Page 31 of Falling for the Forbidden Fighter
Son. Does he know what that word does to a man like me?
I swallow hard, exhale, and start talking, “Since day one, I’ve been living with your daughter.” Someone saysOh damnbut quickly catches themselves. “She didn’t want me staying in the motel I was at. I didn’t have money for much else. But, Don, I’d be lying if I said that’s all it was at the start… I knew I liked Catherine from the moment I saw her. I intended to break your rule as soon as you laid it down. I betrayed your trust, and I’m sorry.”
Catherine is shaking, one hand on my back.
Her father drops his gaze, sighs, and rubs his temples. “Get in the ring.”
I move like it’s any other order given on a training day. Two guys who were sparring clear out quickly. Ricky shoves past me and slides in. I feel everyone crowd around.
“Dad,” Catherine pleads. “Stop. Slow down. Let’s just talk about this…”
“He knew what would happen.”
Someone says something about gloves, but Don ignores them. This isn’t sparring or boxing or anything that should be sanctioned.
Don Winters gets in the ring and stands next to his fuming son. They look like a rabid bulldog and a dangerous, quiet pit.
I knew this is where I’d end up. And now that I’m here, I find myself unbothered, calm.
My heart beats slowly.
My hands are steady.
I look to the side of the ring and find Catherine. She looks scared. I smile at her, and I hope she knows that everything will be all right. Beatings are a part of life, and sometimes, all you can do is take them.
It’ll make me stronger.
“Don’t hold back, kid.” Don cracks his fat knuckles. “We won’t.”
Ricky looks like he’ll explode at any moment.
I take a deep breath, clench my fists.
Finally, Don flies across the ring.
Damn, he can sure move fast for an old man. The Blizzard builds, cocks a fist back, and rockets it toward my face.
I stare it down, never blinking, and wait for the pain. Instead of getting my hands up, I slide them behind my back.
That big, deadly fist never arrives.
Don stops short, practically blowing smoke out his nostrils. He looks like a confused bull.
“What the hell are you doing?” he growls. “Fight.”
I shake my head. “If this is the beating I deserve, I’ll take it.”
Ricky steps up like he’s going to shove his old man out of the way, but Don holds him back by his shirt.
“You’re a fighter,” Don says. “So fucking fight.”
“I’m not a fighter.” I shrug, hands still pinned behind me. “I’m not like you. All of you do this because you love it… I don’t. I do it because I’m good at it. All my life, I’ve done it to protect myself, to get by, to do what I need to do. I don’t love it.” I glance at Catherine and smile. “I love her.”
My girl, my fucking angel who’s shown me how amazing life can be, mouths the words back to me, tears in her eyes. She jumps into the ring, and I finally let her stand between me and her family.
“I love him, Dad,” she says, putting a hand on his chest. “He’s a good man. He’s the one who wanted to confess, to tell you everything. He respects you, but you don’t get to tell him or me or anyone else who they’re allowed to love.”
“This is some bullshit. You met a month ago, and you’re inlove? With this loser?” Ricky is pacing around the ring. “You gonna let this shit go? Come on!”
