Chapter 10
Max
“Aye, Max,” Tysir’s voice came through the walkie talkie sitting on my desk.
I was sitting in the office, trying to ignore the noises of the crowds coming in for the fights tonight. I’d tried to call Audrey earlier - just to hear her voice, but she didn’t answer. I’ve been staring at my phone, waiting for her name to appear. But there’s been no calls or texts.
I was doing my best not to worry, but I couldn’t help myself.
Maybe I’d just stop over there after the fights tonight to check on her. Climbing up to her bedroom window as one of the parts of our relationship I’d missed the most. When I was younger, it made me feel like I was a real-life Romeo. But in my story, loving Juliet wasn’t forbidden.
I picked up the walkie and held it to my lips. “Yeah,” I replied to his initial call.
“Need you down at the betting table.”
“Be right there.”
Reluctantly, I left my secluded spot and headed down towards the masses. The crowds parted like the red sea for me, creating a clear pathway to my destination.
As I came closer to the betting table, I noticed my men locked in a stare down with the hooded figure standing on the other side of the table.
“What’s the-” I started once I reached them.
My sentence stopped when I caught sight of the poorly hidden face across from me.
“What the hell did I tell you about coming back here?” I asked.
“Did you really think I gave a fuck about what you said?” he replied, challenging me with the same glare I was giving him.
Both Tysir and Wesley’s brows raced to their foreheads. Their eyes darted to me, curious, and fearful, about my next move.
As soon as the question left his lips, I grabbed a handful of the top of his hoodie, pulled it over his eyes and yanked his ass around the table.
“Hey!” He yelled as I dragged him away from the table. He tried to pry my fingers off of his hoodie. “Let me go, asshole!” When he couldn’t break my hold, he bowed his head down and wiggled himself out of the hoodie.
His head popped out from beneath the fabric and I grabbed him by the back of his neck. “You aren’t slick,” I told him.
He still squirmed in my grasp as I towed him towards the back door.
I kicked it open and flung him forward.
Unable to catch his balance, he stumbled over his feet and fell nearly face first onto the concrete.
“I’m not giving you another warning,” I told him. “Don’t come around here again.”
“Wait, wait,” he called as I began to close the door. He darted up off the ground and grabbed the side of the door, preventing me from closing it. “Maximiliano, please -”
Hearing my full name was more than enough for me to grip him by his shirt and toss him back again. “Don’t call me that.”
He skirted back a few steps, but caught himself before he could fall on his ass. “Look, you have to let me fight.”
“I don’t have to do shit.”
“Please,” he said, his voice coated with desperation. “I really need the money.”
“For what?”
“Does it matter?”
“Hell yeah, the thing you’re putting your life on the line for matters.”
He averted his eyes. “My mom…she…we’ve always had trouble keeping up with the bills.
She works a lot, but the paychecks are never enough.
One of the crime lords who had a thing for her noticed and decided to step in to help us.
He slipped my mom cash, so we could stay afloat for a few years.
He even tried to play the step-dad role around holidays and came around with a shit ton of gifts.
All he wanted was my mom’s affection. But when she set his ass in the friend-zone, all that ‘help’ suddenly turned into ‘debts.’ He won’t leave her alone until she pays him back.
She’s already killing herself at two jobs.
I’m just trying to help her get him out of our lives. ”
“What about your trust fund money? Aren’t you eighteen? Shouldn’t you have access to that account now?”
“Trust fund?” He let out a dry laugh. “That bastard barely paid my mom child support.”
I frowned. An apology crawled up my throat, but he didn’t give me time to let it out.
“Look, I know you and Rafael don’t want me around. I get that. But, this is one of the quickest ways to earn some cash - to protect my mom.”
“And your mom knows about this?”
“Do I look stupid to you? Of course she doesn’t. She thinks I’m picking up extra shifts at my legitimate job.”
“She doesn’t ask about the bruises?”
“She’s used to seeing those. Fighting isn’t out of the norm for me.” He shook his head. “Why do I even have to explain myself to you? It’s not like you care.”
That’s not true. The thought surprised me as it raced through my mind.
Before I saw Jayden in the ring, I didn’t care.
In fact, I couldn’t care less about his existence.
But, there was something about seeing him down there, so small yet unafraid to bear his teeth at the monster across from him, that made me want to throw myself in front of him. Bear my own on his behalf.
Maybe that’s what being a big brother is supposed to feel like. I’ve just been too jaded by my own feelings towards our father to embrace it.
“So, are you going to let me back in or what?” Jayden asked.
“No,” I replied. “How much do you need?”
“I’m not a charity. I’m not taking your money without working for it.”
“Oh, you will.”
His brows stitched together. “Huh?”
“Give me your phone.”
“What? Why?”
I held out my hand and gave him a stern look. I didn’t have time to keep chit-chatting. Tysir and Wesley were going to be taking up the money soon.
Sighing, he dug his phone out of his pocket and handed it over.
I typed my phone number in and saved it. Then, I opened the notes app. “This is the address of the MMA gym where I work. You come by any day of the week before eight, and I’m usually there.”
“I don’t understand,” he said.
“Some trainers invest in their prodigies while they’re young. Pay for lessons and workshops and tournaments and shit. Only difference is my money will be going straight to you.”
“But, I’m not-“
“You said you wanted to work for the money, right?”
He nodded.
“Then you’ll do it in the ring I see fit.
” I gave him his phone back. “When you have time, stop by so we can figure out a schedule. Until then…” I reached in my pocket and pulled out my wallet.
I usually didn’t carry around much cash, but I did have more than I needed on me.
It wasn’t as much as he’d be earning if he’d fought, but it was enough to let him know I was serious.
He stared at the wad of cash in my hands with a creased brow. “I still don’t understand.” He raised his eyes to meet mine. “Why are you helping me?”
“Because we’re family,” I told him. “Whether we like it or not.”
His lips flipped up the slightest bit. “Thank you,” he whispered as he accepted the cash.
“You’re welcome. Now, beat it before I change my mind and whip your ass for not listening the first time.”
Taking a few steps back, he held up his hands in surrender. He turned on his heel and jogged off towards the impromptu parking lot, past all the cars and into the darkness of the night.
For the rest of the night, I shoved away the fuzzy feeling trying to bloom in my chest. It felt nice - doing the right thing for once.
I couldn’t wait to tell Audrey about it. I’d have to spill the beans about everything else that’s been going on, but she deserved to know. I just hoped she wouldn’t look at me differently afterwards.
By the time the matches were done, the money was distributed, and the warehouse was all cleared out, it was damn near three o’ clock in the morning. There was no way in hell she was still awake, but I held on to the hope that she might be.
I raced against every red light on my way to her house and sprinted to the backyard.
Her window blended into the night. Not even a hint of purple light shone through the curtains.
I still climbed up the ladder and peeked in through the windows to make sure. Through the darkness, I could make out the silhouette of her body, curled up in her bed.
I wedged my fingers against the windowsill and pushed it upwards. To my surprise, the window didn’t budge. I tugged up a little harder, thinking it might’ve been jammed or stuck on something. But, it still didn’t move.
My chest stung as the realization punched me in the face.
Audrey locked me out.