Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“She was the only important thing in my life!” Zeus roars.
“If that’s true, then you wouldn’t have walked away from her so easily.”
I feel sick at those words. Because those are the exact words that rattle around in the back of my brain all the damn time.
“Yeah, easy—that’s what it was, Marcel,” Zeus scoffs. “Not one fucking thing about walking away from Cam was easy for me, and you know it.”
“After she was gone, you became the fighter you were always meant to be. I did you a favor.”
“Am I supposed to thank you for ruining my life?”
“Don’t be so fucking melodramatic. You’ve been spending too much time around her again.”
“I fucking hate you,” I hiss at him.
He laughs that chortling, annoying-as-hell laugh. “You’re not the first, sweetheart, and you sure as hell won’t be the last. I’m not in this business to make friends.”
“No. But you were supposed to look out for me,” Zeus says with an edge to his voice.
“I did.”
“No!” Zeus roars. “You looked out for yourself! I gave Cam up to give Ares, Lo, and Missy a shot at a decent future because you made me believe that it was the only way it would happen!
“No outside distractions, Kincaid. Don’t take her calls, Kincaid. You think she’s waiting around for you at that ballet school in New York? Hell no. She’s spending her time with those artsy-fartsy male dancers. You don’t need that shit in your head. A clear mind equals a better fighter. Do you think Ali or Frazier sat around, fretting over their girlfriends? No. They cut that shit loose, and they got in the ring and did what they had to do.” Zeus mimics Marcel’s voice.
“You were in my head all the fucking time. And I listened to you because I trusted you. I thought, putting all the bullshit and bravado aside, that you had my best interests at heart. But that was a lie. The only thing you’ve ever cared about is the numbers on the check that you banked after every fight I did for you.
“I should’ve listened to Cam when she told me in the beginning that she didn’t have a great feeling about you. But I didn’t listen to her. I won’t make that mistake again. Now, get the fuck out of my apartment before I do something neither of us will be able to come back from.”
Marcel’s face is blank. Expressionless.
He puts a hand inside his jacket and pulls out a brown envelope.
He drops it on the coffee table in front of him. “Your training schedule and details for the Dimitrov fight. It’s set for six weeks from now. So, you’d better start training. Because, if you lose this fight, Zeus, I will take every cent you have, and I won’t stop until you and your entire family, including her and that kid of yours, are sleeping in a dumpster.”
I expect Zeus to argue. Say he’s not doing the fight. Tell him to fuck off in the very least. But he doesn’t. He just stares Marcel in the eyes and nods his head once in agreement.
My insides flare up like gasoline poured on a bonfire. I have to bite my tongue hard to stop from saying anything.
But I will not discuss this with Zeus in front of Marcel. I won’t give the asshole the satisfaction.
I watch with gritted teeth as Marcel and his posse head for the door.
“Just one thing before you go.” Zeus turns his head to look at Marcel. “Was it you who gave the press the bullshit story on Cam?”
Marcel smiles, and I want to wipe the smug look off his ugly face.
“What do I always say to you, Zeus? There are two rules in life. The first is, never give out all the information.” He pats a hand to the door and walks out of it.
I stare after him, mouth open. “That’s it?” I say angrily when I hear the telltale slam of the front door, whirling around to Zeus. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“It means he covered his ass by feeding yours to the press. No one would have believed he did what he did if we’d come out and told everyone after your story broke. It would have looked like a weak attempt at passing off the blame to clear your name.”
“That man is the actual devil.”
Zeus doesn’t respond to that. He just sighs and goes over to the chair where he sits down, putting his head into his hands.
I sit down on the coffee table and pick up the envelope. “Please tell me you’re not actually going to go ahead with this fight.”
He lowers his hands, eyes coming to meet mine. “We’ve been over this before, Cam. I don’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
“Not this time.” He shakes his head.