Looking away from Beast, my heart gave that familiar painful squeeze whenever I thought of Jordan. I missed my best friend, but I couldn’t even look him in the eye after the night everything changed between us.
“Mia!” Lyla grasped my chin, turning my head so I was looking at Beast once again.
He had a broody scowl on his face, the devilish grin from only moments before long gone, and I felt myself shiver as he stood there watching me so intensely.
“Ten!” the ref shouted, and the place was suddenly deafening with everyone screaming and clapping their hands.
Walking over to Beast, the ref lifted his arm, announcing him the winner.
Those dark eyes went from me to Lyla. He mouthed something, and she nodded before tugging on my arm. “Come on,” she shouted in my ear. “He wants you to go to the locker room.”
Part of me kept saying I should just leave, but I really wanted to hear his voice for some stupid reason. Lyla guided me through the chaos of the crowd. This time, people didn’t get out of her way as easily in the excitement they were still feeling after the fight.
As if out of thin air, Howler appeared in front of us, moving people out of our way until we reached a side door. Opening it, he stepped back, motioning us through.
The noise level was considerably dimmer once the door shut behind him, and we walked down a narrow corridor until we reached another door. Against the wall on either side stood groupies, all of them wearing Beauty and the Beast-themed shirts of various kinds.
Howler pushed the door open and walked ahead of us this time. “Lyla’s here,” he announced.
My eyes moved around the locker room, but there was only one other person, and he was sitting on a bench with a beautiful German Shepard at his feet, rubbing her back. When his dark head lifted, I couldn’t help but grin at his familiar, handsome face.
“Hi, Braxton,” I greeted, moving toward him.
“Mia,” he said with surprise, getting to his feet. Meeting me halfway, he gave me a small hug. “I didn’t expect this to be your scene.”
I glanced at my roommate. “Me either. Lyla dragged me along.”
Shaking his head, he snorted. “Yeah, she’s bad about that.”
“Hey, I’m right here,” she grumbled but gave him a hug too, her eyes going back and forth between the two of us. “You’ve been getting around a lot, Mia. How do you know Braxton?”
“We survived English together today,” I told her. “It was a real battle of trying not to fall asleep.”
“A battle I would have lost too,” Braxton said with a wink. “But Mia saved me.”
The door behind us opened, and I heard several of the groupies outside crying Beast’s name. Turning, I watched as Beast walked right past them. I noticed the cut over his eye was patched up, but the blood was still streaking his face. His gaze zeroed in on me, and I found myself stumbling back a step.
Braxton caught me around the waist, righting me. “Easy,” he murmured close to my ear.
Beast’s eyes narrowed, turning predatory just as they had in the cage earlier. I gulped, unsure what to do as the space between us disappeared and he pulled me away from Braxton. “Is your leg bothering you?” he demanded, his eyes traveling down my body to my knee.
I stiffened. My brace was under my jeans, hidden from curious eyes because I couldn’t stand to have people stare at it. “How do you know about my leg?” I demanded, trying and failing to ignore the way my body seemed to sizzle where he was touching me.
“I saw you limping earlier,” he said as he crouched and ran his hands over my knee. “Brace is secure. Just watch your step, okay?”
“Yeah, sure, Dad,” I muttered, stepping back from him and right into Braxton again.
Beast growled, literally growled, and I shivered in reaction. Ah hell, that was a sexy sound.
Laughing, Braxton steadied me again then stepped back, putting a respectable distance between the two of us.
“Beast, let me introduce you to my roommate, Mia,” Lyla said as she came up behind him, putting her hand on his back. “Mia, this is my cousin, Beast. But unlike everyone else, outside of the Underground, he goes by Barrick.” She indicated Braxton, who was now sitting on the bench again, scratching the dog’s head. “And you know Brax. Also my cousin, by the way.”
I glanced between Braxton and Beast. “Brothers?” I mused aloud, noticing the similarities.
“No,” Beast said with a grunt. “My dad and their moms were siblings.”
“Were?” I whispered, feeling a sudden pang.
“My dad died,” Beast said with a casual shrug, but I didn’t miss the way his brows pinched for a moment.
“I’m sorry,” I told him, taking a step toward him before I realized what I was doing and stopped myself.
“It was a long time ago.”
“We going to the after party at Judge’s or not?” Howler asked, taking a seat on the bench beside Braxton. The dog lifted her head at him, whined, and he showed her some love with a scratch under her chin.
“I’m out,” Braxton said. “I’m calling it a night. Sasha and I are tired.”
“Sasha’s old as fuck, man. She’s always tired.” Howler scratched her again. “Aren’t you, girl?” That earned him a whine from her as if she were actually agreeing with him.
“Lyla?” Howler tossed at her.
“It’s up to Mia. She’s the one with a nine o’clock class in the morning.” She pulled out her phone and started texting away, leaving the decision up to me.
“Well?” Beast asked, moving into my space.
I wanted to say yes and go with him, but I had to be smart about this. Who knew what went on at an Underground after party? I needed to make good decisions, or Momma was going to lose her mind and I’d be back home before I could blink.
“Sorry. I have a really busy day tomorrow.” It wasn’t a nine o’clock class I had, but an appointment with my physical therapist. I needed to be at the top of my game for that torture, or the therapist would call my mom and rat me out.
“Ah, come on,” Howler tried to tempt me. “Not even for an hour?”
“Leave her alone, man,” Beast told him. “She’s in pain.”
I blinked at him like an owl, because he was right. I’d been in pain most of the evening, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
“Lyla, can I take you home?” Howler asked instead. “We need to talk.”
“Nope,” she told him as she put her phone away. “We came in Judge’s car. I don’t need a ride, and we’re done talking.” Crossing to me, she linked our fingers. “Let’s get out of here, babe.”
“Brax, walk Mia to Lyla’s car,” Beast instructed as he walked toward the showers.
“I don’t need a bodyguard,” I told him, putting my hand on my hip and glaring after him.
“Braxton,” Beast barked.
Without arguing, Braxton stood and opened the locker room door for us. “Ladies,” he said with an easy grin.
Unable to help myself, I glanced over my shoulder as I walked out. Beast stood at the shower room entrance, his eyes hungrily watching me go. As I walked away, I ached to give in and stay, go with him to the party. It wasn’t smart, but just looking at him made me want to do stupid things.