Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 52

"Are you kidding me? We can't just let him walk all over us. So what if he's a massive brute?"

"What else can we do? It's not like the club has a rule saying pros can't participate."

"What is management thinking? If this keeps up, no one's gonna want to come here anymore."

"Who says? Look around, the place is still packed every single day. Everyone's just waiting for someone to finally put him in his place."

Steve, the massive blond, waited a few more moments. Clearly losing his patience, he barked in heavily accented English, "You are all cowards! Spineless weaklings!"

Finally, someone in the crowd couldn't take the insult anymore and vaulted into the ring.

"Let's see what you've got." The young man dropped into a fighting stance, ready to take on the towering blond.

Steve let out a booming, arrogant laugh. "You've got a death wish, kid!"

He crossed his massive arms over his chest, waiting for the young guy to make the first move.

Unable to handle the sheer disrespect, the challenger let out a furious yell and charged.

Steve simply raised a hand. With one single, brutal punch, he sent the young man flying entirely out of the ring.

The guy shot through the air in a straight line.

The security guards standing by clearly expected this. Two of them instantly lunged forward to catch the airborne challenger.

"That kid must be new here."

"Has to be. Why else would he volunteer to get totally wrecked? Steve's been terrorizing this place for a week. The regulars know better."

"Man, I guess no one can really take him down. By the time he heads back home, who knows how much he'll have trashed our reputation."

"If I actually knew how to fight, I'd go up there myself."

"Who is that girl? Look at her! Why is she throwing her life away?"

"I have no idea. I didn't even see her get in the ring. It's like she teleported. Did you see?"

"No, I missed it too."

People in the crowd started yelling. "Hey, little girl, get down from there! You can't beat him!"

Stella didn't say a word. She simply gave Steve a thumbs-up.

And then—slowly turned her thumb all the way down.

Following it up, she extended her index finger and beckoned him to come at her. Still total silence.

The physical threat was zero, but the sheer level of disrespect was off the charts.