Page 5 of Creed

Someone who challenges me and won’t put up with my bullshit.

A woman who gets under my skin, not makes it crawl because all my friends have already fucked her. My cell lights up with another call. This time its Ember and I send her to voicemail. I know she worries about me, but it’s time to cut the cord. She’s another man’s Ol’ Lady. I can’t move forward if I’m staying tethered to the past.

Placing my phone on silent, I roll over and try to get some sleep. The last thing I need is to show up at tonight’s fight unrested.

I bounce on the balls of my feet, throwing practice jabs in the air.

“Looking good, brother.” Ghoul grins, plopping down on one of the benches of the locker room. “Big fucking crowd.”

I nod and roll my shoulders, trying to keep myself psyched up. Not that I take much to get going. I just imagine every opponent I face is my fuckface of a father. I’m sure a therapist would have a field day with my trauma and how I choose to deal with it. Fucking and fighting. My two favorite pastimes.

“Got you a real sweet piece lined up for later. Tonya has this friend.” Ghoul lets out a whistle. “Smokin’ body on this bitch. I’d try to get in there if I wasn’t fucking her friend and thought she’d be down.”

“One day you’re going to poke the wrong bear.”

He shrugs. Dumb fuck has no fear. In my experience, there’s no one more savage than a scorned woman.

“You haven’t met this chick yet. On a scale of one to ten, she’s fucking fifteen.”

“If Selena Gomez isn’t out there, I’m kicking your ass,” I joke.

“Trust me.” He slicks his shaggy hair back off his neck and into a bun.

“Last time I trusted you, I woke up to my wallet gone and my couch on fire.”

“It wasn’t that bad. I got your wallet back.”

“Yeah, and it was five hundred dollars lighter.”

“Want to see her picture?”

“No. I don’t need the distraction.”

“I can take a hint. I’ll see you out there. Give’m hell, man.”

I shake my head. Fucking love Ghoul like a brother, but trouble follows that fucker everywhere he goes.

Chapter Three

“You down for a three-way?” Ghoul questions and wags his tongue at me like a dog. He’s disgusting. Physically, he’s not bad looking. He’s a little rough around the edges in that bad boy kinda way. Facial hair, longer hair, tattoos. It’s when he opens his mouth that he ruins it.

Tonya laughs it off, smacking his chest.

The fights haven’t even started yet and I’m ready to ditch this scene. I can’t stand this dickhead. Tonya could do so much better. She literally has the worst taste in men.

“So tell me about this friend of yours.” I change the subject. I’m already here. I may as well see how this plays out. Who knows? Maybe the guy will at least be hot.

“My man is a beast. He’s going to love you. You’re just his type.”

“And what’s that?”

“Dark hair. Blue eyes. Nice rack.” Tonya elbows him in the ribs at the last remark.

“What’s he do when he’s not pummeling the shit out of someone?”

“Works on the road a lot.”

“Is he like a lineman or something?”

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