“I believe you, sweetheart,” Deacon said to her chest.

The empty chair next to Knox was yanked back and spun around. “Well, if it isn’t Black Farts and Blue’s Clues. God. Is it like a Sensei Ronin Black mandate that you guys train together and hang out together? Do you wash each other’s dicks too? That might be kinda hot to see.”

Knox turned around and faced Mia, a scrappy redhead who trained with Steve Atwood.

Before Knox could say anything, Deacon jumped in. “I don’t remember anyone inviting you to sit with us. So beat it, skank.”

“Make me, Scarface.”

“I’m surprised your pimp let you out of his sight. Unless you’re here drumming up business? It’s a waste of your bad breath, because you’d have to pay us to fuck you.”

Shiori silently watched the exchange between Mia and Deacon.

Mia looked at Knox. “Yep, still hate this ass-licker as much as I thought I did.”

“What are you doing here?” Knox said.

“Saw the sad-sack table and thought I’d swing by and say hey.” Mia’s gaze roamed over Knox’s face and chest, then dropped to his crotch. “You’re looking good, big man. Very good. It’s been a while.”

Not long enough.

“Excuse me, but who are you and why are you at our table?” Katie asked.

Mia laughed. “Please, please, please make my day and tell me Barbie Perky Tits is one of your new fighters?”

Jesus. “Mia. Stop stirring shit and go.”

“But it’s so fun. I can admit Sensei Atwood sent me over here to check out the competition.” Her gaze swept the people at the table and she sneered. “And this is it? Pathetic. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”

“Sensei Atwood? That’s what he’s calling himself now? What a fuckin’ pompous prick. Tell your no-balls boss he’s welcome to come over and size me up himself,” Deacon said.

“I don’t think her pimp is here,” Fee said. “Didn’t Atwood end up banned from this bar a few months back because he’d gone into a ’roid rage?”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Mia snapped.

“Ooh. Hit a nerve, did I, puta?” Fee said.

“I’ll hit a nerve. In fact, I’m gonna hit all of your nerves,” Mia said, adding a nasty smile. “Gonna be a long match for you, with me doing a ground and pound on your face. Or will you show your true pussy self and tap out? Like my last ten opponents.”

“But you’re still fighting in the minor leagues, aren’t you? Why is that? Oh, right, because you suck—and I’m not just talking about all the guy’s dicks in the whorehouse where you train,” Deacon said.

Mia laughed. “No wonder Knox is the only one of you Black Farts assholes I ever fucked. He’s got the smarts to know when to keep his mouth shut.”

Christ. Thanks for that, Mia.

Then Mia rested her head on Knox’s arm. “I miss those days. How about if we ditch these losers—”

Mia was there one second and gone the next.

Shiori had fisted her hand in Mia’s hair and pushed Mia’s face into the table, chicken-winging her left arm. “Don’t you fucking touch him again. And get out of here before I break your fucking arm in such a way your fighting days are over for good. Understand?”

“Your newest cunt girlfriend is messing with the wrong person, Knox. Call her off.”

“Don’t you dare,” Deacon said to Knox. “For once Mia is entertaining me, seeing her pinned to the table like a bug to a board.”

“Let her go,” Maddox said to Shiori. “We wouldn’t want her to claim she was injured prior to the fight as an excuse on why she gets her ass handed to her.”

Shiori released her and immediately backed up into defensive position.

Mia rubbed her neck and glared at Shiori. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, bitch—”

“I’m Ronin Black’s sister, bitch, and I know a little bit about fighting dirty. So watch your back.”

After Mia stormed away, Knox tried to talk to Shiori, but she held up her hands and said, “Not now,” and walked over to the bar.

“Guess that ends our night out,” Katie said.

Knox put his hand on Katie’s arm and looked at Fee. “Give it about ten minutes before you leave to make sure she’s gone.”

“Good idea.”

“Fee, do you have any fight tapes from the smokers you’ve done?”

“We have some; Black Arts has some. Why?”