CHAPTER FIVE
Kolan
“Strength doesn’t come from your fists, it comes from your mind and it comes from here.” I point to my chest, staring at the fourteen youths in front of me, all of them ranging from nine to thirteen years old.
“Bullshit!”
My eyes move to Benny Santiago, a mouthy little shit with a chip on his shoulder. A ten-year-old who reminds me so much of myself at his age, except I knew when to open my mouth and when not to.
“You say something, Santiago?”
“Yeah, I said bullshit! You gotta hit hard to survive; you’d think the heavyweight champion would know that. But if you want, we can trade places and I can teach this class,” he says with a cocky smirk. His arms cross proudly over his skinny chest from the snickers that explode around him.
I glance at Sarge, who stands next to me, chuckling along with the rest of them. He shrugs. “You gotta admit it was kinda funny.”
I stride across the ring to Benny, his confidence fading. Taking the towel off from around my neck, I wrap it under his arms and lift him off his feet, bringing his face level with mine. His eyes widen as he takes a visible gulp.
“You know what happens to mouthy little kids who don’t know when to keep quiet?”
He shakes his head.
“They get their little asses kicked.”
He gives me a shaky smile, his head tilting to the side as he pats my shoulder. “Hey, come on now. Where’s that sense of humor, huh?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Well, with all that money you have you should buy yourself one.”
Everyone laughs again, Sarge being the loudest of all. “That was a good one, kid.” He wheezes between breaths. “Stupid, but funny.”
Benny continues to smile, as if his humor will get him out of this.
“Let me tell you something. Your body can take blow after blow, you can get knocked down time and time again, but as long as your heart is still beating, you’ve survived. It isn’t until they’ve broken your mind and killed your spirit that you’ve lost. Take it from me, kid, the blow to your chest hurts a hell of a lot more than any fist that will knock you on your ass.”
He stares back at me, his smile long since vanished. I look at all the other kids to see matching expressions on their faces.
“There are different fights and challenges you’ll go through in your life that will knock you down. Only a warrior gets back up and keeps fighting, in and out of the ring.” I bring my attention back to Benny, who I still have dangling in front of me. “You got me?”
He nods.
I place him back onto his feet. “Good. Now go give me fifty push-ups and next time watch your mouth.”
“Aw man!”
As he follows the order, I address the class again. “Let’s talk about what I just said. Something you all need to remember if you want to survive in this sometimes screwed-up world. Your mind and heart are the most powerful tools you possess. Use them wisely. If you can get out of an altercation without using your fists, then that’s what you do. Pick and choose your battles.”
“What if you have no choice?” Jacob Morris asks, the black eye he sports proving he wasn’t given one.
“Then you do what you need to do to survive and you don’t stop until you’re the one that’s walking away. But only if it’s your last option.”
He nods.
“All right. Pair up and let’s start.”
While everyone grabs a partner, I spot Cooper walking out of the office from his talk with Jaxson.
“Hey, Coop, wait up a sec, will ya?” I glance over at Sarge. “Can you take over for a moment?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“Thanks.” Jumping down from the ring, I head over to where Cooper waits by the door.
“Slade,” he greets me, extending his hand.
“Hey.” I accept the gesture. “I’ve been meaning to call and ask you about that girl you sent here.”
The one I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
“Girl?” He frowns.
“Yeah. Lia.”
His eyes widen in surprise. “Lia’s been here?”
Now it’s my turn to be confused. “You didn’t send her?”
“I told her about the self-defense class happening this weekend, but I didn’t think she would come before then.”
“She came in here Monday night and asked about getting private lessons. I’ve been working with her after hours.”
“Really?” he says, still in shock.
I nod.
“Honestly, I didn’t think she would come, but I’m glad she did.”
“What’s her story?” I ask, cutting right to the chase.
It’s clear he knows what I’m asking but he feigns ignorance. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. She’s jumpy as hell and seems terrified of everything.”
“Have you asked her?”
“No.”
I’ve been making sure to keep our lessons focused strictly on self-defense. Something about that girl messes with me, and makes me feel shit that I shouldn’t be feeling, especially with her. But I’ve been dying to know what the hell her story is. What has made her so scared? She raises every protective instinct I have and whoever put that fear in her, I want to fucking end them.
Cooper lets out a resigned breath. “Listen. I can’t really tell you what I know; it’s not my place. And to be honest, I only know the little I’ve been able to find out on my own.”
I frown at the response. “What does that mean?”
“It means she’s hiding more than what’s under that scarf of hers.”
“So, you haven’t seen what’s under it either.”
“No. But I’m glad you’re helping her because, take it from me, Slade, she needs it. Kayla knew it from the moment she met her, which is why she sent her to me in the first place. I’m hoping she’ll open up as she gets more comfortable, but I’m not holding my breath. It’s clear she doesn’t trust easily. I’m praying I can gain it before she bolts.”
My chest constricts; the thought of her leaving without so much as a word to anyone bothers the hell out of me. “Come on, Cooper, give me something. How am I supposed to help her if I don’t know what the hell is going on?”
He shakes his head. “I can’t. I don’t know enough. If you want to help then gain her trust and keep her from running. And while you’re at it, teach her how to kick some serious ass.”
“Yeah, we’re working on that,” I tell him on a heavy breath.
“Good. Kayla has been trying to get closer to her but she always has an excuse to bail. You’re the only one she’s spending time with, so it looks like you’re her only hope right now.”
Great, the most fucked-up guy on the planet is her only hope.
“I’ll do what I can,” I promise, hoping it will be enough.
“Good luck, keep in touch.”
After he walks out the door, I head back over to the group.
“Yo, Slade,” Jaxson yells, sticking his head out of the office. “Phone call.”
“My sister?”
He shakes his head, his tight expression saying it all. It’s not a phone call I want to take.
“Ward?”
“Yeah, ’bout that exhibition fight for charity.”
Charity my ass. It’s because Cortez wants me in the ring. He wants to challenge the undefeated heavyweight and Ward wants the money from it, but it’s not going to happen. Even though I would love to slaughter that cocky motherfucker.
I shake my head at Jaxson.
“Figured, but thought I’d check anyway.”
I continue my way to the group, seeing them all paired up except Benny. He stands by himself, watching me with a smug smile on his face. “I’m partnerless. Looks like it’s you and me, Champ, let’s see what you got,” he challenges, getting into fighting position.
Instead of matching his stance, I grab a fistful of his shirt and lift him off his feet again. He giggles hysterically, both his small hands clinging to my wrist as he squirms to get free.
“What did I tell you? No one likes a big mouth.”
“Don’t listen to him, kid,” Sawyer says as he walks out of the locker room with one of the fighters. “Everyone loves a big mouth. You just gotta make sure you can back it up first,” he adds with a smirk.
Benny’s know-it-all smile spreads. “I like that guy. Why isn’t he instructing us?”
Dropping him back to his feet, I begin gloving up. “Because he ain’t the Champ. Now glove up, because I’m about to show you exactly what I’m made of.”