Chapter 24: Fight Me
Author: Nathan Emorey
last update2025-09-08 20:25:03

The fight club throbbed with noise and heat.

A crowd surrounded the cage at the center, men bellowing bets, fists colliding, the air thick with sweat and spilled beer. Helen tried to lose herself in the chaos, but her mind kept circling back to Eva’s warning. Fabio’s name carried weight, and even here in the haze of neon and blood, she could feel its shadow.

Eva leaned close, her voice pitched low beneath the roar. “Keep your head down, Helen. If Fabio catches wind you’re here with him,” her eyes flicked toward Adrian, “...this could get ugly fast.”

Helen’s heart stuttered, but she forced a steady smile. “It’s fine. We’re just here for a drink, nothing more.” Her words were bold, but her grip on Adrian’s sleeve betrayed her nerves.

Adrian didn’t flinch. He moved with quiet ease, steering them toward a booth at the edge of the room. His calmness was like a shield, his presence grounding. When Helen’s hand brushed against his, he covered it gently, the simple gesture enough to steady h
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