Uppercut Princess (The Heights Crew #1)(51)

I lean over and give him a peck on the cheek. Earlier, I spied a speck of blood on his collar. Another piece of evidence that what transpired between the waiter and him when I left did not end well. “I’ve been meaning to ask you,” I start, taking a deep breath to gather the courage. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. If he says no, it’s a no. There’s nothing I’m going to be able to do about it. “I’d love to fight again.”

His brows pull up. “Yeah?”

I remember how he stood in Cherry’s corner and hope spreads through my chest. Training and fighting is a good way for the edges of my dark mind to brighten. It sounds sick, and it probably is, but that’s me.

“Brawler’s been saying people are asking for you to fight again.”

“Really?” I ask, like I haven’t already heard that part. The excitement is real though. Brawler said he was going to do it, and he did. It’s nice to have someone in my corner.

However, my good mood doesn’t last long. Johnny’s eyes darken over. “I don’t like the idea of you fighting. If you lose, not only will I be pissed off you got hurt, but it won’t look good for me…or for the Crew in general.”

My initial reaction is to get defensive, but I see his point. I’m getting more and more used to the way the Heights Crew sees things. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.

He watches me deflate and frowns. “I’ll see what I can do, Kyla.” He reaches up to run his knuckle over my cheek. “Just know if we do put you out there and you lose, there’s nothing I can do for you.” His gaze flickers, holding back a suppressed emotion. He’s saying that, but I wonder if he really means it.

Before I can delve deeper into that, Oscar stands in the corner of the room. He’s glaring down at his phone. “There’s a guy downstairs, Rocket. Says he wants to fight you.”

This makes me sit up straighter. Rocket doesn’t fight. The same rule applies to him that applies to me. If he fought and lost, there goes his reputation. On the other hand, no one would be stupid enough to challenge Rocket. Does this guy have a fucking death wish?

Johnny laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkle. When Oscar doesn’t immediately start laughing, the mirth dies on his lips. “Wait. Seriously?”

Oscar shrugs. Glancing down at the screen again, he reads off it. “Says you kicked his ass earlier, and he wants a chance to avenge himself. Also, if he wins, he wants a kiss from your girl.”

“The fuck…” Who the instigator is dawns on Johnny before it dawns on me. “Bring the fucker up.”

Oscar looks from me to Johnny, but eventually turns and pads down the stairs. He leaves the door open, so we can hear the crowd below, rooting for their favorite fighters. The sound sends goosebumps over my body. I wish I was down there with all of them instead of up here. There're no girls up here tonight, just Johnny, Magnum, and myself. Magnum is keeping himself scarce behind the bar, only glancing up when Oscar informed us about the intruder downstairs. Now that there’s someone making their way up the stairs, Magnum moves closer to us, standing guard.

Just as I suspected, Oscar shoves the waiter from the restaurant into the room. He catches himself easily on solid legs. Here, he looks older than I pegged him before. He’s even older than Johnny. His gaze moves around the room, first on Magnum, then on Oscar before stopping on me. His lips curl up in a flirtatious grin. “Hello again.”

Before I can answer, Magnum steps in front of me and Oscar cuffs him upside the head.

Johnny cracks his knuckles. “What’s this about you wanting a kiss from my girl?”

The waiter crosses his arms over his chest, slowly, deliberately. He’s really trying to antagonize my friends.

My friends? What am I saying?

“I figure if she saw how a woman should be treated, she might leave you. A woman like that doesn’t deserve to be ignored all night over dinner.”

I can’t see Johnny’s face, but his back bristles.

“Isn’t that right, pretty lady?” the waiter tries to ask me. A crop of hair comes into view, but Johnny immediately moves over to block me again. There’s now a wall of two muscled backs in front of me.

To be fair, they’re very nice backs.

“What makes you think she’d even want to kiss you?” Johnny asks. In his question, jealousy, anger, and uncertainty mix into one.

“Because she looked like she was dying of boredom, asshole.”

My eyes widen. I have no idea who this guy thinks he is. His voice is lilted in a slight accent, and I wonder if he’s truly from a different country, so he doesn’t understand who Johnny is. Maybe he saw just what he said he did. A man ignoring his date all night and wanted to step in. If that’s the case, what does he think he’s doing here? Whose place does he think this is? Maybe he is just dumb.

“Kyla, come here, Beautiful,” Johnny says, summoning me.

I move to stand, kicking my discarded heels out of the way. Magnum moves over to allow me space to walk in beside him. Johnny turns toward me, and I do the same, staring into his dark eyes. They’re brimming with heat and hate tonight, and I’m not sure which emotion is going to win.

He cups my face. “Do you want to kiss the degenerate?”

I shake my head. “Of course not.”

The newcomer growls. “You would allow him to treat you like that?”