The Brick Yard (12 page)

Lucky shrugged. “Sid’s always been there for me.”

“Yeah,” she said, moving to the door. “It was nice to meet you, Dray.”

“You, too,” Dray returned.

“Bye, doll.” She gave Lucky a wave before leaving the apartment.

“You want some help with Sid?” Dray asked. He settled Gatsby on the couch beside him before standing.

“You mind? Depending on how bad he is, it might not be easy getting him out of there.”

“I don’t mind.” Dray grabbed his coat and pulled it on as Lucky tied his shoes. He knew Brick believed Sid was pulling Lucky down, so he wanted to see for himself what kind of bullshit Sid was involved in. He held out Lucky’s coat and waited for him to put it on before wrapping his arms around Lucky’s waist. Although it wasn’t the time, he couldn’t help but wonder who Briley was to Lucky. “Is she your girlfriend?”

Lucky’s eyebrows drew together. “Briley?”

For some reason Lucky’s response made Dray angry. “Who the hell do you think I’m talking about?”

Lucky broke eye contact. “She’s a friend.”

Dray could tell by the way the two interacted that Lucky had told the truth, but he also knew there was more to it, and the green-eyed monster was ready for a fight. “Do you fuck her?”

“God, Dray. Do I ask you about all the guys you fuck?” Lucky shot back.

“I barely remember the
men
I fuck,” he replied, putting emphasis on the word men. “I certainly don’t consider them friends.”

Lucky poked Dray in the chest. “You’re the one who told me to bury who I am.”

Yeah, I did do that.
Dray took a step back. “Let’s go get Sid.”

Lucky didn’t move. “I get lonely sometimes and when I do, I usually call Briley,” he confessed.

Dray knew all about loneliness. Guilt filled him. He had no right to make Lucky feel bad about seeking solace in someone else, but he couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice when he said, “I’m here for now, so there’s no reason for you to call her. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Lucky nodded. “How long
are
you going to be here? Have you decided whether or not you’re going to help me with The Brick Yard after…?”

“Hiding hasn’t been my way for a long time and to be honest, I’m not sure how long I can do it.”

“I understand.” Lucky zipped his coat. “Let’s go.”

* * * *

Lucky entered Jerry’s Place, a small neighborhood dive bar, and scanned the room. Sid was by the old-fashioned jukebox talking to Jimmy Black, a known dealer. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, I see him,” Dray said from behind.

Lucky glanced over his shoulder. “You know who that is?”

“His name? No. What they’re doing? Hell yes.”

“Wait here,” Lucky said before making his way across the bar. He stopped several feet away from Sid. Jimmy was a paranoid asshole who wouldn’t think twice about pulling a knife if he felt cornered. Lucky waited for Sid and Jimmy to look his way. He nodded once. “Jimmy.”

Jimmy sniffed and rubbed his nose. “You want something?”

“No, I need to talk to Sid,” Lucky replied.

“Oh?” Sid let out a harsh bark of laughter. “I’ve left you three fucking messages in the past week, and you haven’t bothered to pick up the damn phone.”

“I’m here now.” Lucky rested his hands on his hips and stared at Sid, willing his friend to send the dealer away. He could tell by the blown pupils in Sid’s eyes that he’d already sampled quite a bit of Jimmy’s product. Briley had been right to worry. “Sid.”

With an exaggerated sigh, Sid looked at Jimmy. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Yeah, whatever, man.” Jimmy quirked his lip at Lucky before walking away.

Once Jimmy had left, Lucky stepped closer to his friend. He knew from experience that he couldn’t push Sid, so he tried a different route. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back. This shit with Brick and the tournament has really been fucking with my head.”

“You sure it doesn’t have something to do with the tattooed fag over there? What’s he doing back anyway?” Sid asked.

Lucky curled his hands into tight fists. Sid had never liked Dray, but the harsh criticism was out of line. “Dray’s here to help me with Brick and the gym.”

“Are you sure that’s all it is?”

“Sid.” Lucky moved until he was within striking distance. He’d never given Sid a reason to question his sexuality, so he wasn’t sure what the fuck his friend was talking about.

Sid held up his hands in mock surrender. “Just seems off that he shows up and you forget about everyone else.”

“That’s not true. I’ve seen Briley, and I’ve spent most of my time at the gym, preparing for the tournament.” Lucky hated the half-truth, but protecting what he had with Dray was worth it.

