Page 103 of Blackwood

Cade won’t shut up about her. Hasn’t since Cinco de Mayo. Says she’s going to tie us all together like some cherry-lipped fucking peace treaty. Sweet on the outside, chaos underneath. I’ve seen the pictures. Heard the stories. The girl who’s supposed to be mine, even if no one’s said it out loud yet.

But she’s not here. Not in the VIP with Cade, not in the back row, not even in the shadows near the balcony. Nothing.

And that pisses me off.

I want her here. Watching me. Front and center. I want her eyes locked on what I do to the poor bastard stupid enough to stand across from me. Especially when the bastard is Callum fucking Whitmore. I want her to see the fists, the blood, the win, my name in the air like a war cry. I want her to know what she’s walking into.

Rez climbs into the ring with a damn mic.

Oh for fuck’s sake.

“Okay, gentlemen. There’s been a slight change of plans.”

I cock my head.

“We’re going to add a little more entertainment before the two of you get your well-deserved rematch.” He flashes that lazy grin of his. “Both of you men to your corners. Take a seat.”

I glare at him as I head to my stool, wiping the sweat from my palms on my shorts.

The fuck are you doing, Rez?

He’s lucky we’re family. Unless this is some Maddie Rae and her Botox Barbies bullshit again. Then he can get bent.

I look up and notice that’s not our usual DJ. Some blonde dude is behind the booth now, putting on the headset, adjusting the dials, and plugging some USB drive into the booth.

I know I’ve seen this guy before.

Rez nods toward the new DJ. “As you all probably know, we are The Hollow Kings, Northvale’s real pride and joy.”

The crowd goes wild.

Damn straight.

Rez lifts the mic again, pacing slow like he’s about to deliver a sermon instead of a fight intro. “Now, in the spirit of friendly competition—and because I’d rather not spend the rest of the night breaking up brawls between Row rats and Northvale psychos—let’s try to keep it in the ring tonight, yeah?”

The crowd rumbles, a few laughs, a few hollers.

“And for your cooperation…” He lets the silence stretch, his voice dipping into that slow, lethal purr. “…I do have a little surprise for you.”

The crowd stills and his smile goes wicked. “Tonight, we are also joined by Wexley’s pride and joy.”

Rez lifts a brow. “Knox, you wanna take it from here?”

Knox? Must be Blondie.

The guy flashes a cocky grin as he leans into the mic. “Thanks, Rez.” His voice cuts smooth through the speakers.

“Yo, what’s up, Northvale?” he grins. “I’m Knox, part-time DJ, full time shit-stirrer. And Rez wasn’t lying, we do have some of Wexley’s finest in the house tonight.”

He pauses. “Sorry, Cal. We don’t meanyoutonight.”

What the hell is going on?

I sit forward slightly on my stool, every muscle in my body locked.

Knox’s voice rings out again, louder this time. “Ladies and gents, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Wexley’s sexiest, deadliest, and baddest bitches of The Row… my girls Ellie, Haley, and Bella. The Trifecta!”

The Pit fucking explodes. Apparently, my girl and her group are a lot more popular than I thought. I glance over at The Revenants. They all look like they all are about to have a damn stroke when the lights go dark before changing to red, pink, and teal.