The Bet

28) K.O

  Camila's POV

  I watched Sam kick some chic's ass with pride.

  I taught her that move, I gushed internally as the angel flipped her opponent over her shoulder, ending the fight with a resounding thud.

  I feel like a proud mom.

  But in a not weird way.

  After Samira climbed out of the ring, she scanned the crowd for someone that I hope is me while heading over to Cal's table to collect her winnings. I smiled at the callused persona she puts on here. Her hair is pulled back tight, her lips are set in a hard line, and her eyes are openly skeptical and observant, like a hawk's. It doesn't do much to conceal her heart shaped face and youthful glow though.

  For some, that may be a problem, but not for her. If she were a spider, she would be the cutest one alive, and her strategy to survive would be to sit pretty, but most of all, unthreateningly, and let the prey waltz right into her web before devouring them before they even realize their mistake.

  If I have learned anything from training with her the last few weeks, it is that.

  I do sometimes wonder where she could have picked up such a strategy. It is not one that comes naturally to most, especially not those who are as kind and unassuming as Samira seems.

  But I have been working on respecting boundaries lately, so I suppose I will just have to wait for her to want to share that part of herself with me. Of course, it is possible that she will never want to share that with me. Why she is the way she is. Where she learned her survival strategy. Where she learned to flinch like an abused kitten when she has to tell someone no.

  Ugh, I think I would die of curiosity if that were the case.

  Inspired and turned on by Sam's winning performance, along with that newfound incentive to be distracted from my thoughts, I strode over to Cal's table, where Samira was stuffing her winnings into her sports bra.

  Her lips twitched up when she saw me walking towards them before hardening again. The sight made me want to grab her and plant a kiss on her lips that shows just how much I appreciated that little lip quirk, so I did.

  She was surprised at first, I could tell by the way her mouth fell open in a gasp, but she let her lips melt against mine soon after, reminding me all over again why I love kissing her so much. Her lips and body are like clay, so eager to mold against mine.

  We broke the kiss a few seconds later, and I beamed while she glanced around anxiously.

  I placed what I hope was a comforting hand on her hip and brought her closer to me. "Don't worry about them. No one will mess with you now that they know you are with me," I reassured her.

  Unfortunately, her brow stayed furrowed in concern. "What if no one wants to compete against me now because they are afraid of what will happen if I lose?" She whispered, flexing her arms to keep them by her sides instead of playing with the hem of her shorts.

  My smile faded. Shit, I hadn't thought of that.

  Worrying so much over the Cortez family drama has got some things slipping through the cracks, but if I've learned anything from that whole fiasco, it's that I can't let one of them be Samira.

  Trying to think quickly on my feet in an attempt not to let my impulsivity ruin Samira's game, I turned to Cal. "If people stop signing up to compete with Sam, tell them she is the only one available to get in the ring with. I don't care how many people actually have an open slot." Once I thought that was settled, I turned back to Samira.