Page 59

“Go upstairs.” Mace’s voice is a low and deep whisper in my ear.
My face scrunches. “What? Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Uh. I think the fuck not. Spinning in his hold, I push on his chest so I can glare up at him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
Pupils blown wide, his eyes are nearly black, and I can’t help feeling like his shadows have come out to play. Whatever terrible memories he tries to hide are bleeding through. “I’m serious,” he says. “Go upstairs.”
I rise onto my tiptoes, raking my nails through his hair and pulling the same way he did to me. “How about...” I graze my lips over his. “No.”
His palm swats my ass. It’s not hard, but it is surprising enough that I screech, accidentally yanking his hair.
“Fuuuuck.”
My eyes narrow at the groan. Is this asshole enjoying the pain? I immediately let go. “I’m staying.”
He shakes his head. “No.”
Falling back onto my heels, I stare at him. “You’re serious.”
He nods.
“You know, I was stupid earlier. I was thinking maybe it wouldn’t be so bad marrying you, but obviously that was wrong.”
Features hard as marble, he gazes down at me, arms tightening around my middle. “You want to watch?”
I shrug. “Everyone else is.”
“Fine. Watch. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Releasing me, he strides around me and heads into the gym.
Someone’s moody.
With a heavy exhale, I head into the gym. Remy, Dare, and Rose are sitting off to the side of the mat on a bench. Rose’s eyes find mine in question. I roll my eyes and take a seat beside her, smoothing out the dress and focusing on the men prowling around one another.
Crue is grinning like a maniac.
Mace’s features are void of any emotion. I tip my head. Where did all that anger go?
“Come on, Wolf!” Crue taunts. “Let’s see what you got.”
There’s that nickname again. I have a second to wonder why people call him that before Mace slips behind him. Crue spins, throwing a punch that Mace easily dodges. They play this game of cat and mouse, back and forth, each one taking advantage of the other, but none of the hits land.
“This might be the lamest fight I’ve ever seen,” I whisper.
“This is the warm-up,” Dare says, forearms resting on his thighs as he watches his friends.
A few seconds later, they stop fucking around and Crue throws a fist that’s so fast it’s a blur, but Mace somehow dodges it and slams his own into his friend’s ribs. Crue laughs and does a combo move. When his knuckles connect with Mace’s jaw, Mace simply shakes his head and surges forward, slamming into Crue’s torso and taking him to the ground.
Crue grunts when Mace punches him in the same spot.
Mace doesn’t make a sound.
He’s focused. Movements smooth and precise. Elegant violence. They struggle on the ground for a bit, but Crue manages to get out from under him, kicking to his feet and spitting out blood.
“Aw, come on, puppy, you’re going to have to do better than that!” Crue shouts.
“Fucking idiot,” Remy mutters, leaning forward like Dare. Both of them look half ready to intervene.