Fist to the Heart Ch. 11

Mr. Kent fiddled with a pipe for a while, and Johnny watched, without being able to control his curiosity. The old man looked at him through the veil of smoke and then invited him to take a seat on a small couch by the window.

"I must apologize," he started.

"What for?" Johnny said, a bit gruffly, and regretting it right away.

"For accusing you of being trouble for my son when, in fact, I was the one inviting trouble into our lives," Mr. Kent replied promptly.

"You couldn't have known about that guy, sir," Johnny said simply.

"I could have, and I should have," Mr. Kent said while crossing his legs and putting the pipe into his mouth once more.

Johnny waited patiently. Whatever Mr. Kent wanted to tell him, he would listen, and listen carefully.

"I might ask too much to tell you to watch over my son -"

"There's no need to ask, sir. I'll do it anyway."

Mr. Kent examined him with his scrutinizing eyes. "Are you a bit nervous about being here, Johnny?"

How could he tell? Johnny watched his hands. Maybe he was just too rash, talking too loud, speaking out of turn.

"There's no need to. You're welcome here. Although I should ask. How come you were there when Ruslan got assaulted by that man?"

"I was looking after him," Johnny admitted.

Great. Now Mr. Kent would think he was some stalker.

"We were all lucky you were, then," Mr. Kent replied. "You see, Johnny, Russy is the most important person in the world for me. His happiness is everything to me. And you make him happy."

Johnny looked at the old man, wondering, in the most absurd manner possible, if he was joking or having some twisted fun at his expense. But no. The inquisitive eyes searching his soul sustained his and their exchange was honest and transparent.

"So we're good?" he asked, for lack of better words.

Mr. Kent smiled and nodded. And then he offered Johnny his hand. "Come tomorrow. I intend to train you myself," he said as they shook hands.

"Train?" Johnny wondered out loud.

"I don't know if Russy told you, but I'm no stranger to the sport. There are a few tricks you can learn from this old dog," Mr. Kent said with a small smile.

"I'm not sure I could spar with you, sir," Johnny said, feeling some of his nervousness returning.

"You won't be sparring with me, sonny." Mr. Kent laughed. "I'll give you pointers. You'll spar with Martin."

The thought of sparring in a ring with the quiet butler wasn't supposed to be this intimidating. After all, Johnny had half the guy's years and all the advantages that came with that.

"So now I suppose I have to promise I'll be gentle," he found himself talking. "No offense, sir," he added quickly.

"None taken. But we're not doing this for our fun. We're doing this because we want you to be the best for our Russy."

Ruslan was right. The old man was talking as if he and Martin were married. Or, at least, like they were family. Could they be brothers? But no, that couldn't be. Who would use his brother as a butler?

"We'll see tomorrow how much leeway you believe you should leave us." Mr. Kent patted him on the shoulder.

Johnny nodded curtly. So he was welcomed to the family in a way. "That dude's family," he began, "they're powerful, right? I should know."

"Do you know the Davenports, Johnny?" Mr. Kent asked, a bit surprised.

"You're the one who looked into my past. You should know," Johnny pointed out.

"I'm afraid that's not a detail I came across," Mr. Kent replied.

"Someone with that name is, you know, who took an inch of the pelt on my back," Johnny said.

"Forgive me if that's something I have a hard time believing. I don't see any of them getting handy with a whip. It was a whip, right?"

"A special kind," Johnny said wryly. "But no, the man who swung that whip wasn't the same with the one who gave the order."

"Oh," Mr. Kent admitted. "That I didn't know. But how come you got entangled with their business, Johnny? I know your father had some serious debts to certain unsavory characters, but -"

"It was a lot of money. By our standards, at least," Johnny said. "I thought what you just said, too. Until they put me in a ring, and Francis fucking Davenport told me that I have to repay what my old man had stolen. With my life, if need be. For some reason, it was personal with him. That's why he had me beaten within an inch of my life. When I said enough, when I didn't want to take any drugs and told him I was done, he did that and cared to let me know he was behind it. But it was just between him and me, I guess. No one knew. And maybe one or two of his men."

