Ari
By the time the tryouts were done, there was no denying the outcome. Bones completely overshadowed every fighter in the room.
No one even had a chance getting a full punch to his face or even his gut. The man could move like a damn god, and the power from one of his hits was enough to knock one of our better fighters out cold, even with a head piece on. By Bones' second fight, I tried not to laugh at the way the other fighters clearly didn't want to step in the ring with the man.
I couldn't blame them. Bones dominated.
Even after his hiatus, and not at his best, the man was without a doubt a beast. He moved away from every punch and kick the same way a matador would gracefully dodge a charging bull. His footwork, his speed, his laser-eyed focus, made the man nearly untouchable.
And his body… his body.
Watching each inch of his body glisten with sweat, the way his tattoos artistically highlighted the contours of each muscle, and the V-shaped curvature of his abdomen that led straight to the waist of his shorts. I would be a damn liar if I didn't admit to fantasizing for a few moments where exactly that V led and what I would find there.
Mouthwatering.
The man was absolutely, without a doubt a specimen of perfection.
Even with all of Frankie's arguments, he was clearly impressed by how Bones fought. And I had no doubt Frankie knew as well as I did that Bones Vega was exactly what we needed for the gym and to regain our reputation that we produced winners. A sure bet.
I hadn't seen a fighter with so much raw potential mixed with years of training inside Smiley's since my father had been alive. He had trained Frankie, and Frankie had truly been the best. If it hadn't been for so many bad hits to the head, Frankie still would be unstoppable. But now, we had fresh meat. The famous Smiley Dexter would have been honored to train Bones Vega. I absolutely knew it.
"So…" I asked Frankie, a teasing tone in my voice. "Who do you think is best?"
He gave me a look, one that suggested he really didn't want to admit that he had been wrong. He wasn't great at conceding to anyone, and briefly, I had the sinking feeling he might choose someone else just to spite me.
"Give Vega a contract," he growled, refusing to make eye contact with me as he spoke. "But if he fucks up, and it affects Smiley's and your father's name and legacy, that's all on you."
Frankie's response was unsurprising. He didn't like to admit he was wrong. And though it was clear he didn't like Bones, he was still wise enough to know what was best for this business. It was why, on his deathbed, my father had asked Frankie to watch over me and help run this business. My father had trusted Frankie more than any person in his life, and the same could be said about me. Yes, the man infuriated me most of the times, but I fucking loved him. I trusted him. And I knew, that though he was a man of few words and wouldn't admit it to me, he felt the same way about me.
Frankie would die for me and this business.
And if Bones was the best thing for this business, Frankie would lay down his sword.
Still, I was pretty sure Bones would be worth it. Oddly, I had full confidence in him. There was no way someone could have so much, and fall so far from grace, without learning something. In my research, I read he went to rehab to 'beat his demons'. So, I had no choice but to believe he had.
"I understand," I told Frankie seriously, "but it'll be fine. You can trust me to handle it… to handle him."
My heart fluttered excitedly as I watched Frankie go down to have a talk with the fighters. He would take the newbies aside and tell the men who didn't make it they weren't going to be a part of the gym, probably asking them to come back next time Smiley's opened up for members, leaving the good news to me. I got to offer Bones Vega his second chance at life.
I hoped he grabbed onto it and wouldn't fuck it up.
There was no denying I still feared Bones might shut me down when he was faced with an official offer. He might have only come to test the waters. He might not actually want to get back into it seriously… especially considering what he'd said about his father. Who would look after him if Bones was on the road for extended periods attending matches and other promotional engagements? Most trainers, managers, gym owners, and promoters weren't exactly concerned with their fighter's personal lives—since fighting for ungodly amounts of money was to become your only life—but I'd have to make allowances with Bones.
Eventually, after I watched most of the rejected men head toward the locker room, I couldn't withhold the good news any longer. I should have waited until Bones had showered and changed before breaking the news, but since Frankie was doing the bad news now, it was time for positive energy.
I approached where he stood near the ring, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel, and grabbed hold of his arm. I was taken aback as electricity coursed through me where our skin connected. "Bones," I practically whispered to him. "Can I have a moment of your time?"
"Yeah, of course." He half smiled at me, causing the butterflies that were ramped in my gut to morph into birds.
We stood away from the rest of the men lingering or still working out, with his body a little too close to mine, and briefly, I worried that he could hear my racing heart and my ragged breath.
If he noticed I was attracted to him, would that put him off? Especially since nothing could ever happen between us, not while we were working together… if he accepted.
"I just want to say congratulations. You fought really well today." He nodded sharply at this, not giving me any indication of where his mind was at. "Freakshow and I both agreed you're the best choice for us. So if you would like to, we would love to offer you a contract to be part of Smiley's. We have no doubt we can train you to dominate any fight we attend."
"Really?" He looked at me skeptically. "Are you serious?"
It was then that it hit me just how deeply his past had scarred him. He really assumed that because of his mistake, we wouldn't sign him despite him clearly knocking everyone else out of the park. That made my heart go out to him. I wanted to reach out and hug him, hold him close to me… but, of course, I couldn't. Not only that, but I was not sure how helpful and comforting my tiny frame would be compared to his huge one. He was so tall, so broad, there was just so much of him.
Stop it. Keep focusing, for crying out loud.
"Of course, we would love for you to be part of our gym. We have big plans for you."
"I don't think so. I'm not sure me fighting for you is the best choice for anyone."
"I do," I countered.
He paused for a moment, looking at me, but not really focused. He seemed distracted in thought. "You seem like a nice girl. And I respected your father. So I'm going to be honest with you. I'm fucked up," he said. "Far beyond what you can imagine. All the dark demons inside of me oozed out of the cracks and they finally became enough that I fucked up my entire life. I couldn't keep those demons inside any longer. The cracks became too large. No matter how much training I get from you or Freakshow, I can't be fixed."
"I don't want to fix you. I'm cool with your cracks." I glanced over at Freakshow and smirked. "Look at who my business partner is, after all."
He stared at me, studying my face. Possibly looking for sincerity? But he didn't argue or counter my words. He simply stared at me in silence.
"So what I'm saying," I continued. "I see potential in what Smiley's, Freakshow as your trainer, and I can do for you. I really think we can make you the fighter you once were. I see a champion. I do."
He gave me a heart-stopping grin and stared into my eyes for a beat too long. "If I agree to this, I come with a manager. Lotto handles everything for me. He has to be at every fight. It's a package deal."
I nodded. "We can work that into the contract. I don't see that as a problem."
"You'd have to work with him. I give him full power of the decisions."
I nodded again. "I get it. Why don't you speak with Lotto about this, and if you decide that you do want to come and join us, I'll be in the office when you're dressed. You should come sign the contract then. Bring Lotto if you want, but I won't pressure you anymore."
I forced myself to turn around and walk away then, before I could get too lost in his gaze. I hoped I had said enough, and that he would meet me in the office and agree.
All I could do now was wait. Wait for what I hoped would be my fighter.