Page 5

Chapter

Five

RIVER

I tapped my pen against the dotted line above my printed name.

Beau ‘River’ Fitzpatrick .

Contracted to Smiley’s Gym for a year for a hefty sum.

Truthfully, I didn’t need it. The cut I got from Troy had paid off the rest of my car and my apartment for a year. The rest of my earnings sat in different kinds of savings accounts, a padded Roth IRA, and some stocks that could keep me afloat without this contract at all.

I might have gotten beat dumb for a living, but at least I had my last two brain cells.

And when those were gone, a nice retirement account to cry into.

“Are you going to sign or not?”

I glanced up. Frankie and Ari sat across the table from me in the Smiley’s back office. Just yesterday, I was here kicking Bones’ ass in the ring then slipping my dick between it in the showers. Now I was being offered a pretty damn lucrative contract. If they found out I’d let their star fighter face fuck me in the showers, they probably would have knocked a zero off of my salary, so I kept that part to myself.

Though, based on the fading love bites on Ari’s neck and chest, maybe they wouldn’t care at all.

“I’m not some bastard looking to rob you blind.” I set down the pen, the contract still unsigned. “This is a lot of money when you don’t even know if we’ll make it to the WCC.”

“We have a backup plan.” Ari smiled and tapped the line. “We want you here. More than, say, Perk’s Gym.”

“Oh, they won’t be a problem. They weren’t too happy when they found out I bet on Smiley’s to win.” At Frankie’s surprised expression, I grinned. “Can you blame me? It wasn’t like I threw the match. I just had a feeling.”

“That Bones would win?”

“No, that you would win. And that Jace would get his ass handed to him. At least one of those things came true, though I would have preferred the second more, honestly.”

“Is that why you’re here and not at your other suitors?” Frankie crossed his arms and leaned back in his leather chair.

“My suitors?” I chortled. “What is this, Victorian England?”

Frankie narrowed his eyes at me. Rather than intimidating, it was kind of sexy, actually. “Answer the damn question.”

“Frankie.” Ari sighed.

Clearly, me joining their gym had been a point of contention. I couldn’t see why, but hey, Freakshow had never been all that agreeable, in or out of the ring.

I leaned back and matched his pose. “What do you want to know?”

“Why you disappeared for a few years, mostly. And why you’re back like a fucking herpes,” Frankie said.

I whistled and crossed a leg in my lap. “Damn. Compared to an STD. What’s next, the Black Plague?”

“If the shoe fits.”

“Frankie, knock it off already, for fuck’s sake.”

I waved Ari off. While I appreciated her ire—and found it extremely attractive how she was already going to bat for me—Frankie had a point. Normally, people didn’t leave the underground unless they were forced out. But I had stepped out on my own and made the choice to reappear after a small hiatus.

Maybe herpes really was a good description for me.

“Look, I got a sister and two young nephews. And my sister has an ex-husband who liked to play pool then come home and break the stick over her head.”

Ari winced. Frankie’s angry mask slipped slightly.

“I’m sorry to hear that, River,” Ari murmured.

I shrugged. “He got what was coming to him.” A few broken bones and nonfunctioning dick would change any man. “So I had to help her get back on her feet. That’s all. Now she’s doing all right, so I’m back.”

The best lies had kernels of truth. This was no exception. I had helped her out—did the legit thing, working for some douchebag in a suit. Her asshole ex had been corrupt and dirty enough; she hadn’t want my dirty money along with it. But when the sales dried up, and I lost my job, I strolled back into the underground to reclaim my rightful spot.

Sis wasn’t too happy about that one. I could still hear her yells if I concentrated hard enough. Forget River, my new nickname could have been “Shit Stain,” her favorite moniker for me lately.

“I want to be a legit contender,” I finished. At least that was the full truth. “Most other suitors didn’t give a shit about me as a person. Seems a little different here.”

Ari and Frankie shared a look that gave me a glimpse into their relationship. It was one of those “I can say everything with my eyes since I know everything about you” looks. I thought that shit was only in romcoms and bad dime store novels my mom used to read. I couldn’t contain my laugh.

Ari cocked her head. “Are you really laughing after telling us a sad story?”

“Nah, not that.” I gestured between the two of them with my pointer finger. “I’d love to hear about you two, though. An eye for an eye, right?” My finger landed on one of the darker hickies on Ari’s throat. “Or maybe a mark for a mark if you want to share that, too.”

