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“I know, I know.” I bring a shaking hand up to grab my sister’s shoulder, but she slips out of my grasp.
“Please. You’re gonna come back all bruised or knocked out o-or worse.”
I don’t know what to reply. She’s right. Last time I went, I got knocked out, and fuck I thought Mateo was the one who was going to kill me.
“I’ll be fine,” is the only thing I manage out of my tight throat. Seeing her like this makes me want to grab our stuff and run away with her. Unfortunately, we both know Mateo’s reach goes much further than Washington D.C. He will always find us.
“Just go to bed and when you wake up tomorrow, I’ll be back.”
She shakes her head and squeezes her eyes, desperately trying to hold back tears. She runs a hand through her long ponytail, pulling at it as if trying to check this is reality.
“I can’t. I can’t just go to bed.”
“Everything will be fine. I promise.”
I’m so fucking naïve. How can I be so naïve?
“Jake, when you’re not here,” she takes a shaky breath and looks away before looking back at me. “The nights you and Nate are out fighting…”
I try to catch her gaze as she avoids mine but I’m not sure I get what she’s getting at. Or I’m not sure I want to understand.
I hear a door open and close behind me. Her gaze locks with someone else over my shoulder.
She scratches her throat and quickly dries the only tear that slipped from her eyelid with the palm of her hand. She readjusts her glasses and smiles at the person behind.
I try to read her. I try to get the truth out of her eyes, out of the features on her face or the way her jaw ticks. And I understand it. I understand it too well to ever forget the look in her eyes when Mateo comes into view from behind me. Nate follows quickly as his boss grabs me by the shoulders.
“Ready?” he asks me. “Nate is going to drive you and get you warmed up. He’s your coach tonight, not your brother, remember that. Now listen real close. I want you to knock him out in the sixth round. Got it?”
“Yes, Sir,” I reply, my jaw clenching instantly. Only ‘yes, sir’ when it comes to Mateo. Never refuse him anything, that’s the first lesson we learned here. Refusal is not in his vocabulary. He doesn’t insist, he doesn’t convince you, he just punishes you.
“And I don’t want none of this ‘I don’t want to hurt people’ complaint, yeah? Ignore the guilt, son. It will never do you any good. In this world, eat or be eaten.”
I nod, not being able to say anything else. Six rounds. I gotta hold six rounds.
“Don’t be late, and make me proud, son.” He walks away and speaks to us one last time without even looking back. “Rose, come see me in my office before you head to bed.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replies automatically but as soon as he’s out of view her pleading gaze meets mine. “Please don’t go,” she whispers.
Nate takes a few steps back as he mumbles a quiet ‘fuck’ to himself then speaks louder to both of us. “Ozy, com’here.”
She looks up at him in surprise and walks to him. He pulls both his sleeves up to his elbows and that’s the only warning before his fist crashes against her cheekbone and she goes down in a screech.
“What the fuck!” I shout as I hurry to her. Nate pushes me back violently.
“Let’s go,” he orders when I try to fight him back. “Keep your energy for the ring, Jake, let’s go.”
“I’m not just gonna leave her here you sick fuck! What did you do that for?!”
Ozy slowly comes to a sitting position holding the side of her face in a groan. I try to go to her again, but Nate has managed to slowly push me all the way to the door. “Trust me,” he seethes, “I’m doing this for her.”
“What?” I choke.
“There’s nothing he hates more than seeing a fuck up on her stupid perfect face. Let’s go.”
“What?” I ask again, too focused on checking if my sister manages to get up.
“You wouldn’t get it,” he growls. “Now let’s go.” I try to look at her again, but Nate slams the door and I’m outside.
