Page 38 of Cruel Betrayal

“Try me, princess.” I snap forward, only testing him, trying to force him to make a mistake.

He stumbles back a step when I shift quickly.

Perfect.

I lunge for him, fists flying.

He manages to get a couple of good hits in, grabbing me and throwing me down.

I roll out of the way as he tries to stomp the hell out of me.

It’s not fast enough, though. His foot comes down on my ribs.

The air is forced from my lungs. I cough and wheeze, forcing myself to get out of the way.

My gaze meets Jade’s for just a second.

She looks amused by the hit I took, her smile visible beneath the shadow the hood casts on her face.

I get to my feet and wipe the blood from the side of my mouth.

There’s no way I’m going to lose the fight when she’s sitting there and watching me. Not when Noah needs the money either.

Staying loose on my feet is the key.

I shake out the nerves, jumping around and trying to ease out the tension. And then I lunge again the moment I get a chance.

He’s not going to send me to the ground again. Not when my love is sitting in the front row. Not when she’s looking like there’s nothing she’d love more than seeing me get punched in the face.

I think she needs a bit of a reminder of what I’m capable of.

Blinders go on as I land punch after punch, hot blood splattering on my body.

I hit the side of his head hard, and he goes down with a low groan.

He tries to get to his hands and knees, but I deliver a kick to his side as hard as I can.

It sends him rolling.

I’m on top of him in seconds, bashing in his face. I see red, but whether it’s the bloodlust in my veins or actual blood all over me, I don’t know.

All I know is that I have to keep fighting. I have to show Jade what I’m capable of. What I could do to protect her from her family when it comes to it.

She’s going to have the life she wants because of me. I’m going to make sure of it. I’ll do everything I can to make sure that she’s on our side. That she stays alive.

Hands wrap around my biceps, lifting me off the guy and pulling me away.

I struggle against the grip for a couple of moments before I’m slammed back into the sturdy post in the corner of the ring.

Tyson gets in my way when I try to go around him. “What the fuck do you think you’re going to do now?”

My chest rises and falls. “Don’t know. Get the fuck out of my way.”

“You want her to see you like this?” His voice is so low that nobody around us is going to overhear the conversation.

I glance over his shoulder, searching for Jade. Where she should be sitting is only an empty chair with cuffs linked around one leg.

I shove past him. “Where the hell did she go?”