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“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “For everything I put you through…”

“Couldn’t we figure something out? We don’t have to act like we know each other at all. I don’t even have to see you face to face while I’m there.”

“Maybe…
If
, and that’s a big if, I let you go, you’ll have to act like you don’t know me from before. I have to be a complete stranger to you, and you’ll have to use a fake name. Need to arrange some sort of protection for you, too, just in case. I can’t risk Niall finding out who you are. You and Georgia are the only people in the world I care about, and he knows it.”

“Even after all these years?”

“He doesn’t forget anything.”

“I meant I’m still that important to you?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Fuck, yes, she was still that important. I may have tried to forget her during our time apart, but I never failed to remember the way she loved me when no one else had.

“What happens if you get away, we get a real shot at being together, and then we end up hating each other? What if you think I’m annoying or you hate Buffy?”

“Who’s Buffy?”

“My dog.”

“Well, none of that will happen. I’m calling it now… I’m sure your dog is one of those little ankle-biters, right?”

“Something like that,” she said and smirked to herself.

“It’ll probably—”

“She, not it.”

“She’ll probably hate me, knowing my luck, but I’ll deal with it. I’d never make you choose between your fur-child and me. But you know, I’m a packaged deal, too, right?”

“Georgia, you mean?”

“Yeah. I can’t leave her behind. As long as she’s there, I am. Are you prepared for that?”

“I’ve waited almost ten years to get this chance, so yeah. I’m pretty sure I can wait however long is necessary.”

“Good. Now what shall we call you, hm?” I asked and tickled her ribs. Her body twisted away from me momentarily, but it returned to being wrapped around mine a second later. “We have to come up with a code name for you, Miss Adams.”

She sat up, peering down at me. Her hand rested lightly on my chest as I brought mine up to cover it.

“My last name isn’t Adams anymore.”

“Oh, yeah. You said you were married,” I said, sighing. I had no right to be pissed or annoyed that she’d gotten married, but there it was anyway. Rolling my eyes, I said, “I
almost
forgot… What is it now?”

“It’s Payne.”

“Payne? Why does that sound familiar?” I asked and dragged my hand through my hair. “Do I know him?”

She nodded her head as a look of uneasiness took over her face. “Preston Payne.”

“Jesus Christ, Evie,” I said, sitting up and looking her right in the eyes. Of all the son of a bitches she could’ve married, why did it have to be him? “You’re shitting me, right?”

“No,” she said, shrinking into herself. She looked like she’d rather do anything than talk about it. “I really did marry him.”

“Why in the fuck would you do that? He was such a bag of dicks to you. Don’t you remember the shitty things he said to you, or that I had to hand his ass to him because of it?”

“I wanted to hurt you,” she said.

“Well, that certainly would’ve done it if I’d known about it at the time.”
Great, I pushed her right into his arms when she should’ve been in mine.

“That’s why I went out with him the first time, but he didn’t treat me like shit, not at first anyway. He apologized for the things he said to me and convinced me to give him a chance.”

“But he did treat you like shit eventually? I’m guessing that’s why he’s an ex now.”

“About a month after we married, he got aggressive with me because I’d made plans to go to lunch with Sophie without clearing it with him first. It’d never been an issue before. I’d always done as I pleased, but once we said our vows, everything changed.”

“Did he ever hurt you?”

“Toward the end, yes.”

I knew then if I ever saw that motherfucker again, I’d kill him. No doubt in my mind. The day he decided to put his hands on
my
girl decided his fate.

“He hit me once for eating one piece of pizza too many. Said I was getting fat and smashed his fist right in my gut. I was stupid and forgave him because he’d been drinking. He promised not to get that drunk again. It didn’t stop there, though. He punched me in the face and damn near knocked me out, among other things. When I tried to get away from him, he tried to convince me he didn’t really want to hurt me and that he needed help. He said it was some fantasy he had that he was just acting out, and he didn’t want to be the way he was. If I let him hurt me occasionally, then he could stop himself from doing it out of rage, but I never gave him the chance. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could and never looked back.”

