Chapter 10

10

Perrie – A Few Days Later

Left, right, left.

I hit the idiot with quick jabs to his face and stomach, blocking out the roaring crowd.

His right fist comes toward my head, and I duck then kick my leg out, causing him to stumble when I hit my mark, my foot connecting with his calf.

He growls, his dark brown eyes heating with anger, and I smirk, winding him up.

I want a decent fight—no, I need it.

He charges at me, and I sidestep him and spin around, managing to connect my elbow with the back of his head, making him grunt before I slam my foot in his back, forcing him into the ropes.

I can feel my back sweat along with my palms, my heart pounding as I get ready for the so-called “destroyer” to get a grip on himself, to realize I’m playing with him, needing for him to fight harder, to at least get a punch in, to help me forget.

He slept with her. A week after he slept with me, he slept with the girl who forced her way into my life, pretending to be my friend, all while trying her hardest to convince my mother to leave my father for hers.

He slept with Andrea….

Bile rises again with the complete pain that shadows me, and I run to the “destroyer”, and pounce, my fist hitting his nose.

I sigh, looking at the house I grew up in. For four years, I’ve allowed my mother to continue living here, knowing it’s her home. But for four years, I’ve been the one who has had to pay the gas and water bills, for people to keep up with the lawn, and it stops today.

I can’t afford it anymore, and I need to sell it so Cass and I have a backup plan, well, that’s if she ever calls me. Maybe I can put some money into the gym, too.

Whether I keep it, though, that’s another story.

Maybe I can sell that and go traveling, find my sister….

I squeeze the steering wheel and look at my knuckles. My skin is all torn, and the tape did not work as well last night as it should have.

After spending a night drinking with Nat and spilling my guts, I spent the next three nights at the Fight, winning over 10k, which went straight into the gym. The new ring arrived this morning.

I look at the house again, before taking a deep breath.

I really don’t want to go in there.

Sighing, I climb out of the Mustang, my eyes going to Andrea’s yellow Fiat. I roll my eyes and walk to the front door, unlocking it with my key before entering the front room.

Mom and Andrea look my way from the gray couch, and I raise my brow at Andrea’s tears.

I haven’t spoken to her since she tried to start an argument with me a few days ago. I was minding my own business at work when she stormed in, complaining about how much of a shitty daughter I was.

It was laughable, and I just walked away.

“Hey, sweetie,” Mom says, her arm firmly over Andrea’s shoulder, and I flinch at the nickname.

Since Dad died, she’s started calling it me, and I’m ready to deal with that.

Trying to temper my anger, I sigh heavily and say, “Mom, I need a minute alone with you, please.”

Andrea sniffles, burrowing into Mom, making me roll my eyes while mom says, “Unfortunately not, you can see Andrea is upset….”

Of course, Andrea comes first as always. Damn, I sound bitter.

I raised a brow. “Really? Why now?”

Mom clears her throat, squeezing Andrea to her before she says, “She and Acid have been sleeping together, Perrie. She’s upset because she’s worried that you’ll hate her, knowing about your crush on him.” Everything in me freezes as my mom, my flipping mother, continues to stand by someone who isn’t her daughter while I crumble inside, no not crumble, completely die. “Look, sweetie,” I finch again, “I understand you’ve known Acid longer, that you have a crush on him, but you are keeping them both apart. He says he can’t have a relationship, not wanting to hurt you, and I’m sorry, but that’s just selfish of you, and I didn’t raise you that way.”

I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to punch someone so badly in my life, and that’s saying something, considering I stabbed both my rapists in their cocks.

I snort, trying to hide my pain, and say, "Funny because you didn’t raise me at all, Dad did." Her eyes widen, and I sneer, “And stop calling me sweetie. That’s Dad's nickname, not yours.”

Andrea smirks as Mom stands and snaps, “Perrie, I know you're probably hurt about this, but please, you’re hurting Andrea and Acid.”

I look at her with a mixture of shock, hurt, and anger, all while the girl who forced her way into my life to split my parents up grins.

And I’m done.

With a nod, I turn and walk out.

Screw her, screw Andrea, and screw Acid!

“Perrie!” Mom shouts as I walk to my car. “Get back here and be mature about this!” she continues, but I ignore her and climb in my car.

Without a backward glance, I spin out of the spot, officially done with her and Andrea.

