Saturday night came with me showing up to the tournament by myself. Meredith had offered to accompany me, and so had Steph with a promise of bonus Angel, but coming through with an entourage was about as low-key as me showing up in ball gown. I was trying to blend, not stand out.
This was Val’s night. Not mine.
I tucked my hair beneath a Yankees cap, wore dark jeans, black sneakers, and a charcoal-gray hoodie, and slipped into the event unnoticed by the throngs of people waiting at the entrance. It wasn’t a professional event, so it was set up in a large gym not too far from Cadet’s. There were temporary bleachers lining the rows, but it was packed. I had to scan the place for several minutes before spotting Hana sitting in the crowd with a seat beside her. I hurried over before someone could ask her to move her bag.
“Hey, darling.”
Hana jumped to her feet and hugged me. “Ashton, you came!”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Of course. I was hopeful and saved you a seat.”
“Thanks.” I sat next to her, pulling my hood down lower. “When does Val fight?”
“Later,” she said. “Matt’s fight is first.”
I nodded, looking over the crowd again. “Who’s Val fighting?”
She crossed her arms over her chest, lines of disapproval on her brow. “In amateur tournaments, they draw names so it’s random, and unfortunately he and Luis were picked to fight each other.”
“Oh, that sucks.”
“Yeah . . . There’s weird stuff between Val and Luis’s friends. Who, by the way, are right behind us.”
I froze, not daring to turn around. It was then that I tuned in to the conversation and recognized Bronson’s voice—just as low and mean as it’d been the night he’d threatened me and Val for daring to kiss.
I wanted to sink into the floor.
Keeping my hoodie down low, I slumped in the seat and stared straight ahead. Waiting for the tournament to start and wishing I was sitting anywhere else, but knowing there was nothing I could do to change the situation since the gym had filled fast. Though no one was paying attention to us so far, my stomach knotted up, and I felt sick. They were all chattering excitedly about the coming fight, mentioning fighters I didn’t know until someone commented on how Luis was going to fuck up Val since their names had been drawn together. My peripheral vision told me it was Bronson speaking, and he punctuated the statement with that faggot.
I wondered if Bronson knew his boy Luis was the one dying to get down my throat.
Nervousness turned into the cool wash of anger, and my stomach settled.
I could do this. I could get through this. And after the fight, I’d wait for Val outside and he’d know that I had come to support him. He’d know there were people here rooting for him other than his damn controlling trainer.
Everything would be okay.
I repeated the mantra to myself as a hush settled over the crowd, and the first set of fighters strutted their way to the ring. I recognized the tall black guy as Matt only because I’d seen pictures of him and Val at another tournament over a year ago. They were friends, and they were also on the same team—which geared me up to cheer every time he landed a punch and evaded a jab. I didn’t actually like to watch boxing or UFC—hell, even hockey was too violent for my tastes—but the crackle of adrenaline and excitement in the air was exhilarating.
The fight ended in the third round with Matt knocking out his opponent with an uppercut so fierce, the guy was unconscious before he hit the mat. A young boy leaped into the ring to thrust Matt’s gloves up into the air, and he grinned proudly. His dark brown eyes swung in my direction and for just a second my heart stopped. Was he looking at me? No . . . it couldn’t be. He was looking at Hana.
They were smiling at each other as she stood and clapped wildly. “Go Mattie!” she called, slapping her hands together. “You kicked ass!”
“We’ll see how long that lasts.”
Bronson’s voice set my teeth on edge. I had to curl my hands around the edge of the bleachers to prevent myself from whipping my head in his direction. Maybe he hadn’t noticed me yet.
Hana looked back at him. “Is someone paying you to sit here and talk shit, or did you take up the asshole mantle on your own?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Bronson lean forward and grin down at her. “I like to keep the fights interesting.”
“It’d be more interesting if you were in the ring,” she said sweetly. “I’d like to see that someday.”
His brows shot up. “Yeah? I thought you were with Matt.”
“I am. That’s why I’d love to see him kick your ass.”
A couple of Bronson’s friends broke into snickers. They were definitely not here to have his back or even humor him.
“Leave her alone before her brother comes up here and tears you up,” one of them said. “For real. I’m not trying to get into some shit.”
Bronson shot his buddy a deadly look before draping himself over Hana’s shoulder. Screw low profile. I scooted closer to her and put an arm around her, shoving him off.
“Well, look who it is,” Bronson said with a laugh. “Bitch boy showed up to cheer for his man.”
I gritted my teeth and glared at the ring. The next fight was starting, but I could practically feel him breathing down my neck, and the animosity rolling off him made my skin crawl.
“Look, it’s Duke’s turn,” Hana said. “We grew up with him, and he’s on Val’s team.”
I tried to focus on the fight and erase Bronson from my mind.
Duke and the other guy tapped gloves, a few minutes were spent with Duke evading and dancing around the ring while the other guy jabbed and punched. It went on for two rounds before Duke was downed in a three-punch combo that dropped him to the mat.
Discretion out the window, I was on my feet before I could stop myself. I didn’t even know Duke, but watching him lay there motionless stopped my heart. And it allowed me to realize Val had been ringside the entire time. Seeing him in person, for the first time in two weeks, caused happiness to burst out of me.
“Val!”
His head snapped up. He barely had to scan the crowd before his gaze fell on me.
Unable to help myself, I waved, wanting him to know that I’d come to cheer for him, but he didn’t smile. His eyes shifted to Bronson, then back to me. He gave a sharp shake of his head and fiercely mouthed something.
My excitement drained. I sat back on the bleachers.
“What did he say?” Hana asked.
“He told me to leave.”
She frowned incredulously before looking between me and Val. “But he told me he wanted you here.”
“I don’t know . . .” Doubts filled all the spaces that had been filled with optimism and excitement. Instead of wanting to cheer him on, I was once again left wanting to disappear. Had this all been a mistake? I watched Val turn and walk away from the ring. “Maybe I should go.”
“No,” she insisted. “Maybe you misunderstood.”
I tracked Val’s position as he headed for an exit at the back of the gym. Once he’d disappeared, another member of his team headed ringside accompanied by their trainer. If they were here, maybe I’d have a shot at talking to Val alone.
I stood up just as they began announcing the next fight. “Hana, hold my spot. I’ll be back.”
“Ashton—”
I was sliding out of our row and stumbling over the other spectators before she could finish.