Chapter 3
three
. . .
Romeo
“Damn. You’re wasting your talent, training and sparring with guys like me, and you know it,” Sergio said, as I moved around him, using my hand to encourage him to throw a few more punches. “You belong in the ring with that clown who won’t stop babbling about you, Romeo.”
“Stay focused,” I demanded.
He threw a right hook that I easily dodged, and I jabbed at him a few times, hoping to make him mad enough to light a fire in him. He had a fight in a few weeks, and he was completely slacking.
“I need a break,” he said, as he rested his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
“Serg, if you don’t start pushing yourself, you’re going to be in trouble when you get in that ring.”
“I know. Tomorrow, all right?” He guzzled some water before lifting the ropes and exiting the ring.
I shook my head. I knew how to train for a fight. How to prepare and how to win. Sergio was going to get his ass kicked if he didn’t start stepping it up.
I spent the next hour breaking up an argument between two boxers, training an up-and-coming fighter, Garcia, and then I made my way to my office to go over some paperwork before I called it a day.
I glanced down to see my phone light up with a ton of messages. That was never a good thing.
Lincoln
This dude is fucking with the wrong guy. Call me and we can talk it through.
Tia
Just ignore him. He’s trying to get under your skin. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone.
My younger sister, Tia, hated that I was a boxer. She and my grandmother and my mom had all been thrilled when I stepped back from fighting to run the gym.
Brinkley
If you decide to fight this guy, I’ll write a story that will have everyone in your corner. But I support whatever you want to do.
My brother’s wife was a well-known sports reporter, and I knew that she and Lincoln always had my back.
The Ride or Die group chat was an ongoing string of text messages, and of course, they all had something to say.
River
Please beat the fuck out of this asshole.
Kingston
Time to glove up, brother. We need to protect your pretty face, so let’s start training now.
Nash
This guy could not be a bigger prick if he tried. We’ve got your back, whatever you decide.
River
This motherfucker doesn’t know who he’s messing with. I’m ready to get in the ring and kick his ass if you don’t.
Hayes
Let’s burn that fucker down.
River
I talked to everyone. Nash has Cutler covered. We’re meeting at Whiskey Falls at 8:00 p.m. to talk this shit through. We’ve got you, Golden Boy.
I scrubbed a hand down my face. I didn’t know what the fuck had happened in the last few hours, but it was obviously not good.
I opened my social media app to see that I’d been direct messaged by countless strangers. I opened the video of Leo Burns standing in front of the gym where he worked out in New York City, holding a fucking cat in his arms while his entourage surrounded him.
“Hey there. I wanted to introduce my new pet to everyone. This pussy right here is named Romeo. It just seemed fitting to go with that name, right?” He laughed, and his minions followed suit.
And then he stared at the camera. “Stop hiding, young Romeo. Can’t use Daddy’s death as an excuse forever.
Time for a rematch. Or you can always just come out and admit to the world that you’re just a big pussy.
That works, too. I wonder what your famous brother will think of you being a coward?
” He winked just before the video ended.
Eight hundred and seventy-two thousand views in four hours.
I skimmed through the comments, and the reactions varied. Some people called him out for being an asshole. But some agreed with him that I should stop hiding.
My phone rang, and I saw my brother’s name on the screen and answered. “Hey, Linc.”
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah. I didn’t have my phone on me while I was training, so I’m just seeing it now.”
He let out a breath. “He’s not going to back down, Romeo. He’s got his sights set on you, and he’s getting a lot of attention.”
“I’m sorry he’s dragging you into it.”
“I don’t give a shit about that. He’s trying to get under your skin, and I’m guessing he’s doing a good job, because he’s getting under mine. I told you before, I’d be happy to go public and defend you. Put the asshole in his place.”
“No. Don’t do that. That’s what he wants. To turn this into a big publicity stunt. They’re offering me a lot of money to take the fight. The last offer came in at seven hundred and fifty grand just to show up and fight him. Winner gets two million dollars.”
“Don’t do it for the money. You know I’ve got you if you need anything.
” Lincoln was always offering to do things for me and Tia.
Hell, he was covering the cost of our sister’s schooling and housing, and I was grateful that he’d given her that opportunity.
He wanted to give me money for a down payment on a house, but I was doing just fine on my own.
