Another bell goes off in the ring, signaling another fight as Molly pulls supplies from her over the shoulder bag. She works with clear expertise and confidence as she swabs and dabs and cleans up the female boxer covered in blood. She crouches down and speaks to the woman as she works. From where I’m standing, I can’t make out their conversation, but my guess is she has a protocol for verbally assessing possible concussions. It’s clear to me that Molly knows what she’s doing.
After a few fights, someone taps me on the shoulder. My gaze flicks back. I’m not interested in having anyone take my focus off of my job.
“What’s up?” I ask without looking around, but glance down when the persons’ fingers trail around my upper arm. A petite, red-headed ring bunny looks up at me, wearing next to nothing in a bare it all bikini.
“Hi,” she says to me.
“You need something?”
She blinks up at me. Her bright smile wavers. “You don’t remember me?”
I look closely. “Sorry I can’t say that I do.”
“We did that session at the Sobrevivir Club about a year ago?” She raises her hands over her head and touches her wrists together. “Remember the red ribbons?”
I vaguely remember, but does she really expect me to remember her from a year back? I used to pay regular visit to that sex club. Maybe I did a bit of bondage play with this redhead but that was ages ago, a long time before Molly and I started hooking up.
I scratch my head. “Oh, okay. Nice seeing you.”
“I have my break now, and you looked like you might be bored. Want some company? Maybe we could meet up in the back?”
Her fingers brush the front of my cut, gliding down my chest and pulling at the top of my jeans. This forwardness isn’t a first, but I’m reminded yet again that I don’t feel the slightest interest in taking up a random sexy stranger on an offer for a quick fuck. Before Molly, I would already be out the door with this ginger’s skinny ass, shoving those bikini bottoms to the side for a one and done. Tonight, I’m not interested.
Shit.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m actually working.”
“Rain check?”
“I don’t know. Maybe,” I say to get her to stop distracting me.
“Okay!” she chirps, brightening up that hope is still alive. “You come around here often?”
“No.”
“I don’t normally do this, but I had fun that night. We should hook up again.”
“Sure,” I say, but I only want Molly. Which tells me that something is fucking wrong with me. That last bone I throw the redhead’s way must do the trick. She waves her hand in my line of sight and eventually goes away with a smile on her face.
I notice Molly organizing her bag while she speaks with the organizer. The idiot motions her toward the ring and shoves a pair of gloves into her arms. Uh, no. Molly can’t be thinking she’ll fight. Not tonight, or anytime soon.
I push past people in the crowd, step over the roped off area beside the steps, and put a hand on her shoulder. “What the hell’s going on, Moll?”
The organizer has the nerve to step up to me. “Do we have a problem over here?”
Molly shakes her head and waves off the little guy. “No. We don’t have a problem at all. Just give me a second.” She turns to face me and smiles up at me. “I’m going into that ring. You’re not going to stop me,” she announces.
“You’re not getting in that ring. Forget about it.”
“I already agreed to the fight.”
“Not gonna happen.”
“Who’s gonna stop me? You?”
“If I have to, yes,” I tell her.
She seems to soften at the firmness in my tone and stern look on my face. “I just need to blow off a little steam. Go on back to keeping an eye on me. I’ll be fine in there.”
“Give the guy those gloves back.”
She shakes her head.
“Do we need to have another chat about Jett, or do you want to know what it’ll feel like to have me throw you over my shoulder to get you the hell out of that ring?”
“We don’t need to talk about anything. I’m filling in for a no-show.” She tries to pry herself away from me, but I rest both hands on her shoulders. I’m not letting her move another inch. “Come on, this fight’s a no-brainer. Do you know how much money is on the line? Plus, I can take her. You’ve seen all the girls who’ve gone up so far. It’ll be over in the first round.”