by Nana Prah
“He’s a legend,” El tagged on. “And now he’s producing the next generation of champions.”
She got a little dizzy being around these striking men. All different, but breathtaking. Yet Lamar held something special that tugged at her to caress the scar above his eyebrow like he did when he was thinking. To learn every inch of his body by kissing her way along the planes of his muscles.
She cleared her throat. “I believe it.”
The music stopped and a man with a deep, resonating voice spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen…”
“That’s our cue to sit our asses down,” Suarez said over the announcement. He presented a fist to Lamar for a bump.
El held out a hand. She couldn’t replicate the complicated dap they shared even if she’d seen it in slow motion. “Our guys are going to kill it out there.”
Unsure of what to do when he faced her, Gia raised her hand into a fist like he’d taught her. “What he said.”
He chuckled. “Have fun.”
“I’m sure I will.”
She let herself be swept away to their seats. Settling in at the cage-side table, she prepared to struggle to pay attention and clap when necessary.
Chapter 14
Suarez Callejo’s arrival thirty minutes ago made Gia question why Lamar had insisted on her getting there so early. Yet she was glad she had. Hanging out with Lamar opened her eyes to just how well they got along.
Gia leaned toward Suarez who sat to her left with the light from his phone reflecting on his face, making his flawless golden-brown skin glow. His eyes matched the dark curly head of hair that gave him a boyish look that hid his serious nature until he spoke in his direct no-nonsense manner. It was the high cheekbones, trimmed goatee, and firm body that placed him on the scale of spectacular. She hadn’t found him to be the most engaging man. If they were going to spend hours together, she may as well get to know him, or at least more about Lamar. “How did you all meet?”
“In middle school.”
Gia waited, but Suarez wasn’t forthcoming.
El elbowed his friend. “She asked how, not where. Suarez only talks when he has to. Or when the topic interests him. Not the most sociable amongst the three of us.”
That got El a dark look from Suarez which brought out a deep chuckle from the more charming man.
“We were sort of outcasts in school, so we formed a crew,” El answered.
She couldn’t imagine these confident men not belonging. Her face must’ve reflected it.
El pointed a finger at Suarez. “We went to a mostly homogeneous Caucasian school. This guy had just gotten off the plane from Puerto Rico and spoke with an accent as thick as my hair.”
Not to be outdone Suarez bent forward to block El. “This guy would’ve fit right in if he wasn’t so damn sensitive. No lie, he once got weepy when the school mascot tripped and fell. The guys used to love taunting him. Hell, back in Puerto Rico, I would’ve been on their side.”
Gia looked to El for confirmation.
The bright blush in his cheeks as he passed a hand through his wavy hair verified the story. “I’ve toughened up since then. Thanks to Lamar.”
Suarez sported a broad grin. “Yeah.”
“What about Lamar? How was he an outcast?”
The men shared a look she couldn’t interpret.
“He had issues,” Suarez said.
El nodded. “And was angry all the time. Even back then he could fight. When they tried to make fun of him because he came from Roxbury, he wasn’t having it and made sure they knew.”
“He’d take any opportunity to trade blows,” Suarez continued. “When our classmates understood that he had our backs, they left us alone.”
“He calmed down when we became friends. I toughened up. And Suarez…well, we can still barely understand him. He refuses to pick up our Bostonian accent. A shame really.”
Gia giggled, appreciating their camaraderie. More questions percolated, but the announcer caught their attention with the introduction of the first fighter.
Music blared from the speakers, pulsing into her chest making her rock her body to the beat. She observed the contender being assessed.
“What did they put on his face?” she asked Suarez.
“Vaseline.”
“No shit! I thought it was just something black women did before we fought.”
For the first time in her presence, Suarez laughed.
The contestant jogged into the cage and the crowd cheered. His opponent underwent the same process.
Gia had no clue what to expect when the referee told them to fight. What she found was that men hitting each other with full force caused a pure adrenaline rush in her. The chains of the cage jangled when they banged against it. The red corner fighter scooped up his opponent by the legs. The fall created a vibration on the mat that made Gia slam against the back of her seat as if she’d been the one taken down.
She stayed glued to the fight as they grappled. Skills, sweat, and crushing blows.
And then the bell rang for them to stop and go to their corners.
Her breaths came out in rasps as if she’d been the one fighting.
“Wow. Lamar used to do that?”
“Nope,” El answered. “He was way better.”
She’d seen him on screen, but watching him in the cage would probably send her straight into cardiac arrest.
The bell rang and the guys returned to the center. Thirty seconds later, the competitor in the red corner had his opponent in an unbreakable submission ending the fight.
After another bout, Gia understood MMA a lot better. It wasn’t just brawling. These people demonstrated speed, power, prowess, discipline and dedication. Admirable.
The third bout involved Bernard, one of the PCB Warriors. Gia looked around the cage and sighed when Lamar came into view. Big, burly and downright intimidating, he was still the hottest man she’d ever seen.
