Let Go (24 page)

The gym is
busy when he arrives and Jackson seems to be waiting for him. When
he spots Greylan he beckons him over to the roped off section where
two other fighters are sparring with each other. He glances over to
Greylan and back to the mat, “You look like hell.”

Greylan smirks
at his trainer’s words. He answers, “I feel like hell.”

“Good, I don’t
want no pussy ass reasons why and you missed yesterday.”

“I know…”

Jackson holds
up his hand, “I don’t need any shit excuses. Just get dressed and
be out here in five. I have a special treat today.” His smile
spreads revealing the two golden teeth fastened into his mouth.
Greylan shakes his head while heading to the locker room.

When he nears
the ring dressed in board shorts and a tank top, a man he doesn’t
recognize is dancing around the mat punching empty air. Greylan
rests against the ropes next to Jackson. He watches the man for a
moment before asking, “This is my surprise?”

“Yep.”

“Are you gonna
tell me who he is?”

“Yep, Jesus
Reyes.”

Greylan can’t
stop the shock mingled with a slight chuckle that escapes his
mouth. He looks over surprised but Jackson doesn’t respond.
Okay
if you want to play that shit game.

He slinks
through the ropes and starts warming up bouncing on the balls of
his feet throwing hits and kicks at the air. As his heart pumps
faster he slows halting so that he is face to face with the man he
knows very little about but is curious. They bump gloves and
retreat a few feet eyeing one another. As he rounds the mat with
this guy Greylan watches his movements trying to commit them to
memory. This is the only person that has beat Parker Harris. He’s
all over that because he will be the next one to accomplish it.

They bob
around each other a few times before Jesus closes the distance with
his hands grasping Greylan’s arms. Greylan tries to shake out of it
but he’s holding too tight. Instead Greylan takes a chance throwing
himself forward, hoping it will cause Jesus to lose his footing.
He’s a rock and doesn’t budge. Jackson yells, “Come on Grey, that’s
all you got? I thought we were past this shit.”

Greylan’s gaze
meets that of his opponent. He smiles at Greylan as his arms move
rapidly from Greylan’s outer arms to under his arms just as his
foot sweeps Greylan’s feet out from under him. He leans his full
weight toward Greylan’s body once he’s on the floor but Greylan
lifts his legs locking them around his abdomen. His smile
disappears as he realizes Greylan has him in his guard to halt his
progress. Jesus lands a punch to Greylan’s gut loosening his leg
grip around Jesus’ waist. He moves his hands under Greylan’s
backside flipping him to the side. His legs come apart allowing
Jesus to land in a side hold. Greylan realizes at this point what
he really is up against. He tries to turn his body and attempt an
elbow in his side but Jesus comes down on him taking his neck in a
guillotine hold. He relaxes all of his muscles and taps out. Jesus
pops up looking over to Jackson. Jackson glares at Greylan ordering
both of them, “Again.”

His voice
comes out forceful when he shouts, “Until Grey decides he’s gonna
take it seriously.”

As they
grapple again Jackson taunts, “You want to lose your first fight on
the pro circuit then keep fighting like a pussy. I can’t believe I
agreed to take your ass on. I should send you back to Carlo, maybe
in a body bag cause you’re worthless.”

He continues
like this all afternoon as Greylan gets his ass beat over and over.
Finally, on their fifth match Greylan isn’t sure he should even
bother any further. His head isn’t in it and it’s doing nothing but
frustrating all of them. They meet in an arm lock once again but
this time Jesus leans in, his accented breath barely a whisper,
“I’ve seen that shithead with your sister. You really gonna let him
marry her?”

This seems to
wake Greylan up. He thinks about Parker and how he upset Trinity
yesterday.
Fucking hell.

