My eyes widen as we watch the interview.
“Are you saying that you cheated, Joe?” an interviewer calls.
He bows his head and leans into the mic as cameras flash. “I knew I couldn’t win a fair fight with Nikko. He’s very talented. If I lost the match, I would have lost my shot at the title and my sponsors. I’m old and slow. I knew it, and I was desperate, so we concocted a plan. We filled my gloves and paid off anyone in our way. All of the implicated names have been given to the police. As of this morning, I have been banned from fighting. I want to take this moment to apologize to Nikko. He fought well and deserved that win. He deserves the title he’s aiming for. I’m sorry if I impacted his chances at that in any way. I sawmy younger self in him and it scared me. We won’t be taking any more questions.”
Inquiries ring out, but Yuki mutes the TV, and the room is silent.
He cheated?
I lost because he cheated. It makes sense, but he wouldn’t admit that voluntarily. It will cost him everything he has worked for over his twenty-three-year career.
There is only one person with the power and influence to do something like that. I look at Zia. His chin is tilted up as he meets my gaze defiantly. “You did that? You hurt him and got him to confess?”
“I knew you wouldn’t lose a fair fight. You are mine to protect.” His expression darkens into something I should probably be terrified of, but if anything, it only makes me love him more. “Nobody fucks with what’s mine.”
God, I love every depraved, dark inch of this man. To everyone else, Zia is a sinner, a devil in designer clothes, but to me, he’s my avenging angel. He’s . . .
Everything.
“My son-in-law!” My dad cheers as he picks Zia up and swings him around, kissing his cheek. “This means he still stands a chance!”
“Not if he doesn’t rest,” comes a sharp command, and we turn as a doctor glares at us. He walks my way. “I’m going to check your vitals. We will keep you here for a few days, then you will be released with strict orders.”
For the next hour, they run tests on me, and then I’m finally left alone. Zia is on his laptop again, studiously ignoring my gaze. My dad fusses around me and leans in to whisper, “He hasn’t left once. Whatever is going on between you two, he cares.” He cups my cheek. “I was so scared, son. I was so fucking scared I’d lost you too.”
“I’m sorry, Dad. I’m okay,” I assure him, and he nods, turning away to hide the tears in his eyes.
“Rest, okay?” he tells me, his voice rough with emotion.
I nod and glance at Zia, catching his eyes for a moment before he drops them to his laptop. I try to force myself to stay awake, knowingwe need to talk, but the drugs are taking effect, and before I know it, I’m swept into the abyss.
I wake with a pounding heart and a bad feeling.
The room is empty.
My dad is gone, but so is Zia.
His laptop is gone and so is his jacket.
He’s left me again.
The room is cold and empty. There are no signs he was ever here, just like before. He’s going to leave me, erase me out of his life like I never existed. I can’t let him. I won’t let him go again.
I’m not thinking clearly, but I don’t care as I scramble from the bed. Ripping off the monitoring leads attached to me, I climb to my feet and almost fall. The machines beep, and the door opens as nurses rush inside. They try to stop me as I force my way through them.
“Sir!” They chase after me. “You need to be in bed! Sir! Call security!”
A doctor steps into my path, blocking the way with his arms held out. “Sir, you need to be in bed?—”
I push him away more forcefully than I mean to and hurry to the elevator. I hit the button to descend, and it shuts on the nurses and doctor who are swarming after me.
He left me again.
No.
Not this time.
The door opens on the ground floor, and I ignore everyone calling after me. The hospital gown catches on the breeze, and a shiver goes through me as I rush outside. My bare ass is on display, but I don’t care. I don’t care about anything except getting to Zia before he disappears again.
