Chapter 7 (Jackson)
“You should get rejected more often. It really makes you train better,” Tyrone says while I slam my fist into the punching bag again.
It's been a little over three weeks since I've last seen or talked to Alyssa, and true to form, I've been taking my frustration out during training.
Ricardo's lips twitch as he holds the punching bag. “That's enough for today, guys. Hit the showers.”
I'm about to leave, but I notice movement out of the corner of my eye.
It's that snake, Luke waltzing through the gym; appearing to be without a care in the world.
I'm about to change that real quick.
I hip check him into the wall and enjoy the look of utter shock splashed across his face.
“Can I help you?” he sputters.
My 6'3 frame easily towers over him and I relish the way his entire body begins to shake from fear.
I don't give into my anger very often. I tend to bottle everything up and save it for the fights in the cage, but when I do let my fury escape—it sure as fuck makes one hell of an impact. “I believe you still owe money to a certain ring girl,” I snarl.
He puffs up his chest. “What are you? Her keeper or something? I don't owe that girl shit. Not my fault she couldn't handle the job.”
I launch my fist into his rib cage. “Last time I checked, asshole. Being groped against your will wasn't part of the job description. You're supposed to make sure shit like that doesn't happen to the ring girls.”
He lets out a big whoosh of air before he collapses against the wall.
I ball my fist again, but he finally reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash wrapped around a rubber band. “Fine, here. This should cover it. But mark my words, Jackson. If you make a habit of attacking me over the girls I hire, instead of focusing on the fights like you're supposed to- Bruno will be hearing about it.”
I grab him by the collar. “I really don't give a fuck,” I sneer before I let him go.
He fixes his collar and glares at me. “Yeah, we'll see about that,” he says before he limps away.
When I turn around Ricardo's eyes are narrowed into tiny slits and Tyrone is shaking his head profusely.
“Locker room, now,” Ricardo barks.
Shit.
The thing about Ricardo is, he's a great coach- and I'm close enough with him to consider him a friend of sorts...but you never want to piss him off.
He's only 5 years older than Tyrone and I, but rumor has it that he has strong ties to Bruno...hence why it's not only his job to train us, but to look after two of his biggest money making fighters.
It's Ricardo's priority to make sure we stay in top physical form as well as stay out of trouble...in every kind of form it comes in.
The fact that I just went off on one of Bruno's men...doesn't bode well for me.
“What the fuck was that?” he snaps when we reach the locker room.
I decide to tell him the truth. “He let Alyssa get attacked during the fight and didn't try to stop it...and if that wasn't bad enough he then fired her for causing trouble. He also didn't pay her.”
He rubs his chin, appearing to be lost in thought for a moment. “Alyssa. That's the girl in handcuffs you brought home? Correct?”
I nod. “Look, Jackson. Do yourself a favor and bark up another tree. The only thing that girl's going to do is get you in a shitload of trouble. Trust me. You'll be getting into fights out of the ring left and right the longer you hang around her. If Bruno questions me about you going after Luke, I'll defend you and tell him you were just trying to do the right thing.” He pauses. “But you and I both know it's never a good thing to be on Bruno's radar. Don't make a habit out of it.”
“Yeah,” I agree before he leaves.
After I step out of the shower I find Tyrone standing there waiting for me. “In the last 3 years I've known you; I've never seen you strung out over a girl. What is it about her, man?”
I shrug as I continue getting dressed. “I don't know. She's been dealt a really shitty hand, though. She's not at all what you think, Ty.”
“So, she's a lost soul, huh?”
“Something like that,” I mumble.
He rubs a hand over his face. “Saving her won't bring back Lilly, Jackson,” he says before he heads for the showers.
I instinctively put my hand on the tattoo over my heart.
“I know,” I whisper.
***
“I'm tired as fuck,” Tyrone says after we leave the gym. “Training really did a number on me today. I'm gonna grab some coffee.”
I look at him and smirk as we continue walking down the street. “Yeah, if that's what you like to call those pumpkin spice froo-froo girly drinks you dig so much.”
He turns his head from side to side and grins. “Hey, man. Don't knock it til' you try it.”
I roll my eyes and laugh when we approach the Starbucks at the end of the block.
Until I see her.
Looking through the large glass window of the coffee shop, I can't help but notice Alyssa.
She's leaning over the table, her cleavage spilling out of her low-cut top, and flashing a seductive 'come hither' smile to some guy wearing khakis whose typing on a laptop.
How he's still typing with her right in front of him looking like that is anyone's guess, but that's beside the point.
I know exactly what she's doing...and it makes me sick.
Sick and pissed.
Tyrone follows my gaze and shakes his head. “Awe, hell. And so it begins,” he mutters.
Without taking my eyes off of her, I open the door and walk inside.