“Damon’s not here tonight,” he informed me.
I nodded, already knowing he wouldn’t be making it. “He’s a newlywed. I don’t expect him to be coming as often.”
Buddy snorted and laughed. “Same with you. We’re lucky if you make it out here once a month.”
I shrugged. “I’d rather be at home in bed with my wife and daughter than looking at you all night.”
“I’m hurt,” Buddy stated, clutching his chest.
“You’ll get over it.”
I left out of the bathroom, chuckling as he retorted something to my back. I glanced up into the ring to see Doc inside. That was his nickname. He was actually a doctor, which, obviously, was how he got the name.
“What’s up, pretty boy?” I taunted as I entered the ring.
“Townsend. Oh, how I’m going to enjoy this opportunity to mess up that grin of yours tonight.”
I grunted. “Don’t count on it.”
“Alright, boys, you know the rules. I won’t exhaust myself going over that shit again,” Buddy yelled as he stood between us. “Let’s go!” Stepping out of our way, he allowed us to do our thing.
Doc and I circled one another, and while I was certain he was the quietest one in the room, I could feel my father’s eyes on me, watching me. It didn’t make me nervous, however. It did the same it’d always done when I knew my father was observing. It made me brave.
“Shit!” Doc cursed when I saw an opening and landed a left hook to his right side ribs.
“That was just a fucking love tap. Don’t be a pussy!” I taunted.
“Fuck you, Townsend,” he retorted.
He swung and just narrowly missed clipping my chin. But I didn’t let that near miss deter me. I went in for a sweep of his right leg, but he saw it coming and side hopped it. However, I caught him on my way up, sending a right cross to his chest, causing him to stumble backward. Nevertheless, Doc was no easy win. He wasn’t too knocked out by my cross and quickly recovered, trapping my right hook in his grasp.
“Oh hell no,” I blurted out, knowing he was going to try an arm lock move that he was known for.Fuck that.
I pivoted and kneed the same side of the ribs I’d punched earlier, causing him to loosen his grip on my arm just enough that I could free myself. We continued to go blow for blow for three more rounds before Buddy ended it. It was a draw.
“You went easy on me, Townsend,” Doc stated angrily.
I shrugged. “Didn’t want to end your career.” It came across as a joke but I was partially serious. I still didn’t fully comprehend why a doctor, a surgeon no less, would risk his livelihood by getting into an underground fighting ring that had few rules.
We slapped fives, and I hopped out of the ring, coming face-to-face with my father.
He patted me on the shoulder. “You half-assed it in there.”
“How could you tell?”
My father lifted a brow. “I’ve seen you in action when you really want to take someone down.”
I nodded. “Are you disappointed?”
He shook his head. “If you took it easy on him, you had a good reason.”
I inclined my head, grateful that there were some things that my father just understood. He didn’t require long explanations for everything. He had a sixth sense better than anyone I’d met in my entire life.
“Need someone to unwrap those gloves?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. While you’re at it, you can tell me more of you and Mother’s story.”
“More?” he asked as if perplexed.
