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I stand in front of the two guards, spreading my legs and holding my arms out as they check me quickly before moving me forward. I walk toward the door, but the man doesn’t budge. He has dark brown hair with red tints. A dazzling smile that looks as if he’s gotten it bleached within the last couple of days. “You must be Johnny’s girl. I’ve heard so much about you.” He reaches for my hand to pull it to his lips, but I yank it back. He chuckles loudly and calls back into the suite. “Your girl has spunk.”
Johnny arrives, edging his way around the guy who’s blocking the entrance. I eye the guy warily as Johnny holds me to him. “There you are, babe. I see you’ve met Jiko.”
“Not really,” he muses. “She pulled her hand from mine.”
Johnny laughs, throwing his head back in a carefree way. I can tell he and this Jiko guy are somewhat close. “Can’t say that I blame her.” He throws his arm around me, and Jiko, whoever the fuck he is, moves out of our way as we walk into the room.
The elongated glass table that’s always been tucked into the corner takes a more prominent place in the room today. Plates are already set around it along with a handful of guests already sitting at different places. Big Daddy K has his back to me, but my hackles immediately go up. Johnny looks at me, and I wonder if he felt me stiffen. He rubs up and down my back, trying to calm me. “It’s going to be okay.”
I look over to him, hoping he’ll open up even more than that, but he doesn’t.
A few more men arrive. Everyone seems to be congregating around the table. Jiko and Johnny talk while I’m huddled into his side. I should be listening to what they’re saying, but I peek at Magnum instead. I already know before I look at him that he’s staring at me. He has been since we came into the room. Doing his job, as usual. While we watch one another, someone else moves into the room. Magnum’s gaze flicks over to the newcomer which is why I look, too.
I stiffen. Oscar limps inside. My heart tries to catapult from my chest. He’s in better shape than yesterday because there’s no blood dripping from anywhere, but his right eye is shut entirely. Nasty purple bruising mars his face, and he has his hand still wrapped protectively around his midsection. He gives me a small smile, like it doesn’t bother him in the least to be back here after getting his ass beat.
Johnny notices my attention has wavered and looks over his shoulder. If he’s sorry for doing that to Oscar, he doesn’t show it. He calls him over. Jiko looks him up and down, a smirk coming to his face that I want to punch right the fuck off. “Damn, brother. What happened to you?”
“You know,” Oscar says, joking his way through this like he’s joked his way through everything. “It’s the life I chose.”
He’s being cagey for a reason, making me wonder if Johnny’s even confessed to kicking Oscar’s ass. Not that he’d get in trouble for it. His father would probably praise him.
Because I don’t want Johnny to get suspicious, I don’t acknowledge Oscar at all, and he does the same to me. For now, we’re just casual and indifferent acquaintances. Which sucks because I really want to wrap him up in a hug, tell him how sorry I am for dragging him into this mess. He would tell me he was in this shit before I even got here, but still. He wouldn’t have gotten beaten up if it weren’t for me. He can’t try to talk his way out of that one.
Oscar was the last guest we were waiting for, so Big Daddy K calls everyone to the table. Help emerges from rooms in the back, carrying trays of steaming food. My stomach growls. I’ve been too nervous to eat, and it’s catching up to me now.
“Sounds like your girl has an appetite,” Jiko says. He’s sitting across from Johnny and me.
Asshole. Doesn’t he know it’s impolite to comment on how much a girl eats? “His girl has a name,” I bite out.
Jiko’s lips curve into a cool smirk. “I assumed she did, but she wouldn’t let me introduce myself properly before.”
“You don’t have to touch people to be introduced to them.”
Johnny smirks. He places his hand on my thigh and squeezes. I don’t know if he dislikes this guy or likes this guy, but either way, he’s taking pleasure in watching me eviscerate him.
“Touché,” Jiko says. “I’m Jiko Cardinale. And you are?” I arch a brow at him, and he bursts out laughing. “I see why you like her so much.”
Johnny kisses my temple. “He’s a friend, babe. You can trust him.”
I’m not sure I take much stock into who Johnny thinks we can trust, but for now, I’ll play along. “Kyla Samson.”
“Johnny tells me you’re a fighter.”
“Our best one,” Big Daddy K says.
A pool of dread fills my stomach. I didn’t even know he’d been listening. Even though the server is now placing a bowl of hot soup in front of me and I was hungry just a moment ago, his voice did something to my appetite.
“Kyla’s single-handedly making money hand over fist with our fighting ring. They can’t get enough of her.”
I smile politely, then widen it when I meet Big Daddy K’s gaze for the first time. I have a part to play. When he’s around, it’s that much clearer why I’m here. Play the part. Get this done. Leave.
“As always, I’m so fortunate for the opportunity,” I say, pretending to be flattered by him.
Johnny squeezes my thigh again. The smile on his face is so genuine that it almost kills me he doesn’t understand that I’m saying it because I have to. Like anyone, he wants his significant other and his parent to get along, but that will never happen. Never, never, never. Over my goddamn dead body.
Or better yet. Over K’s.
Other men in the room open up, talking about the underground fighting business. Big Daddy K reveals they’ve purchased a bigger arena for us. I don’t know how they expect to keep this from the cops now, but they have their ways. If you can get away with murder, no doubt you can get away with gambling and fighting. Those businesses are definitely the lesser of the evils Big Daddy K displays on a daily basis.