Standing there Zachary had to admit that he had reached a point of no return. He was ready to be officially retired. He had no problems passing the game over to the younger boys rising behind him. Personally, if he were honest with himself, he was past the point of being ready to say good-bye to the sport and to try his hand at something new.
On one hand, he wanted to believe that he needed this fight. One more rally under his belt to go out on top. That was his vanity speaking. He thought of the endorsement deals that were contingent on him winning. There was a men’s clothing line with a champion’s label. They weren’t looking for the face of that deal to be a former champion. Second place wasn’t going to make the cut.
On the other hand, he really didn’t need this fight. He didn’t need to put his body through the brutal beating he would have to endure. Everyone knew his opponent punched with an iron fist. They didn’t call him Undertaker because he was good at flower arranging. The man hit hard and getting hit hard actually hurt.
He was financially solvent, so it really wasn’t about the payday. The eight-figure payout for the winner wasn’t anything to spit on, but he already had eight figures in his bank account. Revolution was a profitable venture, and his investments were paying off nicely. His issues with the other gyms that surrounded him had been resolved, their owners smart enough to not cross him again. And he and Kenzie both had been blessed by Kai’s love and shared a substantial inheritance bequeathed to them.
He was on that thirty-year-old uphill climb, and he wanted children and a family. He needed to be healthy in order to be fully engaged and active in their lives, most especially since he was in a relationship with the woman he actually saw bearing his children. Zachary suddenly realized his list for not fighting was far longer than his list for going through with it was.
He swiped a bar of Ivory soap across his skin. The lather bubbled nicely. Using an oversized washcloth, he washed his body until he felt clean. He finally turned off the water when it started to chill, and the last of the suds disappeared down the drain.
Stepping out of the shower, Zachary wrapped himself in a towel, drying the moisture from his skin. When he was dry, he stepped into a clean pair of sweats. After gathering his personal possessions, he exited the locker room. He looked around the gym for a familiar face.
Sarai stood off to the side, training a client. He saw her excuse herself, moving toward him. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi! Have you seen Kenzie?”
Sarai nodded. “She said to tell you that she’ll meet you at the house.”
He nodded, and then he leaned to kiss her cheek. “Have a good evening,” he said, and then he was gone.
* * *
Kenzie knew that Zachary wasn’t going to take all of her news well. She also knew that doing whatever was necessary to insure his success would always be front and center on her to-do list. She heard him when he came through the front door. He called out her name before he’d gotten the entrance closed and locked behind him. She took a deep breath before moving out of the bedroom toward the living space.
“Honey, I’m home!” He laughed, lifting his eyebrows up and down.
She laughed with him. “Hi,” she said as she returned the greeting. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her in his arms and kissed her mouth. “How was your day?”
He shook his head. “I have definitely had better. How about you?”
“I had a good day!”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Are you hungry?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I actually am. Do you want to run out and get something to eat?”
She shook her head. “No. Sarai arranged for food to be delivered. You’re supposed to be watching your diet, remember?”
He shrugged. “What are you eating?”
“I’m eating what you eat. I need to clean up my diet with you.”
She hugged him, nuzzling her nose against his skin. “You smell good!”
“Bath day today. I used soap and water.”
She laughed. “It must be Tuesday!”
He tapped her backside as she led the way toward the kitchen.
Kenzie had already set the dinner table, and the food rested on the stovetop. They were eating an oversized salad with grilled chicken breasts. It was simple and filling. She prepared both of their plates and sat down to join him.
Zachary took two bites before he spoke again. “So what made your day so good?”
She grinned, her smile canyon wide. “I sold a book today,” she said as she filled him in on her proposal and book deal.
He stood, moving to her side to kiss her. “I am so proud of you! Congratulations, baby!”
“Thank you! So what happened that you didn’t have a good day?”
Zachary told her about his training session gone bad, adding the details of his pros and cons list for even participating in this fight. She listened intently, allowing him to rant and get past the frustration. When he was done, he looked to her for her opinion.
“You have to fight,” she said. “You don’t have a choice.”
Her answer surprised him. “Why would you say that?”
“First, you signed a binding contract, so you are legally obligated to proceed with this fight. You are a man of great integrity, so you would never just break a contractual agreement.”
“I’m sure there’s an out clause.”
“There’s a reschedule clause, and you can only drag it out so long. Too long and you definitely won’t be ready to fight.”
“Point taken.”
“And second, there’s a part of you that has something to prove. It’s why you signed in the first place. You want this last hurrah!”
He didn’t bother to respond to that comment, something about it striking a nerve. He nodded, his eyes locking with hers.
“Why do you think you’re distracted? What’s on your mind?” she asked.
Zachary leaned back in his seat. “Honest?”
“Why would you lie to me?”
“I wouldn’t. I don’t have any reason to lie to you,” he said shaking his head. “I think part of my problem is I’m thinking about how this fight is going to impact our future. If it’s not going to benefit the two of us, then I can’t think of any reason to do it. So I think my problem is I can’t get you out of my head. I want to make you proud. I’m worried about being a good husband. You seem to be the only thing I can focus on.”
