Chapter 31 Party Crash

• River’s POV
• The fight was supposed to be simple. I’d take my share of the pain and finish my opponent, just another task after closing a business deal. Pain had become my pleasure, a twisted satisfaction rooted in my past trauma. I had just changed into a sleeveless jersey and shorts, watching with a smirk as my previous opponent’s nearly lifeless body was dragged away.
• The crowd roared as I stepped up to the stage, my reputation preceding me. Both the underworld and this brutal arena knew my name; fighting was more than a job, it was a thrill. But as I scanned the crowd, I saw something that threatened to drain the life out of me.