Page 150 of The Obvious Check
“Since you’re here, I could use some help in the rooms.”
My body moves before my brain even registers it, stepping in front of her like instinct. I plant myself between them, shielding her from his gaze like I’m made of stone and bad intentions.
My jaw locks, tight enough to crack bone, teeth grinding as rage hums low in my chest.
“She’s not here for you,” I bite out, voice sharp enough to cut. “She’s here forme.”
“Yeah, yeah, keep playing hero. Say whatever you want.” He leans in just enough for the malice to land. “I’m just counting down the seconds until she finds out who you’re really up against.”
Who I’m up against?
What the fuck has Luke done?
I lean over to Dash. “Watch Savannah for me.” He nods, and then I look at my wife. “I’ve got this,” I tell her, my voice low and certain. “I’ll be fine. I’ve done it before.”
Her eyes flick between me and Luke, the distrust written all over her face. But she nods, barely, and lets me go.
Dash grips my arm just before I step forward into the ring.
“You don’t have to do this, you know?” It’s his final attempt to talk me out of it as if I’m going to have a sudden change of heart. I’ve thought it through and if I can’t get the USB, at least I can free Savannah.
“I won’t be long, brother. Just a few rounds and we’ll be out of here.”
I strip off my hoodie first, then my sweatpants, revealing the black fighting shorts underneath. The cool air hits my skin, and I feel the familiar pre-fight energy coursing through my veins. Every muscle in my body is coiled and ready, months of hockey training having kept me in peak condition even if I've been away from this particular kind of violence.
Savannah's eyes track over me, and I catch the way her breath hitches slightly. Even in the middle of this nightmare, even when she's terrified for my life, there's heat in her gaze that makes me want to take her out of here and claim her.
Luke notices too, the bastard. His smirk widens like he's enjoying the show.
Time to find out what Luke's got waiting for me.
Without another word to either of them, I step into the ring and my stomach immediately drops to my fucking feet.
“Well, shit,” I mutter when I see my opponent.
The audience erupts when we're both standing on opposite ends of the ring, sizing each other up. This is the biggest motherfucker I've ever seen in my life. He's got to be at least seven feet tall, built like a goddamn skyscraper, and his fists lookthe size of my head. Suddenly, this isn't looking as manageable as I thought.
The second he removes his hood, Savannah gasps so loudly I can hear it over the deafening noise.
“Jeremy,” she calls out his name, her voice shaky and disbelieving.
His head snaps toward her instantly, eyes locking onto hers, and I see something shift in his expression. His brows furrow, then soften with unmistakable recognition. He knows her.
“Fuck,” he mutters, loud enough for me to hear. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
I flick my gaze between the two of them, my mind racing to figure out the connection. She didn't talk to anyone else at the bar when we were here before. I'm sure of that. But there's something almost protective in the way he's looking at her.
“Do you know this guy?” I ask.
Savannah's still frozen, her wide eyes locked on Jeremy like she's seeing a ghost. It takes her a second to look at me, like her brain is scrambling to catch up with reality. “It's Jeremy,” she finally says, disbelief coating every word. “He was in my group home. I knew he fought, but I thought he was still in jail.”
Ice shoots through my veins.
This guy's built like a brick wall and the size of one too, and he's been injail? Luke doesn't just want to beat me, he wants to fucking annihilate me. He's watching from the sidelines, grinning like he's won the lottery, but what he doesn't realize is that he might've just handed me exactly what I need.
Dash shifts beside Savannah, looking uneasy, and when Jeremy finally tears his attention away from my wife, his expression darkens. But not with the aggression I'd expect. It's hesitation. Conflict.
Oh, yeah. I've found him.
