Juicing? Xander, embarrassed at the time that he didn’t know what Mickey meant by ‘juicing,’ just nodded his head and they exchanged numbers in case he wanted to ‘hang out.’ When Xander later asked what juicing was, Tommy nonchalantly told him it was a street name for steroids.
“Ya know, Arnolds? Roids? The shit that makes your balls shrivel up and your muscles fill with water? It’s okay for temporary use, but man you do not want to start relying on that stuff. Mick gave me his number too, in case I wanted to get my hands on some, but I tossed it in the garbage. I ain’t interested in that shit.”
Xander picked up his phone and flicked through his contacts until he got to ‘Mickey Juice A Lot.’ Tommy said it himself, temporary use is fine. I only need it for this fight and then I’ll never do it again.
“Yo, Xan, what’s up?”
Mickey sounded winded, like he was running on a treadmill or lifting weights.
“Sorry to bug you, Mick, you sound like you’re workin’ out. Hey, so I have a weird question for you.”
Xander could hear through the speaker that Mickey had closed a door somewhere.
“I know what you’re after. Let’s meet up at the gym and I’ll give you a stack. Be there in 15.”
Mickey hung up the phone.
Xander didn’t want to sit still, afraid that he might think himself out of the decision he just made. He threw on some clothes and ran to the front door.
“Where do you think you’re goin’ there, Mister? You haven’t had your breakfast yet!”
Winnie was in her rocking chair, sipping on a cup of tea.
“I’m sorry, Win, but I gotta jet. Just got another call from T and he wants to meet with me pronto. Love you, bye!”
Winnie shook her head, her eyes filling with tears as she watched Xander race down the driveway.
“I’ve never seen that poor boy so lost.”
Chapter 47
Xander was waiting outside the gym around the corner by the back alley when Mickey showed up wearing a sweater with the hoodie pulled up.
“Okay, I’m gonna run you through this quickly, so listen up.”
In the time it took for Mickey to show up, Xander had talked himself in and out of this deal numerous times. He was about to tell Mickey he was backing out, but thought about the fight and how badly it would go for him if he didn’t win.
Just be a man for once. Take the damn drugs.
“Alright, I’m all ears.”
Mickey pulled out three small vials and a baggy with a several pills.
“It’s called stacking. You’re gonna take these staggered every half hour from now until your fight. Did you pick up any clean needles?”
Clean needles? What am I gonna do with those?
“You didn’t think you could just snort these or somethin’ did you? Right before your fight? No, dude, you gotta inject this shit right into your ass cheek. You’re lucky, I got a few clean spares still in the package. Start with this one.”
Mickey held up a tiny vial full of clear liquid.
“It’s a smaller dose. Don’t go gettin’ any bubbles in there. After that, take two of these and then inject the larger vial. Keep doing that every hour until you run out. I gotta ask though, what is it that’s made you want to take these, anyway?”
Xander took the pills and vials, stuffing them into his gym bag before anyone caught them.
“Tommy set me up with a fight tonight where there’s gonna be Street G scouts looking to sign me onto this big endorsement contract. If I fuck it up, I’m as good as gone. I figure this will help give me that extra edge. I see you workin’ out and you look like a bull that’s been prodded one too many times. I could use that kinda energy.”
Mickey tilted his head up, looking down over his nose at Xander. “What do you mean by that, kid?”
Wide-eyed, Xander shook his head.
“No, no man I don’t mean like—”
Mickey put a hand onto Xander’s shoulder and bent his head down, laughing.
“I’m only messin’ with you. I’ve been juicin’ for years now and I gotta say it’s like goin’ through puberty over and over again. Sometimes I just wanna kill someone for no good reason. Guy today cut me off in traffic and I almost got out of my car and beat the poor old dude.”
Jesus. This is why Tommy said you’d only want to use these once.
“Thanks for these, Mick. Here’s your money.” Xander handed him a wad of hundred dollar bills.
Mickey flipped through the first two bills and pocketed them, handing the rest back to Xander.
“What do you think you’re injecting? Gold? See ya at the gym.”
Xander watched Mickey leave the alley. He pulled out the first vial and unpackaged the needle.
Here goes nothin’.
Chapter 48
“You know, I wasn’t sure you’d make it to this night, what with all the drinkin’ and the partyin’. Anyway, none of that matters now. Point is, I’m proud of you, Xander. Now get your shorts on and get your blood pumpin.’ You’re gonna win this thing, I feel it in my old, creakin’ bones.”
Tommy threw Xander’s metallic shorts at him… new ones he had bought Xander for this very fight.
Xander looked at the clock. Twenty minutes.
“Don’t go lookin’ at the clock, it’ll only drive you crazy. I don’t even know why they put those things in here. Only thing you gotta worry about right now is the other guy. Stay low, be quick on your feet, and remember to block your left side. Trust me, this dude is a dirty player and you gotta be prepared for anything.”
Xander rubbed his left butt cheek that was now feeling bruised from all the injections.
Oh, I’ll be blocking my left side alright.
Tommy gave Xander a fist bump and left the changing room, passing the event coordinator on his way out.
“You’re on, Beast.”
