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“Really?” I grunt, my gaze snapping up to meet his as my tired arms fall to my sides.
“Did I say you could stop?” Cole scolds.
Fuck.
I pick my pace back up, pushing myself to my limits.
“As I said, you seem to have impressed some big players, and they’re putting more money on you. We already know you have a shot at taking this thing out, but now, they know it too. They see you as a real contender,” he explains before indicating for me to move over to the free weights for some rapid movement. “You went in there with no reputation and came out with a fucking great one, but they know that kid, Hellraiser, was no contender for you. They’re gonna step up their game. They’ll make you work for it.”
I hold back a childish grin, his words like music to my ears. “So, when’s my next payday?”
“Next fight is scheduled for Wednesday. Eight grand is up for grabs,” he tells me, double-checking that no one can overhear. “I’ll find out the location the night before.”
“Eight grand?” I breathe with raised brows. If I keep going like this, keep winning, it won’t be long before I can afford to get out from under my parents thumb. It’s dirty money, but it’s mine, and I’m earning every fucking cent of it.
“Yep,” Cole confirms as he hands me the jump rope with a wicked grin, knowing damn well I can’t stand the fucking jump rope. All it takes is one foot out of place and this motherfucker is leaving a welt on the back of my legs.
An hour later, I collapse to the ground. How the hell am I going to get through hockey training tonight? I lay on the mats with my eyes closed, concentrating on my breathing as I wait for the feeling to come back to my arms. This must be what it feels like to be on the brink of death.
“Get out of here, kid,” Cole says as he walks by, making sure to bump into me as he passes. “You’ll need to get something to eat before you go to hockey. Replenish your energy.”
Yeah, I should probably take his advice. “Fine,” I groan, needing a second before I get up off the floor and head into the bathroom, desperately trying not to hurl.
After taking a quick shower, I drag my feet out to my truck, wondering how the fuck I’m supposed to skate tonight. I’m exhausted, but Cole is right. Something to replenish my energy will go a long way.
I down a full bottle of water and sit in my truck for a few minutes before finding the energy to drive back toward campus. Pulling over across the street from a café, I hop out of my truck and jog across the road. Pushing through the doors, the heavenly aroma of food assaults my senses in the best way. Not having been here before, I take a second to study the menu before settling on a chicken salad and hoping it gives me just enough energy to get through training. I’ll definitely need a big dinner afterward, though. If I could, I’d be hitting up a steak or burger right now, but I can’t risk it coming back up on the ice. It wouldn’t be pretty.
Getting everything I need, I make my way out front when movement across the street catches my eye. A grin stretches across my lips as I notice the pole dancing studio, and recall Jax and Bobby bitching in the locker room about Cassie and Bri taking a class. Though, to be honest, I would have loved to have seen that. Those girls are wicked fine.
Only having a few minutes until I have to get going, I head back across the street and lean up against my truck. My eyes continue scanning the street, as I inhale my food, and then stop when I come across a familiar dark-haired beauty standing inside a hair salon, and my grin only widens. I’d parked right outside her salon and didn’t even notice.
I’m unable to resist watching Charli work. By the way she’s watching and listening to the hairdresser beside her, today must be her first day working at the salon, and the lively spark in her eyes tells me everything I need to know. She fucking loves it.
She seems to be in deep concentration as she stands with an older lady working on a client. From what I can tell, the senior stylist is teaching her everything she knows, and Charli is soaking up every last bit of wisdom like a fucking sponge.
Pride surges through me seeing how seriously she’s taking her new role, and just as I finish wolfing down my meal and go to get back in my truck, that stunning face of hers turns in my direction with absolute joy in her eyes. Noticing me out on the street, a dazzling smile graces her face, and like clockwork, a sweet blush spreads over her cheeks.
