25. Bree
Dressed and ready for the big fight, I paced restlessly in my room, stealing glances at the door that led into the main gym. As ready as I would ever be, anyway.
Every few minutes, I worked up the courage to peek out. Beneath the harsh spotlight, the boxing ring cast long shadows across the gym, and the crowd had tripled in size compared to the last fight, larger than any I’d seen here before.
True to her word, Frankie had brought in some big names from past years, including the Savage Wolf and the Wicked Witch. They both wore masks to protect their identities, but with their reputations, no one would dare mess with them anyway. Their mere presence was a huge draw for our members.
Excited murmurs drifted through the cracked door and fueled the anxiety churning in my gut:
“Have you heard anything about the mystery fighter?”
“No, but I’ve heard their opponent is one of Subliminal’s best.”
“Who is it?”
“Frankie’s keeping it under wraps, but I’d pay a fortune to see the dragon back in action.”
Smirking, I closed the door and resumed pacing. There was only one dragon they’d be referring to, and he’d retired years ago.
But as the conversations continued, the air around me crackled with anticipation. There was still time to change my mind…
Right?
My gaze flicked between the door and the floor, cold dread pooling deeper into my veins. This was such a terrible idea.
Not bothering to look up from her phone, Marissa sighed. She was sprawled across her rickety cot, her legs dangled over the side. “Will you relax? You’re making me nervous.”
“You’re nervous?” I snapped. “Do you understand the consequences if I lose?”
“You’ll win. You’ve trained all week and for years before that.”
Trust Marissa to remain unfazed about such a monumental moment. She’d waltzed through earthquakes without blinking an eye.
“So have all the other fighters, but they don’t have to worry about losing their homes.”
Actually, I had no idea if that was true. Some of them weren’t much better off than we were. Hopping on board that train of thought, my mind crept closer to chickening out.
Groaning, Marissa sat up and finally put her phone down. More like slammed it down on the bed with a dramatic flair. “Oh my god, stop. You’ve got this. Just do what you always do and show them who’s boss just like you boss me around.”
“Yeah, but you don’t listen to me,” I pointed out.
“Because I’m your sister, duh.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s my job not to listen. Doesn’t mean you’re not good at it.”
“Aww. That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
She shot me an annoyed look. “Don’t get used to it.”
Deep down, I knew she was right. I couldn’t let my fears get the better of me. Not tonight. Too much was on the line. I had to keep my eye on the prize—our home. I couldn’t worry about anyone else’s situation right now.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus on something else. More like someone else, except that line of thinking didn’t get far.
The door opened, allowing a torrent of excited babble to flood in.
I glanced over at Finley’s aquarium, relieved to see the towel I’d draped over it was still in place. With the gym packed with so many unfamiliar faces, the last thing we needed was someone wandering in and catching sight of the little guy, or worse.
Frankie came in and shut the door before giving me a look over the railing that raised the hairs along my arms. Bad news was incoming.
She met me at the base of the steps. “Uh, so, I’ve got news.”
“I figured as much.”
Marissa was by my side in a flash. “Good or bad?”
“Does it matter?” I just needed to know what was causing that look on Frankie’s face.
“It might if?—”
“It’s the Red Dragon,” Frankie cut in, knowing from experience how long my sister and I could go back and forth.
“What about him?” I asked, my heart in my throat.
Ignoring him over the past two days had been harder than I thought. I’d planned on ignoring him completely, only to find myself returning a few texts here and there. Being a people pleaser royally sucked sometimes.
I wasn’t ready to talk about the debt until after this fight, but I also didn’t want him showing up unexpectedly and forcing the conversation. Keeping my mouth shut wouldn’t be an option if I saw him in person right now because I was still furious, but also because I hated having this rift between us.
And he didn’t even know there was a rift.
Had something happened to him before I had the chance to confront him?
Frankie held up her phone, displaying a chain of text messages from Ichiro Sato about Dominic. “He’s your opponent tonight.”
As Marissa snatched the phone to read the conversation, the world around me started to spin. My lungs burned and my vision blurred, and for a moment, I was afraid that I was going to pass out.
This couldn’t be happening.
Nausea churned in my gut. I rested a hand over my stomach. “I think I might be sick.”
Frankie grabbed our small trash can and held it up. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I told him I already had someone. I tried.”
“Goddess below, is Ichiro always that arrogant?” Marissa handed the phone back to Frankie with a look of disgust.
“Yes.”
Clutching the trash can to my chest like an anchor, I met Frankie’s gaze. “Why is he fighting?”
“I don’t know.” Violet flashed through her irises. “All I know is the old dragon won’t take no for an answer. If it wasn’t for this godsdamned debt…”
She didn’t need to finish the sentence. We all knew that Frankie wasn’t one to be pushed around, but with the gym and our homes at stake, Sato had her backed into a corner.
“Then I won’t fight.” I sat on the edge of my bed, setting the can between my legs. For the most part, the nausea had passed, but I didn’t trust my body just yet. “Throw someone else in the ring. Anyone.”
My boss’s expression turned sympathetic, and I knew I was fighting a losing battle. “He’d know. You’re the only unknown fighter I’ve got.”
“Forget Grandpa Asshat.” Marissa waved a hand dismissively. “You’ve fought Dominic before and won. Just do it again.”
I wished I could laugh at the nickname, but the situation was so much worse than just fighting him. The Gifted forums and gossip websites could only provide so much information about the Sato family. There was more she, or anyone else, didn’t know about Dominic and his family.
If he was fighting again after this many years, after his close call the last time he fought, something big was happening, or something terrible. Neither option would be good.
Leaning forward, I dropped my head into my hands. “The only reason I won last time is because I had the element of surprise. Now he knows exactly what I am. I won’t be that lucky again.”
“You think he’s going to try to win against his girlfriend?”
“He has no choice.”
My sister crossed her arms. “Why?”
Before I could explain, the door opened with a bang.
I jumped off the cot, fists raised. But then my mouth dropped open in surprise.
With the gym’s spotlights illuminating the background, a familiar figure strode in and closed the door behind him. His whiskey-hued gaze met mine with a burning intensity that made me gulp.
Dominic.