Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Round two was the same, then three. As I was wiping River’s forehead before the start of round four, something caught my eye.
Not something—someone.
Scotty Green.
The fuck was he doing here? The Circuit had banned him from official spaces after Ari gave them her evidence.
He stood next to Terrence from Base One gym and handed him a Gatorade. But then Terrence moved his hand, and I saw it wasn’t just a Gatorade.
A small plastic baggie stuck out between his palm and the bottle.
They shook hands and Terrence went over to his teammates, gesturing with his head to the doors. They left the venue, oblivious to my eyes tracking their every move.
Jesus fucking Christ, now it made sense why Terrence beefed up so fast over the course of the Circuit.
He was fucking juicing.
All of Base One was.
If we somehow managed to win this fight and get into the top two, we were next on their juiced-up chopping block.
And Bones, River, and Teo’s bones would be a full-course meal in Vegas.
The bell rang and signaled the end of the break. River threw me his damp towel, and I stepped down to the sidelines.
But I couldn’t focus on his match. I kept looking over to the doors, waiting for Base One to return.
What the fuck were we supposed to do?
How were we supposed to compete with cheaters?
I should have expected this. Shit stains like Scotty Green didn’t simply disappear when you told them no.
Guess he hadn’t needed us to find a buyer.
I’d believed we were done with him, but he clung to us like shit on our shoes.
I needed to tell the others, but Ari was so hyped up, screaming at River as he danced around the stage. Teo, Bones, and River were in the locker room, getting ready for their matches.
And River was holding his own against one of the Circuit’s toughest.
But how long could he do the same against a ’roided-up fucker like Terrence Hudson—especially when he was already a wall of muscle to begin with?
The crowd roared to a fever pitch. River charged at Vinny and knocked him back against the ropes. He connected punch after punch to Vinny’s face and chest until the ref came over to pull them apart.
The venue went nuts when the referee held up River’s hand. Cameras flashed. The announcer yelled his name into the microphone. River ripped out his mouth guard and screamed.
Ari jumped next to me, clinging to my arms as she shouted River’s name.
Normally, her excitement would be infectious.
But this wasn’t normal. None of this was.
Even as River descended the steps to join us, smile as handsome as ever, the only thing I felt was dread.
The finals were about to be a bloodbath.
And we were standing right in the middle of it.
Chapter
Thirty-One
LOTTO
Teo didn’t stand a chance against Monique. At least not with that murderous look in her eye. She had come to win, and Teo was the stepping-stone to victory.
But my heart still dropped when the referee held up Moni’s hand and declared her the winner.
1-1.
Bones vs. Alonzo.
If we won, we would be confirmed as second place. If we lost, we’d be nothing more than a useless exhibition match before the real Vegas headliners.
Teo slunk down from the ring with his shoulders slumped, a towel pressed to his chin.
“Sorry, guys,” he said. “I did my best.”
Frankie clapped a hand on his back. “You did good, Teo.”
“No way. A compliment from Frankie? Screw the match, this is even better.”
“A win would have been better, but I didn’t expect that.”
“Hey!”
“Where’s Bones?” Ari looked around. “His match is up next.”
“He hasn’t come out of the locker room yet.” River glanced behind him then looked at me. “Might need a pep talk.”
I was sure he did. This was undoubtedly the biggest match of his career. I couldn’t imagine the amount of pressure on his shoulders right now.
“I’ll go check on him,” Frankie offered.
“We have a few extra minutes while they clean the ring. Moni knocked me hard.” Teo lifted his towel and showed off a decent-sized cut on his jaw. “I might need some stitches for this bad boy.”
“Don’t bleed on me, please.” Ari scrunched her nose, “Doctor is next to the locker room.”
“I’ll be back before Bones makes us winners.”
Teo winked and headed off to get his stitches. Frankie left for the locker rooms, leaving me, Ari, and River by the ring. Across the way, Vinny and Monique hyped up Alonzo. When he saw me looking, he didn’t smile or wave and had a death glare in his eyes and a very unusual frown.
He was ready to kick some Bones ass.
I only hoped Bones would be ready to fight back.
Ari placed a hand on my upper arm and squeezed. “Before I get too delusional, do you think we have a shot, Lotto?”
“You’re not going to ask me?” River grinned.