“You want to help me?”
His jaw tightens for a few seconds before he relaxes it. “You owe me money and I need it back.”
Intrigued, I angle my head. “What do you need it for?”
Jai’s blue eyes darken and in this light, they appear black. “What does it matter? It was mine to begin with.”
Slowly, I join a little piece of it together. “Money can’t be what you’re here for. If you were in desperate need for money, you wouldn’t have wasted ten thousand of it on me.”
His dark eyes flare as he squares his shoulders to tower over me. Normally, I’d cower at such a sight, but right now, I’m making progress. I need to know just whom I’m being associated with.
“Careful, Kitten. My business is the last thing you want to paddle around in.”
The way he says it intrigues me. Maybe I want in on the danger. Next, I recall the way he was looking at Skull. Everyone else watched him with absolute adoration, but not Jai. I saw his distaste. I felt his anger. There’s something much bigger going on here.
“I saw the way you were looking at Skull.”
His poker face remains fierce and firm and I briefly wonder if he’s ever been in the army. The way he holds himself feels...disciplined.
“I saw the way you were looking at him too. You like the skull? It turns you on?”
Fire rushes in to my face, painting me red before settling in my cheeks. His tattoo might intrigue me, but I’d never go as far as to say it turned me on.
“I may have been a little curious,” I admit, not that it’s any of his business. “But Skull is a disgusting human being. His lack of compassion for human life overshadows any freaky fetish I might have conjured up.”
His lips tighten into a straight line. Could he be jealous? Is that even possible?
“He may look like he has the world at his feet, but he’s one careless step away from losing it all.”
Oh, shit. There it is. I was expecting some kind of messed-up plan, but that...that is actually insane.
“You want to take him down?” I ask in a harsh whisper. “Are you insane?”
Of course, Jai plays indifferent, as if I spoke to him in another language. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You implied—”
He shoots forward, slamming his large body into mine and clamping a hand over my mouth. His face is etched with red-hot fury and I fight against him, but a firm hand planted on my lower back keeps me from getting any distance.
“I’m not going to ask you to stay out of my business again. I didn’t save your life so you could fuck mine. All I’m asking is that you win your fight and return the money you owe. Then, you can lose your next fight and leave.”
I pull away from his hand and he allows it, but the firm grip he has on my lower back doesn’t resign. One word. There’s only one word I care about in that sentence.
“Leave?”
He nods once. “If you lose, and don’t die, you leave. Those are the rules.”
“Empty-handed?”
He nods again. “Broke and broken. Worse off than what you were when you came in.”
I gape at him, appalled. “How is that fair?”
“It’s not, but it’s a risk everyone down here has made.”
“And how does Skull make sure no one talks? I can’t imagine anyone giving a shit when they’ve got the entire world to hide in.”
Finally, Jai slips his hand from my lower back and runs it over his face, impatiently.
“With what? Last I checked, you couldn’t flee from country to country without money. Skull knows the details of every person down here, even you by now.”
I fold my arms. How efficient could this ‘Skull’ be on the outside world? Who in their right mind would engage in a conversation with him? Who would hire him?
“I doubt he knows every detail.”
“I’d be willing to bet thirty thousand dollars he knows your birth parents’ names. Skull has his fingers dipped in all kinds of illegal activity, not just underground fighting. He’s paid off cops, doctors, politicians—anyone and everyone who can help his cause. When I say he knows every detail, trust me, he does.”
Suddenly, this underground world has become even more dangerous, if that’s possible. Despite all that, my brain lingers on one possibility Jai put forward, and one only. My birth parents...is it possible? Can Skull help me find them? The thought quickly passes. The only thing I see Skull aiding me in is my death. He’ll cut my throat long before the request slips off my tongue.
“I don’t like that look on your face. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
I frown. “I’m not telling you anything. I don’t like being kept in the dark any more than you do. I’ll tell you what I’m thinking when you meet me on common ground.”
Jai’s face clouds over in thought. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t, but I’ve put all of my trust in you this far. The least you can do is return the favor.”
His eyes flicker between believing me and pondering the thought of telling me to go fuck myself. Thankfully, with a defeated sigh, he glances over his shoulder before training his serious, dark eyes on my face.
“I’m looking for my brother.”
“Your brother?”
He leans in close, so close I feel his breath blow along my jawline and tickle the lobe of my ear. It sends a tickle of delight across my skin and I relish in it. I don’t remember the last time someone was able to bring my skin to life.
“He was involved in this last year and I haven’t seen him since.”
My heart plummets into my shoes. If Jai’s brother participated in this last year and hasn’t resurfaced since...I hate to be the one to say it, but there’s just no way he’s alive. Still, I find it endearing that Jai is holding on to the hope that his brother is alive and well, but he’s going to get himself killed looking for answers, that much I know.
“I’m sorry to hear—”
“Joel isn’t dead. He’s too good a fighter to let something like that happen.”
