One Fight (Breaking Bounds #7)

1. Braxton

1

Braxton

I feel like a hell of a king, sitting up high and peering down on what I’ve created. Tonight, my focus is on this week’s fight club built to look like an old Roman gladiator arena, complete with a dirt octagon. It’s as much about the show as it is about the fighting and the violence. The brutality.

Hell, tonight I am the king. Every night, really.

I’m the top dog, the King of Queen’s City. There’s no denying I run shit around here and everyone who knows better knows not to fuck with me.

As for my wealth, it grows on both sides of the law and whatever I want, I get. No matter the stakes. Though this is the fight that’ll expand my influence beyond here, I can feel it.

The who’s who of Queen’s City are here as expected, none of them aiming to end up on my bad side. There are others from far beyond my reign here perhaps looking to do otherwise but I couldn’t give a fuck. My reach is expanding and that’s all that’s on my agenda.

Looking at all the faces, familiar and unfamiliar, I find a few who are smiling as the first few fights must’ve gone their way.

But then I see her.

A gorgeous young blonde with sinful curves and an angelic face. She appears out of place, and not just because she isn’t dressed as skimpily as the rest of the women. No, she exudes this innocence, a hint of nervousness about her as her eyes flick around the room—she even winces with every blow thrown in the octagon. Goddamnit, she’s precious. She looks nothing like the woman in the red dress beside her, who must be a friend.

My first thought when I see the stunning girl is simple. Mine .

Second thought is how the hell did she land front row seats?

It’s clear her or her friend are connected to someone important, possibly within my own organization.

And I need to know who.

Now.

But I can’t look away, my gaze mesmerized by not just her beauty but her essence. Is that even a fucking thing? Must be. I refuse to focus elsewhere until I’ve catalogued every detail I can from this angle. Her slim legs are crossed at the ankles, her hands resting in her lap as her attention occasionally lands on the fighters in front of her. And then our gazes lock for a long moment and I wish I was closer so I could see the color of her eyes and hear the small intake of breath I can almost imagine the sound of from up here.

She looks away quickly as if she’s been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and that seals the deal. I need to know her, to see if this is more than just attraction or lust.

It’s been too long since I’ve had a good fuck.

I stand and straighten my jacket.

“We got a problem.” Rocco, my best friend, my bodyguard and second-in-command stops at my side with a serious expression on his face.

My shoulders tighten because I know that tone, I’ve heard it plenty of times over our thirty year friendship. It means that the angelic blonde will have to wait. “What is it?”

“Garson,” he grumbles the name of my headlining fighter. “He’s pissed he has to fight at least three rounds. I told him if you’re unhappy about it, knock the fucker out at the top of the fourth.”

And Rocco is here because that argument clearly didn’t work. “Dammit.” I let my gaze settle on the blonde once more, taking in everything I can before dealing with a temperamental fighter who forgot who’s in charge.

“Brax?”

Reluctantly, I pull my gaze from my angel. “Yeah, I’ll deal with Garson. But I need you to get the girl in the lavender dress up to my suite after the fight. Front row, you can’t miss her.”

Rocco’s brows shoot up towards where his hairline would be if he hadn’t shaved it all off a few years ago after losing a bet. “You sure?”

Enemies are unavoidable in this business, and getting close to anyone means putting them in danger. Big time. In my line of work, loving someone, caring about them, means just another way for someone to get to me. To use what I love against me.

But with this girl…I won’t be satisfied until I make her mine.

My eyes land on the angel again and she quickly looks away, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and I realize all my restraint has vanished. “I’m more than sure. Go get my girl.”