Jackson didn’t look happy at all. Even from this distance, I could see his clenched jaw and flared nostrils. Trevor said something into his ear, but he continued to look straight ahead. Until he caught my eye, then he seemed to relax, albeit marginally.
“Let’s get started, shall we?” The man who had spoken sat in front, a pad resting in his lap as a large camera loomed behind him. He was slender with a receding hairline and was dressed in jeans and a polo top. “My first question is to Jay. How are you feeling about this fight?”
“I feel good,” the dark-haired man answered. “Great, in fact. I’ve been training hard, and this is my shot.”
“Do you really think you can beat Jackson? He’s the middleweight champion. No one has managed to take that title from him so far.”
“There’s always a first time,” an older gentleman answered. He sat beside Jay, sporting a beard as well as a full head of dark hair with gray sprinkled along the temples. “And Jay will do it.”
My eyes bounced between Jay, the older gentleman, who was most likely his manager, and Jackson. Every time Jay or the older man spoke, Jackson flexed his fists.
“If you win, will it be that much sweeter because he’s not only the champion but he’s also your brother? Was there a lot of competition between you growing up?” the commentator asked. “If you don’t remember, I’m sure your dad does.”
It took a moment for his words to fully resonate, but once they hit their mark, I gasped. Brother? Dad? Jackson told me he didn’t have any family. He lied to me. But why?
“These can get boring,” Lance said. “Why don’t we wait for Jackson somewhere else?” He tried to usher me and Abby from the room, but my feet refused to move.
More questions were asked and answered, and I heard Trevor’s voice, but every word they spoke jumbled together. A cloud of confusion made it impossible for me to focus on anything other than my rampant and colliding thoughts.
“Wait, the other fighter is Jackson’s brother?” my sister asked. I felt her stare, her confusion fractionally smaller than mine. “I didn’t know he had a brother.”
Every time I heard the word brother, it was like someone punched me. Anger coiled inside me, but the emotion battled with surprise and disbelief.
“That’s why he looks so familiar,” I whispered more to myself than to my sister. I’d been looking everywhere but at the one person who held the information I should’ve been told before now. “I need to get out of here.”
“What’s the rush?” Abby asked as I snatched her hand and tried to push past Lance, but I didn’t get far. There were too many people crowding us.
“Please, Lance. Get me out of here,” I pleaded. It was getting harder to breathe, and I feared if I didn’t leave now, I was going to create a spectacle by passing out.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
He grabbed my arm and pushed his way through the sea of people. I bumped into him several times before he found a clearing. We entered a long hallway, and as I was finally able to take a full breath, I heard shouting from behind us, a commotion that barely registered before someone grabbed my wrist.
“Sophie, wait.” Jackson stepped in front of me before I could escape farther down the hall.
I jerked out of his hold as well as Lance’s. I needed time to compose myself, and if he touched me, I worried my angerwould explode onto him. “I need a minute,” I said, my voice strained with hurt.
“Let me explain,” he pleaded, the desperate look on his face almost making me cave. He opened his mouth once more, but someone yelled his name. When we both turned to look, Jay and the older man who’d sat next to him hurriedly walked toward us.
“Jackson, we need to talk,” Jay said.
“No, we don’t. Walk away. Now.”
“Or what? You can’t hit me outside the ring or there won’t be a fight.” Jay narrowed his eyes, and I would’ve liked to believe he goaded Jackson, but something akin to despair flashed behind his gaze.
“I don’t give a fuck about this fight. I should’ve never agreed to it.”
“But you did,” the older gentleman said, sidestepping Jay to approach us. “Son, you have to forgive me,” he said, placing his hand on Jackson’s shoulder.
“Don’t fucking call me that.” Jackson took a step back, and the man’s arm fell to his side. “And if you touch me again, I’m going to break your hand. Got it?”
Jackson’s entire body stiffened with rage, and for a moment, I forgot about my own anger.
Jay looked past his brother and directly at me. “Are you his woman?” He stepped forward and extended his hand. “I’m Jay.”
Trevor stepped in front of the man, shoving him back. “Don’t” was all he said before turning to face Jackson. “Let’s go.” He crowded his friend’s personal space. “Think about this, Jax. Don’t give them what they want. Let’s go,” he repeated, bumping his chest into the bristling man beside me, urging him to move.
Lance placed his hand on the small of my back and gently pushed me forward. Abby fell into step next to me, but instead of being her chatty and inquisitive self, she remained quiet.