Bernard side skipped to Lamar who checked his gloves and said something she couldn’t hear. His opponent got introduced and a couple of minutes later Bernard started his match.
She clapped so hard her palms stung. “Give it to him, Bernard. You got this.”
Gia had never yelled so loud in her life. “Fuck the bitch up.”
Bernard got taken to the mat, struggling to get from under his opponent. “Dammit Bernard, get the fuck up and clean the floor with his ass.”
“Keep fighting. You can clear him.” She clapped as Bernard came close to slithering from beneath his opponent. “Don’t give up.”
“Aww, fuck no.” Gia smacked at hands gripping her waist as she tried to climb the table when Bernard was captured in a choke hold.
When the referee stopped the match, she realized she was sitting on someone’s lap. Rotating her head, she found El doubled over in laughter.
From her peripheral vision Suarez scowled as his arms restrained.
What had gotten into her?
“Um, you can let me go now, Suarez. I’m cool.”
“Oh. My. God.” El struggled to speak. “My…stomach. My ribs. Too…much.” The hyena continued to cackle, wiping away tears.
Suarez released her and she sat in the chair. Her skin couldn’t get any hotter if she crawled into an industrial oven at full power. She picked up her bottle of water which had somehow landed on the floor and downed it.
Where had she been going? To the cage. What did she think she’d do, climb it? Fight on Bernard’s behalf? The spirit of the bout had certainly possessed her. She liked how alive and vital she’d felt.
Gia turned to Suarez to apologize only to find his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. She just hoped they wouldn’t tell Lamar. She had no desire to hear him say I told you so.
Chapter 15
The ride to the gym after the tournament had been rowdy. Lamar was proud of his students, and he’d told them. They’d each outdone themselves with their performance, even those who lost.
Everyone had clamored to jump into his ve
hicle. Most likely to be near Gia. If he wasn’t driving, he might’ve cracked some skulls against the pavement to be around her.
While the guys had been in the cage, every once in a while he’d heard her shouts, hoots, and shrieking two fingered whistles. She’d been more than a cheerleader.
El had mentioned that when their fighters had completed their bout and came out to watch the rest of the tournament, she’d hugged each of them and whispered something that had left them smiling. She’d had a longer conversation with the two who had lost their matches and they’d left her looking determined.
After having experienced her compassion first hand and listening to her conversation with Connor, Lamar had been curious to discover what she’d said to the young men so he’d asked her.
“I told them that they did their best and no one could take that away from them. And,” she’d extended the word, “that if they thought about it, because they had fought and gained experience, even though they’d lost, they were one step closer to being able to kick your ass. They seemed to like that part most.”
Yes, he’d laughed at her very disrespectful commentary to his protégés.
The conversation on the way home got technical as they discussed the matches. Gia paid attention as if she were taking a class and even made a few valid contributions. What kind of woman had come into his life?
Would she be as supportive during his matches? His ex-wife hadn’t attended a single one, but had enjoyed spending the money the winnings and endorsements had earned him. He doubted Gia would be the same.
Lamar pulled into the parking lot and his crew clambered out. Goodbyes were kept short with everyone wanting to get home. Whether to jubilate or commiserate depended on the result of their fight. He could resonate with both sides.
He, Gia and El were the last to remain.
El jiggled a set of keys. “I’ll leave the minivan here and return it tomorrow. We should think about investing in one.”
“I agree. Put it on the agenda for the meeting on Monday.”
“Will do.” Then El got into Gia’s space, kissed her on the cheek and hugged her. “This woman is fierce. And her mouth. Whew. Even I blushed a little. She’s too much.”
Gia balled her fists over her hips. “You know I’m standing right here.”
“You’d make your presence known even if God painted you invisible.”
Lamar’s eye twitched with a touch of jealousy at their easy banter. “All right, man, I’m going to drop Gia off at home.”
They grasped hands and came in for a shoulder bump.
“Great job with the crew.” El pointed to the sky. “We can only go up from here.”
“Truth.”
“Gia, make sure to stop by my office when you come in on Monday. I need to learn some of those terms you threw down today.”
She sliced her hand back and forth across the space in front of her neck several times as if cutting her throat. “You couldn’t handle them, El. Leave it to the professionals.”
El got into his car hooting.
Lamar pulled out of the lot once they’d settled in. “You seemed to be a hit with everyone.”
“Strange, really. I’m usually the odd one out in a group.”
He twisted his neck to see if she was serious. “You’re joking, right?”
“Not at all.” Her head made a light sound when she tapped it. “I’m sort of a geek who gets lost in the world of machines. People tend to presume that I’m boring so they stay away. When I try to break through their cliques, they don’t get my jokes.”
He shook his head. “Probably because they have no sense of humor. You’re better than a comedian.”
“Thanks. Trista tells me the same thing. I loved goofing around with her while growing up. I wanted to make sure she had a happy childhood.”
“Because you didn’t.”
“Not until she showed up.”