It was like Xander had never noticed how bright the flashing lights were or how loud the announcer’s voice was as it blared through the speakers.
That voice—like nails down a chalk board. I wish I could just shut him up.
On his way to the ring, Xander felt a hand from the audience grab at his wrist. Xander clenched his fist, expecting it to be an audience member that was trying to sucker punch him, but instead he saw that it was a man wearing a fancy suit and holding onto a clipboard.
A Street G rep.
“We’re pulling for you, Xander. You win this, and you’re set. Show us your best and we’ll give you the best we have to offer.”
The Street G rep let go of Xander’s arm and turned to face the ring, clapping with the rest of the crowd as if nothing had happened.
Oh I’ll show you my best.
Xander’s opponent was coming out just as he approached his corner. Shrouded in a dark silk cloak, Fate Maker walked out from his side, making eye contact with Xander the whole way up the aisle.
The referee called them both into the center, commencing the fight with the usual rituals. Fate Maker put out his fist to show sportsmanship, but Xander denied him. A gasp rolled across the stadium as Xander took a step forward, putting his forehead onto his opponents.
“You think you can intimidate me? I’m The Beast, motherfucker, and I’ll tear you to shreds before you can call out your mama’s name.”
The referee stepped in to separate Xander and Fate Maker, sending them both back to their corners.
The bell sounded.
Fate Maker danced around the ring, showing off his fancy foot work in hopes of confusing Xander into throwing punches at inopportune moments. Xander wasn’t playing his games.
I’ll wait here while you dance your way into your own grave, Fate Maker.
Fate Maker was growing tired buzzing around the ring. Xander saw right through his act, and when he noticed that his competitor wasn’t going to be the offensive fighter, Xander decided he would play his given role.
You want me to throw the first punch, hey? Fine. Here you go.
; Xander took two large steps. First to the right and a second longer lunge to the left. He went to throw a left hook to the face, but faked it and instead threw an upper cut with his right, directly underneath Fate Maker’s chin. With one punch, round one finished as fast as it had started.
It was the first time the Street G reps had seen any fighter in Texas, let alone the Southwest, knock out someone with their first punch. They jumped out of their seats, throwing their arms into the air in celebration as the referee called it a win in favor of ‘The Beast.’
Street G reps were waiting for Xander outside of his changing room by the time he left the ring.
Tommy got to him first, stopping him just around the corner. He put both hands onto Xander’s shoulders.
Jesus, he looks like he’s gonna cry. Pull yourself together, Tommy.
“I’ve never been so happy in my life, Beast. You made this a night to remember. I swear to you, your life is going to change from here on out. See what hard work can do?”
Tommy ruffled his jacket and puffed out his chest.
“Not to mention a good manager! At first I was worried, not gonna lie. The reps told me beforehand that they wanted to see a good show and when you knocked that kid out with one punch, I thought they would drop you right then and there, walk out and find someone else. But then I looked over and they were happier than pigs in shit! Speaking of which, they have some publicists they’ll want you to talk to, so maybe get rid of that furrowed brow and try to look happy, eh?”
Tommy gave Xander a pat on the back, sending him off to see the Reps who were waiting just around the corner.
Glad that’s over. He’s like an annoying uncle sometimes.
Photographers took pictures of Xander signing his new contract with Street G and shaking hands with the Co-Owner and Founder of the company that he would now be working closely with. Interviewers asked Xander how it felt to be signed on by the biggest fighting company in Texas, smiling their fake smiles while others wrote down every word that came out of his mouth.
Through all of it, Xander felt removed. He was happy, but coming down from the adrenaline and steroids made him feel as though he would either pass out or punch the cameraman standing two feet in front of him.
“That’s all for tonight guys.” Xander waved off the press, and shook the rest of the rep’s hands before retiring into his changing room for a few minutes of solitude.
Holy shit, I really did it.
Xander stripped off his shorts and hung them over the edge of the shower.
But at what cost?
He turned on the cold water and let it run down his body, soothing his aching muscles and washing away any guilt he had about the steroids, the lying, and not least of all, Molly.
Chapter 49
Elodie and Johnny had already polished off a bottle of wine before Johnny asked the pressing question.
“I know you’ll probably hate me for asking you this, but I have to. Not for Xander’s sake, but for my own sanity.”
Elodie put her drink down on the table and folded her napkin onto her lap.
“Let me guess. Why do I hate Xander so much? Well, for starters, he left Molly stranded on the side of the road after, y’know. I don’t know if I should be telling you any of this. Molly would kill me.”
Johnny shrugged his shoulders and finished his glass of wine.
“You can just blame it on us being drunk and loose with our words? Seriously, I won’t tell Xander, I promise. It’s just been eating at me. Any time I mention his name it’s like I’m spitting acid at you. I gotta know what caused it, because that’s not the first time Xander’s done something like that to a chick and none of them have responded the way you or Molly have. Usually they’re still fawning over him the next day, even when he’s kicked up the dirt in their faces.”
Elodie looked suspiciously at Johnny.
“Why are you so invested? What’s in it for you?”
Johnny slowly nodded his head, expecting she would ask a question like that.
