“Then help me stop. Do you think I like doing this? I don’t. I don’t want to hurt him. I love him. Help me stop. Please.”
Samuel huffed as he lowered his head. “They’re about to call Mike to the stage. We’ll talk later.” He strode out of the hallway into the crowd. Eve shot one last look at the poor guy he left behind and followed him.
Weaving through the mass of bodies proved almost futile for Eve. Micah was right. Any wayward hand that touched her inappropriately twisted her stomach. She pushed through, watching the two bands of men on either side of the stage gather. The group on the right were the Hallows with Littlefoot and his nephews. She had never seen the guys on the left in her life.
Her heart and her steps froze when she heard his voice. “Hello, Eve. I hoped you were coming.”
She slowly turned, finding herself face to face with Deacon.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
He nodded up to the stage. “Making sure your friend doesn’t back out of our deal. I have a lot riding on Mr. Hallow. And I wouldn’t want to carry out my threat.” He reached up to curl a lock of her dark hair around his finger.
Eve felt her stomach lurch. “He’s here. He’ll be in the cage. You can go.”
“You seem jumpy. On edge. Maybe you need something to take the edge off.” Deacon ran a finger across her cheek. Eve was certain she was going to vomit. She pulled away and then looked up at the stage to see Micah’s cold, hard gaze. It made her shiver.
“I’m good, thanks,” she muttered.
“Eve, I own you. You can never escape me. Do you see who works for me now?” He pointed through the crowd. Eve gasped when she saw Tabitha, scantily dressed, hanging off some big shot in a designer suit. Deacon continued. “She told me a bunch of thugs came and took your stuff. You left her all alone without a way to relax. I was happy to oblige for a price. You dragged her into my world, Eve. And any day now you will come crawling back to your master.”
Eve forced a nervous smile on her face. “You forget why you’re here, Deacon. Micah made you a deal, and he’ll see it through to the end. You don’t own me, you bastard. He does. I belong to Micah Hallow.”
Taking a step away was nearly impossible in the mob. She almost jumped out of her skin when someone grabbed her hand.
“Eve, Micah wanted me to find you.” Meg smiled at her as she tugged at her, shooting a nasty look at Deacon.
“Sure. I’m coming.” Eve smiled smugly at Deacon. “See you at the fights.”
Eve held tight to Meg as the pregnant blonde led her toward the stage. She could barely hear Meg over the noise. “Looks like you needed help.”
“I had it. Don’t flatter yourself,” Eve responded.
Meg stopped short and nearly hissed. “I know you don’t know me. We haven’t really been introduced. But there’s something you need to understand. We’re stuck together for eternity. Those guys may bicker all the time, but there’s nothing thicker than Hallow blood. So I think what you meant to say was ‘thanks.’”
Eve stared baffled at Meg as she stormed to the foot of the stage. Eve looked up at Micah. He gazed down at her protectively. With a small smile, she followed Meg.
Chapter Nine
The noise of the crowd and the erupting butterflies in his belly couldn’t tear Micah away from the scene beside the stage. He fought to bite back the rage boiling inside him. Deacon Rivers, that bastard he’d nearly sold his soul to, was touching Eve. His Eve. The woman he loved. And he couldn’t do anything about it in front of this mob.
Even from this distance, Micah could see her flinch from him. He spun on his toe as he headed for the steps leading off the stage. He needed Ravens away from her. The son of a bitch would only hurt her.
He felt a hand on his arm. It clenched tight around his bicep stopping him dead in his tracks. “Young Micah, how are you?” Littlefoot greeted. A step or two behind him was Noah and another of his nephews.
“Fucking peachy,” Micah muttered as he struggled to get free.
“It’s almost time,” Leroy shouted in passing.
“Micah, what the fuck is going on?” Caleb demanded.
“Ravens is here, and he’s harassing my mate,” he answered with a growl.
“You aren’t going anywhere. You step off this stage, and Ravens will take it as you’re backing out. Give me a second.”
