“That sounds great! When do you need me up there?” Jack asks.
“The sale went through, so we can get started as soon as you’re ready to go.” As much as I want to get started on the new club, I’ll miss my friend. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for him, and he will have a field day coming up with ways to make this club unique. It’s not like I see him much now that there’s a five-foot-five blonde monopolizing my time.
“I have the staff ready, so I’ll work on getting my own things in order so I can get started ASAP,” he says.
I extend my vulnerability from our earlier conversation into this one. “You know you don’t have to go, right? We can get someone else to do this if you'd like. In fact, I’m tempted to keep you here regardless. I’ve never been so far away from you, man, and I’m going to miss your crazy ass.”
With that, a small smile breaks his solemn face. “I know, brother, I’ll miss your crazy ass too, but we both know this is where I need to be. Plus, you’re all boo’d up now anyway.”
With the mention of my girl, I stand and start to gather my things. “Grab your stuff. You’re coming home with me,” I tell Jack.
“Anything you want,Boss. What’s the plan?” he asks, following me out of my office.
“We’re going to plan my wedding. I’m getting married tomorrow after the fight.”
“Um, you know you’re going to be beaten to a pulp, right? I’m sure Sloane will love those pictures.”
I elbow him in the side as we walk down the hall. “Shut up, I’ll look better than you’ll look in your wedding pictures, roughed up ornot. ”
“Yeah, right, like I’ll ever have any of those.” He chuckles, elbowing me right back. He continues to tease me about my plans, but as long as he’s helpful tonight, I don’t care. I’ve only got one thing on my mind.Getting my girl back.
The world around me is quiet as I sit in the locker room, staring at the engagement ring in my hand.All I have to do is get through this fight, and she’ll be in my arms before I know it.My mind wanders down a rabbit hole of my angel and all the ways I’m going to make this up to her when I hear a knock on the door.
“Five minutes.”
I shut the little black velvet box and lock it up along with my thoughts of Sloane. If I don’t get my mind right, this fight will be over before it’s started. A splash of cold water from the sink and a few soft punches to my jaw have me amped up and ready to go take weeks of frustration out on this bastard.
Walking through the crowd, I take notice of Margot and Jack in two of the four front row seats I had reserved and give them a slight nod. During our planning last night, Jack coordinated with Allie to make sure she got Sloane here tonight. We haven’t talked since our fight, but I was hoping there was a sliver of a chance she’d come. The two empty seatsbeside them momentarily discourage me before I remember the fight is starting a bit earlier than planned.
By the time I enter the cage, I’m locked back in. I stand in my corner, shifting from one foot to the other to keep my blood pumping as I watch this young cat make his entrance, giving me a psychopathic smile as he enters his side.Cameron Lee.I size him up because no matter how much I’ve studied him on screen, it never compares to seeing exactly what I’m working with. I watch as he slightly favors his right side when he throws some air punches. He’s almost as tall as me but much slimmer, which may give him an edge on speed, but it leaves him with less muscle padding around those left ribs.
We wait as the announcer introduces us and gives the whole pre-match rule spiel, and before I know it, the starting bell has rung. Just as I anticipated, he charges forward to land the first punch. He’s fucking athletic, and his stamina allows for his aggressive style, but I’ve noticed after watching film that he slows a little after the first few rounds. For rounds one and two, I just dodge his fists, letting him chase me, only throwing a punch of my own when the perfect opportunity presents itself. Both of us are able to land a hit or two but nothing serious.
The next two rounds are not as gentle. While he’s slowed enough to make this a level playing field, he’s still quite a bit quicker than I am, meaning I’m more banged up than I have been in a while. Not to say he doesn’t have just as many wounds. The years of experience I have on him are working in my favor, and I can see it’s getting to him exactly like I hoped.
Round five is going in my favor. I think I’ve finally gotten the leg-up I need to finish him off when someone in the front row by Margot catches my eye.
Sloane.
Time stops as I study every detail of my sweet girl. The expression of fear on her face is almost enough to throw in the towel and tap out right here. Before I can so much as smile her way, a heavy fist lands on my cheekbone, knocking me back into reality.
As Lee hits me with punch after punch, I know what that moment cost me. I can't even get an arm up in defense, much less attempt a jab of my own. I’m pushed up against the cage on the side farthest from Sloane, and pain is radiating across my body when I’m finally given a reprieve.
Lee stands behind me with his arm around my neck in a submission hold as he tilts my head toward Sloane and whispers in my ear, “Is that your girl over there in that delicious black leather get-up? Mmm, she’s a sexy thing. I bet she’s got a sweet little cunt to haveTheUndefeated Ledger Sinclair so distracted.” I try my best to get out of his grip, but he tightens his hold on me, almost cutting off my oxygen in the process. “After I’ve knocked you out, how about I see for myself? I bet that bitch’s big tits will bounce real nice as I fuck her over your bloodied body. I hope for your sake she’s on birth control…it doesn’t really fucking matter to me either way.”
My pain and fatigue immediately disappear. I slam my head back against his as hard as I can, catching him off guard and allowing me to break out of his grip. Before he can regroup, I attack him relentlessly with punch after punch, backing himacross the cage until we are directly in front of where Sloane is sitting.
My hits fallhardacross his body, but I know that if the referee calls time, I may lose this adrenaline and advantage going into the next round. I have to knock him out, and I have to do itnow. I land several jabs on his ribs, and when a crack on his left side momentarily catches him off guard, I put all my strength into a punch aimed at his temple.
His body falls back before sliding down to the ground at my feet, and my attention shifts to Sloane. I expect her to be running for the doors after watching me take this man down, but to my surprise, she's still there. She’s sitting in her seat, staring at me, but it’s not fear in her eyes. It’s hunger.
Chapter thirty
“I don’t even think he would want me there, Allie. You heard what I said. I’ve never seen such a devastated look on his face, and I don’t think I can handle it if I show up and he ignores me or seems upset to see me.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose to stop myself from crying, and really, it’s annoying that I even have a single tear left to cry at this point. I should have dried up days ago.
Allie continues to tighten my leather corset top, purchased weeks ago when I was excited to watch Ledger in his championship match.
