Page 77 of Pulse
The ref narrowed his eyes at me and turned back to Ash. “No fucking way Fuller. You know how much trouble you caused us with that stunt you pulled in the cage? We had the cops breathing down our necks.” He snorted, shaking his head. Sometimes I really liked how men got straight to the point.
“I want in,” Ash said through gritted teeth.
“Reign, you’re in as far as I’m concerned. Sign your life away. Fuller is out.” He didn’t even glance at Ash.
“We’re a package deal,” I retorted. “Both or none at all.”
“This ain’t a negotiation Sweetness.”
“We’ve been in here two seconds,” I exclaimed. “You don’t even want to hear what we’ve got to say?”
“In lieu of a police raid?” Max asked. “That’s what we risk when we let loose cannons into the ring, Reign. Can’t afford it.”
“Fuck, Max,” Ash said, pounding his fist on the table top. “I’m right fucking here.”
“Case in point,” he said to me.
“I made you hundreds of thousands of dollars right up until the moment I left,” Maverick went on. “You can’t tell me that any one of those fuckers out there has made half as much as I did for you through the season. Fuck the Championship. That’smotherfuckin’ peanuts.”
Max narrowed his eyes, but didn’t say anything. Ash was probably right, but I’d never focused on the money that had exchanged hands in this place. I fought, collected and went home. Rinse and repeat.
“You want those people out there to spend their money? You want them to place their bets? They won’t for Ash Fuller, I totally agree with you on that one. That guy’s a loose cannon, but they will spend it on Maverick.”
I rose my eyebrow at him.
“You want a name now?” Max asked, looking as surprised as I felt. “How do I know I can trust you Fuller?”
Ash stood back and raised his hands. “New Championship, new leaf.”
Max’s lips curved into a grin. “You want to take on Hammer, eh? Get a rematch?”
“I want to take him down in the Championship fight. No holding back.”
“You know how much money that will bring in?” I asked. “Shitloads. It’s a no-brainer.”
Max glanced at me, his eyes shining with dollar signs, then back at Ash. “What assurances do I have that you won’t fly off the handle again?”
“I’ve been away for a year,” Ash said, his voice wavering a little. “I’ve been taking steps to get a handle on it.”
“Like what?”
Ash narrowed his eyes, clearly uncomfortable with telling the head referee his business.
“Therapy, training, natural remedies…” I interrupted. “If I can see the change in him, then so should you if you give him the chance.”
Max sat back in his chair and regarded us. “Fine. But you get a three month probation period Fuller, and we put you on the board as Maverick.”
Ash grunted, which was his unspoken code for ‘I’m pissed’.
“Get out and don’t make me regret this.” Max waved his hand at us as Ash grabbed my wrist and practically dragged me out into the hall. Seeing it was empty of witnesses, he grabbed me around the waist and leaned in close, his eyes flashing.
“I don’t like you speaking for me,” he hissed.
“I told him what he needed to hear,” I said, curling my hands into tight fists. “It just happened that it was the truth.”
Ash bit his bottom lip and turned away.
“Don’t,” I said, running my hands over his back.
