she's mine.

57

JONNY'S POV
Let me just apologize now..

"Go," I didn't look at my little sister as I threw her out of my truck. I didn't want that look of betrayal stuck in my head. When she finally slid out, I left before she could try to convince me to stay. I knew what she thought, I knew she thought I was acting crazy, that I had never acted like this or that this just wasn't me. She was right. It wasn't, but knowing you had moved to the same town as your father's murderer, the one who tucked a bomb underneath his car, would make you a little crazy, too.

I thought of my father now, his words were continuously on a loop in my head.

Family above all else.

Protect your sister.

Boy, look after your mother.

You will be the man of this house someday, remember that.

My father had taught me these things since I was able to talk myself. My mind raced back to the fifth grade. I was sent home for getting into a fight. I remembered when my father asked my why I had punched the little boy in the nose; I told him how he had hurt Rai- pushed her from behind on the playground after school. My father didn't yell or scream or even ground me, he just stood and told me to follow him. We walked straight out of the house that night and he took me to the ice cream shop. He told me how proud he was of me for standing up for her and protecting our little family. It was then that he had put me in boxing classes. I was young and stopped when I got to high school so I could be apart of my school's athletics. But as I looked back, it was ironic to think where I ended up and left me wishing I would have stuck with it.

I thought about my fight this weekend.

"This is a good one Jonny boy," my manager, Harry, told me in training earlier this week.

"You say that every time," I rolled my eyes as I tossed my jump rope to the side.

"Yeah but I mean it this time Jonny," he said that every time as well. "You get this and we have a shot at whoever you want next!" he was eager for me to believe him.

I did believe him, but I didn't care who was next. I didn't care for the drama in this industry. I knew I had to put on a show and get the crowd to love me, but I didn't actually have it out for any of these other fighters. All I wanted was to make money.

That was always what the fights were for, just to make the money. Soon my mother wouldn't have to be working the night shifts, she wouldn't have to slave away anymore. I could buy her a one way trip to Arizona, or wherever she wanted to get her out of all of this. She could retire and not have to worry about anything anymore. I just needed to keep winning.

That was the long term goal. Right now though, I had to worry about finding Eli. I drove to Lea's house to see if he had gone home. He hadn't. I thought of all the other places he would be while I shot his sister a text.

Me: Do you know where Eli is?

Hopefully she doesn't question it. I thought of how the kid had looked mad when he peeled out in front of the house. Where would I go if I were mad? To find something or someone to hit probably..

I closed my eyes as realization washed through me.

I opened my eyes and threw my car into drive just as my phone buzzed.

Lea: No, why? Is everything okay?

A twinge of guilt hit me as his little sister worried for him. She was sweet, the type of soft that you didn't find anywhere in this world anymore. Her blushing cheeks and green eyes flashed into my mind before I pushed the bittersweet image away.