Page 51 of Far from Destined
“As I said, just answer. Get it over with.”
Everyone looked at me, so I sighed and hit accept. “Bob.”
“It’s about time you answered me. Are you going to come in for another fight? I have four that need to be scheduled, and you’re good with each of them. None of them will be too hard on you, and they’re not stupid fighters. I know you don’t like the dumbasses.”
Bob kept talking, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, aware that everyone was staring at me. Bob wasn’t exactly quiet, and I knew they could all hear what he was saying.
Cross’s gaze darkened, the same with Prior’s.
They glared at Nate, who didn’t look surprised, but Dakota came to my side and put her hand on my forearm.
I looked down at her skin on mine and let out a breath. “Bob. It’s over. I’m done. Okay?”
“Just like that? You’re just going to call it like the fucking pussy you are?”
I must have found a new way to handle most of my rage because his taunts didn’t get a rise out of me. “I am. Call Jackson. He fights just like I do. And he still likes it. Dave and William are great, too. But I’m out.” I was going to call the guys I liked, however, to tell them I was done, just in case Bob went off on them like he was doing with me. Plus, there were a few others at the gym that I worked with or made sure they got to their cars safely that I wanted to check in with. I couldn’t leave everyone high and dry, even if I hadn’t really thought about the connections I’d made in my short time there.
“You’re going to regret this. You drop me now? You’ll never get back into it.”
“I’m just fine with that, Bob.”
“Whatever. But don’t you dare crawl back to me. I won’t take you,” Bob snapped before ending the call.
I sighed and put my phone back into my pocket. I couldn’t help but notice the relief on Dakota’s face.
“Thank you,” she whispered. I didn’t know if it was for herself or for me.
“You want to tell us what the fuck that was about?” Cross asked.
“Cross, Joshua’s in the other room,” Myra whispered.
Prior snarled. “And Hazel’s with him, and she’ll make sure he doesn’t hear me yell at my fucking brother for being a fucking idiot.”
“Fighting?” Cross asked again.
“And it looks like a couple of people in this room knew,” Prior snapped. “Were you going to tell us, Nate? Or were you guys just going to keep hiding shit from us? What the hell is going on? And we need to fucking tell Arden, or she’s going to be even more hurt than we are. We don’t keep fucking secrets in this family. Not anymore.”
Everyone started talking at once, and I held up my hands. “Okay, let me just talk this out because this is not why we’re here.”
“We’re here to keep our circle protected,” Cross said slowly. “And I guess that means we’re going to start with you.”
“He just told his trainer or whoever that he’s quitting. That should calm you down a little bit.” Dakota raised her chin.
I nearly staggered back at her confidence in me. At her tone of defense. I didn’t fucking deserve it. But hell, I liked it.
“Why don’t we let Macon speak?” Dakota said after a moment. Then she looked at me. “If that’s what you want.”
I let out a sigh and nodded. “Looks like I don’t have a choice.”
“Don’t be like that,” Cross replied. “You made a choice to not tell us and when you decided to put yourself in danger. Talk to us. That’s all we ask.”
“After the shooting, I needed an outlet for my rage. I know it’s stupid. I knew it was idiotic the whole time. But it’s what I wanted to do. And so, I did it. I was as safe as I could be. Except it wasn’t completely safe. But I didn’t do it every day. I only fought those who fought at my level and played by the rules instead of going against them. Boxing is a sport,” I reminded them.
“But you’re not a boxer,” Nate said softly.
“No, I’m not. I’m a veterinarian who got a bullet in his chest and is still trying to figure shit out. But I’m not going to do it anymore.” I looked at Dakota rather than at my family. “I’m not.”
“I know you won’t. But you still should have told them,” Dakota argued, chastising me.