Page 65 of Only You
‘What are you doing?’ the coach hollered.
‘I’m about to patch your guy up,’ she said. ‘Or do you want to pay this dummy who’s only putting Band-Aids on him?’ Selene heard a scoff and mumble behind her but kept her eyes on the coach. The man’s scowl deepened, but, after a moment, he let her arm go.
‘Move, Ralph.’
Selene let out a breath of relief, releasing the knife in her pocket as the coach and Ralph argued back and forth. She turned her attention to the boxer, carefully placing her hands on his face.
‘All right, let’s have a look.’
Twenty minutes later she was tucking a few bills into the bottom of her bag as she headed into the locker room. Jack stood over Demir counting money while the boxer subtly cradled his side.
‘That was one hell of a fight,’ Jack complimented, sitting next to Demir. ‘Keep it up and we’ll move up to the big money in no time.’
‘I’ll say,’ Selene said, grabbing their attention. Demir’s jaw tightened as she stepped in front of him, looking her over with a grimace. When his eyes landed back on her face, she was pursing her lips. ‘What,’ she asked. ‘You thought I would risk my good clothes down here?’ She smirked, turning to her boyfriend. ‘Although I could get a smaller size. Think one of your tinier work friends could lend me a pair, Jack?’
‘Hey, don’t be getting ideas about going down to my job,’ he told her as she placed her bag on the ground, rifling through it. ‘I’ll find you a pair. And you’re late.’
‘Had to finish something. Always so bossy,’ she murmured, pulling out bandages and tape alongside bags of ice she had gotten from the shitty bar next door. Demir was still glaring at her when she looked up. She shoved the ice on his face, and he hissed.
‘Watch it,’ he grunted, snatching the bag from her hand. ‘Haven’t you heard of bedside manners? Shit.’
‘You can take it,’ she snipped, grabbing his wrist to lift the ice from his face and gently prodding around his eye. ‘Nothing but a bruise, although he got you good here.’
She tapped the left side of his face, just under the cut on his cheek that stretched to the bridge of his nose. Searching her bag, she pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol she had snagged from home and dabbed the wound. When it was clean, she carefully covered it with a bandage, Demir so still, he was barely breathing.
‘Not too bad,’ she reported, checking his ribs. ‘Your right rib is bruised some but nothing serious. You’ll be fine. Make sure to move around tomorrow or you’ll regret it the next time you practise. And take this.’ She took out an unlabelled bottle filled with brown liquor from her bag she had gotten earlier that night. ‘As needed.’
‘How the hell did you get Sam to give you some whisky?’ Jack asked incredulously.
Selene smirked at his reaction. Sam tended to be stingy with his best stuff.
‘Three bucks and I promised I’d take a shot with him,’ she said. ‘He thought I was a lightweight, like one of his other girlies.’
‘You need to stop hanging around creepy men.’ Jack took out a cigarette, jealousy colouring his tone. It sent a thrill under Selene’s skin.
‘You hang around creepy men, and I’m hanging around you,’ she replied before standing. She kissed his cheek. ‘It’s inevitable, Jack.’ He followed her, wrapping an arm around her waist.
‘You just like trouble,’ he murmured. She laughed as he leaned in. Before they could kiss, Demir cleared his throat. Jack rolled his eyes but stopped.
‘The champ is ready to chug this and pass out,’ he announced. ‘Let’s get the fuck out of here.’
Selene frowned at him. ‘You really know how to kill a party,’ she sighed before gathering her things.
‘Relax, sweetheart. Demir here is all about business. Here’s the money for tonight for you.’ He handed Demir some bills before holding out a few to Selene. She narrowed her eyes at it. ‘And you.’ She ignored the eager look in Jack’s eyes and waved her hand towards Demir.
‘Give it to the champ,’ Selene said lightly. ‘I patched up our opponent before coming in here. D did a number on him, and I got a pretty penny for it, so…’ She winked at Demir, trying to add some playfulness to the moment. ‘Keep winning.’
‘Come on. You’re gonna need it for something,’ Jack insisted. ‘Like a new dress or makeup or whatever shit women get.’
Selene gritted her teeth. She hated it when he got like this, always trying to give her stuff under the excuse of her ‘needing’ it. She wasn’t a charity case. ‘I told you I got my money already.’
‘Ain’t no way those dudes are giving you this much. Don’t be so stub—’
Demir snatched the money from Jack’s hand. ‘Hey!’
‘She didn’t throw a punch and got to play doctor. I say we’re even,’ he said tiredly.
Jack opened his mouth, and Demir gave him a steely look, squaring his shoulders. Even bruised up, he could knock Jack clean out if he had to. Everyone in the room knew that.
