The Devil's Deal

chapter six

Kade

I swirl the ice around in my glass of whisky before tilting my head back and swallowing the liquid. It burns as it goes down my throat, I close my eyes savouring the feeling.

I open them when I hear my name being called.

"Kade" I'm in a meeting room with about four of my father's closest business partners. I nod and shift in my seat, showing them that they have my full attention.

"As we've been discussing, this new opportunity will be bringing your father a lot of attention seeing as you are his son, and we need to make sure we are on the right terms with adding you into the equation."

"The terms are clear, I do whatever he wants and then I'm left alone the rest of the time, I see it as a win-win." I keep my voice clear and steady, these men are always so difficult to deal with. I constantly have to explain myself to them, prove that I'm worthy of whatever shit my father puts me through.

This is no different, it's just another one of my father's stupid ploys to make more money.

"This underground fighting ring is no joke boy. For it to be a success we need someone who can pressure the other fighters. A challenge, to make them want to bet against you and still fight you." The man directly across from me says, his name is Chris Neelan my father's closest confidant. He knows every dirty secret about my father, more about him than I know, and I know a lot. He profits off of tricking people out of their money, he runs some of the most popular gambling halls and casinos in Manhattan as well as some chains across the country.

"I'm the biggest challenge that you'll ever meet. You've seen me in the ring, I don't lose, and I don't plan on starting now," I sit back in my seat and cross my left ankle over my knee. I'm buzzing for more alcohol, the music is thumping against the floor, I can almost hear all of the people losing their minds to the music and the drugs.

The other men sitting around the table are all smiling, they seem content with my answers, If they want a fighter I was damn well going to put up a fight. I wasn't like other boxers in the ring, I never turn away from a fight however big or impossible the opponent may be. If I don't show myself, prove myself in the ring, how will I ever succeed in standing up against the biggest competitor there is.

My father.

Chris does not seem satisfied, he never is. He sneers and gets up, the other men following in unison, like lost puppies following their mom.

He's about to walk by me when he grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls it up towards his face. His eyes are cold his pupils dilate as a dark smirk spreads across his lips, "You'd better not fuck this up for us. We have put in too much money to watch it be destroyed by the likes of you. Street scum." He looks down at my clothes before letting me go and stalking out of the room, none of the other men look at me as they pass by. Cowards each and every single one, they are all scared of my father and the power he holds against them.

I wait a couple of minutes after they have left before I leave myself, I flex my bruised knuckles as I walk down the quiet hallway. I pause and stare down at the scars that cover my hands, starting at the wrist and continuing across. Burns actually. The memories from that day come flooding back, and I have to lean against the wall so my legs don't break out from under me.

I'm snapped out of past memories when I hear footsteps coming towards me, the man walking up to me winks, a large grin spreading across his face, eyes glinting mischievously.

"Brother!" Denzel greets me by punching my shoulder, Hard. "Long time no see!"

"What a surprise, you miss me already?" A small smile pulls at my lips, the first smile in a long time, "I knew you couldn't stay away."