Unbroken (Fighter Erotic Romance #4) (14 page)

SHANE.
Most people have always considered me to be frugal or stingy. I may have appeared to be so, but I really had more concerns with not being able to provide for my loved one, myself, or my potential children. I felt any money I spent now would be money I wouldn’t have later. In the past, these thought processes prevented me from spending much money if I didn’t feel it was completely necessary.

Now that things have changed, I look at life, money, and spending much differently. Taking a breather from boxing, and hoping for a worthy opponent, I decided to take a step in the direction of what it was I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Train other boxer’s to be like me.

“Keep those elbows tucked, or you’re going to have a broken rib,” I shouted.

Unable to respond with the mouthpiece in his mouth, he nodded his head.

“So,” A-Train asked as he held the bottom rope.

“He’s come a long way,” I responded.

“Kid might just have some serious talent. He’ll have to learn to control his mouth,” I shrugged.

“We’ll work on that. I like the kid, Dekk. He’s a good kid,” A-Train smiled as he looked into the ring.

I nodded my head toward A-Train and turned to the ring, “Stay in close, kid. Use that speed. Don’t let him lure you like that.”

“Damn, Dekk, you’re going to scare him, you keep shouting at him like that,” A-Train laughed.

“He needs shouted at,” I half whispered.

“That’s it,
in close
. Use! Your! Hand speed!”

He unleashed a ferocious combination, and worked his way up his opponent’s face, ending with what would have been a wild left uppercut, had it not connected.

But it did.

His opponent dropped to the mat like he’d died.

“Damn, he dropped that guy like a bad habit,” A-Train whistled.

“Sure did,” I agreed.

“Help him up kid. Always be a sportsman, never a prick,” I shouted.

As he bent over the man got up on one knee and shook his head from side to side. He was done. The uppercut was rather poorly executed, but landed perfectly. The end result was a semi-unconscious man on the mat who had no intent of continuing to fight.

“Anyone want to give my guy a whirl?” I screamed into the gym.

Slowly, a new face walked up on my left side. Tall, muscular, and tattooed he walked to the edge of the ring and ducked under the ropes. Since my winning the championship, the ring had been overcrowded and overrun with people wanting to join the gym and utilize the services of Kelsey and myself. The gym was small, run down and barely had room in it for the fighters who had been here for years, let alone any more. Kelsey and Joe did the best they could and attempted to accommodate everyone, but it was becoming tough for us all.

“What’s the ribbon mean on his arm?” I asked, recognizing it as a military marking.

“Airborne. Ranger. Appears to be an Army Special Forces boy,” A-Train nodded.

I raised my eyebrows, “Should I get him out of there?”

“Don’t underestimate the kid, Dekk. He tries harder than you think,” A-Train responded as he pulled on the lower rope.

“Better listen this time, kid. We got a ringer in here,” A-Train shouted.

“Alright touch ‘em up. And keep it clean,” I hollered.

The Ranger immediately swung a wild left uppercut which missed by a fraction of an inch. As that punch was on the upswing, he swung a right hook which immediately followed a nano-second behind, connecting with the upper ribcage.

“Oh shit, that hurt,” A-Train winced.

“Sure did. Oh hell, look at him,” I laughed.

After absorbing the hook, he stepped in and began working the body of the Ranger. As the Ranger got tired, and it didn’t take long, he loosened his elbows, and held his arms loosely at his sides.

“Ribs, kid, Get. Those. Ribs,” I screamed, knowing both fighters could clearly hear me.

He swung a hard right hook into the ribs of the Ranger. Immediately, he folded up in pain. Although I considered stopping the fight, he appeared to want to continue. Almost certain a rib had been broken, I waited for him to give the signal to stop the fight.

“You realize the Ranger won’t give up, right?” A-Train asked softly.

“Why?” I asked.

“Rangers lead the way,” he smiled.

I shrugged, “I don’t get it.”

“Pride, Dekk. Pride,” he responded.

“Should I stop it?” I asked.

“Nope,” he smiled.

As I turned toward the ring again, Kelsey walked up to my left side.

“How’s he doing?” he asked.

“He’s good, old man. He really is. Kind of a wild man, but overall he’s good.”

“Like someone else I know,” Kelsey smiled.

“Me?” I asked.

“No, The Ripper. He’s like a skinnier version of The Ripper,” Kelsey grinned.

“Stay in close you skinny little fucker. And hit him on the shove off with a hard right jab,” Kelsey screamed.

