by Nelson, Cara
Within seconds, the opponent was back on his feet but breathing hard. Sweat and the rusty tinge of blood were thick in the air. The crowd that had been rowdy had grown more silent, hanging by the tension. Saxon circled Aaron, trying to get close enough for a hit. Aaron toyed with him in another series of long jabs, exhausting his shorter opponent. He swung at Saxon’s side and barely connected, a calculated miss that drew the man in closer. Aaron attacked him savagely, striking his eye and nose in a quick pair of hits, then landing a vicious set of body blows. Saxon fell to the mat, curling in on himself for protection as Aaron continued to pound him. He was dragged off by an official and two bouncers and declared the victor. The audience screamed wildly, and the gamblers collected their winnings on successful bets, buying rounds of drinks for the room.
Aaron wiped his face with a towel and downed a bottle of water, reveling in the adulation of his brother, his boss, the crowd. Baylee and Mia, the ring bunnies, hung on him for a picture and people whipped out their phones to capture his victory. Zoe fought her way through the crowd to his side. Holding up her camera to indicate her need for an interview, she waited, tight-lipped, for his comment. She wanted to hit Baylee and Mia in the face with her own forehead. She didn’t like them touching Aaron, especially not when touching him was all she could think about. Her very fingertips tingled with the longing to trace the lines of his tattoo, the curve and bulge of the muscles on his chest. Chewing her lip, she stood in an agony of silence, recording.
Excerpt From Fight (Bareknuckle Boxing Brotherhood)
Copyright Cara Nelson 2014
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