Page 69 of Invisible String
“He fights dirty, Max. There are no laws in these types of fights. I know it’s illegal fights, but he can really do some damage…” He sighs. “You need to stop this nonsense. You can fight pro and make money the right way now. You built your empire. It’s time to shine.” He cracks open another pistachio. “Another trainer in California heard about you. One of his guys will fight pro soon, and he wants a fight with you.”
“I agree. This is why I came to see you and train. This is my last fight in the Underground. Then we can get pro fights lined up. How about I fight the guy from California as an undercard?” Running a thoughtful hand across my jaw, I add, “Sign me up for a pro debut as one of the undercards for the next big fight coming soon.”
He lets out a satisfied laugh. “It’s about damn time we show the world what Max Cano is capable of, but first, let’s train. We need to beat the shit out of this guy on Saturday.”
While he speaks with several men hitting the bag, I gear up.
Carlos probably feels anxious about the Saturday fight, but I’m not. The fights in the Underground are intense, and anything goes. Once you knock someone out, it’s over. And if you get hurt, you can’t tell the hospital where it happened, or you risk getting beaten or even killed. I’m confident where I stand.
Steppingout of the meeting room, I head to my office. Leo stops me on the way with a box of something in his hand.
“Hey, just the man I was looking for.”
“Where in the hell were you? I’ve been looking for you,” I grumble, annoyed that he disappeared. I really need to hire another assistant.
He opens the small box, revealing a cinnamon roll inside. “Your techs called. The lady at the bakery was a complete firecracker; they broke her mixer while putting the ladder too close, and when he climbed up, he kicked it. She wants us to pay for it.” He takes a bite and moans into it.
Fucking gross.
“So you went to her café and bought something?”
“No.” He swallows. “She had a tantrum. So, I just ordered one.”
“You what?” I roar.
Leo is a great kid, but fuck, not a great employee when it comes to contacting me.
“I used the Amex card you lent me to buy cleaning supplies and stock the break room with snacks. I ordered the mixer from a catalog. It was about five or six thousand,” he says it nonchalantly, taking another bite.
“You didn’t think to call me and ask permission? This is not your call to make, Leo. You’re not the manager or the CEO of the company. I make these decisions. It’s not up to you to go out there and check it out.” My body trembles with rage.
This is not the first time he’s done this. I built this company and worked my ass off. Not just with money, but I went and attended some college classes in business. I have to be vigilant about the company, or I’ll lose it by giving money away.
“Did you even check the cameras? To see if they were up?”
“Oh, I forgot to call you. I thought I could handle it alone.” He tilts his head. “You know. Now that I remember, there was one camera that the guys had set up. I could have checked, but I forgot.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. This damn kid is going to give me an aneurysm. “The mixer is a heavy-duty industrial metal. How can it break?”
“She said it didn’t turn on. Besides, I felt bad. She looked overwhelmed. The line was long, and she had just opened days ago.” He hands me the box.
I shake my head. “No, thanks.”
“Take it. She gave them to me. She said, ‘On the house.’ She’s a sweet girl.”
“Of course, she’s a sweet girl after you paid her six thousand dollars. I would be bouncing off the walls. That fucking thief. I bet her mixer works just fine.”
“She’s sexy too. Take a bite, bro.”
It does look good. I take it out of the box. It smells good. The cinnamon, brown sugar, and cream cheese icing melt in my mouth. I’ve had plenty of cinnamon rolls in my life, but nothing compares to this one. It takes me back toher.Only she knows how to make them to perfection. Maybe it’s Rainey. I have the need to moan with my memory, jogging back in time when she baked some in the cabin, and I licked the icing off her lips. I look at the name on the box. Sunshine Bakery. With the name Sunshine Bakery, it could be her.Quite fitting, Tesoro.
“You fucking moan to anything you eat of hers, and I’ll put you six feet under. Is that understood?”
Leo’s eyes widen. “Shit, you psycho. You had a bite of a cinnamon roll. Now you’re acting all possessive over the baker.” He chuckles, unaffected by my raised voice. “When I was leaving, a guy walked in, kissed her cheek, and lifted her. She’s taken, bro.”
My jaw tightens with rage and jealousy. Fuck, I don’t even know if it’s Rainey, and I’m getting worked up. She was going to school to be a psychologist. Why would she be at the bakery?
Without thinking, I throw the box in the trash and rush to my office. “Hey, I’ll eat it,” Leo shouts as I shut my door.
