Flip Trick

  I can hear Mom yapping in the background.

  I gesture toward him “Send them in.” Then I look to Ken, who has fallen asleep on the sofa halfway through The Greatest Snowman.

  “Ame,” my dad says, and I spin around to greet him.

  “Hey, Daddy.” I pull him in for a hug and then hug my mom. She’s still my mom, even if I’m not exactly pleased with how she has handled Liza. I’m willing to hear her out.

  “Meet me in the dining room, I’ll just grab a blanket for Ken.”

  They both disappear into the dining room as I run upstairs to get a blanket out of the spare room that she sleeps in when she’s here. It’s Holly Hubbard, and I love it. I love that this kid for someone so young and born in this generation, has a rustic soul. She doesn’t get sucked into the cool bullshit in the now, and she always loves to learn about the 90s. I can’t wait to pull out the Hansen, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC posters. Maddox will just love it.

  I tuck her into the sofa and kiss her head, then turn the TV off. I switch the lamp on that’s in the corner of the sitting room, allowing a warm light to penetrate the dark.

  I enter the kitchen, Mom and Dad are both seated at the dining table, like a pair of teenagers about to get the talk.

  I sigh, opening up my alcohol cabinet and pull down a bottle of whiskey. “This is all I got.” Then I grab some glasses and set it all the middle of the table, pushing the flower and glass centerpiece out of my way.

  I take a seat. “So.” I pour our drinks and then slide them across to each of them. “Let’s chat.”

  Mom exhales, takes a swig and sets it back on the table. “Liza’s father and I, we slept together a few times. We were actually together for some time.” Another drink. “I had a feeling I was pregnant when I woke up the following morning feeling sick. You were only two months old, and I had only just moved back to New York, getting ready to set up the bookstore. I was confused with the world and struggling with you. I didn’t have much help, and I didn’t want to share with your dad about how much I was struggling at the time. That pride we share is a curse.” Another drink, and a quick clearing of her throat. “I found out I was pregnant with Liza the same day Mom found me back in New York. I told my mom that I couldn’t do it. I told her I didn’t want my children in this life like I had been, that’s why Jonah and I had left. She didn’t like that. She needed at least one of you to take over when she passed. Sick fucking rituals they have.”

  I freeze because I’ve never heard my mom cuss.

  She continues. “She came for you on your second birthday. She had you. You were at the playground and she had left a note on the kitchen table to give her Liza or she was taking you instead. Naturally, she wanted Liza more because of who her father was—”

  I interrupt her. “I remember Liza sort of, from when I was a little girl. But not vividly, more like a couple still polaroid images embedded in my brain. I remember her more that day, but because I only remember her once or twice, I believed you when you told me she was a friend’s baby you used to watch sometimes.” Mom nods, her cheeks flashing in red. “Are you embarrassed by your lie, mother?”

  Her eyes dart to mine, her fingers squeezing around her glass. “Of course I am, Amethyst.”

  I bow my head, semi-satisfied. “Very good, continue.”

  She does. “I don’t regret my decision, Amethyst. There was no way in hell you were going into that life.”

  “Why didn’t you fight?” I ask, tilting my head at her.

  My dad shuffles in his seat. “You had Dad, who already admitted if he had known about Liza that he would have raised her as his own.”

  “Well,” she takes another sip of her drink and I regret pouring her it now, because she’s using it as a way to halt. “I thought I was doing the right thing at the time. I was young, I felt I didn’t have many options, and I was afraid, so very afraid of her, Amethyst—with good reason.”

  “I’ll drink to that.” I lift my glass and sink the entire contents, and then reach for the bottle to do refills. Dad hasn’t touched his, so I leave it.

  “I want to make it up to Liza. So does your father, if that’s ok with you?”

  “Of course it is,” I snap at her. “I can’t believe you would even ask me that!”

  “There’s something else,” Mom adds, clearing her throat. “Grams is dead.”

  MADDOX

  I crank my neck and clutch the steering wheel of my Ferrari. I’m in the middle of getting all my shit sent to LA. Don’t fucking like it there, but I’ll need some of my things there when I’m visiting my girl.

