Outside The Ropes: OtherSide Of Fear Part 4

"Magnally was just up here, said you invited him."

Dexter shrugged. "I might have said something in pa.s.sing. I saw him at the gym this morning. He scouts around there."

"Was he there for you? You going to switch to fighting in the cage?"

"Itll pay a h.e.l.l of a lot better than the ring and my job at the radio station. h.e.l.l, I might even be able to take more than two cla.s.ses at a time if I make enough money."

"I told you Id help. You dont have-"

"Its fine." Dexter waved away his words. "Im just thinking about it, going to train with them to start and see how it goes." He grabbed Leona and pulled her down beside him as she approached.

"Does Leona know?" Gages voice was hard with disapproval.

The tension between Dexter and Gage was almost suffocating as they stared at each other.

"What?" Leona questioned, smile dropping as she watched the brothers.

"Yeah, she does," Dexter said, turning to her. "That Im going to train with that UFC team."

"He told me. Why do you care so much?"

I was wondering the same thing, but I was familiar with how much control Gage use to have over Dexters life. I a.s.sumed this was him having a hard time letting go.

"Just dont want him to get hurt."

"Me neither." Leona raised her brows, daring Gage to say otherwise. "But if he wants to do this, then Ill support him. Just like I supported him boxing."

Dexter kissed her red lips deeply, neither of them caring about messing up the lipstick now.

Gage picked up his drink, nearly emptying it, drowning out the responses I knew he wanted to make.

I slid my hand to his shoulder and squeezed. "h.e.l.l be okay. Its their life." I couldnt stop the little voice in my head that questioned if we would be okay. I sipped on my tea and for once wished it were something stronger.

Calling the server over, I requested a margarita, ignoring Gages stare. Dexter and Leona put in their own order before she left.

"That girl bends over too much." Leonas words slurred into one another as the server walked away.

"I think theyre trained to do that. Its in the job description." Dexter dropped his eyes over Leona with a grin. "You could get a job here and look a heluva lot better bending over than her."

His words soothed Leona, and she sat up smiling. "I could, too."

When the server returned with our drinks, a silver haired man in a suite accompanied her.

"Mr. Lawson, I hope youre enjoying your night." The man greeted Gage. "Im the owner, Preston Marx. Welcome and thank you for choosing my club."

Gage rose to his feet, shaking the mans hand as the server pa.s.sed out drinks. I couldnt make out what they said to each other, but then they both sat to continue their conversation.

"Yes, The Dollhouse in New York. Congratulations, I heard you took over that establishment." The man smoothed his tie down.

"I was considering upgrading it to something like this. A high end club, instead. Or perhaps opening a new place altogether."

My body sunk in the seat, weighing me down. What did he think he was doing? It wasnt his club to renovate.

Aliya bounced onto the seat by Leona. "Where the h.e.l.l have you all been? Come on, lets go back to the dance floor." She tugged at Lees arm, and then her eyes brightened as she spotted me. "And you, you have to come this time. Im not taking no for an answer."

I looked back to Gage, stomach twisting at the smile on his face while he listened to the other man speak.

Touching his knee, I captured his attention. "Im going to dance."

He glanced around our group. "Dexter, are you going with the girls?"

Dexter nodded, already standing to follow.

"Have fun." Gage squeezed my leg in farewell, and then slid right back into conversation with the owner.

His quick dismissal had me hot. I picked up my margarita and drank deeply. The sour drink was cool sliding down my throat, liquor warm as it wrapped around me. I only hoped it took the edge off. I kept drinking till it was empty, afraid Id splash any remainder over Gages head. It was crazy to be so angry about him talking, but it was only a stick added to an already burning fire, another time he put that stupid club in front of me.

Aliya cheered me on, arms raised as I took my last gulp. "h.e.l.l yeah, now were ready." She hooked her arm through mine. "Lets go, chingon"

I lost myself in the music, letting the beat drown out my anger. But it couldnt cover the thoughts that constantly plagued me or the tingle of fear caused by the crowd. The only thing keeping me there were my friends faces around me.

I hadnt noticed that the man dancing behind Aliya was one of the guys with Magnally earlier, the one that was shorter than Gage. Id only noticed that she was having fun, until he tried to pull her away, and she struggled to break his hold on her wrist.

"Let her go." I stepped between them and he dropped her arm. I scanned the crowd, but didnt see Dexter anywhere.

His gla.s.sy eyes barely focused on me, and he swayed on his feet as his finger jabbed the air. "Little-miss-Lawson." He laughed, turning his attention back to Aliya. "Is this your friend? She can come to the after party too, if you want."

Aliya stepped back further, hands on her hips. "Im not going anywhere with you, never was."

He straightened, frowning, like he didnt understand a word she said. "Youre a tease."

His friend, the taller one who had glared at Gage earlier, grabbed his shoulder, keeping him from stepping towards Aliya. "They aint worth it. Plenty of other girls." He curled his lip as he looked over the two of us. "These s.l.u.ts prefer b.i.t.c.hes."

I stopped Aliya from slapping out at the man, even though I wanted nothing more than to hit him too. But I wanted them gone more, and they were about to walk away.

"You better watch your f.u.c.king mouth. You dont know who were here with. They would f.u.c.king kill you, you worthless-"

I pushed Aliya back, trying to drag her away as she let her words fly in a drunken rampage.

But the crowd was thick, our escape slow, and the men followed.

