Page 87 of Embriagado

“Why do you need me to fight to begin with?”

“My reasoning is none of your business.” My lips twitched as I found myself getting irritated by his audacity to ask questions.

“I think I have the right to know if I’m going to risk my life for you.”

“Your life?” I turned to face him, disgust carrying through my voice. “I own your life.”

His expression hardened, jaw going tight and brows creasing. And in those fleeting seconds, I couldn’t pretend not to enjoy his eyes. Eyes the color of a blue moon, filled with hate I longed to control and hope I wished to obliterate. Whenever something powerful crossed my path, I felt an overwhelming urge to destroy it, to watch it fall and crumble beneath my feet. And he, as stupid as he might be, was raw power. Whether it was his annoying persistence or ignorant stubbornness that infuriated me to the point I felt sick, he was strong. Strong enough to be of use.

“You asked me why I didn’t kill you, didn’t you? Well, I planned on doing it. In fact, I almost did when you managed to beat up those fools I paid to do it.”

His head jerked back, eyes narrowing. “The carjacking. It was you?”

Bored, I stared at my nails. “Not my best plan, I’ll admit. But watching you beat those guys to a pulp made me see your true potential and spare you from a fate similar to your friends.”

“They were never my friends,” he hissed.

“I don’t care.” I looked up, unfazed by his clear annoyance. “What I care about is you paying back what you owe me.”

Holding my stare, he kept his head high, not backing down.

“Five fights?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m free?”

“Free as a bird to ruin the rest of your life as you please.”

“Fuck you.”

“Not in a hundred lifetimes.”

A vein popped on the side of his neck, and he stepped closer. “You son of a⁠—”

“Watch your mouth.”

He tsked, then took a deep breath.

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

I smiled until he opened his mouth again.

“On one condition.”

“You think you’re in a position to demand things?”

“Just hear me out.”

I rolled my eyes. “Go ahead.”

“If I fight for you, I want you to promise to delete those videos of me. The ones where I take drugs and get drunk.”

Is that seriously what this fool wants? Was he aware that just participating in a fight here was a worse crime than those he’d already committed?

“Fine.”

His face lit up. “Seriously?”