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“You can’t win ‘em all,” he agrees. “But man, you’re better than that cocky shit, Martino. You should’ve been able to wipe the floor with that asshole.”
“Whatever,” I mutter, increasing the speed a little.
“Have you given any more thought to my other offer?”
I glance over my shoulder to where Steve’s running Lachy through his paces, grinning at the sight of my best mate getting his ass handed to him in the cage by a fifty-year old dude. I bring my gaze back to meet Zeke’s. “I’m good. Like I said: my family doesn’t need to be caught up in anything illegal. My brother only just got off probation.”
“He didn’t seem too worried about it.”
My eyes narrow as the treadmill kicks into the next level of my workout. Something isn’t sitting right, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. As I increase my speed, I grunt out, “Yeah, well it’s not his body on the line, is it?”
“The fights are completely above board with refs and points. No dirty business. It’ll be good practice for you.”
“You’re not going to give up on this, are you?”
Zeke chuckles. “Nope. We need some fresh meat, and we want you, my friend.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s reassuring. What’s to say I’m not just going to get my ass beat even worse than I did Friday night?”
“At least you’ll get paid more.” I shoot him a filthy look. “I’m serious!” He slows his machine down to a walk, and I follow suit. He glances over his shoulder to make sure that Steve is still busy with Lachy. “The payout is ten k per fight. Double that if you win, plus a cut of the take. Look, all I’m asking is for you to come to the next fight. Trial run. No commitments. One fight. If you’re not interested after that, I’ll quit asking.”
I press my lips together. Ten thousand per fight. That’s life changing coin, and he knows it. I sigh, pushing my hair back off my face. “When and where?”
He shakes his head. “No idea. If you’re in, you’ll get a text message two hours before the fight.”
“I don’t like this.”
“You’re young. Live a little.”
I DROP LACHY back at Ronnie and Jordan’s place before heading to the hospital. I have two lectures, but Robbo said he’d take notes in one and the other I can catch up later. I sit with Dad for about an hour, but it only makes me feel worse, so I decide to head to the uni library to spend the rest of the day finishing off a couple of assignments I have due by the end of the week. I try not to think about Zeke’s fight club. It’s risky, and I don’t want to be the third Breed to end up in prison.
It's six-thirty by the time I upload my last assignment, at least one weight lifted from my shoulders. My stomachgrowls as I pack up my bag, and I text Lily, asking her if she wants me to pick up some takeout on my way home.
She texts me back as I’m leaving the library with a picture of her standing over the stove cooking some kind of meatball dish that looks mouth-watering. I’m still staring down at my phone when I crash into someone, their books clattering to the floor.
“Shit, I’m so sor–” My words cut off as I look up at Sophia’s scowling face, and I groan internally. She still hasn’t forgiven me for Ellie choosing to leave Blue Haven.
I bend down and help her pick up her books. She snatches them from me and climbs to her feet. “Too busy texting your new girlfriend to watch where you’re going?” she snaps.
I sigh, palming the back of my neck. I called Ellie on Sunday while Lily was in the shower. She’d been pretty quiet when I told her, but she’d also said she just wanted me to be happy. I guess her best friend doesn’t share her sentiments.
“Sophia–”
“Save it, Harley. I wish she’d never met you.” She flicks her hair in my face as she shoves past me, and I’m left standing there wondering what the hell just happened.
I shake it off when my phone beeps, and I look down to see a text from Lily asking when I’ll be home. I reply that I’m leaving now and head to the carpark.
I park my Ducati in the empty driveway ten minutes later. I remove my helmet and shake out my hair. As I climb off my bike, I notice a black BMW with tinted windowsrolling down our street. When I turn to watch it, it speeds off.Weird.
The scent of simmering meat and spices hits me as I open the door, and my stomach rumbles again. “God, I could get used to this,” I say with a grin, dropping my bag on the dining table before crossing the room and sweeping Lily into my arms, pressing my lips to hers. “Smells delicious.”
“Tastes good, too,” she murmurs against my mouth.
“Mm… yes, you do.” I squeeze her ass, and she swats at me playfully, a pretty pink hue coating her cheeks. I lean over the stove, breathing deeply. “What are we eating?”
“Youvarlakia.” She nudges me out of the way and dishes up two bowls of the meatball soup.
“Kitten, if you wanted to eat me, all you have to do is ask,” I say with a wink as she passes me mine.
