“As you all know, ladies and gentleman, tonight is indeed a special night. A celebration if you will. Belle is our queen. She’s been in this world for a long time, and we know she is a warrior.” Another eruption of applause. “Now, we need to end tonight with a bang, guys. You know this is our last night with Belle, so let’s make it count. Are you ready to meet her opponent?”

Her heart pounded as silence rang out through the crowd.

“He’s undefeated and is known to break his enemy with a single strike. He’s bigger, faster, meaner than any other fighter we have. Let’s hear it for Deadman!”

****

Drago hadn’t been to an underground fighting ring in a long time. He didn’t even know why he was there now, but one look at the woman who stood there, looking beaten down, and his heart raced.

He knew Belle, remembered her well, and he couldn’t believe she was here now. Something had to have gone wrong.

“What do you know?” he asked Carlos, his friend and confidant. They had been in the system together. Both of them had been forced to fight, but Drago had been sure to make Carlos his assistant. People left him alone once he did that.

No one would question him, not once.

“Rumor has it that they have forced Belle here for some reason.”

“What do you mean? I thought she left the fighting life.”

“She did,” Carlos said. “This is the first fight in over a year.” Carlos stopped as they listened to who was going to be her opponent.

Drago kept up to date with everything that was going on in the streets, and tonight was no different. He’d caught wind of the fight, of the bet that was being placed. Belle didn’t have great odds, and as Ben announced her opponent, he knew she was going to get slaughtered.

Belle was fucking good. A damn good fighter, which was saying something considering how much she hated it. There was no heart in her skill. She did everything she could to defend herself, but that was all.

They had both been handed shit lives, and they’d done what they could to make a life within blood, pain, and misery.

“I mean this is her tenth fight,” Carlos said.

“Her tenth?” Drago shouldn’t be surprised. She didn’t look refreshed nor ready to take on the fight of her life.

Deadman came out, and he was easily twice the size of this woman. This wasn’t a fair fight, and he didn’t like it. People were known for being sick fucks, but right now, he watched as Belle looked at Deadman. He approached her, and Drago cursed when he witnessed her flinch.