Wildcard (Stacked Deck Book 1)

by Emilia Finn

  They’re both so handsome. So beautiful and happy.

  “Walk with me?” I hate that warmth fills my cheeks, and my fingers link together in a bid to beat the nerves out of me. “We can catch the next one?”

  “Sure.” He pulls back, and waves Nora ahead when she stops to see what he’s doing. She came today for the same reason the rest of us did. She’s here to support our future champion, even if being in a crowd makes her nervous.

  Or, ya know, even if being around me makes her positively shake.

  Ben came today with good intentions to look respectable, but he tossed his coat at some point on the drive over, so now he wears black dress pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow. He wears a tie, but it’s been tugged loose, and the top button of his shirt was released long before the coat.

  He finally went and got that ink that I asked about. But it’s not the kind that I expected of him. He’s been talking about sleeves and back pieces since he was sixteen or so, but all he got was one piece of script. One sentence on the inside of his forearm.

  Que sera, sera.

  The fact he did that makes my heart tumble, and my stomach fill with warmth.

  When most of our group crams into the elevators in the lobby, and the doors close behind them, we continue our slow meander forward and hit the button once they’ve gone far enough that the doors won’t pop open again until it’s had time to deposit them on the twenty-third floor.

  “You nervous for today?” Ben asks. He stops beside me so our shoulders brush together, but that’s as much as we touch. He’s being careful not to push me away. He’s being careful to respect the lines I drew this year.

  “I guess I’m a little nervous.” I slide my hands into the pockets of my dress – bless whoever invented dresses with pockets – and shrug. “I think whatever happens is gonna mess me up. If they say no, it’ll break his heart, but if he gets the green light, it might break mine. I’ll be a nervous mess, waiting for him to compete.”

  “He has the tests and stuff.” Ben turns just a little, to give me his full attention. “His team said he was healthy and good to go. And he’s definitely not the first fighter to go back with a new heart.”

  “I know.” I reach out when the baby reaches for me. Instead of letting him grab my hair and ruthlessly tug, I give him my finger and stare into bright blue eyes. “He’s so handsome.”

  “Still feels weird, right?”

  I blow out an explosive breath and nod. “It really does. But we’re adjusting.”

  He chuckles. “I’m not sure I am. Oz knocked my mom up, Evie. You know it’s fucking with me. You know I wanted to murder him when they told us.”

  I laugh at the torment poor Ben has had to live since his mom and Oz announced the baby they were having, but my laughter cuts off again when Ben opens his arm and invites me to loop mine with his. My lips quiver with nerves. My stomach whooshes with those schoolgirl nerves we all feel when the cute boy finally notices us.

  I skipped that back when we first became friends.

  This is like a second chance. Like how Biggie goes a round with his fighters before he sends them to the octagon. Ben and I had our first round, and it didn’t go so well, but now we know better. We know where it all went wrong.

  The elevator doors ding open about three or four minutes after everyone else went up.

  Four minutes feels like a lifetime when your nervous system is firing, but at the same time, it’s like the blink of an eye.

  We step in so the baby’s chatter is the only sound we hear. No one else joins us, and when the doors slide closed, I swear I might puke on my fancy shoes.

  “Don’t be so nervous.” Ben leans a little to the side to show he’s here. “No matter what happens today, he’s not fighting tomorrow. We have time to adjust and make sure everything will be okay.”

  “Hey, Ben?”

  It’s like old times again. Hey, Ben? Hey, Ben? Hey, Ben? And he knows it, so he looks to me with a big smile and adoring eyes. “Yes, Evie?”

  “Do you wanna get dinner with me sometime?” My stomach threatens to explode when his eyes widen with surprise. “Um… like a date,” I continue. “Between mature grownups that know how to communicate when something upsets us?”

  “Really?” He turns and releases my arm, only to stop so our toes touch. “A real date?”

  I look straight into his eyes and nod. “A real date. You’re single, and I’m single, and we’re both in a space where we could potentially devote some time to… ya know… whatever may be.”

  “Que sera,” he murmurs with a smirk.

  I tap his chest, pretend that I’m straightening his tie, but really, I’m a nervous wreck. “Look at you trying to be Latino like your daddy.”

