katherine.

  “Quédatela.”

  Keep it.

  Diego would always say that, anytime anyone offered him a favor or luck of any kind. He said he didn’t need it. From what I knew, he didn’t need it. Neither does Katherine.

  “Fight!” Gio announces.

  Diego doesn’t move, he’s taking a cue from her playbook. Katherine smiles at him and switches her knife to her left hand. She’s putting her fingers into the knuckle dusters when he makes his move. She swings her right fist at him and he dodges. He reaches for the knife and she falls to knees and punches him in the stomach. He doesn’t let go of her left arm, he’s holding it, not letting her get it back. She stands herself back up, he grabs her neck with his other hand. Whispers start flowing through the crowd and I’m ready to step in.

  Katherine kicks her right leg above her head and it connects directly to the side of his face. His grip loosens enough on her arm and she pulls it back out of his reach. His hand leaves her neck, but not before she grabs it back and pushes the knife against his wrist.

  “Tap out or bleed to death.” She’s angry this time, not playful and taunting.

  He glares at her and she pokes into his skin just a touch.

  “Fine, I tap.” Chávez exclaims, she lets him go and takes a deep breath. The whole crowd claps, Chávez leaves the ring and Katherine takes a playful bow.

  “Fottuto inferno.” Luca shakes his head.

  Fucking hell is right. Katherine Garcia is more fucked up than I am. Maybe.

  Gio raises her hand in the ring and she’s grinning from ear to ear. She’s glowing with sweat, her hair is sticking to her back and falling in her face and she has little splatters of blood on her arms.

  “You’re all dismissed.” Luca announces and the crowd thins out.

  I hold my hand through the ring's center rope, insisting she takes it. She does, and she slides through the rope. I grab her waist and slowly lower her to the floor. She’s breathing fast and I can feel her pulse in my hand.

  “I hope those were all new guys. Can’t take down a girl with just a knife?” She scoffs. “Amateurs.”

  “To be fair, you're a heavily trained girl.”

  “So, what do I win?” She asks with a devious grin, batting her lashes at me.

  “What do you want as your prize?”

  “Dealer’s choice.” She whispers.

  Chapter 15: Whirlwind

  Katherine

  We’ve been at it for an hour and Lorenzo is back between my legs. We’re in my room and the air is cold but I’m sweating from rolling around so much.


  “Fuck, Lorenzo.” I run my fingers through his hair and tug at it lightly. This is my prize, getting to put my hands wherever I want. No forcing them above my head torture tonight.

  I grind my hips and push myself further into his mouth. His tongue is torturing me with circles and long strokes up and down the length of my lips.

  “You taste like heaven… I’ve only ever known hell before this.” I hear him moan into me. I don’t think I have any more orgasms left to give him. He’s already pushed three out of me and my body is exhausted.

  “I can’t take it much longer, you’re killing me.” I pout. He feels so good but the pressure building in my stomach almost hurts. My body is punishing me for overuse.

  I feel fingers plunge into me and I can’t hold back my whimper. “Oh, yeah?” The fingers move faster and the assault against my clit does too. I’m moaning louder and my skin feels hot all over. “You can’t take it anymore? Are you gonna tell me to stop, love?”

  “Lorenzo I’m gonna come, please don’t stop.” I’m breathing heavy panicked breaths and I’m so close.

  “Are you sure?” His pace slows. “I wouldn’t want to make you take what you can’t handle.” He flicks his tongue over my sensitive skin slowly.

  “I take it back, please don’t slow down.” I’m grinding my hips and pushing at his head.

  I can feel him laugh to himself but the pace returns to perfect and I crumble into a million pieces. I’m shaking and riding out the waves of pleasure until they finally calm down.

  His fingers leave me and his lips meet mine. I can taste myself on his tongue but I don’t stop. I love kissing this man, he makes my mouth feel so damn good.

  “You’ve come four times, I’ve come two. Seems a bit unfair, don’t you agree?” Lorenzo teases me with bites and kisses to my neck. Tingles make their way through my body.

  “Well, I fought four men tonight, you’ve fought none. Talk about unfair.” I giggle.

  “I could go beat up Luca and Gio for the way they looked at you tonight. They’re much more experienced, that would put me way ahead of you.”

  “Can you blame them?” I press. “I bet I looked super-hot.”

  “You did, but I don’t share well. Clearly neither do you, Nicole almost lost some blood because of your jealousy.” I push him away to end the kisses.

  “I was not jealous.” I scoff.

  “No?” He teases. His lips are hovering above my skin.

  “No. I just don’t like her.” I inform him.

  “You threaten to kill everyone you don’t like?”

  “I haven’t threatened you yet.” I grin at him.

  His jaw tightens. “Cute.” He gets off of me and then off of my bed all together. “Bed time.”

  Part of me wants to fight him to stay, the other part of me is already falling asleep.

  “Why won’t you sleep with me?” My eyes are getting heavy and my lights go dim.

  “I thought you didn’t like me?” Lorenzo answers my question with a question.

  Typical.

  I don’t answer, my eyes are begging me to shut them. The dim room turns Lorenzo into a blur but I feel a blanket fall over me. It feels so soft and warm on my skin. I think about saying thank you, but then I hear my door shut.

  Goodnight…

  The next five days are far less fun than my favorite days here. Lorenzo is gone a lot, business. Gio and Luca take turns staying with me and Caterina cooks me every meal that isn’t ordered in. I watch a lot of movies on Netflix, go for a few runs and drink as much as my babysitters will let me.

  It’s Friday again, one week until our wedding is scheduled. Apparently “next month” doesn’t mean in thirty days. It means less than a month. I’ll be marrying a man I’ve known for three weeks. Who else can say that? Maybe a Kardashian or something.

