Chapter 1
THADDEUS O'CONNOR HAD been my neighbor since I was fifteen years old. When his family had moved into the house beside mine, I'd instantly been attracted to the mossy green of his eyes and his glossy black hair.
For as long as I could remember, he'd never been one for small talk or attending the neighborhood barbecues or even church on Sundays. He only ever spoke to one person as school and that was Jason Spencer.
Girls would follow Thaddeus around with their eyes and whisper by their lockers about just 'how hot' he was. As if they ever stood a chance of being with him.
Thaddeus was not a player. Not at all. Our bedroom windows were across from each other and he rarely had his curtains drawn. More often than not, he'd come inside, pull off his shirt and I'd get to see the muscles lining his glorious chest. He was always riddled with dark bruises and bleeding gashes, sporting a fresh set every couple of days. I'd never once seen a girl with him.
As I sat on my bed on a summer morning, staring straight at him, I wondered where he'd been sneaking off to for the past three years. Don't get me wrong, I'd often wondered this before, but I'd always been too afraid to let the thoughts pass too far over the subconscious/conscious barrier in my mind that would allow me to actually act on the urge to find out.
Now, I figured I was eighteen and he was twenty. I would graduate in a couple of months and leave for University. I guess he'd stay here and do whatever it was he did. I didn't want to leave not knowing what it felt like to run my fingers through the silky strands of his dark hair, to rest my lips on the curve of his jaw, touch the planes of his chest... I was slightly obsessed. The FOMO was real.
He was heading out now. I stood, not even thinking as I made my way downstairs and out the front door. His motorcycle, sleek, beautiful and black, the one that had suddenly appeared one day last year, was waiting for him at the bottom of his driveway. I made my way over to it. Touched the handlebars, wondered what it'd be like to ride.
"Hey," his deep, guttural voice sounded from behind me. I spun around to face him, my chest rising and falling with nervous breaths. I was always surprised when he was this close. The largeness of his body, the beauty he possessed, dark aura surrounding him. As I said, only slightly obsessed here. "What are you doing?"
I stepped up to him, my eyes trailing over his body. He wore a grey t-shirt that accentuated the muscles on his biceps and dark jeans. I hoped I wasn't drooling. I placed my hand on his chest, my hand small compared to the expanse of him. "Sophia..." He muttered darkly.
I noticed his white-knuckled fists clenched at his sides and looked up into his green eyes. "Where are you going?" I asked, suddenly pulling my hand away as if I'd been burned. I had no idea how to make a move on a guy or even go about attempting to seem sexy. I'd spent my high school life concentrating on school work and not melting into a puddle whenever Thaddeus came around to annoy me.
Because if he wasn't with Jason Spencer, he was teasing me at school. His 'goody-two-shoes' of a neighbor.
"Out," he grunted in response, stepping around me and throwing a leg over his motorcycle. The engine purred to life when he kicked it into gear. "What do you want, Sophia?" He asked when I just watched him.
"I'm coming with you," I blurted, my brain-to-mouth filter clearly non-existent. He looked surprised.
"You are?" And doubtful. I glared at him.
"Yes, I am."
With that decision made, I climbed clumsily behind him on the bike and wrapped my arms tightly around his middle, thinking this is what the sexy girls did.
"We're not moving yet," he sounded amused, fingers pressing on top of mine. I softened my grip on him.
"Just go!" I shouted, knowing if he didn't I would more than likely change my mind and hightail it back home.
But he did. Damn, he did. We peeled out of the neighborhood, the sound of the engine so loud it muted the sound of the wind which was whipped my hair back. I tightened my hold on him, wanting to scream my excitement but too embarrassed. Instead, I threw my head back and giggled at the rush of adrenaline coursing through my body.
We drove for ages, my legs and arms aching from clinging onto him for so long, but I wouldn't dare loosen my grip.
When we stopped, the engine reduced to a purr and Thaddeus rested his large, warm hands over mine. "You can let go now," he informed. I pulled my head up from its spot buried in his back, releasing my hands and patting my hair down.
"Where are we?" I asked with interest. It was dark and damp and we were surrounded by concrete walls which stretched on and on. A faint light pulsed at the end of the tunnel, sounds of music drifting towards us.
"Underground," he replied, getting off the bike and looking at me expectantly. I blinked at him.
