Page 8 of King

“I’ve got some time yet. I wanted to be here for you when you woke up.” She placed my bag down next to me and kissed my cheek. I smiled as I admired her, then searched for my phone. As I caught hold of it, my fingers brushed against the notes I’d earned last night. I lifted my phone out first and dropped it down at the side of me on the bed, then pushed my hand back inside the bag.

“Close your eyes,” rather than close, she narrowed them instead. “Close your eyes.” I repeated, smirking. I have something to show you.”

She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes as I took her hand. I placed the notes inside her palm. “What are you doing?” I closed her fingers over the notes and told her to open her eyes. She looked down at her hand with wide eyes as she took in the amount of money in her hand. “What is this?”

“This baby, is my earnings from last night. Just under three grand,” she gasped loudly. “I couldn’t earn this in a gym.”

“It doesn’t make it right, you know.” She exhaled tiredly, like she was sick of making the point.

“I promise it won’t be forever, but I need your support right now. Please, Nix. Please support this.”

She gazed down at her hand first, then found my eyes again. I could see her reluctance, but she eventually nodded. “You promise this isn’t forever?”

“I promise,” I repeated. All I wanted was enough money to get us a place, and a little starting cash, maybe get noticed and I’d be done. “This is for us, Nix. Our future.”

I knew she hated this but as she gazed into my eyes, I knew she loved me. She nodded, confirming that she was in this with me, and I pulled her closer. Her arms slid around my neck as we held each other close. I couldn’t do anything else, my body hurt too much, but as soon as I was healed, all bets were off. I inhaled the sweet scent of vanilla, enjoying the feel of her until she tried to move away from me. “I have to get going,” she moaned into my neck. “I need to get to Uni.”

“I guess I should try and drive my car. I need a shower, too.” I brushed her lips with mine, my top lip throbbed, but I’d take the pain if it meant I could kiss her. Her dark eyes gazed into mine. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met, inside and out, I knew I was the luckiest guy to walk this earth. “I love you.”

“I love you more, but I hate to see you hurt, and as much as I said I could handle this, I’m not sure I can.”

I took her face into my hands and brought our foreheads together. “I just need you by my side.”

“Okay.” I knew she was only appeasing me, but if she walked away I didn’t know what I would do. She removed my hands and got up from the bed before she helped me with my trainers and put the money back in my bag. I quickly scanned my phone for messages and saw one from Ethan and another from Rico. When I tried to unlock my screen, my face ID wouldn’t work, my face was so bad, so I entered my password and opened the messages, one by one.

Ethan: Hey mate, how you feeling?

Rico: I hope you’re a fast healer, you’ve got another fight in two weeks. Another big fight. I’ll send the details your way as soon as I know more.

Rico: Good fight last night. I’m impressed.

I closed Rico’s messages and opened Ethan’s again.

Me: Sore and like I’ve been hit by a truck but I’m alright. Cud be worse I s’pose.

As Nix came over, I closed my inbox and let her help me up from the bed. I didn’t want to tell her about the next fight yet. We’d just found some common ground, and I didn’t want to upset her, so I kept my mouth shut.

“Anyone important?” she asked, watching intently as I slid my phone into my pocket.

“Just Ethan, asking how I’m feeling.”

She lifted her chin at me in understanding. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yep, let’s go.” I sounded way more ready than I actually was, but I needed a shower and to rest in my own bed.

CHAPTER SIX

JACOB

The guy Rico had me up against next was heavier than me by twenty pounds, taller than me by at least three inches, and had a longer reach than I did. Fuck, I didn’t lack confidence, far from it, but I was a little bit sceptical as to whether I’d beat him. I’d aired my concerns to Ethan and Danny. As usual, Danny didn’t want to listen to me whining, instead he pushed me, like he always did. If anything, he helped my ego. He made me believe I could do it. So, after a few affirmations before the fight, I was ready for my opponent. My uncle's words also crept back into my head. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I just had to remember that when I went for the final blows.

As it turned out, he was heavy, out of shape and too slow. Too slow for me anyway. I pretty much came out of the fight unscathed. A small bruise darkened my eye from one of the very few hits that had made contact with my face and body, but that was it. I was like a bull at a gate as I charged in there and hit him with everything I had. Rabbit punches and swinging lunges, but every hit met its mark. And that was all I needed to do. He had a faraway look in his eyes after the first ten minutes, which made me push on.

The crowd roared with excitement; it spurred me on as I bounced harder on my toes and dodged his fist. When he tried to keep me at arm’s reach, I hit him so hard in the stomach and ribs that his body practically folded in on itself.I held his shoulders and slammed my knee into his gut so severely his feet lifted slightly from the ground. His head hung between his shoulders, but I wasn’t finished yet. I grabbed his hair tightly in my fingers, brought his head down to my already rising leg and smashed his face off my knee.

His legs buckled beneath him, his body became heavy and slowly slumped to the ground. I let him go and he fell into a heap.

Within half an hour of the fight starting, I was pronounced the winner. With two wins already under my belt, and no losses, I hoped I was becoming a crowd favourite.

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