12 Rounds

by Lauren Hammond

  “What we’re doing is wrong, Connie!” Patrick shouted. “I’ve got a wife. I’ve got kids. I don’t want them mixed up in this kind of shit.”

  “But you knew that before you joined up, mate,” Connie replied levelly. “You were well aware of what you were getting yourself into.”

  “I wasn’t,” he insisted. “You never told me you were mixed up in cocaine, Connie. You never told me that this was the kind of organization you were running. I’m sorry, but my son deserves to have a father he can look up to. Not a father who is a ringleader in organized crime and selling drugs.”

  It was that moment that Connie heard a light tapping noise. It was almost scratchy, like it was coming from a microphone. He stilled as realization sank in, but he didn’t panic. Connie Doyle never panicked. Although it saddened him a tiny bit to do what he was about to do, he knew he had to. Better Patrick than him. So Connie pushed aside the better half of himself that was screaming for him not to react to his best friend wearing a wire, and brought forth the lethal, cold blooded, murdering side of him.

  And just when Patrick panicked, and turned to run out the door, Connie whipped out his magnum 44 and put a hole right through Patrick’s skull.

  Aidan set the binoculars down on an end table next to Connie. Connie nodded and followed Aidan out of the apartment. The whole way down the stairs he kept thinking of Sean, and prayed that he didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps because Connie didn’t feel like shooting anyone today.

  Chapter Twenty

  ~Sean~

  I’m about three miles away from the gym when I see her jogging down the sidewalk. She looks adorable in her jogging shorts and I smile to myself as I jog up behind her.

  There I go again with that word.

  Adorable.

  I groan.

  I’m going to permanently delete it from my brain and my fucking vocabulary.

  Hanging back, I remain at least a hundred feet away from her, not wanting her to know that I’m watching her.

  That just her running fascinates me.

  That even from where I’m standing she looks angelic.

  The muscles in my stomach clench.

  My heart beats out of sync.

  Rays of glittering sunlight flit down from the heavens, and caress her pale shoulders. She looks like she’s glowing. Her hair is swept up into a ponytail, but a few strands have broken free from the grasp of her hair tie and dangle around her face.

  I close my eyes and I can see her in my mind.

  She’s smiling.

  Her smile is wide and radiant.

  Her big blue eyes sparkle as her smile touches them.

  My eyes snap open and I stop running. I keep my eyes on Hadlee as she hangs a left and disappears from my view.

  Then I hold my head in my hands in start pacing.

  Yes. I am totally freaking out.

  There’s an internal battle royale going on inside of me.

  My mind has a sword.

  My heart has a shield.

  And the clashing of the metal when it connects throbs in my temples.

  It doesn’t matter how many times my mind tells me not to go there my heart disagrees with it. The truth is—I want this girl.

  And not just to do naughty things with her.

  Although that has definitely crossed my mind.

  More than a few times.

  But those thoughts are always interrupted by the tiny voice of reason. That voice that always pops up when I don’t want it to. Hasn’t the girl been through enough? What could you possibly give her except for lies and pain? You don’t even know how to be in a relationship.

  That’s the truth, I scoff to myself. I’m one blind mother fucker when it comes to relationships. A big part of that is probably because I told myself a long time ago that I’d never enter into one.

  Now look at me.

  I’m pining over an angel, a girl who I know is good, and pure, and innocent.

  That’s something I’ll never be.

  I’ll never be the good guy. I know this. I’ve accepted it.

  I’ll always be corrupted. Doing illegal things. I’ll always be the villian, tying up the damsel in distress and leaving her on the metal tracks, while her hero rides in on his horse and comes to her rescue before the steam locomotive coming at her crushes her body and spirits.

  Bouncing lightly, from right foot to left, I start jogging again. I need to clear my head. I pick up speed and start sprinting. I’m trying to think about my fight on Friday. I’m trying to think about how Avery Mullins face will look when my bright red glove connects with his jaw.

  But I keep coming up short.

  Hadlee’s picture keeps swelling in my mind.

