“You know my asking price.”

I prop my elbow on the arm of the chair and cover my eyes with my hand. “Then I’ll train him. At least let me use the gym to do it.”

The scratching of pen against paper ceases. I can’t look at him. I just can’t.

“If you train at my gym again, then you can use the facility, but he only spars or trains with me or the others if I get you as a fighter.”

I part two fingers and peek at the evil old man across from me. “I won’t spar.”

“I wouldn’t throw you immediately back into your old training regimen even if you asked. I’ll ease you in, but if you agree to spar when I say, then I’ll help you train him.”

I straighten. “I’m not sparring, old man. Get it through your thick skull.”

Totally unaffected by my outburst, he continues, “How are you going to train him without sparring? In fact, how are you going to work your job, train in my gym, then find extra time to train someone else? Agree to one fight for me and I’ll take him off your hands.”

My heart beats manically and a cold clamminess blankets my skin. I can’t spar. I can’t fight. Not even for West. “I’ll train him when I get off work.”

He throws his hands in the air. “You’ll be here until midnight.”

Now I’m the one to pound the desk. “That’s my choice!”

“You’re right. It always has been.”

We stare at each other and I suck in air to calm the adrenaline shooting through my veins. “I want to start training him tonight.”

“You can start Friday. I want to see you in my gym every morning by five. Saturdays included. I also own Sunday afternoons.”

“Friday! That’s—”

John stop signs me with his palm. “Consider it an act of good faith. I had to cancel fights because you walked away. I want to see commitment on your part.”

I’m up against the ropes and John knows it. I nod and start to wonder when I’ll ever complete my homework, but like John agreed—this is my choice. “What about my uncle and his obsessive curfew?”

John resumes writing. “I’ll take care of it.” There’s only one person my uncle fears and that’s my grandfather. None of us know why and nobody asks. Jax and his brothers have trained with John since they were small and my uncle allows it.

“And the extra time I need to train West?” I ask.

He assesses me with cold eyes. “What type of name is West?”

“The extra time? What happens when Jax and Kaden walk in his door and I don’t?”

“I said I’d take care of it.”

All righty. I stand to leave and John nails a final blow. “Our deal starts this morning. I want your ass in the changing room now and on my floor in two minutes. Your stuff is still in your old locker.”

Nerves create a dizziness as I walk out of his office and head to the locker room. Every single fighter watches me. What have I done?

Chapter 24

West

Damn, this school is crowded and if I didn’t have a pretend girlfriend, I could definitely work this place. Like the blonde, Jessica, who’s been twisting her hair around her finger and staring at me from across the hallway. The girl is contemplating something and I’d bet it’s not calculus.

If it’d been two weeks ago, she and I would have already found a secluded corner in this dump and gone to town. I got suspended twice at my old school for being caught with a girl and it was worth the time served.

I rub at the crick in my neck. It’s Friday and I’ve been living in my car for almost a week. I’ve tried sleeping with the seat reclined and by lying across the backseat. Regardless, sleeping in a car is uncomfortable and cold...and lonely.

Hours drag by. Every decision I’ve made, good and bad, haunts me. For the first time in my life, I look forward to school and now, because I fixed a toilet, I look forward to my job.

Jessica slithers across the hallway and, feeling twitchy, I once again survey the mass of students for Haley. I like Haley, and truth be told if my hands are going to roam any girl’s curves, I’d prefer they be hers, but I won’t do Haley wrong. I won’t ruin her rep by cheating and I won’t ruin her by luring her down that hallway for a quick, cheap thrill.

“You held out on me Monday.” Jessica runs a finger along my biceps. “Rumor has it you’re dating Haley.”

“Who’s spreading that rumor?”

“Matt Spencer. Actually, he was asking me if it was true. He said that Haley said the two of you were an item, but I told him I thought it was a lie.”

I pop my head to the right. Damn. Not what Haley and I need.

Since Tuesday, Haley and I walk to class together and I sit with her at lunch, but the other girls at the table talk to me more than she does. We’re not a couple, so we’re not acting like a couple. No touching. No hugging. In fact, we’ve hardly talked. Every time I press her for more info on training and this upcoming fight with Conner, she says she’s working on it.

To make matters worse, Matt watches her like a hawk and I don’t like it. “Why would I lie?”

“Why do you want to keep it secret that you’re a Young?”

Jessica waits to see if I accept the bait, and, when she figures out I’m not biting, she continues, “Everyone knows you got into a fight with Conner last Friday. Matt thinks Haley is protecting Jax and Kaden and that you two are faking this relationship to throw him off course.”