The boys drag me out of the ring while Jace reminds me of the five grand I’ve just won.
I look back over my shoulder just in time to see the dude Charli was with throw his arm over her shoulder and wrap the rest of his arm back around the front of her neck, not allowing her any freedom. He starts dragging her towards the exit and I see the worry in her eyes as she tries to pull his arm off her. She doesn’t want to leave with those people that much is clear.
“Hey,” I call to Cole, trying to get his attention back from his friends. He turns with a raised questioning eyebrow. “I gotta go, can you grab the money?” I ask as my eyes flick back toward Charli.
He looks confused, probably wondering why I’m suddenly desperate to get out of here. “Um, yeah, sure, whatever, man. I’ll see you at Rebels tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” I say before taking off like a bat out of hell.
I head towards the exit but can’t find her anywhere. I dash up the stairs and into the old abandon building but still can’t find her through the mass of people who are all trying to leave the building.
I head out the front and look up and down the car-lined street.
“Let me go,” I hear a girl’s voice growling. I turn in the direction the sound came but can’t see anything in the dark night. Something inside me screams that it’s Charli and I head in that direction, hoping I’m not wrong.
“Chill, babe. We’re having a fun,” a man’s voice responds. “Don’t start acting like a little bitch now.”
“This is your idea of fun?” the girl scoffs. “Get your dirty as fuck arm off me.”
I pick up my pace and follow the sound of her voice. I turn down an alleyway and spot them immediately. Charli is there, standing next to the guy and two other people who are already sitting in their car.
A girl hangs her head out the window and gives Charli an annoyed look. “Come on, hurry up already. We’ll head back to Eddie’s and Chris can show you a good time,” the girl slurs as she tries multiple of times to light up a joint.
The guy beside her who I’m assuming is Chris grins down at her and takes her by the wrist before trying to pull her into the car. “Don’t,” Charli shouts out.
“Hey,” I call as I finally catch up to them and focus my attention on Charli, “You ok?”
The guy reluctantly lets go of her wrist as all eyes turn to me. Some in suspicion, some with curiosity and one in relief with is mixed with a strange confusion.
“Um, yeah, I’m ok,” Charli says as she takes a step away from the guy.
“Cool. Wanna get out of here?” I ask.
She gives me a funny look and I know she is hesitant about me too, though the relief in her eyes is evident. She’d rather risk it with me than this guy. “Uh…,” she cringes.
“Dude, she’s with me,” the guy says, stepping forward into my face. Then turns towards Charli “Let’s go. Get in the car.”
“Dude,” I say, mimicking him. “It’s pretty damn clear she doesn’t want to go with you.”
“Come on. Let’s go,” the chick in the passenger’s seat whines as she blows a cloud of smoke out into Charli’s face.
“Um,” Charli says, finally speaking up. “I’m going to go with this guy,” she announces, indicating to me with her thumb.
“Whatever,” the guy grunts getting into the car. “She’s fucking frigid anyway.” He slams the door behind him and the car takes off up the alley.
“Thanks,” Charli murmurs, looking up at me. “That guy was a bit… much.”
“No shit,” I scoff, before looking her over, though not in a creepy way. “You’re really ok?”
“Yeah, thanks,” she says with a shy smile as her blue eyes meet mine. The move has that same blush creeping over her cheeks and I have to admit, I’m really digging it.
“Come on,” I say, indicating with a flick of my head for her to follow me. “Let me drop you home.”
Chapter 6
Charli
What the hell is going on?
This night is seriously fucked up. All I wanted was to finish my shift at Micky’s, go upstairs and crash. Yet, here I am, at freaking 2.30 in the morning, in a dark alley with the hot-as-fuck guy from the bar who just happened to save me from a really bad situation.
Though, I must remember to never trust Lex again. What a stupid move that was. I should have trusted my gut feeling that she was no good. Of course, the only girl I meet just happens to be a crazy, skank whore.
