NOAH’S groan jolted her awake. She immediately sat up straight and waited for him to fully wake. He groaned again before finally opening his eyes. His unfocused gaze found her, and he blinked for a moment.
“Maddie…” he said in a hoarse voice. Madelyn let out a relieved sigh, thankful that her brother was okay. Aside from the bruises he had sustained, no bones were broken, according to the doctor.
“The doctor said you can be discharged tomorrow,” she told him as he adjusted himself against the pillow. “And please, Noah, don’t go back to the underground fighting club.” Her brother froze and slowly looked at her.
“How did you…”
“Find out?” she scoffed. “You can’t hide anything from me, Noah. I searched every corner of your room. I found your contract with that horrifying organization. What were you thinking when you joined them? Three years? Have you lost your mind?!”
“Being a detective suits you, sis,” he snorted. She smacked his leg, making him yelp.
“You’re lucky your face is covered in bruises right now, or I would’ve beaten you up myself.” She glared at him. “Leave that organization while it’s still early, Noah. You just joined, right? Maybe you can still back out.”
“I can’t. I already signed the contract, remember?”
Her nostrils flared. “Why didn’t you think before joining and signing that contract?! You even quit your job as a financial analyst just to become an underground fighter?!”
Noah grimaced. “Are you trying to rupture my eardrums?”
She weakly leaned back in her seat. “Noah,” she said in a calmer voice. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You’re all I have left. I can’t lose you, too.”
He held her hand and squeezed it. “I’m not going anywhere, Maddie. I won’t leave you. I promise.”
She looked down at their joined hands. The corners of her eyes burned as she remembered the accident three months ago—the reason they lost their parents.
“I joined the underground fighting club because I want to help you, Maddie.” She looked up at Noah again and saw the sadness in his eyes. “It pains me to see you suffering because of the accident. It’ll be easier to earn money if I stay in the club.”
“But your life is on the line. I don’t want that kind of job for you, Noah.”
“In my first fight against Keith, I earned thirty thousand even though I lost,” he admitted, and her eyes widened. “Only thirty because I’m still new. But imagine the money I could make in such a short period of time. You won’t even have to work anymore, Maddie.”
“Do you think I’d just let you work while I stay at home?”
“Given your condition, yes.”
“For Pete’s sake, Noah, I’m not crippled!”
“Yes, I know. But your eyes—”
“I know the condition of my eyes.” She stood up from her seat. “And that’s my problem, Noah. You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
“You’re my sister, Maddie. It’s only natural that I help you.”
“By getting yourself beaten up? You’re going to kill me from worrying!”
Even though he was struggling, Noah pushed himself upright and sat properly. He took her hand again and squeezed it. “Maddie, your problem is my problem too. I know the fighting club is dangerous, but it’s the only way I could think of to earn money faster. Would you rather I become a drug dealer instead?”
She sniffed. “I hate you for asking that question.”
He laughed softly. He pulled her closer until she ended up sitting on the hospital bed. “Just trust me on this, Maddie. I won’t neglect myself either. Besides, they don’t throw us into fights without training. I’m doing this for us. Well, mostly for you. Just be a good sister and let me take care of you, okay?” He hugged her, and she let herself lean against his chest. She even heard him let out a small groan of pain, but he didn’t push her away.
“I’m still older than you by four minutes,” she said after a moment. She couldn’t help reminding him, and Noah laughed again.
“I know, okay? You don’t have to remind me of that all the time,” he said.
MADELYN took a deep breath. She was nervous, but she couldn’t back out. Besides, she had put herself in this situation. Just as Keith said, he really did pay Noah’s hospital bills. And because she had made a deal with him, she was back at the club to meet him again. If she backed out now, Keith might come looking for her himself. Her whole body trembled at the thought.
She had learned from Noah that Keith was a notorious underground fighter. He showed no mercy once he stepped into the fighting ring. On the list of fighters, he was number one—an unbeatable and undisputed champion. The reason her brother chose to fight Keith was because the payout was bigger if Keith was your opponent, even if you lost. In other words, Keith Montalban was terrifying. That was why Noah got furious when he found out about their agreement. He couldn’t understand how she managed to pay the hospital when they had no money, and he hadn’t even received the thirty thousand pesos from his fight yet. She had no choice but to tell him the truth—and she remembered the conversation she had with her brother.
“You’re bargaining with the devil, Maddie,” Noah said angrily. “That was a dangerous place for a lady like you! Didn’t it cross your mind that someone there might mess with you?”
She crossed her arms and met his furious glare. “We really are siblings, Noah, because neither of us thinks things through.”
“Don’t give me that bull crap!”
She rolled her eyes. “I met your boss, okay?” He blinked. “He was the one who told one of the bouncers to escort me to Keith’s room.”
“And Keith? Did he do anything to you?”
“He didn’t do anything bad. Though I admit he’s scary.”
“And you’re going back there this Sunday? What exactly are you giving him in exchange for what you asked?” She just shrugged at his question. He cursed and dragged his hands down his face. “I have a pocket knife. Carry it with you. And don’t ever hesitate to use it when needed.”
She reached for the back pocket of her jeans as she remembered the pocket knife Noah had given her. She just prayed that Keith wouldn’t do anything to her so she wouldn’t have to use it. Just thinking about stabbing someone made her feel faint.
Poncio was currently escorting her to Keith’s room. She was surprised that the bouncer recognized her immediately when she got out of the taxi. He simply called her “Noah’s sister.”
“We’re here,” he said after a while. “Alright, you can knock.” He didn’t even wait for her response and walked away, as if he were afraid of something.
She swallowed while staring at the closed door in front of her. After a few seconds, she finally decided to knock. She waited for it to open. One… two… three… she secretly counted the seconds. She cursed under her breath when it still hadn’t opened even after she reached five. She raised her hand to knock again, but the door suddenly swung open. Goosebumps raced across her skin, setting every nerve ending on fire the moment she saw him again—just like the first time they met.
He frowned when he recognized her. “You’re late.”
She glanced at her watch. She really was five minutes late. “Sorry,” she said with a sheepish grin. She almost added a peace sign but changed her mind when she saw his expression darken even more. She swallowed nervously.
“Come in,” he said. She slowly stepped inside. She eyed the room suspiciously, even though she had been there once before. It was as if something suspicious might happen and she needed to stay alert.
She cleared her throat. “So, um, what exactly—”
“Follow me.” He cut her off. She frowned at his back as she trailed after him. He headed toward another door, and she quietly wondered where it led.
When he finally opened it, her jaw dropped.