  Then there’s my heart.

  It’s racing.

  Speeding.

  Sprinting like an Olympic athlete hurling around that last stretch of track, a breath away from the finish line.

  My heart is telling me that I should give this thing I’m feeling for Hadlee a shot. It speaks to me, saying that I deserve a tiny bit of happiness for everything I’ve sacrificed.

  But the question is, how long will that happiness last?

  I’ve never dropped my guard.

  I’ve never let myself get hurt. By a woman, I mean. I’ve never let myself get involved long enough to get to that point. Something tells me that Hadlee isn’t the type of person who would intentionally hurt someone, but still. What if I hurt her? Even if I don’t mean to, what if something happens and I wind up hurting her?

  That’s not something I’m sure I could live with.

  I’ve never felt more confused.

  Or tortured.

  Or felt like I’m in the middle of the boxing ring going round for round with myself.

  I feel like punching someone.

  Or something.

  I jab at air instead.

  It doesn’t make me feel any better. I throw in a combination thinking that might help.

  Left uppercut.

  Right uppercut.

  Left jab.

  Left jab.

  Right hook.

  I’m still a confused mess inside.

  Here’s the funny thing about emotions when it comes to dealing with the heart and mind. It doesn’t take a person long to learn that the heart always wins.

  ~ ~ ~

  After training, I walk into my condo to find Tee sitting on my couch, my television remote in her hand, and she’s watching one of those Real Housewife shows. I close the door and lock it, “I assumed you’d call first,” I say. When I spin around to face her I realize by the scowl on her face that that was the wrong thing to say.

  Tee has a key to my place in case of emergencies. Well, not only that, but I figure when any day could be my last, it’s a good thing that Tee already has a key. She could get a call anytime and that means anything I have will then be hers. But sometimes I regret giving her that key so soon.

  Now is one of those times.

  I just don’t get women sometimes, and the way they love popping in on people at random.

  Tee cuts straight to the point. “We need to talk about yesterday.”

  I groan. I really don’t want to talk about yesterday. I’d rather forget that it happened. I change the subject, hoping it might derail the nagging conversation that’s going to ensue in a few minutes. “Where’s Embry?”

  “Emerson,” she corrects me with a growl. “His name is Emerson.”

  I shrug and plop down next to her. Embry. Emerson. It sounds close enough to me. “Well, where is he?”

  “At the hotel,” she snaps. “You scared the shit out of him yesterday.”

  “What a pussy,” I chuckle.

  Tee slaps my shoulder, hard. “It’s not funny, Seany. You’re my brother. I love you. You don’t even know how excited I was for you to meet him and you completely ruined that meeting.” Her voice drops a level. “All I want is for you to be nice to him. You don’t have to like him. But just be nice to him for my sake. P
lease.” She looks up at me with pleading eyes. Tears glisten in the corners and all of my hard edge drifts into a part of my brain that I don’t use too often.

  “That’s what you want, Tee?”

  “That’s all I ever wanted, Seany.”

  She wipes her eyes with her thumb. Aside from this new Hadlee thing, Tee is my one and only weakness. I can never tell her no. And I’m more pissed at myself than anything for making her cry. “You got it Tee. I’ll be nice to Emb—er—I mean Emerson.” Even though he has a fruity name. “I’ll tell you what, you tell him to text me in the morning and I’ll treat him to breakfast.”

  Her red, rimmed eyes glisten with hope. “Really, Sean? You mean that?”

  “I do. You’re my family. You mean the world to me. If you want me to get along with him, I’ll do it for you. But,” I hold up my hand, “I’d like to have a man to man chat with him first.”

  What I don’t say is that I’m going to let this little punk know exactly what he’s in store for if he ever hurts Teagan. There’s a black trash bag and gun involved with that mental threat.

  Tee throws her arms around me with a squeal and I relax beneath her embrace. “Thank you so much, Seany,” she gushes. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  I pat her back gently and she pulls out of the hug. “So tell me about how you guys met.”