Go me, I’m really winning tonight!
I don’t know what I would have done if Mr. Widow-Maker wasn’t here. He completely came in like my knight in shining leather. Though, who knows what kind of situation I have got myself in now, I mean, I met this guy once. He could be a serial killer for all I know. Maybe a rapist like apparently every other guy in this goddamn city is.
I stand motionless as he starts to make his way back up the alley. Should I go with him? Or maybe I should wait until I find a taxi, though, then I would have to spend what little money I’ve managed to save over the last few weeks.
Sexy guy turns back around when he realises I’m not following him. “You coming?” he asks over his shoulder then gives me a panty dropping smile which has me right back in that abandoned building, remembering exactly what this man is made of. Not to mention, the wink he gave me before his fight. I swear, my panties just disintegrated, I probably would have jumped him right then and there if I didn’t have such good self-control.
Crap. Now is not the time to be thinking about screwing this guy. I just need to get myself home where I will be safe and sound, then I can go right ahead and forget that tonight ever happened.
I realise he is still waiting for my answer and I reluctantly agree. I mean, how else am I going to get home? It’s not like I have a phone to call someone. “Yeah,” I murmur. “I’m coming.” I’ll have to remember to pick up some pepper spray or something for the next time I get myself in a fucked-up situation like this.
I see something settle in his eyes, almost as if he was scared I would say no. I catch up with him and we walk side-by-side. He leads me back past the door where I entered the building and right around the back where I can sort of make out a car park. He seems to be leading me towards a black truck and if I have to be honest, I’m pretty damn impressed.
There are a few other people lingering around and I jump when I hear someone calling out. “Hey, kid.”
My head snaps in the direction of the voice and Mr. Widow-Maker takes off at a quick jog. I stand motionless, unsure if I should follow but turns out there is no point. The guy hands him something, they do that guy clap on the back thing and he heads straight back over.
Great. The guy is probably buying drugs. Am I a magnet for trouble or something?
“Sorry about that,” he says as he ushers me towards the black truck which I am assuming is his.
“No problem,” I say, climbing into the passenger’s seat.
He gets in beside me and starts up the truck. “Where to, Charli?”
The way he says my name sounds almost like a caress and has shivers taking over my body, though I’m pretty damn impressed he’s remembered my name. “Oh, you can just drop me back at Micky’s,” I tell him.
“Uh, no offence but no,” he says. My head snaps towards him in alarm which has him holding up both hands. “I just mean, it’s after 2.30 in the morning. The bar is not exactly somewhere you should be going at this time of night and besides, I’m pretty sure it would be closed by now.”
I let out a small breath which turns into a chuckle. “I didn’t mean that I wanted to go and party,” I clarify. “I live in the apartment above Micky’s.”
“Oh,” he grunts. “Well, I guess I can drop you there.”
“Shit,” I laugh. “What kind of a girl do you think I am?”
“Honestly, I’ve got no fucking idea,” he tells me. Yeah, I guess I kind of deserve that. Showing up at a place like an illegal underground fighting ring really doesn’t give the impres
sion that I’m a good girl. “Though,” he continues, “I kind of get the impression that it wasn’t really your idea to come?”
“No,” I scoff before realising that this place is his scene. “Shit, I, ah, don’t mean any offence by that, it’s just, I’m more of a ‘hang out at places that won’t get me thrown in jail’ kind of girl.”
He laughs as he peels out of the parking lot and into the streets. “Don’t stress, I get it,” he tells me. “So, why did you come?”
I let out a sigh. “That girl I was with, Lex,” I explain. “She’s sort of the only girl I’ve met since I’ve been here and she insisted that I get out and have a good time, you know, meet new people,” I say with a shrug. “I kind of figured that meant we were going to a club or a party, I don’t know, something like that. How the hell was I supposed to guess she was taking me there to set me up with that sleaze-ball?”
