“Yeah she does, but you have to understand she’s a ballerina. Ballet is not just what she does but defines who she is.”
That I did understand and told him so. “I’m a professional fighter. Mixed martial arts, so I get it. I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t fight.” I knew I’d find out soon enough because once I threw the fight I’d probably never be allowed back in the area again or if I did it would be to lose. I couldn’t do it.
Dante raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were a fighter, Ivy never said. She just told me you moved with your step-dad to Japan and you all lost touch.”
I was glad she’d talked to him about me, it meant she did think about me. I thought about her. A lot.
Dante studied me for a second. “Is this like a fight club kinda thing, underground?”
I smiled. “Yeah, something like that and no Ivy doesn’t really get that part.”
He nodded. “Are you any good?”
Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. “Unbeaten.”
“Then you probably do understand how she’s feeling. As far as her options. I don’t believe she’d want to dance in another area. But frankly, I think she’d make one hell of a chorographer. She’s really good, she’s worked quite a few of our modern ballet pieces and there are places that would hire her. Her name alone would guarantee attendance.” Dante paused. “But for now it’s still raw, she’s going to need a little time for this to settle in. I don’t even think she called her parents and told them yet. I was going to while we were at the hospital but she told me not to, she’d take care of it.”
I knew for a fact she hadn’t since I was with her the entire time, since she left the hospital. These last few minutes were the only time we’d been apart. So unless she was talking to them now she hadn’t. “Yeah, I think you’re right. Thank you.”
Dante stood up. “You’re welcome. And just to be clear. Martial arts or not, you hurt her again and I’ll kick your ass.”
“You can try. And I won’t hurt her. Oh one more thing, since we’re sharing, she thinks you’re bi. I don’t know or care what you are but I know damn well you’re not just into being friends with her. But she is with me now and I’m warning you back the fuck off.”
Dante didn’t break eye contact he just nodded then turned and walked out of the kitchen. If he weren’t trying to get into my girl’s pants I might actually like the fuck. Bi my ass. He was no more into dudes than I was.
I took my phone out and texted Tsang.
Me: ‘Be there at 8am nothing has changed.’
The reply was immediate.
Tsang: ‘See you then.’
Chapter Twenty
Ivy
I don’t know how I would have made it through the night without Maze’s warmth surrounding me, keeping me safe while I cried, fighting not to let go of a lifelong dream. But sometime during the night Maze wiped the tears off my face and what he said was so simple.
“Don’t give up until you know you have to, and then just change direction,” he said.
“It’s torn tendons, Maze.”
“So, once the cast comes off you’ll do rehab. I’ll help. There are some exercises I’ll teach you to help strengthen your ankle.”
Then he made sweet love to me. Slow, tender, we watched each other the entire time and I nearly drowned in his eyes. There was the Maze I’d fallen in love with so long ago. I did love him. I always had. It was why I waited for him and why his disappearing on me after reentering my life hurt so much. But I believed he loved me, too. I saw it in the way he looked at me while we made love. I felt it in his tender touches. I could wait for the words.
When I got up in the morning I saw Maze sitting on the side of the bed pulling up his pants. I sat up and he leaned over and kissed me. “I was trying not to wake you,” he said. “And no I wasn’t just going to leave. I promise I will never do that again. I’ve already sent you a text.” He grinned seemingly pleased with himself.
He handed me my phone, which I’d placed on the nightstand near his side of the bed. Sure enough there was a text just a few minutes old from Maze. I smiled and opened it. My heart banged against my chest when I saw instead of the Xs he usually placed at the end of his text he’d placed a heart.
I smiled. “You’re going to the gym.”
“Yeah. I need to go back to the house in Brooklyn first to grab my gear and then get over to the gym by eight. But as soon as I’m done I’ll text you.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll probably be there all day. Will you be all right?”
“I’ll be fine.” I smiled at him, but I missed him already.
