eavesdropping on
tonight’s event.
“So, you told your dad I asked you to
dinner?” Seth asked, breaking the silence between us.
“Well, technically you did. Just not for
tonight. But he doesn’t need to know that.”
“If you survive, I will totally take you to
dinner.” He didn’t sound like he was joking.
“Sounds great,” I replied, meaning it. I was
starving.
“Don’t do this,” he blurted out suddenly,
staring at me. To be honest, he looked a bit washed out, like he
might be sick. “I don’t have a good feeling about this. I’m afraid
you’ve underestimated just how good Jett really is. And Jett
. . . well, he’s just different. He’s . . .
strong . . . with abilities and . . .
stuff.”
I laughed. “Seriously, Seth. There’s no
reason to be worried. I know what I’m doing. You’re going to have
to trust that I can take care of myself.”
“I want to. I’ve just seen what he can do to
grown men. He’s not a guy to trifle with.”
“Which is exactly why I need to do this. I
can’t let him brand me as something I’m not. There’s no coward
here, and I won’t back down. He wants me to prove something, so I’m
going to, even if it’s at his expense. He’s the one who challenged.
So he deserves whatever he gets.”
“You really believe you can beat him, don’t
you?” Seth stared at me skeptically.
“I do.”
He sighed heavily. “Well, do you think you
could possibly do it without getting any bruises?”
“Huh?” I was totally confused.
“Your dad said to bring you home in the same
condition I found you. I’m pretty certain I don’t want to be doing
anything that might incur his wrath—you know, like taking his
daughter to fight in a cage match.”
Laughing, I stared out the window. “Relax,
Seth. It’s going to be fine. Besides, if something bad happens,
which it won’t, I’ll be sure to make you sound completely
blameless.”
“Still don’t like it.”
“I know; and I appreciate you coming to get
me—even if you do think I’m going to lose.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate that, too.”
“Are you going to be able to fight in those
clothes?” Seth asked, gesturing to my t-shirt and jeans.
“I have a tank top and leggings on
underneath.” Glancing at him, I watched as he nodded; but I could
tell he still wasn’t happy. He was latching onto any reason he
could think of to convince me not to do this. And while I
appreciated his concern, I wondered why it was so difficult for him
to believe I was capable of doing this. I also wondered if he was
ever planning on telling me he was a warlock.
That thought, however, disappeared and the
first butterflies popped into my stomach as soon as I saw the words
“The Ring” painted on the side of a square brick building. It
wasn’t the building that made me nervous, but the dozens and dozens
of cars parked everywhere.
“Word spreads fast around here, I see,” I
commented dryly as he slid into a narrow parking space.
“You have no idea.” Turning off the car, he
stared at the building. “Looks like Jett is already here.” He
gestured over to a very sporty white Dodge Charger SRT8, with black
racing stripes up the middle and equally black tinted windows,
sitting next to the curb.
My attention drifted away from the vehicle
to watch several more groups of teens entering the building. “I
guess we should go get this over with. I’m ready to eat that dinner
you promised me. I didn’t eat at home since I was supposed to be
going out with you. So let’s hurry and kick Jett’s ass and get some
food, shall we?”
A wry laugh escaped him. “I don’t know
whether to cheer you on or cart you off to the asylum.”
“I’ll take the cheering,” I replied,
reaching for the door handle.
“I’ve never met anyone like you.”
I smiled. “That’s because I’m one of a
kind.” Before he could say anything else, I jumped out of the car
and made my way into the
tonight’s event.
“So, you told your dad I asked you to
dinner?” Seth asked, breaking the silence between us.
“Well, technically you did. Just not for
tonight. But he doesn’t need to know that.”
“If you survive, I will totally take you to
dinner.” He didn’t sound like he was joking.
“Sounds great,” I replied, meaning it. I was
starving.
“Don’t do this,” he blurted out suddenly,
staring at me. To be honest, he looked a bit washed out, like he
might be sick. “I don’t have a good feeling about this. I’m afraid
you’ve underestimated just how good Jett really is. And Jett
. . . well, he’s just different. He’s . . .
strong . . . with abilities and . . .
stuff.”
I laughed. “Seriously, Seth. There’s no
reason to be worried. I know what I’m doing. You’re going to have
to trust that I can take care of myself.”
“I want to. I’ve just seen what he can do to
grown men. He’s not a guy to trifle with.”
“Which is exactly why I need to do this. I
can’t let him brand me as something I’m not. There’s no coward
here, and I won’t back down. He wants me to prove something, so I’m
going to, even if it’s at his expense. He’s the one who challenged.
So he deserves whatever he gets.”
“You really believe you can beat him, don’t
you?” Seth stared at me skeptically.
“I do.”
He sighed heavily. “Well, do you think you
could possibly do it without getting any bruises?”
“Huh?” I was totally confused.
“Your dad said to bring you home in the same
condition I found you. I’m pretty certain I don’t want to be doing
anything that might incur his wrath—you know, like taking his
daughter to fight in a cage match.”
Laughing, I stared out the window. “Relax,
Seth. It’s going to be fine. Besides, if something bad happens,
which it won’t, I’ll be sure to make you sound completely
blameless.”
“Still don’t like it.”
“I know; and I appreciate you coming to get
me—even if you do think I’m going to lose.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate that, too.”
“Are you going to be able to fight in those
clothes?” Seth asked, gesturing to my t-shirt and jeans.
“I have a tank top and leggings on
underneath.” Glancing at him, I watched as he nodded; but I could
tell he still wasn’t happy. He was latching onto any reason he
could think of to convince me not to do this. And while I
appreciated his concern, I wondered why it was so difficult for him
to believe I was capable of doing this. I also wondered if he was
ever planning on telling me he was a warlock.
That thought, however, disappeared and the
first butterflies popped into my stomach as soon as I saw the words
“The Ring” painted on the side of a square brick building. It
wasn’t the building that made me nervous, but the dozens and dozens
of cars parked everywhere.
“Word spreads fast around here, I see,” I
commented dryly as he slid into a narrow parking space.
“You have no idea.” Turning off the car, he
stared at the building. “Looks like Jett is already here.” He
gestured over to a very sporty white Dodge Charger SRT8, with black
racing stripes up the middle and equally black tinted windows,
sitting next to the curb.
My attention drifted away from the vehicle
to watch several more groups of teens entering the building. “I
guess we should go get this over with. I’m ready to eat that dinner
you promised me. I didn’t eat at home since I was supposed to be
going out with you. So let’s hurry and kick Jett’s ass and get some
food, shall we?”
A wry laugh escaped him. “I don’t know
whether to cheer you on or cart you off to the asylum.”
“I’ll take the cheering,” I replied,
reaching for the door handle.
“I’ve never met anyone like you.”
I smiled. “That’s because I’m one of a
kind.” Before he could say anything else, I jumped out of the car
and made my way into the
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