He moves
swiftly out of Jesus’ grasp and leans down sweeping his legs out
from under him. Jesus lands on his side but scurries away before
Greylan can mount him. He brings his leg up kicking Jesus’ side.
Jesus crosses the mat, a determined look in his eyes. It turns to a
snide smile and Greylan forces his arm into the man’s gut
continuously. He leans in tackling Greylan into the mat. Greylan
moves around behind Jesus and holds him in a rear naked choke hold.
A loud tap vibrates through the mat signaling Greylan as the
winner. He releases as Jesus sits laughing. He looks over at
Jackson a moment later, “Parker Harris is his spot.”

“Shit, I
coulda told you that. The question is, how are we gonna beat his
ass?”

Greylan
collapses onto the mat crossing his legs, savoring every ache
alight in his muscles. This is his life. He reminds himself over
and over. There’s no time for anything else. Today was evidence of
that.

A week later
Greylan hasn’t heard a word from Meyer and Mollie is a wishful,
distant memory. But who is he kidding. She finds him while he’s
awake and asleep leaving him with regret, the one thing he vowed
never to do.

Greylan moves
through his usual routine. He hasn’t had a bit to drink since that
night with Juno and today is D day as far as he’s concerned. Every
month since he’s been out of prison he’s had to go and visit one of
the manliest women he’s ever met, Jane Mason, his parole officer.
Up until this point she’s been fine with his fighting as long as
he’s kept her apprised of his progress. Today however is the day he
asks to leave New Jersey to fight in Vegas. Her decision could stop
him in his tracks or allow him to move forward. It pisses him off
that she gets the final word but there’s nothing he can do about
it.

A loud knock
on the door alerts him that Jackson is waiting outside. He makes
his way to the truck and takes a deep breath as Jackson steers to
the depressing office. Every month she’s given him shit for
nothing. He has done everything she’s asked and never rescheduled
an appointment. This is what pisses her off he guesses, she’s used
to people breaking the law and screwing up. A couple of visits
prior to this one she stated as he sat down, “You know you’ll do it
sooner or later.” He looked up curiously asking, “Do what?”

“You’ll mess
up.”

He didn’t
gratify her with an answer. His original first impression still
rings true; she’s a miserable human being who hates her job. But he
still has every intention on proving her theory wrong.

Jackson brings
him out of his thoughts, “Let me do the talking today, okay
Pace.”

Greylan frowns
but nods. Jackson went with him once to see Jane. She visibly liked
him better. Greylan can’t imagine her reasoning after all he is a
black man with tattoos and gold teeth but it doesn’t matter.
Jackson’s a good guy. He took Greylan in when it mattered and he’ll
always be thankful.

As they make
their way back into the filthy office Jane stands at the sight of
Jackson. Greylan smiles at his thoughts,
maybe she has a crush
on him
.

Jackson shakes
her hand, over the desk that never sees the light of day, before
settling in next to Greylan. He hands some papers over to Jane and
watches while she analyzes them. It peeves Greylan a little that
Jackson has kept him in the dark on the fight deals. He feels he
should be involved in the decisions being made on his behalf but
Jackson gave two very good reasons why he wasn’t involving him. The
first is dealing with Meyer who is the front man right now in
match-ups. Who the hell knows how he landed that gig but Greylan is
glad not to have to deal with his ass. The other reason is just
Jackson’s track record so far. He hasn’t steered Greylan wrong yet
so he’s left it alone. Today however will decide how much he
involves himself further.

Jane looks up
from the paperwork, “Everything seems to be in order.”

Jackson nods
still eyeing her.

“If you need
to extend the trip, I need a call directly to my office. Do not
leave a message. Get a hold of a person. Understand?”

Jackson looks
over to Greylan and nods, “We can handle that.”

She squints
over to Greylan and states, “You got lucky Pace. This guy here,
he’s good people, don’t let him down.”

Greylan
smirks. That is probably the nicest thing she’s said to him. The
only thing she ever will, most likely. He knows she still thinks
he’s some punk but he could care less. Dealing with her once a
month, is nothing, just as he told his sister on the very first
visit.

As they leave
the office Jackson slaps his hand in a high five. He explains, “You
just gotta have the magic touch.”