  I got to New York this afternoon, but I had a meet tonight and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get away from Amethyst without her asking questions, so I lied to her and said I wouldn’t be back in LA until tomorrow.

  There’s a knock on my window, and I pull my hoodie up over my head, winding it down.

  “Come on.”

  I swing my door up and beep the alarm. We’re down a dark alleyway in Brooklyn, not shady at all. My license plate is DESTRYR, and I’m pretty sure everyone knows who owns that.

  A young patch member opens a heavy metal door and I walk in, straightening my shoulders. “He’s out back.”

  I continue to walk down the empty white hallway, the light leading the way flickering on and off. I can hear loud laughter and cheering and smell the familiar scent of blood mixed with sweat. I push through the doors at the end, opening up into a restaurant kitchen. It’s beat up and hasn’t been used for over a decade because this is one of the locations they always use for underground fights. I know this because I used to fight here when I was in high school.

  “Long time no see,” Justice says, pulling his smoke out of his mouth. He stands and puts his hand out. I take it, and then sit down on one of the seats opposite him.

  “Is it done?” I ask, my eyebrows up and my jaw tight. I clench my fist.

  Justice chuckles. “Yes, it’s done.”

  “And now you’re the president?”

  He shrugs. “It was always supposed to be like this, Maddox. I was always supposed to have the gavel, and that bitch was running this down to the ground.”

  I lean forward, pinning him with a glare. “And you’ll stay the fuck away from Amethyst and Liza?”

  His cocky smirk falls, and he takes a bit of tobacco from his mouth before looking back to me. “Yes, but if my daughter ever wants anything to do with me, I won’t reject her.”

  “Fair enough,” I say, leaning back in my seat. “Was it painful?”

  “Very,” he answers. “Wanna know the details?”

  I want to say yes because I’d love to fucking dance with the images of her dying in my head, but I shake my head instead. “No. Amethyst knows if I’m lying to her, I can’t risk having any information.”

  He nods, and I go to stand, satisfied with the outcome and ready to see my fucking girls.

  “There’s one more thing,” he mutters, and I pause, tilting my head.

  “What?”

  Another set of doors open with a few more MC members walking through, holding up a tied and gaged Travis.

  My eyes dart to Justice. “What the fuck is this?”

  “Mmm,” he chuckles, lighting another smoke. “Figured your little beauty didn’t fill you in on this Muppet, so this is my treat to you.”

  I stare back at a frantic looking Travis. “You look like shit,” I mutter to him, then look back to Justice. “What’d she hide from me this time?”

  He snickers. “Let’s just say, Travis had a lot to do with a lot…”

  He continues, and I sit back down as he fills me in on every single gritty detail about Travis and the part he played in pretty much every-fucking-thing. My bones turn to fucking rage and my blood spins to lava.

  I shoot off my chair, seething. “You motherfucker.”

  Justice gets to his feet, his hand coming to my arm. “Maddox, you can’t wear any kind of heat. You want him gone, he’s gone, but you won’t have a part to
play in it.”

  I stand there, fists clenched and thoughts running through my head. Then I chuckle and spit on the ground, my focus locked on him. “Naaw, it’s all good. Let the fucker go.”

  Justice falters, looking over his shoulder to him then coming back to me. “You sure?”

  “Positive,” I affirm. “I don’t want his shitty blood on my hands.” Then my eyes fly to his. “If you so much as come within a radius of anyone I fucking know, you’re done. Just like your acting career.”

  Travis nods his head, and the men escort him out the back.

  Justice whistles. “That boy just got touched by an angel.”

  “Yeah, and that angel has pink hair.”

  I walk out of the bar and go back to my car with pent-up rage. I felt somewhat satisfied by Travis. He knows I have his balls in my hand. I zip through the city and drive straight to the airstrip. I want my fucking girl in my arms and I want her there now.

