CHAPTER THREE
Jaxson
“I’m tellin’ ya, Slade. You need to rethink your retirement,” Sarge says, eating his burrito as he follows Kolan through the gym.
“I told you, it’s not happening. I’m done fighting.”
Sawyer, Cade, and I listen to the two argue while standing at the front counter, going over today’s schedule before the gym opens.
“Do you have any idea how much money we could make together?”
“I don’t need money. I have more than enough.”
Sarge comes to a stop, swallowing his massive bite. “Well excuse me, Mr. Selfish. Do you have any idea how much money I could make off your ass? You’re a fightin’ machine. It’s what you’re meant to do.”
Slade shakes his head, refusing to argue anymore.
“All right, fine,” Sarge grumbles. “No fighting. But I still think we should start our own Dark Warrior clothing line. We could sell it right here at the gym. Maybe even get some little tops for the ladies.” He delivers the suggestion with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“Yeah and I’ll make sure to get one for your woman to sleep in.”
The three of us chuckle at the jab but Sarge finds it less than amusing.
I take the opportunity to cut in. “This isn’t a fucking mall. The only items we sell here are gloves and supplements. And it’s going to stay that way.”
“Thank you,” Slade says, nodding at me.
“Fine. If you assholes don’t wanna make money and support your families, see if I care.”
“Hey, who the hell said I don’t support my family?” Sawyer bristles, taking offense.
Sarge shrugs. “No one. But let’s not forget your wife has a successful bakery.”
Sawyer straightens from the counter and points his finger at him. “Let’s get one thing straight. I bought my wife that bakery. I also fucked her damn good this morning, gave my kids money to buy themselves a treat at school, and put money in the fucking swear jar.”
My brow lifts, realizing we had a similar morning.
“We’re like the fucking Brady Bunch at my house,” he continues, all fired up. “So take that and shove it up your ass.”
“Calm your shit,” Cade cuts in. “We all make more than enough to support our families, Sarge included.”
“Exactly,” I back him up, throwing a look over at Sarge. “You’re welcome for that.”
“Did I say I was ungrateful? No, I didn’t.”
“Then what are you saying? Where’s all this coming from?”
Sighing, he drops down on the edge of the ring, shoulders slumped. “It’s Miranda,” he says, talking about his girlfriend who also happens to be Logan’s mom. “She wants to move in together.”
“What’s wrong with that? You guys have been together for what, two years?”
“Two years and four months,” he mumbles like a chick. “And hello, that shit costs money.”
“Sarge, you make more than enough to rent a place with her,” Kolan says. “And she works, too. Between the two of you, everything will be fine.”
“Easy for you to say. You don’t know what it’s like to sleep on the streets. You wanna know why I eat so many of these?” he asks, holding up his burrito. “Because every morning, when I woke up outside that place to people throwing their garbage at me, I swore if I ever got the opportunity to clean myself up, I’d be the one buying the burrito, not wearing it.”
It pisses me off to hear people threw garbage at him but it doesn’t surprise me. There are some real assholes out there.
“They also taste really good so that’s why I eat them, too,” he adds, taking another bite.
“Look. We wouldn’t let you end up on the street,” I tell him. “You’re still going to be able to buy your burritos every morning and live with your girlfriend.”
“That’s right,” Sawyer says, jumping back in. “And you’re going to get laid even more. Just think of all the places you’ll get to fuck each other. The kitchen table, counter, shower, up against the wall…”
I shoot him a look, letting him know we get the point.
He shrugs. “Just sayin’.”
“You’re right,” Sarge sighs. “We’ll be fine, and it’s time, I suppose. Can’t live here forever.”
“You can if you need to,” I tell him. “But do you love her?”
“Of course I do. That’s why I’m so damn nervous. I want to take care of her but what if I fuck up?”
“If she loves you then she’ll forgive you,” Sawyer says. “Grace forgives me all the time for the stupid shit I do.”
“And just think of all the dumb shit he does,” Cade adds, making us all break into a chuckle.
Several sirens suddenly pierce the air, cutting into the conversation. They sound close. Too close for comfort.
The three of us share a look and step outside to see what’s going on. At least a dozen police cruisers speed past the gym. There’s so many of them that I swear half of the Charleston department is here, too.
“What the fuck is going on?” Cade mumbles as we watch them disappear around the corner.
It’s then my phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I see it’s Cooper. I hit accept and bring it to my ear. “Coop, what’s happening?”
“Get to the kids’ school, now!” That’s all he says before hanging up on me.
My stomach bottoms out, icy terror flooding my veins.
“What did he say?” Sawyer asks.
My eyes meet theirs as I slip the phone back in my pocket. “It’s the school.” I barely manage the words through the fear restricting my throat.
We don’t waste time climbing into our vehicles and instead go on foot, our shoes pounding the pavement as we run to the school that’s only blocks away.
“Did he say what happened?” Cade asks.
I shake my head, unable to speak. Millions of scenarios run through my mind as I try to figure out what it could be.
A fire?
But why all the cops? And I didn’t see any fire trucks. My gut tells me it’s worse than that. Much worse.
We arrive less than three minutes later. Dozens of cops surround the place, setting up police tape and barricades around the school.
I spot Cooper and Logan in the midst and head their way.
An officer I don’t recognize moves to step in front of us, blocking our way. I barrel right through him, shoving him to his ass in the process.
“Cooper!” I call out.
The moment he turns around, my heart stops beating altogether, a fear I’ve never seen from him prominent in his eyes.
“We have reports that shots have been fired,” he says, the words penetrating the blood roaring in my ears. “Gunmen inside. We have no idea how many but we know there are more than one.”
My knees buckle at the information, the entire world crumbling beneath my feet as I think about my wife and daughter trapped inside with whatever evil lurks behind those doors.