Love Tap(62)

“You don’t have to do this,” I state softly, my hands out to caution him.

“The f*ck if I don’t. I need that money, I need that contract, I won’t make it in the UFC any other way.”

He takes a stab at me, the serrated knife grabbing my shoulder and slicing it open. Roaring with pain, I sidestep him. The crowd is ecstatic, eating up every bit of my pain.

Thomas never showed me how to dismantle a knife from someone in a ring, but if I’m going to get out of this alive. I’ll have to figure it out.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Please just set the knife down Bret!” With every rush of pain pulsing through my body, my patience is wearing thin.

“Oh but I do, you’re going to die here tonight, and then I’m going to be rich.” He pushes the words through clenched teeth. Turning around I get behind him and grab him by the head, throwing him on his back.

Straddling him for control he jabs the knife into my thigh, the searing pain aching down to the bone. Reaching for the knife, he jerks it out and goes for my throat.

Before I can think of my next move, I grab him by the head and twist till I hear a crack.

His body goes limp, the knife dropping to the floor along with his hand. My chest heaves as I look upon his lifeless body, my hand turns palm up and trembling. How did I do that? It was so easy, like a second nature. Instinct even.

“We got a tap out!” The announcer affirms the win, declaring Bret’s lifeless hand hitting the mat a tap out.

I just killed him.

I just killed someone.





Chapter Twenty-One


Tate



“Oh my god Tate, you can’t wear that.” Chloe’s eyes bug out of her head as she looks me up and down. I’m wearing jeans and a black racer back tank top. I mean it’s not a dress, but it’s not what I wear to clean the house either. She’s such a diva sometimes. I have no idea how we click like we do, we’re so different.

“Where did he say he was taking you again?”

Huffing I strip down to my bra and panties. Frustrated with what to wear.

“He didn’t say. Which is more torture than surprising because now I’m stuck with do I dress up or not.”

“Hmmm.” Chloe ruffles through my bags of clothes, tossing exercise clothes left and right as if they’re trash themselves. “Just as I thought, you’re going to need my wardrobe.” She stands up, holding the bag I had my clothes in. She went through all my clothes and none of them are to her liking. I owned two dresses that Chloe would have probably approved of, and they sit in the closet in my dorm room with tags on them.

“I’m not wearing your clothes. A date is nerve wracking enough, why add to the stress of a constricting dress that squeezes the life out of you,” I explain further.

“That’s the fun in it,” she laughs.

I shake my head. “I must have missed the class where they teach girls to dress like clowns and call it fun. Besides, it’s just me and Camden, we don’t have to impress anyone.” I tell Chloe a lot of things, but I don’t tell her about what goes on between Camden and I. She wouldn’t understand our need for rough sex. Camden and I are a different kind of breed, we seek pleasure through pain. We don’t perceive pain like others.

“Here, wear this.” Chloe tosses a slouchy red shirt and a black skirt at me. Holding them up I inspect them further.

“Maybe to the shirt, hell no to she skirt.” I toss the black tube top she calls a skirt back at her.

“Oh my god, you’re going to be the lady that wears yoga pants on your wedding day, aren’t you?” She purses her lips, one hand on her hip.

“Maybe,” I laugh.

“Try the damn skirt on, it’s really soft material.” She tosses the black skirt back at me.

“It’s not me,” I protest.

“I know you don’t know how to wear things like this so let me teach you.” Ripping it from my hands she holds the waist of the skirt open. Normally I’d get mad at someone talking to me like that, but she might be on to something. I really don’t know anything about dressing up. “You put both feet in at once, and pull it to your waste.” Sarcasm thick in her voice she holds the skirt open, waiting for me to step in as if she’s dressing a child.

“Give me that.” I tug it from her grip, and glare at her. She’s right, the material is soft. Maybe it will be comfortable.

Placing both my feet in I pull it up. It fits snugly along my waist, but holy hell the side of it cuts up past the knee. I gulp, unsure if I have the legs for this. I’ve been gaining a lot of muscle lately.

Grabbing the shirt, I put it on and turn to look in the mirror. This is not me. I look tense. I look insecure, and that can’t be sexy.

“You look hot!” Chloe slaps at my ass.

“I don’t know,” I reply softly.

“Trust me, you look great.” Chloe bounces on my bed in excitement.

The doorbell rings and we both freeze, my heart skipping a beat.

Chloe runs to the window, peeking through the blinds. This feels like my first date with Camden all over again.

“He’s here!” she whispers loudly.

“Dad is sleeping, and Journey isn’t here. Will you go let him in?”

Nodding she races out of the room.