Page 223 of Blackwood

Bella slams her palms against the mat. “Come on, Laing!”

She’s shouting forhim. For fucking Dragon-Dick! The crowd erupts, but all I see is red, and I’m not just talking about Mortal Kombat’s nose. Laing stumbles back, blinking through blood, and I charge again.

Left hook. Right elbow. Knee to ribs. No rhythm. No technique at this point. Just rage.

DING.

We’re in our corners, blood in my mouth and fire in my veins, when I see her. Bella. Walking across the ring like she owns it, because at this point every goddamn inch of this fucking Pit belongs to her now.

Knox’s voice crackles over the speakers. “Uh, Bella… what do you think you’re doing?”

She just waves him off, keeping her steel eyes locked on me. “Nothing, Knox. I just need to have a little chat with my boyfriend.”

Laing laughs at the worldboyfriend. Asshole.

She steps into my corner, face inches from mine, and suddenly everything fades. There’s only her. My girl. My fucking queen.

Her voice drops soft and low as she sits down on my lap, taking the towel from Rez and wiping blood off me.

“Hey, baby.” Knox must have turned off her mic because her voice isn’t flowing through the speakers anymore.

“Hey,” I rasp, throat raw. “You here to finally take my side?”

She smiles. “Baby, I’m always on your side. Just a show remember, we had to sell it. Donor Fight and all. And it’s been one hell of a show, Lex. You’re doing great.”

My chest heaves. “But?”

“But,” she whispers, brushing her lips across my cheek running a finger down my chest stopping right at the top of my shorts, “I think I’m done with the show now. I’ve seen enough.”

I blink. “What?”

She leans in, straddling my lap like there’s not hundreds of people watching us. “I’m ready to go home now. To our home. You earned it, Lex.”

My heart stops. I grab her waist, pulling her in forehead to forehead. “Just give me one more second, malyshka,” I growl. “Then we go home.”

“Make it quick, Barinov.” She kisses my nose. Light. Sweet. Final. And then she turns, walking back towardhim.

DING.

I don’t wait. I fucking launch. One left hook to the jaw that makes Laing stagger. He tries to pivot but I’m already on him. A savage right. A few knees to the ribs. And then one brutal shot to the temple.

He drops. Cold. Bloody. Unmoving.

The Pit erupts.

Bella jumps into the ring before Knox can even speak. She grabs my hand and throws it in the air. I barely hear the crowd. I pick her up, wrap her legs around my waist, and claim her mouth right there in front of everyone.

“Mine.”

Laing pushes himself up on one elbow, blood streaking his face as he stands. He glances at Bella, then at me, and holds out his hand. I hesitate. Tighten my grip on her.

Bella nods once. A silent thank you. He nods back. Just once. I shake his hand and then he walks away without a word.

I turn my eyes back to my girl. Her arms are locked around my shoulders. Her face still flushed. I kiss her again, slower this time. “Let’s go home, baby.”

@LucaWasHere

Nice match, Lexie. Such brutal flair.