Free Web NovelChapter 137: Chapter 137 Their Chosen Fighter
The longer his silence persisted, the more unsettled the spectators became.
Because if there was one thing more frightening than the masked man’s wrath, it was not knowing what he was thinking.
Despite the strange atmosphere surrounding them and the countless eyes secretly observing their every move, Ashley and Gideon behaved as though they noticed nothing at all.
Gideon leaned back comfortably in his seat before casually raising a hand toward one of the female attendants standing nearby.
"Introduce the next fighters," he instructed calmly.
He didn’t even spare the woman a glance as he spoke. His attention remained fixed entirely on the young woman sitting on his lap. Watching Ashley struggle with her embarrassment had become far more entertaining than anything happening inside the arena.
The attendant quickly lowered her head and hurried off to carry out his order.
Meanwhile, Gideon continued his shameless teasing. The corners of his lips curled upward as amusement flickered in his eyes whenever Ashley stiffened or avoided looking at him. To him, her flustered reactions were endlessly fascinating.
One of his arms was still resting securely around her waist while his large, warm hand remained settled on her thigh in a casual and possessive manner, as though such intimacy was the most natural thing in the world. There wasn’t the slightest hint of awkwardness in his actions.
Unfortunately for Ashley, the same could not be said for her.
Every passing second only heightened her awareness of their closeness. Combined with the curious gazes directed toward them from all sides, she felt increasingly self-conscious, unsure whether to protest, escape, or simply endure Gideon’s relentless teasing.
The more uncomfortable she became, however, the more amused Gideon appeared, making it painfully clear that he was enjoying every moment of her predicament.
A few moments later, the female attendant returned. Holding a tablet against her chest, she respectfully lowered her head before delivering her report.
"Sir, the next match will feature a newcomer named Roger," she said. "He’s been making his way up the rankings and is attempting to break into the arena’s elite circle. His opponent will be Drake, the champion from two years ago, who is currently seeking another shot at the reigning title holder."
The attendant’s voice remained steady despite the intimidating presence surrounding her. freёwebnovel.com
Gideon listened without much interest, lazily leaning back in his seat. One arm remained draped around Ashley’s waist while his fingers idly tapped against the armrest. His expression barely changed as he processed the information.
"What are the odds?" he asked.
The attendant glanced at her tablet before answering immediately.
"One hundred to one in favor of Drake, sir. Roger is considered a complete underdog. Current betting odds place him at one hundred, while Drake stands at ten."
A faint murmur spread through the VIP section.
The numbers alone revealed the crowd’s confidence in the outcome. To most people, Roger was nothing more than fresh meat stepping into the cage with a seasoned predator.
Gideon’s lips curled into a faint smirk.
The arena loved certainty.
Unfortunately, certainty was often the first thing to die once the bell rang.
Gideon didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, his hand moved in slow, absent-minded circles over Ashley’s thigh, as though he were completely focused on the upcoming match. The gentle motion sent an involuntary shiver through her body. Her lashes fluttered as she struggled to maintain a calm expression, but the warmth of his touch made it increasingly difficult to think straight.
The man knew exactly what he was doing.
Ashley shifted slightly, hoping to regain her composure, only for Gideon’s fingers to drift higher before coming to a deliberate stop along her inner thigh. The sudden movement stole her breath, and a faint sound nearly escaped her lips.
Fortunately, the noise from the surrounding VIP guests drowned out any trace of it.
Or at least, that was what Ashley hoped.
Judging from the way Gideon’s eyes darkened, he had heard it perfectly.
His smoky-gray eyes settled on her, deep and unreadable, carrying a dangerous intensity that made her pulse quicken. Yet his expression remained infuriatingly calm, as though he hadn’t just reduced her to a bundle of nerves.
Then, as casually as if they were discussing the weather, he asked, "Baby, why don’t you choose who we bet on? We’ll go with your decision, hmm?"
The slight upward lilt at the end of his sentence sounded almost playful.
Almost.
But then, his hand gave her thigh a gentle squeeze before retreating, and the corner of his mouth curved into a satisfied smirk. Watching her struggle to keep her composure had become far more entertaining for him.
Meanwhile, Ashley felt completely restless. Her thoughts were tangled, her heartbeat refused to settle, and every second spent on his lap only made her more aware of his presence, and she even felt her panties getting wet by her own love juice.
She shot him a glare that lacked any real threat behind it, while Gideon simply looked back at her with undisguised amusement, thoroughly enjoying the chaos he had created.
’This is so embarrassing!’
Ashley inwardly groaned as she subtly squirmed in his lap, trying to adjust her position without drawing attention to herself. The last thing she wanted was for the dampness between her thighs to accidentally stain Gideon’s pants. If that happened and he noticed, she might just die from embarrassment on the spot. frёeωebɳovel.com
Determined to avoid such a disastrous scenario, she carefully shifted her weight and lifted the other side of her hips. Her mind was too preoccupied with her predicament to think deeply about the conversation. When asked who she thought would win, she simply blurted out the name that seemed most likely to come out on top.
"We’ll go for Drake," she said without hesitation.
Hearing her place her bet on Drake, Gideon raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise. He had expected her to choose Roger instead. After all, there was always the possibility of a dark horse emerging victorious in a fight like this, and Roger’s odds offered a far greater return if he managed to pull off an upset.
Given Ashley’s sharp instincts and willingness to take calculated risks, Gideon had assumed she would be tempted by the higher payout.
However, since she had already made her choice, he offered no comment. With a small nod, he signaled to the female attendant standing nearby. Understanding immediately, the attendant lowered her gaze and began tapping away on the tablet in her hands, swiftly processing their wager.
After a few moments of processing the wager, the female attendant looked up from her tablet and offered a respectful smile.
"Sir, may I ask whose name the bet should be registered under?" she inquired politely.
She had yet to learn the identities of the two guests before her. Under normal circumstances, the host or inviter would have already informed the staff about their invited guests so they could prepare accordingly.
However, Gideon and Ashley had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, leaving no prior record for her to reference.
Still, the thought that they might be impostors never once crossed her mind. The confidence they carried, coupled with the intimidating aura surrounding Gideon, made it difficult to imagine them as ordinary gatecrashers.
If anything, they looked like individuals whose backgrounds were far beyond her level of understanding.
