Chapter 7

Chloe panicked too, screeching: "What are you doing?! Security! Where the hell is security?!"

Two burly bouncers Chad had hired moved in fast, trying to grab Mack by the shoulders.

"Back off!" I barked.

I stepped right between the guards and Mack.

The bouncers took one look at my frame and froze dead in their tracks.

The tension in the gym tightened like a piano wire on the verge of snapping.

Chad was shaking with fury, his face contorting as he pointed a trembling finger at me.

"Cole Miller! I knew you were behind this! You think this little stunt scares me?"

"I run this show now! What I say goes!"

Desperate to reassert dominance, he launched into an unhinged rant.

"You short-sighted meatheads don't understand the first thing about venture capital!"

"You don't understand modern business models! Everything I've done is for the institutional longevity of this brand!"

"And you, Cole—you are the biggest anchor dragging this place down!"

The more he screamed, the more delusional he sounded.

"Your outdated, caveman training methods do nothing but produce brainless brawlers! What good is that?"

"I build stars! Influencers! Athletes with massive commercial crossover appeal!"

"As of right now, you are officially stripped of the Head Coach title! Report to the toddler room permanently—that is the final act of mercy you'll get from me!"

Chloe held onto his arm, looking at me with patronizing sympathy.

"Cole, Chad is Wall Street pedigree. He has the capital covered. Stop throwing a childish tantrum and fall in line."

I listened quietly as he laid out my "demotion," watching his veins bulge in his neck. It was pure comedy.

I glanced up at the wall clock. Perfect timing.

I had timed everything down to the minute. The authorities would arrive right at the peak of his hubris.

I turned and walked over to the folding table.

My old coaching binder was resting right on the corner.

Under everyone's stunned stares, I picked it up and brushed off the dust.

I flipped to the back pocket and pulled out a stack of printed documents.

Official bank wire receipts and certified trading account statements.

I set the binder down with a sharp slap and slid the papers across the table, stopping right under Chad's nose.

"Mr. Davis, your little five-hundred-thousand-dollar embezzlement scheme on the stock market was even sloppier than that pathetic kick of yours yesterday."

My voice wasn't loud, but it dropped like a bomb across the silent gym.

Every drop of blood drained from Chad's face.

I stared into his wide, terrified eyes, the corners of my mouth curling into a razor-sharp smile.

"Now... how about you take a ride with the police and explain it to them?"