Fighting Silence (On the Ropes #1)(87)

“Wait,” he signed back. “Let them lift your glove and we’re out of here, okay? There’s a car waiting out back.”

“A car? Where is she?” I asked as the opposing trainer came over to offer a handshake and the customary congratulations. But I wasn’t having it. I stepped around him and got into Slate’s face. “Where the f*ck is she?” I growled.

His hands lifted to respond, but he dropped them and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? What the f*ck is going on?” My stomach dropped.

I searched his face for answers, but he had them all stoically hidden away. Fuck having my glove lifted in the air. If there was a car out back headed for Eliza, I was getting in it.

I shoved him out of the way and climbed out of the ring, not even bothering with the steps as I jumped off the skirting and made my way through the crowd. People were slapping my back as I rushed from the ring, and it wasn’t until I slammed the back door open that I realized Leo and Slate had followed me.

Slate yanked the door open to a blacked-out Escalade, and I crawled inside. No sooner than the door was shut, I yelled, “Start f*cking talking. Now!”

“Eliza’s fine. So is the baby.”

I blew out a relieved breath, but he continued.

“She’s at the hospital with Flint.”

My head snapped back in surprise. “Flint?”

“I’m afraid so, son. He’s the one who found her. Frankie put up a fight, and Flint was shot in the scuffle.”

“Flint?” I barely squeezed out as my chest took the painful blow of his words. “Is he okay?”

“He was shot in the back, but according to Johnson, he was talking as the paramedics wheeled him out.”

“In the back?” I whispered.

Leo said something and my eyes flashed to Slate for the translation. With a quick swipe of his hands, pride—and guilt—consumed me.

“He was protecting Eliza.”





“TILL!” I CRIED AS SOON AS he shoved the door to my hospital room open.

His hands were still taped from the fight and he was only wearing his trunks and an On The Ropes T-shirt, but it was the anger in his eyes that looked the most out of place. His whole face softened as soon as he saw me.

He rushed to the bed and wrapped me in his strong arms. I had been mildly holding it together up until that moment, but I lost it as I buried my face in Till’s neck.

“Jesus f*cking Christ, Eliza.”

As he lifted me off the bed, the wires dangling from my stomach all snapped off. I clung to him anyway.

He gently sat me back down. “What is all this?” He pointed to the monitors attached to my stomach. “Is the baby okay?”

“She’s fine. When I was talking to the police, I started having contractions.”

His eyes widened.

“It was just stress,” I quickly clarified. “I haven’t had any more since they hooked me up to the monitors.”

“Thank God,” he exhaled, resting his hand on the curve of my stomach.

“How’s Flint? Did they tell you anything?”

He swallowed hard, and instead of speaking, he only signed back. He’s in surgery.

I nodded sadly, and he lifted my hand to kiss the palm. I sat there for several minutes just staring into space. I was in Till’s arms, but my body remained stiff.

“Eliza, the police and Alex filled me in on what went down at the hotel, but do you want to talk about it?”

I shook my head and nervously toyed with his fingers. I fought really f*cking hard to hide what was really going through my head. It was wrong, and I felt extremely guilty for even thinking it. However, that didn’t stop me from feeling it. And as tears leaked from my eyes, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it hidden from Till.

“It’s just . . . I’m so f*cking mad at him right now.” I paused to collect myself but failed. “He’s so goddamn stupid. Why the hell didn’t he go to the police instead of storming in and trying to take care of it himself?” My chest ached as the memories filled my mind. “He shouldn’t have been there at all. It’s so messed up, but I want him to get out of surgery so I can . . . kick him or something.”

Till coughed a laugh that was dripping with emotions. “I’m pissed too. But he took a bullet for my wife and daughter. I’m gonna have to figure out a way to get over it.”

I couldn’t let it go though. I would have done anything for those boys, and apparently, he felt the same.

“I met your dad,” I said as I tried my damnedest to stop envisioning Flint when he rushed through that hotel door.

“I heard.” Till snapped.

“How the hell does he know sign language?”

“I have no f*cking idea. But if I ever find that motherf*cker, he won’t be alive long enough for me to ask.” He looked down and kissed my forehead.

We quietly sat there for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts, but mine were just a never-ending replay of the day. My anxiety climbed with the vision of a gun being smashed into Quarry’s face, then Flint— Till interrupted my spiral downward. “You’re shaking. Talk to me.”

I couldn’t stop the words as they flew from my mouth. “It was terrible, Till. I’ll never be able to forget the way Flint’s body jumped when the bullet hit him. Even as he fell on top of me, he was thinking enough to catch himself with an arm so he didn’t land on my stomach. He has to be okay. We can’t lose him.”