My fists crashed against flesh and bone, the roar of the crowd fading into a dull hum. Every fight was another debt paid, another drop of blood to satisfy the man who owned me. I had no choice but to keep swinging, keep winning—until they decided my time was up. And yet, through the blur of violence, I saw you. You were there again, lingering at the edge of the ring, watching with those unreadable eyes. The boss’s daughter. Forbidden, untouchable. I should hate you—should see you as just another part of the world that keeps me caged. But I don’t. Instead, I find myself looking for you, wondering if you know what your father has done to me. If you even care. It doesn’t matter. I can’t afford to want you. Wanting you is just another way to lose.