Page 37

Once we had our drinks, Joey led me through the crowd again. This time, we stopped in the open space in front of the ring. I watched the two men in the ring throwing punches as I sipped my cocktail, wondering when Leighton would be up. As angry at him as I was, I couldn't help the curiosity that had wormed into my brain when Joey told me what the fight dedication meant.

I was starting to grow impatient when the bell rang, signaling the end of the current fight. Neither man had downed the other, and the judges had determined the slightly built blonde was the winner. Someone in a striped shirt stepped into the ring with a bucket and mop and set to work cleaning up the blood.

"Leighton's up next." Joey said, leaning over to speak directly into my ear so I could hear him over the crowd.

"How do you know?"

"Whenever he comes to fight, they always get him on right away. He wins the house a lot of money and puts on a hell of a show."

Just then, the announcer stepped into the ring and spoke into a microphone.

"Next up we have Tiny Gallagher. He'll be facing off against reigning champ Leighton Laurent."

The crowd erupted into cheers as a man the size of a house climbed into one side of the ring. He was easily over six feet tall, all muscle from his bald head to his ankles. The muscles in his shoulders were so large it lent the appearance of not having a neck. As my eyes tracked the detailed dragon tattoo that ran down the entire length of the side of his body, I couldn't help wondering how Leighton expected to get out of this fight alive, let alone win.

"He's going to get himself killed." I breathed, my eyes round as saucers, when Leighton finally climbed into the ring with a massive grin.

Joey gave me a knowing grin and turned his eyes toward the ring. Leighton was hopping around and laughing in his corner as if his opponent wasn't about to completely destroy him. The second the bell rang, his demeanor changed. Gone was the playful, albeit inconsiderate, man I'd met when the guys had moved into the manor as my protection. In his place stood a predator.

Leighton stalked around the edges of the ring, keeping his eyes on his opponent. Tiny lumbered out of his corner and headed straight for him. My hands flew to my mouth to stifle my gasp as I watched in horror. One massive fist, at least the size of my head, swung toward Leighton, the power behind it evident even from where I stood. Quick as lightning, Leighton ducked under Tiny's arm and slipped behind him, landing a blow to the man's kidney.

Tiny roared, turning slowly as he flung another fist out. Once again, Leighton was too fast. He danced around Tiny, landing rapid blows along his back. Enraged, Tiny waited for Leighton to return to his front before kicking out. His footconnected with Leighton's chest, causing him to stumble back, and Tiny's fist hammered down, connecting with his face.

Blood streamed from Leighton's nose, showering the ring as he shook his head to regain his bearings. Tiny turned to face the crowd, raising his arms to their cheers. My eyes were locked on Leighton. I caught the wicked grin that spread across his lips long enough to paint his teeth with blood before he launched forward.

Leighton's lithe form collided with Tiny's back, and he wrapped one arm around the man's throat. With the other, he began to rain down blows along Tiny's neck and face. Tiny reached his arms overhead, grasping Leighton in his massive hands, trying to pull him off. The action only served to cause Leighton to wrap his legs around Tiny's waist. Realizing his error, Tiny jumped off the mat, angling himself to land on his back, and crushed Leighton beneath him.

Panic gripped me as I watched him roll away. For a moment, I was sure Leighton was done for, but then I saw his lips quirk into a smile. Something snapped within him, and he turned on his massive opponent, attacking him with the ferocity and abandon of a feral animal. His blows were quick and brutal, never missing his target. Tiny began to sway on his feet as he stumbled back, unable to fend off Leighton's attacks. And then, the unbelievable happened. The massive man collapsed to the mat, his eyes shuttering closed.

"See, nothing to worry about." Joey grinned as the ref counted Tiny out. "L is a beast in the ring."

I was too stunned to respond. I watched the referee raised Leighton's hand and announced him as the winner. His eyes locked with mine for just a moment before shifting to Joey.

"Stay right here where L can see you." Joey spoke. "I'm going to grab us another round of drinks to celebrate his win."

Leighton nodded as if he could hear Joey before turning his eyes back to me. They held me captive as he listened to the ref say something in his ear before he sauntered toward the ropes nearest me. He was climbing through them when an arm grabbed me around the middle and pulled me back into the crowd behind me.

"What are you doing, Joey?" I demanded before a hand clamped down over my mouth.

"I'm not your fucking Horsemen bodyguard, darlin'." A masculine voice drawled in my ear. "I'm here to collect you for a job."

Another wave of panic seized me, triggering my fight-or-flight response. I slammed my elbow back into the man, who was practically pushing me through the crowd as he held me to his chest. He let out a soft oomph before removing his hand from my mouth and turning me to face him. He released his grip on me just enough to slap me so hard I saw stars. My ears rang so loud I barely heard the feral growl over the man's shoulder before he was ripped away, and I was collapsing against Joey's chest.

If I had thought Leighton looked feral in the ring, it was nothing compared to the sight that greeted me once Joey had steadied me. A trim, black-haired man was sprawled on the concrete floor while Leighton straddled his thighs. He landed blow after blow on the man's face, snarling with each swing. My attacker's features were already obscured from the damage, blood flowing freely from his nose, above his eyebrows, and lips. None of that seemed to sate the beast. Leighton growled like a wild animal, placing his hands on both sides of the man's head and repeatedly slamming it hard on the concrete floor. There was a sickening crack that caused my stomach to roil.

Leighton released his hold and stood slowly. His shoulders heaved with each breath, his fists clenched at his sides. I couldn't see the man around his lithe frame, but I knew in my gut that hewas dead. Leighton had murdered someone with his bare hands, not caring who saw.

"L, we gotta go, man." Joey hissed, causing Leighton to turn toward us.

His eyes were wide and wild. A look of hunger painted his face that set my nerves on edge. Instinctively, I stepped back; I needed more space between me and whatever version of Leighton stood before us. His attention snapped to me with the movement, and his expression softened.

"Let's go." He said, not taking his eyes off me.

"Come on, Sweetheart." Joey murmured, wrapping an arm around me. "Let's get you home, okay?"

I let Joey turn me toward the exit and lead me through the crowd. The whole time, I felt Leighton's gaze on me, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed he was keeping his distance, and he raised his hands as if in apology and gave me a half-hearted grin.

"There you fuckers are." I heard Craig's voice just as we stepped outside. I tore my eyes away from Leighton and turned to find Craig and Az strolling toward us.