Stand Of Redemption(57)

“Good. Now go home. You’ve worked hard today. I’ll get with Zane to schedule your next fight.”

Ty nodded his head and went to get his things. Nick watched him leave and then sat down to contemplate their conversation. He told Ty to talk to someone, but there was no one Nick could talk to. His story consisted of women, murders, drug lords, and illegal fights. He was jeopardizing his own endorsements. Fuck, he was the last person that should be giving anyone advice.

* * *

“I talked to Ty. Not sure if it’s going to stick, but he said he wouldn’t get in any more fights.”

“Thanks, man. That kid has a bright future. I knew you were the only one that could get through to him,” Zane replied.

“He’s ready for another fight. Set it up with Freddy. That’ll be a good match up.”

Zane nodded his head in agreement. “I’ll call his coach today.”

“I’m headed to my gym,” Nick said as he stood up.

“You going to explain that face you’re carrying around?” Zane asked.

“No.” Nicholas went to the door.

“Don’t you think you’re pushing it fighting again so soon?”

“I’m not pushing it. The doc says my arm’s fine. I’ve never felt better. I’ve gained five pounds since I’ve been out with the arm, and am going up a weight class.”

“Damn, man, there’s some big guys in heavyweight,” Zane warned.

“I know. I’m ready for the challenge. I was getting bored winning all the time,” Nick drawled.

“Fuck off,” Zane snapped back with a grin.

Nick laughed as he let himself out.

He said goodbye to the guys then walked out to his car. It was a nice day, so he decided to take a drive before meeting his dad for training.

As he drove, his thoughts drifted back to Ria. He got hard just thinking about fucking her last night. He hadn’t even been able to get that hard, but it still had topped any other sexual experience he’d had.

He had wanted to fuck her again this morning, but she had looked exhausted and was rushing to meet her friend. As he had watched her get dressed, it was obvious she was still in pain from the night before. She was walking carefully, and he had watched her grimace when she put her shorts on. It was probably for the best. She needed some time to recover, but Nick had plenty of other ideas while he gave her pussy time. The thought of his mouth on her, listening to her sultry voice talking dirty in Spanish, had him almost driving by her apartment.

He sighed. He had never put so much thought into a woman. He had always considered those kinds of thoughts a waste of time. He had met a few nice ones in college that had ambition and weren’t the typical women that chased after him now, but none of them had ever tempted him to becoming emotionally attached. He had refused to let a woman have any power over him. His training had to come first. Now, he was obsessing over the last woman he should be with.

He checked the time; his father would be waiting for him. Now that he had been cleared to start training again, his father had been encouraging him to get back to work. Nick hadn’t told him he had already started.

They were barely speaking because of his refusal to hand over his money. They had been looking forward to fighting in a new weight class, now they worked on opposite sides of the gym.

He pulled into the gym he and his father owned. He had spent so many hours sweating there. He couldn’t help that he’d enjoyed his time away.

He knew it had been harder on his father, Rex, than it had been on himself. Rex lived and breathed this sport, and he lived vicariously through Nick. He had been so angry when he’d found out Nick was going to fight Zane. Nick realized that his father always knew how good Zane truly was and was worried about Nick getting hurt. Nicholas was giving him the benefit of the doubt that he just hadn’t wanted to lose bragging rights. Zane deserved to hold the lightweight belt for as long as he could.

Over the years, Nick’s feelings had hardened toward his father. He knew that Rex hadn’t been able to get over his mother’s death, causing him to grow harsher. He let it out on Melanie more than anyone else. Nick was angry with his father over Melanie.

She was doing so well. She had graduated from college and was going to fight for a year before she applied for physical therapy school. She was the champion in her weight division, and their father had not watched one fight.

He and Rex had been in several arguments over Melanie, but his father wouldn’t budge. He kept telling him Melanie would get hurt. Nick had tried to reason with his father unsuccessfully. The only thing that kept Nick coming to the gym was the grief he knew that was eating away at Rex.