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Chapter Ten

Cadence

Pushing through the crowded street, I made my way towards Lee's Nails. If there was one thing I found relaxing, it was getting a good manicure.

I had to be at work in a couple of hours, and with the week I'd had, an afternoon of pampering was beyond necessary. The anxiety that had been riding my bones over the big mishap in the shower was keeping a constant tremble in my muscles.

My stomach was doing flips, my chest was tight and constricted every time I took a breath, and my brain was fucked.

Trying to force my mind clear, Quinn had settled right on top of every thought. I couldn't shake him off, his strong fingers had cemented their grip.

He became my drug. I had a taste, and now I was hooked.

Lifting my purse higher on my shoulder, I pulled out my phone and texted my friend Mia. She was meeting me at the salon for our monthly spa day. Mia had been my best friend for years, and to me, she was family.

And after what Quinn had said, what he went through with his friend, Mia had a more solid place in my world.

She worked at the bar for a short time, and we just kind of clicked. Besides myself, she had been the only other person I had ever trusted.

'On my way. And have I got some shit to share.'Hitting send, I shoved the phone back into my purse.

I wasn't sure if I was going to tell Mia about what happened. Especially since I wasn't sure if there was going to be anything to tell. Quinn was right with one thing... I might not even end up pregnant.

For now, I'll just keep that to myself. No need to light the fuse if there's nothing to blowup.

Pulling my shoulders to my ears, head set forward, I pressed on through the sea of people. A foggy daze filled my mind, Quinn had shown me a side of himself that he kept hidden.

Why would he show me that?

He didn't have to, it seemed like he wanted to.

I can't get him out of my fucking head, every damn day for the past week he's all I've thought about.

Doesn't he know my life is locked?

I'm trapped here, stuck in the only world I know.

And if I ended up getting knocked up by him... My father would have a fucking field day.

There was no way in hell my father would ever let something interfere with his business, or me.

And if Quinn thought he could wriggle his grasp around me, tear me from the Macro; he was dead wrong.

My father wouldn't go down without a fight, he'd doanythingto keep me here. I knew everything about the ring, about the nasty men who fought for him, and the scum that made his pockets fatter.

Fuck him! I've done everything I could to make him happy!

Don't I deserve something?

Don't I deserve to live?

I mean shit, I even had to sneak out to come here. If I wasn't working in the bar or at the ring, I was supposed to be home.

I felt like his fucking dog, expected to obey and sit silently, awaiting my next order.

Turning left up Twenty-Third street, the force of a shoulder crashed into my arm. Looking up, my eyes shot open, jaw hanging freely.

There stood Nico, with a crooked smile slinking up his cheek. His greasy hair was loose, nappy strands dangling between his eyes. “Well, look who it is.” His raspy voice turned my stomach, my body cringing on impulse.