That was when it hit me. I remembered where I’d seen that bastard from earlier in the night. He didn’t have quite as much hair as he used to have and he was a good bit bigger, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was him. Then the realization of where she more than likely got those scars from slammed into me, practically knocking the air out of my lungs.

“You can come to the fight,” I said.

“Seriously? Just like that?”

“Dead serious. I want you there. I want you to see me destroy this fucker.”

“Where is it?”

“I’ll have Big bring you. You can pretend to be his date. I’ve got to go,” I said and got up.

I tried not to look at her naked body still sprawled out on the bed as I pulled my clothes on. She called to me without having to say a fucking word.

“Don’t go yet,” she said. “You said you wouldn’t leave me.”

“As much as I’d love to stay, I really have to go, but I promise I’ll be back with you again before you know it. I’ve gotta get ready for tomorrow night. I need sleep, and I won’t get much if I stay here. I’m not
leaving
leaving, okay? This isn’t for good.”

“Okay,” she said, raising to her knees and pulling her robe on. “What should I wear?”

“I’ll have something sent over to you in the afternoon. Big will be here to pick you up around eight.”

Bending down, I brushed my lips against hers. As I pulled away, she drew my bottom lip between her teeth, her hands gripping my sides. Letting go of my lip, she whispered, “Are you sure you have to go?”

“For now, but we’ll be together again soon, okay?” I kissed her again. “I promise.”

And with that, I left to prepare myself for a fight to the death and an escape plan.

CHAPTER 18 – JET

I’d tossed and turned for what seemed like hours before finally giving in and hauling my ass out of bed. So much had transpired the night before that I kept finding myself thinking it was all a dream. Or a nightmare, maybe.

Everything I ever wanted was right within my grasp, yet I could feel it slipping by the second. If there’d been a way to get Georgia out with no consequences, I’d have done it already. It was a subject I’d thought about more than a time or two, and there were no easy solutions. The least complicated option involved Niall disappearing permanently, but it wasn’t like that was really doable or easy by any means. He had too many lackeys around him and too many would step in if I went after him. It was common knowledge that I was only loyal because I had to be. I’d be the first one they’d all suspect even if I could get him completely alone. Hell, he even had someone keep watch outside his room when he slept like he was some sort of fucking king.

I pulled on some clothes and headed out to talk to Big. First things first, I needed to make sure Evie would be safe at the fight. I opened the door to a dreary afternoon. My preferred method of transportation was my bike, but my car would have to do this time. There were worse things than riding a motorcycle in the rain, but it was pretty high on the list.

I jumped in my black Challenger and drove to Big’s garage. He lived in a small house on the back of the property, so even if he weren’t in the garage, he’d probably be there.

Pulling up to the little house, I noticed the front door standing open. As I got out of my car, I could hear the sounds of thrashing heavy metal music coming from inside. I walked up to the porch and poked my head inside the door.

“Whoa,” I shouted as I pulled my head back outside faster than I thought humanly possible. “Close the fucking door next time.” My hand flew to my mouth as I tried to stifle a fit of laughter, trying to erase the image of Big doing naked crunches in the middle of his living room floor. There are some parts of your best friend you’re just not meant to see.

A second later, the music stopped, and Big appeared, now wearing a pair of shorts.

“It’s not my fault it’s hot as Satan’s ass crack in here. I had to get some air flowin’ somehow while I got my work out on.”

“They have this newfound contraption you can get now called central air. You might want to look into it… or a gym membership. Those work, too.”

“So, tell me, my friend, did you hit that last night?” he asked, grabbing a towel and wiping his pits.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I already do. Can tell by that shit-eating grin you’ve got on your face.”

“I need a favor.”

“Anything,” he said. “Name it, and you know I’ve got your back.”

“I need you to take her to the warehouse tonight as your date.”

“Fuck yeah,” he exclaimed. “Gladly.”

“Easy now. I just need you to make sure she stays safe. You don’t get to touch her.”

“Fuck that,” he said and crossed his arms. His scowl turned into a grimace before he relaxed and let his arms drop to his sides. “Yeah, okay.”

“Nobody can know who she is, got it? She’s gonna use a fake name and all that. I can’t risk Niall finding out she’s here.”

