Page 173 of Speechless
Logan leaned forward on the other side of Theo. “Yeah, he is.”
People around us gave us looks. Maybe they were rooting for the other guy…
Aiden laid his arm across the back of my chair. “Out of curiosity, I looked up some of Bastian’s previous fights, along with his opponent.” Then, lower. “I don’t think he has anything to worry about.”
“Okay.”
Theo took my hand and laced our fingers together. I squeezed his hand harder than I should have.
The absolutelyhugearena went dim, music blaring. All around us, the arena went insane. So loud I could barely hear anything. The announcer said something booming, and I didn’t catch it. All I saw was Bastian on the giant screens above us, walking out.
He wore a sleeveless black hoodie, the hood up and shadowing his face. Imposing and menacing. No performing or catering to the crowd, he just walked. His hands were wrapped, and he wore loose blue shorts.
Once he reached Brooks, he paused. They spoke quietly, and Bastian turned and looked in our direction. His gaze found me with the accuracy of a missile. Pointing at me, he blew me a kiss before touching his heart.
All at once spotlights centered on our group, and I saw myself on the screen. Oh, fuck. What did I do?
Theo squeezed my hand, jerking me into action. I blew Bastian a kiss back. When he caught it, the arenaerupted.
My face was red and hot by the time the cameras focused elsewhere. Everyone already knew who I was because he’d posted me. But having anentire arena full of people watch me was a different thing. I didn’t like being the center of attention unless it was for a byline.
All at once the music shifted to something raw and thumping. Bastian’s opponent washuge. And he was pumping up the crowd. Hitting his chest and lifting his hands, soaking in the cheers like they fueled him.
“That’swho he’s fighting?”
“Size matters a lot less in the fighting ring than it does in the bedroom,” Aiden whispered. “Being too big can be a disadvantage. But they’re both in the same weight class. Bastian isn’t outmatched.”
“Okay.” My voice was nothing but a squeak. “I think I might vomit.” All three Alphas looked at me with concern. “Probably not. Just a saying.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off Bastian as both fighters got ready and into the ring. This was one hell of a production with lights and sound, but unlike other wrestling, they’d told me, this fighting was real.
Bastian’s opponent still pumped up the crowd, daring to turn his back on my Alpha even inside the ring. Bastian just put the thicker gloves on his hands and inserted his mouthguard. Waited. Focused.
The ref started the fight, and I pulled Theo’s hand into my lap, clinging to it for dear life.
They circled one another, sizing the other up. His opponent moved first. Bastian blocked it. The way he moved was both graceful and lethal. Even knowing nothing about fighting, it was clear Bastian wasgood.
The pace was slower than I’d thought, both fighters bouncing and testing jabs. A couple of kicks.
I couldn’t remember the big guy’s name and I couldn’t take my eyes off them to look at the board. He lunged, grabbing Bastian around the middle and slamming them both against one of the walls. They grappled, angling for control, but Bastian didn’t seem panicked.
He got free, and they went back to circling each other. At the very end of the round, the big guy—I spared a glance and found the nameHamilton—got in a good hit to Bastian’s face. It split his lip, but he grinned as the air horn sounded.
“One minute break,” Theo said. “Then they go back at it.”
Bastian went to the edge of the ring and spoke to Brooks. A few seconds later, Logan’s phone rang. “Yeah?” Logan tilted his face back and laughed. “Sure.”
He handed me the phone. “It’s for you.”
“Hello?”
“Bastian wants to know if he should knock him out in the next round or if you want him to wait and show off for you more.”
My mouth dropped open. “He can just do that?”
“He’ll try. There’s always a chance he doesn’t.”
“How often does that happen?”
