Page 3 of King

I nodded and cocked a soft smile. Reluctantly, I released her and stepped back to admire her head cocked to one side, her long dark hair framing her face.

God, she’s beautiful. I could’ve stood here all night and stared at her, but she was right, I had to leave.

“Promise to call me later?” She asked.

I nodded and closed the gap between us again. Just one more kiss, I thought to myself as I planted a hard kiss on her lips. “I promise.” As I broke away, I licked her taste from my lips, cupped the back of her head, and kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger a little longer before turning away from her. I didn’t look back at her as I left through the front door and closed it behind me. With the door shut, I pressed my back against it and closed my eyes. I needed to clear my head, because her big doe eyes and the sadness that flooded them was more than enough to distract me, and that couldn’t happen for my first fight.

I pushed forward towards my beat-up Astra that was parked at the curb, squeezing the keys in my palm. I understood Phoenix’s trepidation, she worried about me, and as much as I’d like to think she didn’t know what went on in those places, I knew she did. I had to do it though, I wanted enough money so I could make a better life for us. Get a new car, a house, somewhere me and Nix could live together. There was no one else for me but her.I was more than lucky to have her, and the fact she supported me in this is more than I could have ever hoped for.

PHOENIX

I sank into the chair and wrapped my arms around myself as he left. The thought of him getting hurt crucified me. But when Jacob King made up his mind about something there was nothing anyone could say or do to change it. Even me.

With my mind fraught with worry, I knew I had to do something. I couldn’t sit here watching my phone or have my eyes fixed on the window, waiting for him to come back, if he even came back here after the fight. I flipped my phone over and left it screen down on the bed and turned on the TV. I laid back on my bed, rolled to my side and flicked through the channels. I settled on a favourite series and started from the beginning. As the first episode of Friends started to play, I immersed myself into their world and let the worry of Jacob fighting shift to the back of my mind. Before I got too comfortable, I skipped downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a Pepsi Max and some snacks.

I quickly got what I needed and made my way back to the stairs before my dad stopped me. “Hey, poppet. What you up to?”

“Just grabbing snacks to watch TV.” I said with a smile for my dad.

“Did I hear Jacob leave?” he asked, stroking my hair affectionately. My dad was tall and I only just about reached his armpit. I followed my mother for my height, she was small, too. Well, kind of small. I’m five foot five, not really small, but my dad is a giant. “Is everything okay with you two?”

“Yeah, he’s got something on at the gym.” My gaze dropped to the snacks in my hand as I easily lied to my father, something I didn’t make a habit of doing, but I didn’t want Dad to think badly of Jacob. Dad knew of Jacob’s aspirations, even though he didn’t agree with them.

“Phoenix, look at me.” Dad commanded softly, and I lifted my head.

“It’s fine, Dad.” I assured him and smiled again, I pretended to be okay. “He’s just sparring with a new boxer tonight, that's all.”

He nodded but stared at me for a breath longer than he needed to. I knew he didn’t believe me, not really. “As long as that’s all it is.”

“Course, Dad.” His hand worked around to the back of my head and pulled me a little closer as he pressed a kiss to my head. I loved it when my dad did that. I rested my head on his chest for a moment before I pulled back, gave him a smile, and quickly made my way back to my room before he could ask any more questions. I dropped my snacks on the bed and then shut my door.

I grabbed my phone again to check if Jacob had messaged me, when there was nothing from him, I was so disappointed. I told myself he’d only left a little while ago. Pushing everything to the back of my mind, I climbed onto my bed, and sat down with my back pressed to the wall while Friends played out. I opened the tube of Pringles and began eating them, but still, I couldn’t focus on the TV. My mind focussed on Jacob in the ring in that back-alley fight club, scared to death that something would happen to him. That I’d lose him, either to the club or to someone who didn't know how to lose. For all I knew, I may never see him again.

I quickly grabbed my phone, pulled up his name and opened my inbox. I had to send him something, let him know that he was on my mind. My fingers shook as I typed.

Please don’t get hurt xx

I pressed send and dropped my phone to the mattress, then settled down and tried to focus on the programme.

CHAPTER THREE

JACOB

The roads were quiet as I made my way to Brawlers Fight club. It was set back in a deserted side street, away from the hustle and bustle of people looking for a pub to drink in. You could only get in if you were a member, and even then, you had to show your I.D. I pulled up just down the road from the club. From here, I could see my two mates waiting for me. I’d known Danny since we were around ten, we struck up a friendship one day when we were both sat outside the headmaster's office. Danny was there for answering the teacher back and swearing at her, and I was there for fighting. We met Ethan at twelve when we started high school. Ethan was the quiet one, and even though Danny and I were loud and mainly got into trouble, he balanced out our personalities. We’d been inseparable ever since.

I quickly grabbed my gym bag from the back seat and locked my car as I headed towards the boys. It’s not the safest part of town, but I’m sure no one would want a clapped-out old banger. “Yo!” I shout down the street.

“It’s about time.” Ethan called back. “I thought you’d chickened out.”

As my brows pinched at his stupid statement, I sniggered. “Fuck off. I had to go and see Nix first.”

“She still panicking?” Danny asked, shaking his head.

“Yeah, but she’s okay.” I shrugged.

I clapped hands with them both in greeting and we went around to the side entrance, the big guy on the back door let us in, shutting the heavy door behind us. “Rico is waiting in the back for ya.”

“Cool,” I lifted my chin to him and carried on through the next door until we entered a dark corridor. We followed it to the end until we reached the back of the club and rapped my knuckles on the heavy door in front of us, it opened instantly to two more huge fellas. Guys I’d never seen before. As one guy's broad frame filled the doorway, I nodded. “Hey, I’m Jacob King, I'm fighting here tonight.”

---