AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Driving to the restaurant, I assemble my crew, and we take off in a caravan of vehicles loaded with weapons. We arrive at the address that was texted to Katerina; it’s an abandoned lot just outside of AC. No building. No cars. No signs of life.
I call Romeo and relay the situation. “He’s fucking with us.”
“Then let’s fuck with him!” the boss thunders, and I’m thankful to not be relaying this message in person. “Go light up Ace’s. Darius will meet you there.”
I dismiss my crew, and they peel off in the opposite direction as I drive to Ace’s Wild Boxing Club. Parking in the alley beside Darius’ vehicle, I hustle to the busted back door.
Stepping over the broken glass, I find Darius in a utility room tinkering with the electrical wiring. “Hey, man. Need you to add fuel to this fire,” he tells me.
“You got it.” I grab two gasoline cans and begin pouring at the perimeter of the building, working my way to the center.
Returning to the utility room, I find Darius opening a bag of corn chips. “What is happening?” My friend eats the cleanest diet humanly possible.
“Trying out a new accelerant. I was beating a guy’s ass who just got out of prison; he told me about the chip trick. The fat content in these makes them an excellent fire starter.”
Speaking of beating a guy’s ass, “Did Romeo tell you about me and Katerina?”
“Yeah, he told me something my friend should’ve told me himself, but let’s finish this job first. Then, we’ll head to my gym.”
Fuck.
I grab two more gasoline cans and empty them, returning to the utility room. “Move our vehicles and wait for me.” Darius tosses me his keys, and I hustle outside, moving his car a safe distance from the blast zone, and then sprinting and moving my SUV next to his.
Waiting a few minutes, I’m beginning to wonder if something went wrong, but Darius comes sprinting out of the building toward me. A bone-rattling boom lifts him in the air a few feet before tossing him on the sidewalk.
“Shit!” I hurry over to help my friend.
“Maybe the chips are too good of a fire starter,” he jokes, looking a little dazed as I help him to his feet.
“You injured? Need to go to the clinic?” I ask with a cough, the billowing smoke stinging my eyes.
“Sorry to disappoint.” He grunts. “We’re taking it to the gym.”
I nod, accepting it’s time to face the music. Following Darius to his gym, he unlocks the door and flips on the lights.
“Showers first,” he announces. “We both reek of gasoline.”
We silently walk to the locker room, both of us stripping as we step into the showers. After getting cleaned up, Darius tosses me some of my clothes I’d stashed here. He glances at his cousin’s name inked on my chest but doesn’t comment.
Dressing in silence, I finally blurt out, “Look, Darius. I’m sorry, but I’m also not sorry. I’ve always loved your cousin. I was just too big of a pussy to do anything about it until recently. Yes, I should have talked to you about it first, but Katerina and I are married. I’ll spend the rest of my life putting that woman on a fucking pedestal where she belongs.”
“Alright, then. Let’s go,” is all he says.
I want to say more, but I follow him in silence, mentally preparing myself for what’s to come.
“We’re sparring,” Darius announces, and we get to work wrapping our hands and wrists before putting on gloves.
“We good?” I ask, holding up my gloved hands to tap before we begin.
“I’ll ask you that question after I’m finished kicking your ass.” He throws an unexpected right hook, nailing me in the ribs.
My phone rings the next evening, and I see it’s Darius. “Where are you?” he asks, last night’s tussle water under the bridge between us. I’m proud I even landed a couple of blows; whether my friend let me or not, I’m still fucking counting it.
“Just left the Jeweler’s.” With Katerina’s new wedding ring in my pocket. Having sniffed out her lucky charm, I went with an antique cat’s eye chrysoberyl surrounded by a halo of diamonds—so my wife always has good luck on her. It’s a gamble, but as Katerina pointed out, there’s nothing traditional about us.
“Turn around. There’s a gym equipment deal I need help with ASAP. I’m at the Velvet Room of the Jersey Motor Inn.”
“Be there in about five.”