  Tee rambles on, excitement gleaming bright in her green eyes. She fills me in about Emerson and how he’s a pre-law student at Brown. I smile and think about how it might be nice to have a lawyer in the family. You never know when an extra one could come in handy. Tee continues with her story about how they first met in the campus library and they immediately clicked. She tells me that from their first date she felt like she’d met her match, her other half.

  “It’s weird how I just knew, Seany,” she says then frowns. “I wish you could know that feeling. I wish you could find someone who makes you feel the way Emerson makes me feel.” She pretzels her legs. “It’s like the connection we have touches my soul and when we make—”

  I cut her off with a wave my hand and my other hand bites into the couch cushion, squeezing. I clench my jaw and take deep, calming breaths. Married or not, I do not want to hear about my kid sister’s sex life. “Tee, enough.”

  She laughs. “Okay, okay. I get it. TMI.”

  TMI doesn’t even begin to cover it.

  I think a part of me will always prefer to think of Tee as a nun. I feel safer thinking, no man has ever touched her in that way. Even if I know that’s far from the truth. “I wish you guys would have let me throw you a wedding or something,” I mention, leaning back into the couch. I think Tee deserves to have a special day. I imagine most women dream about that day. The white dress. The reception. I’m the man of this family and I feel like it should have been my duty to do at least that.

  Tee shrugs. “Honestly, Emerson’s parents have passed away too. He has a few relatives in Columbus, but other than that, it wouldn’t have been a very big one. We just thought it would be easier if it was just him and me.”

  “I didn’t even have the chance to get you two a wedding present.”

  Tee smiles. Her fingers brush against my shoulder, “Aww, Seany. Your support is the best wedding present I could ever receive.” She grips my hand and squeezes. “Ma would be proud.”

  I get a little choked up when she mentions our Ma. I know Ma would have liked me to give Tee the wedding of her dreams. She would have liked to have been there to see it. I can see her vibrant smile in my mind and I let out a long breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. I don’t want my kid sister to see me falling apart, so I clear my throat, and sit back.

  Tee and I spend the rest of the afternoon watching television in silence. She seems happier now that we talked things out. And I’m happy that she’s happy. Tee laughs at something funny that happens on the show we’re watching.

  But I tune out the sound of the voices coming from my fifty inch flat screen television, thinking about what I can possibly get Tee and her new husband as a wedding gift.

  ~ ~ ~

  Emerson Davis is a jittery little prick.

  As I slide into the booth at The Happy Days diner, and the 1950’s style décor blurs in my vision, the guy won’t even look at me. His blonde hair is once again spiked to perfection and his light blue eyes flit over every nook and cranny of this place.

  He won’t even make eye contact with me.

  I was right about him.

  The dude is a wet, dripping pussy.

  But…

  My sister loves him and if Tee loves him, I make a mental note that I’ll just have to learn to love him too. “Emerson,” I say and he jumps at the sound of his name leaving my lips. I tap the table in front of me and his eyes center on my knuckles. “Dude, you need to chill. I’m not going to kill you,” I say.

  Yet, I think.

  “Forgive me.” Emerson’s voice comes out smooth, but shaky. “I’m still a little on edge from the other day.”

  “Yeah, man. Sorry about that. I’m not sure if Tee mentioned that I don’t like surprises.” Especially ones like that.

  “She didn’t,” he says relaxing a little. “But I imagine if I had siblings I’d be upset if they went and got married without telling me.”

  I want to tell him that upset is an understatement, but I decide not to push it. Instead I reach into my pocket and pull out the envelope of cash I picked up from the bank this morning. I set it on the table and slide it toward him. Emerson stares at the envelope, puzzled, then looks at me. “Take it,” I urge him. “Congrats, man.”

  He reluctantly picks up the envelope and looks inside it. Then he slides it back toward me. “I can’t take this! There’s ten thousand dollars in there!”

  “You’re gonna take that money,” I tell him with a hard voice. “Teagan is my only sister and the only family I have left. I didn’t get to give her a wedding so you’re gonna take that ten grand. You can put some away and use the rest of it on your honeymoon.”