I owned this gym, and it came with a small studio in the back.
I appreciated the offer, but I didn’t want a handout.
I didn’t need it.
“Says the dude worth millions of dollars. It’s a lot of money, Linc. I have to consider it when we’re talking about that kind of cash. It could be a one-and-done. Use that money to expand the gym, help my mom and grandma out, buy a house on the lake, and tuck the rest away for now.”
“The big question is, do you want to fight again?” he asked.
I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck. “I thought I was done with it. But I don’t know… Maybe one more fight wouldn’t be the worst thing. When will I ever have the opportunity to make that kind of money in just a few hours?”
“How long would it take you to prepare for a fight like this? He’s been fighting these last few years while you’ve been out of the game. So he has experience on his side, and he must be decent if he had the belt before Gunner took it from him, right?”
“Yes. He’s a cocky son of a bitch, but he’s also a beast in the ring. It would take me a couple of months to get where I need to be. I also know that I’d be putting my mom and Mimi through it. And Tia will lose her shit if I agree to fight again.”
“Take everyone else out of the equation. What do you want to do?”
“I don’t want to get punched in the head for the rest of my life,” I said, leaning back in the chair.
“Agreed. I don’t want that for you either.”
“But I wouldn’t mind getting in the ring for one more fight, just to shut this fucker up and walk away with a lot of money. I just have to make sure I leave in one piece. If I train right, I think I could withstand his hits. But I’d definitely be taking a beating.”
“Romeo, it’s Brinkley,” my sister-in-law said, as she must have taken the phone from Lincoln, which was not uncommon when we were talking.
“I don’t particularly like the thought of seeing you get punched in the head either.
But if you take this fight as a one-time thing, I will talk to the magazine about doing a whole spread on you.
We can make it clear that you are taking this one fight on, and you will be retiring for good afterward, not because you’re scared—because you’re smart.
Let me tell your side of the story and get you some positive press.
Hell, with the way you look, you’ll probably get a bunch of endorsements out of this. ”
“It must run in the family, baby,” Lincoln said, and I laughed.
“All right. I’ll think about it. If I decide to do it, you can break the story, Brinks. Thanks for doing this for me. Let me sleep on it.”
“We support you either way. I just want to shut that asshole down either way.” Lincoln’s voice was hard.
“Yeah. You and me both, brother.”
I ended the call and finished up a few things at the gym before looking down to see a new text.
Mom
It’s the end of January, and it’s still snowing. I’m ready to be done with the cold. Mimi and I want to watch a Hallmark movie and drink pumpkin chai lattes. Can you grab those drinks and drop them off for us?
Jesus. What was the deal with those fucking drinks? I wasn’t in any hurry to go back over to the coffee shop after the last time I’d been there. I was a complete prick, and I’d like to keep it that way.
The Crawfords had fucked over me and River, and I didn’t want anything to do with any of them. Even if Demi most likely didn’t know about what happened, it was still her family.
It had surprised me that she’d appeared wounded by how rude I’d been, even if she tried to act unaffected. It wasn’t like I’d ever been friendly to her or anyone in her family. But I also wasn’t dying to go back and be an asshole again.
I groaned because I could never say no to my mom and Mimi.
Fine. I’ll drop them off in a little bit. But you need to buy some pumpkin tea bags, or whatever the hell is in there. I can’t be going there every day.
Mom
Stop being a baby. You haven’t been there in almost a week. I did give birth to you, remember? That entitles me to a lifetime of pumpkin chai lattes. I swear she puts something special in these drinks. Could you ask her if she adds cinnamon? I could try to make it here if I knew what was in it.
For fuck’s sake. That would mean I’d have to speak to her. And I highly doubted she’d have anything to say to me after my last visit anyway.
You do remember that the Crawfords screwed over me and River, right? You’re putting me in a bad situation.
Mom
Demi Crawford was young at the time and was not to blame for what happened.
I raised you better than that, Romeo. We don’t even know if the parents knew what happened.
Should you be held accountable for the mistakes that your father made?
Go get the pumpkin lattes and stop this nonsense.
And find out what kind of magic she’s putting in there for me.
I slipped on my coat and walked out to find the gym empty, minus Ray, who was mopping the floors.
“You out of here?” he asked.
“Yep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”