We push through the crowd, drinks in hand, and I fidget in my short, red dress. I borrowed it from Mimi, who said I had to wear it. She would have joined us, but she had to work. I paired it with the heels I borrowed from my sister, Eva, and left my hair down in thick curls. I put a light sprinkling of makeup on, but honestly, the dress is enough of an invitation. God, it feels so short, and so tight. I tug the hem as we reach a door that leads down to what I’m guessing is a basement.

“Come on, down here,” Belle yells, and we all follow her down.

It’s a basement all right, the biggest damned basement I’ve ever seen. It opens up to a massive room that contains one hell of a fighting ring. People are pounding their feet and roaring at the base of it, chanting and encouraging the fighters to come out. I keep hold of Belle’s hand as she leads us towards a locker room.

Belle pushes the door open and we enter. I hear the sounds of male laughter and I recognize one of those voices as belonging to Rainer. I shift behind Belle a little, because this could look a great deal like I’m stalking him. I never thought of that and now I’m nervous. I think I’ll need to act surprised, or he’s probably going to think I’m nutty.

“Hey baby,” I hear a masculine voice say.

“Hey handsome,” Belle says and a big set of arms curl around her waist.

“You brought your friends,” he says.

I step back near Jaylah and Santana, and the other girl I met tonight, named Ash. Pippa rushes forward and my heart twists in my chest as she throws herself into Rainer’s arms. “Hey beautiful,” he says, and it’s so gentle, so kind. I’m not entirely sure I can handle this. I’m glad she’s his friend, but God, I was never prepared for this hurt.

“Hey Rainer,” she says, her voice soft and cute. “It’s been a while. How are you?”

“Good, you?”

I stay back, feeling like a fish out of water.

“We brought our new friend Mali along,” Belle says to her husband, who I can now see fully.

He’s gorgeous. He’s big and broad, with a face very similar to Rainer’s, only his is far more rugged. He’s got scarring, a slightly crooked nose, and shorter dark hair, but his eyes are the same shade of brown that tricks you into thinking they’re black. He doesn’t have as many tattoos as Rainer, but he’s extremely good looking.

“This is my husband, Max.” Belle smiles. “Max, this is Mali.”

I step forward and stretch out a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

He shakes my hand and flashes me a grin. “You too.”

I avoid looking to Rainer, but I don’t miss the fact that he’s stopped talking.

“Mali,” he says and I flick my eyes to him.

“Oh, hey Rainer.”

Yeah, that sounded real convincing.

He studies me, and it’s taking everything inside me not to stare at his bare, broad chest. I want to study the tattoos there; I just want to reach over and curl myself around him. Instead, I hold his gaze, focusing on his big, brown eyes.

“Didn’t know you knew the girls.”

“I met them the other night,” I say casually. “They invited me. Sorry, I didn’t realize it was a problem.”

His eyes skitter down to my short dress. “It’s not,” he says.

I shiver. Then I fidget and look towards Max. “It’s a really nice club you have here.”

He stares at Rainer, then at me, and grins. “Yeah, it is.”

I smile and sip my drink nervously.

“When does the fight start?” Ash asks.

“In about fifteen minutes. You girls have time for another drink,” Max says.

“I’ll get some more. You girls coming?” Belle asks.

“Sure,” I squeak.

“Actually,” Rainer says, standing so I can see his big, beautiful body, “can I have a word, Mali?”

He wants a word. With me? Why?

“Sure,” I say.

“I’ll get you a drink.” Belle nods, grinning at both of us.

Pippa watches us curiously, and the other girls try to give me subtle thumbs up that aren’t so subtle. Good God. Rainer walks towards the back of the lockers and into a small office-like space. I step in and he closes the door behind me.

“Please don’t ask if I came here with them to see you, because I didn’t. I didn’t even know they knew you and—”

He spins around and studies me. “I didn’t think that.”

“Right,” I say, looking at my hands. “So why are we in here?”

He studies me. “I was a dick the other night.”

I stare at him, shocked. “No you weren’t.”

“I fuckin’ was, Mali. I fucked you and pretty much threw you out of my car.”

I shrug. “No offence, Rainer, but I thought that was what we agreed.”

He narrows his eyes. “You’re seriously okay with it?”

No. Absolutely not.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Most chicks just . . . they don’t . . . I get constant phone calls and they follow me everywhere. It’s usually not worth the hassle.”

I shrug. “I’m not most chicks. I want friends, I like being fucked—it’s simple. Are you willing to give me those things, Rainer?”

I’m such a liar. A horrible liar.

He studies me and I start to fidget. “I don’t have many friends.”

I smile broadly. “Well, then there’s always room for one more.”

“Situations like these . . . they go bad. Don’t you know that?”

“They only go bad when someone falls in love. Believe me when I say that won’t happen.”

Because I’m already in love. I’ve been in love since I was just seventeen.

“People always say that,” he points out, rubbing his chin.

“You’re right, they do. Look, Rainer, we had fun, and I’m more than happy to keep it that way.” Liar. Liar. Liar. “But we have the same friends, so we’re going to run into each other. I’m always up for new friends.”

His eyes meet mine. “Yeah, I guess I am too.”

“Then it’s sorted.”

His eyes narrow and he seems to become transfixed with my face, enough that I turn away. “I’d swear I’ve seen your face before.”

I swallow and shrug stiffly. “Maybe I just look like someone you know.”

He seems to snap out of it. “Probably. I don’t remember much about my childhood.”

He doesn’t? That’s odd.

“How come? Did you have an accident or something?”

He looks away. “Or something.”

My curiously is nagging at me, but I let it go.

“Rainer, time to fight,” Max calls.

“Right,” Rainer mutters. “Well, I’ll catch you later.”

“I’ll be the one in the red, if you decide on making friends.” I wink at him and turn, walking out. “Good luck, Rainer.”

My heart aches, but I stride out with my shoulders back.

I’ll be strong, even if it kills me.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THEN – MALI

“So what do you like to do, Emily?” Jack asks as we drink our sodas and nibble on fries.