I Dare You (The Hook Up #1)(36)

Standing in my corner as we wait, Ryker grimaces. “This place reeks of cigarette smoke. God, I hate casinos.”

I force a laugh, shaking off my nerves as I do a few air punches and bounce around on my feet. “Isn’t this the first time you’ve been to one?”

He shrugs. “Still don’t like them. This place is trouble.”

Hell yeah it is, yet here we are.

I look around the room, taking in the high-dollar crowd sporting tailored suits and tailored gowns. Just to get in the door, the crowd had to get Leslie’s personal approval as well as put up several grand. The kicker is I have to win to get the fifty grand I negotiated.

My stomach feels like it’s filled with lead, and I’m doing my damnedest to keep my eyes averted from the stares of the women and men who have their eyes on me as they sip from champagne flutes.

“Don’t look at them,” Ryker says firmly. His mouth is a thin straight line, and his face is harder than I’ve ever seen it. He hates that I’ve made this decision and he doesn’t approve, but he’s the kind of friend who’s not going to leave my side.

“I just want it over with.”

He swivels his head as the competition stalks into the ballroom from a side door. It’s a showoff of an entrance by a monster of a man. He’s around my age, flanked by two girls in low-cut dresses. He stops in the middle of the aisle, letting the spotlight dance over his broad chest as he puffs up and does a strut up to the ring.

He’s massive, at least a couple of inches taller than me, which puts him around six-six. Swirls of brightly colored tattoos cover nearly every inch of his thickly muscled skin. Appearing to be of Polynesian descent with a wide chiseled face and a braid of long hair, he smirks at the crowd, shaking hands with some of the attendees.

I hear a sharp inhalation from Ryker. “Is that Kai Willis, the linebacker from Ole Miss? Goddamn, he’s huge.”

I exhale, the lead in my stomach getting heavier. “Shit.” Ole Miss is our biggest rival in the SEC and “Killer” Kai is their star linebacker, so it makes sense that Leslie would want us to fight.

Ryker shakes his head and whistles as his gaze sweeps over the crowd. “What a bunch of sick bastards.”

I nod. “People get off on this. They like seeing blood.”

That hard look settles back on his face as he focuses on me. “Yeah, but you’re jeopardizing everything.”

Maybe.

He grimaces. “And why are there no cell phones? Why did we have to get patted down before we entered the room?”

“Leslie’s protecting his fighters. He assured me this won’t get out to the press.”

He exhales. “The entire state of Mississippi will tear him apart piece by piece if he screws with their hometown Magnolia boy.”

A muscle flexes in my jaw. Yeah, I’m a hometown boy with nothing but the clothes on my back.

Kai’s face is impassive as he studies me from across the ring. Big, mean, and full of vitriol, he’s one of the most formidable offensive players in the country. He stalks over to us, his eyes low as they take in every facet of my physique.

He stops in front of me and just stands there, a curl to his lip. “Never seen you without all the padding,” he tells me, a sly tone to his voice. “Not impressed.”

I shrug. “Impressive is when I kick your ass back to Oxford.”

He tosses his head back and lets loose with a booming laugh before quickly sobering and leveling me with a cold stare. “You’re going back to Waylon in a body bag. I’ve been doing this a long time, and you’re the perfect little pretty boy for me to toss around today.” He flexes his arms, bending his elbows and flexing his muscles in a strong man-style showoff as he does a little pirouette in front of me. “You can’t beat this, pretty boy. I’m gonna kill you.” There’s a wild glint to his eyes, and part of me believes he wants to.

I force a shrug, playing it cool. He’s trying to rile me up, and I can’t let him. “We beat you on the field this year, Kai, and I’m going to beat you in that ring.” I tap my head. “See, you may have those big steroid muscles going on, but I’m smarter.”

He sneers at me as he gets up in my face. Someone from the crowd gasps as we catch the attention of the betters.

I arch a brow, not flinching. “Scary. Now fuck off and wait for the bell to ring.”

He barks out that bellowing laugh, flips around, and stomps away.

I study him, trying to figure out what his strengths and weaknesses are. He has me on size, but that could be an advantage if I’m faster.

I stretch out and begin my routine of small punches. I flick my eyes over to Ryker, who has a deep scowl on his face. “I got this, Mama Ryker. Just be here when I’m done.”

He lets out a long exhalation as he studies me, his hand sliding over his jaw. “Always, man. I’m not going anywhere until this shit is done.”





Kai is killing me.

I take a punch straight to the jaw and it sends me reeling. I hit the ground on my ass and blink up at the chandelier, the bright lights competing with the birds that are flying around my head.

Get up, I hear Ryker say.

I look over at him with one eye because the other is completely shut from a hit I took in the last round. Blood runs down and clouds my vision as I swipe at it.