“Maybe I can help give you some insight? There may be a missing piece of the puzzle here. Something that will make somebody feel better in the end.”
Elodie scanned his face, looking for an ounce of dishonesty that might trigger a red flag and stop her from spilling the beans. The only thing she could see was a genuine concern on Johnny’s face as he leaned in to hear what she had to say.
“Okay, I’m going on good faith here that you’ll keep your mouth shut. It’s a ... it’s a really big deal and if word gets out to Xander and Molly traces it back to me, I’ll get my lips sewn together, or worse she’ll disown me completely.”
Johnny put a hand on top of Elodie’s.
“You can trust me by now, El. What is this, like our fifth date or something? We’re practically together by now.”
Elodie felt a giddiness bubbling inside of her.
He wants to be my boyfriend?
She tried to fight off a smile, but was already grinning from ear to ear.
“Okay, when you put it like that, I guess I should be honest with my boyfriend. Molly is ... she’s uh… expecting.”
Johnny tilted his head, stupefied by what Elodie had just said.
“Expecting what, exactly? What do you mean, El? Oh no! You don’t mean like ...” Johnny took his hand and mimed a large, pregnant belly.
“Yeah, that’s what I mean. That kind of expecting. Apparently your friend doesn’t know how to work a condom and got Molly knocked up. She’s keeping the baby, Johnny, and doesn’t want Xander to be a part of it.”
Johnny went to speak and Elodie put her hand out to stop him.
“No, Johnny. It’s her decision, not mine. You can’t convince me to tell her she’s wrong. It’s her life.”
Johnny rubbed his hand over his face, seemingly frustrated.
“But you don’t understand, Elodie. I’ve known Xander for a long time, in fact I think I know him better than anyone else on this whole damn planet, so please let me speak. He’s messed around with the hearts of a lot of girls, but it’s because he doesn’t trust anyone. It took me years of showing him I wasn’t going to fuck him over before he’d even think about bringing me into his inner circle. If he knew about this, he would do the right thing.”
The waitress walked over with their order of food and another bottle of wine. They both thanked her, and Elodie took a bite.
“Look, even if what you’re saying is true. It’s none of our business. Now, can we just enjoy this dinner please, and talk about something else? Like why it is that you still haven’t wiped that dessert off the corner of your mouth?”
Johnny stuck out his lip and tried to see what Elodie was talking about. He took a napkin and dabbed the corner of his mouth.
“Well, traditionally you’re supposed to get dessert after your meal. But since we decided to go against the grain, I figured I would save a little for later.”
Elodie squeezed his knee under the table.
“Don’t you worry about that. I’ve already got a treat lined up for later, Johnny Boy.”
Chapter 50
Three months passed and Molly was still unaccustomed to having folks stare at her ever-growing belly. Expectant parents sat in the waiting room, smiling with a sort of camaraderie at Molly as she passed.
“If you’ll come with me, Ms. Tompkins. We’re ready for you.”
Molly followed the receptionist into a private room where the sonogram would be taking place.
“We’ll just have you change into these gowns and the doctor will be right in to see you.”
The receptionist handed Molly a pile of mint-green fabric and closed the door behind her.
Distracted by the photos of babies and toddlers displayed around the room, Molly set the clothes onto a chair.
Some of the photos were of newborn babies with butterfly props and cabbage-patch themed backgrounds. Others were of older babies and toddlers dressed as all sorts of animals. Molly vowed she would never subject her child t
o that kind of photo shoot. Then she came to the last photo on the wall of a baby dressed as a lobster who had been put into a boiler pot.
Okay, now that’s cute. I wish El was here, she’d laugh with me.
“Ms. Tompkins, are you ready?”
Molly scurried to put on her gowns.
“Just one minute!”
Chapter 51
Elodie and Johnny were sitting in their new apartment watching a horror flick that Elodie had chosen.
“I know guys are supposed to be the tough ones in these situations, but El, I feel like I’m going to pee my pants or cry, or maybe both.”
Johnny was curled into a ball underneath their crocheted blanket.
“You are such a wuss! My little prince, how adorable he is when he hides behind the sheets. BOO!”
El grabbed Johnny’s arm and he jumped. Johnny paused the film and looked over to Elodie.
“Now, will you tell me why you didn’t go to the ultrasound? What reason did you give Molly?”
Elodie hated being pressured into giving up answers to uncomfortable questions, but she couldn’t sneak her way out of this one.
“I told Molly that I was scared. I don’t like hospitals, Johnny. Ever since Walter sent me crying into the emergency room after one too many punches, I get shudders and flashbacks every time I step foot in there. I told Molly I would go in when the baby is born, and she understood.”
Elodie pulled her knees to her chest. Johnny wrapped the blanket around her back and snuggled in close.
“Let’s see what happens to these idiots, okay?”
He pressed the spacebar on his computer and started the movie again.
Chapter 52
“You got another fight lined up tonight, Beast. How does it feel to know you’re fightin’ in the big leagues now?”
Tommy pushed his Gucci sunglasses onto the top of his head and flashed his bright smile at Xander. The hot L.A. sunshine beamed down on the two of them as they laid back in their chairs, watching the bikini-clad women walking down the beach.
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