“Shit,” he laughs. “It’s really not your night.”
“You can say that again,” I murmur before looking up at him and studying his face. “I guess it was a good night for you, though,” I state.
“Yep,” he declares with a cocky grin then pulls an envelope out of his pocket. “Won myself five grand,” he says, holding what must be an envelope of cash between his fingers.
“WHAT?” I practically shout. “Five grand? Holy shit. No wonder you can afford a car like this,” I exclaim, forgetting to filter the words that stumble out of my mouth. Crap. My eyes widen in shock. What the hell possessed me to say that. “Shit, sorry that’s really none of my business.”
“Nah,” he laughs with a shake of his head. “Don’t worry about it. That was actually my first fight which makes this my first payday,” he declares proudly as he stuffs the envelopes back in his pocket. His tone changes as he continues. “The car was a gift from my parents, just another way they bought me off,” he grunts under his breath.
“Oh,” I murmur, suddenly seeing the truck through new eyes and realising this guy has some ghosts of his own. I desperately want to pry and find out as much information about this guy as I can but who am I to ask.
“So, you’re a student at Denver?” he asks, moving right along.
“No, not exactly,” I cringe, not wanting to explain my life story right now. “But as of next week, I’ll be a sort of student,” I tell him.
I see the has piqued his interest as he turns his dark, intriguing eyes on me. “What do you mean?”
Despite already being in a great mood from just being around this guy, talking about my future career has my mood now skyrocketing. A massive smile comes across my face as I tell him all about it. “I got a job at a hair salon and the senior stylist is going to teach me everything I need to know so one day, I can have my own salon.”
“Wow, so that’s like getting paid to learn?” he asks.
“Yeah, pretty much,” I grin.
“I guess, congratulations are in order,” he says with some strange emotion in his eye. One that makes me wish I knew him better so I could figure it out.
“Well,” I scoff. “Why don’t you just wait and see if I’m actually any good first. I might end up fired before I make it past my first day,” I joke.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he smiles, “No one could possibly be that bad.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I laugh. “Apart from doing my own hair, I haven’t really had any practice,” I tell him. “Well, I did cut all my dolls hair when I was a kid but that was before I realised it wouldn’t grow back.”
He lets out a laugh that wraps right around me and makes me want to hear it over and over again. Shit, what is happening to me? I’ve never been so stupid over a guy. I mean, yeah, he is hot but come on, he’s just a guy.
He makes a stop at a red light and turns to look at me. “I think you’ll do great,” he tells me with sincerity.
My eyes instantly fall from his and I feel a blush take over my cheeks making me happy it’s so dark. “Thanks,” I murmur as I get myself under control. “What about you? I mean, you’re a great fighter but I thought you were a hockey player?”
He lets out a sigh and I hope I haven’t struck a nerve. “Yeah, I’m a hockey player,” he confirms, “But I love fighting, there is just something about it I can’t explain.”
“Like?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” he says, thoughtful. “Maybe it’s the power I have over my opponent or the rush of adrenaline before the match. I’m not sure, I guess it’s a mix of things.”
“Right, I get it,” I say, realising it’s probably the exact feeling my step-mum got each time she wanted to face off with me. “So, were any of the guys from the team there tonight?”
“No,” he scoffs before turning to me with a cringe. “Look, about the whole fighting thing,” he starts. “You won’t tell anyone you saw me there, right? I mean, if anyone found out, I’d be off the team.”
My eyes widen in shock at his admission but at the same time, I should have guessed. Of course, being found participating in any illegal activities would jeopardise his position on the team, no matter how good he is. “How can I tell anyone when I don’t even know your name?” I say with a cheeky grin.
He matches my smile as he looks back at me. “I’m Xander,” he tells me with a sparkle in his eye. Hmmm, Xander, I could get used to that. “You won’t say a word?” he confirms.
“No, Xander,” I say, his name feeling like silk on my tongue. “I won’t say a word,” I promise.
