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“What was the bet, Carlos?”

“This wasn’t about tapping out or being knocked out This was a fight to the death, Drago Belle was never supposed to leave the ring”

Which o had just fucked up someone else’s plans, and now he needed to find out as in charge and why they were going after Belle

“Good work, Carlos Don’t do anything to get caught”

He hung up the cell phone and sat back This went even higher than the ring Fights to the death were always bloody and expensive They required cops on the payroll to look the other way So anted Belle dead badly enough and why her?

Chapter Four

Belle stretched out her legs, the s her skin The pillow had the faint scent of richposition, her heart suddenly racing

Where am I?

Everything cao Bright light peeked between the slats of the blinds She ood twelve hours, but she’d needed the rest More for her h outer skin was fir how pathetic she’d acted last night She’d actually cried in front of Drago, and she’d never live it down

She had been raised never to show her weaknesses, so it was huuard down Belle slipped off the bed, all her aches and pains re she’d taken At least she was alive and on the mend

The rooles A e was fra a mirror above the dresser Belled touched her face The colors were coreen She looked like a da herself One of her eyes was still horribly swollen, but her lips were a bit better

She examined her knuckles, clean but scabbed over Her entire body was a canvas for punishment Old scars littered her body, so she wasn’t worried about a few more imperfections

Belle sat on the edge of the bed, reht her baby’s father had used her, ht churned her stoht, of course—men never wanted her The truth hurt, but it was a fact Men were intiht her personality was abrasive There were countless thin, beautiful ring rats at the matches, so her natural curves were a turn-off forfor the first prick to show her attention

She bla home at twenty-one, she’d been on her own in every way No one supported her decision to leave the ring Her parents disowned her It seemed too perfect when Mikey showed up out of nowhere, ready tohad been an act She’d been ry than brokenhearted when he walked away The fact he left her knocked up, had given her a purpose, helping her to keepforward

There was a knock on the bedroohts She turned around as Drago peered inside “You’re up,” he said

She nodded, determined not to be a bitch today