Mary-Beth gives my arm a squeeze before she releases me and slides up to Shawn’s side. The door swings open, the noise is so loud that I feel it throughout my entire body. I’m shaking, vibrating between the music and the sheer amount of people shouting, cheering, screaming.
My steps falter as I attempt to follow behind Shawn and Mary-Beth. Biting the inside of my cheek, I follow them. I try to look straight ahead, focusing on Mary-Beth’s gorgeous gleaming shiny hair.
“It’s her,” someone screams from beside me.
I don’t look, I can’t. Suddenly, there are a million cellphones surrounding me, people shouting my name and I start to tremble even more than I was when I started walking out here.
I keep my eyes on Mary-Beth, hoping that our seats appear soon. Thankfully, they do and I do exactly what I’d planned on, I sink my ass down and I breathe.
“Someone knew who I was,” I whisper.
Mary-Beth turns to me with a smile. “After tonight they’ll all know who Tulip, girlfriend of Louis Kingston is. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.”
Shaking my head, I lift my hand to the front of my throat. “I don’t want to enjoy the ride. A couple days ago I was just a cashier at the grocery store.”
Mary-Beth’s smile widens. “Look at you now.”
She shoves her phone at me and I glance down to see a photo of Louis with his hands around my hips, tugging me against his chest. There’s another one of him kissing me. These were taken yesterday and I bet I know who sold them to the media.
“It’s too much attention,” I whisper.
“Let the world think whatever they want. You have a man who loves you at your back and that’s all you need.”
My lips twitch into a smile. “You sound like my friends at home.”
“They’re smart.” She winks.
Nodding, I take my own phone from my small clutch. “They are,” I whisper.
I spend the next few moments texting all of those smart friends. Their messages put me at ease and I’m almost completely calm when the lights start to dim and an announcer appears in the center of the ring.
LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE.
I send the text to Hutton, Exeter, and Channing just as the announcer roars it into the microphone. Then, I close my eyes and I say a small prayer to whoever could possibly be listening to keep Louis safe, to protect him, mind, body, and soul tonight and to ease his anxiety.
Chapter Thirty-Six
LOUIS
The sound of the crowd flows through me, jacking my adrenaline higher and higher, filling me full to almost bursting. My body is practically vibrating as Aaron tapes my hands.
The official is watching, making sure that we only use the specific yardage of tape on each hand. The rules are the fucking rules when it comes to this sport.
I bounce on the balls of my feet, pumping myself up, though I don’t need much help in that department, the crowd is doing fucking plenty.
“His gloves have been weighed,” the official says to another man. He nods his head and they both watch as Aaron slips my gloves on my hands, securing them.
Cracking my neck, moving it from side to side, I continue to bounce on my toes as I close my eyes. Inhaling through my nose, I let the breath out of my mouth. I imagine being able to fly, being light enough to jump quadruple my height.
“You about ready?” Aaron asks.
Opening my eyes, I nod my head once. “Clear your mind. Focus your body. Make each strike true.”
Nodding, I look directly into his weathered eyes. “I will come out on top.”
“You will win,” he states with a jerk of his chin. “You will fight Meetze and you will be successful, but you will overpower those demons.”
Inhaling a deep breath again, I grin. “I’m Louis fucking ‘KO’ Kingston. Nobody is going to beat me in my own goddamn house,” I growl.
“Damn fuckin’ straight,” Aaron shouts.
Someone at the door calls out to me. Lifting my chin, I jerk it as Aaron slides my robe on. Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I follow the person out of the door. He leads me down a long hall and the rumbling of the crowd grows louder with each step that I take.
My body shakes, trembles, but not with fear—instead it’s with excitement. I thought that I would be dreading this moment, the walk toward the ring, but I’m not. My body isn’t my own, I’m filled with nothing but pure adrenaline.
Walking past all of the people, I tune out their words. My eyes search the front rows of people, I know where she is. When I finally find her blonde hair, I glance down at her face and grin. She’s made up, heavily, but it isn’t unattractive. I prefer her bare face, but she’s so fuckin’ pretty as she is, too.
Making a detour when I’m close enough, I walk between the ring and the front row where security is lined up, until I’m right in front of her. I lift a brow at the tight, short, sparkly dress she has on.
“A stylist,” she shouts with a shrug of her shoulder.
Reaching out, I wrap my arm around her waist and tug her close to me. Her palms land on my chest as she leans over the barricade. “Kiss me, baby,” I demand.
She licks her lips, her eyes searching mine before they tip up into a small smile. “You look good in your outfit.”
Chuckling, my arms flex around her and without another word, I slant my head and press my mouth to hers. I’m sure this will do nothing except get people talking, but I don’t give a damn.
Tulip is my woman and I’m going to kiss her before I step in that ring. She is the reason I have not only the strength, but the drive to win this fight.
Breaking the kiss, I smile as I look down at her. Tulip’s lids are lowered, her lips parted and then slowly her eyes lift to meet mine.
“Good luck, Louie,” she whispers.
“Fuckin’ you in the locker room when I win,” I rasp.
“Okay,” she sighs.
My lips turn up into a smile. “Fuckin’ shit, baby.” Shaking my head, I touch my forehead to hers. “I love you, Tullie.”
She inhales a breath through her nose before she whispers. “Kick his ass, Louis.”
With a smirk, I let her go, taking a step back and I give her a wink before I turn around. What I didn’t know is that the camera was zoomed in on us the entire time.
Everything was not only caught on the jumbotron for the entire arena to see, but also aired for everyone watching on their televisions, including all of the men and women that I consider family back in Gallup.
Climbing into the arena, I stand in my corner while the announcer does his thing. I ignore everything. Blocking out the entire stadium, even Tulip, and I focus on one thing and one thing only, my opponent.
Meetze narrows his eyes on me, he’s watching me, so fucking focused with a scowl on his face as he attempts to fuck with me. It doesn’t work.
Aaron reaches for my robe and slips it off of my arms, the signal that this shit is getting ready to go down. Turning my head, I open my mouth as he shoves the guard in to protect my teeth.
Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I make my way toward the announcer. Meetze doesn’t speak, his jaw clenched as he watches me. Tilting my head from side to side, I keep my body loose. We lift gloves and fist bump before taking a few steps back from one another.