She was out to kill him. Levi would swear by it. He was preparing for his fight with Tiny in only a few minutes, and he still hadn’t heard back from Hayes. Her mother had called his, and they’d met up the day before to talk about plans, but nothing had been said about her daughter.

Between working at the shop and training, he hadn’t had time to go see her. After a dozen phone messages and even more text messages, he got the feeling she was ignoring him.

“Hey!” Casper snapped as he taped up Levi’s knuckles. “Get the girl out of your head.”

He didn’t even respond because for the first time, Casper was right. He needed to shake her from his mind. As his trainer left the locker room, there was a loud banging on the door. Pulling it open, he saw Brett and Alyssa. “What are you guys doing here?”

Alyssa looked worried as Brett answered his question. “Thought you might need something.” Levi was confused until he stepped to the side and Hayes stood behind him.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he fought back the excitement of her coming to watch his fight. Though, he was fucking pissed she hadn’t answered any of his messages.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Brett pushed them both into the room before closing the door and leaving them alone.

Turning his back on her nearly killed him. “For what?”

She didn’t hesitate in walking up to him, her arms wrapping around him from behind. “Not answering you. Going radio silent.” He remained quiet. “I’ve never spoken about Ryder before. To anyone.” Her voice cracked, and he nearly broke down and faced her. “Telling you how I felt, the guilt swamping me over me living and him dying. No one else knows that.”

He did turn then. Their gazes clashed. Both full of anguish over her actions.

“I needed to figure a few things out. I wanted to be sure about my feelings before I made any decisions.”

“What decisions?”

“You… Me… Us.”

“What’d you come up with?”

“I love you, Levi.” Fuck. He softened. “More than anything I’ve ever felt before.” Her gaze lowered to his gloves. “I would do anything you asked of me. I’m sorry I hurt you the past couple of days.”

Leaning down so their foreheads touched, he murmured, “No more of this cutting me out shit, Hayes. I don’t fucking like it.”

“I promise.” Pushing up onto her toes, her lips met his, and they exploded from there. His arms wrapped around her waist as she climbed his chest, so he was holding her in his arms.

Her hands roamed every available piece of flesh she could reach as he squeezed her ass in his hands and plundered her mouth with his tongue. They dueled and made out like horny teenagers until Casper came bursting in on them.

“Knuckles, let’s go!”

Hayes slid down his body as he let her go. “You fight Tiny tonight, right?” Her words were barely spoken.

“Yup.”

“I’ll see you after.” Her hand slid down his chest as she walked away to meet her friends.

“Not a fucking word, Casp,” he growled when the man attempted to speak. He was so fucking done with the prick and his attitude towards his girl.

“Your funeral.” He smirked.

It wasn’t until he was announced and on his way to the ring that he understood Casper’s words.

* * *

“Oh my God,” Hayes whispered, horrified at seeing Rocko in the ring instead of Tiny.

“What’s going on?” Brett asked her confused.

“That’s the wrong guy.”

“What? How’s that the wrong guy?” Alyssa asked.

“Tiny was supposed to be his opponent.” She was scared. Levi wasn’t prepared for this fighter yet. “Casper, you son of a bitch!” she screamed at him as he entered the ring to announce the fight.

Her eyes were glued to where Levi would come out, and as he appeared, she knew the exact moment he saw who he was up against. His eyes narrowed, his body tensed, and his breathing picked up. He was pissed. And rightfully so. Casper had screwed him over.

Looking around the ring, she hoped that Cam might be there. The fight started, and the opponent charged Levi like a raging bull. She cringed when the hit took both men to the mat. Rocko was on top of Levi, striking blow after blow against his kidneys and face. Wherever the punches connected, Levi struggled to protect himself. It was only another minute before the crowd started booing and cursing Rocko as they picked up on what was happening.

Hayes could see Levi tiring and worried that he wasn’t going to walk out of the cage on his own two feet.

“Come on, Levi! Kick his fucking ass!” Brett cheered beside her.

Lys chimed in too. “Slay him, Knuckles!”

Mustering up her own courage, she started shouting with them. “Take him out, Levi!”

