Page 221 of Blackwood

“Fighting tonight in our main event for Team Bella, all the way from Hong Kong…”

No. Fucking. Way.

“…the leader of the Red Silk Triads…”

Baby. Don’t you dare say it.

“…Laing Wei!”

Tattooed Dragon-Dick comes strutting in like a damn god. Shirtless, of fucking course, inked from neck to hip. That massive dragon gleaming under the blue lights like liquid metal. The whole place goes silent for a second. Then mayhem erupts.

He walks straight to her. Wraps his arms around her waist and grabs her by the fucking ass. She doesn’t push him away. She just places a hand on his chest dragging her finger up and down the dragon and smiles into his eyes.

“Glad you could make it, Laing.”

“Aw, Iz, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” He looks over at me and does that stupid chin up thing as if to say,hey dude.

“Dead,” I say. “You’re fucking dead.”

I start forward but Knox stops us. “Ok boys, back up. Save it for the fight.”

Bella walks over, slow and wicked, her eyes on me the entire time. “Fight to remember, baby.” She kisses me on the cheek. And then she’s gone.

Out of the ring.

Leaving me alone.

Staring down the man who used to fuck our girl.

DING.

I don’t wait. No bow. No circling. I’m on him. Fist to jaw. Elbow to ribs. A slam that rattles his spine. Laing takes it, grinning like the sadistic bastard he is. He ducks my next punch and drives his knee into my gut, catching me off guard.

“So, does Iz scream your name and call you her god when your buried balls deep inside her, or is that just saved for me?”

“Motherfucker.” I swing again and miss. He clips my jaw with a hook that snaps my head to the side. Blood hits the mat. Might be mine. Might be his. Doesn’t matter.

We trade blows like it’s a religion. Nothing held back. Forgetting everything around us the crowd, the donors, the fucking cameras. Just him and me and a centuries-old rage in my chest I didn’t even know I had until I saw him touch her.

“You think she chose you?” he spits, ducking under a wild right. “She’ll always come back to me. Ladies love the dragon.” He winks at Bella.

I slam my fist into his ribs—once, twice—until I feel something crack. Laing snarls, headbutts me square in the temple and I stumble back.

“She likes a little danger, Barinov,” he taunts, breathing heavy but still grinning. “That’s why she keeps crawling back to me.”

I lunge again. We’re in a frenzy now. Fists, knees, sweat, and blood. All of it blending like warpaint.

“She doesn’t come back to you, Laing. She comes on me. And that’s the only fucking comeback that matters.”

DING.

We break apart, barely, and I slam back to my corner. Rez comes at me with a towel. I shove it away.

Across the ring, she’s in Mortal Kombat’s corner. Wiping his mouth with a towel. Leaning in. Talking. Her hand on his shoulder like he’s hers to steady.

My girl. MY. FUCKING. GIRL.

“Calm down, dude,” Rez says, low and steady. “This is part of her plan.”