  September in Italy is nice, but I miss home. Not New York of course, but Texas and even Mexico. I miss my mom and our lunch dates. I miss binging on Whataburger and going to the beach. I hadn’t realized how long it’s been. Since I married James and moved to New York with him five years ago, I have only seen her once or twice a year if I was lucky.

  Thinking about my mom reminds me that I still don’t have my phone.

  It’s been almost two weeks. I probably have a million missed emails and unopened texts. Where does everyone think I am? Why are you just now thinking of this? I’ve been so distracted and consumed by this life I was thrown into, I forgot about having a phone.

  I’m sitting in the TV room when I hear Lorenzo talking in Italian.

  I’ll go ask him. He has to have at least sent a few texts with a fake story or something.

  I pause Lucifer and make my way to find him. I’m wearing a pair of ripped jeans, a pale pink crop top with small little straps and a pair of checkered vans. My hair is natural and parted down the center. I only have mascara, moisturizer and Chapstick on. I wasn’t even expecting him to be home until hours from now. It’s 7pm, but the last two nights he hasn’t come to see me until 9 or 10.

  Lorenzo is talking to Gio in the kitchen but neither of them seem happy. Probably not the best time to ask…

  I walk into the kitchen and the talking stops.

  “I still don’t speak Italian; you don’t have to stop your secret conversation.” I mumble and make my way to the fridge. They don’t keep talking, they just watch me. “What? Did I do something wrong?” I’ve been laying around all day, why are they looking at me like that?

  I pull out a water bottle and wait for them to say something. Gio looks at Lorenzo, presumably for instruction. They’re hiding something, and not doing a very good job of it.

  “No. Everything is fine.” Lorenzo tells me, he’s a good liar, but not that good.

  “When can I have my phone?” I raise an eyebrow at him. “Have you even sent a cover story to my contacts or does my mother think I’m dead?” Gio looks away and winces, like he’s been hit or something. “Somethings wrong with my mom?” My eyes are lasered in on Lorenzo.

  “Nice poker face, asshole.” Lorenzo growls at him.

  “Somethings wrong with my mom?” My voice cracks.

  “We don’t know.” Lorenzo sighs. “The Hernandez cartel wants to take over the Garcia’s, and without your father there to stop them…” He stops. “It doesn’t look good.”

  “But… My mom isn’t involved with the ranks. Why would she be at risk?”

  “Gustavo wants to erase any Garcia influence. Your uncles, your cousins, your mom and–”

  “Me.” I whisper.

  I set the water bottle on the counter and grab a bottle of wine from the cabinet instead. I twist off the top and start drinking it without a glass. They’re silent, watching me. I come up for air.

  “Want to rethink your choice of bride yet?” I bring my lips back to the bottle, the white Moscato is nice, but it would be better cold. “Surely there's a middle ground option between Nicole and I, yeah?” I grimace, taking another long sip.

  “Gustavo can’t take over if you do.” Gio deadpans.

  I almost spit out my wine, swallow and then burst into laughter.

  “Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll run a cartel. Why not? I mean, other than my father keeping me away from it my entire life and then dying trying to save my baby from the man who's trying to take it over currently. Oh, and my Italian mobster husband won’t cause any conflicts within my father’s Mexican cartel. Great idea, Gio.” I glare at him.

  “Drinking the bottle of wine isn’t going to make you feel better.” Luca enters the room, scowling at me. I scowl back.

  “Well, unless you can tell me that my mother’s alive, I’m not putting it down.” I take another swig.

  “Your mother’s alive.” Luca huffs.

  I pull the bottle from my lips. “How do you know?” I’m skeptical.

  “We found her. Isabella just informed me that their flight is in the air now. I was coming to tell Lorenzo and Gio right now.”

  “My mom is coming
here? To Italy?” I look at him with wide eyes. “To this house?”

  “Is that a problem?” Gio looks confused.

  “Ay Dios Mío.” I mumble. “My mother is coming to my mobster fiancé’s mansion in Italy, less than two weeks after my husband dies.” I shake my head. “And I haven’t spoken to her since. Are you insane? She’s going to kill me. No–” I look at Lorenzo. “She’s going to kill you.”

  He laughs. “Well, you’ll have someone to walk you down the aisle if you make it out alive.”

  “This isn’t funny.” I huff and take another drink.

  “I made good on my end of the deal.” Luca grumbles. “Hand over the bottle.” He puts his hand out. Prick.

  “Make me.” I raise an eyebrow and take another sip, keeping my eyes on him.

  Luca and Gio look at Lorenzo. Lorenzo looks at me, his hands are in his pockets and he looks ridiculously hot, they all do. Luca’s blonde hair is messy but pushed back, his jawline is sharp and his eyes are a scary dark blue. Gio looks like Lorenzo with fewer tattoos, green eyes, and he’s a few inches shorter.

  I want them all this time, I don’t want Lorenzo to only watch. Why am I such a whore?

  “You want us to teach you how to listen?” Lorenzo taunts me.

  “Maybe.” I take another sip. “Maybe I just want you to try and take it from me.” I shrug.

  Lorenzo looks at them both and nods. Instantly, there are three guns pointed at me. The pure excitement that runs through me, making me wet instantly should be shameful; but I fucking love it.

  “That’s cheating.” I set down the bottle slowly.

  “I think we should make sure she doesn’t have any weapons on her.” Luca smiles an evil grin at me.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.” Gio agrees.

  “Well one of you should probably hold your pretty toy closer to my head, I might try to run away.” I cross my legs playfully and bat my eyes.

  “Gio, why don’t you put some metal on that fucked up little head of hers?” Lorenzo offers.

  Gio grins at me and closes the gap between us. His silver pistol is pressed against my temple, I giggle when the coolness hits my skin.