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“Because I’m your sister, duh.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s my job not to listen. Doesn’t mean you’re not good at it.”
“Aww. That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
She shot me an annoyed look. “Don’t get used to it.”
Deep down, I knew she was right. I couldn’t let my fears get the better of me. Not tonight. Too much was on the line. I had to keep my eye on the prize—our home. I couldn’t worry about anyone else’s situation right now.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus on something else. More like someone else, except that line of thinking didn’t get far.
The door opened, allowing a torrent of excited babble to flood in.
I glanced over at Finley’s aquarium, relieved to see the towel I’d draped over it was still in place. With the gym packed with so many unfamiliar faces, the last thing we needed was someone wandering in and catching sight of the little guy, or worse.
Frankie came in and shut the door before giving me a look over the railing that raised the hairs along my arms. Bad news was incoming.
She met me at the base of the steps. “Uh, so, I’ve got news.”
“I figured as much.”
Marissa was by my side in a flash. “Good or bad?”
“Does it matter?” I just needed to know what was causing that look on Frankie’s face.
“It might if?—”
“It’s the Red Dragon,” Frankie cut in, knowing from experience how long my sister and I could go back and forth.
“What about him?” I asked, my heart in my throat.
Ignoring him over the past two days had been harder than I thought. I’d planned on ignoring him completely, only to find myself returning a few texts here and there. Being a people pleaser royally sucked sometimes.
I wasn’t ready to talk about the debt until after this fight, but I also didn’t want him showing up unexpectedly and forcing the conversation. Keeping my mouth shut wouldn’t be an option if I saw him in person right now because I was still furious, but also because I hated having this rift between us.
And he didn’t even know there was a rift.
Had something happened to him before I had the chance to confront him?
Frankie held up her phone, displaying a chain of text messages from Ichiro Sato about Dominic. “He’s your opponent tonight.”
As Marissa snatched the phone to read the conversation, the world around me started to spin. My lungs burned and my vision blurred, and for a moment, I was afraid that I was going to pass out.
This couldn’t be happening.
Nausea churned in my gut. I rested a hand over my stomach. “I think I might be sick.”
Frankie grabbed our small trash can and held it up. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I told him I already had someone. I tried.”
“Goddess below, is Ichiro always that arrogant?” Marissa handed the phone back to Frankie with a look of disgust.
“Yes.”
Clutching the trash can to my chest like an anchor, I met Frankie’s gaze. “Why is he fighting?”
“I don’t know.” Violet flashed through her irises. “All I know is the old dragon won’t take no for an answer. If it wasn’t for this godsdamned debt…”
She didn’t need to finish the sentence. We all knew that Frankie wasn’t one to be pushed around, but with the gym and our homes at stake, Sato had her backed into a corner.
“Then I won’t fight.” I sat on the edge of my bed, setting the can between my legs. For the most part, the nausea had passed, but I didn’t trust my body just yet. “Throw someone else in the ring. Anyone.”