  “Honeymoon?” He scrunches his eyebrows together. “We’re not taking a honeymoon. We can’t afford it right now—er—I can’t afford it right now.” Red seeps into his tanned cheeks and I can tell him admitting that to me embarrasses him.

  Honestly, maybe he’s not the kind of guy I pegged him for in the first place, and I feel kind of guilty judging him before I’ve gotten the opportunity to know him. It drove me crazy when people used to do it to me.

  “Tee told me you didn’t take one. So I went ahead and booked you guys one. They’ll be sending all the info in the mail soon.” I remember a few things about Ireland, but I know Tee doesn’t remember anything at all. So I thought it would be nice if I booked the newlyweds a trip so Tee could see where we came from. “You leave for Ireland during your spring break.”

  Emerson’s eyes widen and I think the dude might seriously start crying. I pat his shoulder lightly. He stiffens first, then suddenly relaxes. “Thanks, man,” he tells me, his voice thick. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

  His words remind of the same words I’d spoken to Connor Doyle at my Ma’s funeral. Except, I don’t want anything in return for helping out Tee and her new husband. “You don’t have to repay me, “I tell him. “And I don’t want to hear another word about repayment. You hear me?” He nods. “All I want is for you to take care of my sister.” I do believe that Emerson will do just that, when he’s done with college that is. “And protect her too.”

  He clears his throat. “I’ll take care of her. And I will do my best to protect her.”

  In my eyes doing his best isn’t good enough. Not when it comes to my sister’s life. “You got a gat?” I ask him, lowering my voice. I glare at him with a darkened gaze.

  “A gat?” His voice goes up an octave and he purses his lips.

  “A gun,” I say with force.

  He shakes his head. “Oh , no. I don’t believe in violence.”

  Jesus Christ, Teagan.
Did you have to marry the king of all pussies? “Look Emerson, I don’t know what Teagan has told you but—”

  “I know a few things,” he interrupts me and narrows his eyes. “And forgive me for being brash, but I think it’s awfully hypocritical of you to tell me I need to protect her from the danger you put her in, in the first place.”

  Maybe this asshole isn’t so much of a pussy after all. He does have a set of testicals. I admire his honesty. “I was a kid when our Uncle Connie came to me. A desperate kid, who had no idea what he was getting into at the time. I made a decision that I thought would be best, and it took me years to finally grasp the concept that the decision I had made wasn’t a good one at all.” I sigh. “Now I’ve kept Tee away from all of this shit I’m mixed up in. I’ve done my best to keep in her the dark about a lot. But I think you and I both know Teagan and how she always likes to get the bottom of things.” He flashes me a knowing smirk and nods. “In the past, I protected her. But I’m not the number one man in her life anymore, you are. Now it’s up to you to guarantee that’ll she’ll be safe. I want you to promise me you won’t let anything happen to her.”

  “But what about you?”

  I balk at that and sit back in the booth. “Me?”

  “Yeah, you. What if something happens to you? I know how much Teagan loves you. She talks about you all the time. How proud she is of your boxing. How you’ve always looked out for her. What if something dire happens to you? Teagan won’t ever be able to get over it.”

  “Why don’t you let me worry about my own well-being? You just focus on Teagan, all right?” I’ve been on my own, taking care of myself for so long that I know how to do it. Still, it kind of feels nice to have someone else worrying about me for a change.

  “All right,” he says levelly.

  At that point, Emerson and I shake hands. My new brother in law isn’t so bad. I still don’t trust him, but at least now I know that his intentions for my sister are honorable. And that he loves her.

  We eat breakfast together, and chat about my upcoming fight. Emerson tells me he’s going to place a bet that I knock Mullins out in the second round and I laugh. We cover sports, and he happens to be a Browns fan too. He tells me a little bit about his family, and the death of his parents. And there’s a moment toward the end of the conversation where I can see why Teagan loves this asshole so much.