“Who’s your guy?” Asher says calmly.
Mickey scoffs. “You don’t know my guy?”
“Should I?” Asher tilts his head to the side and crosses his arms over his chest intimidatingly. “Is he the one you hold tightly after he loses and tell him a participation trophy is good enough down here?”
Oh fuck,I think.
“The fuck did you just say to me?” Mickey snarls and a big beefy guy who must be his fighter rushes towards us.
“Fuck you, Phoenix.Fuck you!”
“I’m just calling it like I see it, Granite. I mean come on.”
I remember him, Granite, now. He was one that Asher fought way back when he started a few months ago. The guy crumpled within the first two minutes and begged Asher to stop. It was definitely something you’d remember seeing–and be second-hand embarrassed for–at a fight club.
“If you think he’s that bad, then have your guy fight him. Let’s put it to the test.” Mickey says, his green eyes swimming with some kind of plan that I know won’t be good.
Asher looks to me for confirmation, and I nod.
“Three nights,” Asher repeats firmly. “If your guy isn’t here at ten, we’re out.”
“Don’t fucking worry, I’ll be there.” Granite–stupid fucking name–sneers.
Asher turns and nudges me forward. Once we rush up the stairs and through the tunnel, up towards the hidden entrance, I can finally catch my breath andbreathein the fresh air that’s not tinged with sweat, blood, and dirt.
“Fucking Mickey,” he answers darkly and we start walking. Neither of us have a car or a bike, so we walk. It takes us for-fucking-ever, but we do what we have to do.
“Wait, that’s his first name? Mickey? Like Mickey Mouse?”
Asher snorts and shoves his hands in his jacket. Noticing the chill now that the adrenaline’s leaving my system, I pull my henley over my head.
“He’s a few years older than us. Nineteen, I think, but thinks he’s the fucking king of The Underground.”
“Ah, so this is a pride thing now.” Trying to tend to a bruised ego while in this business isn’t smart, but unfortunately, it’s what happens a lot. One dumbass gets his feelings hurt and then hits the wrong person and a whole fight breaks out that wasn’tsanctioned. Then the fighter gets pulled from the challengers list and they’re out from The Underground for good.
It's happened quite a few times since we started.
“Exactly,” Asher nods. We walk out into the dark night, guided only by the full moonlight and the intermittent stakes in the desert floor that provide a small, dim light for the last fifteen minutes of the trek.
“So you didn’t answer me.” Asher breaks the silence.
I already know where this is going, fuck.
“About what?”
Play dumb, Ty.
“Roxie.”
“What about her? You already asked if I liked her and I told you we have this…connection. It’s weird, and I’m still figuring out what’s up. She’s been through hell and back.”
“Like calls to like,” Asher says simply, nodding his head in understanding.
“Maybe.”
“She’s funny,” Asher throws out there, like he’s trying to convince me to like her.
Like I need any more convincing.
