2. Asher
Asher
The talk all over Vegas is that Rae Sparks is performing. Even in the circles I run in with the pro fight I’m competing in, everyone seems to focus on the concert happening down the strip. No one knows that I know her, and that we sort of grew up together.
I mean, I moved in with my half-sister at fifteen, so I was pretty grown by that point, but she was a couple years younger, I think. She had her family, her perfect family. Everything was perfect with her life. Even now she gets to be perfect.
Not all of us had that. Some of us had to actually work for the shit we want.
But I’m curious about what the hype is about, so I pulled some strings and managed to get a ticket to the sold-out show. When I moved in with Audrey, I met her hockey player boyfriend and learned what it was like to have connections and how easy that made life. It only pissed me off more.
Now, I see some of the benefits of having connections, but the difference is I don’t give a fuck how big of an asshole it makes me to use them.
I’ll admit seeing Rae perform is hot. Her music isn’t my typical taste, but I can respect how hard she works to put on a performance. Even though she was able to get to where she is because of her family, I can see that she puts in the work to maintain it. And I’ll always respect hard work.
I am going to use one more connection tonight, dropping the right names to the right people.
Because I doubt there’s another way to get backstage to see her.
I wasn’t sure if I would want to. I distanced myself from my life in Denver when I went to train at Uncaged.
The best trainers on the west coast are there, Coach Adam, Caine, and Drew have helped me become the fighter I am.
After the show, I’m led by security backstage. I can’t help but laugh to myself that I’m bigger than the “security” guy. I’m also sure I would be more useful if there was any threat than this guy.
When we get behind the stage, I think I’m going to have to ask to find Rae, but she’s already coming around the corner and freezes as soon as she sees me.
“I knew I saw you.”
I smirk. “Don’t sound so excited.”
I step closer to her, noticing how her deep red hair is sticking to her sweat-slicked skin.
She’s wearing a black shirt that hugs her body and shows a sliver of her midsection and some shorts.
I never really looked at her when we were younger.
I didn’t care to. But she’s all woman now.
Curves for days, and I can see how strong she looks from all the dancing she does. She got fucking gorgeous.
Her blue eyes track over me, the same way mine did to her, and I see her throat bob with a swallow. I want to know what she’s thinking. I’m about to ask, but then she speaks again.
“I just didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I have a fight tomorrow. You coming?”
She scrunches her nose. “As fun as that sounds, I have to be in Los Angeles tomorrow.”
“You don’t like fighting? Isn’t your whole family hockey players?”
Rae shrugs. “Not all of them fight.”
I scoff. “I’m sure your boyfriend does.”
She tilts her head to the side and gives me a puzzled look. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“No? That Wheeler kid hasn’t gotten the balls to say anything to you yet? Or did you already break his heart?” Everyone knows Grayson Wheeler has a hard-on for Rae, and the only people that didn’t seem to do anything about it was them.
“Hi Asher, long time no see. Thanks for coming to my show, this has been great catching up.” She rolls her eyes and turns to walk away. I stop her with a hand on her arm that has her whipping back around with narrowed eyes.
“I didn’t come to piss you off. I was just curious.”
She pulls her arm from my loose grip. “Why does it matter?”
“Wondered what I missed back home.”
“I’m sure you talk to Audrey. She can tell you all the gossip.”
I grit my teeth, not wanting to admit that I don’t really talk to my sister. I don’t really talk to anyone.
“Like I said, this has been fun. Good luck on your fight tomorrow.” She turns to walk away again, and this time I don’t stop her. Instead, I watch her hips sway as she walks away and appreciate the view.
I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s not like I’m going to see her again. It would take a lot for me to go back to Denver and it’s something I’m going to avoid at all costs.
None of them want me back anyway. Including Audrey. I’ve never fit in with them, and now I feel like I fit in even less. Though, I would’ve thought Grayson and Rae would be married and shit by now with the way they were always so googly eyed at each other.
I think about her reaction, and wonder if they really aren’t together, or if they were and it didn’t work out.
Even though I never looked at Rae with interest before, I’d be an idiot not to be interested now.
Though I doubt she wants anything to do with me, maybe she could see that we could have a little fun.
I’m always down for a little fun. And if I’m lucky, Rae could be into that too.