I inch back a little, until my eyes lock with his. The sincerity in them, the frustration, the desperation, all pull at my heart strings. I’ve felt it too...the need to find a family member you know exists but isn’t there for you. The difference is, my parents are probably alive. There’s a good chance Joel isn’t, but, if this is Jai’s way of processing his grief, then I’ll entertain it.
“What do you think happened?”
Jai’ eyes crinkle around the edges as he cringes. This isn’t something he wants to explain to me. “You heard what Skull said about this setup being a part of an old brotherhood?”
I nod.
“It’s all bullshit—a backstory. What this is, is a job interview.”
He stops to let me take in the absurd information. I try to process it, but it doesn’t make any sense. “A job interview?”
Try as I might to keep the skeptical tone out of my voice, I fail.
“Skull wants only the best fighters to defend him and his illegal empire, and he can’t exactly put out an ad in the paper now can he?”
Okay, so it makes a little sense. I touch my hands to my forehead. This is some action movie-shit, something Denzel Washington or Tom Hardy should be starring in.
“So your plan is to?”
“Find my brother and destroy Skull.”
“That simple, huh?”
There’s no beating around the bush. Jai has a death wish and I need to get the hell out of here before it blows up and kills me too. Before I work on my own plan, though, there’s one little problem he seems to have overlooked.
“If what you’re saying is true and Skull is recruiting fighters for his little gang, your brother is the bad guy. If he was offered a job like you say he might have been, he took it.”
Jai tightens his jaw and glares at me with tormented eyes. Instantly, I see that this is something he’s thought about already. I also see he hasn’t come to te
rms with the fact his brother might kill him if Skull gives the orders.
“You think Skull gives anyone a choice? No. You work for him or you die. Simple.”
He rakes his teeth over his bottom lip and I wonder if he’s not entirely convinced by his words.
“Joel can be difficult...but he’s not a bad guy. When he sees that I’ve come for him, he’ll figure something out.”
I can’t say the best plan begins with depending on a possible ‘villain’ to save you, but it could be worse. I mean, at least he has some kind of plan, and isn’t tearing around here guns blazing.
“And if he doesn’t?”
Jai exhales and all of his features smooth out. “If he doesn’t, I’m as good as dead.”
The Second Mistake
After our discussion, Jai left. I didn’t ask him where he was going, but I noted the smaller roll of money he slipped into his pocket from his backpack. He has a plan down here, one that requires him to pay money for certain services. Perhaps he’s paying off one of Skull’s goons for information...it’s not a ridiculous assumption.
He didn’t come back until late afternoon and when he did, he didn’t make eye contact. Not once. I watched him as he laid on his bed and threw a rubber ball at the opposite wall. Every second throw got harder and harder, but he caught it every time. I dozed off while I watched, which led to dreams of him, dreams that ended with him being stabbed in the throat and me tossed over a railing. Eventually, it was enough to force me to open my eyes.
Which brings us to now.
My eyes adjust to the darkness immediately. Jai has put his shirt over the light again, letting only the faintest glow filter through. It’s quiet down this end of the tunnels, but in the distance I hear singing and loud conversation—like something you’d hear outside a bar. I watch him as he lies on his back with his arm slung over his face. He’s topless and I don’t blame him. The air is thick and sticky. There is no breeze, no fresh air, and to make it harder, I’m giving off a good portion of body heat myself.
While he’s unaware, I let my stare drag down the side of his torso. He looks so deliciously handsome lying there, and my insides flutter. He has a man’s body, that’s for sure. He has muscles and lines in places I haven’t seen on anyone else outside of fitness magazines. He’s built his body, sculpted it, and I wonder just how many women have touched it. How many women have had the pleasure of raking their fingers through his hair or brushing their lips across his stomach? I can’t help but wonder, as he lies still in his shorts, what he looks like below the belt. Surely a man his size packs a decent-sized penis...or maybe that explains the size of the rest of him. Maybe he had to compensate? I smirk. If I voice my opinions, would he show me? I shake my head. What the hell am I doing?
I force myself to clear my head and I close my eyes, hoping to pull my brain out of my vagina. I last a second until I reopen them and my mind falls back into dirtier waters. It’s kind of sexy of Jai to pay so much money to save my life. I’ve never had someone do something so selfless for me...and the way it makes me feel is immeasurable in words. Besides paying him back, how can I ever show him how much his companionship means to me? I’ve never had a real friend before, and I know Jai and I are far from friends, but it feels awesome. No wonder people surround themselves with people all the time. It’s nice to hear your own voice and know someone else is listening.
Something scuffles in the corner and I shift dramatically on the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest. I curl my toes, noticing immediately that Jai has taken my shoes and socks off. How convenient.
“Jai?” I whisper, clasping my chest.
I hear another scuffle, then a distinct squeak. My heart stops cold. Fucking RATS!
“Jai,” I try again, this time my voice sounding panicked and distressed.
Still, he doesn’t move. And I thought I was a heavy sleeper. I lean over the space between our beds and touch him. Under my fingertips, the muscles in his chest tighten and before I know it, his arm closes around mine and I squeak as he tugs me off my bed and onto his.
