We fist-bump. “Hey, buddy.”
Reese drops her book and looks at me, blue eyes wide in surprise. Then her cheeks flush pink, and I shove my hands restlessly into my hoodie pockets. Hell, I want to lean over, take her face in my hands, and kiss her mouth and taste her until she can’t remember her name, much less the guy back home.
She scoots over and pats the spot next to her, and I drop down and look at her. Reese is a virgin. I need to take care with this girl. Be patient with this girl. Patience is not my strong suit, but patience wins this fight, and I’m not losing, just like I’m not losing in the Underground.
“Hey.” I lean over and brush my lips to her cheek, then smile down at her when she glances worriedly to see if Racer saw. He giggles, watching us. Then I take her hand in mine and just sit there for a few minutes; ten minutes later I’m lying down and pulling her into my arms so she can read her book with her head on my chest. She sets the book aside and closes her eyes, inhaling as if I relax her. “Watch Racer for me? I haven’t slept well at all.”
“Yeah,” I murmur into her hair, and I reach up and cup the back of her head with my hand, keeping her against me ’cause she feels too good here. I rub my thumb over the back of her head and smell her hair. And I stay the hour with them like I belong.
Me—a guy whose own father didn’t want him—entrusted with this little boy.
Racer showing me all the toys he’s brought with him.
And Reese in my arms, where I want her.
SEVENTEEN
TATE
Maverick
I rub my father’s old gloves before the fight so much, I’ve worn them down as much as the years fighting did.
Everyone knows who I am now. Backstage, I’m in a room of my own. All the other fighters are scared shitless of me. If I see a fighter out in the hall, I can stare him down in a second. And I do. I’ve got the staring thing down pat.
I like that they’re afraid.
They should be.
I’m young but I’m fast, I’m strong, and I’ve got more to prove than these assholes ever will.
“She might be coming to your fight. Look good. Chicks don’t like losers,” Oz tells me as we wait to get called.
“That’s all you’ve got for me?” I lift my brows, incredulous.
“Yep. It’s the most effective I’ve got.”
I clench my teeth. Is she coming to the fight?
She can’t come to my fight.
I don’t know what it’d do to me if she ever did. When she walks into a room I’m speechless? thoughtless. High.
She’s different to me.
She’s not afraid of me.
The moment the announcer yells out my name, “Maverick ‘the Avenger’ Cage!” the crowd outside falls deathly quiet. I finish lacing my boots and kick Oz’s ankles to get him to wake up from where he was snoozing big time on a bench.
“Wha—”
“We’re up.”
I slip my fingers into the gloves and the anticipation to hit the ring starts simmering inside me. A black hooded robe covers me as I stalk out and take the aisle, tapping my gloves as I warm up to the idea of kicking some shit.
Inside the ring, my opponent waits. Hector “Hellman.” The fact that he’s up against me makes him an immediate favorite. There are signs floating with his name on them.
No signs for me.
In every video I saw of my father, he gave the crowd the bird as he came up into the ring.
My father was the most loathed fighter in history. But also the most feared.
I can feel the fear in the air, thick as oil.
Oz heads over to his corner while I take the ring, taking my time to climb the ropes. Swear to god, these people don’t even seem to be breathing. I stand in the center and look around. They want to see if I’m going to curse them, spit on the floor, or give them the bird. I smile privately when they keep waiting—and I do none of that.
I’m here to fight.
I’m here to win.
“Booo!” the crowd starts. “Boooooo!?”
“They hate your ass, Maverick,” Oz says, scratching his head as if he’s trying to figure out how to win them over.
Bell rings, gloves touch.
He throws a punch. I duck and throw out my fist, hearing it crack into his gut. The crowd gasps. The boos silence.
Hellman’s stunned. I loop out a left and hit again. The crowd is silent as a morgue. I can hear the sound of flesh pounding flesh as I have a go at him. They’ve got no more cheers. I hope they’re saving them for their golden boy. Because I want a chance to get a hit on that boy. I want a chance to prove to myself I’ve fucking got it. Got more than my father ever did.
I knock Hellman out.
I don’t take my stool as I wait for the next fight.
The moment the bell rings, I go straight for the kill—jab, straight jab, hook. He wraps an arm around me and then slips away. I back him up against the ropes, jabbing, ducking, jabbing, then I hook.
The hook stuns him.