Micah’s gaze never left Eve and Deacon. He heard Caleb curse and then walk away and jog down the steps. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Caleb and Meg talking to each other. After a quick and passionate kiss, Meg dove into the crowd toward Eve.
Caleb hurried back onstage. “Eyes on the prize, champ.”
Leroy took the microphone and motioned both sides to him. Micah studied the group approaching them. They all had long, straight dark hair that fell to their waists. Each was dressed in jeans and T-shirts just like the brothers. Their dark brown eyes and angular faces looked eerily familiar. Micah frowned and then shot a look over his shoulder at Josiah, Samuel, and Caleb. They looked just as confused as he was.
“Where are these guys from?” Samuel questioned.
“Maine,” Josiah answered.
“Wasn’t Dad from Maine?”
“Yeah.”
Leroy grinned as he addressed the rowdy crowd. “It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, ladies and gents. In eight weeks, these two men will step into the cage and go to war. Whoever leaves the victor will be the middleweight champ. How excited are you to see this?”
There was a roar from the mob below loud enough to shake the walls. Leroy continued. “Don’t forget to get your tickets. We’re almost sold out. You don’t want to miss this.”
Micah looked down to see Deacon’s evil grin. He sighed before taking a step closer until he was nearly nose to nose with his opponent. The smile on the guy’s face terrified him.
Leroy continued on. “On my left, from north of here, is Micah Hallow. You know him and his infamous brothers. On my left is Roman Lycan. He and his team have traveled all the way from Maine for this fight and have taken over Austin Graves’s gym to train.”
Roman cocked his head at Micah and only spoke loud enough for him to hear. “So you’re Micah? I should have known.”
“So? What the fuck about it?” Micah demanded as he felt his blood run cold. “How could you possibly know who I am?”
Roman just smiled without answering. He dropped into the customary fight stance for pictures. Micah near growled. “Who the hell are you?”
Leroy nudged Micah. “Just get into fight stance for pictures, Mike.”
Micah stared from one man to the other and then slowly lowered into stance. Flashes from a sea of cell phone cameras pierced his eyes. Once Leroy patted him on the shoulder, he slowly rose and retreated back to his brothers, his eyes never leaving Roman.
Caleb wrapped his arm around his shoulders and tugged him toward the steps. “Let’s get out of here. You made your entrance. Now let’s get your head figured out so you can kick that creepy punk’s ass.”
“Noah and David will meet us outside with the ladies in a few moments. We need to go,” Littlefoot added.
Micah glared one last time at Roman before following Littlefoot and his brothers from the stage and through the club. Hands reached out to touch him. Each stray finger caused his stomach to flip.
A painful grip pinched his shoulder. “The quicker you get through, the faster it’s over,” Caleb advised.
“You?” Micah asked.
“I’m about to hurl. So let’s go.”
Micah grabbed his brother’s arm and quickened his steps, passing the others. He didn’t stop until the cold winter air bit through him.
“Thanks,” Caleb said as he slumped against the frost-covered bricks of the building.
“No problem,” Micah replied. “We’re the only ones struck with the same affliction.”
Caleb gave a weak smile as Meg, Eve, and the other men popped out of the bar door onto the sidewalk. Meg searc
hed around her frantically. Micah watched Eve do the same thing.
“I don’t know about you, but my affliction looks pretty fucking good naked,” Caleb remarked.
Micah chuckled. “I’d have to agree. Mine does too.”
Meg scuttled across the sidewalk, not stopping until her lips were firmly embedded against her husband's. Micah felt a tinge of jealousy until Eve followed suit. He cupped his hand behind her neck to pull her closer.
“What the hell is up with those guys?” Samuel demanded. “They were like Stepford fighters. Is it just me or does anyone else sense there’s something else going on with them?”
“Micah’s going to get in and lay waste,” Josiah responded. “He’s going to give them a reason to go back to where they came from.”
“A question,” Littlefoot asked. “What about your blind spells, Mike? How can you guarantee you won’t have one while you’re in the cage? You just recovered from one.”
