Zachary began pacing back and forth, his hands resting against the line of his hips. He jumped an imaginary jump rope, rising up and down on his toes to stretch the tightness out of his legs. He tilted his head left and then right, popping the tension out of the muscles in his neck. His stomach was doing flips, and he realized that in his whole career, this was the first fight that truly had him nervous. He clenched his fists and threw some easy punches.
“We need to get you in your gloves,” Gamon said, gesturing him toward the table that sat in the center of the room.
Zachary looked toward the door, glanced at his brother, then nodded his assent. Though he was trying not to panic, his usual pre-fight regime was shot to hell. With the lacings finally tied on his gloves, Zachary stood in the center of the room, continuing to warm up. Gamon held up cushioned sparring pads for him to throw light punches and kicks at. He needed to work up a sweat to get his muscles warm and loose, and his team was insuring that happened.
An hour later, arena officials announced fight time. Panic suddenly washed over Zachary’s expression. He turned to his brother. “Where the hell are they?”
Alexander shook his head. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed, but neither woman answered her line. He and his twin exchanged a look, and he could see the anxiety rising in Zachary’s eyes. “They’ll get here,” Alexander said, hoping to ease his brother’s angst.
Before either man could respond, the room door flung open, and the two women rushed inside. Relief flooded Zachary’s face.
“We are so sorry,” Kenzie exclaimed. “We were literally stuck in traffic!”
Zachary kissed her mouth. “You’re here. That’s all that matters.”
“We need to pray,” Sarai said. The room went quiet as she grabbed the two brothers by the hand.
Kenzie closed their small circle, bowing her head as she laced her fingers through Alexander’s and pressed her warm palm against Zachary’s forearm.
Sarai whispered a Buddhist chant of protection over them all, and then Zachary asked God for guidance and clarity. A collective amen rang throughout the room when they were done.
Kenzie kissed his mouth. “Kick ass!” she admonished, a bright smile on face.
The official handler who had been assigned to the team cleared his throat for their attention. “I’m sorry, but we really need to head to the ring,” he said, listening to something being said into his earpiece.
With his clipboard and ink pen in hand, the man verified everyone’s passes, then gestured for them to follow. At the door, Zachary took the lead. Alexander, Gamon, and his father, Westley, fell in after him. The rest of the team followed, and Kenzie, Sarai, and Mama Lynn brought up the rear. Everyone wore their Revolution T-shirts, the bright blue emblem on the lime-green shirts showcasing the gym’s logo.
The trek to the ring wove through a chamber of back tunnels to the outdoor arena. The event had closed down the Las Vegas Strip, and the crowds were massive. It looked like a parting of the seas as people moved aside to let the reigning champion through. Zachary’s name was being chanted over and over again. Repetitions of “Hammer! Hammer! Hammer!” resounded through the air. Their guide lifted up his hand and held them in place for a brief second, awaiting the signal to have the current world champion step into view. And then the sound system blasted Zachary’s theme song to announce his entrance.
When the 1990s rap song “U Can’t Touch This,” by MC Hammer, sounded out of the speakers, Zachary turned to give Kenzie one last look. She was laughing, her hands held high over her head as she clapped in time to the music. She blew him a kiss, and he grinned, every ounce of his earlier anxiety dissipating. He tossed his brother a look. Alexander’s smile was wide, and he patted his twin on the back, sending him forward.
Zachary stepped past the cordoned area and moved out into view. The crowd erupted, their loud cheers vibrating through the late-night air. Cameras snapped photographs, fans screamed, and people standing near the path they took reached out to try and touch him. As they neared the infamous octagon cage that the fighters would be locked in, Zachary threw up his arm, pushing his gold championship belt into the air, and he screamed with the music. Hammer time!
* * *
Tears streamed down Kenzie’s face, and she didn’t even know she was crying. The emotional overload from watching Zachary in the ring had her screaming and shaking and ready to throw her own punches.
In the first minutes of the first round, Zachary had taken Barrera down to the ground easily. Some thought the head crank was going to be the end of the challenger, and then he’d come back with a triangle choke. In the second round, the two men were exchanging blow for blow, one right after the other. Zachary was taking each punch without faltering, and the harsh dull thuds of Barrera’s gloves slamming into his body had Kenzie cringing.
On several occasions, it looked as if the fight could have gone either way, most especially when the two went from submission attempt to submission attempt as they rolled back and forth on the ground. The sheer technical beauty of the submissions and escapes would be replayed over and over again for all aspiring fighters, the trend going down as some of the best play-by-play in history.
Time seemed to stand still as the two men went from the clenches back to pummeling each other like they were each punching bread dough and not human flesh. And then the crowd went wild! Barrera had Zachary in a deep choke hold. Kenzie watched as he began to turn a deep shade of beet red and then eggplant purple. She screamed and yelled with the crowd, which was shouting his name, “Hammer! Hammer! Hammer!” over and over again. For a brief moment, it looked as if the champion’s reign was about to come to an abrupt end, but they didn’t know Zachary the way Kenzie and his family knew him.
