Chapter 683
“Stop standing there like an idiot! Move your ass!” Thea’s patience snapped completely, and she planted her foot in Kole’s back, sending him stumbling toward the ring.
Kole spun around desperately, his mouth opening to refuse, but Thea’s death stare cut off his protests before they could form. He took a shaky breath and forced himself to climb into the ring. Crossing the Reed family meant torture, pain, and eventually death. Getting beaten by Christina was nothing compared to what the Reeds would do to him.
Cassie’s fingers dug into Thea’s arm as fear consumed her. “Kole’s going to be okay, right? She won’t really hurt him, will she?”
“She’s not stupid enough to seriously injure him.” Thea’s smile was cold and calculating, like a snake preparing to strike.
Cassie opened her mouth to ask another question, but Thea’s icy stare shut her up faster than a slap to the face.
“Any other brave souls want to try their luck? Come on up all at once if you want. I’ve got better things to do tonight.” Christina’s eyes moved across the crowd like a predator searching for her next victim.
Christina stood in the center of the ring like a queen surveying her kingdom, her presence commanding and terrifying as she looked down on the crowd as if they were nothing more than insects beneath her feet.
Christina stood there like a queen looking down at peasants, her whole attitude screaming that she was better than every single person in that arena.
The handsome man’s smile grew wider and more dangerous, his bright blue eyes lighting up with pure fascination. This was exactly the type of woman he craved. She was everything he’d been searching for.
His elegant fingers wrapped around the stem of an expensive crystal wine glass. He lifted it slowly to eye level, staring down at Christina through the deep red wine as if looking at her through blood. “This time, you won’t get away from me,” he whispered to himself, a dark laugh rumbling in his chest. The sound was filled with ownership and dangerous promise.
He threw his head back and drained the entire glass in one smooth motion, the expensive wine disappearing down his throat as if he were drinking her essence. He slowly ran his tongue across his bottom lip, catching the last drop like he was already tasting her mouth. The action was pure seduction, and he was completely drunk on the fantasy.
The same burning hunger that had consumed him years ago roared back to life, sparked by this incredible woman. She wasn’t even trying to be sexy or tempting—she was just being herself, and that was enough to drive him completely insane with desire.
He was absolutely certain that fate had brought them together, that they were meant to be. No matter what it took, no matter whom he had to destroy, he would make her his and never let her escape again.
The entire crowd sucked in their breath at once, their eyes wide with disbelief at Christina’s incredible nerve. She intended to challenge everyone single-handedly.
Her arrogance pissed off a lot of people, but they had all seen the fate of those who had been defeated before. Now, faced with her boldness, they found themselves rooted to the spot. Fear crawled up their spines like ice water, making their legs feel like jelly.
When Thea saw that nobody was moving, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut anymore. “Are you all completely useless? You won’t even team up against her? She told you that you could all fight her at once! Since she doesn’t know when to quit, you should teach her a lesson she’ll never forget!”