Reagan smiled again. “I know you will.” She stepped back toward the door. “Stay safe. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”
As soon as she walked out the door, I called Ripp. The line rang and rang, but he eventually picked up. “Hey, man. What’s up?” he answered.
“I’m heading back to California today.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Reagan said that Peyton was going to fly home by herself.”
Ripp scoffed. “What the fuck is she thinking?”
“That’s exactly what I said. So I’m going to drive her back instead.”
“What about your fights? Have you told Seth you aren’t going to be at the club?”
And there it was . . . my secret. No one other than Kase and Ripp knew of my dealings with Seth Michelson, a man who was part of one of the most powerful mafia families in the country.
“Not yet,” I said. “I’m going to as soon as I’m off the phone with you.”
“Okay. If you’re fine dealing with Peyton on your own, then I’m probably just going to stay here.” He’d be missing out on a quarter million dollars if he left. Of course, I would get it too, but Peyton’s safety was worth more to me than the money.
“Sounds good, man.”
“Oh, and speaking of Peyton, have you looked on the internet this morning? There are pics of us everywhere. People are wondering if she was the one who got married. Most know it was Braden and Reagan, but there are other speculations as well.”
“You know I don’t pay attention to that shit,” I grumbled. A lot of the stuff in the tabloids was garbage: just lies to get sales.
Ripp laughed. “Neither do I, but it was hard to avoid.”
After looking over at the time on the microwave in the small kitchenette area, I sighed. “All right, brother, I have to get Peyton before she tries to leave.”
“Have fun with that.”
We hung up and I hurried into the bedroom to pack up my suitcase. Once that was done, I called Seth. He picked up on the second ring. “Good morning, Jameson. Are you ready for your fight tonight?”
“Not exactly,” I replied, dropping my luggage off by the door. “That’s why I’m calling. I won’t be at the Labyrinth.”
“Why’s that?”
“I have to make sure Peyton gets back to Cali safely. She doesn’t have a bodyguard at the moment.”
Seth chuckled. “I see. Well, she needs one. I saw online that you were all seen heading into a wedding chapel. I take it your sister and Braden tied the knot?”
“They did,” I responded.
“Good. I’m happy for them. They went through hell and back to be together.”
That was the truth.
“Ripp is still staying in Vegas,” I informed him. “He’ll be fighting at the club tonight.”
“Honestly, I’m not worried about it, Jameson. I don’t just go for the fights. I have other reasons for being there.” When he didn’t elaborate, I let it go. The less I knew of his business, the better. It wasn’t wise to get involved with the mafia, but what we were doing wasn’t illegal. “I don’t know how long I’ll be in Vegas, but if you come back, call me. I’ll meet you at the club.”
“Will do,” I said.
The call ended and I slipped my phone into my pocket before walking out the door. The smell of coffee filled the air as I headed down the hallway toward the elevators. Peyton’s room was on one of the floors above mine, so I pressed the button and waited.
A few months ago, Seth had come to Vegas and showed up at the Labyrinth to watch the fights. He was fascinated with the setup and wanted to join in on the bets. He brought in more money which made Kase happy, especially since it was all legal. I was earning the cash fair and square for my fights.