He knelt by the bed, we leaned toward each other and he kissed me hard, then got up. “Later.” His voice was husky and that one word held a promise.
Then he turned toward the door, opened it and was gone. I stretched like a cat. I had sore muscles but a delicious kind of sore and not in the usual places. We were very inventive last night while we made love, the cast didn’t slow us down at all. I felt the smile take over my face. I grabbed the pillow he’d lain on and held it over my face taking in his scent on it and all over me. I closed my eyes but couldn’t go back to sleep, thoughts of my life without dance being such a huge part of it flashed before me. But I remembered Maze’s words, so I wouldn’t give up. Not until I absolutely had to. There were exercises I would do once the cast came off to strengthen my ankle. And if it healed properly I might have a fighting chance, but only one. Feeling better about that decision and Maze being a fixture in my life I would have gone back to sleep but I heard movement out in the other room, Dante. He was probably getting ready to leave, and I wanted to talk to him.
Maze left my crutches propped against the nightstand on my side of the bed. I sat up stark naked, my clothes from the night before now rested on the chair near the closet door. Maze must have picked them up off the floor. I smiled at him doing even that kind of domestic task. With his tough-like approach to most things he was incredibly thoughtful and gentle. But I needed to get to my robe which hung on the back of the bathroom door along with a XXL t-shirt I sometimes slept in that covered my ass, I’d put them both on. I really needed a shower but I didn’t want to miss Dante. I got my crutches and made my way over to the bathroom, giving my teeth a quick brushing then grabbing the t-shirt and robe and putting them on. Afterward I made my way out into the living room. I spotted Dante sitting at the breakfast table eating a bowl of oatmeal and looking at his phone.
“Hey,” he said, when he glanced up and saw me. “Maze still here?”
“No. He had to get back to his place to change before heading for the gym.”
Dante nodded and I made my way over to the kitchen. I leaned against one of the crutches while I opened a cabinet for a bowl, but Dante jumped up and grabbed one down for me.
“Here, sit down, I’ll fix you some oatmeal.”
“Thanks,” I said and sat down. Using one foot while navigating around the small area on crutches was going to take some getting used to. I watched him as he quickly tore open a pack of instant, put it in the bowl and added milk. Two minutes in the microwave and it was good to go. He poured me a cup of tea while the food heated.
“Here.” He placed the tea in front of me, and then the bowl when it was ready before resuming his seat to finish his bowl. “So you and Maze,” he said. It wasn’t a question. It was pretty obvious it was me and Maze.
I nodded. “Yeah. Me and Maze.”
“Just be careful, okay. He’s…different.”
I smiled. “Rough around the edges.”
Dante grinned. “Yeah something like that. But I already warned him I’ll kick his ass if he hurt you again.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “You know he’s a champion mixed martial arts fighter, right?”
“Yeah. Don’t care. I’d still kick his ass.”
I believed he’d at least try. While I knew Dante could probably take care of himself against most, I’d seen Maze fight. He was quick
and brutal and sexy as hell.
“Well you don’t have to worry, I’ll be fine. But I wanted to talk to you about the group. I will be in the cast for six to eight weeks. Then another few weeks of rehab. If this had to happen it couldn’t have happened at a better time. I’ll only miss the spring shows. So I will be ready to start rehearsals end of summer to do the fall shows starting in September. We get the summer off for the most part so I will use it to strengthen my ankle.”
Dante shook his head. “Ivy…”
“I know what you’re going to say, but it’s not impossible. Other dancers have been able to come back from injuries like this.”
“Not many, but are you sure?”
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “The only way I’d lose is if I give up before I even try.”
He nodded and returned my squeeze. “Then fine. If anyone can make this work it’s you. I’ll let Davis know. Go over the paperwork they sent you and then we’ll talk again later tonight when I get home. I’ll pick up some Chinese. Should I get enough for Maze?”
Maze said he’d text me later, not that I’d see him tonight. “Text me after rehearsal and I’ll let you know.”
