The Devil Within (Devil Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

rubbed her knuckles. “We fight for an underground fight club that Danny runs.”
    Penelope gaped.
    “Danny X runs an underground fight club?” Alexis jotted. “This case gets more and more interesting by the minute.”
    Blake waved her hands from side to side. “No one can know I told you. There are some very powerful, not to mention dangerous people involved in this. You have no idea how huge this thing is. Danny’s making close to millions and he’d do anything to protect what he’s got going.”
    “Leave it to Danny to think of an underground fight club.” Penelope chuckled. “He just can’t keep his hands out the cookie jar.”
    “I know it’s wrong,” Blake said. “But I love fighting. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional boxer. In this business, you need managers who can get you on the professional circuit and it’s extremely hard for female fighters to break out on that level. You have to be seen somewhere for the right manager to notice you.” She stopped in front of Alexis. “With Danny’s club I make good money while hopefully attracting someone who would take me on so I can get into the professional fights.” She pulled up her shirt and showed off a devil-looking tattoo on her stomach. “It’s a demon. That’s my fight name.”
    Penelope gaped. “Demon’s your fight name?”
    “Yeah.” Blake put her hands on her waist. “Not trying to brag but I’m one of the best in the entire club. We have different levels, just like in professional fighting.”
    “How many women are in this club?” Alexis asked.
    “Twenty-five.” Blake swung her arm. “Mercy’s the reigning champion. Nobody can beat her.”
    Alexis laid her notepad in her lap.
    “You should see her.” Blake balled fists. “She’s like fuckin’ superwoman. She’s six feet tall and buff like a dude. She’s trying to get into the professional circuit, too.”
    “About how much money can you make on a fight?” Penelope leaned forward.
    “It depends on who puts money in the pot that week but we always get paid good.”
    “So people bet on these fights?” Alexis asked.
    “Danny’s club is the only platform in this town for female fighters to show what we can do.” Blake looked at Alexis. “The only drawback is putting up with Danny’s shit.”
    Alexis tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
    “A lot of the newbies are young women with no money and no place to stay and Danny takes advantage. He’s a master at sniffing out the weak and preying on them.”
    “Yeah, that sounds like Danny all right,” Penelope said.
    “He doesn’t give some of the women their right cuts. He tells them they owe him and that if anyone told about the club they’d be sorry.” Blake seemed to tense up. “He’s friends with a lot of people that you don’t wanna mess with, so a lot of these women are scared of him. They only got into the club because they didn’t have anything else. He sweet-talked them, but that doesn’t last long.”
    “There are other options for these women than joining an illegal fight club,” Penelope said. “We do have homeless shelters in Tate Valley. What Danny’s doing to these women is no different than what a pimp would do. He’s using them to make money.”
    “I spent years on the streets back in the day.” Blake poked her chest. “I was a runaway, and Tate Valley might be this beautiful beach city to some people but there’s a dark side people don’t even talk about.”
    Alexis nodded. “We know all too well.”
    Blake continued, “When you come from that kind of life you get used to trusting the wrong people because they promise you stuff that you can’t get on your own.” She held her arms to her sides. “Danny hooks these women up with places to stay and resources as long as they fight and give him most of the money.”
    “What about you?” Alexis pointed her pencil to Blake. “Do you really wanna be involved with Danny or is it that you can’t get