This may not be the biggest fight in the biggest venue, but it feels that fucking way to me because I’ve never had more on the line. My coaches are behind me, and my confidence is at an all-time high.
Bodhi has come for his revenge, but he won’t be finding it here tonight. Not a fucking chance.
Everyone is on their feet, and the energy inside this club, the club thatI built, is electric. I feed off it, letting it flow through my body as I approach the cage. I stop in front of the ref to strip off my shirt, kick off my shoes and socks, and peel my pants off. The cheers grow louder, and the crowd starts to chant.
“Legend. Legend. Legend.”
I may be an underdog in the odds, but clearly I’m the favorite with the people in this club tonight, and that works for me.
There’s more pomp and showmanship tonight than for any of the fights I’ve been in before, but it feels right. I’m here, in front of the city I’ve adopted as my home, to win.
After the cutman greases me up and the ref checks me out, I head into the cage and send up a prayer.
Don’t let me forget who I am and what I came here for.
I jog a lap around the inside of the cage, my gaze trained on Bodhi. He’s just as big, if not bigger, than he was before. Fighting at catchweight puts me at a disadvantage, another reason for the odds, but he doesn’t intimidate me in the least. Not ever before and certainly not tonight, in my house.
He may be bigger, but I’ve got knockout power too, and I’m younger, faster, and smarter. That’s all going to play in my favor.
As the announcer tells the crowd what they’re in for, I find Scarlett in the front row. Her face is pale, and I know this isn’t easy for her. I’ve never had a woman I gave a damn about, or who gave a damn about me, watch me fight before. That’s new and different, and I have a feeling she’s going to feel every punch the same way I do.
But she’s strong. Stronger than even she knows. I shoot her a wink to help put some color on her cheeks.
Just once, ladybug. Just hang with me through this once, and I promise you don’t ever have to see it happen again.
I toyed with the idea of continuing to fight after tonight, but I don’t need to. I’ve got nothing to prove after this. I’ll put Bodhi down, collect my fat stack of cash, and call it good.
The ref steps into the middle of the cage, and Bodhi and I approach from either side. He gives us the final instructions and tells us we can touch gloves.
We don’t.
He backs off, and the bell rings.
It’s time.
We both come in hard and fast, both wanting to make the first move and draw first blood. Bodhi throws a right jab, but telegraphs it like crazy. I swing with a hook, catching him on the chin. Spit flies from his mouth as I sneer at him.
That’s right, old man. This dog’s learned new tricks.
Fifty-One
Scarlett
I don’t watchthrough my fingers, but I might have broken a few of Harlow’s in the first round.
Five minutes has never seemed so long in my life. Gabriel and Bodhi go at each other, punch for punch. People behind me scream and yell things like, “Stand and bang, boys!” and “Hit him!”
I’ve never felt this kind of raw energy before. The crowd wants blood, and by the time they retreat to their corners, both men have it on their faces.
Gabriel has a cut on his cheekbone that his team goes to work on right away, pressing something against it.
“Oh God. He’s hurt,” I say to Harlow. “I don’t like this.”
Behind me, Jon Pak squeezes my shoulders. “He’s fine. It’s nothing. Barely bleeding. Black looks way worse with that gash over his eye. The blood will impair his vision, and he won’t be able to see as well in the second round.”
I turn around to look at him. “Really?”
Jon nods, and Kelsey smiles at me.