Page 176 of Invisible String
Fuck, man.
“Your girl mentioned he’s her adopted father?” Daniel asks, interrupting me.
“He is.” Tension hardens my jaw to stone. “Give me Rainey. She has nothing to do with him or the shit he did to get to the top. You have him here. Make a deal with him.”
He tsks. A door slams on his end. “He has nothing of value.”
“Max,” Rainey’s voice trembles.
“Baby, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I love you,” she whispers at the end.
“Max, you want to save her, then I need you to pay your father-in-law’s debt,” Daniel says, as a door clamps shut in the background.
My gaze is murderous on Rowan.
“You want to know why he never wanted to tell Rainey about her adoption? I managed to get it out of him. Turns out a knife to his throat can make a man squeal.”
I stay silent.
He continues. “It wouldn’t look good for his career. He needed to appear as a family man. You see, he’s been having an affair for a very long time with multiple women. Jenna couldn’t have more kids; she was told. In order to make her happy and try to patch things up, he agreed to adopt. He didn’t want them to know he had adopted a child, for one, his long-time infidelity could come out. Also, because Rainey’s genes are not from a higher-class family, he decided Anderew would be a good marriage match.”
Makes perfect sense. That man only thinks of himself. It’s all about money.
I’ve had enough of his rambling. “I’ll get the money. Let her go.”
“I have a better way. Fight tonight against a new arrival. I’ve heard he’s going pro soon. He’s undefeated in his country. Misha has challenged you. This fight is worth the amount needed.”
Gripping my phone, I answer him. “I’d rather pay it.” Not that I think I won’t win. I don’t want to have anything to do with him or the Underground.
He laughs on the other end. “That wasn’t an option. After the fight, I’ll let your girl go.”
“What if I don’t win?” I need to know the rules. I don’t trust him.
“I’d prefer if you win. The bet is high. You’ll win.” The line clicks.
Gilbert stands next to me. I hand him the phone. Then, I walk up to Rowan, I grab him by the shirt and pull him up.
“You’re one pathetic excuse for a man. When I win this fight, because I will, they don’t call me the Master of Disaster for nothing. I take down anyone in my path. Especially when it’s about my woman. I see red.” I shake him, so the coward can look me in the eye. “I want you out of her life. She was never below you. Her value and her worth are much greater than all the money you’ve ever had. This fight tonight is to save Rainey. It has nothing to do with saving your ass. I don’t give a shit what happens to you after. Maybe I should write you a check to disappear, it seems you could use the money.” I throw the shit he told me years ago at him. Like they say, karma is a bitch.
Johnny approaches me. “You don’t have to do this, Max. I’ll call the police,” he whispers.
Gilbert’s sharp hearing has him pointing a gun at him.
I shake my head at Gilbert. “We’re good. He’s not calling anyone,” I say, then turn to Johnny, nodding to him.
He nods back.
“I’ll be back when the fights start.”
Heading back to the parking lot, Daniel’s men are far from hearing. I peer at Johnny. “I have no choice. If shit hits the fan after I fight, contact the police. If we report it now, they will hurt her.”
Carlos has been worried and has been searching for Rainey as well. I call him to let him know what happened and to prepare for tonight’s fight. He’s not pleased with Daniel’s request, but he understands it’s to get Rainey back.
The roarof the crowd reverberates through the walls, a relentless wave of excitement that reaches me in the small, dimly lit room where I sit. I’m wrapping my hands with practiced precision, the tape snug against my skin, a ritual I’ve done countless times before.
Carlos stands behind me, his fingers kneading the knots out of my shoulders, coaxing the tension from my muscles. My heart pounds against my ribcage, each beat a reminder that Rainey’s life hangs in the balance. The weight of expectations settles heavily in my bones, fueling the fire inside me to win this fight at any cost. I haven’t seen my opponent. From what I heard, he’s a big motherfucker. They call him Steel Knuckles because his hits are supposed to knock you down.