He stood up and took his bowl and cup and placed them in the dishwasher, I was still working on mine. He passed by me and rested his hand on my shoulder then leaned over and kissed my hair. “I just worry about you, but I’m glad to see you happy again. Even if I don’t think he’s good enough for you.”
I patted his hand and looked up at him. “I’ll be fine.”
Then he left the kitchen to get ready to go to rehearsal. I felt a pang in the center of my stomach. We’d always left together, took classes together, danced together. This would be the first time in three years he was partnered with someone else. The first time I wouldn’t be in a show. I had no idea what I was going to do with myself for the rest of the day, much less the next six weeks. I stood up and managed to hop over to the dishwasher with my bowl and cup. Then I grabbed my crutches and made my way into my room. I shut the door and went over to my bedside table to grab my phone. I stuck it in the pocket of my robe and a headed for the shower.
I turned on the shower only to shut if off again. Shit. I’d forgotten I can’t get the cast wet and I forgot to bring a plastic trash bag with me to cover it in. I didn’t want to try taking a bath. I could probably get into the tub without help but getting out I didn’t want to chance slipping. So showers it would have to be, good thing it was a separate walk-in shower. I still needed to find something to cover my cast with. I opened my cabinet under the sink; bingo I had a few plastic bags in there. I sat on the toilet and wrapped it up, as I finished I heard my phone ping, I had a text.
Maze: ‘Miss you. See you later tonight.’
I smiled, I had my answer. I sent him a text back. ‘Miss you too.’
Chapter Twenty-One
Maze
It had been a long day. Tsang had made sure the trainer worked my ass off. How Uncle Tsang managed to get one of the best trainers in the business, who was retired, to return to help me I couldn’t even imagine. The man was more than a trainer, he was a master and hadn’t been seen in the last five or so years. He was a legend among martial artists because every fighter he’d ever trained ended up as champions, too bad he was about to break that winning streak. I stepped out of the ring and made my way to the changing rooms. I’d brought a change of clothes with me. I wanted to head over to the hospital to check on Joe and then go straight to Ivy. Just the thought of her put a smile on my face. She was in my heart, a part of me now and I’d protect her with everything I had. But I was not letting her go. Selfish much? Yes.
I’d just finished dressing when Uncle Tsang showed up, his ever present body guard at his side, but he remained near the door. I had a changing room to myself, even though it could accommodate four. I was training after all and their champion, so I warranted it. My heart skipped a beat though when I saw Tsang. He’d been at the gym earlier and then left to go visit Joe. I wasn’t expecting to see him again until tomorrow.
“Is everything okay? How’s Joe?”
Something in my voice must have clued Tsang into my anxiety; he smiled to ease my concern. “Rest easy. But he and I had a talk. Sit down.”
I sat down on the bench; Uncle Tsang sat next to me and faced me. “Maze, you know Joe is like a brother to me and I think of you as a nephew.”
All I could do was nod, not sure where he was going with this unless there was something wrong with Joe.
“I was the one that made it possible for Joe to handle the outside activities of the Triad and establish a separate Tong to begin with. I have been slowly turning over my own interest to his Tong. I’ve known Joe’s wanted out for sometime and I did my best to keep him separate from things he’d rather not be involved in. I kept much away from you both. It was my idea to have you lose this fight, as Joe’s payment in full, if you will, to the others so he could leave in peace. Because of the betting we stand to make, well…a lot of money is involved. The others agreed.”
I frowned. “Yeah I know all this and I agreed. I also know that won’t be enough for them.”
Tsang nodded. “Yes, they will own you. It wouldn’t just be the one fight. Your skills are well known. I fear what the others have planned for you is to utilize those skills in another way.”
“I suspected as much. I had a task to perform before we came to the U.S. I thought it might have been a test, other than the time I protected you.” I’d had to get onto the grounds of a rival group’s Dragon Master and remove some documents from his bedroom. Incriminating documents being used against Joe’s Triad, against things Joe did in the past. I’d done it. Gotten in and out without being seen, even though the place had guards. No one had to tell me failure meant my death.
