Page 119 of Keepsake

Parting the ropes at the corner, I stepped onto the soft padding, standing up to my full height and facing my opponent.

He didn’t crack five foot ten. His arms were skinnier than the fifteen-year-old’s he left behind without paying child support.

David's mouth curved in a sinister smile like we shared a horrible secret. And we did.

He was poison, and I was ready to purge him from this earth.

“Alvaro!”

Her call ripped through the air, muffling everyone else. I turned from David, my eyes darting across the room, trying to find her.

When I did, I let out a relieved breath. There was no reason for me to ever think she’d be here, but she came forward like a dream coming true.

She flung herself trying to reach me, not giving a damn if she stepped on some shoes. Once people saw who she was trying to reach, they stepped aside.

Her hair was secured in a firm ponytail. Brown boots, a soft mid-length dress that looked like it cost more than my truck. She rose on the platform, her hands closing on the ropes.

“He’s going to do something. There’s no way in hell he’d be in this ring with you if he wasn’t ready to cheat his way out of this fight.”

Her eyes locked on somewhere over my shoulder. I bet anything it was on David. Not wanting her to look his way, I pinched her chin between my fingers and turned her head.

“I know.”

Her green eyes seemed shattered. “And you’ll still fight him?”

“This is a score I need—”

“It’s not a score.” She spoke so low, I had to read it on her lips. “You’re wrong. Me and the kids? We need you. We aren’t doing well without you. You’re my family, all of you are it for me and this…” she looked at David and winced, “this is how I lose you and I can’t lose you, too.”

My warmth sought her softness. I came closer to the ropes. My hands spanned over her cheeks, her eyes moving between mine, trying to read something. I was ready to spell it out to her.

“You can’t get rid of me, Jefa.”

“You never opened the door. And before, you said—”

“I said you don’t need me.” I nodded. “You don’t. You don’t need anyone. It doesn’t mean I don’t need you.”

She frowned. I brought my nose close to hers and spoke to her mouth, “I never opened the door because this was something I had to do alone.”

“You’re so dumb,” she retorted, making me reel back from the aggressive tone.

Her hand gripped the back of my head, not letting me go any further.

“There’s nothing you’ll ever do alone. It’s me and you, alright?”

“Logan…” I shook my head. This wasn’t something I wanted her to be involved in. To see, to know.

“You’re going to kill him, El Toro?” she asked.

She didn’t let me move, our noses touching, her hands gripping me, my knuckles turning white holding on to the ropes separating us.

Before I could say anything, she took a breath. “Finish this for me and Sofia.”

And only when she was certain I heard her loud and clear, she let me go, her hands closing on the rope again. She moved down from the platform, and my eyes followed. She didn’t go far. No one dared to crowd her after what we shared.

I licked my lips, dry and cracked. She gave me a single nod.

One nod to let me go. To release my fury.

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