A harsh knock rapped against the door, pressuring me to divulge my secret.
“I’m pregnant. Apparently, the pull-out method doesn’t really work.” I attempted another smile, but again it fell flat.
One time, two months ago, we’d run out of condoms, and because he didn’t want to run to the store so late at night, we did it without one. He pulled out before he came, but as it turned out, a few of his strong swimmers escaped beforehand.
“You’re pregnant?” He stared at me for the longest moments of my life. Then the quirk of his lips and the glassiness in his eyes gave me the reaction I’d hoped for. “I’m going to be a father?”
“You’re going to be a father,” I reiterated, my happiness bubbling over and flowing freely down my cheeks.
He wrapped me in the biggest hug and twirled me around, apologizing when I slapped my hand over my mouth once he set me down.
“Jax, let’s go,” Trevor yelled from the doorway.
Jackson ignored him, raining kisses all over my face. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“For what?” I asked, laughing because I never expected him to be this thrilled about the news. I hoped he’d be pleased but also a bit freaked out, like me.
“For giving me a chance at another family.”
My heart splintered for what he’d endured in the past, but now it was time for us to build a future together, and our baby was only the beginning.
“You good?” Trevor asked, shoving my mouth guard at me. “You look weird.”
“How so?”
“For one, I’ve never seen you wear such a goofy smile. You’re supposed to be mean right now. Menacing. You need to hype it up for the fans. No one is going to believe you’re going to win if you keep grinning like that. Although, you do look a little deranged.”
I ignored my friend. I’d give the fans what they came here to see. I’d make Jay regret agreeing to fight me again. I’d live up to my reputation, but not yet. Right now, I wanted to enjoy these few precious moments before I sauntered toward the ring.
Sophie had just given me the greatest gift I could ever ask for, other than her love, of course. I was going to be a father. I still couldn’t believe it. I refused to dwell on everything I’d lost when I was younger, since I couldn’t do anything to change it. But I was getting a do-over of sorts. The chance to build my own family, something I’d only considered once she came into my life.
The intro to my song started, and I craned my neck from side to side, rolling my shoulders and bouncing on my feet, inviting the electricity of the moment into every cell in my body. The roarof the crowd fueled my excitement, their screams reminding me why I accepted this fight.
This win was mine. Jay wasn’t going to steal it from me like he did last time.
“There he is,” Trevor said, smacking my back. “Welcome back. You got this, Jax.”
I flexed my hands over and over, working the muscles of my forearms in preparation. After the prefight pat down and introductions, Jay and I stood opposite each other, assessing one another. I wasn’t the same fighter I was six months ago. I was quicker, stronger, more agile.
I did fear that once I saw him again, all those old feelings toward him would resurface. The anger. The hate. The betrayal. But I felt nothing toward him now. He’d chosen his family, and I wasn’t part of it, hadn’t been for a long time. Now, the only thing I saw when I looked at him was an opponent, an inferior one at that.
Once the referee uttered, “Break,” we tapped gloves and danced around each other. I steadied my nerves and calmed my breathing, harnessing my training like I’d done countless times. The spring of the mat beneath my feet made me feel like I floated around the cage. I slammed my fist against my chest, encouraging him to hit me. Goading him. I let him get the first punch in, made him feel as if he had a shot, but then I surprised him with an uppercut, snapping his head back. He wobbled on his feet and recovered. I wasn’t ready to knock him out just yet.
The first round ended as expected with Jay sporting more cuts than me. His right eyebrow was sliced, and a shadow of a nasty bruise formed along his jaw. I hadn’t completely escaped without consequence, but every time he managed to land a blow, I became more invigorated.
During the minute of rest in between rounds, my team surrounded me.
“You got him,” Trevor shouted next to my ear. “Now end this so we can go home and celebrate.” He wiped my face and splashed water on me. “Is your shoulder still good?”
I nodded, preparing for the next round.
We met in the center of the octagon once more, only instead of dancing around me, Jay rushed me, trying to tackle me around the middle. I sidestepped him at the last minute, but he tried it again.
Another failure.
If he got me on my back, I was confident he wouldn’t succeed in the same move that dislocated my shoulder, but I didn’t want to risk it. I hopped out of the way once more, landing a blow to the back of his head. He stumbled forward, but his hand came down and prevented him from falling. Once he was upright, he bounced on his feet, a fleeting look of worry passing over his face.
There was a moment when I thought he might get the best of me, catching me in the ribs with his foot and almost knocking the wind out of me, but I recovered and moved to the side before he landed another kick.