“Yeah, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I need some cash, so I thought you could give me some inside scoop on the fighters.”

Lucky knew exactly what Sid needed money for, and he wasn’t about to give him the information he wanted. As he stared at his friend, his heart sank. When they’d been teenagers, they’d both smoked pot on occasion. Well, Sid had smoked more than occasionally, but it hadn’t been a problem. Things hadn’t started going bad until Sid had dropped out of high school two months before graduation and had gone to work at a chicken processing plant. Lucky still couldn’t put his finger on it, but Sid had changed since then. Maybe it had something to do with the men Sid hung out with at work or the escalation of his drug use from pot to the harder, more expensive shit he used almost daily.

“If you need cash, the last thing you should be doing is gambling.”

“You asshole!” Sid yelled. “After all I’ve done for you, I’m just asking for a fucking favor.”

“No, you’re asking me to help you buy drugs, and I’m not gonna do that!” Lucky shouted back. He sobered when he noticed several people turn toward them. He took a deep breath. “I hate to see you like this, and it kills me to know you won’t let me help you.”

“I don’t need your help,” Sid growled. “What I need is for you to stop treating me like you’re so much better than I am. Newsflash, your mom’s a fucking meth-head whore.”

Lucky wrapped his hand around Sid’s scrawny neck and slammed him against the wall. “This has nothing to do with my mom,” he ground out between clenched jaws.

Sid stared at Lucky and shook his head. “It has
everything
to do with her. You’re just too blind to see it.” He put his hands on Lucky’s chest and pushed. “Get outta here, Lucky. Go back to your gym, your tattooed freak and your joke of a career.”

Lucky’s breath hitched. He released his hold on Sid but didn’t immediately move back. The expression on Sid’s face said it all. How many times had Lucky seen the same look on his mom’s face? He knew it had nothing to do with drugs. Sid had given up on a better life. He’d accepted where he’d come from and refused to want for more. “If you ever need me. You have my number.”

Lucky turned and walked away. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he couldn’t travel back down that road again. Dealing with his mom’s shit had nearly broken him, and he knew he couldn’t survive it again. It was hard to love someone more than they loved themselves.

“You okay?” Dray asked when Lucky reached him.

“He’s lost,” Lucky mumbled, not willing to say more. He left the bar without a backward glance. Once on the sidewalk, he glanced at Dray. “Go on back to Brick’s. I’m gonna hit the gym for a while.”

“It’s almost ten,” Dray reminded Lucky.

“I do my best thinking when the place is dark.” Not for the first time, Lucky wished he could crawl back into the bed that had helped him survive a lifetime of fucked up shit. He felt his throat tighten and his nose burn and quickly turned away. “Would you stop by and check on Gatsby?”

“Sure.” Dray put a hand on Lucky’s shoulder before pulling it away. “You sure you don’t want some company? If you need your space at the gym, I can wait at your place for you.”

Lucky shook his head. The way he felt, it would take hours in the gym to get his head on straight. “Thanks, but this is going to take some time. It’s how I deal.”

After several moments, Dray started toward the apartment. “Don’t wear yourself out. You have to fight tomorrow night.”

“Yeah.” Lucky took off toward The Brick Yard and soon his jog became a sprint. By the time he reached the backdoor, his hands were shaking with the need to pound his fists against something other than Sid’s face. He pulled out his keys and stepped into the darkness. The light in the front of the gym hadn’t been on, so he assumed Jax wasn’t spending the night. Good. He’d work out his anger then sleep in his old room.

Crossing to the speed bag, he pulled off his shirt and dropped it to the floor before reaching for the tape.

“Lucky?”

He turned toward Jax’s voice but couldn’t see him in the shadows. “Hey,” Lucky said. “I didn’t think you were here.”

“I just got here.” Jax’s voice sounded thick. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” Lucky tore off a long piece of white tape. He started wrapping his knuckles, but when Jax’s question didn’t come, he looked back to the shadowy figure in the doorway. “Jax?”

“Do you know where I can buy a gun?” Jax asked in a voice so soft and vulnerable it broke Lucky’s heart.

Dropping the tape, Lucky moved. There was only one reason Jax would ask that particular question. He turned on the hallway light and took a step back. “Christ!”

Jax turned his head. “He wouldn’t stop,” he mumbled. “He’ll never stop.”

