Page 221 of Between Secrets and Obsession

Tyler talks with someone in the hallway, but I can’t make out what he’s saying. The call ends, and he walks inside, looking me up and down as I stare blankly at the TV.

“You need to carb up, hydrate, then get some rest.”

“Any info?” I ask curiously.

“Not yet. I’m working on it, though. I have a feeling that something more is going on.” Tyler sits on the edge of the other bed.

“We’re talking about the O’Learys. Of course there’s more going on. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.” I shrug, and Tyler gets up and walks toward the door. “C’mon, I’m starving.”

Tyler drives us to a pizzeria and forces me to eat half of an extra-large thin crust. We’re mostly silent as we sit together, neither of us knowing what to say. I load up on pizza and bread. Then on the way to the hotel, we stop, and he forces me to eat plenty of fruit and drink tons of water.

“Hydration is key so you don’t get fatigued or muscle cramps,” he explains as we haul everything up to our room. Although I’m full as fuck, I do what he says, because winning tomorrow is the only option I’m considering. If Tyler told me to balance on my head for an hour, then do forty jumping jacks in order to be a better fighter, I’d do it.

“I have to meet with JJ around five,” I remind Tyler before I go into the bathroom to take a shower.

“I know,” he tells me, and it seems he has something more to say but doesn’t.

The next day, I can’t get Maddie off my mind. I miss her so much and am worried about how she’s taking this. I imagine she’s a mess, and it drives me crazy that we’re in this situation. I eat, then rest most of the morning. But all I want to do is call and talk to her, but Tyler has told me it’s best to wait so I don’t get distracted. However, not talking to her is distracting. Emotions are high and being in a different place mentally isn’t good for the ring.

Considering I had a dream about her last night when I told her goodbye forever, I’ve been knocked off my axis. However, I’m trying to allow it to fuel me to get through this.

Shortly before five o’clock, Tyler and I head over to JJ’s penthouse, where he’s dressed in a tuxedo and wearing a shit-eating grin. We’re checked for weapons before we’re allowed to fully enter the room. His cocky attitude is still intact, and I’m two seconds from clocking him right between the eyes when he looks at me. The two guys standing in the corner of the room packing guns stop me, though.

“You ready to make me a rich fucking man?” JJ asks.

Tyler stands to the side with his arms crossed, observing it all, but the disdain he has for JJ is written all over his face.

“Just give me the goddamn address,” I demand, my patience waning.

JJ crosses the room and goes to a wet bar, then pours himself a drink. My heart rate increases, and I can feel my pulse throbbing in my neck. With every passing second, I’m becoming more feral, angrier, and more agitated. After he sips his scotch on the rocks, he grabs a slip of paper and a pen from the counter and scribbles. He walks toward me and folds it in half before handing it over.

“Losing isn’t an option if you don’t wanna die,” he warns, and I snatch it from his grasp and walk toward the door. Tyler follows me.

“I fucking hate that guy,” I seethe as we step onto the elevator and go to the bottom floor.

“Me too. I’m sure there’s a club we can join. He’ll eventually cross the wrong person,” Tyler suggests with a shrug. “Guys like that usually get what’s coming to them.”

“We can only hope.” We step out and go to the truck. Once inside, Tyler programs in the address. Tyler starts the engine, and instead of putting it in drive, he looks at me.

“If you’re gonna back out, now is the time.”

I tilt my head at Tyler. “They’ll never let me be free if I do that.” I’ll always be on the run, and that’s no life for Maddie.”

“You’re right, but giving you the option,” he says.

“This is my only option,” I tell him assertively.

During the drive, I text Maddie, wanting her to know how much I love her. Losing means losing her forever, and that thought will be what drives me forward tonight. So much rides on me being able to walk away from all of this. After twenty minutes, we turn into an area with rows of metal buildings. It looks like it’s a bunch of old storage warehouses in an industrial area. Tyler parks as close as he can but is still a distance away.

“Every single person who walks through the door is being searched, so no guns get inside. We should probably try to enter another way so no one sees you beforehand.” He unbuckles,pulls his cell phone from his pocket, and checks it, then tucks it inside.

“They’re gonna let us walk in, no problem?” I ask, confused.

He grins, grabbing the duffel bag he packed with extra towels, tape, and water. “Everyone knows who you are, Liam. They’re expecting you.”

A chill runs down the length of my spine, and I swallow. “I guess they are.”

We get out of the truck and walk the distance. On the other side, there’s an entrance that’s being guarded by a dude who looks like he could crush bones with his bare hands. I’m a big guy, but compared to him, I’m small. After a rough pat down, we’re allowed inside, which is nothing more than a long, low-lit hallway with doors on either side.