Her cheeks colored. So did Frankie’s, but not in the same way. “Watch your mouth before I rip up that damn contract.”

“Hey, I'm just wondering if there’s any extracurriculars I can look forward to joining.” I eyed Frankie, dragging my gaze down to his sharp Adam’s apple and broad shoulders. “Looks like you don’t have any. Want to change that?”

“He has some.” Ari’s grin grew too sexy and too dangerous. “But you’re not going to see where.”

“Unless I sign the contract?” I tapped the pen against my name then used it to scratch at the bun fastened at my nape. “Is there a clause in here about fucking your boss?”

“No? Why would there be?” Color rose to Ari’s cheeks. That little flush looked good on her.

“Oh, you know, just want to know my boundaries.” I licked my lips. “Since I’ve seen plenty of you guys in… well, let’s say, different environments.”

It made Ari flush even harder. Even Frankie’s cheeks dusted with a little red. I probably shouldn’t be teasing them about this—I didn’t exactly plan to walk in to my new employer and flirt with everything with a pair of legs and a nice ass. But hey, if the shoe fit. What happened at Heathens Hollow was nothing compared to the after party a few days later.

My cock still got rock hard whenever I closed my eyes and reimagined that night. Front row and center to the bond the four of them really shared. I had never come so hard in my damn life than when I watched them fuck each other so openly. Half the time, I’d imagined I was on top of the pile, fucking into someone until they screamed my name. The other half, it was me with my face in Troy Godwin’s cushions, getting fucked so hard I couldn’t stand up straight.

I certainly didn’t mind making those daydreams a reality.

And based on the heated look Ari and Frankie shared, maybe they didn’t either.

Ari cleared her throat. Gone was the little minx from a second ago. Now she was strictly business.

“Smiley’s takes care of each other.” I didn’t want to ruin her little speech with the first innuendo that popped into my mind, so I bit my lip and nodded. She smiled and leaned her hip against the side of her desk. “We’ve been through a lot together. We’re like a family here. It takes a lot to open up to each other.”

“Is that why Frankie wants to bite my head off?” I joked. When he glared at me, I raised my hands defensively. “Case in point.”

“What she means is, we’ve already got enough annoyances on the team. If you sign that contract, you’re our family, too. But being family won’t save your ass if you up and split or have some weird other agenda.”

I dropped my hands and leaned forward. “No walking out. No weird agenda. I said I want to win, and I mean it.”

“Then sign on the dotted line, River.” Ari pointed to the paper. “Back up your talk with action.”

A challenge. I liked it. I signed my name on the few dotted lines and pushed it toward her when finished.

“There you go.”

Something in Frankie’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Good shit.”

“Why?”

“’Cause now we can send in the tapes and apply to the WCC.” Ari smiled and picked up the contract, holding it to her chest. “And call that possible sponsor back?”

“There’s already a possible sponsor?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Damn, word got out fast.”

Frankie nodded. “I spoke with Venom, who spoke with the bastards at Beatbox Fitness. They knew someone who knew someone and called us this morning, asking us to hurry up and apply.” He shrugged and crossed his arms. “He didn’t mention Heathens Hollow, but it was pretty obvious that’s where he knew us.”

“So Beatbox Fitness is legit?”

“Smite’s out. His husband apparently threatened to clean his clock and put him in the hospital himself if he even thought about joining the Circuit.”

“What about Ka-yo and Meteor?”

“From what Lotto says, they tried to link up and ended up beating the shit out of each other.” Ari winced slightly. “Two huge egos don’t mix. So we might be in luck.”

I snorted. “Sounds like Meteor. Punk ass.”

“I’m sure they’ll find their way to other teams. Lotto said he’ll keep an eye out.”

“What’s the name of this sponsor who wants us?”

“Lucien Fritz from One, Two, Hook,” Frankie said.

I barked a laugh before I could stop myself. Ari and Frankie stared at me, but I kept laughing, even when I tried to force myself to stop. Fucking Lucien. I should have known. If anyone was like herpes, it was that bastard.

“What’s so funny?” Ari demanded.

When I caught my breath, I leaned back in my chair with a smirk. “Let’s just say I know Lucien Fritz quite well.”

“And?” Frankie demanded.

“And I hate the bastard.” I laughed again and twirled the pen between my fingers. “And trust me when I say, you’ll hate the slimy greaseball, too.”