10. Rufino
CHAPTER TEN
Rufino
C elso is hopping back and forth from foot to foot, already hyped up and eager to climb into the ring.
It was the perfect stroke of luck when my brothers invited me for a weekend in Vegas to watch Celso fight in the big MMA event that’s happening here.
The perfect cover reason for being here.
Of course, I’ve hardly been paying any attention to the fights at all.
My eyes have been on her all evening.
She is sitting on the other side of the ring surrounded by friends and too many guards. And she’s drunk.
Verity has been screaming at the fighters, pushing spectators around her and being belligerent. She’s angry. I don’t blame her. I would be furious too if my father was planning to ship me away to Europe to live with a bunch of nuns under tight controlling rules.
I chuckle when she tosses her drink in some guys face and slaps him.
Fucking feisty when she’s angry.
And even more sexy.
Every now and then our eyes meet and my heart beats faster. A sly grin crossing my lips.
She bites her lower lip and smiles at me.
This is the only type of interaction we’ve had since I arrived. It’s driving me crazy to not be able to walk over there and grab her in my arms.
But for now - this is what I need to do. I need to keep my distance and bide my time until the right opportunity presents itself.
I’m not in Vegas for the fight, or the drinks or the party.
I’m here for one reason and one reason only.
Her.
There is no fucking way I am letting her father send her to Europe and I have just the plan to stop it from happening.
“Hey, he’s going in.” Tuomo slaps me excitedly on my back and points his chin towards Celso who he walking towards the fight ring.
“Hells ye.” I cheer him on, blending in and giving them no reason to think I am up to anything at all. “What’s his opponent like?”
“Fast. And dangerous. But Celso is faster. It’s going to be a close fight though.” Masaccio says, tilting his beer back and downing half of it.
Tuomo chuckles. “He’s going to be hurting after this.”
“Nothing a few drinks won’t solve at the afterparty.” Mas laughs.
I glance from Mas to Tuomo and then across the ring to Celso. For the briefest of moments I feel like I am part of the family. A sense of belonging I’ve been craving all my life. But it’s fleeting. Disintegrating before it takes hold inside of me.
It’s easy to pretend though. Just for now.
Until I can make my move.
The ref stands between Celso and his opponent.
“Let’s have a clean fight.” He shouts, then steps back and blows his whistle to show the start of this round.
Neither Celso nor his opponent waste even a second of time. They both fly forward, attacking with force and energy.
Celso drops low at the last second and swings his fist up towards the other guys chin, connecting with a snap and causing his head to jolt backwards.
The crowd erupts in screaming chaos.
A thick layer of goosebumps spreads across my arms.
It’s exhilarating.
It’s so raw to watch them beat the living shit out of each other and have thousands of people scream encouragement at them.
I didn’t anticipate getting so involved in the fight, but as each moment passes, I become excited about it.
Celso is fucking good.
Tuomo was right. His opponent is fast, but Celso is faster.
A spinning kick to the head sends Celso flying across the mat.
I hold my breath, waiting for him to get up.
Tuomo and Mas are shouting next to me. “Get up. Get the fuck up.”
Just as his opponent reaches him Celso kicks upwards and sends the guy stumbling away. Then he’s back on his feet and I feel a current of relief.
When Celso takes the guy down, it’s brutal.
He hits him so hard his mouth guard goes flying out of his mouth, somewhere into the crowd. The guy spins and lands flat on his face, not moving.
The ref counts and the entire crowd is silent, holding their breath, waiting.
“Winner.” The ref shouts, grabbing Celso’s hand and lifting it high into the air. My brothers are going crazy next to me, jumping and cheering.
I stare across the ring towards Verity. She licks her lips and runs her fingertips over her collar bone. My cock stirs and heat burns beneath my skin.
Soon, vixen.
One of her friends grabs her arm and pulls her from her seat. I hear her shouting something about the afterparty.
Verity glances towards me. I nod. She grins, then lets her friend pull her away. Four security guards moving along behind her. Her father really went out of his way to make sure she wasn’t doing anything he didn’t approve of this weekend.
But her father doesn’t understand how determined I am.
The afterparty is pulsing with energy.
People are packed against each other that it’s almost impossible to push our way towards the bar.