  He chuckles. “That’s actually Italian, I believe.”

  “Ben?” I press.

  His smile is blinding. “Yes?”

  “Dinner?” I swallow my pride and drop my smile. “Please?”

  Nodding, he leans in close and presses a gentle kiss on my cheek just as the doors open. “As you wish.”

  “Yesss!” Aunt Tink hisses. My eyes snap around just as she turns to Aunt Kit and accepts cash in her manicured hand. “I told you it was coming. I told you!”

  “I’m just…” The fight commissioner sits at the head of his twenty-man boardroom table with his hands twisted together while my family and friends fill the room. Rosen is a large man who has never fought a day in his life, and yet he gets to decide the fate of those who’ve spent their every waking moment working for this.

  He sits with four other executives by his sides, but he closes Mac’s file again and shakes his head. “I’m sorry, son. We can’t risk it. We just don’t have the room for you.”

  “But we brought the tests!” Mac pleads. He opens his own file and pulls sheet after sheet of paper out. “I did the ECHO.” He tosses the results across the table. “It shows perfect function of my heart. Perfect! The doctor said it’s like a brand-new car.” His voice shakes when Rosen and his guys don’t reach out for the test results. “He literally said that. Brand-new car. I had the biopsy done. There’s no rejection. I have the MRI, again, no rejection, no problems. There’s no reason why I can’t fight.”

  “We can’t risk it, Mr. Blair. We’ve been mulling this over for years, and every time we try to tell you yes, we come back to the risk being too great. We will not have fighters dying on national television.”

  “Men die even when their hearts are fine!” he snaps. “Men have died on that canvas before. We all run the risk.”

  “But your risk is too much.” Rosen stands. “I’m sorry, son. I truly am. It hurts me to dash your dreams, but I’m trying to save your life.”

  “With all due respect, sir.” Biggie snatches up the sheets of paper Mac tossed. “Please reconsider. Mac has done every single thing you’ve asked of him. He’s done the medical tests. He’s done the physical tests. He outruns and outfights many other men whose heart is original. It’s been seven years since transplant, and not once has he shown rejection or had problems.”

  “He needed more surgery after transplant,” Rosen pushes. “This hasn’t been as smooth as you’d have us think.”

  “Pleural effusion,” Bean jumps up and leans onto the table. “Fluid in the lungs is common after such an ordeal, and was dealt with immediately. He hasn’t needed the procedure done a second time.”

  “Miss Kincaid, I’m sorry, but–”

  “It was seven years ago!” she snaps. “You’re killing his dreams and everything he’s worked for, all because of something that isn’t actually a risk. Medically, he is cleared to fight.”

  “I’m sorry, Miss Kincaid. It is what it is, and it’s no longer up for negotiation. This case is being closed as of today.” He looks to Mac. “I truly am sorry. But I will not be able to sleep knowing we’re selling tickets to a fight that everyone will attend just to see if you live. This is not a low-profile case. The fight world knows who you are,
and if we promoted the bout, they’re not coming to watch you fight, son. They’re coming to watch you die. We can’t get on board with that.” He stands and waves his executives up. “This case is closed.” He looks to Uncle Bobby. “I hope we can continue good relations between the board and the Rollin On Gym. We understand this is not the answer you came here for, but we’re doing what we think is right.”

  Uncle Bobby says nothing. There are no platitudes or fake reassurances. There’s only Rollers left in a boardroom while the men who control Mac’s future cruelly walk away and close the doors as they go.

  “It’s all over.” Mac drops back down in his chair and lets his head droop. “Just like that, they say no, and it’s all gone.” He looks up and meets Bean’s eyes, and when I see tears sparkling in his, I almost lose my composure. “It was all for nothing. My whole fucking life, and it was all for nothing.”

  “No it wasn’t.” Swallowing, I step away from Ben and my mom, since they were both guarding me in a way. I move around the table, pass Biggie as I go, and give him a mini heart attack when he realizes I’m about to be impulsive again. But it’s not impulse if it’s been seven years in the making. “They won’t let you fight.” I stop in front of the chair Rosen just vacated, as though I become the new leader in his absence. “It means you will never wear a world championship belt with their blessing.”

