Baby For The Mountain Man

“Yeah, I’ve heard of them. But I’m strictly legit, man,” I attempted to hand the business card back to him. I looked over to my right and saw Leo eyeing me closely. I could tell he was preparing to intervene, chase this guy off.

“I’m not saying you’re not. I’m just saying that there’s a ten grand payout on Saturday night if you’re interested.”

He didn’t move to take the card back.

“Ten thousand? What’s the payout for the fighter?”

He lowered his voice to a whisper, “Eighty percent, bet that’s better than what you’re making here. You keep that card. Call me if you’re interested.”

He turned and walked away just as Leo arrived next to me. I slipped the business card inside into my left hand. Eight grand was more than I made in a month, if I could make that from one fight that would set my mom up for the next few months. She could finally take a break.

“Who the hell was that?”

I rolled my eyes and played it off. “Nobody important. Just some guy who might want to do some advertising with me. I don’t need another sponsor, though. It’s just more time away from the gym. Nothing to worry about.”

He studied me closely. He knew I was lying. He always did. “You listen to me son. You stay in this cage at this gym, you understand that?”

I shrugged. “What happens when I’m too big for this gym, Leo?” I flashed a smile his way.

He shook his head but couldn’t contain a small smile himself. “I swear to God kid, your ego is bigger than any gym. I’m surprised it can even fit in here. Go hit the showers, you smell worse than the locker room.”

I walked away thinking about how dangerous the card in my hand was. And how I was a sucker for risk.

EIGHT

DILLON

On Thursday night I couldn’t help but look for Berkley in the crowd. Even Leo could see that I was distracted after the fight. Media and girls were swarming me, but I looked over their heads and scanned the crowd for those piercing blue eyes. I didn’t see her anywhere. I guess that was the end of that.

“How does it feel to be the number one fighter in the city?” A reporter asked me I sucked down some water before answering her.

“Number one in the city? I’m the number one in the whole damn state. Soon the country. And don’t you forget it.”

“Well that sounds like a winning attitude.”

I spun around to see Berkley right behind me, her friend just off her shoulder. “Attitude is what wins fights.”

“I thought it was fists and knees that did.”

I waved off the media and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with me. I heard her call back to her friend that she would see her later, and I hoped that she understood how much later that was going to be. She’d shown up in a cute little cocktail dress, the black fabric hugging the tops of her thighs. I licked my lips as I thought about bending her over my lap, my hand touching her warm flesh covered by the thin fabric that restrained it. I couldn’t believe she had come.

We walked back into the locker rooms. None of the rookies were here anymore and the place was empty. I turned and shut the door behind her with a loud crack.

“What are you doing here?”

She looked surprised herself. “I don’t really know. I just wanted to see you again.”

“You know there’s a hundred girls out there who come to see me every fight.”

“But how many of them have you brought back here? It looks pretty empty to me.”

“You just left the other night. You hardly said thank you.”

She looked embarrassed. “I wanted to, but I didn’t know how. What do you mean I just left? We were never supposed to be together in the first place.”

“But I wanted you to stay.” I couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. I never told girls what I really wanted, except in bed.

She looked surprised. “You never said that.”