by Hadley Quinn
“Wow,” he replied after a few seconds. “Does she model for them?”
“I have no idea. I mean Van said she doesn’t model anymore—these magazines are three years old.”
“I don’t even think he knows she does this sort of stuff. Or did, I guess. Does he know?”
“I don’t think he does.” She thought about it for a second and then chuckled.
“What?” Paul asked.
“I don’t know, isn’t it kind of weird? I mean the two of them. Van and Dani. A fighter and a prissy model?”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being a fighter. And Dani does computer design stuff.”
“I mean the differences between them? Van’s just this laid-back, easy-going guy that could break anybody in half. He came from nothing and practically raised himself—”
“He had Mickey.”
“Okay, Mickey helped Van raise himself.”
Paul chuckled.
“And I guess I don’t really know Dani that well, but isn’t her family rich? I wonder if those are dresses her mom even designed,” she shrugged. “Shit, maybe her dad took the pictures,” she practically scowled.
“I thought you liked Dani?” Paul asked her. He studied his wife for a few seconds, wondering why she seemed so cynical all of a sudden.
“I do like her. What do you mean?”
“I don’t know, you’re starting to make it sound like she doesn’t belong here or something. Like she thinks she’s above us or something.”
“I did not say that.”
“Well you’re pretty much glaring at that picture. That’s not the Dani we know, baby. It’s just a picture. She’s not into all that hoity toity New Yorker shit. She’s hardly even got an east coast attitude. She’s even friendlier than we are.”
Marnie sighed. She knew he was right, and it wasn’t Dani that she wanted to pick apart. She touched the page in the magazine and ran her finger along the satin dress. “I know. Sometimes I just…”
She didn’t have to finish her thought for Paul to understand. Four years of marriage had made him pretty familiar with her feelings, and the fact that they were even still together after so many financial struggles was a miracle in and of itself. They weren’t that close these days, but they knew each other well.
He took her hand and sat at the table with her. “A little bit longer, Marn, and we’ll be out of the hole. My leg is getting stronger and I’ll be able to take on some paying fights again. Probably never gonna afford that shit,” he said, waving to the magazine, “but one of these days I’m gonna take you out for a big steak dinner, okay?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Nah, I think I’m getting used to living on pork and beans.”
He chuckled. “Hey, it’s not that bad anymore.”
“I know. Thank God Van is such an angel.”
Paul nodded his head. If it hadn’t been for Van, both he and Marnie would be on the streets.
Chapter Nine
“So are you sure you’re okay with this?” Van asked Dani for the third time. They’d just pulled up to the Divehouse and she looked a little nervous.
“Yeah, sure I’m okay with it. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Van shrugged, uncertain of what to say. He was only going to introduce her to Mickey and nothing more. It wasn’t like she was going to watch him fight or anything, right?
“You just seem a little unsettled, that’s all,” Van admitted.
Dani did feel a little unsettled, and she let out a breath of air with a shrug. “I guess he’s the only family you have right now, and this is just like meeting the family. I’m just afraid that he won’t like me or something.”
He smiled at her insecurity. “Well I’m the one that loves you. Mickey don’t have a say, and even if he did, what would I care? Besides, what’s not to like?” he wondered sincerely.
She shrugged again but didn’t reply. Things had been great with Van, especially since their trip to Atlantic City two weeks ago. It was a great feeling to be in love with him, and everything else seemed to fall into place. Things were going great at work, her siblings seemed to be doing well, and she hadn’t heard a word from Brian since the restraining order. Life was good.
No, life was amazing.
“Okay, pretty lady,” Van finally said. “Let’s see what awful things he says about you so we can get it over with.”
Dani scowled at him while he chuckled and got out to open her door.
“At least this truck doesn’t have the funny smell,” Dani told him, just to be ornery for his comment.
Van smiled with agreement. “Yeah, everything comes in balance, right?”
“Awww,” Dani frowned for him, taking his arm. She knew he loved his old truck to pieces and he was still getting used to driving a different one.
He leaned down to kiss her for a few seconds, hoping to relieve her insecurities. “I couldn’t care less what I drive as long as I have you to ride.”
She smacked his chest with a laugh. “Nice, Van.”
With a big grin he led her through the door to the building that had been familiar to him for the past ten years, and as soon as a few recognizable voices declared his arrival, most of the activity in the gym came to a halt.
Dempsey was there and had to announce: “And in this corner… At six-one, a hundred and ninety pounds… Your titan of power… Don-o-van Kemp!”
Dani was thoroughly amused by that. The guy sounded like a professional.
“Van!” Gary called from the ring. He stopped sparring with a young kid and stepped between the ropes to meet them. “Where you been, man? You haven’t been in here for a couple months!” But Gary glanced over the hot little thing at Van’s side and could put two and two together. “Keeping busy elsewhere, I see,” he smiled.
“This is Dani. Dani, this is Gary O’Keefe, one of my sparring partners. And he’s actually one of my neighbors but I hardly see the guy.”
Gary shrugged with a smile. “Living life. And I’ve been out of town a lot. Nice to meet you,” he said to Dani, holding out a glove.
