166 Chapter 166

Seraphina’s POV 1

“I knew you’d call eventually. They always do.”

The smugness in Rico’s voice made something cold and angry twist in my gut.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I snapped. “I’m calling because I have questions. That’s all.”

“Fair enough.” He sounded amused. “Ask away.”

I paced my tiny apartment, my free hand clenched into a fist. “This underground fighting thing. How dangerous are we talking?”

“Dangerous enough to be interesting. Safe enough that most fighters walk away in one piece.”

“Most?” My voice went up an octave. “What about the ones who don’t?”

“Injuries happen. Broken bones, concussions, the occasional knockout that requires medical attention.” He paused. “But we have doctors

on site. Good ones. And insurance.”

“I want to see it first,” I said. “The venue. A fight. Everything. Before I make any decisions.”

Silence on the other end. Then Rico laughed.

“Smart girl. I like that. Most people are too desperate to ask questions.”

“I’m desperate,” I admitted. “But I’m not stupid.”

“No, you’re definitely not.” Papers rustled in the background. “Alright. There’s a fight tomorrow night. Nine PM. You can come watch, see

what you’d be getting into. No commitment.”

“Where?”

He gave me an address in the industrial district. “Look for the blue door. There’ll be a guy named Tommy outside. Tell him you’re my

guest.”

“I’ll be there,” I said, and hung up before he could say anything else.

I stood at the bus stop, staring down the street at abandoned warehouses and broken streetlights, seriously reconsidering every life

choice that had led me here.

A text from Mr. Peterson lit up my phone: *“11 hours until eviction. Hope you’re packing.”*

I shoved the phone back in my pocket and started walking.

The address Rico had given me was three blocks down, tucked between two buildings that looked like they’d been condemned sometime

in the last decade. The street was empty except for a few cars that probably cost more than my yearly salary.

166 Chapter 166

The blue door stood out like a beacon. And beside it, exactly as promised, was Tommy.

He was huge. Not just tall–massive. The kind of size that made you think twice about everything you’d ever done wrong in your life.

His voice was surprisingly gentle for someone who looked like he could bench press

me. To watch

didn’t change.

“Sera.”

pulled out his phone, checked something, then nodded. “Go on in. Straight down the hall, through the double

you.”

hallway was cleaner than I’d expected. White walls, fluorescent lighting, the distant thump of

if not for the sound growing louder with

something else

wet, brutal sound

I reached

the

noise hit me first. A wall of sound so loud it felt physical–music

all like a knife.

the ceiling, casting everything in harsh whites and

And finally, the ring.

to violence. Professional ropes, padded corners, bloodstains on the white canvas

hadn’t quite scrubbed

Two women were fighting.

a word.

five–foot–nine with muscles that suggested serious gym

other like predators, and when they collided

the blonde’s nose. She staggered backward, and the

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

me, his eyes fixed on the ring with the kind of

museums.

out.

18:29

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166 Chapter 166

is making three thousand dollars tonight,” Rico said calmly. “The

Five thousand dollars.

process that number. Five thousand dollars.

the ring, the smaller woman landed a vicious elbow strike to

blonde went down hard.

eyes wild with something that looked

on their feet now, screaming encouragement and curses in equal measure. I scanned the audience and felt

drop.

her knee into the blonde’s solar plexus. The blonde

snapped her head back.

So

wildly, catching her opponent in the jaw. Now both women were bleeding,

lives depended on it.

Maybe they did.

stepped in, separating

retreated to their corners. Medical staff rushed in with

explained. “Three minutes each, one minute break between. Unless someone gets

spitting blood into a bucket. Her corner man was shouting instructions

nodded, took a drink of

Ready for more.

“Time!”

t

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