I sat back in the booth, crossing my arms. “I already know that.”
“Then why keep doing it?”
I held his stare. “Because it pays.”
He nodded slowly, as if that reason made sense to him.
The waitress dropped off our food, and for a minute, the conversation paused while we both started eating. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I took the first bite.
Devon watched me for a second, then returned to his own plate. After a bit, he spoke again. “You sticking around tomorrow?” I shook my head. “Nah, I’m heading back tonight.”
“You should stay.”
I raised a brow. “For what?”
“You could come to the fights.”
I huffed out a small laugh. “I don’t really have the extra cash to hang around.”
“That’s not a problem.”
I froze. “Yeah, it is.”
“I’ve got a room at the hotel with two beds. You can crash there,” he offered.
I set my burger down. “Dude, that sounds like the setup of a horror movie or something.”
He chuckled. “You can always text someone and give them my name. I’ll even let you see some ID.”
I laughed too because he wasn’t giving me any creepy vibes. “Seriously, though, what are you getting out of this?”
Devon didn’t answer right away. “I think you’re worth the time,” he finally replied.
I thought it over for a second, then agreed. “Okay, I’ll stay.”
It may have been a stupid idea, but I wasn’t getting ahead by playing things smart.
As I drovethrough the streets of Reno, the glow of neon signs and casino lights pierced the darkness. I kept telling myself I could still turn around and head back to Sacramento. Instead, I continued on to the parking lot of a hotel just off the main strip.
I parked next to Devon and grabbed a bag from the backseat before stepping out of the car. Since I didn’t have a permanent home, I kept most of my stuff in my car, which made it easy to stay somewhere unexpectedly.
He was already heading toward the entrance, holding the door open as I caught up.
“Thanks,” I muttered as I stepped inside.
We went straight to the elevator and rode up quietly. I leaned my back against the wall, watching the numbers climb while my mind tried to decide if this was a good idea or not.
The doors slid open, and Devon stepped out first, leading us down the hall to room 414. He swiped the key and pushed the door open. “Go ahead,” he said, moving aside.
I walked inside and saw two beds just as he promised. A small table sat by the window and a TV hung on the wall above a dresser. I put my bag down on the table and stood there awkwardly. “There’s a bunch of pre-fight stuff in the morning.” He tossed his keys onto the dresser. “You can meet up with me for the first fight at noon.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“You can take the shower first,” he added.
“Yeah, I definitely need one.” I pulled out a change of clothes from my bag and headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. The second I was alone, I braced my hands on the counter and stared at my reflection. I saw a purple bruise forming along my jaw, and the cut near my eyebrow had reopened. I turned on the water, letting it heat up before stepping in.
The spray hit my skin, and I tilted my head back, letting it run over my face to wash away the sweat and blood. For a few minutes, I didn’t think about anything and just enjoyed the hot shower. When I stepped out, I dried off quickly and pulled on my boxer briefs and a pair of sweats.