She nodded. “Well, that’s not good. My father told you about letting a woman get in the way of what you need to be doing. And I have no doubts your brother and Gamon are still telling you the same thing.”
“They’ve had some things to say, I’m sure.”
“So, we need to figure out how to get you back on track because you can’t lose this fight, Zachary. That’s not even an option!”
He blew a heavy sigh, as Kenzie was not saying anything he hadn’t already known. “You’re right. I was much more disciplined for my last fight. I need to get back to that.”
“Which brings me to my next issue.”
Zachary’s eyes widened. “And that is?”
“I think we should practice celibacy and refrain from sexual activity until our wedding night.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m very serious. It will serve two purposes. It will help get you back on track with your training and guarantee us a really great honeymoon.”
Zachary sat staring at her, his eyes blinking rapidly. “You’re serious? You’re really serious?”
Kenzie laughed. “Why would you think I’m kidding?”
“It’ll never work. There’s no way we can share the same bed and I not make love to you at least once a day. Hell, we couldn’t even share the same house and different bedrooms. It’s not going to happen, I promise you.”
“I thought about that. That’s why I’m moving in with your brother and Sarai. Gamon is going to move in here with you.”
Zachary t
ossed his hands up in frustration. “I can’t believe you’re conspiring against me. This was my brother’s idea, wasn’t it?”
“You’re being dramatic. I’m not conspiring against you. I’m conspiring for us.”
He shook his head. “So when do you plan to marry me?”
She smiled. “Fight day. You handle your business, and I promise that night I will handle mine.”
Zachary groaned. “So do I get to make love to you one last time before we do this? Bust one last nut for the road?”
Kenzie giggled. “Get your mind right, Zachary! Because I swear, if you lose this fight you’re not getting any that night either!”
* * *
Zachary hadn’t taken Kenzie seriously, and now she was gone, having actually moved out of the house where they had been staying and into the house with Sarai and his brother. He sat in the family room, Gamon eyeing him intently. Gamon was not the roommate he’d been hoping for, he thought as he tossed the man a look.
Gamon laughed. “She is coming back. After fight you will not be able to get rid of her!”
“Promises, promises,” Zachary said.
Sarai laughed. “So what else can we do for you?”
“I think you’ve done more than enough.”
“I don’t know why you are mad with me. I had nothing at all to do with this. It was all Kenzie’s idea.”
Zachary rolled his eyes skyward, “You didn’t say anything at all to Kenzie? Not one word or suggestion?”
“Oh, I said something, but I didn’t tell her to move out. She just knows how you are.”
“How I am?”
“You have no self-control.”
“Excuse you! I have great self-control!”
Alexander interjected. “No, you really don’t. Kenzie may have single-handedly figured out how we need to help and support you.”
Zachary mumbled something under his breath.
“What did you say?” Sarai asked.
Zachary stood up, heading toward the room’s exit. “I said I’m going running. I need to burn some energy off.”
Alexander laughed. “Oh, yeah! We are on the right track now.”
Chapter Eighteen
Zachary threw a left-right combo with a roundhouse kick. His technique was picture-perfect. The people on his team all nodded their approval. He repeated the exchange, kicking with his other leg the second time. He was down a good twenty pounds since Kenzie had moved out, and he’d gotten focused, nothing but lean muscle clinging to his bones. Now they were days away from fight night, and he was as ready as he would ever be.
Alexander jumped into the ring with his twin. His hands were covered with boxing pads, and he held up his palms in a defensive stance. Zachary threw a chain of punches. One, two, two, one. And then another. Two, two, one, one.
“Good job,” Alexander said. “Have you watched the tapes on Barrera?”
Zachary nodded. “He’s short on foot work and deadly in the clutches. I’m going to need to stay off the ropes or he will hurt me. And I can’t afford to get hurt.”
His twin nodded in agreement. “You need to take him out early. Don’t try to go the full twenty-five minutes. He just gets better the longer he’s in the ring. Don’t dance with him if you don’t have to.”
The brothers both relaxed. Alexander tossed the pads over the side of the ring. Zachary held out his hands as his twin began to untie his gloves. The two men exited the ring together.
“Do you want to run with me?” Zachary asked.
Alexander shook his head. “No, and I really don’t want you running. You did the treadmill earlier, right?”
“I did. “
“Hold off on doing any further cardio today. And until the fight, just keep it light and easy. Conserve your energy.”
“Yes, boss!”
“The girls are at Starbucks. Do you want to head over and join them?”
“You mean you’re going to actually let me spend some time with my woman?”
Alexander laughed. “I’m even going to let you spend some time with my woman!”
“Let me grab a quick shower, and I’ll be right there!”
* * *
Zachary was excited about spending some time with Kenzie. Since she’d moved into his brother’s home, their time together was perfectly planned by everyone else except them. That first week had been the hardest. The second had been as challenging, and then suddenly things had just clicked for the two of them. Her determination had fueled his. Kenzie was rock solid when she wanted to accomplish something. Her strength and fortitude were impressive, and it made him proud.
