Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
The crowd cheers as The Widow Maker is announced, and I jump up and down as Zara chokes back a laugh, almost spitting her drink across the back of Aaron’s neck when she hears Xander’s ridiculous name.
She seems to have fallen right in with this crowd and even admitted that she was secretly impressed to find out I was sitting on a bomb like this. I was nervous that she might have turned out to be more like Lex than I initially thought, but I quickly dismissed that notion. She’s definitely a good girl at heart, just a little wild when she lets loose, which Aaron seems to really like.
Xander steps out into the crowded room with Cole on his heels, and from where I’m standing, it looks like he’s giving him a few motivational words. Though something tells me Xander’s got all the motivation he needs tonight.
Xander steps out into the ring and puts on his little show, making the girls drool. They wolf whistle and call out crass comments, but it’s me he is looking at.
“Shit, that’s hot,” Zara comments, fanning her face.
“Tell me about it,” I mutter breathlessly.
The announcer calls Xander’s opponent to the ring, and this guy looks big. Nervousness flutters through me, even though I know Xander can handle himself. He’s told me a million times, it’s not about size or strength, but how you use it to your advantage. I can’t help worrying about my man, though. His ribs are finally starting to improve, but they’ve still got a long way to go, and I don’t want to see him get hurt again. It’s one thing to hear about it, but to see it go down . . . it’d kill me.
The fight gets started and the noise around me turns into a distant whir. My eyes follow each and every movement, cringing with every blow the other guy lands on Xander. Though for every blow, Xander returns it twofold.
This fight seems more intense than the last one I saw, and it’s obvious that Xander is making his way up the ranks. He’s already taken out the easy fighters, and now this shit is starting to get serious.
The fight carries on, and the other guy starts to wear down, but looking at Xander, it’s clear he could do this all night. The man is a machine.
The minutes tick by before Xander finally puts me out of my misery and takes the big guy out. He crumbles to the blood-soaked ground and his team rushes in to check on him as some other guy races in and shoves Xander’s hand high in the air, declaring him the winner. The crowd roars for The Widow Maker, and I let out a heavy breath, both hating and loving the adrenaline of these fights.
Zara raves about the fight, while Aaron hangs on her every word, mesmerized by this woman before him. But I don’t hear a bit of their conversation. My eyes remain locked on the door leading to the back area, waiting for Xander to come out.
He doesn’t make me wait long before he shows his gorgeous face. The moment his eyes lock onto mine, a cheeky grin takes over his features, and I can’t help but laugh. He’s such a dork. Xander quickly weaves through the crowd, and soon I’m wrapped in his arms and being swept right off my feet, lost in his kiss.
We watch the rest of the fights together, Xander’s arms holding me close, and I make sure to pay extra careful attention to Pitbull. Within seconds of his fight, the cautiousness around him becomes ruthlessly clear. The guy is brutal, and he doesn’t hold back. This isn’t just fighting for the win; this is fighting for vicious dominance. His opponent comes out of the ring with a fractured eye socket, a split lip, and a massive gouge through his thigh that barely missed the artery. Hell, the guy is lucky to be alive. This fight was one step away from a murder scene.
I turn in Xander’s arms and look up at him, and I know he sees the fear in my eyes before I even get a word out. “You really have to go against that guy?” I ask, more than ready to chain him to my bed to keep him safe.
“Yeah, babe,” he says with a tight smile, trying to keep things positive. But after what I just witnessed, I’m going to be shitting myself when the time comes. “I’ve got a game plan. It’s okay.”
I press my lips together, unsure if that’s enough to satisfy me, but it will have to do. There really isn’t anything I can do about it. “He’s a monster.”
“I know. He fights dirty,” Xander confirms. I nod, not sure what to say when he leans down and presses his lips to mine. “Come on,” he murmurs against my mouth. “Let me take you home.”