We pulled up to a restaurant that was already closed and went around to a back door. Taking the stairs to the basement, I was assaulted by loud music and voices.
“This way.” Brandon held my hand tight and I latched onto Bree as we continued to turn corners in the dark hallway. When we got to a set of doors, he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me hard. “I gotta go talk to Scarecrow, go with Bree and find the other guys before the fight starts. I'll see you when it's done sweetheart.” He took off down a hall and I looked to Bree.
“Scarecrow?”
“He's the guy that puts all these on. He finds the places, sets up, decides who fights, refs, collects the money, it's all him.”
“Huh. Nice name.”
Breanna snorted and opened the doors, my jaw dropped when I saw inside. I don't know what I'd been expecting, but I hadn't been thinking at least a hundred people, plus the ones still pouring in from the other door, would all be smashed together surrounding a make-shift ring.
“There's Jared!” Bree yelled and pointed to a guy I'd never seen before, but just behind him was Drew and Derek.
We began making our way to the other side of the room, but we were just as far away five minutes later when the music got louder and a guy, I'm guessing Scarecrow, started riling everyone up and announcing Kale and Brandon. It was already loud enough with the music and people yelling, but it was near deafening when Brandon came out in only a pair of loose shorts. His smile was breathtaking and that dimple was enough to make any girl sigh, but then you looked down and saw his tanned muscled body, skipped the sigh and went straight to drooling. The girls that were there were screaming for him and I grinned to myself, knowing that he was mine. The music lowered a bit and the fight began.
Right away Kale threw a punch, Brandon leaned back letting it pass an inch from his face, his smile never faltering. He looked so comfortable and confident, it started to make me nervous. When people get cocky, they mess up, and messing up with this guy swinging and kicking at you? It wouldn't end well. Kale looked to be a little shorter than Brandon, but had to have at least an extra twenty pounds on him, and he just looked evil. Kale went after Brandon again, and they both started in on each other. A tall guy stepped in front of me and I had to struggle to even catch a glimpse. I was up on my toes and leaning to the side as Kale brought his leg around, I didn't even see if he'd gotten Brandon because I stumbled, falling into the guy in front of me. Thankfully he caught me around my waist before I could hit the ground.
“You alright there, Graceful?” He smirked, but his eyes were bright, I knew he was teasing.
I narrowed my eyes at him, but couldn't help but laugh. “Yeah, fine. Sorry about that!” I raised my voice enough so he could hear me above the crowd.
“Trust me,” His eyes heated as he raked them over my body, “it's not a problem.”
The basement filled with cheers and frustrated roars, Scarecrow started yelling into the mic, “Knock out! I can't effing believe it!”
I tried looking to see who had gotten knocked out, but all I saw were people cheering. Everyone was screaming, but no names were said, and for a few moments I was terrified that Brandon was in that circle, unconscious. I surged forward, but Mr. Tall Guy grabbed and pulled me back against the wall I'd originally been standing by. I wanted to yell at him to let me go so I could check on Brandon, but when his hands locked around my wrists, all thoughts of Brandon flew out the window as I turned to face him.
“You look scared baby. I promise not to bite. Hard.”
“Baby?!” Oh, hell no. “I am not your baby.” If his hands weren't still gripping my wrists, effectively pinning my arms to my side I would have shoved him back far enough so I could show him what I thought of random guys calling me baby. I looked around him and noticed no one was watching us, and I couldn't see Bree anymore. I'd lost her when I'd originally fallen.
“No?” He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, after a couple seconds a twisted smile crossed his face. He leaned in and pressed his body into mine, his breath reeked of beer, “Well, we're about to change that.”
I understand that I’m petite and look like I can be forced, but I was not raised by hundreds of jarheads just to let some preppy douche try to tell me what I was about to do. Friendly strangers and guys I like, sure I get nervous around them, but belittle me or try to dominate me, and I get pissed.
“Get. The hell. Away. From me.” I growled.