Lucky’s breath froze in his chest. Jax’s face was so badly beaten, Lucky barely recognized him. The anger that had overwhelmed him earlier flared to life again ten-fold. “What’s your address?”

Jax shook his head. “I can’t tell you.”

“You have to.” Lucky rested his hands on Jax’s thin shoulders. “The only other choice is to call the police.”

“No, no cops. They’ll take me away.”

God
, Lucky thought. Jax was just like he’d been. “Better the monster you know,” he said, reading Jax’s thoughts. “So, give me your address.”

Jax’s tongue ran over the cut on his lip that looked bad enough for stitches. “You’ll get into trouble.”

Lucky wrapped his arms around the sixteen year old. He thought of the many times he’d been on the receiving end of a fist as a boy and had wished he’d had someone who would stand up for him. Jax was right. Lucky could get into a hell of a lot of trouble for teaching Jax’s dad a lesson, but Jax deserved to know he had someone who’d watch his back. He dug out his phone and handed it to Jax. “Take pictures of your face and anywhere else he hurt you.” He met Jax’s gaze. “Anywhere,” he emphasized, not knowing whether Jax’s abuse delved into a sexual nature. “If your old man calls the cops, show ’em the pictures.”

Jax stared at the phone for several moments before giving in and rattling off his address. “His name’s Steve, and he was wasted when I ran out, so he may be passed out by now.” He dug into his pocket and removed a single key on a chain. He thrust it out to Lucky. “If he doesn’t answer, use this.”

Again, Lucky’s heart clenched. “Okay.”

Chapter Seven

Lucky pounded his fist against the apartment door for the fourth time. He had the key in his pocket, but he’d cooled down enough to realize what would happen to him if he beat Steve inside his own home. Seeking justice for Jax was one thing, but ending the night behind bars wouldn’t help Jax, Brick or him.

He raised his hand to beat against the wood once more, but before his fist could connect, the door swung open. A muscular man wearing nothing but a T-shirt and a pair of boxers stood in front of him.
Shit.
Jax’s dad was at least six-five and although he looked soft around the middle, it was obvious he was stronger than fuck by the size of his muscular arms.

“Who the fuck’re you?” Steve slurred.

Lucky knew the best chance he had was a surprise attack, so he grabbed Steve’s shirt, yanked him out of the apartment and landed a power punch to the man’s nose. Taken off guard, Steve stumbled back. Lucky didn’t waste time with words as he continued to deliver punches to Steve’s face and gut.

“What the fuck!” Steve yelled loud enough to wake the entire building.

Lucky lifted his leg and delivered a kick to Steve’s gut. The bigger man toppled to the ground, and Lucky placed a knee on his chest, keeping the asshole on the ground. He added as much of his weight as he dared and spit in Steve’s face. “If you ever lay a hand on Jax again, I’ll kill you.”

“Mind your own goddamn business!” Steve croaked out.

Lucky wrapped as much of his hand around the asshole’s throat as he could, and prepared to deliver another blow. A door two apartments down opened. A middle-aged man popped his head out of his apartment and stared at Lucky.

Still pinning Steve to the floor, Lucky scowled. “This man beat his son so bad the boy’s face is unrecognizable,” he stated. “Just enacting a bit of vigilante justice.”

The neighbor glanced at Steve before meeting Lucky’s gaze. He gave Lucky a sharp nod before going back into his apartment.

“Even your neighbors know you’re a piece of shit who likes to beat on an innocent kid.” Lucky narrowed his eyes and bent lower. “I have photos of what you did to Jax, so here’s what’s going to happen. Tomorrow, I’m going to bring Jax over when you go to work, and we’re going to pack his shit. From there, it’ll be up to him whether or not he ever sees your sorry ass again.” He leaned even closer. “Don’t fuck with me on this. You won’t win.”

“What are you, some kind of pervert? If you think I’m just going to let my boy go with you, you’re crazy.”

“The only interest I have in Jax is making sure the last two years of his childhood are spent unafraid. I wasn’t there for the first sixteen years, but I’ll be there for the last two.” Lucky got to his feet. “You’re a stupid sonofabitch because you had a son a man could be proud of, and you threw it away.”

* * * *

Dray turned on the bedside lamp when Gatsby jumped off the bed and raced into the living room. He heard Lucky murmuring to the kitten before coming into the room. “Hey,” Dray greeted.