The big guy began tiring out and pulled back from Levi’s body by a fraction, and that was all he needed to get the upper hand. He swung high with a hit to the man’s temple, knocking him off his feet as he tried to stand. She watched in fascination as Levi retaliated in the same way that his opponent had come at him, only pinning him against the cage instead of the mat.

His knee connected with Rocko’s thigh before he went in with a tornado of movement, hitting the man anywhere he could. When Casper started shouting for Rocko to attack, she saw the way Levi’s muscles rippled with rage. He assailed the fighter with every ounce of strength he had left in his body until one last shot to the head sent him careening to the ground with a thud and blood dripping from his nose and mouth.

Levi stood, bent over the man, eyes trained on Casper with a deadly glare as he was declared the winner in an underdog match.

Brett hoisted Hayes over the barricade, and she darted for the cage opening, intent on helping Levi out of the ring when Casper placed a hand on her arm to stop her.

“I don’t fucking think so, bitch.” He snarled at her.

She didn’t have to think about her reaction, she swung, hitting him straight in the mouth and knocking him on his ass. “You stupid son of a bitch. You’re gonna lose your best fighter, so you send in that pussy. Big fucking mistake.” Levi was right, she was starting to sound like him.

Hayes could feel Levi at her back as she told the man off. His entire body curved over the top of her as one hand held her hip in a tight grip.

“You and me, Casp, we’re done,” Levi said stepping over the fallen man. Levi guided them back to the locker room, slamming doors as he went. She could tell he was pissed.

Watching as he pressed his hands to the wall, leaning forward, his breathing heavy and sporadic, she slowly approached him. He looked more like a caged animal than a man.

“Levi.” She put her hand on his back as she slid under his arms to look at him. “Are you hurt?” His face was a mask of bruises and cuts. One eye was completely swollen shut. His chest was littered with bruising that she knew from experience would be muscle deep.

“Fucking cocksucking son of a bitch cracked a rib.” His teeth were gritted so tightly together she feared he might crack them.

“Let’s get you to a hospital.” Her words were muted as she spoke.

“I knew he was up to something.” She could hear him getting angrier by the second. “I should have kicked his ass.” His hands clenched against the wall.

“Levi, please.” She could see his strength waning the longer he stood there.

“Fuck!” His fist reared back and shot straight into the wall a few inches from her head.

Not for a second did she fear him. She feared his temper flying off the handle and him going after Casper. Maybe even Rocko. He wasn’t in any shape to be doing either.

His breathing was labored as his gaze finally cleared, and he really looked at her. Wincing, he brought his body into hers, squishing her between his bulk and the wall. Caging her in his world. She was shocked when his arms wrapped around her neck and shoulders, holding her to him. All his pain and confusion emitted from every pore in his body as he shook, fighting to keep upright.

Hayes’ own arms slid around his back, holding him as tightly as he did her. He seemed to wilt in her arms. She felt all the power from his mind and soul bleeding through into her. Helping him move back towards the bench, he sat while still holding her. Only his arms slid down to her waist as he buried his face in her chest.

The creak of the door opening had him tensing up again. She saw her friends enter the room and rubbed her hands along his scalp, trying to soothe him. “Just Brett and Lys.”

When his breathing turned shallow, she became more frightened about his condition. “His phone is in his locker. Grab it, please.” Hayes knew it was the time for his secret to come out.

Lys handed the device to her. It was hard as hell to betray his trust, but she knew his family had to be told. Scrolling through his contacts, she hit the number for his older brother, Nox.

It rang three times before anyone picked up. “Busy here, kid.” He sounded breathless.

“Oh, umm, sorry,” she mumbled, embarrassed that she might have interrupted something.

“Who’s this?”

“Hayes, umm, Levi’s friend.” Could I be more awkward?

“Think you’re more than a friend, Hayes. What’s up? You’re calling from Levi’s phone.” Worry started to bleed through his words.

“He’s hurt. I need to take him to the hospital. I’m not sure I can do it on my own, though.” It physically hurt to break an unspoken promise she’d made to him.

“Text me the address.” Nox hung up before she could agree. After sending him the information, she waited for what felt like forever. Levi didn’t move in that whole time.