Tortured Souls (Rebels of Sandland 2)

I heard my mobile ring and I slid it out of the side pocket of my jeans. When I saw Pat Murphy’s number flashing back at me, I tried not to show any recognition of it on my face. I didn’t want the lads to think I had any reservations.

“Yeah?”

“Friday,” he said loudly down the line. “I need you match fit and ready for your first opponent. I’ve got some heavy hitters putting a lot of money on this one. It’s the fight they’ve all been waiting for.”

“All of my fights are what they’ve been waiting for.”

Zak rolled his eyes at me from across the room.

“I like your cockiness, kid. Save it for Friday, though. The crowd are gonna love it. There might be some sponsors watching too. Make sure you bring it.”

“I always do.”

Pat hung up first and I threw my phone down onto the coffee table in front of me.

“You’ve got a fight booked?” Finn nodded at my discarded mobile.

“Yeah, this Friday.”

“Fuck, that’s soon. Are you gonna be okay?” Ryan said with genuine concern on his face.

“I’m always okay.”

“Might be a good idea to tell her though. She shouldn’t hear something like that from anyone else. And let’s face it, news will be all over Sandland by the end of the day.” Ryan spoke sense, I knew that. The other two hummed in agreement. But for me, it was a little more complicated. She might accept me as a fighter, but would she want to watch? Did I want her there? The last time I’d fought and I’d seen her I’d totally lost my head. What if that happened again?

“I’m sorting it. You look after your woman and I’ll look after mine.” I’d reverted back to my trademark defensive response.

“You sound like a caveman.” Zak laughed.

“She loves that about me.” I winked, and the atmosphere became slightly less hostile.

“Whatever,” Ryan said, pushing himself up off my chair. “I need to split. I said I’d pick Emily up. Take her to the court. Text me any updates.”

I stood up too.

“Do you want me to come with you?” I asked. “Give a bit of extra moral support?”

Ryan patted my back as he came past me.

“That’s good of you, mate, but no. I’ve got this. Anyway, we’re going to view some apartments tonight, so it’s not all bad.”

I was happy for him. I couldn’t wait to get my own place. I also couldn’t wait to get my chair back. Plus, Zak needed to make me a coffee. I’d been here ten minutes already and he’d done fuck all.

“Black, two sugars,” I said as I settled myself into the best seat in the house and grabbed the remote control. “Chop chop.”

I heard Ryan laugh as he walked out the door.

“You know where the kettle is,” Zak said, not moving from his seat.

“Why have a dog and bark yourself?”

I smirked when he stood up and asked Finn if he wanted one too.

This shit was too easy.

Call me a crazy fool, but I missed him already. I kind of felt bad for him too after receiving his text messages earlier. He didn’t want to leave me, but he must have thought he had no choice. I guess in his own way he was being selfless. Putting me first and doing a runner so I wouldn’t have to bundle him out or explain to my parents why I had a tattooed bad boy in my bed.

He’d been so sweet to me lately, thinking up ways to show me he cared. I wanted to do the same. That’s why I was standing on a rainy Sunday afternoon ringing a doorbell that I was sure didn’t work and then knocking on the wooden door with its peeling paint to get their attention inside. There was a group of kids playing football on the grassy area opposite the house that couldn’t have been older than eight or nine, but they were hollering and whistling over at me like a bunch of middle-aged drunkards. Life was certainly… different on this side of Sandland.