  “Not helping,” Mac growls.

  “So we make our own.” I meet Uncle Bobby’s eyes. Then Biggie’s. And finally, Ben’s. “We create our own circuit. We sell the tickets. We collect the cash. We pay the fighters. We don’t need this commission when we could create our own.”

  “Smalls,” Biggie practically chokes. “Stop.”

  “No. Who said they’re the lords and owners of all things fight world? Who says we can’t topple a monopoly?”

  “Because we can’t!” Uncle Bobby argues. “We can’t compete.”

  “Says who? I’ll fight.” I look to Bean, and smile when she nods. “Bean’s in. Mac doesn’t get a choice, so he’s in.”

  “I’ll fight,” Ben chokes out. “If there is a new circuit, then I’ll support it.”

  “Ben!” His mother snaps. “You’re going to forfeit your contracts and belts? After all of that hard work? Are you serious right now?”

  He nods. “Yes, because Mac is family. If it all goes to hell, then… I dunno. I’ll join the police force or some shit.” Finally, he looks to Biggie. “You said it yourself over Christmas. A new circuit will work. You saw the plans Baker was making, and had already fine-tuned them in your mind. Not only will it be a success, but it’ll topple the mainstream circuit.”

  “I also said it was dangerous!” Biggie barks. “I said Baker was wanting to bring my daughter into a dangerous world, and that I wouldn’t have it.”

  “This is my idea,” I press and wait for every set of eyes. “Not Ben’s, not Mac’s, not anyone else’s. It’s what I’m doing.” I step around the table and pull Mac up so I can wind my arm in his. A united front. A fighting force to be reckoned with. “This is what I’m doing. You’re all invited to join us.”

  To be continued in ‘Reshuffle’.

  Acknowledgments

  It’s the NEXT GENERATION! Ahhhhhhh. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time - ever since Britt slept over at the roller estate in Finding Hope and helped Jack cook breakfast. Evie’s story began all the way back then, and she’s been screaming for attention ever since.

  Thank you so much for joining me on this crazy ride! If you’ve been with me all along, then I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you’re brand new, then welcome. Feel free to hit rewind, go back to Finding Home and meet these folks back at their conception.

  Their parents’ stories are pretty magical too… and Aiden knows all of the best moves :P

  First up, I want to thank my very best friends – Tink and Kelly. I love you both very much. Thank you for being mine.

  My betas – Debbie and Siddhi – thank you for your hard work. I appreciate every scrap of feedback you give.

  My cover designer – Amy Q – I seriously adore your work! Thank you.

  My editor – Jen from Bird’s Eye Books. Thank you for your humour and commentary while editing. I took perverse pleasure in your comments re: Reid.

  My proofreader - Lindsi - you always make these guys shine. Thank you.

  My crew – I love you guys so much. Thank you for your unending and super passionate support.

  And to my husband and babies – thank you. I love you all so much.

  Also by EMILIA FINN

  (in reading order)

  The Rollin On Series

  Finding Home

  Finding Victory

  Finding Forever

  Finding Peace

  Finding Redemption

  Finding Hope

  The Survivor Series

  Because of You

  Surviving You

  Without You

  Rewriting You

  Always You

  Take A Chance On Me

  The Checkmate Series

  Pawns In The Bishop’s Game

  Till The Sun Dies

  Castling The Rook

  Playing For Keeps

  Rise Of The King

  Sacrifice The Knight

  Winner Takes All

  Checkmate

  Stacked Deck - Rollin On Next Gen

  Wildcard

  Reshuffle

  Game of Hearts

  Full House

  Rollin On Novellas

  (Do not read before finishing the Rollin On Series)

  Begin Again – A Short Story

  Written in the Stars – A Short Story

  Full Circle – A Short Story

  Worth Fighting For – A Bobby & Kit Novella

  Looking To Connect?

  Website: www.emiliafinn.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmiliaBFinn/

  Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2YB5Gmw

  Email: emilia@emiliafinn.com

  The Crew: https://www.facebook.com/groups/therollincrew/

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