Love Tap(81)

“I love Debs, but she was hell-bent on getting Tate in that f*cking underground, son,” Thomas tries to explain, but I ain’t hearing it.

“Don’t f*cking call me that! If you didn’t open your f*cking mouth about The Underground to Debs, this never would have happened!”

His brows furrow as he stares at me with confused eyes.

“Camden, I never told Debs, she already knew about The Underground.”

“How?” Only people that know are those who are bidding, fighting, or coaching.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know, but she did.”

Not having time to dive into this I grab my keys, and text Kaley to find me a flight to Nashville and now. Pulling up the browser on my phone I Google every tire company outside of Nashville as I speed to the airport.

I have to find her and stop her before she enters that cage.





Chapter Twenty-Seven


Tate



My hands are taped up, and I feel so wound up that walking takes more thought than it should. I feel sick. I can’t tell if it’s from the fight or the betrayal of not telling Camden where I am weighing heavy on me.

I close my eyes, thinking of the money I’m going to win, how my Dad will keep the house and maybe I can get Journey some help, maybe she’ll even want to go to college. Opening my eyes I blow out a ragged breath.

I’m not going to die. I’m not going to die.

My walkout music plays, and I’m pushed on the lower back.

“Fucking win me some money!”

The metal door unlocks and the two men that showed us in await me.

Stepping out they start walking, and I follow. They lead me out of one cylinder tunnel to another. The dim lights passing one by one as I finally meet the end of the cove. The space opens up similar to one of an arena but I can’t see much. I see tinted privacy boxes at the very top, and I can see a crowd of people but I can’t make out faces from the smog and smoke circling the air like death gypsies waiting for me to inhale my last breath.

Slowly I keep walking and the visibility gets worse, the smell gets worse. Musty mold mixed with expensive perfume and cigar smoke choke me. The ground beneath my bare feet becoming dirty and slimy.

Finding the ring I notice a man wearing white jersey shorts and a black shirt. He’s large and looks bored as he opens the door to the octagon.

“Good luck,” he smiles, and pushes me in the back. What is the deal with everyone pushing me?

I stall, realizing he didn’t check me for illegal substances or weapons, and didn’t apply any Vaseline to my face.

I turn, ready to ask him about it, and he turns his back.

Oh this is going to be bad. So bad. Shaking my hands I try to ease my nerves, breathing slow breaths as I look around the octagon.

I notice blood stains that have turned orange, near brown, and my eyes widen as I rub at my forehead. Looking up I find this is not an ordinary octagon, this is a cage. There’s no escape.

Fuck what have I gotten myself into?

The crowd hollers as another song is played. Stepping up to the metal that makes the cage, my fingers lock in the holes and I try to look out to see who I am fighting. I wonder if she’s taller, or weighs more. I wonder if this is even a fair fight.

I hear the man who wished me good luck repeat the exact words and I turn, finding my opponent.

I see dark hair.

Strong shoulders.

It’s a guy.

My chest rises and falls quickly as he enters the cage. His head lowered he meets my gaze with haunted eyes.

It’s Chase.

I feel dizzy as it sets in who I’m being thrown in a cage with. Chase is going to destroy me.

“Oh, I’m going to enjoy this!” his voice grave.

The door to the cage is slammed shut. Then locked. I jump, and goosebumps rise along my arms.

I bounce on my feet trying to heighten my adrenaline rush, but fear is hindering its way through. I can do this. I can do this.

“Are you ready for a fight that will leave you at the edge of your seat?” The announcer speaks into the intercom, and the crowd goes crazy. “A fight that has never before seen between woman and man!” The crowd responds, and I roll my shoulders, accepting the challenge. I’ve always wanted to prove women belong in the ring just as much as men do. Here’s my chance. Right?

“Let’s give a big round of applause to Tate ‘HellCat’ Davis, and Chase ‘Sidewinder’ Hide!” Catcalls and applause ring out and before I can react Chase comes at me fists swinging.

I duck, and deliver a strike right to his chest. My heart beating so hard it drowns out the roaring crowd.

He grapples me and tries to take me down and I deliver a right cross hook right to his chin making him stumble back. My hit fast and quick.

My heart is racing causing me to lose my stamina quicker than it should so I jump back and circle him. There’s no rounds, so I don’t get a break. I have to slow my pace or I’ll be out of the fight.

“Aww, come on kitty kitty, I just want to play,” Chase taunts following me around the cage.

His eyes flash with a primitive energy, he’s truly enjoying this. He loves this sketchy bullshit. He wants to be here.

He strikes, but misses.

I jab and hit him in the nose, blood trickling from his nostril. He laughs as blood pools between his lips, staining his teeth as he grins wickedly at me.