Page 66 of Briar

I stop, turning to Briar.How did you even know?

I’ve been fighting in that ring for years. And nobody has ever asked if I enjoyed it. Even Jenson and River assumed I did, when I kept going back for more.

But Briar watched me for one evening out of thousands, and she saw it.

She sees me.

Her eyes flicker to Jenson, who’s watching her too, before returning to me.

She gets it. And she doesn’t want to say.

“Kai.” Jenson lifts his hands.Truth. Please.

Fucking hell.

My movements are slow.Because we needed the money.

My fights bring in the majority of the income for the Diamonds, most of it under the table in cash betting. And that money funds the jobs for the men we do have. It helps to fund the work Jenson is nearly killing himself trying to do, to get our part of the city up to scratch even after a decade.

This is something I could do, I say finally.To give back.

To him. To lighten the load on his shoulders.

We’re not there anymore.Jenson is pale.We got out of it. And I never expected that of you.

I know. I wanted to help.

I glance between him and Briar. She’s intentionally not watching us, trying to give us privacy.Are you going to talk to her?

She nearly hurt herself.His eyes blaze.We’re not done talking about this.

Tomorrow.I indicate.Fix this.Please.

And he nods.

Briar

When I turn back, Kai is gone. Jenson lifts his finger accusingly, his mouth opening before I cut him off.

“Don’t you point at me. I’m a customer, just like anyone else here. I don’t need a lecture, Jenson.”

“You threw yourself into a dangerous fucking situation.” Rage simmers in his voice. “You could have gotten yourself seriously hurt, jumping in between them. And if you don’t care about yourself, you do understand that distracting him could have gottenKaiseriously hurt?”

That stops my self-righteous indignation in its tracks. “I didn’t think about that.”

“You didn’t think at all,” he snaps. “Jesus, Briar. Look at me.”

My throat feels thick as I stare at the ground and shake my head. He’s right. And I didn’t stop to think before I was climbing in. I’ve been here for hours, watching him go through the motions, one person after another hitting the mat.

I hated every second. But I couldn’t walk away.

Kai was getting tired. Slower. And I let my own fear take over. Another decision made without thinking through the consequences.

My eyes blur. Water drips down onto my cheek.

“Briar.” Jenson’s voice softens. I startle as a finger nudges beneath my chin, the faintest, featherlight touch. “Please, look at me.”

He touched my face. Barely, but he did.