Mr. Kent listened in silence. "Personal, you say? And how come he let you live, then?"

Johnny chuckled and shook his head. "He told me that I'd get to repay him in installments if I survived the beating. I did. So he let my mom and me alone. At least, as long as I pay him back."

"I will take care of that. Just name the amount of the debt."

"With all due respect, Mr. Kent, I can't let you do that. It's my debt."

"You're a man of honor, Johnny. That's so rare these days," the old man said pensively. "You have me intrigued over this Davenport business. Francis has never struck me as the kind to hold petty grudges. How much did your old man take?"

"Something around one hundred grand. And with interest and everything, it's more. But I got less than one quarter of that to pay back. If I win your tournament, there won't be much, and I'll be there. Half a year, one year, at max, and I'll settle that shit my old man caused."

Despite himself, he was getting worked out, moving his hands too brusquely, too fast. He cast his eyes down.

"That's good to know, Johnny. And all this time, you're taking care of your mother, too. I must commend you for the man you are. And I want you to know that I could not hope for better. I should have known better when I allowed myself to be blinded by issues such as status."

Johnny nodded, embarrassed, but happy with the old man's praise. "My mom," he said and swallowed hard, "she's not all ... she's not herself anymore." He had no idea why he was pouring his heart out like that, but it was like he couldn't stop.

"We all have baggage," Mr. Kent said with an understanding nod. "Don't believe, for one second, that I would judge you for something like that. I only wished you would let me help you. At least with the expenses -"

"No," Johnny said stubbornly. "I will take care of her. May I ask something, sir?"

"Go ahead." Mr. Kent gestured with his pipe.

"How come you didn't tell Ruslan about my past?"

"It wasn't my business to talk about it. And Ruslan is convinced you are going to tell him everything when you think it is right to do so."

"Thank you, sir. You are a man of honor, too," Johnny said looking straight at the other.

"I can't wait to see you in training tomorrow, then," Mr. Kent said. "Make sure you don't let Ruslan keep you up late. Or you him."

Johnny could feel his cheeks burning. What was the old man thinking they were doing all the time? Not that he would have been far from the truth. But now he felt like a schoolboy caught by his parents with skin mags under the bed.

Luckily for him, Ruslan chose to walk into the room that very moment, leaning against the butler's arm and laughing. Anyone could see Ruslan felt at home there, with his two daddies. It almost made him feel jealous. Ruslan could be just as carefree with him, too.

"So, did you two have the big talk?" Ruslan asked, as he left Martin's side and hurried by Johnny's.

"How did you know we had some big talk?" the old man questioned, voicing precisely what was on Johnny's mind, too.

"You wanted Johnny to yourself while putting Martin to take me out the door under the pretext that I should see how he remade the greenhouse. I know when something is afoot, papa. So, is it some secret or you could let Martin and me too, on it?"

"Johnny will be training with us, starting tomorrow," Mr. Kent said right away. "So, don't keep him late."

"I would never," Ruslan said dramatically while putting a hand over his chest in affectation.

"You know what I mean. Be good, children," the old man said with a smile.

***

"So, what do you think?" Ruslan cuddled next to him on the backseat of the taxi.

"Your old man is bent on having me trained. He wants me to spar with Martin. I will hold back, don't worry." He stretched one arm around Ruslan to pull him closer.

Ruslan snickered.

"What?" Johnny asked with a frown.

"You'll see," Ruslan said secretively.

For minutes, they said nothing, the radio station picked by the driver being the only thing filling the silence. It was cozy, and Johnny could not remember when he had felt at peace like that.

"The most important thing is that you survived," Ruslan teased, slowly caressing Johnny's cheek with his lips.

"I did, didn't I?" Johnny smiled.

He had done that, and, this time, it wasn't only about surviving another day.

TBC