Piss Off, This Is My Money

14

Maverick didn’t even realize the scream was coming from him until he crashed into a shelf stacked with shoes. Some of the shoes tumbled over him, like they were trying to hide his shame.

The room went heavy with silence.

The livestreamer whispered to her audience, which was climbing past ten million. She was the only one capturing the madness—Jace’s chaos going viral in real-time.

“What the fuck…?” she murmured. Comments flooded in instantly:

“Action movie!!!”

“I got popcorn!”

“Please go closer so I can see Mav’s face!”

“Jace’s a fucking legend!!”

Jace laughed, right in the middle of the room. “Maverick, you still breathing? That was just a punch. Two more, and I’ll send you straight to hell.”

Maverick forced himself up, bent in half, every bone screaming. All the pain in his body was explicit. Yeah, that word’s usually for scenes minors shouldn’t see, but this? Not even humans should experience this much agony.

“Doctor…” he croaked, terrified he was about to die right there.

Just when he thought he’d reached the end, he saw his friend—the millionaire kid whose father owned this place.

“Hey, clown!” Maverick snapped, pointing weakly at him to prove he was still alive.

“Mave…” the kid gawked. Maverick was bent over like life had just kicked him in every possible way. “What the fuck—”

“Fucking tell him to piss off!” Maverick yelled, stabbing a finger at Jace.

The guy looked at Jace, confused. He hadn’t seen the livestream, but he knew Jace. Hell—everyone with a phone or a neighbor in New York knew Jace.

“How…” he started carefully, eyeing the terrifying men behind Jace. They looked like they’d never smiled a day in their lives. “How can I help you?”

“I want to do some charity work,” Jace said.

“Well, Jace… that’s your name, right?” the guy replied, trying to sound polite. “I think you’re actually the one in need of charity. Not to be disrespectful, but I saw videos of you. You only took Maya to places that let you pay $3.99. So…”

“That Jace is dead.”

“Well… please leave,” the guy said, switching tones immediately. “I don’t want a scene here. I know you’ve got beef with Maya, and I’d appreciate it if you settle it somewhere else.”

“Is there anything in your rules that says I can’t do charity work? I literally want to pay for some shit so you can offer discounts to people.”

“We don’t need that, Jace,” the guy snapped. “Where the hell do you even think you are? Two things in this place can buy you and your whole family!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you people and my family? You all dying to be part of it or what?”

The guy shoved his ring‑laced fingers through his hair. “Get out.”

“Get ouuut!” Maverick echoed from behind, still hunched over, staggering like a drunk who couldn’t hold his own piss, let alone liquor.

“If my father gets here and sees you, you’re going to be in fucking trouble,” the guy said.