Breaking the Cycle by Tricia Andersen

it was time for work the next day. Max hated it. She was already too thin to be missing meals. As they drove to Hard Drive, she kept her eyes trained to her hands, refusing to look at him. He had no idea how she was actually going to do any work that day.
    As the gym grew busier, Max snuck out, jumping into his car. He flipped on hard rock as he flew down the highway toward downtown Minneapolis. He said nothing to Chloe when he left. He knew she would protest his plan. It doesn’t change anything. I’m going to take care of her. And her mom.
    He could hardly contain his excitement as the day wore on. He nearly spilled it in the car on the way home. Once there, he grabbed Chloe’s hand as they sprinted up the ramp and into the house. Liz was fit to be tied when they stepped inside. She had the portable phone fisted in one hand and the cursed hospital bill in the other.
    “Those idiots at the billing department can’t get anything right!” she screamed.
    “What happen now?” Chloe asked.
    “I called to set up payments. When they gave me the balance in their computer systems, it didn’t match the statement they sent. They put some poor sucker’s payment against my bill! Not that I mind. It was ten thousand dollars. Still, someone sure as hell doesn’t want to be in the position I am. Anyway, I told them to find who the money belonged to, and they said they can’t. I don’t want to live with that on my conscience.”
    Chloe stared at her mother as worry creased her forehead. Max glanced from mother to daughter. He couldn’t stand to see them panic over the chance this hurt someone else. It’s reasons like this that I love them so much.
    He cleared his throat. “There’s no mistake. They didn’t misapply the payment. It was me.”
    “You?” Liz demanded incredulously.
    “Yeah. I went to the bank this afternoon then the hospital. This way, you can continue your therapy.”
    “But Max,” Chloe breathed. “Ten thousand dollars? Where did you get it?”
    Max swallowed hard. “I closed my savings account.”
    “Your savings account?” Liz’s voice grew to a shriek. “As money toward a new car? Or a down payment on a house when you start your real life?”
    “Real life?” Max questioned. “This is my real life.”
    Liz shook her head. “Max, I know how you feel about Chloe. But someday you’re going to want a real woman. One you don’t have to take care of all the time. One who can be your companion, not your charity case. You may not think that now but after doing this for ten or fifteen years you will. And you just shot every dime you saved to start that life on a hopeless situation.”
    “I was trying to help,” Max growled.
    “It didn’t.”
    Max glared at Liz and Chloe. Without a word, he spun on his toe and slammed out the front door. He stormed to his Mustang, threw it into drive, and floored it, racing as far away from that house as he could get.
    Max flew through the streets without a plan, his mind not focused on anything but Liz’s words. His temper peaked to a raging inferno. It didn’t take long for him to be sick of driving. He wanted to get out. He wanted to hit something.
    An evil grin spread across his face as he slid into park. There was no better place for him to be. Instinctively, he had driven to Hard Drive.
    He stared at the dark windows of the empty gym as he climbed out of the car and strode to the trunk. Popping open the lid, he reached inside for the neglected, blue duffle that had slid into the far corner. Then, he slammed the trunk closed, each step to the building hard with purpose.
    Max unlocked the door. The motion-detecting lights popped on in greeting. He grinned as he focused on his goal. Four punching bags hung in the corner waiting for him. He pried off his tennis shoes and unzipped the duffle, pulling free a pair of red and black gloves. They weren’t as thick as boxing gloves. These were designed to inflict far more damage on an opponent.
    Max tugged each