Page 2 of Bruised Hearts

“Champ, can I get a picture?” I looked over and saw a thick ass chick standing next to the door of the steakhouse with hope written all over her face. It wasn't the picture she wanted. Shorty wanted to get cracked. Groupies been throwing themselves at me since my first fight, but winning the heavyweight title took that shit to another level. I could barely step outside without somebody trying to leave with me.

“He’s not taking pics today,” my bodyguard, Titan said as he stepped in front of her.

“Naw, it’s good.” I smiled before running my tongue over my teeth. Her titties bounced as she hurried over and threw herself against me.

“I’m a big fan, and I’ve always said I would do anything to meet you. ANYTHING! Can I go with you?” I gripped her ass and pulled her closer for the picture before smiling.

“I’m meeting my pops for dinner but slide me your number and I’ll hit you up when I’m free.” After she gave me her number and name, I started toward the door.

“Hopefully, I’ll see you later.”

“When I tell you I’m sliding through, make sure you lose the clothes. Be waiting for me naked.” Tan showed all thirty two before walking away. Heading inside, I walked over to the table and sat down.

“Took you long enough, what the hell was your ass doing? Obviously not trying to fix your face.” Pops was taking shots at me because my shit was still fucked up from my last fight. Somebody tried to take my belt, but I laid his ass down in the third. He came to fight, I’ll give him that, but he wasn’t fucking with me. I was now 26-0 with ten knockouts.

“At least mine from fighting, what’s your excuse?”

“Your mama like it. Matter fact, she about to like it when I leave here from with you.”

“Nigga, please. You be doing too much jit.”

“How you feeling after your fight? I see Danger called you out to contend for the belt. Are you going to take it?” The waitress walked up before I could answer, so we ordered first.

“I’m good, and of course I’m going to take it. You know I ain’t dodging nothing.” He nodded, but I could tell he was holding back. “What’s up, pops?”

“I’ve been following his career and that lil nigga ain’t no joke. He’s hungry and I don’t think you should take it.”

“Retirement done made you soft. He hungry, but I’m hungrier. Fuck you talking bout?”

“Say, watch your fucking mouth. Ain’t shit soft about me. Besides, you the one walking around with security and shit. What’s that all about? I was in the NBA for almost fifteen years, and I never had security.” I looked at him and shrugged.

“If I get into it with a mufucka and have to push their teeth through their nose, I’m going to jail. If you got into it with a jit, you was getting traded to the Washington Wizards. We not the same. As far as Danger, I’m not worried and I’ll be ready.”

“You better be or change your name back to Landon Fucktard. I can’t have you losing under my shit.” I laughed, but that joke landed harder than he knew. The whole world could think I’d lose, and I could live with that, but my pops. Nah. I needed him to believe in me.

“You really think I’m going to lose?” He looked up at me and his expression softened.

“I’m your father, so of course my nerves are going to be through my ass, but I believe you can do anything you want. I raised you and I didn’t raise you to be a bitch.” I looked at him and fell out laughing.

“Jit, you got me when I was fourteen. You ain’t raise shit.” We both laughed, but he really was a great father. Even though Devin was only fifteen years older than me, he adopted me when I was fourteen and it was the best thing that ever happened to a nigga.

“It don’t matter, you’re mine and I taught you everything you know. You was bout slow as fuck when I met you.” Shaking my head, I let him have that. The waitress brought our food, and we began eating. “Are you sure you’re okay? That last fight was rough, and I want to make sure it didn’t set you back.” I know he was talking about my past, but I shrugged my shoulders. I was used to it. After every fight, I disappeared for a few days until my mental caught back up. Then I shoved that shit right back down where it belonged. I stayed good until the next trigger.

I used to always have nightmares about my past, until my pops adopted me. Funny what finding your safe place will do. The nightmares slowed up, and somewhere along the way I stopped dreaming about what happened to me and started dreaming about who I could become. Pops pushed me every step of the way.

“Stop worrying about me. Even if my past start to take me dark, you always bring me back. So even when I’m not good, I’m good.” He nodded again and took another bite of his food.

“Danger clout chasing anyway. Nigga broke and looking for a payday.” I appreciated him changing the subject.

“You know what I always say, I don’t want problems, but if they say they want a problem, I say no problem.” His head snapped up and he fell out laughing.

“Nigga, you ain’t say that shit. That’s Fifty Cent all day. Not only are you ugly as shit, but you a thief too.”

“You be jocking me too hard. Hey, what ma and Mila doing here?” He looked up and his eyes smiled when he looked at them.

“They wanna go shopping. I told them I was meeting you here, so I told them to meet me, and we will go.” I loved how much they still loved each other. We both stood up, and I hugged my mama and bent down to look at Mila. I waited for her to acknowledge me. That was her version of permission.

“Hey Jammy Jam, we good?” she nodded so I hugged her. My lil baby was all grown up now and I couldn’t take the teenage her. At sixteen, she was more withdrawn and introverted, but her mouth was still disrespectful.