“What if you were attacked? What would you do?” I ask her. She shrugs, having no idea what to do. So I show her. I teach her how to hold her hands up and how to block a punch. I let her hit the bag a few times until Jeremy walks in.
He tosses his backpack against the wall before rubbing his hand over his face. I know right then something is wrong.
“What is it?” I ask, catching his attention.
“Bruce wants you to fight twice,” he announces.
“So?”
“In one night,” he adds. Shit, that isn’t going to work. I shake my head when Jeremy turns to look at me.
“I told him no. He said, if you don’t, you don’t fight for him anymore,” he reveals.
“Fuck!” I roar, balling my hands into fists at my sides. I debate punching the fucking wall, but I know that will do me no good.
“So quit,” River chimes in. I glance over at her and narrow my eyes.
“Quit? And do what? Get money how?”
“Get a job.”
“Jobs that don’t pay shit? Is that what you think I should do?” I yell.
“You’re smart, Royal.”
“I’m a fucking homeless fighter, River! No one is going to hire someone like me. You wouldn’t know shit about that, though, would you?”
“Royal,” Jeremy warns me, but fuck this. She doesn’t know what it’s like for us living like this long term.
“Little rich girl who gets everything handed to her. You’re fucking sitting here with money in a bank account, right? You don’t even have to be here!”
“Is that what you want? You want me to leave?” she asks.
“I don’t know, River. What the fuck are you doing here anyway? Huh? With someone like me?” I snap at her. She eyes me for a long minute before grabbing her bag and lifting it onto her shoulder.
“Fuck you, Royal!” she screams before heading for the door. I watch her leave, knowing I shouldn’t. Something inside me says to go after her, but I don’t.
“You’re just going to let her walk?”
“What’s the difference? She isn’t like us.”
“I think she is. She came from shit, Royal. She’s looking for a way out. She’s exactly like us,” he tells me.
Chapter 16
River
Fuck him. Fuck Royal for thinking of me like that. Granted, I do have some money, but I earned that shit. I wasn’t handed that money. It’s mine.
I storm down the road, not knowing where it is I’m going, and honestly, I don’t even fucking care.
I keep walking before I stop and glance around. I’m not exactly sure where I am, so I stop for a second and take it all in. That’s when shit goes south.
A few guys walk over to me, just looking at me.
“You’re not from here,” one says as he looks me over.
“I am.”
