“If we can connect, that’d be cool. Either way, it was good to meet you.” He glances at the heavy bag. “Have a good workout, man. Looks like you needed some time with the bag. I’ll let you get back to it.”
He’s not wrong. It’s a release I need, even if I haven’t been making time for it.
“I’ll let you know,” I say, shaking my bag to settle the gear. “See you around, Bo.”
“Likewise, Legend. Looking forward to it.”
I unwrap my hands and shove everything inside the bag before zipping it up and grabbing the end of Roux’s leash. We’re just about to the doors of the gym when I hear a familiar voice call my name. I turn around to see the big black-haired son of a bitch next to a fighter.
“Yo, Legend. Dude, it’s been for-fucking-ever. How the hell are you, brother?” Rolo, my old fight promoter, says.
I walk over to him, and he holds out both arms to bring me in for a back-slapping hug. If it had been anyone else, I would have looked at him like his head was stuck up his ass. But Rolo is different. Rolo was family. At least, until I told him I was stepping out of the cage for good and broke his heart.
I slap his back with one arm and step out of the hug. Roux wags her tail happily at the sight of her old friend. Rolo used to bring cold pizza to the gym for her when I was training.
“How you been, man?” I ask.
“Been good. Damn good. Still miss watching your ass unleash pain in the cage, though. You walked away in your prime, and I know you still got rubber on those tires.”
The fighter beside him stares at me with stars in his eyes, and I have to wonder if Rolo’s grooming him to be the next me.
“You look like you’re doing good,” I reply with a nod at the guy. “What brings you to this part of town?”
“You know me, always scouting new talent, keeping my ear to the ground. Trying to put together the best fights I can to get people in the door and money in our pockets.”
I force a smile that I don’t feel, given my current situation. “I remember those days.”
Rolo rocks back on his heels and scans me from head to toe. “Everything cool after the trouble you had with the club? Been meaning to get over there to check it out, but you know how things go ...”
As his words hang in the air, I feel the sharp stab of my failure even more acutely, and this time, it’s mixed with guilt. I purposely didn’t invite Rolo to the grand opening party because I know how he gets when he’s shit-faced. I also know that he’d expect me to cover his bar tab while he drank the most expensive liquor and flirted with every woman in sight while bragging about his glory days and me.
It’s embarrassing as fuck, and I didn’t want that in my club.
“Everything’s fine. Just hit some bumps in the road. It’ll sort itself out.”
“If you need some quick cash, I know a guy who could get you a comeback brawl.”
I shake my head. “I’m good, Rolo. Appreciate the offer, though.”
Rolo shrugs, and the guy beside him continues ping-ponging his eyeballs back and forth between me and my old promoter. “It’s always on the table. Everyone still asks me about you, especially when you’re going to fight Bodhi Black again.” Greed shimmers in Rolo’s eyes. “That would be a fucking sweet payday no matter the outcome.”
My molars grind together. “I’m good, man. Staying legit. Just like I planned.”
The greed fades, but something that looks like it could be concern replaces it. “I know that’s important to you, man, but if you ever get sick of it, you know I got you. Talk to you soon, Gabe. Don’t be a stranger.”
I leave the gym with Roux trotting along my side, heading back to the club to get my Bronco and get the hell out of Manhattan. As I reach the corner, a group of four girls, all dressed for the bar, cross the street and head in the same direction as opposed to walking past me.
Just like I assumed Scarlett would do.
It grates. More than it should. Especially as one of them clutches her purse tight to her side, like I’m going to fucking mug her.
I wish I could say it was the first time. Or the second. But it’s not. When you walk the streets, hood hanging over your face, no woman wants to pass you on a dark street. I should congratulate them for being able to spot a danger accurately. Except it stings, because I’d never fucking hurt a woman.
Just let onethinkyou’re going to hurt her so you can get her to save your ass?A sweet Southern voice from my past rises, and I try to reason with her.
I didn’t have a choice. It’s not like I threatened her in so many words. She assumed. I played it to my advantage.
The angel on my shoulder isn’t convinced.You’re better than that, Gabe, and you know it. Stop lying to yourself.