Let Go (14 page)

He hesitates
before asking, “Did you come to any consensus?”

A small smile
spreads over her lips, “He was heartbroken when he found out about
you. But after that he was relentless in getting me back.”

“Hmmmm, you
didn’t need to tell him about me if you didn’t want to. We are just
friends Christina.”

“I know but I
figured he needed to know. I don’t want to start anything with any
secrets or lies.”

Greylan nods
in acknowledgement. He has found in the short time he has known her
that she is one of the most truthful people he has ever met.

“Anyway, I
told him we would take it very slow this time. The last thing I
want is to be heartbroken all over again.”

“I’m glad for
you Christina. I was going to ask what you are up to in a few hours
but it seems you need to get some sleep.”

She looks at
him with an amused grin, “Why? What is it you need?”

“Well, I
rented an apartment today. I have a shit load of furniture being
delivered later this afternoon.”

She waves it
off, “Sleep is over rated. I’ll wait for the delivery. I might even
break in your bed once it gets there.”

He chuckles,
“Have at it. You’ll be the only one for a while at least.”

She smiles,
“Greylan Pace, you know the ladies’ll be knocking down your door in
no time.”

He smirks but
doesn’t respond. Instead he hands her the key and plugs the address
into the GPS on her phone.

“I need to get
to Jackson’s, are you sure about this?”

“Yep, no
problem. Just wake me up in time for work, okay?”

Greylan gets
up and kisses her on her forehead, “See you later, sweet
dreams.”

Greylan walks
briskly into Jackson’s. Immediately he spots the solid man in his
usual spot, hanging on the ropes of the ring with a toothpick in
the corner of his mouth. His eyes automatically scan the room for
anyone else of interest or in truth Parker Harris. Parker wouldn’t
come here to train but this routine has come to be ingrained into
his habits each day. If he really admits it’s how unpredictable
Parker is. He lived with the guy for a couple of days and still
knows very little about him.

Jackson
exclaims as he approaches glancing down at an imaginary watch on
his arm, “It’s about fucking time. One might think you don’t give a
shit about fighting anymore.”

Greylan shakes
his head as he passes the ring and heads for the locker room.
Jackson calls out to his retreating figure, “Make sure you leave
all that pussy shit in there. You’re gonna work your ass off
today.”

A smile
spreads across Greylan’s lips as he stashes his bag and street
clothes into his locker. The harder he works the better he feels
about everything else in his life. It usually takes his mind off of
his terrible act that haunts him, at least for a little while.

Jackson
directs him into the ring and calls over a burly man about a foot
taller than Greylan. His large frame and shaved head is
intimidating matching the permanent scowl across his face.

Jackson calls
out, “Pace, you wanted to climb the ladder huh. This here is Maleko
straight from Oahu. Don’t go easy on him because he won’t give you
a break.” Greylan fits his hands into his gloves and places his
head gear on. He looks to Jackson about to ask him a question but
he beats Greylan to it.

“He is just
above the middle, so you need to show me something I like if you
want to fight next week.”

Greylan bites
his mouth guard and climbs into the ring. Maleko is waiting. He
doesn’t give Greylan a second to get his bearings before he forges
forward with a rounded punch to Greylan’s side. It throws him off
balance forcing his footing to stagger backward. He looks to
Jackson who is yelling at him, “Get your head in the game, Pace.
Harris isn’t going to even flinch when you fight him. He’ll play
dirty every chance he gets.”

This brings
Greylan into the moment. He surges forward forcing his arm into
Maleko’s chest. The guy doesn’t flinch. His hands move under
Greylan’s arms just as his foot sweeps Greylan’s leg out from under
him. Greylan falls to his back but rolls away just as Maleko falls
forward to land on top of him. Instead, a loud thud echoes through
the mat where all of his weight settled. Greylan scurries to his
feet leaping onto the back of Maleko taking him in a choke hold.
The big man taps the mat realizing he won’t get out of the hold. As
Greylan stands smiling at his win, Jackson’s voice claims, “That
was shit. You call that a win Pace? You’re gonna have to get it
together if you have any hopes of making it into the pro fights.
There are some way bigger and faster dudes than Maleko here.”

Maleko stands
and shakes Greylan’s hand. Before releasing he pulls Greylan
forward and slams his other fist into Greylan’s side. It knocks the
wind out of him causing Greylan to crumple onto the mat landing on
his knees.
What the fuck?
He thinks as he looks up at the
man who is still coming at him.

Jackson yells,
“Get the fuck up Pace. Have you not heard a word I’ve said? Maleko,
kill him if you need to. He needs a lesson.”