"I can't move," I admitted sheepishly. He hesitated a moment before placing his hands on my hips and lifting me. I gasped before my feet hit the pavement. "Is this weird?" I wondered out loud.
"This is very weird, Sophia." He shook his head before turning around. "Come. Stick close to me."
He didn't have to tell me that twice. I followed him down the dark hallway until the thrumming of bass began to vibrate the ground we walked on. Up ahead, I could see people. A lot of people.
"Beast!" A burly guy called out, heading in our direction. Tattoos covered his neck and arms and I imagined other places too.
"Hey, Simon," Thaddeus greeted. "Big crowd tonight."
"All here for you, man. Let's get you suited up. The first fight is in fifteen minutes." Fight? What the hell was this place?
Simon seemed to notice me then, and probably the horrified expression on my face. "Who's this?"
I opened my mouth to answer but Thaddeus beat me to it. "She's with me. Let's go," he sounded harsh and final. Simon just shrugged, sending me a quick smile before turning away.
"Thaddeus," I hissed, hurrying to catch up with his long strides. "What are we doing here?"
"You are watching. I am fighting." He looked down at me and smirked, clearly amused at the worry on my face. "Don't worry, I've been doing this for years."
Well, that explained a lot. The bruises and cuts that always marred his body. The many black eyes at school. The whole angry, dangerous energy that surrounded him. But why? How did Thaddeus get into something like this, and why?
"I don't know if I want to watch you get beaten to a pulp," I muttered.
"I never lose, Sophia." He wrapped a heavy arm around my shoulders when we reached the crowd, and they parted like the Red Sea for him. People shouted and screamed all around us, cheering 'Beast! Beast! Beast!' as we walked through. I peered up at his emotionless face.
Once we were through the crowd, we stepped into a tent which was guarded by a scary-looking brute of a man. Inside were rows of boxing gloves, buckets of hand wraps, headgear, mouth guards and first aid kits. I looked around, astonished, and then turned to Thaddeus.
He was pulling off his shirt, leaving me staring at the hard ridges of muscles on his chest. My cheeks heated up as my eyes traveled down, the V shape, the trail of hair running into his pants... oh my. I needed to get laid.
By this man.
"See something you like?" His lips twitched when I met his eyes. I only scoffed at him.
"Are you really going to fight?" I asked, worried for him. I was hoping we'd ride his bike into the sunset or something. I never expected to be put in the position of watching his get punched in the face. I always figured, because I was the only girl at school he'd teased, maybe he liked me... or something.
"Don't worry, girl, they don't call him the Beast for nothing," Simon said, appearing from nowhere and throwing a pair of gloves over to Thaddeus. "He's a legend around here."
Was that supposed to make me feel better?
"Whatever," I sighed, collapsing onto a sofa in the corner.
"Where'd you find this one?" Simon muttered to Thaddeus, clearly thinking I couldn't hear them. I glared at the two of them.
"She found me," Thaddeus shrugged.
"I can hear you," I snapped. He look at me and grinned.
"I know."
"Three minutes, guys," someone stuck their head in and informed. Thaddeus finished gearing up, a hard look on his face. He looked ready for a serious fight.
"Please be careful," I said, standing and heading over to him.
He ruffled my hair with a wrapped hand. "I'll go easy on the guy since you're watching,"
"No, he won't. People came to see the Beast and that's what they're going to get." Simon frowned at Thaddeus. Thaddeus rolled his eyes.
"Let's just get this over with."
They left the tent and I followed, a flutter of nervousness in my chest. I cringed at the loud road from the crowd as they appeared. Simon was grinning ear to ear as Thaddeus climbed into the ring. The crowd was chanting for the Beast again.
Another guy climbed in, even bigger than Thaddeus, a look of malice on his face. Thaddeus didn't look fazed at all as he pulled on his boxing gloves. They stood across from each other in the ring with a referee between them. The guy looked high and completely out of it.
"Do they fight until they pin each other down?" I asked Simon. He snorted, not even looking at me.
"Of course not. The first one to pass out loses."
Oh god. I was so afraid for Thaddeus. This guy was massive.
"The Beast doesn't lose, darling," Simon reminded me. Thaddeus looked over at me then, sending a wink my way. I blushed under his gaze.
The man between them blew a whistle. The fight was on.
