Taking measured steps, I focused my attention on the exit. My vision blurred as the rush of tears I refused to let fall, clouded my eyes. If I could make it to my car, I could allow my release. Only feet away from the exit, however, my escape was halted.
“Hey,” Luke’s deep voice called, at the same time he pulled my arm, turning me to face him.
I bulged my eyes and opened my mouth in shock. I stared, wordlessly, trying to figure out whether he was real or a figment of my imagination. Around us, I heard the oohs and ahhs of the spectators and fans, surprised to see Luke standing there. Ignoring the onlookers, I continued to stare into his brown eyes.
Finally, words came to me. “What are you doing out here?” I asked, briefly glancing around, noticing the cameras that moved in close, capturing this moment, whatever it was.
“Thanks for the dance lessons,” he said, smiling. It was a genuine smile.
My throat tightened at the sparkle in his eyes.
“Y-you’re welcome.”
He pulled me in closer to his body. He leaned lower, hovering his lips above mine. “Before I tongue you down and take you home to apologize to me all night long, are there any other secrets you need to tell me?”
I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times before nodding.
He lifted an eyebrow.
“I love you.”
“Good,” he said, before making good on his words and kissing me deeply right there in front of the entire audience spilling out of the arena, cameras, and the entire world to see.
“Shit, I didn’t come all this way to watch this dude fall in love,” a male voice grunted behind Luke.
Luke lifted his head, brushing his lips against mine and before raising his middle finger to whomever had just spoken.
I peeked over his shoulder to see his entire crew standing there.
“Kelex is a son of a bitch,” Luke said, tracing my bottom lip with his thumb.
“I got your son of a bitch,” Kelex replied.
Instead of replying to him, Luke said to me, “You still owe me three more blow jobs.”
It was my turn to lift an eyebrow. “Three?”
He nodded. “At least. Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of time and plenty more bets to make, to add on to those.”
When he raised his hands to cup my cheeks, I noticed that, save for the tape, his hands were bare.
“Where’re your gloves?”
“The cage.”
I widened my eyes. “Luke.”
“I retired, Syd.” He pulled back and tapped the belt around his waist before cupping my face again. “I got the two things I wanted most. I love you, too.” He sealed his declaration with a kiss.
Chapter 33
Gravesite
Luke
“Where are we going?” Syd anxiously asked from the passenger seat of my car.
“What’d I say the first seven times you asked me that question?”