Greylan pops
up to his feet and moves out of the way just as Maleko swings a
kick at his face. He grabs the foot and pulls causing Maleko to
lose his footing. He staggers backwards as Greylan surges forward
in an assault of jabs to Maleko’s stomach and chest. Maleko falls
to the mat onto his knees giving Greylan an opportunity to push
with his whole body forcing him further into the mat. Greylan
starts pounding on him. Maleko raises his arms to block the assault
but Greylan is relentless. He continues in a flurry. Maleko taps
out but Greylan doesn’t stop. He continues punching even as Maleko
has given up. Jackson skirts through the ropes grabbing Greylan in
a choke from behind. Greylan’s arms halt as a deep broken breath
escapes his lips. Jackson nods to Maleko as he pulls Greylan away
not loosening his grip. Maleko hesitates a minute and utters,
“Sorry dude,” and continues on to the locker room. Jackson speaks
in a low tone, “Grey, I’m gonna let you go.”

Greylan nods
just barely letting him know he is coherent and aware of what is
happening. He sinks to the mat moving his hands up his head to push
the gear away. He runs his hand through his hair in
frustration.

Jackson sits
on the mat next to him and asks, “Anything you want to talk
about?”

Greylan shakes
his head. He wants nothing to do with the thoughts that force their
way into his head. The repetitious sound, over and over, of
Theodore’s head hitting the brick wall. The sound of his sister’s
sobs when he left her for five years unable to keep his promise to
his mom. And now the thoughts that she is happy without him, with
his enemy in the cage. Finally, the thought of Meyer who abandoned
him when he needed him the most.

Jackson states
in the most compassionate tone he’s ever heard from the man, “I
don’t know what it is going on with you; I can only imagine what
you’ve been through. But you need to get your head on straight. If
you have any hope of ever beating Harris, which I am guessing is
your goal, then you need to figure it out. You know more than
anyone, it is as much your mind as your body. Do what you have to
do or you’ll never make it back.”

He stands and
walks away. He turns as an afterthought and admits, “I thought
you’d like to know, the fight next week, it’s your last. After that
you can go pro if you win.”

He takes a
deep breath that catches in his ribs. He won’t have a chance if he
can’t get his head straight. A few minutes later he moves to a bag
concentrating on clearing his head. He focuses on just the bag and
nothing else.

Greylan enters
his new apartment, his body sore from training all day. The rooms
are silent but full of the furniture he picked out earlier in the
day. He lowers his bag and makes his way to the bedroom. Christina
is wrapped up in a blanket on the raised king size bed. Her face is
free of the worry from earlier. He smiles and lowers himself to the
edge of the bed. His hand moves to brush her hair back from her
forehead, “Hey, Christina. Time to get up, we have to go in
soon.”

She shifts her
body rolling onto her back. Her fingers come up to her eyes
shielding the light, “Hey, who turned the sun on?”

Greylan
chuckles, “It’s been on all day. I guess you’ve been asleep for a
while.”

She nods
asking, “What time is it?”

“Five-thirty.”

“I guess I
have been asleep for most of the day. Your furniture came at noon.
I just thought I’d take a little cat nap.”

She rolls onto
her side and opens her eyes focusing on Greylan’s face and half-
heartedly comments, “It’s a nice bed, rookie. You wanna break it
in?”

He chuckles
shaking his head, “I’ll take your word for it.”

A breath
escapes her lips, “Yeah, I don’t think Jonathan would like that too
much.”

“Did you come
to a decision?” He chastises himself for asking but that’s what
friends do right? He should show interest or at least act
interested in what she has decided.

She shifts
again sitting up, wrapping the blanket around her, “Do you really
want to know?”

He looks away
in answer.

“That’s okay
Grey, I understand, this lovey dovey shit isn’t your thing. You’re
still my friend though. And just in case you become interested
later, I’ve decided to start with actual ‘dates’. I told him I
wanted him to ask me out on a date and pick me up, the whole
shebang.”

He smiles
meeting her stare, “How long do you think that will last?”

“Shut up. If
you had a pillow around, I’d throw it at you right now.”

Greylan stands
and heads for the bathroom. He admits, “Guess I still need to do
some shopping.”

When he’s out
of the shower and back in his bedroom he finds a note on the
bed.

He thinks
about Christina, as much as she will deny it, she is such a girl.
She’s thoughtful, and after what they all are; a fairy tale ending.
He’s glad Jonathan came in to save the day. Of course if the guy
fails, he realizes, he’ll have to beat his ass.