When my phone vibrates to alert me that the security system and cameras are down, I slip from my car and into the dark as I stalk to the front door. I pick the lock and step inside. There are bottles everywhere, no doubt from celebrating his win or to numb the truth of what he did to get it. I find him passed out on the sofa in the living room, all alone, in nothing but boxers.
He doesn’t even know I’m there as I stare at him before scanning the room, spying the trophy shelf. There are some photos of his younger years, although some are more recent, but the trophies are old, no current ones.
Desperation.
That’s why he did it.
Growing tired of waiting, I pick up a half empty bottle of liquor and tip it over his upturned face. He sputters as he wakes up, swinging. I avoid him easily as he rubs his face and sits up, and when his eyesadjust, he leaps to his feet. I toss the bottle at his chest. It bounces off and smashes on the floor, and he stumbles back. Glass crunches under my shoes as I tread closer.
“What are you doing in my house?” he shouts.
“Paying you a visit. We have something to discuss,” I retort. “Are you awake? I don’t like to repeat myself.”
He nods, scanning me, recognition in his gaze. Good. He knows who I am.
“You might think you’re tough with all those muscles, but they were made for a ring and created in a gym. Me?” I run my hand over his trophy shelf as he watches me nervously. “I was created on the streets, born from blood and betrayal. I know death better than life. My hands are so covered in red, I can never clean them. You know my name, yes?” He nods, and I grin. “Good, that makes this easier. I don’t want to waste time, not with Nikko in the hospital. I want to get back in case he wakes up. You know not to fuck with me, but what you don’t know?” I head over and lean into him, forcing him back. This grown man quivers before me. “You did just that. You fucked with someone I claimed as mine. Nikko is mine—mine to protect and take care of.”
“It was a match?—”
“Don’t lie to me!” I roar in his face before stepping back, trying to control my anger. “I’m trying very hard not to be a bad person right now. I’m trying to be good for him, but with Nikko unconscious, my limits are being tested, so don’t push me or I might decide being a good man isn’t as great as getting revenge and answers. Right now, my entire focus is on you and what happened. I have men ripping apart your gym, talking to friends, family, ex-girlfriends . . . everyone. Even your garbage will be torn apart, your every move tracked via cameras. What do you think I’ll find? As someone who deals in secrets, you should know they never stay buried. The truth always comes out. What will they find?” I tap his chin. “Tell me before it’s too late and I’ll go easy on you. If I have to show you the evidence to force a confession, you won’t like the outcome.”
He’s slow, probably had one too many blows to the head, and Igrow tired of waiting, so I slap him. He snarls, and I aim my gun at him. “I find many people are truly scared when finally faced with death. Should we see?” After emptying the chamber, I slide one bullet in, spinning it quickly before pressing it to my forehead. I don’t even flinch as I pull the trigger, and then I aim it at him. “Your turn.”
He yelps and throws his hands up as I do it again.
“Lucky. My turn.” I pull it again, and nothing happens, so I point the barrel at him. “Running out of turns here, so you better start talking.”
“Okay, okay, please!” he begs, his eyes squeezed shut. I don’t stop, but I keep the gun aimed at him. “I knew I couldn’t afford to lose, so we filled the gloves with cement—an old-school trick. We bribed some people to make it happen. I needed to win, but I knew I wasn’t good enough. I tried the first few rounds, but I knew, so we switched gloves. I didn’t know it would do as much damage as it did,” he admits.
I fire up at the ceiling, and it explodes around us. “You’re lucky you chose to talk.” I chuckle. “Where are the gloves?”
“My manager said he’d deal with it all,” he answers. “I swear.”
“Good. Then we have them.” I put my gun away as he stares at me. “By morning, we will have all the evidence we need, but I want a confession. You will go for an interview and tell everyone what you and your team did. You will beg for forgiveness, bow out of everything, and take the punishments you’re given. If you’re lucky, I won’t kill you, but if I ever see your face again after tomorrow, you’re dead. Understood?”
“Yes,” he whispers. “I understand.” His voice trembles with fear, and I smirk.
Gripping his face, I stare into his eyes. “Look at you, look at that fear and how easily you broke. You could never be a champion, but you knew he could, didn’t you? That’s why you did it. You are pathetic.” Releasing his face, I wipe my hand on my suit as I turn away, hating the feeling of such a man on my skin. His trophy wall catches my eye again, and I walk over.
“I’m really sorry. Is Nikko okay? He’s a good fighter, really good?—”
Grabbing one of his trophies, I turn and slam it into his face on the same side as Nikko’s injury. He collapses on the sofa with a yell, and I smack his hands away as I bring it down repeatedly into his face with the same force he used. When he stops moving, his cheek split, I drop the trophy. My nostrils flare as I spit on him before striding to the door.
One of my men is waiting outside, and I nod. “Sit here. In the morning, escort him to the address I will text you. No one is to see him, and don’t let him escape or it will be your head.”
“Yes, sir.”
Pulling my phone out, I text Yuki what I need as I walk to my car.
I’m back at the hospital as the sun rises, and when I reach Nikko’s room, Yuki is outside. “Sir?”
I nod and step inside, sitting in my chair and taking his hand. His father is asleep on his other side, and I look at them then Yuki, who followed me in. “Is it done?” I murmur.
“Yes, sir, it will be ready.”
“Good. I want it on every news outlet. I want it on every social media site. I want them ruined,” I whisper so I don’t wake the others.
“Yes, sir.” I hear his footsteps retreat, and I press my head against Nikko’s side and close my eyes, soaking in the silence.
