Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
I’m here with Ares, Lo, and Missy, and we’re seated in the front row.
Close enough that I’ll be able to hear every punch thrown.
I wince at the thought.
The tickets would have been expensive if we’d paid for them. But, when your boyfriend is the headline fighter, you get them for free.
Tonight is the big-money fight because, if Zeus wins, it means he will hold all five heavyweight division titles. They call it unifying the division.
Hence, the hefty price tag on the tickets.
When we were younger, this was something Zeus always used to say he wanted to achieve.
I recently asked him if this was one of the reasons he wanted to do the fight as well as the money. But he said no.
I don’t know if he feels that he should say that because of the guilt he harbors over Kaden.
Tons of celebrities are here to watch the fight. I can’t even be excited that Jake Wethers and Tom Carter from The Mighty Storm are sitting three seats away from me because I’m so nervous.
Maybe, when Zeus wins, I’ll have my freak-out over them.
But all I can think about right now is Zeus, praying he comes out of this okay.
I watched all of Zeus’s fights in the years we were together. I always felt nervous back then, but I can honestly say nothing compares to how I’m feeling right now.
I feel sick.
I press my hand to my stomach.
I’m afraid that he’s going to get hurt. Seriously hurt.
I knew of Dimitrov from the news stories. But I made it my business to watch some of his fights. I didn’t tell Zeus because he didn’t want me to worry.
I’m worried.
The guy is an animal.
Think Mike Tyson on crack.
That’s Roman Dimitrov.
I don’t think he’d give a shit if he killed someone.
And Zeus is getting in the ring with that lunatic.
Zeus is big, and he’s strong. He’s in peak physical shape. He always is. And the last six weeks of intense training has brought him up to where he needs to be.
But Dimitrov is in great shape, too.
Although Zeus has the edge in weight and height, there’s not much difference between them.
I turn to look at Zeus when I know he’s near ringside.
His eyes find me right away. His expression might be hardened, but his eyes…right now, they’re all for me.
He reaches the ring and jogs up the steps.
Before he enters the ropes, he looks back at me. My heart simultaneously soars and plummets because this is it. The moment I’ve been dreading for the last six weeks.
I love you, I mouth to him.
His lips lift into that smile of his, and my insides putter to a stop. Then, he climbs in the ring, and my insides sag to the ground.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Missy says, sliding her hand into mine. My eyes move to hers. “This is Zeus. He’s unbeatable.”
There’s always a first time for everything, my fear says.
But I don’t say those words.
Instead, I force a smile and say, “Yeah, you’re right.”
“I’m always right.” She grins. “My big brother is a hard-ass. And I, for one, cannot wait to see him put Dimitrov on his own ass.”
“Hell yeah!” Ares says, reaching around me and high-fiving her.
“Five rounds most, and Zeus will put him down,” Lo says.
The most recognizable voice in the boxing world starts speaking from within the ring, drawing my eyes there, “And here is the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Our fighters are in the ring, and they are ready to go all twelve rounds! In the blue corner, coming all the way from Bulgaria…standing at six feet four inches and weighing in at two hundred forty-five pounds, the current WBA and IBO heavyweight champion…Roman…‘The Jawbreaker’…Dimitrov.”
The cheers are outweighed by the boos. Ares, Lo, and Missy are shouting negativity in Dimitrov’s direction.
I’m silent. Eyes pinned on Zeus.
He looks calm. Ready to fight. But calm.
“In the red corner, standing at six feet five inches and weighing in at two hundred fifty pounds, he is the IBF, WBC, and WBO world heavyweight champion…your homegrown fighter…Zeus…‘The God’…Kincaid!”
The crowd roars with applause and cheers, and I actually find my voice and cheer for my man as he lifts his arms to the crowd, moving around the ring. I cheer louder.
When the crowd hushes, the announcer says, “To the twenty thousand in attendance and the millions watching at home, ladies and gentlemen, from Madison Square Garden in New York City…let’s…geeet…rrrreeeaaady…toooo…ruuummmble!”
I watch as they step up close with the referee between them, firing out his rules. Then, they’re back to their corners.
I watch as Zeus’s trainer, Mike, talks to him. Zeus nods his head. His shield is put in his mouth, and then he’s on his feet.
The bell rings.
It’s time.
There’s no hesitation. Zeus is in the center of the ring straightaway, intimidating and dominating. And the punches start flying.