Walking Disaster

raised an eyebrow. “But if I win, you have to stay with me for a
month.”
    “
What
? I’m staying with you, anyway! What kind of bet is that?” she shrieked over the noise. She didn’t know. No one had told her.
    “They fixed the boilers at Morgan today,” I said with a smile and a wink.
    One side of her mouth turned up. It didn’t faze her. “Anything is worth watching you try abstinence for a change.”
    Her reply sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins that I’d only ever felt during a fight. I kissed her cheek, letting my lips linger against her skin for just a moment longer before
walking out into the room. I felt like a king. No way was this fucker going to touch me.
    Just as I had anticipated, there was standing room only, and the shoving and shouting amplified once we entered the room. I nodded to Adam in Abby’s direction, to signal for him to watch
out for her. He immediately understood. Adam was a greedy bastard, but he was once the undefeated monster in the Circle. I had nothing to worry about as long as he watched over her. He would do it
so I wouldn’t be distracted. Adam would do anything as long as it meant making a shit ton of money.
    A path cleared as I walked to the Circle, and then the human gate closed behind me. Brady stood toe to toe with me, breathing hard and shaking like he’d just shot up with Red Bull and
Mountain Dew.
    Usually I didn’t take this shit seriously and made a game of psyching my opponents out, but tonight’s fight was important, so I put on my game face.
    Adam sounded the horn. I balanced my core, took a few steps back, and waited for Brady to make his first mistake. I dodged his first swing, and then another. Adam popped something off from the
back. He was unhappy, but I had anticipated that. Adam liked for fights to entertain. It was the best way to get more heads in the basements. More people meant more money.
    I bent my elbow and sent my fist flying into Brady’s nose, hard and fast. On a normal fight night, I would hold back, but I wanted to get this over with and spend the rest of the night
celebrating with Abby.
    I hit Hoffman over and over, and then dodged a few more from him, careful not to get so excited that I would let him hit me and fuck everything up. Brady got a second wind, and came back at me
again, but it didn’t take long for him to wear himself out throwing punches he couldn’t land. I’d dodged punches from Trenton way faster than this bitch could throw.
    My patience had run out, and I lured Hoffman to the cement pillar in the center of the room. I stood in front of it, hesitating just long enough for my opponent to think he had a window to nail
my face with a devastating blow. I sidestepped as he put everything into his last throw, and slammed his fist straight into the pillar. Surprise registered in Hoffman’s eyes just before he
doubled over.
    That was my cue. I immediately attacked. A loud thud signaled that Hoffman had finally hit the ground, and after a short silence, the room erupted. Adam threw a red flag on Hoffman’s face,
and then I was surrounded by people.
    Most of the time I enjoyed the attention and hell yeahs of those that bet on me, but this time they were just in the way. I tried looking over the sea of people to find Abby, but when I finally
got a glimpse of where she was supposed to be, my stomach sank. She was gone.
    Smiles turned to shock when I shoved people out of my way. “Get! The fuck! Back!” I yelled, pushing harder as panic came over me.
    I finally reached the lantern room, desperately searching for Abby in the darkness. “Pigeon!”
    “I’m here!” Her body crashed into mine, and I flung my arms around her. One second I was relieved, the next I was irritated.
    “You scared the shit out of me! I almost had to start another fight just to get to you! I finally get here and you’re gone!”
    “I’m glad you’re back. I wasn’t looking forward to trying to find my way in the dark.”
    Her sweet smile made me forget everything else, and I remembered that she was mine. At least for another month. “I believe you lost the bet.”
    Adam stomped in, looked at Abby, and then glowered at me. “We need to talk.”
    I winked at Abby. “Stay put. I’ll be right back.” I followed Adam into the next room. “I know what you’re gonna say . . .”
    “No you don’t,” Adam growled. “I don’t know what you’re doin’ with her, but
don’t
fuck with my money.”
    I laughed once.