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He hangs up before I have a chance to question him on what’s going on.
I drop my phone from my ear, lean back in my seat, and reach up to pinch the bridge of my nose. Why does this shit have to be happening now? Right at the peak of my career? I’m the heavyweight champ and have worked hard as hell to get here, and now this shit is being thrown at me. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.
* * *
“You should have come to me the moment it happened,” Martin says, pacing the length of my place as he finishes reading over the papers I’d signed.
“Probably, but I went ahead and took care of it myself,” I grunt, watching him closely.
“Yes, but it seems we’ve got a situation.”
“And that is?”
Please don’t be what I think it is.
“The call I got from the boxing commissioner’s office was to tell me that until further notice, your license is being revoked, and you will no longer be allowed in the ring.”
Martin’s words scream in my head, and I feel like my world is crumpling in on itself.
“I’m going to do what I can, and hopefully, this shit can be resolved, but I can’t guarantee it,” Martin breathes out roughly.
I nod, unable to speak.
Martin says a few other things about getting me out of this situation and that until then I should just lay low. He suggested I go back home for a while.
I agree with him and wait for him to leave before slumping into a chair. How could I let this shit happen? It was a stupid thing to do hitting Ezra and thinking I could let it be swiped under a rug without consequences.
My phone beeps in my pocket. I want to ignore it, but I don’t. I pull it out to find a text from Rhett saying he’s got a fight coming up. He always tells me when he’s fighting, in case I want to make it to one, but normally I don’t get a chance to.
Guess I’ll be making this one, considering I have nothing better to do. At least by showing up at his fight, I can surprise him and show my support. It might help in distracting me from my own shit going on.
CHAPTER FOUR
HAVEN
In all the world, there’s not much that can top the feeling I get when I see a child smile.
Right now, I’m looking at ten young kids who normally wear scowls and grimaces painted on their face look at the building behind me bubbling with excitement.
Christina came through like a freaking hero. Not only did she get her father to open up the gym for the kids to look around, but he even offered to give a few beginners sessions to anyone who is interested as long as they got their parents’ approval. All for free.
Ashill Woods may be a small town in Colorado, but Corey Bright and Bright’s Boxing Gym are the shining stars of the community. Everyone knows and respects Corey. To have him open up his doors to these children is a blessing. Not to mention, it really is garnering some attention from the other children who aren’t in my program.
Exactly what Luke said we needed.
“Okay, guys, I know there’s going to be a lot of equipment in there, but this isn’t a playground. This is a serious place, and if you don’t pay attention, you can get hurt. No one is to be goofing off in there, or they’re not going to let us come back. Do you understand?” My eyes scan all the children, taking a mental snapshot of what each one looks like before we walk in. I’m going to have to come up with a good explanation if one of these kids walks out with any cuts or bruises.
After all the children nod, I lead them into the main lobby of Bright’s Boxing Gym, where Christina is already standing waiting for us.
“Awesome! Hey, guys,” she says, almost as excited as the kids. In her hand is a box full of what looks to be water bottles, and at her feet is another box with hand towels and hand wraps, all with Bright’s Boxing Gym printed on them.
“Oh, no. Are these for us?” I ask, my eyes wide as I take in the goodies. “You didn’t have to do that? Letting us in here is more than—”
She playfully throws a towel at me, cutting me off before she says, “Haven, stop it. You know we do as much as we can to help the community, and if these kids are interested in the gym, then we want to make sure they get the best.”
With a smile, I take the box from her with one arm, while I reach out with my other arm and pull her into a hug. She kisses my cheek and gives me a squeeze before she hurries to start handing out everything she has.
While Christina is busy with the kids, I make it my business to look around the main intake area of the gym. I’ve been in town a little while now, but I’ve never had the need to come in here. Along with the sleek reception area, the back wall is full of all the many different boxers’ accomplishments. Some have gone on to fight in martial arts tournaments. Others have gone on to open their own gyms. It seems like everyone who’s passed through these doors have come out the other side better for it.