Micah broke the kiss and glared at Littlefoot. Eve cuddled against his chest as she wrapped her arms around him. “How did you know that I just had one?”
“Your mother told me.”
“How did Momma find out?”
Samuel shrugged. “It slipped.”
“But I told her to hold off on the smothering. Eve was watching over you. Momma didn’t like it, but she dealt with it,” Josiah added.
Micah shook his head. “Whatever. We were going to talk to Noah anyway about it.” He turned to Noah as he brushed his fingers through Eve’s hair. “You treated Cay’s leg. Could you take a look at me?”
“I can. I don’t know how much help I can be. First I would like to get an MRI of your brain. I can arrange the test in Duluth. But I’m guessing I’m going to see abnormalities with you just like I did with Cay. With Caleb, I could rely on my brothers. And I have a couple of cousins who are nurses who know about the Hallows. But I need a dedicated nurse for this. Can you afford to let someone else know your secret?”
“I can help.” Meg’s voice was a squeak. Everyone turned to look at her as Caleb held her closer to him.
Noah smiled at her. “Thank you for the offer, Meg. But if I have to operate, I need someone who is qualified.”
“I am. I was a nurse before I came here. I’ve got the degree and everything.”
“Our Meggy is a nurse?” Samuel winked at her. He nodded at Caleb. “Did dumbass there know that?”
“Yes, motherfucker. I’m her husband and mate. I’m well aware she has a nursing degree. Shit, Sam. Your mouth knows no bounds, does it?”
“Probably not.”
Noah laughed at the bickering before he spoke. “I’ll arrange an appointment with radiology to use one of their machines then call Mike and Meg. Let’s see what we’re dealing with. All right?”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Littlefoot motioned away from the raucous club. “It’s late, all. We had better hit the road. It’ll be after midnight before any of us get home.”
“We’re not staying to party?” Samuel objected.
“If you wanted to party, you should have brought your own car,” Josiah chided before he shook Littlefoot’s hand. They exchanged their goodbyes before they trudged back to the vehicles. Micah helped Eve into the back of the Jeep.
Josiah held the keys out to him. “Do you want to drive?”
Micah glanced between his older brother and his mate. “Not particularly.”
“Get in. I will.”
Micah climbed in the back and pulled Eve against him to hold her tight. His brothers were talking as they took their seats and Josiah fired on the Jeep. The tail lights of Caleb’s truck pulled out into traffic. Josiah shifted into gear and followed. They weren’t out of the city before Micah’s eyes grew heavy. Eve’s soft snores were the last thing he heard before he dozed off.
»»•««
Eve nearly bolted out of bed at the knock on the door. She clung to Micah as her heart hammered in her chest. He moaned as he wrapped a hand in her hair and snuggled her closer.
“Get up, lover boy,” a male voice boomed from outside. “Time to train.”
“Fuck off, Zeke.”
Eve frowned at him. “Who?”
He yawned. “Ezekiel. But he’s right. I better go train.” He kissed her, one of his soft, lingering kisses that turned her inside out and made her open her legs to him, hoping for more. It was then she noticed she was still in her T-shirt, bra, and panties from the night before. Her brow wrinkled, confused. How did she get here? The last she remembered she’d fallen asleep in his arms. She forgot everything as he dragged a finger across her panties.
“I carried you in last night,” he told her. “I only got your jeans off before I fell asleep beside you.”
She arched her hips against his hand. “Oh.”
Another set of fists pounded on the door. “Mike, come on.”
Micah lowered his head. “Josh. They’re each going to come pound on the door until I come out.” He softly kissed her. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Make it up to me later?”
“I’ll spend all night making it up to you. I’ll make it up to you until you can’t walk.”
Eve grinned as she kissed him. “Can’t wait.”
He laughed as he crawled out of bed and crossed to his dresser. First, he pulled on a pair of fight shorts and a T-shirt, and then covered those with a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He pressed one last kiss to her lips before he picked up the duffle on the floor and headed out the bedroom door.
