8. Ari
Chapter 8
Ari
T he place looked almost decent.
Well, except for the gaping holes in the ceiling and walls.
We managed to move the entire gym into the one section that still stood strong. We’d at least have enough to train on the bags and with some equipment. On nice days, we could head to the back parking lot and use a temporary boxing ring Frankie managed to swing from an old friend. It was falling apart and the size of a kiddie pool, but at least it wasn’t half smashed by a centuries-old oak tree.
The problem was that fucking Pen Guy.
Like the sexist prick he was, he must have taken issue with a woman bossing him around. Our insurance money still hadn’t come through, and we’d had to dip into our own pockets and Bones’ winnings to replace the smashed equipment and borrow the ring. Frankie was on the phone with the asshole, and I could hear him yelling from halfway across the parking lot. I hoped it made Mr. Pen Clicker piss his pants and bring a check personally for the trouble. I’d give anything to see the look on his face with the boys by my side.
That would teach him to mess with Smiley’s.
Bones swung at one of our two punching bags, while Lotto sat at the front desk. Probably looking up different fights he could get for Bones. We were already stretching him thin. The poor guy looked like he hadn’t slept for days, and I couldn’t miss the bruises blooming all over his chest. We needed to figure something out soon before he ran himself into the ground, one punch at a time.
I could only handle one crisis at a time, and Smiley’s and Troy Godwin were taking my full attention.
The others weren’t fans of the deal Troy offered. I wasn’t either. It had been radio silence for the week which unsettled me. I hated being at the mercy of that asshole. It felt like everywhere I went, Troy Godwin made a damn appearance. Next thing I knew, he’d pop out of the broken pipes next to the toilet and ask me if I wanted a fucking balloon.
The bell above the door chimed. When I turned to yell at Teo for being late to practice, I nearly dropped my broom.
Jace and Misty Perk strolled right into Smiley’s with smirks on their faces and shit in their grins. River followed behind them, hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans as he took in the surroundings.
What the hell were they doing here?
Bones was at my side in an instant like a guard dog. Lotto stood from the front desk and pointed toward the front door.
“Get out.”
“Aw, come on, Lotto,” Jace drawled with his Southern accent. “We don’t want any trouble.”
A lie, and a terrible one at that. Lotto hadn’t shown me every video they’d posted but what I’d seen was still enough for me. I dropped the broom and stalked forward to meet them.
“Tell that to your followers,” I said. “Get out.”
“Before I make you get out,” Bones growled from behind me. Guard dog was definitely the perfect word for him.
River leaned his head from behind Jace and grinned. My heart jumped at how boyish he looked in his sweats and bun; both ears were covered in piercings and diamond earrings. I’d never noticed them before because he always took them out for fights.
“Hey, Ari. Bones. Lotto. Thought we’d stop by.”
“Unnecessary.” And unwelcome. I didn’t want them on my damn turf.
“We heard what happened,” Jace put his hands behind his head and snorted. “Too bad, huh?”
Jace Perk was the very definition of “peaked in high school.” From what I knew about him, he’d failed as a college football star, hadn’t even made it out of Army bootcamp, and had run to his rich daddy with his tail between his legs. He sported a blond buzzcut, a plaid shirt that hung open to reveal a ripped Perk’s Gym shirt, and bootcut jeans. Because, in case anyone forgot, he was a true Alabama boy at heart. That didn’t stop him from getting his ass beat by us “West Coast assholes” before he quit cage fighting and helped his sister with her gym.
He was also a huge dick—and if what some of the girls from the underground said was true—without the actual size to back it up.
Misty Perk was the definition of a valley girl with the miniskirts, perfect hair and nails, and bubblegum to prove it. At least she had actual skills to brag about. She’d boxed at the collegiate level and reminded everyone and anyone how she was the only one to win gold in women’s boxing at her university during the past ten years.
If Jace was the dick of Perk’s Gym, she was the balls.
Then what did that make River?
“Don’t see how that concerns you,” Lotto said and made his way around the front desk.
“Don’t you have some lame-ass videos to make?” Bones spat.
I shrugged. “That’s all they know how to do. All bark and no bite.”
“Oh, we have plenty of bite.” Misty crossed her arms over her large chest, quirking her perfectly plucked brow. “We’re just waiting for the perfect opportunity.”
“So, you’re waiting for me to tire myself out?” Bones smirked and threw an arm over my shoulder. He tried to keep it casual, but I knew better. He was marking his territory in his own, Bones way. “Can’t take me on when I’m a hundred percent?”
“Hey now, I probably could,” River joked and leaned back against the wall, patting the broken bits where the tree had smashed through. “I might not be as strong as this tree, but I could smash some walls if you need it.” His eyes held a playful glint when he looked Bones up and down. “Smash you if you need that, too.”
“No one’s smashing anyone.” Lotto glared at River specifically when he added, “You’ve had plenty of chances to hop into the ring and haven’t.”
River shrugged. “Got my reasons.”
“Saving himself for the perfect target.” Jace leaned an arm on our front desk. “Aren’t we all?”
“Saving himself? What, are you Mother Teresa now, River?” My laugh held no mirth. “Saving innocent fighters from damnation?”
“Are you looking to say my name like a prayer, Ari? I wouldn’t mind.”
I shivered at the predatory smile that stretched across River’s face. I should have been repulsed by the forwardness, but instead I felt a tug of curiosity. River was a vicious fighter who didn’t back down from what he wanted. Would he be the same kind of lover? My pussy clenched at the thought, and I had to tear myself away from the playful crinkle of his eyes when his grin grew.
“If you could stop harassing our owner and get the fuck out, that would be great.” Lotto stared at where Jace’s arm met the wooden front desk. “I’m not looking to add vermin extermination to our list of fixes.”
