I didn’t say anything because the answer was obvious.
“Thought so.”
“Still doesn’t make the shit right, Syd.”
She turned her head away from me, placing her hands on her hips. There was a long pause before she turned back to meet my gaze. “It doesn’t. I’m sorry, all right?”
“Fine. Now get out.”
“Damnit, Luke.” She huffed, folding her arms. “I knew you wouldn’t make this easy.”
“Then why the hell are you here?”
“Because despite all my common sense, I think you’re worth it. I thinkwe’reworth it.”
My body went rigid at that. There was an inward push and pull my internal senses began to engage in, a tug-of-war struggle between telling her to get lost, and demanding she stay and explain herself until I was satisfied.
Outwardly, I snorted. “Worth it.”
“Yeah. You have an obvious contempt for getting too close with anyone, I think you’re worth me coming here and telling you the truth.”
“I don’t have contempt for shit, except lying.”
Syd cocked her head to the side. “Really? You treat your best friend like shit, you call your group of friends yourcrew, but in the over five months I’ve trained you, I’ve only seen one of them, and you’ve never mentioned visiting them. You have a contentious, at best, relationship with your brother. You barely remember a woman’s name after you sleep with her.”
“Never did that toyou.” I said.
She peered down at the floor. “No… you haven’t,” she finally admitted.
I didn’t say anything as I watched her.
After a couple beats of silence, she looked down at my side and then back up at me. “Where’re you going?”
Glancing down, I spotted the suitcase I’d nearly forgotten about. Before I could respond, my doorbell rang again.
I gave Syd one final look before turning and opening the door for my driver.
“Mr. McConnell,” he said with a smile that instantly pissed me off even more.
I handed him my suitcase and watched as he headed for the car parked in front of my house.
“Luke, where are you going?”
“None of your damn business,” I growled.
“You can’t leave.”
“You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.”
“You’re at a pivotal time in your training. The Rodriguez fight is—”
“No longer any of your concern. You need to get out of my house,” I said, my voice sounding cold to my own ears.
“I’m sorry, okay? I lied because I didn’t want you to dismiss me right off the bat. I wanted you to give me a chance as a trainer. I really wanted the job, and to learn about my father through you. I had every intention of telling you once we worked together for a while but then it got complicated.”
I grunted. “Complicated. The truth is never complicated, Syd.” I stood there with the door open, leaning against it. “All you had to do was tell me the fucking truth from the beginning and allow me to make my own decision. You couldn’t do that. Therefore, I can’t trust you as my trainer, and I damn sure can’t trust you as,” I paused, swallowing the lump that tried to arise in my throat. “Anything else. It’s time for you to leave. I have a flight to catch.” I didn’t look at her as I kicked her out.
Slowly she moved closer, pausing as she moved in front of me, but I refused to acknowledge her. In my peripheral, I saw as she slumped her shoulders before exiting. My stomach twisted in knots, but I didn’t bother stopping to discern what emotions were running through my body. Instead, I secured the lock on my front door and moved with purpose toward the car that would take me to the airport.