Thankfully Dani knew what to do and knocked it with her fist. “Nice to meet you too.”
Gary looked at Van with a smile, and before he even said anything, Van already knew what was coming.
“She gonna be one of our girls, Van?” Gary called with a laugh as Van led Dani across the room.
“One of ‘our’ girls?” Dani scoffed. “What does that mean?”
Van shook his head. “He’s just being an ass. Hey, Mick!” he called as his trainer waved to them.
“Hey there, kid!” Mickey replied from the corner.
As Mickey was finishing up with another fighter, Dani faced Van and asked, “What did he mean by ‘one of our girls’?”
Van just didn’t prefer to say that Gary wanted to see her parade around in a bikini between each round, but he had no idea she was imagining something else until he noticed the look on her face.
“Oh! God, no, not that,” he told her quickly. “He meant the ring bunnies. The girls that hold up the signs for the rounds?”
It took a second to register, and then she felt really stupid. “Oh, my gosh,” she murmured.
Van couldn’t help but smile, but he placed his hands against her neck and looked her in the eyes. “Dani, I don’t even want to know what you were thinking, but whatever it was…I’m not that kind of guy.”
She chuckled uneasily and laid her head against him. “No, you don’t want to know what I was thinking. Besides, I don’t even have the chest for that,” she smiled.
“So, this is the lovely young lady I hear so much about!” Mickey said as he approached them. “Jesus, Van. You said that she’s drop dead gorgeous, but you didn’t tell me she was a knockout. Heh heh heh,” he chuckled at his own joke.
“Well she’s certainly that, too,” Van replied.
“No wonder you didn’t want to bring her here,” Mickey added, glancing around.
As it was, every pair of eyes were staring
at them. Van’s presence at the gym was normally enough to receive the attention on his own, but with Dani at his side, it was even worse.
“Get back to work!” Mickey shouted at them all.
He put an arm around Dani and led her toward the office while Van followed, glancing behind him at Gary. Gary whistled slightly as he checked out Dani’s backside, and then made pelvic thrusts for Van to see. Van stared him down with warning, long enough for Gary to know not to joke any further.
“So what’s got you in this neck of the woods,” Mickey said to Dani.
“Besides this sweet and handsome man?” she replied, sliding an arm around Van’s waist. “Do I need another reason?”
“Heh-heh,” Mickey smiled. “I do say you’ve picked the best.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that,” she nodded.
“And what about you?” he gruffly asked Van. “When the hell you gonna get back in here? I got some work for you.”
Van shrugged. “I don’t really have the time while I’m filling in at the station. Have Quincy work with your newbies.”
“Quincy,” Mickey scoffed.
“Hey, he’s just right for those guys. He may not be in fighting condition, but he knows what he’s talking about.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know… But he hasn’t been in here much,” he added.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen him around, either.”
“And Paulie with his leg… I don’t know when he’s coming back.”
“Well he broke it…three months ago? He’ll be back. He needs to be back.”
“Hm. They still struggling?”
“Well, they’re doing okay for now. Marnie got a part time job. Paul can train, though. Get him in here for that.”
“Mm, tried that. He did a little too much and it wasn’t good. And Marnie ripped me a new one.”
Van chuckled because he could picture how furious she might have been. Marnie had no problem speaking her mind.
“So tell me about yourself,” Mickey said to Dani. “Van’s gonna watch my newbie out there while you and me chat.”
Van just went along with it since Dani did. They left the office and returned to the gym, sitting down in a few chairs by the ring. Mickey and Dani got to know each other while Van observed Gary working with an eighteen-year-old named Chris Tully. He had good form…was pretty quick…nice takedowns…not so good at maintaining control… But Gary had him working on kicks and a few other things, and Van had a hard time keeping his mouth shut during the time they were there.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” he later accused Mickey on their way out.
“Did what?” he replied with feigned innocence.
“Made me watch because Gary was working with him.”
Mickey chuckled. “Van…” Then he changed his mind and just shook his head. “You just let me know,” he said instead.
He waved at them both as they left and watched Van hold the door for his girlfriend. When they were gone Mickey mumbled to himself, “He’s gonna marry that girl…”
***
“Yeah, they’re just leaving the fight club,” the onlooker informed Brian over the phone.
“Well, you know what to do. And I don’t want any fuckups, you understand? You’ve got a lot at stake.”
“Yeah, you don’t have to remind me, okay? Just…let me do this so we can be done.”
The two hung up; Brian feeling irritable and his spy even more disconcerted.
“Hey, I need you to do something,” Brian said after dialing Andy.
Andy groaned to himself, glad his brother couldn’t see his response through the phone. “What is it?”
“I need you to find me even more information on this fight club and the people there—all of them.”
“What exactly are you looking for?” Andy asked dryly. “I gave you a whole crap load of information.”
“I’m looking for the final blow.”
Andy sighed. “I gave you the names of guys who can help you. Surely with their rap sheets they’re all a good option.”
“No, I need something special; something that’s gonna bind him up for good. I got someone to start me out, but I need more. Someone that can’t say no.”