Jace stood up from the desk and stepped toward Lotto, his light eyes flashing. “Excuse me?”
“Calm down, meathead.” Misty rolled her eyes and pushed Jace back with a strong arm. “We didn’t come here to start a fight.”
“Then why’d you come here at all?” I shrugged away from Bones’ arm and gestured toward our broken bathroom. “Clearly we have enough shit stains to deal with and don’t need any more.”
Misty’s blue eyes narrowed at me so sharply, I could have probably cut my hair with them. “You talk big game for someone who’s never stepped in the ring yourself, pussy.”
I bristled. I didn’t have the same background as Bones, Frankie, or even River. Hell, I hadn’t studied at some big college and won a medal like Misty, either. But Dad had taught me everything he knew, in and out of the ring. And if Misty Perk thought she could run her mouth without consequences, then she had another think coming. It would be hard to glare at someone after I scratched her damn eyes out.
“If you want to?—”
“Oh, wonderful. Another asshole on my doorstep.” Frankie’s voice boomed as he wandered in from the back office, phone clutched tightly in his hand. “I knew I smelled garbage out here.”
“Watch your mouth, Freakshow,” Jace hissed.
I rolled my eyes. He looked like a fucking idiot with his chest puffed out and sharp jaw clenched so tight.
“I don’t care if you’re one hit away from being a fucking vegetable, I’ll still lay you out.”
I had to hold Bones back from lunging at Jace, and Lotto barely kept Frankie from doing the same. Frankie looked ready to kill, and if he got his hands on Jace, Smiley’s would be turning into a crime scene.
River pushed off the wall and swung his arm back, decking Jace straight in the jaw. I gasped as Jace stumbled back into the front door. Bones’ eyes went wide with surprise, but Frankie and Lotto had matching amused grins. River shook out his hand as Jace straightened.
“What the fuck was that for?!” Jace bellowed.
“Don’t forget who’s paying your contract!” Misty hissed next.
“Talk shit, get hit,” River stated simply. “Don’t care about your money. With how shit your left jab is, Freakshow could still put you in the ground.” He paused before laughing to himself. “Actually, I’d love to see that. Would make you get your shit together.”
“Keep it to the cages.” Misty glared at River. “Don’t think just because?—”
“Could you take your lovers’ quarrel elsewhere?” I gestured at River. “But if you want to deck Jace again, then you can stay.”
“We’re leaving.” Jace grunted while rubbing the blossoming bruise on his pasty white chin. “You’re gonna pay for pissing me off. Trust me.”
“Sure.” Bones huffed a laugh. “Step into the ring, meathead. Let’s test that left jab of yours.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll see you there.” Misty smirked and looked right at me. “And say hey to Troy for me.”
I froze. What the hell did that mean? Before I could ask, Perk’s Gym left Smiley’s, and the gym grew quiet. Thank fucking God. If I had to hear Jace jerk off to the sound of his own voice for another second, I would have thrown the next punch.
Frankie huffed, swatted away Lotto’s arms, and threw his phone on top of the front desk. “Is it ‘deal with assholes’ day or something? Who’s going to walk in here next, Elon Musk?”
“He’d probably be better than the Perks siblings,” Lotto sighed. “Post less, too.”
“What did the insurance agent say?” I asked Frankie. I hoped for a small bit of good news, not wanting to deal with that asshole for another time. But Frankie’s face grew even more annoyed, and I knew the answer immediately.
“I have to go down to the office myself.” Frankie rubbed his forehead through his messed-up hair. He’d probably been tugging on it while on the phone, and he looked like some kind of rabid animal. “Misplaced paperwork. If he does it again, I’m going to misplace them up his ass.”
“Please don’t kill the insurance agent until we have the money.”
Frankie smirked at me. “Then I can kill him after that?”
“How long do you think he’d last in the ring?” Bones stretched out his arms. “Five seconds?”
“With you, probably four,” Lotto offered, running a hand over his chin in genuine consideration.
“And with River, two.” Frankie’s smirk dropped. “He nearly took out Jace with one hit to the jaw.”
“That’s not saying much.” Bones rolled out the muscles in his wrists and scoffed. “I’d put money on the insurance guy over Jace fucking Perk.”
“Not with River on their side. I’ll deal with the insurance. You guys stay here and keep working. I have a weird feeling we haven’t seen the last of the Perks.”
I exhaled through my nose. I had the same feeling, especially with how Misty had ended the conversation. If she was in league with Troy Godwin, we could be in big trouble. With his proposition still on the table and our gym half in the bag, it wouldn’t surprise me if Misty went to Troy to try to kick us when we were down. They’d proved that the moment they walked in here with smug smiles like they owned the place.
I couldn’t wait to wipe those smirks off their faces, even if I had to do it myself.
“I’ll keep Bones in line.” I smiled at Frankie. “Thanks for dealing with the insurance shit. If I had to see that guy again, I’d take the pen and stab it through his eye.”
“And I know you’re dead serious.” Frankie picked up his phone again and used it to give a mock salute. “I’ll be back with our funds.”
As soon as he was gone, I turned to Bones. “Back on the bags, big boy.”
Bones grimaced. “I thought Frankie was bad. Not you, too, Ari. Can’t a guy get a break?”
“Five minutes,” I agreed. “That’ll give me enough time to print out a picture of Jace’s face and tape it to the punching bag so you can kick the shit out of him.”
“I like the way you think, angel,” Lotto agreed, already moving behind the counter to the computer.
I smiled. Of course the guys would always have my back. When it came down to it, Smiley’s was more than just this building. It was our pride and joy. Our turf.
And if Misty and Jace Perk dared to take another step on our turf, I’d show them exactly how Smiley’s dealt with loudmouthed assholes.