A slow, lazy smile spread across his face. “I love it when you talk dirty, Syd.”
Pushing the tremors that coursed through me at the deepness of his voice, I shook him by the face. “I’m serious, Luke. If you get seriously injured during an exhibition fight because you came out too strong or weren’t paying attention, it’s not that tramp from earlier I’m going to be pulling into the cage. You hear me?”
He surprised me by pressing a kiss to my lips. “Got it. Can I go kick his ass now?”
Stepping back, I dropped my hands. “You may.”
Luke moved to the door, pulling it open for me to pass through first.
Luke, David, and I started for the aisle to make our way to the cage where Luke was to fight, with me leading the way. The cheers of the crowd grew louder with each step we took.
This wasn’t the main arena where most of the NFA’s fights took place in the city, but it was still a decent size, allowing for close to a thousand spectators to come and watch the fight. Pretty much every seat in the house was filled. Not particularly large by the standard of Luke’s usual fights, but large enough.
The crowd really erupted once the spotlight shone on our group and they realized Luke Skullcrusher McConnell was in the room. A shot of electricity flowed through me and suddenly I grew nervous.
I had only been training Luke for three months and this would be a test of whether or not the skills we’d begun implementing worked. It was risky to try to change a fighter’s style so late in the game. Luke was more a boxer than a grappler, but he needed better groundwork to win another title belt. This match against Morelli would test him in ways he may not even realize.
I had to push against the doubt building in my mind. I started to fear that our growing personal relationship might be a distraction from the training he needed. That fear had grown for some time. Ever since we came back from Williamsport. To be honest, it was part of the reason I wanted Luke to take on this exhibition fight. It would be a test not only of his grappling, but of whether or not he took my training seriously.
The roar of the crowd, quickly pulled me from my thoughts as we entered the arena. I had to put personal matters aside right then.
Luke
The chants from the crowd echoed around me, but internally all was silent. Now was the time to put my training to use.
“Ready?”
I grinned. “Another day at the office.”
She nodded.
I glanced over to find Grant, my cutman for the fight, nodding in my direction.
David stepped behind me and removed the robe that had been draped over my shoulders. I bounced around on the balls of my feet for a few moments, shaking out my arms, to keep myself limber and ready.
The ref nodded as he entered the cage.
I peered across the cage and caught sight of Luca Morrelli. He was six-six, three inches taller than my six-foot-three frame. He was more on the slimmer side, which also aided in his speed, something he and Rodriguez had in common. I’d watched plenty of footage of him, in fights, in training, and in interviews. I knew his style in and out. He loved a takedown. His grappling was good, but as I thought about all the work Syd had been pouring into me, I knew mine was better.
I moved my gaze upward to see the scowl he threw my way. He was a mean son of a bitch too. I guessed he’d perfected that expression as a method to intimidate opponents. Didn’t work on me, however. I’d been going up against fuckers bigger than me my whole damn life. The bigger they were the harder they fell was the one thing I learned to be true of them all.
The commentator stood at the center of the cage and began making his introductions. I barely heard him announce Luca’s full name or the cheer of Luca’s fans that were in attendance. I did, however, watch as the dumb fuck lifted his hand, waving to the crowd.
The announcer went on to introduce me, and while I drowned most of it out, I did hear the chants and cheers grow louder. The most important sounds were the ones that came directly behind me. I could hear Syd as she urged me to keep focused and rely on our training.
A slow, meticulous smile started at the corner of my lips, spreading across as I glared at Luca. He still wore the scowl, but the look in his hazel eyes was as if an alarm went off in his head. My smile made him nervous.
Good.
“All right, gentlemen, bring it in,” Mike our ref, insisted.
Luca and I closed in on Mike from either side of the cage. Behind me, I heard the door of the cage seal shut.
“We’re gonna’ have a nice clean fight, gentlemen, all right? Three rounds. Touch fists,” Mike insisted.
Luca held out his right hand and I quickly rapped at his knuckles before pulling back.
“Okay, step back,” the ref announced.
