Chapter 59
BELLA
Ashmoor Hall - Wexley University
We’ve spent the entire week picking apart Regionals, getting new assignments for Nationals, and drilling every single number until we bleed perfection.
Once Javi’s satisfied, he’ll let us back into the basketball arena for public practices.
Cue the groupies, the chairs, the photographers, and most importantly… Lex and Cade.
Which is exactly why Lex has been insufferable this week. Every day he gripes about being ‘banned from the building’. That it’s ‘not fair’ that Knox gets to come inside when he and Cade don’t.
And no matter how many times I try to explain to the man that Knox has been our tech-guy-slash-manager since day one, Lex still acts like he’s being personally victimized by the dance gods.
“Just let me stand in the corner, baby. I’ll be quiet. Silent. Mute. I swear on my dick,” he whined to me yesterday as I was trying to head into Ashmoor Hall.
In his defense, he’s under a lot of pressure at Northvale.
The Hollow Kings’ Donor Fight is tomorrow night and things have been tense.
Rez and Lex both have a lot riding on it.
Rez has been shielding him from most of the politics, but Lex still carries it.
I see it in the tight set of his jaw, the weight in his shoulders, he’s stressed.
And while technically I’m just supposed to be there to dance, let’s be real, I’ve had my hands in this thing since that first Fight Night. Rez wanted a Row-level spectacle in The Pit and that’s exactly what we’re bringing.
The Trifecta has performed at every Fight Night this semester.
Lex thrives on it. Says it’s the reason he’s still undefeated this season.
Every time I step out in one of Rico’s custom sets with Property of Lex Barinov across my chest, or every time I strut past the edge of that ring and catch his eyes, he turns into something feral.
He says I flip a switch in him, that watching me dance before he fights makes his blood sing. That I’m his own personal war cry. The rhythm of my hips is the reason his fists find their mark.
He’s insane, but it’s kind of cute.
Knox runs the lights and announces the show now like it’s his full-time job—barking cues through his headset, stealing the damn spotlight with every intro.
He calls us The Knockout Queens, which Lex fucking loves, and somehow always times the bass drop to hit the exact second our heels hit center ring.
Tomorrow’s Fight Night could make or break everything for The Hollow Kings.
Rez wanted big names this time. Brutal ones.
Fighters with international pull and a reputation for blood.
No more college athletes or frat boys pretending to be gangsters.
He wanted the kind of men whose names make people scream.
And for that, he came to me.
Lex told his cousin a little about me. Not the full my girlfriend hacked into the family’s Black Book part, but enough. Rez thinks my underworld connections start and end with Roman Russo, and we didn’t exactly correct him.
We made a deal. The lineup stays secret until Knox calls their names tomorrow night. No leaks. No whispers. The less anyone knows, the louder the chaos hits. Only my fighters, Cade, Rez, Knox, and I know who’s stepping into that ring.
And Rez is right, this crowd doesn’t want a fair fight. They want carnage wrapped in velvet. Violence with a price tag. They have no idea what’s coming. Let’s just say, tomorrow night’s going to be one hell of a show.
Buzz. Buzz.
“Hey, what’s up?” I answer.
“Just making sure you still want me to do this tomorrow?”
“Yes. We need a solid fight. You and Lex will give the donors the show they’ve been waiting for. The one they’ll be happy to put their money on.”
“You sure? Is he going to be okay with it?”
I roll my eyes. “He’ll be fine. Shocked and totally pissed at both of us, but fine.
Look, we need big time fighters. You’ve got the skill, the reputation, and just enough drama to make it interesting.
Plus, you can technically be considered an international fighter and that’s what Rez wants. So, don’t be late.”
“You want me to hold back?”
I laugh. “No. I want you to fight hard. For real. Give them a show.”
“Understood,” he exhales through his nose. “I won’t disappoint you.”
I hang up, heart already racing as I get in the car to head to Dr. Monroe’s office.
???
Dr. Monroe’s Office - Manhattan, New York
Dr. Monroe doesn’t even bother with pleasantries today. He just watches me with that unreadable calm, pen resting against his notepad like he’s waiting for a confession.
“I’m assuming this isn’t about dance,” he says finally.
“Not directly.” I shift in the chair. My thighs stick to the leather.
I hate this room.
“But still a performance,” I mutter.
His brow lifts just slightly. “Go on.”
“There’s a fight. A big one.”
He already knows what that means. He doesn’t ask.
“The Northvale donors will be there,” I continue, voice flat. “All of them. Or enough to make it matter. And this time… I’m part of the show.”
His pen moves once, slow and deliberate. “You’ll be performing? That’s not unusual. Don’t you girls always dance?”
“We do, but this time it’s different. I’m more like orchestrating the fights.” I force a breath. “The fighters I picked, they’re brutal. They are all going to make a statement.”
“But you’re worried.”
I nod. “Because Lex doesn’t know who he is fighting against. And when he sees him… he’s going to lose his shit.”
Silence.
“He’s already walking a tightrope,” I whisper. “This might snap whatever thread he’s holding onto.”
Dr. Monroe doesn’t move. “You’ve seen him spiral before.”
“Yeah.” My throat tightens. “But not like this. Not with me in the middle of it.”
He waits.
I shake my head. “He won’t see it coming. Not until the second he lays eyes on my fighter. And by then, it’ll be too late. The donors will be watching. Cameras. Eyes. Money on the line.”
He scribbles something, then asks, “Who is he?”
I hesitate. “Someone deeply invested in earning my trust and respect.”
