“Best week of my life.”
“Pfft, I had to spend three days of it on the couch.”
“Still the best week of my life.”
“Mine, too.”
I spend a big chunk of the day with Parker, double-checking the security details for tonight. Our team will be split and that means extra planning. Keeping my wife safe is the most important thing, but I have every intention of coming home to her.
Ariana kisses me for good luck. When I pull away, there’s too much worry in her eyes. I caress her cheek with my hand. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, I just have a bad feeling,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
I lower my forehead to hers. “Nothing to worry about, baby.”
Marco and my dad are waiting a few feet away. “We’ll bethere keeping watch, Ari,” Marco tells her. She closes her eyes and nods.
“Be extra careful, okay?”
“Always. I’ll see you in a few hours,” I tell her before pressing my lips to hers one more time. “We’ll bring home milkshakes and burgers.”
I follow my dad and uncle to the car. Two more cars full of Marco’s men load up. Even more men stay behind as we drive away toward the warehouse.
I hate that Ariana’s so stressed tonight. I’m trying to focus on the fight, but the little wrinkle of worry between her eyes keeps finding its way into my mind.
Tonight is the first time my dad’s going to see me fight. He’s joined me in the gym a few times over the last week, but seeing me spar isn’t the same thing as watching a real fight. I never bothered to invite him to one back home. I didn’t even tell him what I was doing back then.
The more we talk, the more I realize my mom was forming wedges between us, and had been for years. Dad thinks she was jealous of the relationship we had when I was a kid. He and I did tons of stuff together, but she started working her way between us. Started harping on every little thing, making us both feel like we weren’t good enough. I can’t even imagine Mia doing something like that to Marco and their daughters.
I shake my head, trying to clear the negative thoughts. The locker room is slowly being upgraded and has actual lockers now. After finding one of those damn plastic frogs in a side pocket, I drop my ring in and zip it up, then toss my phone and smartwatch on top of my clothes before putting my bag in a locker.
My opponent isn’t much of a threat. He’s lost more fights than he’s won over the three years he’s been in the ring. When our turn comes, he hops from foot to foot, staying out of arm’s reach, then rushes at me. He lands a single punch to my ribs before I knockhim out. The whole thing lasts less than two minutes, and I don’t even break a sweat.
Dad and Marco both clap me on the back.
“Sit down, watch a few fights with us,” Dad says, patting the seat next to him with a big smile on his face.
“I’m going to go change and text Ari, but yeah, I’d love to,” I tell him.
“If anyone’s going to be prouder of you than we are,” he motions between Marco and himself with his thumb, “it’s going to be her.”
With a chuckle, I head for the locker room. One of Marco’s men stands just inside the door. I unwrap my hands and change, then text my sweet girl.
Still undefeated, I hope lil didn’t pick another fucking pony sticker
Wifey
I knew you would be, but I’m still proud of you, Beefcake!
And you’re gonna wish it was a pony.
I grin and start digging in the side pocket for my ring. Just as my fingers graze the metal, I hear a noise behind me. Then, my head explodes in pain as everything goes dark.
Chapter 81
Someone get me some matches
Ariana
