With a sigh, I reach both hands out and bring the tray closer to me. It’s got some plain rice, vegetables and some sort of stew-like concoction. I use the fork in both hands and I stab it into a piece of broccoli. I carefully bring up both hands and place it in my mouth—okay, so that wasn’t as hard as I first thought. I do this over and over until I’ve got most of my plate finished. I have dropped a few pieces on my pants but I manage to clear them off with great difficulty.

When I’m done, I lie down and curl onto my side. My ribs are aching and my heart is sore. I want to go home, to the only people I care about. I don’t want to be here, not knowing what each day will hold. I could go into the fight and end up getting killed before Dimitri reaches me, or I could do well and only encourage Roger more. I close my eyes and take a deep, steadying breath.

Above all else, I have to stay strong.

Strength is the only thing I have left.

“Move,” Roger growls, shoving me through the massive crowd.

My knees begin to tremble as I stare at the hundreds of people surrounding the large cage in the middle of the old warehouse we’re in. It’s the night of my first fight and I’m not feeling confident at all. Damon spent another day with me, but while I think I know enough, I’m still not sure that I’ll make it out of here unscathed.

“In there,” Damon says from behind me.

He told me he’s trying to find Dimitri, but he’s hoping to get some straight answers here tonight. He’s also going to have my back in the cage. In other words, he’ll be the one yelling at me to keep me focused. We step out into a back room that looks very familiar to the ones I’ve been in when Dimi has fought. Roger storms over to a locker and slams his fist down over it, swinging it open.

He pulls out a set of small cotton shorts and a crop top. He walks over and shoves them at me. I stare down at them. That’s it? He wants me to fight wearing next to nothing? There’s nothing here that will protect my body at all.

“Stop staring and get ready, we start in ten.”

I give Damon a look and he nods at me. I go to step away to get changed, only to have Roger take my arm and squeeze it. “You get changed here.”

“There are people around,” I protest.

He leans in closer. “You want me to take you out back and change you myself?”

My skin crawls.

“No? I didn’t think so. Then you change here.”

Hesitating, I slowly pull my top off, thankful for the invention of bras. I pull on the tiny crop top and then manage to unclip and remove my bra without showing any breast. Then I drop my pants and slip into the cotton shorts. Roger spins me around, a seedy expression on his face. He grins at me and I fight the urge to spit in his face. He takes hold of my hands and jerks them out in front of him, strapping them. When he’s done, he stands back and looks over at Damon.

“I hope she’s ready.”

“She’s as ready as she can be after two days,” Damon snaps.

“Remember, fight or get fucked up,” Roger says to me. “No one will be saving you if she beats the shit out of you; you’re all you have in there. Make it count.”

I take a deep breath and try to remember everything Damon has taught me. I can’t let him down right now. I turn when Roger does and follow him out into the large crowd again. People stare, taunt, cheer, poke and shove me as we pass through. They’re wild, off their trees on drugs and alcohol. Some of them are waving around hundreds of dollars’ worth of cash.

“Here we are again,” a voice comes booming across the loudspeaker. “Who’s ready to fiiiiight?”

The crowd goes wild and I cover my ears, cringing. They’re all sick, watching women fight like this. Roger shoves me up onto the small stage beside the cage and I catch my first glimpse of my opponent. She’s bigger than me without a doubt, but Damon has taught me to fight someone bigger so I am slightly relieved. The bad thing, however, is that not only is she bigger than me but she’s also a great deal . . . chunkier. She’s got quite a decent amount of fat on her body, which could be a problem for doing damage.

“We’ve got two new contestants for you tonight!” the man roars into his microphone. “Rex Rock’s new girl, Blair, and Jay Jarrod’s new girl, Pinkie. Who’s ready to see them fight?”

Rex Rock? Seriously?

The crowd screams and I find myself being shoved into the cage. When we’re in, the door’s slammed closed. I suddenly feel claustrophobic, wanting to get out. I turn with shaky knees and face my opponent. She’s glaring at me, lips pursed, legs spread and ready. I get myself into the best stance I can and try to block out the rest of the world.

Fight until your last breath.

“One!”

I lift my fists, staring her right in the eye.

“Two!”

She wipes a drop of sweat off her forehead and grins at me.

“Three!”

She charges first, just like Damon said. She also swings high. Feeling my chest swell with hope, I duck her fist and drive mine into her stomach only to find she barely flinches. Fear courses through my veins as she reaches down, gripping my hair and pulling me backwards so hard I feel some of it being pulled free. When my head is back she drives a fist into my mouth, splitting my lip wide open.

“Blair!” I hear Damon roar. “Remember what I taught you. Focus.”

The girl hits me again, still holding my hair tightly.

“She’s a fucking failure!” Roger bellows. “You can kiss your job goodbye, Damon.”