to build their endurance. A MMA fighter had to incorporate different sports into their training: jujitsu, Karate, boxing, wrestling. Then the training had to include sparring, running, weight lifting, and maintaining their weight. Anyone that thought they could spend a few weeks training soon learned it took months just to be able to hold their own in a ring.
When they were done, they sprawled out in chairs in the gym, drinking water to replenish themselves.
“Nick, there’s something I need to tell you.”
He glanced over at Ty. “What is it?”
“I’m afraid if I tell you, that Zane will cut me.”
Now Nick understood why Ty had remained silent about what was wrong.
“I can’t guarantee he won’t until I know exactly what it is, but I can say I’ll talk to him. If he does cut you, there will be a place for you in my gym. That , I can guarantee.”
“I can get in trouble with the cartel for talking.”
Nicholas straightened in his chair.
“This will be just between us, then,” Nicholas promised.
Ty remained silent, obviously debating within himself about talking.
“Explain, Ty. Now.”
“I’ve been working for the cartel that Zane worked for. When Zane quit, I took over his job. I’ve been saving to get an apartment for me and Lane.”
“Dammit, Ty. You could have come to me or Zane! We both would have helped you out.”
“I didn’t want your help. I’m a man, and I can take care of myself. I don’t mind going after the ones that owe the cartel money. If you’re stupid enough to try to steal from Emiliano, then you get what you deserve.”
Nicholas didn’t try to tell him that it was a fucked up assessment. If he chose to think that to do what he needed, who was Nicholas to get in his way? Ty was at the age where he wanted to be independent. To come and go as he wanted, or have girls stay—all the rules that Zane enforced.
“So you don’t need my help to get away from the cartel?”
“No, but Ria does.”
Chapter 13
What was he doing here?
Ria was amazed. She had thought that she would never see Nicholas again. Now he sat across the room from her as two men battled for blood in the pit below her seat.
She was sitting next to a man she had never met before who had paid Emiliano for her company. He was just one of many she had been forced to be a companion to in the last two months. It was so clear to her that Nicholas was ready to explode. Her eyes silently begged him to stay away.
“Do you want another drink?” Rafael, her companion, asked.
“No, thank you.” She tore her gaze away from Nicholas, staring down unseeingly into the pit as the men tried to win by knocking out their opponent.
It was the fifth and final match of the evening, and Rafael had placed huge bets on each fight. He had lost his money three out of four times. Each time his chosen fighter had lost, Ria had soothed his rising anger. When his last opponent fell, she saw his eyes light with fury.
He turned to Ria. “Are you ready?”
Ria simply nodded her head. He roughly took her arm, leading her away as the rest of the crowd also left. She couldn’t resist a last look at Nicholas as he followed them outside to Emiliano’s car. When Mitchell opened the limousine’s door, Ria got in, sliding over so Rafael had room next to her. She practically hugged the door, trying to keep room enough between them.
“I’m sorry you didn’t win.”
Ria watched his face harden even more.
“I expect you to make it up to me,” he replied harshly.
Ria took a deep breath. Her eyes kept drifting back to Nicholas as he waited for his car. His furious gaze stared back at her as Mitchell closed the door, encasing her inside with Rafael.
It was her job to get the men she was sent with to bet large sums of money on the fights. Ria soothed her conscious by telling herself they were wealthy and could afford the losses. She also never told them who to bet on. They had a fifty-fifty chance of winning.
When they were done, they sprawled out in chairs in the gym, drinking water to replenish themselves.
“Nick, there’s something I need to tell you.”
He glanced over at Ty. “What is it?”
“I’m afraid if I tell you, that Zane will cut me.”
Now Nick understood why Ty had remained silent about what was wrong.
“I can’t guarantee he won’t until I know exactly what it is, but I can say I’ll talk to him. If he does cut you, there will be a place for you in my gym. That , I can guarantee.”
“I can get in trouble with the cartel for talking.”
Nicholas straightened in his chair.
“This will be just between us, then,” Nicholas promised.
Ty remained silent, obviously debating within himself about talking.
“Explain, Ty. Now.”
“I’ve been working for the cartel that Zane worked for. When Zane quit, I took over his job. I’ve been saving to get an apartment for me and Lane.”
“Dammit, Ty. You could have come to me or Zane! We both would have helped you out.”
“I didn’t want your help. I’m a man, and I can take care of myself. I don’t mind going after the ones that owe the cartel money. If you’re stupid enough to try to steal from Emiliano, then you get what you deserve.”
Nicholas didn’t try to tell him that it was a fucked up assessment. If he chose to think that to do what he needed, who was Nicholas to get in his way? Ty was at the age where he wanted to be independent. To come and go as he wanted, or have girls stay—all the rules that Zane enforced.
“So you don’t need my help to get away from the cartel?”
“No, but Ria does.”
Chapter 13
What was he doing here?
Ria was amazed. She had thought that she would never see Nicholas again. Now he sat across the room from her as two men battled for blood in the pit below her seat.
She was sitting next to a man she had never met before who had paid Emiliano for her company. He was just one of many she had been forced to be a companion to in the last two months. It was so clear to her that Nicholas was ready to explode. Her eyes silently begged him to stay away.
“Do you want another drink?” Rafael, her companion, asked.
“No, thank you.” She tore her gaze away from Nicholas, staring down unseeingly into the pit as the men tried to win by knocking out their opponent.
It was the fifth and final match of the evening, and Rafael had placed huge bets on each fight. He had lost his money three out of four times. Each time his chosen fighter had lost, Ria had soothed his rising anger. When his last opponent fell, she saw his eyes light with fury.
He turned to Ria. “Are you ready?”
Ria simply nodded her head. He roughly took her arm, leading her away as the rest of the crowd also left. She couldn’t resist a last look at Nicholas as he followed them outside to Emiliano’s car. When Mitchell opened the limousine’s door, Ria got in, sliding over so Rafael had room next to her. She practically hugged the door, trying to keep room enough between them.
“I’m sorry you didn’t win.”
Ria watched his face harden even more.
“I expect you to make it up to me,” he replied harshly.
Ria took a deep breath. Her eyes kept drifting back to Nicholas as he waited for his car. His furious gaze stared back at her as Mitchell closed the door, encasing her inside with Rafael.
It was her job to get the men she was sent with to bet large sums of money on the fights. Ria soothed her conscious by telling herself they were wealthy and could afford the losses. She also never told them who to bet on. They had a fifty-fifty chance of winning.
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