  AMETHYST

  Over the past few years, my life and world has rapidly expanded. I went from being somewhat of a loner with an annoying roommate, to that roommate becoming my sister-in-law and my best friend. Then my boyfriend becoming my stepbrother and then to actually having a real sister, and I turned into somewhat of a mother. Through the trials and tribulations that came with my journey, it was all worth it. I look at each of them and know that I’d go through the rollercoaster again and again just to have my life exactly where it is now.

  My mom and dad left not long after our chat, around five hours ago. I promised them both that I’d come and visit as soon as I can, but with work eating up my schedule now because I’ve spent so much of it away, and dealing with my personal dramas, now my load is big. I’ve been watching reruns of Friends, trying to fall asleep beside Kennedy when the front door opens, and I lean over the couch, watching as Maddox tosses his keys onto the entry table. He pauses when he spots me and Ken on the couch curled up together. He treads farther into the house and then pulls the blanket back to slide in beside me. He kisses me on my temple.

  “Everything ok with your parents?”

  I nod. He makes me feel at ease, cures the itch that tingles in my veins. “Yes, it’ll take time, but I think everything is going to be ok.”

  The next morning we’re sitting out by the pool having breakfast when Cass comes out, pushing her sunglasses over her head. “What’d I miss?”

  Oh you know, just the usual drama.

  Maddox is still checking out the halfpipe when I walk to Cass, giving her a hug. “Not much, how was Australia?”

  She sighs, taking a seat on one of the pool chairs. “It was amazing, Ame! So warm and the people, they’re like a different breed. So friendly.”

  “Hey,” I shove her. “I’m friendly!”

  She clears her throat.

  Bitch. I shake my head and chuckle.

  “Mama!” Kennedy runs toward her at full force and Maddox follows closely behind.

  “Hey sweetie!” she says, tugging her in.

  They all walk into the house and Maddox grabs my hand, pulling me into his chest. “I want to ask you something…”

  “Oh, oh…” I joke, the grin on my face smug.

  He rolls his eyes and pulls me down onto the lounge when Cass has disappeared with Kennedy, probably to get her things ready. “Want me to move out here full time? I mean I have my fights that I’ll have to fly back for, and then there’s Dutch in New York and I want to open a few other little businesses here and there, but for the most part, I can be here. With you.”

  I can’t fight the smile that spreads across my face. “Yes.”

  “Yes?” he repeats, as if in disbelief.

  I beam excitedly. “Yes.”

  Two weeks later, Maddox and I are settled into our place. We’re cuddling in bed, watching something on TV when his arm wraps around my waist and he brings his lips to my neck.

  “How many kids do you want?” I ask, out of nowhere.

  “Ahh….” He laughs. “I don’t know? I guess I haven’t really thought about it. With you, I wouldn’t have a preferred number, but I’m hoping for a lot. Why?”

  I nod, my lips curling in. “Well, because.” I reach for my bedside drawer and take out the white stick. “Don’t get excited because as you know, I had a miscarriage an—”

  He pushes up on one elbow. His face is impassive, and then a shit-eating grin spreads out. “Holy fuck.”

  “Yes.”

  I gulp. I haven’t told anyone yet, not even Leila, but I know she’s going to be excited that we’re pregnant together. I haven’t even thought of work, but we’re over halfway through filming so I guess I have a bit of time, and anyway, FX and all that fancy stuff.

  He rolls on top of me, pinning me with his pelvis.

  I laugh, whacking him. “Maddox!”

  I don’t know why things happen the way they do, but I believe that the result is always the same. I believe in fate. If you veer off course, fate will help you back on. It wouldn’t matter what direction you took, eventually, your life would lead you to the destination you needed to be at. Maybe that’s like with Maddox and I. Maybe things could have been easier with him and me, but maybe I don’t want it to be easier. Because every scar that I’ve received on the way to getting here has helped mold me into the person I am today. His person.

  This isn’t just about love and fate and all the sloppy stuff, though. This was just a boy who met a girl at a donut shop. I fell in love with Maddox as a child, I had loved him without even knowing it and because of that, the love we shared was primal and raw. It’s an untouched kind of love.

