UNDYING: A Bad Boy MMA Romance (Midwest Alphas) (Book 3) by Tabatha Kiss Page A

reaches for his hand. “No one is going to force you to fight.” Her eyes flick at me. “Right?”
    I nod. “Either way, I’d like you involved with preparing our own to go up against them.”
    “I can do that,” he says.
    My eyes fall on Tobias. He stands by the window with his head down and ears up. This is the second time he’s heard my plan and I can already tell that it didn’t sound much better to him this time around. “Tobias?” I ask, getting his attention.
    He raises his eyes, cast in shadow beneath his black hair. His chest rises with a slow inhale and falls again just as softly. “It’s all we have,” he simply says.
    I stare at him, hoping that he’ll say something else, but nothing else falls from his lips. “That’s true. This is all we have, but it’s not nothing. We have good fighters.”
    “So do they,” Ryan says.
    “But ours are better. I really believe that.”
    “Well…” Amy winces. “I don’t exactly want to point this out, but Rick has already beaten Tobias once in the ring, remember?”
    I look to Tobias. “No, he didn’t.” He shifts on his feet. “Tobias lost the blood duel on purpose.”
    Her jaw drops. “You did what now—?”
    “I knew it…” Pike chuckles to himself.
    “Why?” Amy asks, her eyes narrow and cold.
    “That’s not important—” Tobias interjects. “It doesn’t matter what kind of fighter he used to be. It’s been six months. We don’t know what he’s been up to or what kind of training he’s done since then.”
    “And he’s just as in the dark about us,” I argue. “Pike, how much do you remember about Rick’s training? Did he have any weaknesses? Anything at all that stood out?”
    “Loads of ‘em,” he answers with rolling eyes. “Kid had the coordination skills of a drunk baby mule.”
    “Then let’s use that,” I say. “Vary our fighting patterns, take them by surprise, and win our state back.”
    Amy smiles. “I’m beginning to think you should be head Dame, Claire. You’ve certainly got the motivational speeches down.”
    I take a breath. “I’m sick of waiting around. I want to end this and I want to come home for good.” Tobias meets my gaze. He wants the same things I do, I can tell, but I know he wishes there were another way than this. Unfortunately, there isn’t. Not from where I’m sitting.
    “Let’s do it then,” Pike says. “No point in hesitating.”
    “Have you heard from Kimi or Lisa?” I ask him.
    He nods. “Spring break came early this year. They booked it down to Florida. I told ‘em to stay put until they got the all clear from me.”
    “Good,” I breathe.
    “And Veronica?” Amy asks.
    Pike shakes his head in silence.
    “Amy…” I say, looking at her with firm eyes. “Make the call.”
    Her face crinkles. “Do I have a choice?”
    “Set up a meeting,” Tobias says. “Somewhere public.”
    “Why not just negotiate over the phone?” she asks.
    “Because I want to look him in the eyes.”
     
    ***
     
    The St. Louis Galleria is crowded and loud, the noise increasing even more as we walk towards the food court. Tobias and Pike leads us through the steady stream of people, their eyes constantly wide open for any sign of threat among us, while Ryan follows behind. The crowd is mostly innocent, bundled up in winter coats with full shopping bags gripped in their fingers. I smile at them, but it quickly fades. I wish my biggest worry at the moment was what to get Tobias and Charlie for Christmas.
    I look at Amy, noting her pale, white cheeks and the thin layer of sweat covering his brow. “You all right?”
    “I’m fine.”
    “Yikes…” I say, reacting to her fierce tone.
    She sighs. “Sorry, I’m just a little nervous…”
    “Yeah, I can tell. I’ve never seen you like this before. I thought a leadership role would come easy to you.”
    “So did I!” Her wide eyes fall on mine as we walk by our reflections in the store windows. “But ever since you guys pointed out