Oscar and I lie in bed together until I have to get ready for training. Soon enough, Johnny will be calling, wanting to pick me up to take me to the gym. Oscar told everyone he could take me, but they agreed that the car was safer than Oscar’s bike. Plus, I’m all for the car since more of us can be around each other that way.
Johnny sends a text five minutes before he knocks on the door. Oscar lets him in as I finish up in the bathroom, pulling my hair into a high ponytail for training. There’s nothing worse than having your hair get into your face when you’re trying to knock someone out.
I walk out to find Johnny looking around the apartment, nose curled up. I shoot him a look when he glances over at me. His lips curl into a smile though, and with that panty-melting look, who can stay mad at him?
He places his hand around my waist and kisses my temple. “Magnum’s in the car making sure no one’s walking by.”
“We’re in the Heights,” Oscar says. “They’ll look away. Especially now with bodies showing up. They won’t give up Kyla to anyone. Especially not until her fight tomorrow. They’ve been waiting months to see her fight again.”
The usual anxious nerves I get pre-fight don’t swamp me. If I was fighting anyone else but Brawler, I’d be ecstatic.
I want to get back to my regular life. I want to get back in the ring. I just don’t want to get in front of him, someone I care for.
“They’re going to be unhappy,” I breathe out, not looking forward to the shitshow that will follow this.
Johnny looks away. He was the hardest to convince that Brawler had to win. He knows his father though. He knows how evil he can be. Since he mandated this as one of Brawler’s initiation tasks, he can’t just not win.
“Did you talk to your father?”
“Let’s get in the car,” Johnny says, thrusting his chin toward the stairs leading down.
Oscar follows us out, locking his door behind us as we head down to the waiting black car. Instead of sitting in the back with those guys, I slide into the front seat. Johnny gives a short growl behind me, but Magnum’s lips tip up at the corners. Magnum’s driving us in one of the regular cars today, so we don’t have to talk through the small window the divider usually leaves when it’s not up.
I click my seatbelt in place and then turn around in my seat, catching Oscar’s eye while I do. He’s also grinning, which makes me think everyone’s content to gang up on Johnny. I mean, a little. And I wouldn’t call it ganging up on, maybe just showing him how I want it to be, so he can get an idea of what he’s in for if he chooses this.
“Well?” I ask.
Johnny runs his hands through his dark hair. “He was pleased with the pictures,” he says, jaw ticking. It sounds as if there’s a whole other story to that, but I don’t need details. Johnny’s face still looks terrible this morning even though he should be able to see out of his eye better.
Fucking bastard.
“Jiko gloated, so he did his part perfectly. Dad’s looking forward to your fight tomorrow.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m sure he is. Looking forward to money is more like it.”
“It makes the most business sense,” Johnny says, nodding, easily slipping into the gang business persona.
I stare at him blankly.
“What did he say about the body?” Oscar asks.
“He asked me if I’d figured out who did it yet.”
I turn back around in the seat, facing the windshield again. Magnum reaches over to thread his fingers through mine. I’ve had about enough of Big Daddy K. We’re talking about one of his guys’ lives, and he isn’t taking it seriously.
My phone vibrates, and I take it out. Here, Brawler texts.
Since no one has figured out what to say back to Johnny after that remark, I tell everyone Brawler’s already at the gym. I’ll have to have a private talk with him today. I need him to actually fight me. It has to be believable. This route might put me in harm’s way, but I’m already on K’s shitlist. Brawler isn’t.
I’ll have to physically and mentally prepare myself to get beat up. It’s not like this won’t hurt, I just understand it has