He angled himself to see her better through his peripheral vision. “What about friends?”
She sighed. “I don’t really have any. I have acquaintances and cousins and I’ll hang out with one or two on the rare occasion, but other than Trista, no one.”
May as well start digging. “What about at work?”
Her spine stiffened.
“I have a problem,” Gia said after a beat of silence.
“What?” He flicked his gaze to the rearview mirror ready to pull the car over to give her his full attention if she needed it.
She clasped her hands together on her lap. “Well, not me, but one of the people I occasionally hang out with. They call me when they’re having a problem.”
He could see it. Her attentive listening skills had him opening up to her. Yet it sounded like one of those asking-for-a-friend type of situations that was actually for the individual speaking. If it put her at ease to confide in him in such a roundabout way, he’d bite.
“What’s up with your friend?”
Her fingers twisted the hem of her shirt. “He, it’s a guy. The only one in his department. He told me that he’s being bullied at work. When he tried to put a stop to it by standing up for himself, things got worse. The ringleader is the boss. When he went to human resources with the proof he had, they supposedly investigated, but said that there was no case.”
She heaved out a breath. “The head of HR is a friend of his boss. When he went to his boss’s supervisor, he was informed that the woman is a great employee and an asset to the company with her multiple awards for her work. My friend got the impression that her boss was untouchable to the higher-ups. And now he doesn’t know what to do to make things better.”
Lamar forced his shoulders to relax and his fingers to loosen their grip on the steering wheel. No, he wouldn’t go to her place of work on Monday and wipe the floor with her boss and colleagues. “Can he quit? Find another job where he’s better treated?”
“He really likes what he does. Other than the bullying, the work is something he’s wanted to do all of his life and is great at it. He’s been there for over eight years and just got a promotion. That’s how he landed in this new department.” She cleared her throat. “He works in cosmetology and likes coming up with new looks or something like that. He, uh, complained that his supervisor holds him back from completing projects by saying that his work is shoddy. Yet she gives him other people’s work to clean up. She makes fun of him during the meetings that he’s actually told about. Slight jabs that are sarcastic. His boss always plays it off by saying that my friend should get a better sense of humor because he takes things too seriously.”
Every word she uttered about her boss got the fool closer to meeting his fists.
Calm the fuck down.
She’d finally trusted him enough to open up, even if it was based on a fictitious friend. This was the opportunity he’d waited for to help.
“What about transferring to a different division that does similar work?”
She shook her head. “He said that his supervisor is friends with those other supervisors, and they’re unlikely to accept him if he requested to go. He tried it once and it was rejected. His boss got more aggressive after that.” Gia’s voice trembled as she bowed her head.
He held back a growl. Scaring her wouldn’t make her feel any better.
“His boss sounds like she should be fired and sued. Has your friend thought about getting a lawyer?”
“After the dismissal given by HR, he disregarded it. His boss is sly and subtle. Nothing overt that can be pinned on her, so it’s hard.”
No wonder she’d taken to eating her stress away. He rubbed a hand down his face. “Your friend is in a tight spot, Gia. I don’t envy him.”
“Me neither,” she said in a defeated tone. What would have happened to her if Trista hadn’t intervened? He hated to think about it.
He clenched his jaw. No one should be bullied. Ever.
Suarez had signed every staff member up to take an anti-harassment training a couple of years ago when one of their em
ployees had abused another. The solution to the problem had been a quick one of firing the guy and to create a culture where everyone knew that bullying wouldn’t be tolerated, by or towards anyone.
He shot her a glance. “I learned that standing up to the bully doesn’t typically work, especially if it has been going on for a while. If that was his plan, he should probably skip it. But then again who knows. It might work for him.”
“Oh.” Her body slumped lower into the seat.
If he could take care of it for her, he’d do it. He might end up in jail for assault and battery, but it would be worth it. “I’ve also learned that what does tend to work is if he gains access to power.”
“Power?”
“Yes. Tell your friend to document everything.”
She sat up straight and nodded. “He does. He’s been journaling for years, and when this issue started he made sure to write everything that happened because it made him feel better.”
“That’s one hurdle down. Does he belong to any committees, a taskforce, or do extra work for anyone who is higher than his supervisor? Perhaps he has a personal relationship with a higher ranked person he goes to lunch with every once in a while?”
“No. Um. I don’t think so. I would have to check with him. How would that help, though?”
It would be easier for both of them if they could speak directly about her issue. He was getting confused with the pronouns.
“When your friend gets close to someone higher up than his tormentor, the bully will be afraid that your friend will tell on him and be believed. To save his own hide, there’s a good chance that his supervisor will stop.”
“Oh, shit!” she said as she punched her fist. “That makes so much sense. That manipulative fucking yeast-infected fucker. The devious prick turned on me when I stood up to him after I could no longer stand him harassing another colleague. Courage, knowledge, education, drive and an incredible work ethic is not something that a bully wants to encourage. But control is what he needs.”
