Chapter 12
COSETTE
Every time we would gather around the dining table, I couldn’t stop thinking about what we had done on it the night before. In the heat of the moment, it felt hot and sexy to do those things, but now, I couldn’t help but feel like we had desecrated the dining table or something.
It was only natural that I would immediately look inward and consider the reasons behind the way I was feeling. Considering my upbringing, it seems to originate from my father’s Catholic faith, and in our household, the place where you eat is sacred.
My dad is actually very lenient with me when it comes to these beliefs these days.
He accepted the fact that there was a point in my life that I didn’t want to attend mass with him anymore, when we used to do it every Sunday.
It’s not that I stopped believing, no. I was just getting irked about a certain priest at our church mixing his personal beliefs with what was supposed to be divine teaching.
Regardless of that, my father would still have brought me up in a manner that was deeply rooted in Catholicism.
Therefore, the dining table is the only place we eat together, without exception.
I’m also not supposed to text or watch anything—unlike this generation of iPad kids—on the table while eating because a meal with family is sacred.
I know I’ve been breaking a lot of the rules I grew up with, though, because he’s been absent for a while now. But last night? It was on a whole other level.
God, I’m sorry for doing sexual acts on a dining table.
And I’m sorry that I’m now kicking my boyfriend under the table because he keeps on giving me dirty glances to say he’s been thinking about what we did last night, too.
I looked towards Siege, wondering why he’s not helping his best friend at teasing me, and I saw him with his phone in hand, texting.
Maybe we didn’t have the same set of dinner table rules growing up.
“Everything okay?” I asked Siege as I popped a piece of the roast chicken that was our dinner for tonight by the amazing Clint.
“Yeah. Dex and I need to head out after dinner, is all,” he said, giving me a tight grin as he set his phone face down on the table. He then grabbed his utensils again, continuing his meal.
I was beginning to grow concerned about Siege whenever he would be quiet these days, wondering if it’s just the pressure from Exodus, or if my closeness with Dex—sometimes, Nero—is really bothering him more than I know.
“Can I ask where you’re going?” I hated that my voice was so soft, sounding so cautious. And Siege picked up on it, shaking his head.
“Of course, little vixen. You should know by now you can ask me anything.”
I suppose I was just making a mountain out of a molehill.
“Dex and I just need to make sure that even if we’re moving on our own without the organization’s complete support on our beck and call, we need to have some sort of help on our side. So, I’m… doing a favor for a family friend tonight just in case we’d need them.”
I nodded, getting that point. But why do I feel like he’s not telling me everything?
“And? What kind of favors are you doing tonight?”
“Just helping out at a business event,” Siege said, and he met Dex’s own questioning gaze. It makes me think this call in for a favor was still recent, that the two of them haven’t talked about it yet.
“The Mundays.” Siege answered Dex’s silent question, and in turn, the latter wordlessly acknowledged with a nod.
It was a bit unfair that the two can exchange few words and they already know what’s going to happen, but I have to ask the right questions to know the entire picture. But hey, as long as they’re willing to answer, I’m going to keep prodding.
“What kind of a business event?”
I saw the tiniest clenching of Siege’s jaw, and I already knew that I had hit the bullseye.
“A fighting ring,” he answered, feigning casualness as if he weren’t withholding that information.
“Uh-huh, are you going to fight?” I asked, crossing my arms.
Neither Dex nor Siege answered me, and I raised an eyebrow. “I’m going,” I said, voice firm, showing them it’s not a negotiation.
“Sweetie—“
“I’m. Going,” I repeated, taking turns between the two to pin their stares with my eyes.
“Me too,” Nero said from beside me, and I nodded.
I can’t fault him for being interested in going because the idea of a fighting ring was exciting to him. He is likely to be the sort of teenage boy who enjoys watching action movies.
I suppose I ought to put up a fight considering that this will be a whole new world for Nero, but what was I supposed to say?
You’re not used to this thing? It’s not safe?
Those are exactly the excuses that Dex and Siege can probably throw my way.
Nero can take care of himself. His physique will make him appear as if he fits right in. One might even say there’s safety in numbers, right?
“That’s what I want for my prize from the volleyball match earlier, then,” I said. My voice carried a tone that left no room for doubt or further discussion. “Nero and I are coming.”
