Chapter 56
I knewsomething awful would take place at Midnight Chaoss, but seeing my woman being attacked by Ghost wasn’t on the list. He had attacked her once when she was a child. He would never place his hands on her again. The fury that rose in me was something I’d never experienced. It was volcanic, and it coursed through my veins, wanting to erupt with violence. I had to gather all my self-control not to kill him on the spot. That malice had nothing to do with the fact that he’d stolen from me and destroyed my property.
Vivian was the only woman who could drive me to the edge. I loved her, but I also wanted to strangle her right now. She shouldn’t be here tonight. She shouldn’t place herself in danger like this. Didn’t she know how important she was to me?
But she was trying to help her patient. That calmed me a little. Just a little.
My fingers curled as I stood across from Ghost, bouncing on my feet and preparing to battle. He probably didn’t know who I was, and it was best that way. I had a feeling my love had a plan that required our discretion. Vivian and I needed a long conversation after tonight.
“Who’s betting on the Clown Loan Shark?” asked a man in a Batman mask.
Someone laughed.
A person wearing a mouse mask looked at me. “If he’s a shark, what are you?”
“A killer whale,” Vivian said. “And not from Sea World.”
The crowd laughed.
“Killer whales kill sharks. They’re the true beast.” Vivian punched a fist into the air. “I vouch for Bullseye Killer Whale!”
“It’s called a killer whale for a reason! My bet too!” shouted a man with a green mask.
My woman could flip the switch on me like no one else. The anger in me subsided, replaced by amusement. She had gotten the crowd to root for me even though I didn’t need them to.
Ghost threw a punch, and I blocked with the tiger claw. As we battled, I discovered he’d also learned some martial arts. It pissed him off when he got no hits on me. His techniques were all over the place, which also meant his mind was unstable.
I pulled back an arm, pretending to punch him. He shifted, moving to where I wanted him. Then I kicked his calf, forcing him to fall back a few steps. I charged forward, punching his chest. One, two, three. Then I pounded his face and cracked his mask.
I could kill him right now. But there was a crowd, and my woman had a plan for our common enemy. I drew back, heaving. The heat was making the mask uncomfortable on my face. I wanted this battle over with now.
His mask dropped to the floor, and two teeth followed it. The face that looked back at me wasn’t that of James Chin, my former employee. He’d gotten more plastic surgery.
The crowd cheered. “Killer Whale!”
“Consider that my victory.” I stared at Ghost. “Chicken is no longer in your debt. You understand me?”
Ghost spat out blood. “Who are you?”
A smile formed on my lips. Before I could reply, something exploded, and all the lights went out.