It's Just A Game

Chapter 46 A Brunswick

Mentally, I scolded myself for almost reaching out to Myah when Chase pulled her out of my grasp unceremoniously into the direction of the garden. I felt cold being away from her presence. My fingers have numbness crawling to the tips that I have to fist it to feel the blood running into it. Her proximity to my body had me crazy with giddiness. It makes me want to bask in her presence. I found myself chuckling at the thoughts swirling in my head.

Myah is a bundle of energy no matter how battered she is. The strong front amidst danger comes out naturally from her. I can sense her faltering for a moment but unconsciously manage to get back to the saddle right away. I find it impressive in a girl of her stature. She looked so pampered with the people around her. But she isn't like those spoiled brats that act so high and mighty and so weak.

I admired Myah's toughness and courage. We banged heads if given the chance. Like a '67 Impala being hot-wired right from a complete overhaul. She purrs and scratches with all claws. There is just something in me that doesn't want to hurt her at all but along the line of keeping her safe is hurting her as well with my words or actions.

I needed to control my crazy emotions running wildly in me. Taking two steps at a time up the stairs, I huffed and groaned upon pulling the sleeves of my leather jacket up and saw the bruise on my right arm. I remembered shielding my face from the attacker earlier and felt a steely material hit my arm. Pain penetrated right away into my bone and it pissed me off. It looked nastier than Myah's but I can surely endure it without a flinch.

I'm still pissed off. I don't know why. I'm still angry. It looks like the skirmish was not enough to release my pent-up frustrations. I went directly to my room, slammed the door closed, removed my jacket and threw it on the bed together with my shirt. I sat on the edge of the bed, leaning my elbows by the legs and both hands cupped my face. This energy is driving me nuts. Slowly raking my hands up to my hair and leaned back only to land on the bed with a silenced thud. Then the song "Amber" started blaring off my phone, I picked it up and saw a familiar name flashed on the screen.

"Do you have any good news for me?" I said before the other person could say anything.

"Bullshit! I'm not your enemy, GFord! Don't use that tone on me." countered Pete, the closest friend I have in the face of this planet. "To answer your question, I do."

"Meet me at Danny's Diner," I instructed but got cut off before I can say the rest.

"I'm coming over. We can talk while we hit the gym. You sound like you can use some fists on the punching bag." Pete chuckled before the line got disconnected.

I sighed loudly to the air around me, got up from the bed and proceeded to the part of the room covered in dark drapes only to open a glass door into the cold outside. The terrace was overlooking the garden and the twinkling night sky. I can see Chase and Myah indulged in a serious conversation. Chase's face full of confusion and anguish while Myah trying her best to pacify my younger brother.

The scene unfolding in front of me was creating tiny needles piercing through my heart. It hurt me to see Chase swept her in his arms. I want to do it myself. I want to feel Myah against me, nestled in my chest and secured in my arms. I don't like her looking at me with contempt and hesitation. I just want her to trust me. I moved back from the railing into the confines of my room with a heavy heart.

It took Pete fifteen minutes to arrive as he found me all gear up for sparring in the basement. The gym was equipped with the latest equipment. Chase and I took turns in abusing this place at our convenient time. Pete loves this place as well since he is a health buff. He can come in anytime he wants and uses the gym for all I care. The perks of being friends with the Landon, he labeled it in such term. He all smiled upon entering but the look changed into a worried one as our gazes met.

"You look like you want to kill somebody." Pete managed to drop his bag on the floor.

"I'll kill you if you're not gonna hurry up and change." was my stern reply.

"GFord, you can always try. I know you can't kill me. I'm your only friend, you dimwit!" He confidently snickered while changing shirt into a sleeveless one.

I laughed a half-baked one. "I've always asked myself why I'm friends with you."

"Back at you," Pete responded while fixing the laces on his rubber shoes.

"So are you going to tell me what you know?" I wrapped my left hand with a clothlike material before standing up.

"I will. But let's get this over first. You're itching for a fight." He pointed to the boxing ring and I huffed in agreement. I went up ahead of him while putting on the gloves on both hands.

Pete had a headgear on when he went inside the ring. "Why are you wearing that thing?"

"I'm anticipating you'll go on a rampage. I have to protect my pretty face." His smile reached his ears. "I can't let you graze it."

"Pretty face? You're an ass, Pete!" I laughed watching my friend fixed his gloves.

"I don't need another slash on my face." He said while stretching out and slowly throwing punches in the air.

"Chicks dig scar, Pete!" I told him in my defensive stance as he started attacking my raised arms. Every time Pete hit my bruised right arm, my anger gets fueled another notch higher.

"Easy for you to say. Girls throw themselves at you. Yes, I am a pretty face but not as pretty as you, GFord. I, on the other hand, had to work my ass off to impress the opposite sex." He kept on moving towards me as I found myself being boxed in one of the ring's corner. Pete landed a one-two punch on my ribcage, making me lose air for a couple of seconds.

I threw quick jabs to disorient Pete combined with nimble footwork. My turn on the offense. Multiple jabs before releasing one-two punch combination after he lowered his arms. A taste of his own medicine. He buckled a few steps back but still wearing a genuine smile and didn't look hurt at all.

Taking the open opportunity, I moved in closer through my reach is enough to land a punch by the shoulder. Pete's lateral movement was predictable. A solid left punch had him on the floor in a matter of second.

"Enough!I'm becoming your personal punching bag." Pete breathed rigorously as he lay on the ring's canvas. I offered my hand for him to stand up but he declined. "Let me collect my thoughts." He laughed first and I joined in for a minute before gladly collapsing on the floor beside my friend.

"So what do you have for me, Pete? I want to hear it right now." The seriousness of my voice was reflected in the eyes of the other person.

He nodded and sat up. I did the same and squatted. "Those guys after Chase's coach are no longer part of the Brunswick Syndicate. I've talked to my father and he confirmed no association or business with those bastards."

"What do you mean "no longer part"? Care to elaborate on that portion." My brows furrowed in concentration.

Pete took the gear off his head and set it aside. "Nimrod used to be part of it. He was one of the trusted people but one day, he sabotaged a huge transaction. Instead of killing him, he was removed and left with nothing. The syndicate was very much confident Nimrod won't squeak to the authority. As for Jorge, he was never part of it. Nimrod might just have strung him along like an obedient puppy."

"I guess they are working on their own then. Nimrod is trying to sabotage the syndicate's business by using the name." Both hands rake my nape high hair.

"Yes, you're right. But my father thinks Nimrod is working for someone. His confidence to transact business is stepping so low to include and manipulate high school sports team which is definitely not the M.O. of the Brunswick." Pete said calmly with a shrug.

"Why is your father not sure about it?" I asked trying not to pull the hair off my head.

"GFord, my friend, you should know that in a syndicate any time you can be double-crossed by a member. Any member can orchestrate to stab the others or framed the people they don't like." Pete reached to tap my shoulders. "Dad isn't sure yet and can't point a finger which of the other head members is running a backdoor business. But now that he is much aware of Nimrod's crude activities, I know in my heart that he 'll get to the bottom of this."

"I'm happy and thankful to know that I have you and your father's cooperation in this matter." I stood up and extended a helping hand to Pete which he gladly took.

"Anything for a Landon," Pete commented and offered his right hand for a shake.

"I appreciate the help of a Brunswick. Would you care for a beer, Pete?" My turn to tap his shoulder as we exited our way out of the ring and the gym.

"Yeah sure," Pete uttered trying to fix his gym bag along the way.