Page 2 of Hateful Lies

Chapter 1

Astrid

2 months earlier

“Hey, girl. You’re so rockin’ in your cute shorts with your long legs.” Nova looks me up and down with major approval.

I give my ass a shake, and she laughs as we walk toward the front of the line. I eye the bouncer who’s blocking the metal door into the old warehouse. Teeny knows he better let us in.

“Who’s on tonight?” I ask him casually.

When Teeny checks us out, Nova tosses her long auburn braids over her shoulder. “Not sure,” he replies, “but it must be special to open the Pit on a Thursday night.”

“Mmmm.” A big hairy guy waiting in line stares at Nova’s tight T-shirt. “I’d like me some chocolate.” His gaze flicks over my legs. “With some vanilla on top.”

Nova sucks her teeth loud enough to be heard over the booming bass buzzing from inside the building. “Please, we’re people, not a food group.” She sidles up to the bouncer, who continues to stare over everyone’s head. “Hey, Teeny, let us in. It’s dark out here and I’m cold.”

“It’s August,” he replies in a booming voice, “and if the dark scares you, you should be at home.”

“Teeny, don’t play me,” Nova sweet-talks.

His gaze sweeps over her pouty lips. Nova has teased Teeny without delivering, and he should be over her. “There’s a cover if you’re not fighting tonight,” he replies, looking away.

I roll my eyes. “Seriously? I’m bringing them in. Come on, Teeny. I’m broke. Let us in.”

Teeny shakes his head and solidly ignores us. The man is a living wall of muscle, and no matter how fast we are in the ring, we won’t get into the warehouse unless he steps aside.

“It’s the rich kids, right?” says Nova, hands on her slim hips. “They’re in there again.”

Teeny nods solemnly. “They’ve taken over. Watch out, ladies. Gentrification in progress.”

I sigh so loudly it echoes off the walls. People who pay to watch the fights call the fight clubDante’s. But people who fight to be paid call itthePit.

Nova flips her long braids again. My dark hair used to be that long until I hacked it off. It kept getting into my eyes while I was punishing my challengers in the main ring. Nova steps closer, placing her hand on Teeny’s massive thigh as she brushes her chest against his arm.

“If you say yes now,” she whispers loud enough for him to hear, “I might say yes later.”

Teeny fidgets as his Adam’s apple bobs. He’s been eyeing Nova all summer since school let out, and staying out all night is no longer an issue until September. She’s finally paying attention to him now that he works the main door. A bead of sweat rolls down the side of Teeny’s face as he grips his hands tightly in front of his crotch. Nova pouts, and Teeny scowls at me like I did something wrong.

“Next time,” he warns us, “you both pay.”

Nova pecks the big man’s cheek when he swings the door open for us. He glances over his shoulder as we rush inside, watching her ass bounce in her tight leggings. He says we’ll pay, but he’ll never make us.

Weymouth’s commercial district is deserted at night. Half of the abandoned buildings are falling into disrepair, but the old cannery warehouse remains intact. I remember when my mom used to work here. The cavernous space is poorly lit, but the sound system is just fine as house music pounds against my ears. I follow closely behind Nova, keeping up so we don’t get separated in the jostling crowd. I won’t be able to find her again if I lose her. All the high schools in the county must be here tonight for this fight.

I’m not in the ring tonight, but my feet are bouncing with anticipation while we squeeze through to our favorite spot. My body is on alert, and the atmosphere in the pop-up fight club is electric as it runs through the hyped-up crowd. Being here makes my smile widen. I love this fucking place.

“Ladies—sugar and spice.” A lanky man grabs Nova by the waist and grips my hand. “You fighting tonight?”

Nova’s cousin Derick tries to kiss me on the cheek while he hugs Nova to his side. Nova pushes him off. “Calm the fuck down, Derick. You’re like a dog humpin’ a leg.” I disengage myself from the scrawny man wearing athleisure while Nova continues, “One, we don’t fight each other, and two, we’re not on tonight.”

“I can get you on,” he smiles, with ridiculously white teeth, “The purse is big money tonight.” Derick stretches his arms out wide to indicate how large. “Hey-ho, watch it grow.”

“You’re fucking strange,” I tell him for the hundredth time. Derick laughs, shaking his twists as if I were joking.

Nova is nothing like her cousin, or I wouldn’t hang with her. She’s been my best friend since the first day of junior high. And now, senior year is about to start, and in our neighborhood, that’s loyalty. But the two of us are like sisters with different mothers.

“The crowd will go hot-shit crazy.” Derick tries harder to convince us. “Two hot girls—one black, one white—and they’ll throw the cash into the ring.” He then describes my looks as if I’ve never seen myself in a mirror before. “Those long legs and ripped muscles with that short black hair and those flashing blue eyes. Sweet.”

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