She screamed. Alexander screamed. His friends and family all screamed, telling Zachary to get up and finish the fight. Escaping the choke, he nailed Barrera with a back kick that knocked the wind from the fighter’s sails. Zachary grabbed him by the throat, literally picking him up off his feet and then slamming him down to the ground. Applying his own rear choke hold around the other man’s neck, his muscles bulged as he applied pressure, steadied his footing, and held on.
For three minutes and ten seconds, he refused to let go until Barrera tapped out, unable to take the pain a second longer. For three minutes and ten seconds, Kenzie would have sworn on everything she held sacred that she had held her breath, refusing to release it until the moment Zachary threw his fists in the air and screamed, “Hammer time,” proclaiming his win.
The noise level throughout the open-air arena hit a whole new decibel level. Kenzie and Sarai grabbed each other, jumping up and down as if they were twelve years old and at the concert of their favorite boy band. But through the noise, Kenzie suddenly heard Zachary call her name. Lifting her eyes back to the cage, she saw that he was clutching the bars, calling for her.
Gamon helped her push her way to the entrance, and as she threw herself inside, Zachary caught her, sweeping her into his arms. He hugged her tightly as she hugged him back.
“Are you going to marry me now?” he asked, whispering in her ear.
Kenzie grinned. “Hell, yeah!”
* * *
Sneaking out of the MGM Grand Hotel after the fight had actually been easier to accomplish than any of them had imagined. The after-party, a UFC-sponsored celebration, which had featured two live bands and a lengthy high-profile guest list, was loud and overcrowded, everyone focused on the abundance of food and the free booze. Only the media personalities wanting a sound bite from Zachary realized he was gone, and by then it was too late.
With everyone’s permission, Kenzie had given a rising sports journalist named Cheryl Duncan exclusive access to Zachary and his post-fight story. Cheryl was talented and determined and, since she was competing in a field dominated by aggressive and arrogant men, appreciative of the opportunity. Once she’d gotten her fan girl moment out of her system, she’d been the consummate professional, asking Zachary and A
lexander a series of questions that had actually given Kenzie reason to pause.
“You’ve said that this would be your last fight, but there’s a long list of heavyweights who believe you should give them a chance, including Mendes and Robert Gracie. What do you say to that?”
Zachary smiled sweetly. “Mendes and Gracie couldn’t beat Barrera. I put Barrera on his ass twice. I don’t have anything else to prove. I’m proud of the professional career that I’ve had. I’ve accomplished what many said I couldn’t do. I’ve held the heavyweight championship title for over ten years. It’s mine. No one’s been able to take it from me. I don’t need to fight again.”
Cheryl Duncan shifted the digital recorder in her hand. “Is it true that you’re in negotiations with NBC to join their sportscasting team?”
Zachary cut an eye toward Kenzie, who gave him a slight wink of her eye. He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’m in negotiations with a number of organizations to do a lot of things. I’ll be excited to make those announcements when the time’s appropriate.”
The limousine they were all riding in suddenly came to a stop. Sarai looked out the window, then shot them all a look. “We’re here!” she exclaimed, her excitement rising.
Cheryl looked confused.
Kenzie tapped her hand. “We have to make a quick pit stop before we head back to the party. Do you have any more questions?”
“I just wanted to ask both men what’s next for them.” She looked from Alexander to Zachary, her eyebrows lifted curiously.
The limo driver swung the side door open, extending a hand to help the women exit the vehicle. Zachary crooked his index finger at Cheryl, gesturing for her to follow. “I’m about to close the biggest negotiation of my life,” he said. “Come join us!”
* * *
The Little White Wedding Chapel was a Las Vegas staple. Known worldwide, the venue had been the go-to spot for thousands of love-struck couples. The list of stars who’d gotten hitched there was lengthy and diverse. Sarai had arranged for them to have the Romance Package, which included the chapel, thirty-six digital photos, music, and fresh flowers. It was everything Kenzie and Zachary had wanted.
Mama Lynn, Westley, Gamon, and Stephanie were there waiting for them when they arrived. The women pulled Kenzie into a back room to slip on her wedding dress, the only traditional thing she’d agreed to after much prodding from her two friends. The beaded lace and crepe gown was a Rose Clare design. It was ivory, off the shoulder with a simple back bow, and it fit her like a custom-made glove. Like a magician with hairpins, Sarai pulled Kenzie’s thick curls into a stunning up do and showcased her pageant girl makeup skills with perfection. It had taken less than thirty minutes, and Kenzie was a stunning bride.
Stephanie brushed a tear from her eye. “Damn, girl! You look hot!”
Kenzie laughed as she studied her reflection in the mirror. “I do look good, if I say so myself.”
Sarai looked at her watch. “You guys are up next. Are you ready?”
Kenzie took a deep breath. “I’ve been ready!”
“Stop!” Stephanie suddenly shouted. “Lord, we are about to send you to marriage hell with nothing but bad luck!”
Kenzie looked confused. “Excuse me?”
