Page 34 of My Undead Heart

“Sorry. I hope it’s a good time. I wanted to check in on Xavier.”

Her brow furrows with the downturn of her lips. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. He doesn’t want anyone to see him like this, and I’m not feeling well.”

“Please. Chantel, I’m worried about him. He’s never missed a practice—”

She must hear something in my plea because she doesn’t even let me finish before the door shuts so she can unlock the chain and move aside. They have a small place, a one-bedroom apartment, and I don’t have to look around to find him. “Shit.” The word leaves my mouth before I can hold it back. Xavier reclines on the couch, laying on his side as he lifts his head to attempt to meet my stare. Except I’m not even sure he can see me from beneath the shiners that have his eyelids swollen shut.

“What happened?” I ask but Chantel’s frown transforms into a scowl when it falls on her son.

“Good luck gettin’ him to tell you. He hasn’t told me a thing and I know he didn’t trip down no stairs. I’ll give you two some space to talk.” She grabs her purse from the kitchen counter and turns back to glance at us both. “Need to get some things at the corner market anyway. I’ll be back soon.”

“Mom, you shouldn’t be—” Xavier winces as he pushes up on one elbow to sit upright.

“Don’t. I can buy myself a bag o’ groceries. I’m not that far ...” She stops and shakes her head. “Don’t get into any more trouble while I’m out. You do that for me?”

Xavier glares but nods before she steps out in the hall. I give him a minute to collect his thoughts. Speak up. Say something. But he just sits there staring at the wall and working his jaw back and forth.

I pull over a chair from the kitchen, spin it around to straddle the seat and rest my chin on the back. “You wanna tell me what happened?”

“Not really,” he mumbles at the ground.

“Thought so.”

He chances a glance at me, drumming his fingers over the knee of his sweat pants. His knuckles are spattered with fresh scabs. “You didn’t need to come here.”

I nod, meeting his gaze before exhaling a deep breath. “Funny, because I think I did. You’re one of my top guys, Xavier, and you’ve got a big fight coming up. When you miss two days of training with no call, no heads up, I start to worry.”

“Sorry, Coach.”

“I don’t want an apology. I need an explanation. What the hell happened?” I’m patient in my tone, careful not to push too hard and have him tell me nothing, but this is ridiculous. Watching him resituate himself on the couch only proves how much pain he’s in.

“I got my ass handed to me.” He shrugs with the obvious.

“How many?”

“Huh?”

I hold his gaze. “How many were there? I know you can handle yourself just fine. You got jumped?”

His eyes dart back to the floor. “Five.”

“Shit.Anything broken?” I can’t believe he’s not in the ICU after something like that.

He shakes his head, opening and closing his fists slowly as if to check their range of motion. “Just bruised up a little. I’ll be back in the gym next week.”

We sit here across from each other, a silent standoff of wills. I can tell he doesn’t want me to know any more. If he did, he would have come by the gym, called, or spilled more details by now. He’s hiding something.

“Hell yes, you will.” My tone is harsh and I don’t hold back. “You know why? Because you’ve worked damn hard for the opportunity, Xavier. Now is not the time to fuck it up.”

“I know, I know ...” He leans forward to cradle his forehead in his hands.

“So, I’ll ask again. What happened?”

The silence stretches between us and I wonder if he’ll even answer when he glances up to whisper the words. “I needed some money.”

“Damn it, Xavier.” I shake my head and contemplate what he’s done. How he’s possibly messed up his chances of a good career ... or worse, how he could be ineligible to fight. He knows better than to get involved with anything illegal. His older brother is paying the price for his own sins in a penitentiary for the next ten years. “Don’t tell me you’re running—”

His gaze snaps up to glare. “No! I would never. Not after Isaiah ...”

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