Chapter 63
Mia barely registered the way Emily screamed beside her, shaking her arm in excitement.
“I won! I fucking won!” Emily shouted, gripping her boyfriend’s shoulder as he cheered along with her.
The entire underground club was wild. People throwing cash in the air, laughter and groans mixing together, drinks spilling over tables as the losing bettors cursed their luck.
But Mia wasn’t paying attention to any of it.
Her world had narrowed to just one person.
Her eyes were still locked onto him, standing in the middle of the ring like he owned it.
God, she was so gone for this man. It was pathetic.
And the worst part? He was staring right back at her.
Like he didn’t even realize he was doing it.
Like some invisible force was pulling him toward her just as hard as she was drawn to him.
The moment stretched between them, thick and unspoken.
Then the announcer lifted Alex’s arm, declaring him the winner, and the spell was broken.
Alex smiled wide, turning to the roaring crowd. His usual unreadable expression was gone, replaced with something so raw, so victorious, that Mia’s breath caught in her throat.
This side of him is only reserved for when he was in the ring.
Alex really loved fighting….. and well winning.
His friends rushed at him, shouting, patting him on the back, and she watched as he made his way out of the ring, heading toward the familiar corridor leading to his dressing room.
Mia followed him with her eyes, unable to help herself.
Just before he disappeared, he glanced back-one last time.
A flicker of hesitation.
Then he was gone.
Mia sucked in a shaky breath, turning back to Emily and her boyfriend.
And-shit.
Emily was looking right at her.
Mia stiffened.
The knowing glint in her friend’s eyes was unmistakable. Emily had noticed.
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Had noticed the way Mia had been shamelessly staring at Alex.
And Probably how Alex had stared back.
Mia quickly looked away, praying Emily wouldn’t say anything, but instead, her friend just smirked before turning back to her boyfriend.
“Let’s get more drinks!” he suggested, wrapping an arm around Emily’s waist.
Mia exhaled.
Yes. Yes, drinks sounded good. Anything to get her heart to stop racing.
But just as they were about to move-
A gunshot rang through the air.
The sound tore through the underground club like a whip.
Loud. Sharp. Terrifying.
Mia’s body froze.
For a second, no one moved.
Then-
Panic erupted.
Screams filled the air. Glass shattered. Tables flipped as people scrambled to the ground or ran toward the exits, desperate to
escape.
Emily gasped, shaking violently, and her boyfriend immediately pulled her close, shielding her with his body.
“Mia, let’s go!” he shouted, reaching for her hand.
But Mia didn’t move.
Because her first thought wasn’t about herself.
It wasn’t about escaping.
It wasn’t even about what just happened.
It was about him.
She turned, her heart slamming against her ribs.
Alex had just walked into that corridor.
The same corridor where the shot had come from.?
It came from that angle right?
Her stomach dropped.
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Alex’s pulse was still racing, his adrenaline high from the fight.
His body ached, his knuckles were bruised, and sweat clung to his skin, but the rush of victory made it all worth it.
His friends clapped him on the back, their excitement infectious.
“So, club?”
“Hell yeah,” Alex grinned, high-fiving Lucas.
This was how every fight night ended. Win the match, clean up, and celebrate.
He pulled a towel over his neck, already thinking about a hot shower and a stiff drink. He was exhausted, but this was the kind of exhaustion that felt good.
Then-
A gunshot.
Loud. Sharp.
Alex froze.
His body reacted before his mind did, his instincts screaming danger.
He turned to his friends, their expressions mirroring his own shock.
“What the fuck?” Lucas muttered, standing up.
This place had its fair share of illegal dealings-underground fighting, gambling, debts-but there was one unspoken rule: no weapons.
Gunshots meant something was very wrong.
Another shot
rang out.
“Fuck,” Alex cursed under his breath, but his mind wasn’t on himself.
It was on her.
Mia.
His stomach twisted, his thoughts turning sharp and panicked.
She was out there. In the crowd.
Without thinking, he grabbed his bag and ran.
His friends followed, but he didn’t care about anything except finding her.
The hallway was packed with people pushing to get out, the club erupting into full-blown chaos. Security was scrambling to get control, but the panic had already set in.
Rounding a corner- he crashed into someone.
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Someone small.
His hands shot out, gripping their arms before they could fall.
Then his breath caught.
Mia.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
She was standing in front of him, wide-eyed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
And she wasn’t running out.
She was running in.
Alex’s shock melted into instant rage.
His grip tightened.
“Where the fuck are you going?” His voice was low, sharp with anger.
Mia just stared at him, her lips parting, but no words came out.
And then he knew.
She had been running inside for him.
Risking her life-for him.
Alex swore under his breath.
“Are you insane?” he snapped.
She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. The way she was looking at him-frantic, desperate-told him everything.
And goddamn it, he didn’t know what to do with that.
Another gunshot tore through the air.
Without thinking, Alex pulled Mia down, shielding her with his body.
She gasped as she was pressed against his chest, his arms holding her close.
Her scent filled his lungs, something soft and warm, something that made his already chaotic mind worse.
Focus, Alex.
His eyes flicked up. His friends were staring at him, confusion written all over their faces.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. Seriously?
Alex sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
He’d deal with that later.
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Right now, he needed answers.
A security guard ran by, gun drawn.
“Phantom!” The guard’s eyes widened when he saw him.
“What the fuck is going on?” Alex demanded.
The guard hesitated before answering. “Some gang spotted an enemy here. Apparently, the guy did something to them.”
Alex’s jaw clenched.
Lucas scoffed beside him. “Gang members aren’t allowed to bring their shit here.”
“I think they’re new,” the guard muttered.
Alex barely heard him.
Because in his arms, Mia tilted her head up, looking straight at him.
And for the life of him, Alex didn’t know what to do about the way she made him feel.