While he’d been focused on pulling his training regime together, she’d thrown herself into her research. Every night they spoke on the telephone, and she always had a new Alzheimer’s story to share. The project had her connecting with people from around the world, and she’d been writing furiously. Her energy and enthusiasm had fueled his.
The excitement registered across Kenzie’s face when he and his brother entered the coffee shop. She waved excitedly. Zachary eased into the booth beside her. He pressed his mouth to hers just as she drew her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks in her palms. The kisses were quick pecks; both were mindful not to start something they wouldn’t be able to finish. The chemistry between them was thick and abundant.
“Hi,” Zachary whispered, kissing her again.
“How are you?” Kenzie asked.
He nodded. “I’m really good.” He shot a look across table, his eyes connecting with his sister-in-law, who was watching them intently. “Sarai!”
“Zachary!”
Alexander leaned over to kiss his wife, who kissed him back. “Hey, sweetheart!”
Sarai wrapped her arms around the man’s neck and hugged him. “Are you boys good today?”
“Very good!” Alexander answered.
The women had already ordered a round of coffee for the table. The family fell into easy conversation. Zachary was particularly grateful for the opportunity to catch up on talk that had nothing to do with the upcoming fight. And any chance to be near Kenzie had him doing a quiet happy dance.
“So have you two made any wedding plans?” Sarai asked. Her eyes skated from one to the other.
Kenzie nodded. “We have planned to not make any plans.”
Zachary nodded his agreement. “Sometime during the day, we’re going to find a little chapel and a justice of the peace. It’s going to be short and sweet, and then I’m going to win my fight and forget how you all have been conspiring against me.”
Kenzie grinned. “What he said.”
“Well, your brother and I would love to host your reception,” Sarai said.
Kenzie shrugged. “We appreciate that, but the after-party for the fight will be reception enough. We don’t want a lot of fanfare.”
Zachary gave Kenzie a squeeze. “Kenzie doesn’t want anyone going overboard. She wants simple and private, and I plan to honor that. Whatever my baby wants she can have.”
The other woman nodded.
Alexander shook his head. “I thought every woman dreamt of having a lavish wedding. Isn’t that what all little girls aspire to?”
Sarai laughed. “I aspired to falling in love with the perfect guy.”
“Me too!” Kenzie echoed.
Zachary laughed. “You two sure got lucky! It’s a good thing you found me and A before we got gone!”
Alexander laughed. “I know that’s right!”
The laughter rang easily through the room. The abundance of love around the table was endearing. The hour was well spent as they made plans for the weekend and double-checked that they were all on the same page with whatever Zachary might need to insure things ran smoothly while they were in Las Vegas.
Alexander was the first to shut down their little program, rising from his seat. He pulled Sarai by the hand. “I’ll be in the car. Kiss your woman good-bye and meet me out there in the parking lot when you’re done,” he said, his eyes focused on his
brother’s face.
Zachary nodded. When the other couple had stepped through the entrance door, moving out of their eyesight, Kenzie kissed him again, her tongue darting back and forth.
He pressed his cheek to hers and held on. “Are you sure everything is okay?” he asked. “You don’t need anything, do you?”
“I need for this fight to be over so things can go back to the way they were. I miss you!” Kenzie’s jaw was tight, and her brow creased in frustration. The faintest smile pulled at her lips.
“I miss you too! But it won’t be much longer now.”
“Are you feeling better about the fight?”
Zachary grinned. “I feel really good. I’m confident that I’ve got this.”
She smiled. “So am I. You looked good when I saw you sparring the other day.”
“You were checking up on me?”
“I needed to make sure you’d found your groove.”
“It took me a minute, but it’s all good! I really am very happy with how the training has gone. My brother has been working the snot out of me!”
“What do you have planned for later?” Kenzie asked.
“What I do every night. Keep my fingers crossed that you’ll sneak over and give me some.”
Kenzie laughed. “Just a few more days, baby!”
“I might not want it then.”
“That’ll be fine too!”
Zachary chuckled. “You know I’m lying!”
Chapter Nineteen
Zachary stood toe to toe with his brother as Alexander wrapped his hands in gauze tape. Alexander was painstakingly meticulous with the over-and-under, round-and-round covering that would afford his twin a semblance of protection from the elements in the fight ring. Zachary’s eyes skipped from his sibling’s face to the crowd beginning to gather in the room.
The space wasn’t large, and it was filling quickly. Their parents were holding court in a corner on the other side as Mama Lynn regaled anyone who would bother to listen with stories about the two of them. There was Gamon, Zachary’s personal physician, his cut man, two of his sparring partners, his corner guy, UFC officials, a representative from the MGM Grand, which was hosting the event, and a handful of media personalities hoping to score an exclusive interview. Sarai and Kenzie were the only important people missing from the bunch, and no one seemed to know where either was.
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