Page 50 of Broken Rules
The package says large, and I smile, taking it. “Thank you.”
“No problem. I’m Janelle. Is this your first fight?” she asks, leaning against my station.
“Evie, and no. I did a few in my early twenties when my cousin was an active fighter.”
Her hazel eyes light up. “Oh yeah? What’s their name?”
Finishing applying a natural eye look, I glance at her before choosing a nude pink lipstick. “Luca Russo.”
One girl gasps, and I close my eyes as she whispers to another, “She knows Loco Luca.”
Letting out a long deep breath, I keep my cool, though it irks me how people still perceive Luca as a bad guy when he’s anything but that.
“Hey, don’t pay them mind,” Janelle whispers, and I lean back in my chair while twisting the tube in my hand.
I nod and finish the rest of my look—Janelle adding curls to my hair as we talk, then I put on my uniform. She checks me out, twirling me around.
“Dang, you got a body, mama. You must work out like crazy.”
“Thanks. With the nature of my job, staying flexible and fit is important, or I wouldn’t last thirty seconds in the air.”
“Let me guess…aerial hoop?”
“Silks.”
“Nice. Maybe one day I’ll get to see you perform.”
I press my lips together and bow my head. Unless she’s into gentlemen’s clubs, it’s unlikely she’d ever see one of my performances.
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Five minutes, ladies!”
Janelle smiles, fluffing my hair. “I should get out there to cheer on my guy—if you’re not busy later, you should swing by Hotel A. Wellington. He’s throwing an after-party in the penthouse.”
“I’m staying there, so I’ll make my way up for a bit.”
“Sounds good. Here…” She grabs a piece of paper and a pen and writes her number down. “Text me before you come, so I’ll remember to put your name on the list. See you later.”
“Will do.”
She waves, and the other girls head out behind her while I stay a moment longer. Taking a few deep breaths, I text Lennox I’m ready, then head out to start my night.
I’ve forgotten how exhilarating walking around the octagon can be and watching the fight front and center. Also, having Lennox, Enzo, and my new friend nearby made tonight ten times more fun. Janelle cheers loudly, jumping and hugging me when her man wins the fight, and I’m thrilled for her. She leaves my side to congratulate him before I turn toward Lennox, not finding him or Enzo, which makes my heart race.
As the crowd leaves the arena, I glance around in search of either of them with no luck, then head back to the dressing room to change, hoping they’ll come looking for me here. After getting through the midst of the crowd, I round the corner and nearly run into someone.
“Sorry,” I say, and the tall man continues to block my path. “Excuse me, sir. I’m trying to get by.”
The guy towers over me, my pulse spiking as I hit the wall when he attempts to touch my jaw. “Back off!” I yell, barely able to push him away while searching for Enzo, Lennox, or anyone.
Drawing my eyes toward him, I take in his features. Clean shaven, salt and pepper hair that’s neatly styled, dressed in a tailored shirt and slacks, and has to be at least six foot, mid to late fifties.
“You’ll do beautifully,” he says, and a chill shoots up my spine when he nods, then walks away from me.
“What that fuck?”
A few seconds later, Lennox appears around the corner from running and strides over to draw me into him. “Evie. You scared the hell out of me.”