The idiot “destroyer” runs at me again, and I dodge his fist, but his right fist lands a blow to my stomach, and I double over as his fist comes to my face again, and I allow it.

I messaged Hammer and told him I’m handing in my resignation at the diner. I can’t work with Acid any longer, in the place where he screwed me, but Hammer denied me.

The ass told me the contract I signed when I started stated I had to give over a year’s notice. Note to self, always read the fine print.

The “destroyer’s” fist hits my brow, and the force causes me to stumble, the crowd screaming and shouting for me to fight back harder, and I listen. I run at the “destroyer” and land one, two, three punches to the face, then another to the chest, causing him to double over, giving me the opportunity to swing around and bring my leg up, my foot connecting with his jaw.

His eyes roll into the back of his head before he drops, knocked out, and the crowd goes wild.

I can feel blood pour from my brow, but I ignore it as the ref grabs my arm and lifts it above my head shouting, “Your winner, Tinker!” all while I silently curse; my anger is doubling by the second.

He slept with Andrea….

I wince as I bend down, grabbing the roller full of dark blue paint before connecting it to the wall.

Pain ripples through me, but I revel in it. I continue decorating the gym, my eyes taking in all the new equipment, keeping my mind busy.

Brand new boxing bags hang around the large open room, with new mats beneath them. Three treadmills line the back wall, with a massive TV on the wall. The right side of the gym consists of weight benches, and the left consists of three exercise bikes. The new ring sits in the middle of the room, just like the old one did.

New flooring was also installed, and hopefully, now that I’ve won my last fight, the new lighting will be installed next week.

I’m also redecorating the office. I'm not changing it much; I'm just sprucing up the paint and furniture, before I replace the reception desk and the sign outside.

They will be the last thing to be done; otherwise, everyone will know what I’m doing, and I don’t need that right now.

“I should have known you’d be here,” a voice says, and I turn to see my mom in a pantsuit, looking around the room.

Dammit, I forgot to lock the door.

I sigh and bend over, trying to withhold my wince as I add more paint to my roller. I state, “You’re not welcome here. Turn around and walk out.”

“Perrie, I am your mother!” she snaps.

I snort. “You’re more of a mother to Andrea than me, so get lost.”

I hear her growl as I continue to paint. This side wall and the back wall will be dark blue, while the others will be light gray. The logo will be painted on the side wall.

When mom doesn’t say anything, I look at her and notice her eyeing everything.

“T-This is-is all knew…” she stammers.

I hum and admit, “It is. It’s taken longer than I’d hoped, but I had the apartment upstairs redone first.”

“H-How?”

I smirk at her confusion before I admit, “When Dad left me the gym, he left me everything, including the cash inside the safe." Her eyes widen, and I grin. “There were thousands left in it.”

“Perrie, I was his wife!” she snaps and I snort, continuing to paint, not willing to get into it with her. She’s still in denial, thinking I’m unaware of her infidelity.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Andrea’s dad weren’t the first to be honest.

She sighs. “Look, I didn’t come here to argue with you, I came here to speak about Andrea. Her and Acid, they want to settle down, sweetie….”

And I’m done!

I drop the roller with a bang and turn toward my mother, and snap, “Stop calling me that!” She flinches, but her eyes widen when I admit, “If Acid wanted to settle down so badly with her, then why in the hell did he screw me in the diner last week, something mind you, he started.” I look down at her. “Now, do me a favor and get out of my gym. Dad left it to me, not you, and you are not welcome here.”

“Perrie…” she starts, but I ignore her, and walk to the front door and hold it open.

She swallows hard and walks out, but before she can get far, I state, “By the way, you have thirty days to move out of the house. Dad left it to me and Cass, but before she left, she gave me the deed to do as I please. I can’t afford to keep paying for you." She turns and looks at me in shock, and I shrug. “It’s already on the market.”

That said, I shut the door and lock it for good measure, before walking back to the paint, picking up the roller, and continuing.

My heart cracks, and I try to breathe through it.

Yeah, maybe selling both properties and traveling sounds like a good idea.

I have nothing here for me anymore, anyway, only memories that make me want to pick up a blade and do something I haven’t done in a really long time.

My eyes go to my dad’s urn on the new shelves, and I swallow hard and whisper, “I’m sorry, Daddy….”