Though I was faking my way through tonight, even looking the part in a black bodycon dress, and a matching black leather jacket, I was nervous.
Surely, they’re professional enough to make sure the police don’t come and raid them, right? Or if they’re family friends of the Azuls, then that must mean they’re a well-established name in this world and they probably have cops on their payrolls, too.
“Should I be worried that you know the way there without even checking your GPS?” I asked Dex from the back since he was driving us again, and he just gave me a quick glance through the rearview mirror.
It wasn’t a warning look, nor a soft one; rather, there was an emptiness in his eyes.
I kept quiet after that, having the feeling that he and Siege were trying to condition themselves to get into the right headspace. There’s a lot of dissociation happening whenever Dex and Siege shift from the new life they’re trying to have with me, to the life that they’ve grown accustomed to.
We continued to go forward on the gravelly path, and it was scaring me so much that I let out a breath of relief when I saw the lit-up barn ahead of us.
Upon reaching an opening in the woods, we found cars parked all over the place. Some were fancier than the others, and what was clear from the sheer number of vehicles in the area was that this was not a small gathering. It was a full-blown event.
“Why do you need to make an appearance tonight? It looks like they’re doing just fine on their own.” I asked Siege right away as we all started piling out of the car, the gravel crunching under our feet.
“One of the scheduled fighters couldn’t make it. They need someone willing to replace him.”
“Yeah? Is that why the supposed Azul heir is the one who’s going to fight?”
“It’s not like I do this a lot, little vixen. And it doesn’t have to be me, no one other than the Mundays know I’m the supposed heir. Any Azul would do. And Dex may be deadly, but he’s better with weapons and tech,” he said, reaching behind me to squeeze Dex’s shoulder. “No offense, brother.”
“None taken,” Dex said, his breath hitting my hair from how close he was.
I sighed deeply, not wanting to see my boyfriend get injured, but whenever we’re faced with something that has to do with the underworld, I just bite my tongue, hoping for the best and thinking that they’ll get out of this soon enough.
The four of us made our way to the barn, Dex and Siege flanking Nero and me, as if they were making sure our sides were covered since we’re the odd ones out.
I was just hoping that no one could tell that we’re not used to these crowds. It would be great if we as a group came out of this unharmed.
We reached two huge doors, and Dex knocked on them in a certain pattern, resulting in a slot on the door to slide open, revealing a pair of eyes on the other side.
“Azul. Four,” Dex said, and the slot closed again. The metallic clicks of the locks echoed as they were opened, and after a moment, the person on the other side finally pulled the door open.
A booming sound erupted from the gap, but the unassuming barn’s walls, with their remarkable soundproofing, swallowed the noise of cheers from within.
People were screaming profanities, all of their eyes and heads turned towards the big square platform in the center where two guys were going at it, throwing punch after punch, adding in some kicks and hooks for their opponent.
And did I mention it was bloody?
I took subtle deep breaths, trying not to panic as I could almost imagine Siege going in there and ending up with a broken nose like the redhead currently fighting for his life to get out of a headlock.
Blood was streaming down his nostrils, dripping to his chin, until it hit the mat underneath both of them.
I reached for Siege’s hand beside me, my fingers brushing against his as I looked up at him with a silent plea, hoping he would understand my fear for him.
Could I say no? Surely, I had the right as his girlfriend to tell him not to fight, right?
I watched the redhead finally pass out after he tried to break free from the chokehold, and that’s the only time that the other guy let go of him, an announcer going into the ring and declaring him as the winner.
Oddly, the winner smirked as his gaze landed on us, and our eyes met. I couldn’t tell if he really winked, or he was just getting the mixture of blood and sweat away from his eyes.
Yeah, screw this. I don’t care if I seem controlling. I’m not letting my boyfriend fight that lunatic.
“You can’t fight,” I whispered to Siege.
“She’s right. You’re not fighting that sick son of a bitch,” Nero said in a low rumble from my other side, and my taut shoulders dropped from his support.
Having been mostly quiet during the trip here, he decided to speak up at just the right time. I was happy that he joined us because I assumed he was thinking rationally, just like me, and didn’t want to see Siege get injured either.
His next words, however, tightened my chest, and I wondered if he’s gone absolutely batshit crazy.
“I’ll fight him.”