"Talking about Lawson? I heard that rumor he killed people, part of shady business. But I saw what a b.i.t.c.h he was tonight. Pretty boy probably bought his t.i.tle."

"You heard a rumor?" I snapped and spun towards him.

He stopped in his tracks with a smile on his face, gold teeth shinning.

He was much taller than me, but I didnt care, I got close enough for him to hear my hiss, without touching him. "Id be f.u.c.king careful what you say next, because some rumors are true."

A hint of understanding flashed across his face, maybe realization, or maybe acknowledgment that I was crazy. I certainly felt it. But then his eyes rose above me, and Gage pulled me back.

"Is there a problem? I thought I told you to leave." Gage squared up to him. The other man was taller and had more muscle, but Gage still managed to look down on him.

"I was just talking to your wife about rumors. What about the rumor that youre a pimp now, running a wh.o.r.e house in New York?"

Gage stiffened, and my heart leapt in my throat. Both of the other men were laughing.

The tall man reached past Gage, towards me. "Is she one of them? How mu-" Suddenly, he was on his knees, arm twisted high behind him.

"Dont f.u.c.king touch her." Gage shoved him flat on the ground, and the s.p.a.ce around us cleared as dancers took notice of what was going on. Gage stepped back as the shorter man lunged towards him and used his forward momentum to push him to the ground.

Before the men could get up, Magnally stepped through a break in the crowd. "What the h.e.l.l are you two doing?"

Then bouncers were there, lifting the men to their feet and dragging them away. No one even questioned Gage.

He wiped his hands on his pants like they were only a minor annoyance. His bright eyes met mine. "You all right? Ready to go?"

But I stood still, the mans accusations running through my head.

What about the rumor that youre a pimp?

This wasnt something I was willing to wait to talk about. I needed to know if this was just a rumor. But fear strangled me.

Some rumors were true, and I couldnt handle this one if it was.

6: Need To Know.

I WAS FROZEN IN s.p.a.cE, WORLD SPINNING around me. The clubs ba.s.s was drowned out by the words screaming in my head, ricocheting through me like a stray bullet.

Pimp.

Wh.o.r.e house.

As much as I wanted to dismiss it as the ramblings of an a.s.s, I couldnt. Not with the way Gage had been acting since he started working there.

Gage. He was hovering over me now, saying something, hand on my elbow, trying to usher me off the dance floor.

I pulled free from his grip and pushed through the crowd to the front of the club. I had to get out of here. The room was closing in on me, the rumors thick and choking. I couldnt breathe. There were too many people around, too much smoke, too much noise. And Gage at my back only made it worse.

He was usually the one to calm me when I panicked, but not now. Not this Gage. He felt like a stranger.

The front of the club didnt release to outside, but to the inside of a hotel and casino. The bright lights, noise of the slots, and people streaming past did nothing to ease my vibrating muscles and straining breath. I needed fresh air, but before I could even spot the exit to the hotel, Gage stopped me.

"Our rooms not that way." His hand gently guided me to face the right direction. "The elevator is over there."

I pulled away, wrapping my arms around myself, holding it all together as I walked towards the elevators. We had checked in here before going to Dexters, but I didnt have the key on me or remember exactly where the room was. Room 2119. I could figure it out.

A small group of men were waiting outside the elevator doors, talking and laughing in Spanish. I stood back, willing the doors to open so I could get away.

I turned to Gage. "Give me the key. You should go back. Check on Dexter and them, I dont know what happened."

"Theyll be all right. They have the limo for the night and my number if they need something."

The door slid open, and I followed the group onto the elevator with Gage right behind me. He pressed the b.u.t.ton for our floor and then stood between me and the other men, blocking me from view. I knew what he was doing; it must have been obvious that I was freaking out.

The doors slid open and the group exited, never breaking their conversation. With their chatter gone, the faint sound of cla.s.sical music filled the car.

The moment the doors closed on us, Gage turned to face me. "You scared the h.e.l.l out of me." His voice was low as he stepped close, but his bodys warmth didnt reach me. His closeness only increased the chill seeping into my bones, making them ache. "Why did you get in that mans face? Youre strong, but... you cant challenge people like him." He gripped my elbow, head dipping to catch my eyes.

"He was running his mouth about you." I leveled my glare at him, and his hand dropped from my elbow.

"What did he say?" He questioned softly.

Wrapping my arms tighter around myself, I dropped my eyes to the bright blue carpet. I couldnt stand to keep looking at him. He heard what had been said at the end, and thats the only thing that mattered.

The elevator doors opened, and I stepped past him without responding.

Once we were in our room, he stopped me from escaping to the balcony by wrapping an arm around my waist from behind, lips in my hair.

"So you were defending me?" his low rasp held a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt, but his body was turned on as he pressed against me.

I spun on my toes, shoving him away. "Dont touch me."

His brows knitted together, deep lines creasing between them. "What the h.e.l.l? We fought for each other again, I thought-"

"That you wouldnt have to explain? That Id forget what he said? Wrong."

"Explain? You said it yourself, he was only running his mouth."

"Except, half of what he said was true." Now I was the one stepping closer to him, wanting to grab him and force him to speak. He was retreating, hiding behind his frustration.

The tension between us was solid, like a rope in tug of war. Both of us struggled for the upper hand.

"Just what, exactly, are you accusing me of?" He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning away with a smug self-righteousness that momentarily took away my words.