Page 6 of Savage King
Mateo enters the cage, and the crowd is going crazy, people are screaming out bets, and it’s absolute chaos.
He’s not bouncing around like the other guy, who looks a little bigger than Mateo. No, Mateo just stands there, his face completely stony, staring at his opponent like he’s going to kill him.
Jesus, he might kill him.
One thing I’ve learned is, this is not structured fighting like regular MMA. There aren’t rounds. These dudes just fight until one of them is knocked out or taps out.
It’s ruthless. Brutal. And sometimes it makes my stomach roil.
But if there’s a chance that I could find my sister, I’ll deal with it and show up every goddamn day.
The bigger guy makes the first move, but Mateo deflects and punches Big Guy in the kidneys. They grapple. Big Guy gets a jab in on Mateo’s chin, and Mateo smiles.
He smiles.
And God, if it’s not a sexy-as-fuck smile.
You’re not attracted to the scary human trafficker, Violet. Jesus, get a grip.
I stand perfectly still, taking in what’s happening in the cage, no longer skimming the crowd for my sister.
I can’t tear my gaze away from Mateo.
He lets Big Guy get a bunch of shots in, and just when I think that he might fall, he turns the tables and comes in swinging, as if Big Guy is the devil himself.
Every muscle in Mateo’s body is pulled tight, bulging and sinewy, as he unleashes what looks likeyearsof fury, pummeling Big Guy until the man falls.
Mateo hits him one more time and then backs off as Big Guy lies lifeless. His chest is heaving, sweat dripping off him, and his whole body is flexed from the exertion.
Why does he have to look likethat?
Mateo doesn’t acknowledge the crowd as he leaves the cage and makes his way through, back to wherever he came from, and after Big Guy is dragged away, another set of fighters step up.
And I decide that I can’t let Mateo justgo. I have to follow him. I have to figure out if he knows where my sister is.
He must be an associate of the asshole who has Rosie.
And he’s the only lead I’ve had in the two years since I moved here.
I fight my way through the crowd to the back of the arena, trying to see where Mateo went, but I can’t see him. He’s already gone.
Shit.
I huff out a breath and decide that I’ll wait for him in the parking garage. He has to leave this building at some point, and I can try to see him before he drives away. I have no idea what I’ll say, but I’ll figure that out while I wait.
But before I can get out the door, a man steps in front of me. He’s in a suit, and he’s fuckinghuge.His shoulders fill the whole doorway.
“I’ve been told to have you stay,” he says, and I look behind me, sure that he’s speaking to someone else, but no one else is looking this way.
“Me?”
“You.”
“Oh.” I laugh and move to walk around him, shaking my head. “You have the wrong person. I assure you?—”
“You’re the right one. Come with me.”
“No.”
