Renegade Path

“Greaaat.” I drew out the word with slow sarcasm that Griff ignored. “I feel so safe and warm now. Thanks.”

“No rounds. Fights go until someone taps out or they’re physically unable to continue. Once they hit the floor, you gotta back off or the guards will hammer you.” He reached out and tapped my jaw. “Tuck your chin to your chest if you’re being taken down. Don’t wanna crack that handsome noggin on the ground.”

I blew out an annoyed breath. “I’d rather avoid getting taken down at all.”

“Eh.” he shrugged. “Sometimes, fighting from the ground gives you an advantage.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

He stretched his arms straight out in front of his chest. “Never try to save yourself from a fall with your arms out. Good way to break a bone. When striking—use elbows or palm strikes if possible, so you’re not breaking bones in your hands or fingers.” He held up his right hand to show off his slightly crooked ring finger. “We don’t exactly enjoy platinum medical care in here.”

No matter how much I tried to avoid it, fighting would become my means of survival.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Roman

Major changes in our living situation happened within a few days.

Griff and I were hanging out in our room when our door swung wide open, banging into the wall with a thud.

“Got a new roomie for you two,” Ollie said, shoving a tall, beefy kid holding a stack of blue sweats against his chest into our room. “Play nice.” Ollie cackled and slammed the door shut.

“Fuck no!” Griff grinned, jumping off his bunk. “What are you doing here, Eraser?”

They embraced and thumped each other’s backs like long-lost twins. Thank fuck. Maybe this would give Griff the opportunity to big brother all over someone else for a change.

“What’s with the orange jammies?” Griff slapped his friend’s chest.

“Just got out of solitary.”

I lifted my head at the voice and looked at the kid closer. “Easton?”

He turned and stared at me. Yup, it had to be him. I jumped off my bunk.

“Roman. Holy shit. The fuck you been eating, Miracle-Gro?” He ambled over and tossed his clothes on the bottom bunk, then crushed me in a big bear hug.

“I could say the same about you.” I patted his back and pulled away to look him over again. “How you been?”

“Well,” he ran his hands down the front of his orange scrub top, “not great, obviously. But I’m alive and still fuckin’ shit up, so that’s something, right?”

“Yeah.” I slapped his outstretched hand, clasped it and yanked him in for another quick hug. “That’s everything.”

“So, I take it you two know each other,” Griff said, joining us.

“We crossed paths at a foster home or two,” I explained.

“Mrs. Camp’s house for wayward kids,” Easton agreed. “Heard she kicked the bucket awhile back.”

“I heard her daughter’s like a social worker or some shit now.”

“Missy? That chick was always asking me to look at the moles on her vag.”

I choked on a laugh. “All righty then. I could’ve lived a perfectly fine life never knowing that.”

“She never pulled her pants down for you?”

I could barely get out an answer through my laughter. “No.”

“Christ, that shit scarred me for life.” He shivered with disgust. “Got bounced outta there because of her.”

“That’s fucked up.”

Easton slapped Griff’s shoulder, then mine. “I can’t believe you two are roomies. Just when I thought this stint was gonna fuckin’ break me.”

“I only got a few weeks left,” Griff said. “I hope.”

Easton nodded. “What about you, Roman?”

“No idea. Got sent up from a group home on some bullshit.”

“Sorry, bro.”

Griff patted Easton’s back. “You’re in luck, Roman. Eraser’s a beast in the cage. He’ll help me train you.”

“What’s this Eraser shit?” I asked, ignoring the part about them training me.

The two of them shared a sly smirk.

“It’s a ring name he picked up.” Griff dropped to a low, dramatic crouch, sweeping his arms through the air like a dive-bar magician. “Our boy can make someone disappear with his fists,” he added in a low, theatrical voice.

“Good to know.” I chuckled and made a jerking off motion with my fist. “I was thinking it was ’cause you got caught rubbing one out.”

Eraser burst out laughing. “Fuck no.”

“Hey.” Griff’s expression turned serious. “How’s Ella doing? Where’s she at?”

Eraser side-eyed Griff. “I’m gonna ignore the fact that you brought my girl’s name up after talk of rubbin’ one out and assume your question is genuine.”

Griff’s mouth flattened to a thin line, but his cheeks twitched. “Bro, I swear I’m serious.”

Whoever Ella was, the mention of her name sucked all the humor out of Eraser. “I don’t know, Griff. I gotta get the fuck outta here so I can track her down.”

“You best stop gettin’ your ass thrown in solitary then.”

“No shit.”

“Give me whatever information you’ve got. I’ll pass it along to Remy. See if he can find her.”