"Oh, man, you lost it all. I can tell. I've seen that look before." The cab driver chuckled to himself and turned up the radio.
I opened my mouth to ask him how many couples he had driven to the little white chapel. What was I thinking? I had my chance to sleep with Kya and get her out of my head. Instead of taking it, here I was letting her spin my thoughts out of control.
"I don't lose," I said. I paid the cabbie and wished I could believe it.
It was not as simple as having sex with Kya and moving on. I knew now that one taste of her lips was not enough. I was afraid nothing would be enough. I wanted more from Kya, and the realization was all consuming.
I did not realize the lights in the gym were off, even though it was open until midnight. Where the place had been busy with off-shift workouts the night before, now it was silent. I took three more steps inside the main entrance and ducked on instinct.
A heavy fist sang past my head, followed by a thick shoulder. I twisted away and crouched into a low position to take on my attacker.
My shadowy assailant came back at me with heavy feet. I planted a heavy uppercut into his midsection only to discover he was a thick man with a wide layer of belly fat. I changed tactics and swiveled away before he hammered me with a mallet-like fist. If he was just a common brawler, I could keep moving until he was worn out. Something told me he was not alone; so it was better I took care of him quickly.
He charged again, planning to flatten me with his truck-like momentum. I stepped aside and kicked hard at his knee. It was enough to send him off balance. The big man toppled over in the dark, taking out a shelf of free weights in his fall. I waited until he sat up and used his own movement to increase the impact of my fist as I jabbed downwards. We met hard in the middle.
The large man slumped onto the floor and everything went quiet. Now that the fight had cleared my head, I knew there were two more people in the darkened gym. I waited until someone flicked on the overhead lights. The big cage lights warmed up slowly and two men appeared near the boxing ring.
One man wore a dark gray suit, too shiny for my taste. His companion wore dark black pants and a black t-shirt. The tight shirt did nothing to conceal the gun he had strapped under his arm. Both men applauded my performance. I glanced at their defeated friend – a military man long retired from the look of his dog tags and generous girth.
"They have classes here, demonstrations, if that's what you're interested in," I said.
"You haven't fallen so far as that. Just a few fights away from the MMA title, if you can keep it together," the man in the suit said.
"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it together," I said.
"We can help with that. Might be a little easier to keep things running smooth if you had a little extra cash." He rubbed his fingers against his thumb when he mentioned money.
"Sorry, I'm not signing any endorsements or any other deals. I'm fighting for myself all the way up to the title." I tried to walk past them, but the man in the black pants blocked my way.
"You'll like this deal, I promise," the man in the suit said. "You lose your next fight and you make a tidy little sum."
"And, what if I win?" I asked. I saw movement near the side door and hoped it was my manager. I had never wished to see Kev Casey, but his smarmy face would have been the most welcomed sight. If anyone could send off a couple of slime ball fight fixers, it was my slime ball manager.
Instead, the gym owner strode in and froze.
His eyes darted over the pile of free weights and the unconscious man. Then he glanced over the man in the suit and his friend in the dark pants. He did not meet my eyes. He pursed his lips tight and looked back at the man in the suit. The wild hope that he would kick the men out died when he gave the man in the suit a small nod. He recognized them and said nothing.
"You closed up early, went to take your lady out for dinner," the man in the suit said.
The gym owner gave another small nod and turned on his heel. He was out the door. We all watched his shadow dart across the parking lot and heard the slam of his car door. The engine fired up seconds later, and his tires tore out of the parking lot. I shook my head, certain he was not calling the police from the safety of his locked car.
"If he closed up early, then I better get going," I said, trying to sound casual. "Wouldn't want to be trespassing after hours."
"No need to hurry. We go way back with the owner. He won't mind if we finish our business discussion."
"We don't have business together, and there is nothing more to discuss," I told him.
The man in the suit took a few steps closer to me. His eyes were narrowed and his smile sharp. "Like I said, you'll like this deal. However you want to lose is up to you. Just know when you do, there will be a nice fat wad waiting in your locker here."
"And what happens if I win the next fight?" I asked again.
"If you lose, we'll pay you. If you win you'll pay," the man said with his same sharp smile.
"I'll pay? Who's going to make me? I think you saw what I did to your friend." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Why make things hard for yourself or your friends? Not everyone can face Tony with such aplomb."
"I'll take the compliment, but not the deal," I said.