“Sounds like my night just got a whole lot more interesting.”
“Yeah, and he says he has a treat for you too.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep, so don’t let those go to waste.”
“Thanks, I won’t.” I held them up as I walked back toward my men.
Vinni looked over my shoulder as I opened the door. “Who was that?”
“Eli. Change of plans. Tell the pilot we’re spending the night here.”
“Wait,” Vinni’s eyes went wide, “we are having a night off in Vegas?”
I couldn’t help but grin at my excited cousins when we arrived at the hotel, and they piled on the elevator.
This should be fun.
* * *
“Hey.” Vinni looked out the window as we arrived at the back door to one of Vegas’s biggest strip joints.Dirty Deedswas written in small neon lights above the door. “Have I ever been here before?”
“Nope, it’s new.” Niccola opened the door after Gain, one of our soldiers, scouted the area and had deemed it safe for us to get out.
“You smell that?” Vinni breathed in deeply as he ran a hand through his hair. “Sex, top shelf booze, and a promise of a great time.”
The bouncer, who looked like my trainer’s very bored brother, took the tickets and immediately snapped his fingers when he saw that I was on the top of the list to get in this evening.
“Welcome, sir. Your seats are up at the front, and he’s waiting for you.”
“He who?” Vinni asked as he followed me.
I ignored him. We stepped through some curtains, down a hallway, and into an elevator. Before we even started our descent, the roar of the crowd found its way to us.
I closed my eyes and breathed in the old familiar rush these underground fights always brought me. The smell of the cold cement, the taste of cheap beer, and sound of the crowd growing more and more excited as the time ticked down to start the first fight.
I reached up and brushed my hand along the skinny pipes that ran the lighting throughout the arena, something I used to do on my way to the ring. I used to imagine I was pulling the energy from it, fueling my warmed muscles with its power. It made my head wild.
We followed the usher out through the crowd to where I spotted my friend and his entourage.
“Fuck,” Vinni cursed behind me, and I laughed out loud as he took in Trigger and some of his MC members. They made for a pretty scary sight with all their tattoos and leather.
“Glad you made it.” Trigger stood and offered me a handshake. It was something I admired about him. I knew he hated to be touched and knew the reasoning behind it, so the fact that he’d made an effort to show that kind of respect to me said it all. I gripped his hand firmly and grinned.
“I think he senses my fear,” Vinni whispered to Niccola, who muttered a curse to shut up.
“You’re lucky my men didn’t take Eli out with the way he brought me the tickets.”
“You know he likes to play chicken.” He snickered.
“Indeed.” I laughed, and we took our seats front row and center. “This brings back some memories.”
“Good and bad, I bet.” Trigger chuckled. “And of course you remember Brick.” When I nodded, he continued. “Well, my wife, Tess, bought the strip joint for Brick’s girl Minnie, and it was her idea to use the bunker below it as a fighting ring. Brings in good money and gives us control of who fights where in Vegas.”
“Smart.”
“Mm,” he grunted, “took some blood to make it happen, but in the end, it was worth it.”