‘I just hope he and Kate are OK,’ Tom muttered. ‘Come on. The guy who slugged me went this way. I think I can pick up his scent, we can follow him.’

Jasmine stared at him uncertainly. ‘You can do that shit when you’re not howling?’

‘Kind of. If I really concentrate.’

‘Jeez, Tom, you’re freaking me—’

‘Quiet, Jas!’ Rico slapped her arm. ‘Let the man concentrate!’

Trying to hide a wry smile, Tom led the way back on to the street and scented the air. The search was on.

g

Kate was beginning to wonder if she’d ever find a chance to escape. Swagger was sticking to her like glue, and while he’d mentioned bed a couple of times, she was quite sure sleep was not on his mind.

She shuddered. Watching ’wolves beating the crap out of each other in a fight to the death may float your boat, freak boy, but it doesn’t do much for me.

So far he seemed to find her reticence somehow cute. She just prayed he didn’t tire of it too quickly. She guessed Swagger was used to getting his own way, and probably enjoyed the use of force. Truthfully, she was scared stiff.

While Eric cleaned up the bloody arena, Swagger had announced he would give Kate a guided tour of his headquarters. She had the awful feeling that the tour would conclude in whatever stinking pit he used for a bedroom, and she knew she had to get away before then. But Shaun, his big bruiser bodyguard, was keeping careful pace close behind and every door in the place was locked and bolted. Even if she ran, there was no way out.

Having walked her around the stadium and shown her his cherished video games room–a squalid shrine to all things PlayStation – they’d moved on to the main lobby. Kate was eyeing the boarded-up doors longingly when one of them started to thud and rattle.

Swagger grinned wide, dry skin cracking around his lips. ‘My boys are home.’ He gestured to Shaun. ‘Open up.’

Shaun obeyed in silence, unbolting the doors.

‘Your boys?’ Kate queried, heart sinking.

‘My generals,’ said Swagger. ‘We rule this city –just that the city don’t know it yet. But it will.’

‘So,’ Kate deduced as Shaun threw the final bolts, ‘they’ve been checking out the other gangs in New York, making sure they’ll all be at your big fight come Friday?’

Swagger’s eyes were cold, his smile a little less sure on his face. ‘Clever kid, ain’t you? Yeah, we’re about through with the heats. Time now for the main event.’

The doors were opened and four men burst in, in almost drunken good spirits. They were Swagger clones: all acne, black leather and denim. The tallest of them was hefting a metal carry-case. Swagger and Shaun greeted them with whoops and weird tribal salutes.