Page 7 of Fight for Forever

I laugh. “That would be a hell of a party trick, Sam.”

“He’s gone on record saying you’re scared to fight him again, because you’ll lose.”

Another laugh huffs out of me.

“Usually I wouldn’t let that bullshit bother me.” Sam leans back and his chair creaks.

One of these days, the back of that thing is going to give out and he’ll fall on his head. I’ve told him often enough, and he’s ignored me just as much, so I don’t comment. “He’s being aggressive about it and it’s pissing me off. I won’t force you, just think about it. It’ll be in three months.”

“What about the match with Jackson?”

I’ve already agreed to that fight at the end of next month. There is not a lot of time between the two of them. It will mean nonstop training for the whole time.

“I’ll ask them to postpone. Jimmy’ll understand,” he says about Perry Jackson’s trainer. “The promoter will do as he’s told,” Sam says with finality.

I’m glad he’s on my side. I’ve never wanted an agent. Sam does everything for me.

“When do you need to know?”

“Sooner rather than later, even though I won’t be letting their team know straight away,” he adds with a sly look in his eye. “Let them sweat for their bullshit.”

I have seen nothing about Marris talking shit about me, but I’ll check it out later. I tell Sam I’ll let him know, then head out.

I hate grudge fights. They’re a waste of energy. I’ve only had two in my career, won both. I grin at the thought, but as I move towards the changing rooms, my eyes are drawn to the reception desk. My steps falter, and like a fucking dummy, I almost trip over my own feet.

Megan is looking right at me.

Chapter Four

He’s staring at me. My heart pounds and the sound of blood rushes through my brain. Everything around me filters out. The noises of the gym, the machines clanging, the people laughing. And the two men fighting in the ring. All I see is Joey. For a moment, the grip of anxiety slips when he almost trips over.

Joey is so put together, so strong and fearless, it’s kind of hard to think of him doing anything as normal as tripping up.

This is a long time coming, I know that. I’ve been too nervous to face him.

A lot of it is to do with not understanding why he helped m. But some of it is to do with the fact I’ve had a crush on Joey Ferguson for a while. I could never act on it, not with…himaround. I have not uttered his name once since it all happened.

I’ve admired Joey from afar, and tried not to freak out the times when he talked to me.

He looks amazing. He must have had his hair done because in court, it was longer, with curls showing. It’s shaved again, not close to the scalp, probably enough to be rough to the touch. His tight sleeveless top accentuates his arms, which I would struggle to gettwo hands around. And those abs. Those endless, hard abs I’ve seen in all their glory many times when he’s been working out or fighting in the ring.

Joey is the kind of man that exists in fantasies, not real life. For a fighter, he has a remarkably perfect face with his beautiful sky-blue eyes and dark lashes that frame them. His nose is straight, with just a slight bump on the bridge. I’m sure I remember Jenna saying he’d had surgery after he broke it once in a fight. His lips are full and dark red, like he’s been using them.

Thoughts of what for have my cheeks flushing.

Brushing some hair behind my ear, I glance nervously at the receptionist, but she is busy on the phone, not interested in what I’m doing. Come on Megan, get yourself together. He’s just a man.

A huge, muscled, attractive, sexy man.

I blow out a breath and move towards him. Joey stays still and I imagine he is used to women walking towards him. The look on his face is unreadable, but the closer I get, the more it softens. His eyes rake over me, cataloguing. I’m sure he’s remembering how I looked the last time he saw me.

The cuts and bruises are all gone now. I’m left with scars, some physical, most mental, but I’m working through it.

Brooke found me a therapist who specialises in helping women who’ve suffered domestic violence. I didn’t resist. Despite everything, I’m smart enough to know I need help.

One thing she has helped me work on is accepting help from people around me. When I told her about Joey, she prompted me to think about why I hadn’t reached out. She never questions or pushes me, which is what I like about her. She says just enough to make my mind work through the issues I’m dealing with.

Thanking Joey for his help is one thing I should have dealt with weeks ago. The money may have been given back to him, but he had no way of knowing Brooke was going to win my case. He did that. For me. No one has ever done anything like that for me before.

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