“She’ll be safe with me,” he said and nodded once. “But if she puts her hands on me, I’m not gonna make her move them.” He wagged his eyebrows up and down before ducking from my fist.

I knew he was joking, and I didn’t aim to actually hit him, because if I wanted to, it would’ve landed.

“What name is she gonna use?”

“You know, I don’t know. We started to come up with one and then got into something else.”

“Yeah, ‘something else’, I’m sure. It’s probably better anyway. If you don’t know the name she goes with, you aren’t lying if someone asks you if you know her.”

“True… You’re picking her up at her hotel at eight. I’ll text you which one and her room number.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll let you get back to your ass-naked aerobics.”

“Nah, I’m finished with that. I’m headed over to the garage in a few.”

“Do me a favor, will ya?”

“Another one? Pushing it today, aren’t you?”

“Take a fucking shower and make yourself presentable before you pick her up. Don’t show up to her hotel looking like a fucking grease ball.”

“Now, wait a minute. You want me to treat this like I’m
actually
taking her out, but I can’t even think about getting my dick wet? You’re such a prick.”

“Let me tell you something. If you like your dick even half as much as I think you do, you’ll keep it under lock and fucking key. If I find out otherwise, you’re gonna lose the fucking thing.”

“Oh, I’m a-shakin’ in my boots,” he said, pretending to tremble. “I’m skeered.”

“You’re lucky I know you’re just being a dipshit,” I said over my shoulder as I walked toward my car.

“I’m bigger than you,” he yelled over his shoulder as he went back inside and cranked up the music.

I trusted Big with my life, but my girl? I’d have to keep an eye on that situation.

CHAPTER 19 – EVIE

“I want to go,” Sophie said.

“I don’t think you can. I don’t know if it’s something you can just go to. I would imagine that kind of organized fighting is illegal without permits and stuff, so they probably don’t advertise it outside of their circles.”

“You’re probably right, but it sounds so cool, doesn’t it?”

I nodded and smiled, but cool was the last thing I’d think to call the whole thing. Dangerous would be more like it. Stupid also sprang to mind. What if this guy got a knife and stabbed Jet right in front of me? Or worse, what if a gun got smuggled in and he got his head blown off? How could I just pretend like I didn’t know him if something like that happened? How could I go on with my life if I saw him violently killed like that?

The fear I would fuck up and let it slip I was connected to Jet bubbled into my throat. I began to have second thoughts about going, but I pushed through them by distracting myself with getting ready.

Shortly after receiving a text from Jet wanting to know my clothes and shoe sizes earlier in the day, a package had arrived containing a pair of leather boots, distressed tight jeans, and a black tank top that had little silver pyramids gathered together at the shoulders. The ensemble was completed with a leather belt that wasn’t very functional and a couple of silver bracelets Sophie contributed from her own collection.

Alex had to get back for some sort of family drama that had arisen, and she had left in a black SUV that appeared out of nowhere that morning. Sophie stayed behind to help me get a rental car, and I’d spilled my guts about everything to her on our way to pick it up earlier in the day.

Now, she dabbed at my lips with a brush loaded with a rich berry lip color, reminding me of when we were younger and would get all dolled up for the hell of it. Sometimes, if we could get a ride, we’d go to the mall thinking we were hot shit after a hair and makeup session. We’d spent many a Saturday afternoon sauntering around the food court looking for boys to ogle. Sometimes, we tried on clothes we couldn’t afford to buy, and if we were lucky and one of us had some cash, we’d catch a movie and stuff ourselves on popcorn and nachos. Who’d have thought that as adults, she’d be helping me get ready to go watch my ex-boyfriend/current lover in a fight, possibly to the death with some weirdo who’d crossed a line with Niall Flanagan and had to be punished for it?

In an attempt to calm my nerves, I thought about a time when Sophie had helped me to look as stunning as I could when I thought Jet was going to make an appearance at my house. Even after we were official, he never said for sure when he was going to stop by, but I could tell by the way he’d been looking at me all day that he was going to and it was going to be spectacular. Our lips had an unspoken understanding that they’d be meeting later that day.