Tsang nodded. “We were all very impressed. There are already plans in place to have you do even more.”
My stomach started to hurt. This was not what I wanted.
“Joe knows this, son. He’s not stupid, he’s been a part of this world long enough to know how it works. He recognized what I did as well as the others. There is a dragon inside you, it is why he’s trained you to the level he has. And he is adamant, he does not want you to throw the fight, and allow the Triad to draw your dragon out. And I agree.
“What?” That surprised me. Although it shouldn’t, I always knew I was capable of taking my skills to another level; I already mastered the more violent of the martial arts. Creating my own unique style.
Tsang shook his head, then sighed. “I never wanted this for you either. I had hoped by losing and the funds they would receive in compensation would be enough. But there has been some rumbling among others and no one wants to appear weak. Makes the Triad seem vulnerable. All of this I understand. But still I tell you do not throw this fight. If you can win then do so.”
I shook my head this time. “I’m sorry, Uncle Tsang. I thank you for what you’re trying to do but you know I have no choice. Joe needs to be out of this mess, he’s getting old. And I’m not stupid, that heart attack took a lot out of him. He’s no where near out of the woods.”
Tsang smiled. “Joe said you’d still refuse. Stubborn he called you, but he said to tell you he’s even more so. He had me do something to ensure you won.”
I was confused and laughed but it was an uneasy one. “What could he possibly have done to ensure I won?”
“He had me withdraw all of the funds out of your joint bank accounts as well as the portfolio and that of the Tong. I bet it all on you.”
“WHAT!” I stood up and began to pace.
“As well as a sizable portion of my own accounts.”
“FUCK!” I open palmed smacked my hand against the locker putting a dent in the metal.
I turned around to face Tsang breathing hard. “How could you let him do that? How could you do it? You realize what this means?”
Tsang nodded. “Yes, we both do.” Tsang stood up and placed both hands on my shoulders. “Jo
e and I, we both chose this life, understanding what it meant; we did it knowingly. This was our choice. It is not yours.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. My lips parted as I tried to suck air into my lungs to get my brain functioning. I felt wetness coursing down my cheeks. I hadn’t cried since my mother died. I would willingly sacrifice myself for Joe the way he had for me over the years. Looked like he continued to sacrifice for me and I would not fucking let him down. But I also knew this would be my last fight. The Triads ruled this world and I wouldn’t let them use me as a pawn again. I needed to see Joe. And Ivy. My heart felt lighter knowing what it would also mean for me and Ivy. A chance we might have a chance.
Tsang patted my shoulder then took my arm. “Come on. I’ll take you to see Joe.”
The good news when I finally got to see Joe was that he was no longer in ICU but in a private room, on the same floor. He wasn’t in the general wards yet, but his condition was stable enough they took him out of ICU.
I walked into the room and at first he appeared to be resting. He was still hooked up to some kind of tube but there weren’t as many monitors and he didn’t have tubes in his nose any more. I stood by the bed and watched him open his eyes. When he saw me he smiled. I took his hand and he squeezed it. It was weak but better than the last time.
“How you feeling?” I asked.
“Like I got into the arena for a round or two with you.”
I smiled. Tsang had come in behind me and now sat on the chair by the foot of the bed. “I told him,” Uncle Tsang said to Joe.
Joe smiled. “Good, good.” He moved his other hand to place over my hand so it was enclosed in both of his. “It’s better this way, Maze. You win that fight, take the money, and don’t look back.”
“I will. But what… What about the two of you?” I looked at him then over at Uncle Tsang.
Uncle Tsang answered, “Don’t worry about us. We’re survivors; we got ourselves into this we’ll get ourselves out. We are not without our own resources. And with your win the Tong will be financially solid. We can cut all ties with the Triad.”
The Ballerina & The Fighter (Book 1) Page 13