He stops dead in the middle of the road and turns to face me before his hand lifts off the gear stick with all his fingers curled in, except for his pinkie finger. “Pinkie promise,” he demands.
“What the hell? Are you, like, twelve?” I laugh.
“You gotta do it,” he insists with a sparkle in his eye.
I can’t help but roll my eyes as I lift my hand to his. “Fine,” I groan as I wrap my pinkie finger around his and look him in the eye. “I pinkie promise that I will not tell a soul that you are an illegal underground fighter.”
“Thank you,” he grins as he holds onto my finger for a moment longer than necessary.
“Satisfied?” I ask as he gets back to driving.
“Not even close,” he murmurs with a sparkle in his eyes.
He turns the corner and I realise we are nearly at Micky’s and I wonder how the time had possibly gone so fast. “So, if you want to be a fighter, why don’t you stop hockey and fight professionally? I mean, I can’t pretend to know what it takes to go pro but from what I saw, you’re pretty good.”
“Thanks,” he says as he pulls up out the front of Micky’s. “That’s kind of the plan but it’s complicated.”
“Sorry,” I cringe. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
He lets out another of those body wrapping laughs. “I get the feeling you can’t help it.”
“No, I guess I can’t,” I tell him, honestly. “But for the record. I know complicated, not the same brand of complicated as you but complicated all the same.”
He nods his head as he considers my words. “When do I get to see you again, Charli?” he asks.
Shit. Why did he have to go and ask that? I open the door and climb out before I poke my head back in through the door. “I don’t know, cowboy. After what I saw tonight, you seem like trouble,” I tell him with a flirty grin.
He smirks back at me. “And you’re not?” he asks with a questioning, raised eyebrow.
“More than you can handle.” With that, I close the door and turn my back.
I dash up to the door of Micky’s and quickly get myself inside before I lose all my self-control and throw myself at him. Shit, was I just flirting with the bad boy? The boy who looks like he has broken a million hearts? Hell, the boy I just witnessed beat the crap out of another guy.
I key in the alarm before dashing up the stairs to my apartment. I just can’t help myself. The second I lock the door behind me, I rush over to the window and look out, only to find his truck still parked out the front with a
grinning Xander staring up at me from the walkway. Holy cow. He is like sex on fire.
“I’ll see you around, Charli,” he calls up to me before getting in his truck and driving off. Wow, what a freaking night. Did that just happen? Did he seriously just wait out the front until he saw that I was safe and sound in my apartment?
I shake the thought from my head. This is not what I need right now. I need to concentrate on getting my life back on track. Hell, I have a new job starting in a few days. I do not need any distractions, especially distractions that come in the shape of an extremely ripped hockey/fighter in a leather jacket with a panty-dropping smile.
The thought of that smile has something burning up inside me. Crap, I’m in trouble.
I head into the bathroom and strip out of these skanky clothes before splashing cold water on my face and scrubbing off my makeup. Deciding I need to completely wash off the night, I jump straight into a cool shower and scrub the stench of Lex’s joint out of my hair and the smell of Chris’ spilled drinks off my skin.
After my shower, I grab a cold glass of water and head into my bedroom before dropping my towel and pulling on a pair of panties.
I climb into bed and am instantly hit with the images of Xander in the ring, dominating his opponent in nothing but a pair of shorts. His ripped body glistening with sweat as he smirks up at me. My eyes close as the burning need within me intensifies and I know there is only one way I’ll be falling asleep tonight.
My hand travels down my body and into the hem of my panties as my mind fills with more and more images of Xander. His body, his eyes and that smirk which has me flying right over the edge.
Yeah, I’m definitely in trouble.
Chapter 7
Xander
I don’t know what it is about this girl but something made me stay outside Micky’s bar, like a complete stalker watching and waiting until I could see that she was inside her apartment, safe and sound.
I just stood there, like a fucking loser.
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