“I swear, are you training this kid, or talking to your favorite jarhead?” Kelsey asked as he slapped A-Train on the arm.

“Well, I’m training…”

Holy shit!

After a series of body shots, the Ranger shoved the kid off of him. As soon as he did, the kid swung a hard right jab, which connected directly with the Ranger’s chin. The Ranger immediately fell to the mat, unconscious.

“Grab the smelling salts for this one, Dekk. He went down hard,” A-Train said as he pulled the rope up and stepped into the ring.

“You dumb fucking jarhead, what did I tell you about getting in my ring with those street shoes on?” Kelsey screamed.

“Shut up old man,” A-Train said as he looked up from the Ranger who lay unconscious on the mat.

Kelsey turned to me and smiled, “Alec’s a damned good man, kid.”

“I know he is, boss,” I responded.

At A-Train’s request, I never told anyone he came to get me when I ran away from Kace and my problems digesting everything. He asked that I simply act as if I decided on my own to come home. I’ve never met anyone as humble as he is. He wants no recognition, and cares for no praise. All he wants is to find a way to leave the war behind. Slowly, I see progress in him every day. Casey has been a great asset to building A-Train’s confidence in being able to become human again. In time, I’m sure he’ll be whoever he was before the war started.

Whoever that person may be.

“Get a shower, kid,” I hollered into the ring.

“We’re gonna have to do something before long, kid. This gym’s overrun with people I don’t even know. Joe and I are turning people away. It’s a sad sight. Never thought I’d see this day. You know I hate to turn anyone away. This has always been a sport for the kids who might end up somewhere terrible if they didn’t have it – a place to let off steam. We might have to increase our hours,” he sighed.

“You’re already here to what, 11:00?” I asked.

“Yep, close at 10:00, here ‘till 10:30 or 11:00 most nights,” he nodded.

“Want to go to lunch and talk?” I asked.

He shrugged his shoulders, “Sandwich at the Italian joint?”

“Sounds good,” I smiled.

“And one other thing,” he grinned.

“Name it,” I responded.

“Damn it, Kid. Stop calling him
kid
. You know how it pissed you off. Call him by his name,” he grinned sarcastically.

“Austin!” I hollered across the gym.

“Yeah, boss?” he hollered back.

“Good couple of fights, kid. I’m going to lunch. Be back in an hour,” I shouted into the ring.

“Alright. I’ll just hang out here,” he screamed.

As the Ranger finally stood up and leaned against A-Train, Kelsey and I turned and walked toward the door.

“Kid, I remember the day you rode that damned bike here from Compton. I thought you were one arrogant little fucker. You knocked The Ripper on his ass, and had me wondering if you had talent or if you were just a lucky fucker. After a few fights, I knew if you’d stick with it, you could go the distance. Never knew what it’d be like if we made it, though. Gotta tell ya kid, my life has come full circle; sure has. And I thank you,” he nodded.

I nodded my head once in return.

Your life hasn’t gone full circle yet, old man. Just wait.

SHANE.
“So, do you remember where they were building that car dealership over by the barbeque joint” I asked as I got off the exit at Grand Avenue Parkway.

“I thought we were getting a sandwich? Barbeque will upset my old stomach,” Kelsey muttered as he looked out the window.

“We are, I just want to show you this building,” I said as I waited at the traffic light.

“Why, you buy a car dealership?” he laughed.

I shook my head, “No old man, I didn’t buy a dealership.”

“You know, I been here so damned long I can remember when this area was a damned pasture. Now, Austin doesn’t end for ten more miles. It’s sad and exciting both, kid,” Kelsey said as he looked out the window of my truck.

“I suppose it is,” I nodded as I accelerated through the traffic light.

“You suppose you’ll stay here, kid?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You know, now that you’re famous and all. You going to up and leave us? Maybe go to Vegas or Los Angeles or New York?” he asked, still looking out the window.

“Hell no, old man. I’m here to stay. I’ll die here. This is the only home I’ve got. You’re stuck with me,” I smiled.

He turned to face me and smiled, “I like hearing that. I like you kid, I really do. Like to see you keep fighting, you’re young. And you’re not at your prime, that’s for sure,” he said as he turned back to look at the window.

“Well, as long as your old ass will keep training me, I may just keep fighting. We’ll see. A few more fights anyway,” I said as I turned onto Picadilly Drive.

