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There are so many things I want to say to her, right here and now.
I’ll have to wait. I’m being tapped on the shoulder by some blonde woman in a red blazer. She crisply informs me that I’ll be the last interview and I ought to go wait on the other side of the ring for my name to be called.
Tess looks up at me. “I guess we can’t leave yet?”
I kiss her face. “Soon.”
She smiles. “Hurry. I want to take you home.”
What a pain in the ass to stand around in my shorts and listen to other fighters mumble their way through answers to silly questions. Even the losers don’t escape this fate and Lazor in particular grits his teeth as his blood dries on his swollen face. It’s embarrassing when he’s asked to describe what he was thinking the moment he realized he’d lost the final fight of his career.
While I’m waiting for my turn at the gauntlet, I keep an eye on Tess. Gage and Conner aren’t going to let her out of their sight and knowing Gage, it’s a safe bet that he’s in violation of the venue’s ‘no firearms’ policy. She’s perfectly safe.
Their group grows when Elijah stops by for a chat. Josh Ballerini joins them. He’s in uniform tonight so I guess he wanted to make a show of being the law enforcement god. It’s now public knowledge that he’ll be receiving the honor of top cop in Emerald City.
The room has mostly emptied out by the time I get my chance to supply lame answers to the microphone. I’m not risking any Marchenko-style trouble right now so I swallow my irritation and try to be less of a prick.
When I’m done, there are very few people remaining. Elijah is gone but Josh Ballerini stands beside his niece and extends his hand.
“Micah, hell of a fight.”
Tess is clearly pleased to see me shaking hands with her uncle. I’m still not quite sure what to think of the guy but he’s important to her so I’ll be nice.
At least the mayor knew better than to show his face here. He’s been on a quest to slither back into Tess’s life. So far she’s ignored him. I hope she keeps doing that.
Josh can’t stick around because he’s got some cop shit to take care of. Once he’s gone I nod to Gage.
“Are you taking off too? I’m sure Dani’s waiting.” The reason she’s not here tonight is because she was looking after Charlotte. Matilda and Henley had plans.
He takes stock of the nearly empty room. “I can hang around a little while longer.”
“Go home to your wife,” Tess tells him. “Remind her that she’s having lunch with me tomorrow.”
Conner flexes. “I’m more of an ideal bodyguard anyway.”
Gage looks at me and I shrug.
“I just need a quick shower. We’ll be out of here in ten minutes. Go home.”
He thinks about it, then finally nods. “All right, I’ll talk to you clowns tomorrow.”
I slip my arm around Tess’s shoulders. “Why don’t the two of you follow him?”
“Without you?”
“I needed to be here early, remember? I’ve got my car.” I can’t put my finger on why, but I’m on edge. “Go on, you’ll barely beat me home. I’m just going to jump in the shower.”
Tess gives me one of her stubborn looks. “We’re waiting for you. Right, Conner?”
He grins at me. “You heard the lady. We’ll wait.”
I don’t like this answer. “Stay right here.”
He rolls his eyes. “As opposed to what, taking a sudden detour to Disneyland?”
I’m having second thoughts about chasing Gage off. On the surface, there’s nothing alarming happening. The audience is gone. The cleaning staff is at work. All I need to do is rinse off and grab my shit.
When I reach the locker room I find Lazor. His hair still drips from a shower and he’s stuffing gear into a duffel bag. He looks up, glares, and jerks the zipper of his bag closed.
