I now just have to wait until she kisses me. And I have plans to make her want to do that sooner rather than later.
“There.” Hunter points into the back corner of the room. “Can you see them? Blue suit with a red tie. And the other is wearing a black jacket with sunglasses.”
I see them, lurking in the back just as Roman gets ready to fight his opponent. The one chosen by them, the one they’ve bet on to beat Roman. And he has to put on a show and lose. Meaning, he won’t get the prize money. He gets nothing for this fight, other than to keep them off his back for another week.
Hunter strides to the side of the ring, where Roman is warming up. The guy Roman is fighting looks a lot like Asher, funnily enough. The face shape and hair are very similar to his. I want to take a photo, send it to Mila, and ask if Asher’s at home. I snort. Of course he is. He’s grounded, just like Mila. And even if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t leave. He gets to be alone with her.Asshole.
Roman pauses for a moment to watch this guy, and he says something to Hunter. I don’t move closer to hear what they’re saying. I haven’t been here or done this like Hunter always has. Even in the past, it was usually Hunter calling me if there was an issue. Not me down here, calling him. I’ve been a shit friend to Roman even before Mila returned. I just hate The Shed so much. It scares me. I just never told them that.
I turn back to watch the two assholes. Carlos and Johnny. As they talk to another guy, I try to work out what they’re doing. Are they making a deal? Ugh, what can I do if they are making deals?Nothing.
By the time I’ve turned back around, the fight has started. The crowd is loud, screaming and chanting. Roman takes a few swings at the guy, then gets taken down by a leg sweep. It looks real, like Roman’s trying to win, but his hits aren’t as powerful as they should be. He told me how he does it to keep up appearances. No one would bet on him if he looked like he was trying to lose fights; they would kick him out. He fights and wins. Then, the ones that he can win easy, he loses. This guy he’s fighting has no form. Nothing. He's new here, from the looks of it.
Roman’s eyes flick back to where the Amato guys are standing, and he takes a few swings at the guy and misses. Roman gets hit in the jaw hard and stumbles. He hits the guy, and his nose starts to bleed.
They don’t have a blood rule here—anything goes. Roman strikes a few more times, and the guy wavers. Shit, he better back down, or this guy is gonna drop.
Hunter yells to Roman. When Roman turns around, his eyes are dark, and he looks angry. He turns back to the guy and stalks after him. Hunter shakes his head and waves his hand to get Roman’s attention. I move in closer.
“Don’t, Roman. Come back to me, man.”
Come back to me? What the—Fuck.He’s zoned out. Fight and flight mode with Roman is scary. It’s like Roman’s not in control, and right now, we need him to be.
When Roman lunges and hits the guy in the cheek, it’s as if it’s in slow motion. His opponent’s eyes roll into the back of his head as his body grows slack and collapses underneath him.
My heart stops.
“Fuck, fuck. Jace.” Hunter turns to me, gripping my shoulders as he shakes me.
I’m stunned while I watch Roman pace around the guy as the referee is counting. Roman looks to us, and I can see the worried look on his face. Fuck, what do we do?
“Jace.” Hunter shakes me again. “Get the car. Get it now and bring it round.”
My hands don’t even feel like my own. I look back to where Carlos and Johnny are, and I can’t see them.Fuck. What happens when they lose a bet? Has this happened before? What do they do?
“Now!” Hunter screams, and I’m off, pushing my way through the crowd as I reach into my pocket for my keys.
Car. Get to the car and bring it round. We will go to Hunter’s house. Fuck, do they know Roman lives there? Will they go there? Oh god, I think I’m gonna throw up.
This is bad.
I stumble through the parking lot until I reach my SUV. My heart’s pounding as I try to open the door. I press the button, and nothing. My hands are shaking, and I have to consciously still them. Every second is a second they’re closer to Roman. As soon as the doors unlock, I jump in and close the door. My breathing is the only thing I hear in the quiet car.
I said I wanted to help, that I wanted to come down here, but how can Hunter be so calm? How’s he not freaking out right now? I grip the steering wheel and start the engine. Backing out, I drive to the front door of The Shed and wait.
Every second that ticks by, every minute turning on the digital clock, and my head is screaming, “something bad is going down.” There’s a security guard outside, watching me. Every few moments, he shifts the weight on his feet, and I’m worried he’s going to come tell me to leave. That I can’t wait here.
“Come on, come on.” I look down to my phone. I want to call them, but at the same time, I don’t want them to stop and answer my call if they’re close. I feel useless.
The passenger door clicks open, and I jump, dropping my phone onto the floor.
“Fuck, let’s go.” Hunter slams the door as Roman does the same in the back. He’s bleeding from a cut under his eye, and I know he didn’t have that when I left to get the car.
I put the car into drive, and I floor it.
There’s nothing but silence, and it’s killing me. Why aren’t they talking? What do we do? What’s the plan? Is there a plan for this?
“What do we do now?” I finally ask, and Roman only grunts.
