Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“At least he didn’t lose?” Ari offered. It was a weak offer at best. We might have won this one 2-0-1 but with me out and Teo admittedly mid, it would probably be our last winning streak for a while.
The thought soured my stomach.
“Can we head back to the hotel? The smells are making me sick.” I shook my head. It wasn’t just the smells but the reality that this was going to be absolute dogshit for everyone involved.
Frankie held up the keys. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The car ride was dead silent, and Portland passed by in a blur. My hand throbbed from my wrapping, and my head throbbed from everything else. I kept my forehead on the chilly window, but even that didn’t help the heat in my body.
We pulled into the parking lot, and Frankie turned off the car. No one made a move to leave the van.
Frankie looked at me through the rear-view mirror. “Quit acting like it’s the end of the world.”
“It might be,” I said. “At least for our contract.”
“And then we’ll get another sponsor. If not, we’ll figure it out.” Ari reached over to place a hand on my wrist. It felt too kind for my mistakes. “We always do.”
River turned around in the passenger seat to look at me. “Pinstripe isn’t going to lose them all. Or he’ll have to answer to me. And Frankie.” River punched Frankie’s shoulder and snorted. “He’ll probably shit his pants if that happens.”
“Worst-case scenario is that we drop a few places.” Lotto looked around Ari to fix me with a pinched stare. “And I know what you’re thinking so keep your damn mouth shut, Bones. This isn’t your fault. Injuries happen.”
I grinned. “That obvious?”
“If anything, it’s my fault for not having a backup before all this. It didn’t cross my mind.” Frankie glanced over at River, and they shared a look I couldn’t place.
“Hey, if worse comes to worse, we can have the guys from St. Luka’s pray for us.” River laughed. “I saw two priests in the audience tonight. I’m sure one of them will take pity on some stragglers like us.”
“So, wait, they’re really sponsored by a church?” I thought that was just a joke.
“Yep. Trying to make money for their orphanage program.” Ari squeezed my hand. “So, if some priests can find the money to sponsor a team, we can find someone else. I promise, Bones. It’s going to be okay.”
I wanted to believe her—I really did—but it didn’t seem as easy as they were making it. Lucien had our balls in his grip. All he had to do was squeeze and we’d be out of commission for much longer than my injury.
“We’re in this together,” Lotto agreed. “Worry about getting better. Leave the rest of the bullshit to us.”
“Four weeks,” I promised.
I was going to do everything in my power to heal up and get back in the ring as soon as I could. Everyone in this car—and even Teo, that weasel who couldn’t block to save his life—deserved it. They deserved me at my best. Not whatever the fuck I’d been giving lately.
“And we’ll be with you every single day.” Ari’s smile was so warm, it heated my cold body.
“Thanks, guys,” I said. “Now can we get out of this stuffy van already? It smells like piss.”
“Is that why it was so cheap to rent? I thought it was just a beautiful renter discount.” River winked at Ari.
“Okay, I’m dealing with three idiots,” Frankie said. “Get out before I kick your ass out.”
We all exited the van, as cheery as we could be. I tried to let their conversation lift my mood, but I just felt… hollow. The splint on my hand was an anchor dragging me to the bottom of the cold ocean.
Whatever happened this next month wouldn’t be pretty.
Chapter
Fifteen
ARI
Ididn’t know how long I’d been staring at our name on the leaderboard of the Circuit.
But I did know it was long enough to formulate a plan for murder down to the last gruesome detail.
Because I was about two more spots away from ending Pinstripe and his whole career.
Ever since he had taken over for Bones, it had been loss after loss. 3-13 was nothing compared to his 0-7 start in the Circuit. Then someone up there had mercy on him and had thrown him a bone, and he managed to win his last three fights. But a 3-7 record meant Smiley’s was no longer in the top four.
We weren’t even close.
Seventh place was a bitter pill to swallow.
Especially since Lucien, our “generous” sponsor, was on his way to come “talk some sense into us.” By us he meant me, because I was the only one here so far. The rest of the guys were on the way, and I was sure Lotto and Frankie were breaking some laws trying to get here as quick as they could.