  Now, I get him for the rest of my life.

  Two Months Later

  AMETHYST

  Leila and Liza are on either side of me, and the stench of damp bodies and testosterone fills the air. I’m amped, electrified by seeing Maddox in the ring. He’s a work of art when he fights. I’ve watched him a few times now, a couple times on YouTube from his old fights, and one other time live. Every time I watch, the passion he has for it grows on me. This time is no different than the others. He’s a lion, teasing his prey. It’s like once he’s in the octagon, he’s a different person. He’s no longer Maddox Stone, he’s now “The Destroyer.”

  We’re into the second round, after witnessing Maddox play with his opponent. He gracefully side-stepped every move, a grin on his face, then he’d lay a few light jabs on the other fighter. Then just when the other fighter would think: this is it, this is his time to start swinging on Maddox, it’s too late, because Maddox is already laying perfect combos into him. One after the other, like a perfectly orchestrated performance. What makes him deadly as Maddox Stone, but a Destroyer in the ring, is the fact that he’s always two steps ahead of people. Maddox bounces back on his feet, then lands one swift jab right in the center of the guy’s face. The crowd’s roars cut to silence as we all watch him in fascination as he drops to the ground, his body limp and lifeless.

  The crowd bursts out in cheers and I exhale, dropping down to my seat.

  He’s built for this. His talent hasn’t soared, it’s damn near burnt up the whole damn world.

  A week later we’re all in New York, back at Kingsville Park.

  “Baby…” Maddox warns. “Why do you need to still be flipping ollies? Why can’t you be like the other normal soccer moms who do yoga and shit?”

  I scrunch my face and flip him off. “Like hell!”

  Leila’s laughing, with Talon and Wolf beside her. Liza grins, looking up at me from her sketchbook. “Seriously, girl. You are pregnant. You shouldn’t be doing that…” Liza says, gesturing to my stomach.

  Maddox glares at me.

  “Just once…”

  Kennedy giggles. “Do it, Ame!”

  “I can totally land this…” I tell myself.

  “Hey!” Maddox yells out from one of the wooden tables. “If you land this,” he pauses and winks at our friends while jogging over to me.

  “If I land this, what, Maddox?”
I roll my eyes. I can totally land this.

  “If you land this with a kickflip ollie, you have to marry me.”

  I inhale deeply, and everyone silences. Except Leila who squeals.

  “Ah…” I lick my lips.

  “Oh my gooossshh!” Kennedy starts jumping around.

  Goddamnit, Maddox, throwing me off balance again. I falter my step. “You know I can land this, Maddox…”

  He grins, pulling out a small white box and drops to his knee. “I know you can, baby. I guess the question is… do you want to?”

  AMETHYST

  Two Years Later

  I married him. Because of course I did. I wasn’t much into planning the wedding, so I gave it all over to Leila to plan, with one exception: don’t be extreme. We fought a lot. Cried even more. Fought some more and then hugged a whole bunch. In the end, we both agreed to have it at Dutch. At first, the guys bickered about it. It seems, my big scary brothers are actually big softies. They eventually agreed, of course, and the ceremony was beautiful. The wedding was at sunset with only fairy lights and lanterns illuminating the venue. It felt as though their mom, Lauren, was with us. It got a little emotional for Maddox and the guys, and even Elliot, but it felt like closure too. Now they visit Dutch all the time, and it’s our go-to every time we are in New York. It was all a part of their healing process, which only makes the fact that Maddox and I married there so much more special. The reception was at our skate park. We had to get the all-clear from the council, but it worked. We had a Bedouin tent set up and more fairy lights lining the pipes and ramps.

  Bradley was four months old when we finally tied the knot. There was no way in hell I was being a pregnant bride, and anyway, I wanted to drink. It was a beautiful night of laughter and good people. At the end of the night, we had so much leftover food that we opened up the tent to all the homeless on the street and the young kids. It ended up turning into a small party with a whole bunch of kids and people joining in with us. It was perfect. Leila started swearing again but, in my eyes, it was perfect.