Page 58 of House of Scarlett
Scarlett said she watched those videos of me fighting. It scares her, but she likes it.
As soon as the thought of her enters my brain, Bohannon catches me with an uppercut that sends spit flying out of my mouth.
He grunts in victory, and I throw myself back into the fight.
It’s ending on my terms. I unleash a flurry before shooting for a takedown.
Bohannon isn’t ready for it, and he lands hard on the mat while I overtake his guard with little effort. I could rain down elbows to ground and pound the fuck out of him, but I remember what he said about his face, and I’m not a dick. Instead, I do something completely unorthodox. I spin around, grab his leg, and lock it up until he taps.
As soon as I release the submission hold, Bohannon’s head flops on the mat.
“Damn, man. I didn’t see that shit coming. You gave up mount to get me to tap on a leg bar? Seriously?”
I shrug, breathing harder than I was while we were fighting. “You have to be ready for anything in the cage.”
Bohannon sits up and I rise to my feet, offering him a hand. He takes it and stands. “I guess I should just be happy you didn’t get me in a heel hook like you did Bodhi Black. I heard it took a year for him to get back in fighting shape after you tore up his knee.”
The mention of Bodhi Black’s name again, right fucking now, is the last thing I want to hear.
“He didn’t tap. He should’ve tapped if he wanted to save his knee.”
Bohannon shakes his head. “You’re right. I’m not saying it was a dirty move, I’m just saying it was fucking ruthless.” He pauses to wipe sweat out of his eyes. “You going to fight again one of these days?”
All I can do is shrug. “Don’t know.”
“Well, even if you don’t, I heard about something that might be a hell of an opportunity for you, if you’re interested.”
“A fight?”
“No, although I’m sure you can get those, no problem. This is a whole card of fights. Supposed to be happening next month at a club uptown, but the Feds just raided the place, and fight organizers won’t hold it there anymore. They’re looking for a venue that’s high-end and exclusive. Your club would fit the bill, and I could put you in touch with the right people to throw your hat in the ring.”
I put together what he’s saying. “I’m not in that business anymore. My club is legit. No underground fights.”
“That’s the best part. It’s not underground. It’s fully sanctioned. Totally legal. You could easily charge a couple grand a head, if not more.”
A couple grand a head or more?
Fuck.If I could fill the club for a fight at that price—or a little more—I could pay off a chunk of what I owe my investors. The club would be a hell of a lot closer to being mine, free and clear.
But that’s not what Jorie would want.
As soon as the thought enters my head, I pause.I loved her, and I’ve honored her wishes, but she’s not here. She would want me to do what’s best for me and my life, as long as I wasn’t putting myself at risk.
“A couple grand a head? Really?”
Bohannon nods. “People love watching fights, and a club like yours would be a badass location. All those pillars and shit would make it look like something out of ancient Rome.”
“You’ve seen my club?”
“Not personally, but I’ve seen a ton of pictures on social media lately. Been meaning to get over there.”
I lift my head to meet his gaze. “Who’d you hear from about the fight card that needs a home? Reliable source?”
“My trainer for this movie is one of the best pro MMA coaches—”
“Fucking tell me it’s not Bodhi Black.”
Bohannon’s shoulders shake as he laughs. “No, it’s not Black. He’s not fighting on the card either ... although, I bet if the two of you wanted to settle your score, in a sanctioned fight, people would lose their fucking minds. Damn, I’d pay serious money to see that.”
