“He’s never lost a fight. He’s undefeated, and I’m worried what will happen when the audience goes home, the cameras shut down, and the lights go off. What happens then? How will he handle it?”
She sighed and smiled a tight smile. “You’ll be there for him to give him the encouragement, the strength, and the love that he needs. Just pray for him, girl, and have his back through it.”
“Look!” Myracle shouted. “Told y’all bitches! What now?”
“Ohmigosh, Dove! Look!” Kandi Grace exclaimed.
I lifted my eyes to the octagon again. Reighvyn had gotten back up, and though his legs were shaky, he had taken a defensive posture and was ready. I whispered several quick prayers with my hands folded together in prayer position.
Over the next several minutes, I watched my man regain the advantage, pull amazing strength from somewhere, and kick his opponent’s ass. He managed to get the man down and pound the hell out of him until he knocked him out. It was like he punished him for every blow he’d taken.
“Reighvyn!” Dove screamed and jumped into my arms.
We kissed deeply and for a long time. When I stopped to speak, she kissed me again. When it happened a third time, I laughed.
“Hey, babe. You missed me much?” I chuckled as she plastered my face and neck with kisses.
“Can you tell?”
“Just a little bit,” I teased.
“You scared me out there for a while.”
“It’s all good. He’s one hell of an opponent. I needed him to wear himself out first and think that he’d taken me out.”
“So, you laying on the canvas letting some dude beat the hell out of you was a strategic move?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” I replied, winking at her with a crooked grin.
She laughed and then kissed my lips slowly as she slid down my body and stood again.
“You just disappeared without a word. I’m so angry with you, Reigh.”
“I know you are, baby, and I’m sorry. I swear that I’ll make it up to you.”
“I tried not to have doubts, but you left me with plenty.”
I fingered the seashell necklace at her neck and stared into her eyes. “I need you to believe in me when I give you every reason to doubt. I swear that I will never betray you, lie to you, or do anything to hurt you. Just don’t give up on me. I’ll explain everything later, but I needed to take that time away. It was necessary for you and me.”
“You should have told me.”
“You’re right.”
“How much longer before we can get out of here?”
“Well, I’ve got my after-press conference to do, and then we can break. I thought I would treat you ladies to dinner and drinks tonight before I can have you all to myself.”
“That sounds nice, but I wouldn’t mind skipping dinner and drinks,” she replied.
I chuckled. “Me too, but we have to be gracious hosts to Myracle and Kandi Grace.” I jutted my chin in the direction of the doorway where the ladies had just arrived.
She turned to look back at them and then offered a shy wave and smile. They giggled. As they approached us, she turned back to me and hurriedly whispered, “You and I have to talk about your absence, sir.”
“We will, babe.”
There was so much to explain, and I knew that I owed her an explanation. My heart and head needed time away fromeveryone and everything that meant anything to me. The only thing that I could handle after my visit with Mama was fighting. It was my stress reliever and the antidote for my pain and anger, but Dove, . . . Dove was my peace, and I’d once again found my peace.
We had somuch fun last night. It was hard watching Reighvyn in that ring fighting, because I winced every time he took a hit or a kick. In the last two rounds, he dominated, and it was like watching a different person. He became a beast.
