Page 56 of Caruso

“I’ll spread the word and assign Hallum to watch over her.”

“I don’t need to remind you what will happen if she’s not kept safe.”

Now I’m nervous. Does that mean Giorgio is leaving me?

As we venture down the dark corridor, I whisper, “Why, are you leaving me?”

“You’ll see.”

We enter a room, and the smell alone causes me to screw up my nose in disgust.

Sweat, blood, alcohol and cigarette smoke all combine to make a stench that’s almost unbearable.

The air is thick with tension, and it’s full of men, all craning their necks to a stage set in the center.

The lights shine on a boxing ring where two men are bloodied and bruised. Their faces unrecognizable due to the volume of blood on them.

“What’s happening?”

Giorgio comes close and says loudly, “Illegal fight. The audience places bets on the contenders. The winner gets the loser’s stakes.”

“What if the audience all bet on the same man and he wins?”

“Good question, but it never happens.”

Giorgio grins. “That’s not the only prize at stake. There are secret bidders via the internet. It’s televised on the dark web, and the prize fund is sometimes worth millions, depending on who’s fighting.”

“The power of the World Wide Web.” I raise my eyes, and he points to a corner of the ring.

“That’s where we’re heading.”

He pushes his way through the crowd, who magically part when they see who it is, and I’m suddenly aware that I’m one of very few women here. Now I understand why he asked for protection, which can only mean–

“You’re going to fight, aren’t you?”

I state fact because the gleam in his eye and the fierce set to his jaw tell me he’s psyching himself up for it.

“Of course.”

“Who are you fighting?”

He points to a huge beast of a man with more muscles than all of the Caruso brothers put together, and my heart rate spikes.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

My eyes widen, and he grins. “Don’t be fooled by size. Matteo must have taught you that.”

I giggle as he raises his eyes because for sure Matteo’s cock would win awards, but as big as it is, it still fits where it should, and I have no complaints about that.

“Take a seat in the corner near the ring. Hallam will stand beside you, and just in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t require a firearm. He can knock a guy out with his pinkie.”

I gaze with trepidation at the mysterious Hallam, who appears to be as big as a mountain, with cruel, heavy eyes glaring at anybody who even looks at him.

“Will I be safe from him?”

“Honey, you can defend yourself. The fact you’ve wasted two men in just over a week tells me that. Remember who you are and whom you now represent. Don’t let anyone give you shit. You have my permission to waste them if they do.”

“Permission?” I raise my eyes. “I don’t need your permission.”