“Tequila.” Celso says grinning. His left eye is already turning blue underneath it and his lip is split.
“Better get you two - by the looks of you.” I laugh.
Mas and Tuomo are standing behind us, looking annoyed. They aren’t used to the clubbing scene. “Let’s get a VIP table.” Mas leans forward and shouts.
“Go for it. Message me when you’ve organized something, and I’ll come join you.”
He nods and pushes away from us, Tuomo following him.
Celso and I stay at the bar and I watch him throw back four tequilas. His adrenalin is still so high from the fight - those drinks are going to knock him flat on his face or send him in a wild party mood.
“Three vodka shots.”
I hear her voice to my left and my body responds.
Turning towards her my eyes trace over her gorgeous features. Her hair is pinned up in a messy bun, glitter powders her long dark lashes, and a very dark red paint colors her full lips.
She looks fucking gorgeous.
Verity eyes me across the bar, throwing me looks only I understand.
But it’s clear what she wants from me.
Someone behind her bumps her and she turns to face them and with a snarl and swing of her elbow she clocks the guy right in his jaw.
“What the fuck?” Someone screams. Chaos breaks out and two body guards pile towards her to pull her away from it.
She’s fucking pissed off.
And she’s taking it out on everyone around her.
My eyes follow her as they pull her away from the bar back to the table she has near the dance floor.
Celso mumbles something to me.
“What?”
“They’ve got a table.” He says again. His eyes are already glaring over from the shots.
“Go ahead. I’ll see you there now. I’m just going to have another drink here first.”
“Suite yourself. It’s there to the left of the dance floor.”
He points and I nod. Celso pushes his way away from the bar and through the crowds towards where my other brothers are sitting.
The tables have been cornered off to reduce chaos around them, but the place is so full that even the VIP area demands maneuvering to get anywhere.
My eyes drift off my brothers and back to where Verity is sitting. Except she’s not sitting. She’s standing on the table with a bottle of vodka in her hand, dancing and laughing.
Her hips swaying and her dress flexing over her gorgeous curves.
One of her friends tries to pull her off the table and she swats them away.
A security guard steps forward and with his hands on her waist he lifts her off the table.
I want to punch him in the face for touching her.
No one touches her but me.
But I stand my ground. Now is not the time.
Verity is fighting with the security guard now, trying to punch him as well, but he’s much bigger than her and it looks like a kitten trying to fight a lion.
He sits her down on the sofa and steps away.
She huffs and tilts the bottle of vodka to her lips, drinking way more than she should.
As the evening goes on I watch her, waiting, calm, excited and nervous. The mix of emotions running through me are all overrun by my patience - which is wearing thin.
My brothers have given up trying to get me to sit with them and have left me at the bar. They still don’t know Verity is here, and that’s fine with me.
Then I see it.
My chance.
Verity gets up and makes her way towards the VIP bathrooms.
I push through the crowd ahead of her. I have to get into the bathroom before her security guards get there.
It’s the only place they don’t go, but they will wait right by the door once she is inside.
I move aggressively through the crowd, pushing people out of the way and sending them stumbling and shouting in annoyance.
I run down the passage towards the end where it splits left towards the females side.
Bolting around a corner I pin my back up against a wall, waiting.
Verity is arguing with the guard escorting her as she stumbles towards the corner.
“Ugh. Just wait here.” She huffs.
“I need to check inside the bathroom.” He says.
“Are you crazy? There are girls in there. Don’t be a savage.” She says in horror.
There is a moment of tense silence and then he sighs. “I am waiting right over here. Try nothing.”
“It’s the only way out, idiot. I will not stay in the bathroom all night just to escape you.”
He lets out an agitated growl and I chuckle, trying to imagine how little patience he has left after having to deal with a drunk, out-of-control Verity all night.
She walks straight past me without seeing me.
Stumbling into one stall she closes the door and I hear her sighing.
When I’m one hundred percent sure the security guard will not change his mind and follow her in I move away from my hiding place and grab the door of her stall and yank it open. The little slip lock snaps free of the wall far too easily and I am suddenly staring down at Verity, sitting on the toilet with a shocked expression on her face.
Then she giggles.
“I’m trying to pee here.” She sniggers.
I grin.
“Well, hurry up. We don’t have a lot of time.”