Page 19 of Whiskey Sour

He steels his resolve and nods. “Okay, yeah. Look, man, I know about the fighting.”

This makes me head rear back. “What?”

“Like I said, I hear things. Some guy I used to sell to hit me up to go watch a fight. I never went before, so I thought I’d try it out. Come to find out, you were the one fighting.”

I grow instantly anxious. Struggling to swallow, my back stiffens. My fighting persona is supposed to be a fucking secret. It’s a way I make money to support mine and Skylar’s future. It’s not supposed to be common knowledge or something that Knox and Elton gossip about and tell everyone else.

If Skylar found out…

“Woah, stop right there.” Knox holds up his hands to appease me. “I can see it all over your face. I’m not saying shit. I just wanted to let you know that I know.”

Defensive despite not needing to be, I grit my teeth. “So?”

“So, I’m just concerned. So is Elton. Those types of fights can get rough. Sue us for looking out for you.”

I calm down a touch at that. “Okay, yeah. I just… It’s not something I share.”

“Does Skylar know?”

No, because if he did, I’d never hear the end of it. I don’t like keeping secrets from him, but I’m doing thisforus. I want to give Skylar everything in the world, and if a couple of fights here and there will help us, why not? I don’t want him to worry unnecessarily.

Knox nods to himself. “I’ll take that as a no.”

“But you won’t say anything?” I ask again, just to be sure. “It’ll stay between the three of us.”

With earnest eyes, he claps my shoulder. “For sure.” He removes his hand and fucks with his lip piercing as he thinks something through. “You need a crew?”

“A what?”

“Well, if you’re gonna be dumb as shit and put yourself in these situations, the least you could do is have someone there who has your back.”

I raise a skeptical eyebrow. “And that’s going to be you.”

“Fuck you,” he snarls. “I’m trying to be nice.”

Yeah, and I’m being a dick. I admit to myself that this night has been fun, Knox has been surprisingly great, and he’s making an effort here. So, I sigh and nod. “You know, a crew doesn’t sound bad.”

He huffs. “Sure.”

“No, I’m serious,” I insist, clinking my bottle against his glass. “I usually fight once or twice a week. Maybe when you’re not working, you could join me ringside?”

Oh, fuck me. He’d absolutely kill me if I pointed out how he blushes. I start to realize that—apart from Elton—Knox is isolated as shit. It’s kind of endearing. Just as endearing as the way he flips me off as he answers, “Yeah, why not?”

I chuckle at his petulance, but let it slide. “You know, there might be a fight tonight. Think you want to swing by?”

His eyes light up comically, but he covers his enthusiasm with a cough. “Sure. I mean, whatever.”

I roll my eyes as I stand.

Yeah, Knox isn’t so bad.

It’sthe smell that I love.

The scent of pure adrenaline and animalism. Knox must be getting high off it too. He’s buzzing beside me, eyes darting around the crowded warehouse as he watches two guys going at it in the makeshift ring.

“It’s fucking awesome, right?” I shout, grabbing a beer from a passing shot girl.

He nods and accepts a beer from the same girl. “I didn’t get too much info last time. How does this work?”