The Criminal

Ch. 9: Did you like it?

I don't quite know how to respond to a mafia boss staring straight at me. I'm smart enough to not provoke the beast, but I also don't want him to think he can intimidate me whenever he likes. Looking at him is nothing like looking at Torin. Daniel Lowes seems like the type of man who wouldn't hesitate to snap me in half. He's older, therefore more experienced. And I've no doubt he's killed people.

"What do you know about Daniel Lowes?" I ask Fiona, hoping my new friend can shed some light on the situation.

She instantly recoils. "Evil man."

"How come?"

"He's shady as fuck. His businesses are all illegal."

"Not like Torin's?"

She quirks a brow, seemingly surprised. "You know Torin?"

"I met him the other day," I reveal. "He threatened to cut out my tongue."

She laughs. "Take no notice of him. Torin is a big teddy bear really."

Now it's my turn to quirk a brow. "I'm not so sure about that."

Fiona links her arm through mine again. "Trust me, Torin will only hurt people who deserve it. I've known him my whole life. We went to school together."

I struggle to imagine Torin as a young boy attending school like everyone else.

"He wasn't always like this. He used to be fun. Caring."

"What happened?" I ask.

"He lost the love of his life. Imogen Murphy."

My stomach drops.

"She died the same night as Sadie—my girlfriend."

Fiona absentmindedly rubs her wrist, eyes distant. I don't probe for more information. I get the sense something bad happened and even though I know next to nothing about Sadie, I can only assume Fiona's distant gaze means she's missed dearly. My guess is whatever happened, it cost Torin and Fiona a lot more than what they're letting on.

"Avoid Lowes like the plague," she advises, squeezing my arm with perhaps more urgency than needed. "He's bad fucking news."

"What about Hunter?" I ask. "He works for Lowes."

"Hunter can take care of himself, hun," she insists. "You definitely don't want to get involved with that horrible man."

I nod.

"Promise me."

The fact she's making me promise her something ten minutes after us meeting proves just how messed up Daniel Lowes is. I've heard stories, but I can only assume Fiona knows first-hand just what this man and his team are capable of. I'm not an idiot. I know it's best if I lay low from now on.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The fight you've all been waiting for!"

"This is it!" squeals Fiona, bouncing on the spot.

The room is suddenly plunged into darkness, only one spotlight illuminating the cage. I'm surprised an establishment such as this is willing to undergo such spectacle. Red flashes appear, hyping the audience up with an accompanying track. I don't recognise the song playing, but the strong beat has adrenaline pulsing through me in unforgiving waves.

"I'm nervous!" I yell.

Fiona squeezes my arm. "Don't be! Hunter will win."

I still feel out of place in my silk blouse and grey skirt but do my best to distract myself from that by looking out for Hunter. He eventually enters the cage when his name is announced, completely shirtless. I swear my jaw drops open at the sight of him in all his glory. His skin is perfect, each tattoo illuminated by the stage lights. His stomach is taut, showcasing one of those Vs that lead all the way down to his—