Page 129 of Knight
The most important fight of my life.
One that I was going to win.
CHAPTER 27
AIDEN
My stomach churnedwith nausea as I watched Knight enter the cage with a scary, scarred dude who bared his teeth, looking as dangerous as any shark circling its prey.
Maybe more, because there was a calculation to his eyes as the two men sized each other up. He was planning the best way to hurt my man.
I made an involuntary noise of distress. They hadn’t even started yet, and I was freaking the fuck out. My heart hammered, and my chest grew too tight.
I’d spoken boldly to Knight, needing him to believe he’d win, but what if he didn’t? What if they hurt him so badly I couldn’t save him?
Flynn wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “It’s okay if you can’t watch.”
I sucked in a breath. “No, I have to see. Not knowing would be worse.”
“He can do this.”
I nodded, my voice barely audible through my fear. “Yeah.”
Both men were shirtless. They’d wrapped their handswith tape, but it wasn’t like boxing. There were no gloves. I could tell Knight had some sort of mouth protector in, so that was something.
His opponent—announced as Theo Thunder—lunged at Knight. I flinched, and beside me, Joyride made a startled noise.
Knight easily evaded him, fast and graceful for a guy his size. Theo whirled and threw a fist at Knight’s head.
Knight blocked him and landed a jab to his ribs. Theo bounced back, snarling.
“He’s got this,” Tex said. “Look how cool under pressure he is.”
“He’s a pro,” Hollywood agreed quietly.
As if they’d jinxed him, Knight wasn’t quick enough to dodge Theo’s next move. He caught Knight with a kick to the knee, sending him down, then grabbed his head and kneed him in the face.
“Oh god,” I cried, and despite what I said, I buried my face in my brother’s chest. “I can’t.”
“It’s okay,” he soothed. “He’s shaking it off. He’s back in the fight.”
Flynn rubbed my back as I trembled against him, not with fear but with rage. I wanted to rush into that cage and kill that fucking man with my bare hands.
I’d never felt this kind of anger before. Not even when my father used his fists on me.
“Yes!” Tex yelled.
I turned, eyes drawn back to the fight, just in time to see Knight give Theo a brutal headbutt that sent him staggering.
Jesus, I’d be on concussion watch tonight, if nothing else.
While Theo was off-balance, Knight rushed in, and I suddenly saw why Puck had said it was beautiful. It wasawfuland violent, but awe-inspiring too.
Knight’s body became a weapon, sharp and lethal. He punched Theo in the gut, then when he curled over, he landed a second blow to the side of his head.
I added broken fingers to my mental list. There was no way he hadn’t busted his hand with that powerful hit.
Theo lashed out, but he was like a cornered animal, no precision to his strikes. He caught Knight in the shoulder and the thigh.
