Hello there lovelies! How are we liking the book thus far? I promise more uploads are on the way, I just had a bit of a busy work week.
Thank you, as always, so much for reading!
You guys are amazing<3
Xoxo

Sammy

"You really gotta protect this face better. It's too pretty to be getting knocked around like this."

As soon as those words left my lips, that was when I fully realized what the fuck I had just said. Did I just call Dante... pretty? Like those words had literally just come out of my mouth?

I felt a knot grow in my stomach when Dante looked at me. His large brown doe-like eyes had a darkly curious look to them as they caught mine, and it caused the hairs on my arms stand up. Maybe it was the evening lighting from the gym that had made him look this enticing.

That could have been it, right?

"I-" I started to whisper...

... but that was when my eyes betrayed me, and I glanced down at his lips.

They were full, slightly puffy almost. He had the tendency to curl his lower lip in on itself and grind his teeth against it, when he was watching one of the fighters intensely. Something drew me towards those lips, but I couldn't tell for sure.

I wasn't sure of a lot of thing about this moment, like if I was the one that had leant forward...

But seconds later, those same soft lips were against my own.

His lips felt warm as they parted slightly, and for a moment I wasn't sure what to do. I felt my body tense up when his breath fanned my upper lip... it had made a shiver run through me.

That's when Dante pulled away.

My dumbass didn't notice I still had my eyes wide open like I had seen a ghost or something. When Dante looked at me, instant heart wrenching pain flashed across Dante's face. He quickly pushed himself off the ring mat and backed away.

"I-I'm sorry I shouldn't have..." he mumbled to me, before he did something else I wasn't expecting.

He turned around and took off.

I stood there, staring at the front door as it slammed shut behind him. I wasn't sure of what had just happened- one minute I was kissing Dante... right?

My thoughts slowed.

...I hadn't been kissing Dante. I hadn't reacted at all.

It took my body a second to register what just happened, but when it did, I pulled myself together and ran upstairs to get the building keys.

God, I was a fucking idiot.

Dante

God, I was a fucking idiot.

Dante, what the fuck it wrong with you?! I chastised myself heavily, as my legs took me in a direction I had never gone before.

I really did that.

I really just fucking did that.

I mind replayed the horrendous scene that just unfolded moments ago. I couldn't get the look Sammy had on his face, out of my memory. That pure shock. God, I read that entire scenario completely wrong.

My heart was hammering even harder against my chest as I picked up the pace. Tidal Wave and Fight Club were now nowhere to be seen. Instead, it looked like I had entered a completely different neighborhood- this one having a lot more graffiti... and barred windows. There was a park up a few hundred feet that I thought looked good to rest at. It was completely deserted, and seemed to be a little unkept.

I took a seat on one of the rusted swings to gather myself and as hard as I tried to block it out, the image of Sammy's face flashed through my mind again.

"Dante, you've really managed to fuck this one up." I whispered. How could I have thought he was going to kiss me? Of course he wasn't going to kiss me. "You idiot." I whined.

What was I even supposed to do now?

He probably didn't want me working for him anymore.

He definitely wouldn't want me staying with him.

My clammy hands slid into the sweatshirt pockets of the hoodie, and I pulled out a key card. It had the Fight Club logo in the front. Did I put this in here? I thought to myself.

Just as I was glancing over the card, that same weird feeling from this morning came over me again.
A sudden crack of thunder rang through the sky, confirming what that feeling was.

"It's going to storm." I whispered, as I glanced around my completely unfamiliar surroundings.

Well....

This wasn't good.

There was another crack of thunder, before I felt the first drop hit the side of my bruised cheek.

Then another.

Then another.

My arm reached back to flip my hood up, but that wouldn't prove to be of much help considering the sweatshirt was cotton. I could already feel the material growing damp as I tried to start jogging back.

My thoughts had consumed me so terribly, I couldn't even remember the direction I had come in. The evening was growing darker, making things in this unfamiliar neighborhood give off a more sinister tone.

Had I gone down this street? I wondered to myself...

My legs slowed when I noticed something move up ahead.

There was a group of people, what looked to be maybe three men, walking down the street up ahead. They were too far away to make out distinct features, but two out of three of the men definitely had the bottom half of their faces covered. Everything about them made me on high alert.

"This can't seriously be fucking happening to me right now." I whispered in between pants of my labored breathing.

They were drawing closer to me, and I wouldn't have much more time to react. I did the only thing I could think of. I crossed the street.

Everything inside me was hoping the men were just strolling through, but when the first guy followed in suit after me, I knew that wasn't the case. The men's pace went from a stroll to a brisk walk as they drew near. I wasn't sure whether to turn and go back, or try to lose them.

I noticed a street coming up a few feet away. I obviously had no idea where this street was going to lead me, but I decided I would turn left on it then take off running.

Hopefully that would be enough to lose them.

As soon as I rounded that corner and started to take off, my body slowed to a stop almost seconds later.

"Shit." I whispered.

This was a dead end.

I heard footsteps behind me, before someone called out through the settling rain.

"Are you lost, kid?"

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