Page 22 of Rematch
I smiled. “It did. Thank you.”
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I dug it out to see Max’s name, and an old selfie he’d taken years ago, on the screen.
To avoid being rude to Carter, I sent the call to voicemail. Why was Max calling me so late at night anyway?
“Guerra still has your number?” Carter asked, having caught a glimpse of my screen before I declined the call.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re friends,” I reminded him.
Carter opened and closed his mouth, debating what he was going to say before he let it out. “Look, I know how this is gonna sound, but I don’t want you talking to him.”
I held back from tilting my head and looking at him like he was crazy. “Why?”
“He’s bad news, that’s all.”
I raised a brow. “Why do you say that?”
“You said you grew up with him, right? So, you know who his dad is?”
“Yeah, but they haven’t spoken in years. Max hates his guts.”
“Not anymore,” Carter said. “He’s all up under Daddy’s wing now.”
My brows stitched together. Max’s resentment for his father ran deep. I doubted there was any chance of mending that relationship - even with all the time that’s gone by since I’ve lastspoken to Max about the situation. What the hell would make Max change his mind?
“Oh, you didn’t know,” Carter asked, his voice full of feigned concern. “My bad.”
“How doyouknow about their relationship?” I turned the tables on him. Rafael loved flaunting his infamous reputation, but I could never see Max being the same way. When we were younger, he hated when people made the connection between him and his father. It always brought problems. I remember he spent most of our high school career fighting to defend himself for a name he didn’t even respect. He never wanted all the attention, and problems, his last name gave him. Now, with his professional career on the rise, he definitely couldn’t afford having any more bad rep.
Carter averted his gaze. “Let’s just say I’m not ignorant to the dark side of this city.”
I opened my mouth to ask more questions, but I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the answers. I think I was alright with being kept at arm’s length too.
Chapter 10
Max
“Aye, Max,” Tysir’s voice came through the walkie talkie sitting on my desk.
I was sitting in the office, trying to ignore the noises of the crowds coming in for the fights tonight. I’d tried to call Audrey earlier - just to hear her voice, but she didn’t answer. I’ve been staring at my phone, waiting for her name to appear. But there’s been no calls or texts.
I was doing my best not to worry, but I couldn’t help myself.
Maybe I’d just stop over there after the fights tonight to check on her. Climbing up to her bedroom window as one of the parts of our relationship I’d missed the most. When I was younger, it made me feel like I was a real-life Romeo. But in my story, loving Juliet wasn’t forbidden.
I picked up the walkie and held it to my lips. “Yeah,” I replied to his initial call.
“Need you down at the betting table.”
“Be right there.”
Reluctantly, I left my secluded spot and headed down towards the masses. The crowds parted like the red sea for me, creating a clear pathway to my destination.