Andy didn’t like the direction Brian was going. He’d always been a schemer, but ever since Dani broke things off with him, Andy was seeing a darker side to Brian than he was used to. He’d always been a dick, but since he started failing at his current shady deal, he’d become fixated with things that were even shadier.
“Yeah, okay, I’ll see what I can find,” Andy eventually said. He felt like he was lying since he really didn’t plan on helping Brian destroy anyone’s life.
“You know you’re getting a huge cut in all of this too, Andy,” Brian reminded him.
Andy didn’t reply, but Brian had hung up on him anyways.
***
There was something different about Marnie that Dani just couldn’t put her finger on. Lately she seemed a little distant, almost unfriendly. Paul and Marnie were over at Van’s apartment on a Friday evening, and Dani had made a traditional pot-au-feu for dinner. Normally Marnie was a little more conversational, and she might have even been in the kitchen to chat for a while, but after a brief comment about what was cooking, she joined the guys on the couch and hardly said anything.
Dani gave her the space—a girl certainly had the right to have unsociable days—but by the end of the night, after a few too many cold or snide remarks, Dani was sure there was a bigger problem. The guys even noticed it, especially when Marnie made mention of all Dani’s “silly” French names for the food.
“Well, it’s a mille feuille to me,” Dani replied with a polite smile. “That’s all I know to call it. Uh, what would you call it?”
Marnie knew her comment had been rude, but she was too stubborn to recant it. “I don’t know. It’s just a pastry, right?”
Dani nodded and she decided not to respond more than that. After she’d set the dessert on the table, she returned to the kitchen to clean up.
“Looks a little fancier than ‘just a pastry,’” Paul said, giving his wife an unhappy frown while Dani couldn’t see.
“What does mil… Whatever it was you said,” Van smiled. “What does it mean?”
Dani could tell that both guys were aware of Marnie’s unusual behavior, but she wasn’t sure if she should just change the subject. But she’d tried that already throughout the evening and Marnie was still in a funk.
“It means ‘thousand-leaf’ because of the different layers,” she replied, rinsing some of her cooking utensils in the sink. “I’ve never actually made it that way before; I wanted to try it since Marnie likes strawberries.”
Paul gave Marnie another look, which Van also caught.
“Jesus, I’m in a bad mood,” she finally said. “I’m in a bad mood!” she said louder for Dani’s benefit.
“Okay,” Dani smiled from the sink. She glanced back at the table as Van got up to clear some of the dishes, and when he stepped behind her, he kissed the side of her neck.
“You can say as many French phrases to me as you want—as long as they’re dirty.”
She laughed and slightly nudged him with her hip. “And as long as I translate. Yes, I know the rules.”
“Well it’s no fun if I don’t know what you’re complimenting me on.”
She laughed again. “And you assume my translations are honest?”
He gasped as she dried her hands on a towel. Dani loved his “wounded” ploy, but they had guests over and she couldn’t exactly carry on with their normal routine.
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” Paul quietly asked his wife at the table. “You’re being a bitch.”
“I know,” she hissed, giving him a nasty scowl. “I just apologized for it.”
“No you didn’t; you made up some lame ass excuse.”
“Lame ass excuse? Why can’t I have a fucking bad day? Don’t you sit there and tell me I can’t. I’ve had to listen to
your moanin’ plenty of days.”
“My—?” He glanced back at Dani and Van in the kitchen, both enjoying the passion and excitement of a young relationship. He was envious, and even though he could be realistic and tell himself that those two could soon enough be in the same boat he and Marnie were in, for some reason it didn’t seem likely.
He returned his attention to the woman in front of him and said, “I don’t wanna argue here. Just eat your dessert.”
“Just eat my dessert? Just shut up and eat, huh? Well I don’t feel like it,” she said, standing up so abruptly that she knocked over the chair. Dani and Van turned around in the kitchen to see what was going on just as Marnie told them, “I’m really sorry.” She looked at Paul and said, “You hear that? I said sorry.”
“Well that’s a first,” he retorted.
She gave him a pair of middle fingers as she headed for the door and then left.
The apartment was quiet for several seconds until Paul sighed and stood to set the chair upright. “I’m sorry about that,” he said. “She’s just been…a crazy psycho bitch lately.”
Van left the kitchen and joined his friend by the couch. Dani remained in the kitchen, hoping she was giving them the privacy to talk, even though she could still hear them.
“What do you think it is?” Van asked.
“I don’t know,” Paul replied, plopping down on the couch. “I thought maybe it was her new job, and then I thought maybe she was pregnant—God help us all if she really had been—but…”
Dani happened to glance into the room just as Paul was trying to discreetly look her way. He knew he’d just opened up a can of worms when she caught the implication, and when Van glanced back at Dani too, she set the pan down and left the kitchen.
“She’s mad at me for some reason?” she asked. “I mean I could feel it all night, but I really don’t know what I did.”
Paul felt a little embarrassed because he wasn’t sure how to talk about it, or even if he should.
“I don’t understand,” Dani said. “Please, Paul. Just tell me what I did wrong. Did I say something to offend her? If so, tell me what so I can go apologize—”
