The woman jerked her head toward a door, then hurried away. She’d been reluctant at first to answer my questions, but after a brief telephone conversation with Zara, she’d shrugged, then told me what I wanted to know. Now, I was hovering in front of a door I’d never noticed before, the painted wood fading into the wall and tucked into an alcove at the end of a corridor that lead to nowhere. Apparently, it led to here. Wherever here was.

Not giving myself another moment to think about it, I yanked it open, the hinges barely protesting and the door gliding smoothly. I nearly fell back in shock as a wave of noise ran over me, released from where it had been smothered into submission. A thumping beat, voices chanting, screams and shouts and … was that growling?

Forcing myself forward, I descended into the bowels of what was apparently a basement. A secret one, if the hidden door was anything to go by, and was met by a sight that had my mouth dropping open. The room was filled with people and was set up like a man cave on steroids, but it was the spectacle happening in the far corner of the room that had me riveted to the spot.

Two men, both naked from the waist up, their skin slick with sweat and muscles straining as they systematically proceeded to kick the shit out of each other. They moved with a sinuous grace, twisting and turning, as if gripped in a deadly dance. Even from here, I could see the adrenaline pumping through them, in the twitch of their bodies and the light of their eyes. They were enjoying this.

Nick was enjoying this.

And, holy hell, he was hot. Forcing my mouth closed, I swallowed as I drank in the sight of him, the way his cargo pants hung low on his hips, his powerful thighs straining the material. His abs rippled and flexed as he dodged a fist and landed his own, my eyes lingering on the cut and swell of his bicep as he delivered a punishing blow. His shoulders strained as he hooked an arm around the other man’s neck.

The other man tried to pull away, his feet scuffling and dragging them both down. A fist slammed into Nick’s side and I gasped, taking another step. They rolled and the crowd moved with them, faces eager for blood.

The other man was now on top, and he leaned back, then drove his fist down.

“Nick!” My cry was lost in the riot of noise.

Nick jerked his head to the side, knuckles skimming his ear. His eyes found me immediately, silvery blue and burning straight into my soul. His nostrils flared and lips peeled back, then he threw the other man off him, sending him crashing into the crowd. Standing, he stretched, lifting his arms to the ceiling and arching his back, his eyes never leaving mine. He rolled his shoulders, causing the muscles in his chest to flex and strain. A smirk curved the corner of his mouth when I sucked in a breath, heat bursting inside me.

The other man leaped at him and Nick caught him around the neck, spinning him and slamming him into the floor, so his cheek kissed concrete. Twisting both of the man’s arms back, Nick jabbed his knee into his back and yanked his opponent’s head around, gripping his throat as if he might tear it out. It was over in seconds. “Do you yield to me?” Nick’s voice rumbled out over the now silent crowd, and I wasn’t the only one wearing a look of astonishment.

His opponent let out a hoarse chuckle. “Yes, now get off me, asshole. You’re heavy as fuck.”

Nick immediately let go.

“You’re going to have to teach me that…” The man had pushed up onto his knees, but his voice trailed off when he realized that Nick wasn’t there anymore.

No. He was striding across the room, powerful legs eating up the distance. Then he was taking the stairs, two at a time, until we were face to face.

We stared at each other.

Then he was on me, lifting me up into his arms and pressing me back against the wall, his mouth commanding mine with the same dominance he’d displayed in the ring. Back pressed against the wall, I grabbed his shoulders, fingers digging in before they slid off sweat slicked skin, his musky smell entering my nose, filling my lungs. One hand gripping my hip, the other cupping my chin, he pressed closer, demanding that I open, that I accept all of him, his shaft hard and ready, grinding against me as he nipped at my bottom lip with a growl. When his mouth moved to my neck, his teeth pressing into my skin, it was as if my entire body was on fire and I moaned, threading my fingers into his hair and rolling my hips forward.

Wolf whistles pierced the veil of lust and I blinked, coming back to myself. “Nick…” My voice was breathy and weak as his groan rumbled along my skin, my nipples hardening instantly. Holy shit, he was damn hot.

He pulled his head back, but kept me caged in his arms, sliding his hands down to cup my ass. If we were naked, he’d be inside me now. Yep, that’s what his eyes were telling me. Promising me. Something had broken his resolve, or it might have been the adrenaline talking, still riding him hard. He rocked against me, ignoring everything but me. “You devastate me, min älskling,” he whispered, then kissed me again, long and hard. This time when he pulled away, it was with regret. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

I fanned myself, knowing my grin was lopsided and more than a little foolish. “What? Your hotness?”

His eyes narrowed, his lips twitching. Lowering me to the ground, he leaned both hands against the wall, caging me with a delicious view of his chest. “You think I’m hot?”

I slapped said sexy chest. I may also have groped it for a second. Maybe two. Damn it, I was feeling him up, stroking him like I couldn’t keep my hands off him. “A bit.”

He groaned, leaning down until his forehead bumped against mine. “Remember what happened last time you uttered those words to me?”

“Kind of.” Okay, I was playing with fire. I looped my arms around his neck. “Maybe I need a reminder?”

His eyes flashed with amusement. “That can be arranged.” He glanced over his shoulder, then grimaced. “Give me a moment?”

I peered around him, meeting a lot of eyes that were unabashedly staring at us. Then again, I’d just mauled their king. Or, rather, he’d just mauled me. We’d kept our relationship on the down low, partially because, hell, it kinda wasn’t anyone’s business but ours, but also because, well, I wasn’t really sure what this was. But, looked like the cat was out of the bag! “How about we mingle for a bit? Enjoy the party.” Meet your friends…I added silently, giving everyone what was meant to be a smile, but probably looked more like a grimace. Better to face this now than spend the next couple of days avoiding everyone out of embarrassment.

He blinked, then a slow smile spread over his face.

My knees wobbled as my heart jumped into my throat.

He turned and held out an arm, leading me into the crowd. His hand moved to my back, ever present and reassuring as we mingled, a silent declaration that I was his.

I blinked, the conversation flowing around me fading away in a brief moment of clarity. Oh, hot damn. I really was his. I snuck a glance at him, and the heavy weight in my stomach swirled and grew, rushing up and filling my chest. So, this was what happiness felt like.

He might be mine, too.