Eve buried herself in the thick, fluffy pillows and closed her eyes to go back to sleep. There was another knock at the door. “He’s headed for the gym,” she called.
A feminine voice answered her. “I’m here to see you.”
Eve sat up in bed and frowned. Slowly she climbed out of the huge bed and shuffled to the front door. She pulled it open to find Meg standing on the deck dressed in a jacket, fuzzy sweater, and yoga pants.
“Umm, you do know that you live in a camp of seven very horny guys, right? Not that they would act on it except Mike, but awkward,” Meg commented.
Eve looked down at her T-shirt and panties. “Shit. Sorry. Come in.” She stepped aside to let Meg in and then closed the door behind her.
“You don’t need to apologize to me. I get it. I’m here for the same reason you are. We’re mated to a Hallow. In my cabin, I wear far less.”
Eve felt her cheeks warm. “Me too. We were just too tired when we got home last night.”
“Us too.”
“So, any particular reason you stopped by?”
Meg slipped her hands in the pocket of her coat. “I haven’t seen you around the camp much. I can’t understand why. You need to eat.”
Eve motioned to the small kitchenette complete with a stove, sink, and refrigerator. “Micah had some food here. He doesn’t anymore.”
“Then I’m here to give you the grand tour of the place. We started off on the wrong foot last night. I don’t want to continue that way.”
“Why would you want to help me?”
Meg smiled. “Like I said. We’re in the same boat. Whether we like it or not, we are a part of this family. We might as well stick together. Go get dressed, and we’ll get breakfast.”
“All right.” Eve started across the living room but stopped. She turned back to Meg. “Do you love him?”
Meg frowned. “Who? Micah?”
“No. Caleb.”
Meg laughed. “Not at first. First, it was just hot possessed sex.”
“Now?”
“Now I love him with everything that I am. I couldn’t live without him. He’s my everything.”
“How does he feel about you?”
“The same.”
“Oh.” Eve stared at her for a long moment before she stepped into the bedroom. She quickly found a pair of jeans and a hoodie and dressed. She found Meg sitting on the edge of the couch checking her phone. She looked up at Eve. “Ready?”
“Let’s go.”
/> Eve shut the front door behind them and then followed behind Meg. Meg pointed to the seven small cabins. “The seven small cabins belong to each of the brothers. They go by order of birth. The farthest one is Abraham. Then Ezekiel, Joshua, then Caleb and me. The one between us is Samuel. Then there’s you and Micah then finally Josiah. The larger cabin next to Joe is Momma’s.”
“I understand Momma doesn’t like me,” Eve responded.
“Momma and Micah have a special relationship. I think she believed Micah would never mate, that he would always be there. I believe that it shocked her when he was the second to mate.”
“Got it.”
“We’re going into the main building. That’s where the gym, business office, dining room and kitchen are.”
“I’ve been in the gym.”
Meg stopped in her tracks and frowned at her. “When?”
“After the full moon when Micah picked me up.”
“And he didn’t show you the rest of it?”
Eve looked away as she bit her lower lip. “We had other things in mind at the time.”
Meg laughed as she continued on toward the largest building. “Completely understand. I’ll finish where he left off.”
Eve followed behind her as Meg showed her each of the rooms in the building. They spent several extra minutes watching through the window of the gym. They couldn’t have picked a better moment. Micah squared off with Caleb, with both men clad only in fight shorts and gloves. They traded punches until Micah took his brother to the ground. The sight leveled Eve. Fighting never appealed to her. But watching her mate battle his brother made her proud and turned her on all at the same time.
She looked over to find Meg staring in the gym mesmerized, her finger trailing down her neck and across her breast. She blushed red when she met Eve’s gaze. “Sorry. It just when I watch Cay fight, it sort of gets me going.”
“No need to apologize. Seeing Micah do this is doing the same to me.”
Meg took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get breakfast.”
She led Eve through the dining room to the kitchen. Her mouth dropped as she took in the industrial appliances, the large island, the pantry stocked with all sorts of food.
Middleweight (Hallow Brothers Book 2) Page 11