His brow lifts.
“Let’s just say… he has a lot to prove. To the donors. To Lex. To me.”
“You trust him?”
“Not completely,” I say honestly. “But I trust how badly he wants me to accept him, how badly he wants me to like him.”
Dr. Monroe watches me for a beat. “So, you’re handing that kind of power to a man you don’t trust, while keeping the one you do in the dark. Why?”
“Because it has to be real,” I say, and the words feel heavier than I mean them to. “The fight. The rage. The outcome. They’re not going to buy it if it feels staged. These people bet with blood in mind.”
Dr. Monroe’s expression doesn’t change, but his pen pauses. “So, you’re using Lex’s reaction as part of the strategy.”
“I mean I don’t really want to, I hate it.”
He waits.
I sigh. “But yeah… it helps. His jealousy. His fury. He’s already half feral when it comes to me or Cade. This will push him the rest of the way.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“No.” The word rips out of me before I can stop it.
He watches me. Silent. Waiting.
I look down at my hands. “I can handle it.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
I exhale, jaw tight. “I’ll do what I have to. I always do.”
“And what will that cost you this time?”
I pause. “Maybe him.”
“Lex?”
I nod. “I’m just worried he’s going to hate me for it. For keeping it from him. For setting him up to snap in front of everyone. And when he finds out what I have to do to sell it…” my voice trails off.
“What exactly do you mean by that? Sell it?”
“I mean I can’t just stand in the corner and cheer like normal. I have to make it look personal. Like I’m emotionally invested in the other side, in all of my fighters. All night long. I have to be touched, teased, claimed, if that’s what it takes.”
His brow lifts slightly. “So, your plan is to exploit his possessiveness.”
“To make sure the donors believe it? Yes.” I meet his eyes. “Because if they believe it, they’ll invest. If they invest, Rez and Lex can breathe.”
Dr. Monroe leans forward slightly, voice softer now. “Bella, what you’re about to do.”
I stare at the edge of his notepad, letting the silence drag.
He nods slowly. “Just make sure you’re not the one who ends up bleeding for it.”
???
The Pit – Northvale University
Donor Fight Night
709 Days Since Zeke’s Death
Cade and I step into The Pit, the underground already humming with Fight Night electricity.
It’s two hours before the doors open, but mayhem is already in full swing.
Knox is in the lighting booth, barking into his headset.
Rico is backstage, flinging costume racks and shouting at the poor hair and makeup crew to stop fucking up his vision.
Rez walks up, stretching his neck like he’s already halfway through warm-ups. “Hey, B. Look, I just wanted to say thanks for everything you’ve done to make tonight happen.”
“I did it for Lex.”
He nods. “I know.” He glances toward the ring. “So, let’s go over the plan.”
I tip my chin, voice cool. “Fight One: Hollow King Chase Cooper vs. Caleb Briggs.”
Rez raises a brow. “Who the hell is Caleb Briggs?”
“He’s from Knoxville, Tennessee,” I say, casually brushing off the not-so-international part. “Leader of the Ashen Sons.”
“Yeah… I’ve heard of them. Gun runners. Midwest all the way down to Mexico. And how do you know him?” he asks.
I just smile. “That’s not important. Just know he wants something from me and this fight is my price.”
“Let’s just be clear on something,” Cade cuts in.
“Every one of the four fighters she brought in tonight wants something from her, Rez.” He adds while wrapping an arm around my waist. “And to get it, they’re going to have to put on a damn good show for her.”
“Damn, B. Lex said you had connections,” Rez smirks. “Fight Two?”
“Hollow King DeShawn Reyes versus Tatenda Khoza.”
“Khoza?” Rez clears his throat. “As in Jackals of Johannesburg, Khoza? How the fuck did you got someone from Blood Diamond country to show up to The Pit?”
“He was already stateside,” I shrug.
“Fuck, okay.” Rez gives a low and impressed nod. “And my fight… are you sure about that one?”
I grin. “Awe, Rezy. Are you scared?”
“Fuck that,” he snaps, shaking his head. “But still, that man’s a beast.”
Cade chuckles, then looks at me more seriously. “In all honesty, sweetheart, the one we should be worried about is Lex’s fight. Are you sure this isn’t a mistake?”
I pause, then smile slow. “I’m sure, babe. We needed a showstopper for the main event. And the two of them? They’re going to give us the fight of the year. Plus, you know that my prize fighter will do anything for me right now. So, when I told him he was going up against my boyfriend…”
Cade’s brow lifts. “He agreed?”
“Hesitated at first,” I admit. “But yeah. He agreed. Said he’d do it just for me.”
Rez cracks his knuckles. “Alright. I’m gonna go warm up and pretend I’m not about to get my ass handed to me by one of the biggest criminal leaders in the world. Thanks for that, B.”
“I’m going to go check on Knox,” Cade says leaning down, brushing a kiss against my cheek.
“He’s running half this place solo, and I’m afraid if one light is off during your performance, Rico and Javi might actually commit a felony.
You go check on Lex, I’m sure he needs to burn off some steam before the fight. ”
I grab his wrist. “Babe, come with me. It’s more fun when it’s all three of us.”
He grins, leans in, whispering low and hot against my ear. “As much as I’d love to fuck the hell out of both of you right now back there…” his voice turns teasing, “…we’ve got a show to run, sweetheart. Lex needs this night to be a win. So, helping Knox? That’s how I help him.”
I sigh but nod. He cups my face and kisses me.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he says, already pulling away.