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“Yeah, add to that the fact I got to fight to save the club and her village, and you’ll get why I kinda got a lot on my mind right now.”
“I hear ya, brother,” he says, and I see the cogs in his brain working while he takes another drawback on his cigarette.
“This fight, you got to give it all your focus, man, the stakes are high,” he points out the fuckin’ obvious, and I nod in agreement.
“So, what’s standing in your way with the girl?” He sighs in defeat.
“Her uncle wants her to marry the guy I fought with last week. There ain’t no way he’s gonna accept me, and even though he’s an asshole to her, his blessing is gonna mean something to Shaniya.”
“Well, he can’t exactly say no to the guy who wins the fight that saves his village.” Jessie sniggers. “We got that tribe sitting in our palms right now. We’re their only way out. Maybe you should up your own stakes on the fight.” Jessie gets that look on his face, the one that usually comes with a bright idea.
“Watcha saying, Jess?”
“I’m saying, go speak to the chief. Tell him how you feel. And then you tell him that if you win the fight, you're marrying his niece.” He shrugs like it's just that simple.
“And you think he’ll go for that?”
“I don’t think he’s got a lot a choice, he’s shown weakness. He can’t take care of his own people right now. What that tribe needs is a hero. Be the people’s hero, Troj,” he tells me sarcastically, hanging his smoke between his lips as he steps up to me and jabs me in my stomach. I laugh, before turning serious again.
“And what about all the other shit, Jess? Me and her, we’re worlds apart,” I admit, the Chief is just the start of the complications us being together is gonna cause. She’s so innocent to the world, and our world… well, that’s a whole lot of shit to expect any bitch to take on.
“That’s the shit you figure out once you’ve won the fight and got ya girl. You’ll make it happen,” he assures me.
“You don’t think I’m crazy?” I ask, as he stubs out his smoke and picks up the pads again.
“Oh, I think you’re fuckin’ insane.” He looks at me seriously. “But I also know how it feels when that right bitch walks into your life and turns it all around. Trust me, brother, you’re fucked.”
We spend some more time doing pad work, and I focus as hard as I can on training. Jess is right. The fight has to come first now, for her sake, as well as the club’s. My arms are aching and my blood is pumping fast, so I call for a water break.
“About what I told you, me and the girl… I don’t want anyone else knowing.”
“Sure,” Jessie nods, throwing me a fresh bottle of water from the fridge. “And now that you’re looking tired, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” he admits.
“Oh yeah?” I look at him, wondering what the hell he’s gonna land on me, especially since he’s tired me out first. I hear the distant sound of a bike engine getting louder until it comes to a stop outside. Jessie better hurry up and be out with it. Looks like we won’t be alone for much longer.
Both our heads turn toward the door when it opens, and Jessie turns back to look at me with a guilty look on his face. “This is the thing I needed to talk to you about.” He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly as my older brother cockily strides into the gym.
“Autumn, what the fuck?” I say out loud.
“Good to see ya too…” He pulls a wide grin onto his face. “Jessie,” he tips his chin at my best friend, who’s still standing fuckin’ silent.
“What the fuck you doin’ here?” I ask. Autumn and trouble come hand in fuckin’ hand, and this is exactly the kinda shit I don’t fuckin’ need right now.
“I called him,” Jessie speaks up, shocking the hell outta me.
“And why the fuck would you do that?” I ignore the fact my brother’s standing right in front of us and I whip my head around to death stare Jessie.
“You need someone to train with, someone who’s gonna challenge you when you spar. There’s only one person I know that’s as good a fighter as you are.” Jessie’s head tips toward Autumn and I know how much it’ll be hurting him to admit that. Autumn ain’t popular. He’s cocky, selfish and makes Squealer’s sense of humor seem acceptable.
“So you ready to learn from the best?” He steps up to me, taking off his cut and slamming it hard into my chest. I snarl at Jessie as Autumn glances around the gym. “It ain’t the best, but it’ll do. At least it’s an improvement from the last time I was here.”
“Thanks for coming, Aut,” Jessie slaps him on the shoulder. “Troj here needs to be ready in three weeks, you think between us we can have him ready to face whatever Cooper’s got for him?”
“Still no news on the opponent?” Autumn asks, and Jessie shakes his head.
“I got my own ears to the ground. Ivan will probably use one of his new minions. Albanians know how to fucking fight,” he warns.
“You wanna quick spar now?” I gesture to the ring. Yeah, I’m a little tired, but I could do with offloading the sudden surge of anger that’s just been dumped on me.
