Page 149 of Embriagado

“Where I was is none of your business.”

His stare hardened. “Always keeping secrets, aren’t you?”

His shift in mood clearly indicated something had happened, which led me to wonder⁠—

“Did you lose the fight? Is that why you’re here, sulking like a big baby?”

Fury crossed his face, and it looked like he was about to snap at me, when instead, he bit his lip and slumped back in the chair.

“I won,” he said, eyes not meeting mine.

“So shouldn’t you celebrate?”

Keeping quiet, his mouth was set in a tight grimace. Having had enough of this act, I walked over to him.

“I sense something is weighing on your conscience, Mr. Rivas.”

Still refusing to meet my stare, he let out a fake laugh. His attitude danced on my nerves, and so I pushed his legs off my desk. His shoes hit the floor, yet before he could protest, I grabbed the chair’s armrests and leaned forward.

“I’m about to lose my patience, so you better speak up.”

His bright eyes burned like blue flames as he glared back at me.

“You’re one to talk.”

Confused, my brows pulled inward. “What on earth are you talking about?”

He pushed back from the chair so our faces were an inch apart. “I’m talking about the hundreds of thousands of dollars you’re making ’cause of me,” he hissed.

My jaw ticked at his words at the same time my throat went dry. “Who did you talk to?”

His whole face twisted with rage.

“That’s what you care about?” He jumped to his feet, forcing me to take a few steps back so he wouldn’t headbutt me.

“Don’t forget your place.” I considered reaching for my gun when he spoke.

“My place?” He walked closer until he practically loomed over me. “Without me, you’d earn fucking nothing,” he growled, eyes fierce.

Not about to let him raise his voice at me like some beast, I jabbed my hand at his chest.

“It’s my money I’m betting on⁠—”

He snatched my hand, his fingers digging into my flesh. “And it’s my body on the line.”

Anger cinched my chest, and I clenched my jaw until it hurt. “This was the agreement since the beginning.” I seethed, feeling my pulse pounding in my ears. “An agreement you accepted.”

As if something snapped inside him, he grabbed my hand harder and pulled me closer. The heat radiating from his body irritated me just as much as the spicy scent of his cologne mixed with sweat.

“One hundred thousand dollars. That’s what he told me they paid you. You, who didn’t step foot in that cage.”

My eyes widened before a laugh escaped me.

“I see now, so you did talk to someone. Who was it, Sinclair? Or did the French bastard come to see you himself?” Wrath simmered beneath my skin, threatening to boil over at the thought of his betrayal. Or worse, the fear of losing my advantage.

“It doesn’t fucking matter,” he roared, and the madness in his eyes at that moment reminded me of what he was.

A beast.