“Jax, you can
have all the magic touch you want with that chick but I don’t think
it’ll help.”

Jackson laughs
as he climbs into the truck. On the way back to the apartment
Greylan tells him, “Thanks for yesterday. It meant a lot to have at
Jesus Reyes.”

“You’re
welcome. He’ll be back tomorrow.”

Greylan’s
breath escapes him. It’s a good thing though. He needs to study the
guy’s moves and see what makes him tick, find his weakness.

“By the way
Grey, did you ever make an appointment?”

He winces and
lets the silence spread.

“That’s what I
thought.”

He passes a
card over to Greylan and states, “I took the liberty. Be at that
address at four o’clock this afternoon.”

Greylan turns
the card over in his hands nodding. He went through counseling,
probably too much, in prison. It helped with the nightmares though.
They still came but not as often. This week has been a doozy. The
first night that Mollie appeared in the dream was only the
beginning. His fucked up mind conjures up all kinds of ways to
torment him with Mollie and Theodore James.

Once in his
apartment Greylan pulls his phone out deciding to make someone’s
day. He presses an unused number and waits as it rings. A woman’s
voice answers smacking gum as usual. He winces picturing the plump
girl that came on to him the last time he was at Jimmy’s
office.

“Can I speak
to James Turner?”

“Um, who can I
tell him is calling?”

Greylan notes
that maybe her phone skills are improving.

“It’s Greylan
Pace.”

She yells half
into the phone catching him off guard, “Jimmy, it’s Greylan!”

He can hear
shuffling and then Jimmy’s voice telling her, “Daphne, you didn’t
have to yell across the office. What if I would have had a
client?”

She chuckles,
“Yeah right. We haven’t had a new client in months and you told me
if he ever calls to get you right away.”

He can hear
Jimmy cursing and then, “Can I trust you to patch it through to my
office? Don’t mess it up.”

A moment later
Jimmy’s voice beams over the line, “Greylan, hey buddy how are
you?”

“Hi Jimmy. Are
you ready to work yet?”

Greylan can
hear the smile in his voice as he says, “You know it.”

“Good because
before I sign any contract with you I want to know all about the
Jesus Reyes business.”

He seems to
mull his response over before he explains, “Grey, there really
isn’t much to tell.”

Greylan
doesn’t let him get any further.

“Listen Jimmy,
I need someone looking out for me in the upcoming deals. Someone
who will represent what
I
want. If you can’t come clean
about Jesus Reyes and tell me the truth then you aren’t the guy for
me. I know we have history but sometimes moving on is the best
thing.”

He waits,
knowing exactly how Jimmy will respond. He’ll want to tell him
every gory detail just to land Greylan as a client. Greylan knows
that Jimmy isn’t the most honest person but he will keep Greylan’s
best interest in mind. He can’t trust Meyer with that task and with
Jackson, the jury is still out. He trusts his trainer but only as a
trainer. He’s not sure of his abilities to cut deals.

“Okay Grey,
but not over the phone.”

“That’s fair.
How about we meet over at Juno’s at eleven tonight. I’m out of
there early.”

“You
betcha.”

After they
hang up Greylan heads to the gym. His memory of Mollie, only a week
old, is still so raw. It pisses him off that she felt she had to
leave. He can’t figure out why. The note she left him has been
opened and folded so many times that he could quote every word.

Jackson yells
when he walks in, “Go get changed and ready for another
beating.”

Great.

When he enters
the ring a black man or more like a kid, he can’t be more than
nineteen, covered in tattoos faces him. His smile reminds Greylan
of a cartoon character, it’s so wide showing all of his teeth. He
smirks back but the man comes forward reaching out. Greylan
misunderstands his meaning and moves him onto his back in a side
hold. The man laughs. Greylan frowns, moving off of him. He pushes
his hand forward from the floor introducing himself, “I’m
Dontavious Jones, and a huge fan of yours.”