“Jai—”
Somehow, he gets me in a headlock and pulls me until my body is on top of his and I’m unable to move. Pinned. His legs wrap around mine and squeeze until my knee feels like it’s going to pop out of place.
“Will you stop—”
Freeing me from his arms but not his legs, he tugs ear buds I didn’t see from his ears.
“Fucking hell, Kitten, don’t sneak up on me,” he orders, his chest vibrating against mine.
I try to shift my legs free, but he flexes his thick thigh muscles and I wince as my knee complains.
“I called your name twice, and, for the last time, stop with the Kitten. That’s not my name.”
“What are you doing?” he asks, ignoring my protest.
In the dull light, I notice the ghost of amusement on his lips and I feel the way his chest rises and falls a little quicker than it was a second ago. I wonder if it’s because I scared him or because my damp body pressed so tightly against his is affecting him.
“I think I heard rats.”
My fingers twitch against his smooth chest and the corner of his mouth does the same.
“Rats?”
I nod. “Big ones.”
I hear the muffled music he was listening to filter out through the ear buds. It sounds like rap music. I’ve rarely had the time to listen to music since taking up my nursing course. Down here, it’s nice to hear something other than cheers and the occasional drip of water. Jai notices me looking at the ear bud and picks it up.
“You want to listen?”
I nod, forgetting all about the rats and our strange position. He tucks a thick lock of my hair behind my ear before slipping the piece in.
I haven’t heard such a dramatic assemblage of lyrics before. It’s hypnotizing and real, and a million other things. Even the ‘F’ bomb that’s dropped so frequently sounds reasonable and beautiful. I don’t ask him who’s rapping or who wrote the piece, taking solace in the unknown.
Jai hunts for his music device tucked somewhere beside his body. When he finds it, the screen lights up as he scrolls for another song. I fight a pout, not wanting him to change it from the one I’m listening to.
“You can rest your head and lie here for a little while,” he says, lightly pushing my head down until my warm cheek rests against his chest. “You know, with the rats on your side of the room and all.”
I smile despite myself and snuggle against him. Soon after, the music skips from a deep rap to slow rock. The singer has a smooth baritone voice, one that both caresses and fucks my ear canal with its magic. It makes me think of my job and how I’ve probably lost it. It makes me think of my apartment and the eviction notice I’m going to see if I ever get out of here. Strangely, the song makes me not care. When it flows into the chorus, I think about my life so far...and about my parents. I haven’t been able to shake the possibility of Skull knowing their names. If I knew their names, I could track them down. I don’t want anything from them; I just want them to know that I’m alive and I’m okay—that I made it without them. Or maybe I want to spy a little, to see if they even stop for a second to spare a thought for me.
“Do you think Skull will give me the name of my parents if I ask?”
Underneath me, Jai’s entire body clenches. He doesn’t respond, at least not for a while anyway, and in the silence, I try to comprehend what that means. Yes? No?
“He’ll help you,” he admits eventually. “At a price.”
“A price?”
“With Skull, there’s always a price.”
I purse my lips together and nibble the inside of the bottom one. What’s Skull’s price? “I don’t have any money.”
Jai scoffs. “Skull has plenty of it. He won’t bat an eyelid at any price you offer him. He’ll want something else from you.”
I frown, trying to decipher his vagueness. What else could Skull possibly want from me? I have no skills, none that could be
nefit him anyway—oh. Oh! I lift my head to look Jai in the face.
“You think he’d want a sexual favor?” I ask, my eyebrows rising into my hairline.
He opens his eyes. “With you? Undoubtedly.”
What does that mean? Is it because I’m simply a female or because Jai thinks I’m pretty enough to draw Skull’s attention? If Skull is as big as Jai claims he is, women would flock to him, and not just normal women, beautiful women. Wealth and power always draw out the beautiful women.
Jai groans. “Please tell me you’re not contemplating fucking Skull for information?”
I flinch, taking offense. I’d never use sex to get what I want. Ever.
“Excuse me? I’d never do such a thing. Not that it’d be any of your business if I did, anyway. You may have saved my life and I might owe you a shitload of money, but that doesn’t mean you own me.”
With a mighty flick of his hips, Jai tosses me off of him. Somehow, before I fly off the cot, he manages to snag my waist and tuck me underneath the weight of his body. For a larger guy he moves swiftly, as if he weighs only a quarter of his weight. The ear bud pops from my ear and I grip his arms as his legs spread mine and his hips pin me to the mesh underneath us. His breath comes hot and fast. It clashes with mine, less than an inch from our lips. I’ve never dealt with anyone as demanding as Jai. One word is all it takes for him to switch from cool and calm to hot and annoyed. Strangely, it’s sexy. The grip he has on my wrists, the pressure he puts on my pelvis, and the sight of his half-naked body above mine whips my blood cells into a frenzy.
“I own you,” he says, his voice stoking the fire in my blood. “I owned you the second I had you pinned against the warehouse.”
I swallow hard, unable to stop my chest from rising and falling so rapidly. I shake my head. “No. We live in the twenty-first century. That’s not how it works.”