Without waiting for my response, he moved around me and pushed me forward with his hands on my shoulders. He was close behind me as we headed over to Hayden and the other guys. I was well aware of how right he was, so I had to do better than this.
The refuse crunched as I stepped on it. My eyes went to the faces around me that wore nothing but menacing intensity. I was done for if I made even one wrong move. I scooted closer to Masen, but I walked with my head held high, putting on a brave front.
I stopped across from Hayden, drawing attention from the guys next to him, but he didn’t look at me. He talked to a guy whose scowl was enough to make me think twice about looking at him again. Blake and Masen engaged in conversation with Steven and two girls who packed more muscles than Mel and I together, and I felt out of place. Nobody said a word to me, acting like I was invisible.
I tried catching Hayden’s gaze, but he hadn’t looked at me even once, which twisted my insides with anxiety. More than ever, I felt like we were running out of time, and I felt like any gaze could be our last...
Keep it together. It’s going to be all right.
Masen and Blake suddenly shifted their attention over the heads of the crowd, and I followed their gazes to an older man approaching us. He was accompanied by Miller and the other two guys who checked up on Hayden at the hospital.
The whole group grew silent as they stared at the man. I had no clue why, because out of all people here, he looked the least dangerous and powerful. Moreover, he looked like everyone’s favorite grandpa.
He was in his late fifties or early sixties, with a black mustache and trimmed black hair that had only a few gray strands near his temples. He had an average height and body, and he was dressed like he was attending a formal dinner in a navy suit, polished shoes, and a tie, but it didn’t scream “power.” It screamed “out of place.” On top of that, his lips were curled in a smile that could be easily interpreted as friendly.
Nevertheless, all eyes were on him as if he owned the place and all these people, and I knew he was T.
“It’s good to see you, boy,” he said to Hayden with an accent, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. “For a moment there, I thought we’d need to have a serious talk.”
How could he induce such fear with his words when he looked and sounded so benign? Hayden didn’t even blink as he looked him in the eyes, showing no sign of insecurity.
“I understood what’s at stake the first time we talked,” Hayden replied coolly, and T’s gaze hardened with displeasure briefly.
“Good. That’s good.” He patted Hayden’s shoulder. “You know you’re one of my favorite fighters, so I’d be disappointed if you let me down tonight.”
“Don’t worry, T. You’ll get your money.”
T’s smile held no sincerity. “Good boy. I’m sure you’ll give the crowd a good show, as always.”
He glanced around at the people surrounding him, and my stomach turned over when our gazes met. I fisted my hands in my pockets, hoping he wouldn’t ask who I was or what I was doing here. Did he know I was Hayden’s girlfriend? After a long moment, he looked back at Hayden.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Are you sure about tonight? You want out?”
Determination was written all over Hayden’s face. “Yes.”
“You know the consequences, son. As much as I’d hate for that to happen, you know how this goes.”
I looked between Hayden, Masen, and Blake, trying to find the answer to his cryptic comment, but I found none. I grew more fidgety when I noticed how edgy they were. No one dared to say a word.
“I know,” Hayden replied.
T nodded. “All right then. Good luck.” He patted Hayden’s shoulder once more and turned to leave, sparing me a glance before he and his thugs blended in with the crowd.
“Are you sure about this?” Blake asked him.
Hayden’s eyes met mine for a second. He nodded to Blake and took off his jacket. “Yeah.”
My heart swelled, and I wanted nothing more than to hug him and take him out of here. The distance between us now seemed like miles.
“Okay, everyone! It’s showtime!” the announcer said from somewhere near the cage, and the crowd cleared to let Axel through.
He was dressed the same as Hayden—a black tank top and black sweatpants, despite the low temperature—looking completely unfazed. He had less muscle than Hayden, but he seemed agile. The people cheered and called his name repeatedly, but his face remained expressionless on his way to the cage. One of T’s guys searched his body for weapons and let him pass after the quick inspection.
“Good luck, bro. You can do it,” Masen told Hayden and slapped his back.
“Good luck,” the other guys said, to which Hayden only nodded, his expression serious.
Finally, his gaze landed on me and lingered, and something in his eyes burned slowly. I thought he was going to approach me and take me in his arms, but he did neither.
He leaned to Blake and muttered something into his ear I hardly discerned as: “Don’t let go of her if I win.”
What?
Before I could ask what he meant by that, he looked at me and mouthed, “I love you.”
“Hayden...,” I let out, pressing my nails into my palms. I was cold, and my heart rate wouldn’t go down. I mouthed the same words to him as I did my best to maintain the encouraging smile. My world crumbled when his face fell for a brief moment, revealing his fear and pain, and it ripped me. No.
He wasn’t supposed to fight. He wasn’t supposed to go through this and risk his life. I was so scared!
I made a step toward him without thinking, but he turned around and headed to the cage.
Masen shot his hand out to grab my arm. “Stay put,” he hissed into my ear.
I couldn’t utter a word as I watched Hayden walk to the cage, and each second brought more pain.
The guy who had frisked Axel did the same thing to Hayden and let him pass once he was done. The crowd became louder, and everyone gathered around the cage in rising anticipation. I spotted T through the fence on the other side of the cage. He never took his eyes off of Hayden and Axel, who moved to the center of the cage, staring each other down.
We got closer to the cage, and I was thankful for my height that allowed me to see over the heads and shoulders in front of me. There was something comforting about having Masen and Blake next to me, which was strange since they weren’t on my list of favorite people.
“Why so serious, Black?” Axel taunted him, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
“Fuck off,” Hayden bit back.
The announcer closed the door to the cage. “Okay. You know the rule. If you’re unresponsive for fifteen seconds, you’re out. All techniques are allowed, and you can hit anywhere,” he said loud enough for everyone to hear him. “Have fun!”
Have fun? Was he serious? He jumped off the steps that led to the cage and joined the crowd, announcing the beginning of the match.
Before I could even prepare myself for imminent violence, they pounced and swung their fists at each other’s faces. Axel dodged Hayden’s hook with ease, which couldn’t be said for Hayden, who swayed after Axel’s fist caught his jaw. The difference in their speed was evident from the start; Axel was much quicker and nimbler as they circled each other.