Uncertain.
You’re hurt, huh?
Well, hold still, I’ve got something for you.
I crowded her, pummeling her with everything I had. She provided nothing in response, unless stumbling into the ropes was her defense. While I continued to pound her mid-section and face with repeated rights and lefts, the referee stepped in.
He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Are you alright?”
She nodded.
Not for long.
I cocked my right hand. The referee released her and stepped away.
I shuffled my left foot forward, moved my right back slightly, and twisted my right shoulder back. Pivoting on the ball of my right foot just like the old man said, I lifted my heel and threw the punch hard, bringing the power of my chest first and pivoting my hips right behind it.
The punch hit her square in the jaw.
She flew into the ropes, sprung forward, and fell to the mat face-first.
I glared down at her.
If you know what’s good for you, you won’t even try to get up.
The referee rushed between us, turned her over, and looked down.
She didn’t move.
He waved his arms over her.
The fight was over.
Fuck yes.
I’d beaten the unbeatable by a knockout.
With my hands held high over my head, and feeling like I was floating well above the clouds, I rushed to the corner.
Ripp was dancing some weird victory dance, and Ethan was waving his hands in the air cheering. I spit out my mouthpiece. “I did it. I knocked her out. I’m on my way to being a bad ass.”
I had never felt so much pride in my life.
Ripp stopped dancing. “God damn, you dropped that girl like a bad habit.”
I pressed my forearms into the sides of my head and pushed my headgear up. “Sure did.”
“Great fight, Jaz,” Ethan said.
“Thanks.”
My eyes darted around the edge of the ring, looking for Kelsey. Thirty feet away, walking toward the offices, the back of his white shirt and his gray hair were unmistakable.
I didn’t care if he liked me or not, I was at least going to force him to remember me. “Kelsey!” I shouted.
He stopped and turned around.
“Thanks,” I screamed.
Without acknowledging what I said, he turned around, raised his right hand high in the air, and flipped me the bird.
I love you, too.
SIXTEEN
Jaz
Day fifty.
Ethan was fighting, and he assured me he was fighting to win this time. Ripp and I were watching it together, and it seemed he had his doubts in Ethan’s ability to win.
“This kid Ethan’s fighting is a beast,” Ripp said. “He should have gone pro two years ago.”
“Why hasn’t he?” I asked.
“I think he likes hurting people.”
Ethan stood in the center of the ring, taking instructions from the referee. I was excited to see him fight, and if his prediction was correct, I knew it might cause Ripp to give him a little credit. He predicted a knockout, and we placed a bet on it. If he lost, we weren’t having sex for a week. If he won, he got to have sex, on my terms. If he knocked him out, he got the sex of his choosing. Hoping he wasn’t mistaken about the knockout, I stood excitedly at the edge of the ring.
Ripp folded his arms in front of his chest and sighed. “I’d like to slap the shit out of Ethan’s trainer. He’s a fuckin’ idiot.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Fuckin’ Brockman? Because he is,” he said. “He’s picked some fights for Ethan that he shouldn’t have. Ethan’s got a fucked up record now.”
I wanted to tell him the truth, but I was sworn to secrecy. “Well, maybe he can redeem himself tonight. We’ve been sparring in my living room.”
He shot me a crazy look. “You what ?”
I grinned. “Sparring. Ethan and me. Maybe he’s picked up on a few of my tips.”
“You’re fuckin’ kiddin’, right?”
I shook my head.
The bell rang. “Good luck, Babe,” I shouted.
Ripp glared. “Babe?”
I shrugged.
“You two are fuckin’?”
“Shh, the fight started.”
Ripp grumbled something and turned to face the ring.
Ethan’s opponent was
You’re hurt, huh?
Well, hold still, I’ve got something for you.
I crowded her, pummeling her with everything I had. She provided nothing in response, unless stumbling into the ropes was her defense. While I continued to pound her mid-section and face with repeated rights and lefts, the referee stepped in.
He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Are you alright?”
She nodded.
Not for long.
I cocked my right hand. The referee released her and stepped away.
I shuffled my left foot forward, moved my right back slightly, and twisted my right shoulder back. Pivoting on the ball of my right foot just like the old man said, I lifted my heel and threw the punch hard, bringing the power of my chest first and pivoting my hips right behind it.
The punch hit her square in the jaw.
She flew into the ropes, sprung forward, and fell to the mat face-first.
I glared down at her.
If you know what’s good for you, you won’t even try to get up.
The referee rushed between us, turned her over, and looked down.
She didn’t move.
He waved his arms over her.
The fight was over.
Fuck yes.
I’d beaten the unbeatable by a knockout.
With my hands held high over my head, and feeling like I was floating well above the clouds, I rushed to the corner.
Ripp was dancing some weird victory dance, and Ethan was waving his hands in the air cheering. I spit out my mouthpiece. “I did it. I knocked her out. I’m on my way to being a bad ass.”
I had never felt so much pride in my life.
Ripp stopped dancing. “God damn, you dropped that girl like a bad habit.”
I pressed my forearms into the sides of my head and pushed my headgear up. “Sure did.”
“Great fight, Jaz,” Ethan said.
“Thanks.”
My eyes darted around the edge of the ring, looking for Kelsey. Thirty feet away, walking toward the offices, the back of his white shirt and his gray hair were unmistakable.
I didn’t care if he liked me or not, I was at least going to force him to remember me. “Kelsey!” I shouted.
He stopped and turned around.
“Thanks,” I screamed.
Without acknowledging what I said, he turned around, raised his right hand high in the air, and flipped me the bird.
I love you, too.
SIXTEEN
Jaz
Day fifty.
Ethan was fighting, and he assured me he was fighting to win this time. Ripp and I were watching it together, and it seemed he had his doubts in Ethan’s ability to win.
“This kid Ethan’s fighting is a beast,” Ripp said. “He should have gone pro two years ago.”
“Why hasn’t he?” I asked.
“I think he likes hurting people.”
Ethan stood in the center of the ring, taking instructions from the referee. I was excited to see him fight, and if his prediction was correct, I knew it might cause Ripp to give him a little credit. He predicted a knockout, and we placed a bet on it. If he lost, we weren’t having sex for a week. If he won, he got to have sex, on my terms. If he knocked him out, he got the sex of his choosing. Hoping he wasn’t mistaken about the knockout, I stood excitedly at the edge of the ring.
Ripp folded his arms in front of his chest and sighed. “I’d like to slap the shit out of Ethan’s trainer. He’s a fuckin’ idiot.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Fuckin’ Brockman? Because he is,” he said. “He’s picked some fights for Ethan that he shouldn’t have. Ethan’s got a fucked up record now.”
I wanted to tell him the truth, but I was sworn to secrecy. “Well, maybe he can redeem himself tonight. We’ve been sparring in my living room.”
He shot me a crazy look. “You what ?”
I grinned. “Sparring. Ethan and me. Maybe he’s picked up on a few of my tips.”
“You’re fuckin’ kiddin’, right?”
I shook my head.
The bell rang. “Good luck, Babe,” I shouted.
Ripp glared. “Babe?”
I shrugged.
“You two are fuckin’?”
“Shh, the fight started.”
Ripp grumbled something and turned to face the ring.
Ethan’s opponent was
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