“Something borrowed, something blue?”
They all laughed.
Sarai unsnapped the Pandora bracelet on her wrist. “Wear this. It’s your borrowed.”
Kenzie twirled the beautiful charms that adorned the piece. “It’s so pretty. Do I have to give it back?”
“I will hunt you down if you don’t,” her new sister-in-law said. “My Alexander gave me that.”
Stephanie raced from the room, rushing back in a few minutes later. She was pulling a blue lace garter belt from its packaging. “They sell everything here. I added it to your bill!” she said.
Kenzie laughed as she stepped into the garment and slid it up the length of her leg. “Something blue. Check!”
Mama Lynn stepped forward as she dug into her handbag, finally pulling out a lace handkerchief. “When Mr. Barrett and I first got married, I found this in a drawer of things that had belonged to his late wife. I started carrying it when I would take the boys someplace and they’d start crying for their mama. I would wipe their tears with it and tell them she was watching over them from heaven. It always made me feel good, so I’ve never taken it out of my purse. Here’s your something old.”
Tears misted Kenzie’s eyes as she clutched the hanky in her hand. Mama Lynn kissed her cheek and squeezed her arm.
“So all we need is the something new, right?” Sarai asked
Kenzie nodded. She lifted her foot, the price tag still stuck on the bottom of her satin shoe. “I think we’re good!”
They laughed, and then they pointed Kenzie to the door, leading her toward her future.
* * *
Cheryl sat in a front pew. She’d already posted a photo of Zachary on her social media accounts, announcing her exclusive interview. It had been an image of him seeing his bride for the first time, as Kenzie glided down the aisle toward him. Tears had rained over his cheeks, and joy had been the bright light in his gray eyes.
She would later profess to one of her journalism mentors that this had been one of the highlights of her blossoming career. Witnessing the marriage ceremony of the world’s heavyweight MMA champion just moments after his career-ending win had truly been an honor.
Kenzie and Zachary stood hand in hand as the officiant, an older man with a really bad toupee and a gold lamé tuxedo stood between them. He held a bible in his hands, and a million-dollar smile filled his face.
The wedding party was small enough that Kenzie asked for everyone to stand with the two of them, enveloping them in a semicircle. As she looked from one to the other, she was suddenly struck by the abundance of love that filled the room. And then she thought about her father, wishing for a brief moment that they could have had more time together and that he could have been there to walk her down the aisle. She thought about her mother and the well wishes that had come over an international call. The older woman’s exuberance had made her smile, her only advice being that Kenzie make sure they had joint bank accounts and promising to come see them the first chance she could.
Reading her mind, Zachary squeezed her hands, her fingers entwined with his. Having his family there to celebrate the moment brought him immense joy. He knew Kenzie was missing hers, even if she tried to pretend otherwise. He knew how much she was missing Kai because so was he, never fathoming that the old man would not have been there to celebrate the moment with them.
Out of the blue, a gust of wind blew the door to the chapel open. On the other side of the door, someone’s sound system was playing, an exotic tune of drums and woodwinds resounding in the distance. The couple locked gazes, eyebrows lifted, and then they laughed, taking it as a sign that maybe Kai Tamura was still watching over them both and somewhere the monks were chanting prayers for them all.
The gold-clad minister cleared his throat as he stole a quick glance down at the postcard printed with their names. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, in the presence of these witnesses, to join Zachary Barrett and Kenzie Monroe in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly, and solemnly. Into this union, these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”
Stephanie suddenly coughed as if she were clearing her throat, and Sarai giggled.
Mama Lynn shook her bright red wig. “You all need to stop,” she said as they all laughed.
The minister continued. “Zachary Barrett, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Zachary grinned. “I do.”
“And Kenzie Monroe, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Kenzie smiled. “Of course I do. Nobody el
se is going to get him!”
The minister nodded. “Then by the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Barrett, you may now kiss your bride.”
The ceremony was over in less than ten minutes. The happy couple declared it the most perfect moment in both their lives. The last question Cheryl asked before they dropped her off at her hotel was what they would have changed, if anything, and both had said absolutely nothing!
Chapter Twenty
Staring out at the scene below, it felt as if they were floating twenty-nine stories over the city. The panoramic views of the glittering Las Vegas skyline were unparalleled from the Skyloft suites at the MGM Grand Hotel.
After dropping their family and friends off at the post-fight celebration, the newlyweds had one thing on their minds, wanting to spend a few quiet moments in each other’s company. It had been weeks since they’d last been behind closed doors with each other and left to their own devices.
Zachary had swept her into his arms and carried her over the threshold, his mouth latched to hers as he kissed her. And then they’d both laughed, marveling at how magnificent the entire day had been.
“You are the most beautiful woman!” Zachary had said, with Kenzie still clutched in his arms. “You really clean up nice,” he’d teased.
Kenzie had laughed. “You’re not so bad yourself. I love the tux. We must do this more often.”
“What? Get married?”
“You’re stuck with me forever. You will never be getting married again, so don’t get any ideas!”
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