“Well, I figure I got another fifteen or twenty in me. If that damned gym don’t cause me a heart attack. Turning them poor kids away kills me, kid. The damned stress, I hate it. Boxing’s been my life, it’s all I know. I’ve hoped for a lifetime it’d turn into what it is now. I always wanted to help as many kids as I could, but we never drew the crowds. Now I’m old, and you came along and fucked up my little slow moving life. I got to tell you, kid, I like it,” He turned from the window and smiled as I pulled into the drive of the building.

“Hey old man?” I said.

“Turn to your right,” I smiled as I looked out the window toward the building.

“Well, what have we here?
Kidd’s Gym and Training Center
? When did they build this? Damn, that’s a doozy, son. Good god damn, probably fit about twelve rings in that big son-of-a-bitch,” he said as he opened the truck door and stared at the side of the building.

Fourteen, to be exact.

He stepped out into the parking lot and admired the building. I turned off the engine and got out of the truck and began walking around to where he stood.

“Hell, it don’t look like they opened her up yet. Wonder who this is? Probably that fucking Duncan from San Antonio. Son-of-a-bitch has pockets as deep as the Grand Canyon, the fucking bastard. Never cared much for that pretentious prick,” he mumbled as he walked toward the building.

“See how they got the front of her all covered in glass? I like that,” he said as he waved his hands toward the front of the building.

“Our gym is like a damned dungeon. Maybe I can get Joe to knock a hole in one of those walls and add a window someday,” he said as he continued to slowly walk toward the building.

“Hell, look kid, they got the parking stalls marked up there on the side, with them damned signs,” he said as he turned and began walking toward the sign immediately next to the front door.

A red and white steel sign was permanently affixed on the side of the building by the parking stall closest to the door. As he got closer to the building, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his glasses.

“Let’s see what we got here,” he said as he looked down and rested his glasses on his nose.

He looked up toward the sign, “Well, it says…”

“Kid?” he reached up and removed his glasses.

“Yeah, boss,” I responded.

“God damn it, Kid,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. 

“What is it boss? Read me the damned sign,” I chuckled.

“Says
Be Kelsey
,” he reached up and wiped his eyes, “
Or Be Gone
.”

It was the least I could do.

“What about the one beside it?” I hollered.

He walked closer to the building and looked at the exterior wall.

“
If Your Name Isn’t Joe
,” he turned to face me, “
Back The Hell Up
.”

“But the sign. The big one, it says
Kidd’s
,” he said as he turned around and shrugged his shoulders.

His hands were shaking, and he looked as if he was in shock.

“What do you call me?” I asked.

“Well, I call you kid, kid,” he responded.

As he spoke, it was as if he finally realized what had happened.

“It’s your gym, boss.
Yours and Joe’s
. That’s final. But here’s the deal. My name’s on the wall. Just didn’t look right with one “D”,” I laughed.

“Kid, this is just…” he turned toward the building and stared.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a keychain with the keys to the building on it.

“Old man?”

“Yeah, kid,” he said as he turned around.

I tossed him the keys.

“You’ll need those to get in. There’s ten rings, lockers, all the gear, everything. I figured we’d bring the raggedy rings from the old gym. Make it a little more personal,” I smiled.

He caught the keys and nodded his head.

“Yep. Well get those old raggedy rings in here, that’s for sure. One of ‘em at least is kind of a sentimental thing for me,” he said as he looked down at the key ring.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Met my best fighter in one of ‘em. His name’s Shane Dekkar. I don’t call him that, though. I call him Kidd. With two D’s. The second one’s silent,” he smiled.

“I love you old man,” I smiled.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. After a moment of silence, I turned toward the truck; satisfied I’d done all I could.

“Let’s get a sandwich,” I said over my shoulder as I slowly walked toward the truck.

Kelsey turned around and sauntered toward the building, “
You
go get a sandwich. Pick me up when you’re done. I’ve got a gym to organize, kid.”

I opened the truck door and got in. After I rolled down the passenger window, I yelled at him as he walked toward the front door, “See you in an hour, old man. And don’t wear your fucking street shoes in the god damned ring.”

Kelsey faced the building and slowly raised his left hand high in the air with his middle finger extended. I shook my head and rolled my eyes at the thought of the old man
flipping me the bird
. His left hand still held high, he reached forward with his right and unlocked the gym. I smiled a smile to last a lifetime as he stepped through the door of what I hoped would become the future home of many kids who needed a place to forget about their pasts.

And begin their futures.