Page 10

A knock on the door rattled the frame. A second barrage of pounding followed the first before I had even gotten halfway down the hall. I considered turning and walking away, pretending none of us were home. Except based on the insistence of the knock, I doubted he would care. So, with some trepidation, I opened the door, revealing a massive figure with a black eye and a busted lip glaring down at me. Pierce. The guy from the fighting pits.

“Remember me?” he growled.

I craned my neck so I was looking up at him. Even for a shifter, he was tall. I tilted my head as if genuinely trying to place his face.

“Vaguely,” I said. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, though, so maybe you can enlighten me as to why you’re bothering me after I kicked your ass and let you live?”

Pierce snarled, the growl so deep that it felt like the street below our feet reverberated with the sound.

“You better watch it, asshole,” he said. His eyes flicked behind me, and the scowl deepened at whatever he saw, though there was something that might have also been unease. I realized why when Nolan and Chris appeared behind me, on either side of me.

“You know this guy?” Nolan asked, raising an eyebrow. “’Cause I don’t, and I know I’d recognize a face as ugly as that.”

“You really do like antagonizing people, don’t you?” I asked, glancing over at him as Pierce snarled once again.

Shrugging, Nolan said, “I mean, you’re doing the same thing. This is way more fun, though. So, you know him?”

“Yeah. The fighting pits.” That was all I needed to say for Chris and Nolan to go “ah” and bob their heads in understanding.

“I’m right here,” Pierce snapped. “And I don’t appreciate being ignored.”

“The guy you fought for—” Chris began, but I gave a short nod before he could finish. The entire time I spoke to Chris and Nolan, the angrier I could sense Pierce getting, his face getting redder, and his fisted knuckles turning white.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you,” he barked.

I turned my head to face him, finally acknowledging him again. “Let go of me before I tear off your whole arm,” I said without an ounce of bravado.

Something like unease flickered in his gaze. He let out a small grumble, but his hand retracted.

“You and I’ve got some unfinished business,” he said.

“Pretty sure we don’t,” I shot back.

He took a step forward.

“What do you want?” I asked.

I heard shuffling sounds behind me, and a sharp intake of breath. Kendra’s familiar scent wafted toward me. I didn’t have to turn to know she had moved into the hallway to see what was happening.

I saw Pierce glance over my head toward her. His eyes flashed with greed and lust as he gave her a lecherous sneer.

“Hey, darling,” he said.

“Hey,” I snapped, drawing his attention back to me. “You and I are talking. Tell me what you want, and leave her the hell alone.”

“I want a rematch.”

Behind me, I could sense Nolan and Chris forming ranks around Kendra, blocking Pierce’s line of sight to her.

Rolling my eyes, I said, “I won fair and square. And I have no interest in fighting again.”

I made to turn again, but his hand shot out to stop me.

“Fair and square, my ass,” he snarled.

I stared him dead in the eye, not bothering to hide my anger. “Touch me again, and you’ll lose that hand,” I said.

Pierce gave a derisive snort, but still retracted his arm. “You cheated,” he said. “No one could beat me.”

“Try again,” I said. “Ego isn’t a good way of proving someone did or didn’t cheat.”

His lip curled into a sneer. “I want a rematch,” he repeated. “And if I win, I get the girl.”

He pointed over my shoulder at Kendra. I didn’t look back at her. Instead, I glowered up at him, barely containing my rage. I wanted nothing more than to kick this guy’s ass again, but that could cause problems that we didn’t need right now. The less attention I drew to myself, the better.

“I’m not interested in a rematch,” I said.

“You’re a cheat, and I want my prize,” he retorted. “She’s mine, and we both know it.”

Anger rippled through me as I let out a low growl. “She’s not a prize,” I snarled.

“Of course she is. That’s the whole point of the fighting ring.” Pierce folded his arms, eyes flashing as he frowned down at me. “So are you going to agree to fight me again, or am I going to have to report this and have the higher-ups take her away when I accuse you of cheating?”

I growled as my wolf howled. He wanted nothing more than to dig his claws into this asshole’s flesh and tear him limb from limb for just a fraction of the things he had said about Kendra. But even if I weren’t furious at the way he leered at her or the way he insisted on categorizing her as a prize, I would need to fight him. I couldn’t afford for him to start walking around, accusing me of cheating. There would be too much attention on me, and odds were he would still get his rematch either way. Saying yes was the best way to keep the mission intact.

“Fine,” I snapped. At least this way, I would enjoy kicking his ass again. He deserved it.

Pierce grinned, showing too-sharp teeth. “Excellent. Tomorrow, then. First thing at the pits.”

“Sounds great,” I said. “Now get the hell out of here.”

He barked out a laugh. “Excellent,” he said. “I’m going to enjoy tearing you limb from limb.” He glanced over my shoulder, and I had no doubt he was eyeing Kendra with undisguised lust. “And I’m going to enjoy you after.” He winked.

“Get out of here before I claw your eyes out,” I snapped.

Pierce laughed, throwing his head back. Then he caught sight of my expression. He sobered, something like worry flickering across his features. Then it was gone a moment later. He gave a sneer, along with a derisive snort, but turned and walked away.

I slammed the door shut. “Asshole,” I muttered. I walked past Chris and Nolan to Kendra. My hand went to her shoulder without thinking. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she said. “I’ve dealt with creeps before.” She gave me a speculative look, he mouth open as if she wanted to say something. Then her mouth clamped shut again. One more questioning look, and she scurried away without speaking.

I watched her, concern washing over me. Something had unnerved her. Was it Pierce? Something I had said? I had this overwhelming urge to go after her, to check and make sure it wasn’t something I could fix. I took a half-step in her direction before Chris and Nolan stepped in front of me, each of them with similar expressions of surprise.

“What?” I asked.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Chris asked.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Nolan mused, rubbing his chin in mock contemplation. “Maybe because this seems like a needlessly reckless situation. You just agreed to a fight where, if you lose, you are going to die. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

“What else was I supposed to do?” I snarled. “Let him take her? She’s not something to be traded.”

“Are you sure that’s why you’re so adamant about protecting her?” Chris asked.

My eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Nolan and Chris exchanged bemused looks. “We’ve rescued plenty of women before. I’ve just never seen you act like this before,” Chris said.

I frowned, brow knitting together as I stared at the two of them. That wasn’t true. Was it? I was just helping out a woman who needed help. We were forced into an incredibly awkward situation. She was in a bad spot, and I was helping her—the way I would any woman. But one look at Chris and Nolan told me that wasn’t going to cut it.

“She’s also useful to the mission,” I said. “She knows things about Cain and the workings of the operation, and she’s determined to take him down. We might not find another person willing to tell us as much about him as she is.”

Even as I said the words, I had to wonder if it was exactly the truth. Something about Kendra felt different. I could sense her always, could feel her the second she walked into the room. I wanted to help every woman in this damned place, but Kendra was special. I felt as though I might move heaven and earth to keep her safe.

Which was a problem when it came to the mission. If she ever got in the way, what would I do? Was agreeing to this fight the first sign that she was clouding my judgment?

No, fighting Pierce would help the mission. It would establish me as someone tough and interested in keeping my slaves. That was the real reason I was doing it… right?

The thought that emotions might be dictating my decisions instead of what was right for the job unsettled me. I had always been good at keeping myself in check. If Kendra was going to jeopardize that…

I shook my head to clear it. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t back out of the fight with Pierce even if I wanted to. Not if I wanted to keep up the pretense.