Beyond Promise

by Karice Bolton

  “Thank you for always being there for me,” he whispered. “I don’t think anyone else would be.”

  I rested my hands on his and took in a deep breath.

  “I know it’s what you love to do.” My voice caught in my throat.

  “It’ll be over before you know it,” he whispered.

  “It will and you’ll be the victor.” I nodded my head as if for reassurance, feeling the tears well in my eyes.

  He gave me a soft kiss on my neck and let out a deep breath. “It’s time.”

  “I know.” My eyes were focused on the crowd below. “Do you feel that?”

  He rubbed my stomach and shook his head.

  “Not that.” The building was vibrating.

  Within seconds more of the crowd began stomping their feet in unison as if they were demanding their fighters enter the ring. As the building shook, the feeling that spread over me felt visceral and daunting. This wasn’t like any other fight. The steady beat got louder, and hands went into the air, stirring the restless air between the spectators. Chanting that had begun slowly became louder with each passing second.

  A knock on the door, followed by Derek sticking in his head, told me it really was time. I turned to face Ayden, and he rested his forehead on mine.

  “Get to him first,” I whispered, and Ayden shook his head, swiping a kiss along my cheek before leaving the room.

  I wanted to give him time to get down the stairs before I left. I needed to regroup. Seeing the unconcerned expressions on the men below made my worst nightmares seem like child’s play. I heard the door click shut down the stairs and took in a deep breath.

  Everything was going to be fine.

  “Aaron’s got our area reserved downstairs,” Brandy said softly from behind. “Jason will walk us through the crowd.”

  I gave a slight nod and turned to see the same look of fear running through her gaze.

  “We’ll get through this, and then we’ll both beat him up for putting us through this,” Brandy vowed.

  I half-laughed as Brandy clutched my hand and led me out of the room to where Jason and Gabby were waiting. There was nothing about this fight that was similar to any of the others we’d been to. Gabby wasn’t chatty. Jason wasn’t offering anecdotal humor. We were all silent as if we were about to head into the lion’s den of things you wished you could change.

  We walked down the stairs and pushed open the door to find the chanting almost deafening, and the thunderous stomps even louder than moments before as the spectators waited for the main attraction. We weren’t even in the room where the tournament was being held and the noise was earsplitting. Jason opened the metal doors and a blast of warm air hit me. The room was so packed, it didn’t matter that the building had no heat.

  I scanned the crowd, seeing nothing but heads bobbing, hands waving, and rowdy patrons yelling for the match to begin. Jason began clearing the way through the aisle that had been closed in by gawkers. My heart hammered in my chest as Jason pushed a couple raucous individuals out of the way and led us to where Aaron was waiting. We were right next to the ring. I skimmed the room, hoping to get a glimpse of where Ayden or his opponent would be coming from, but the crowd was so dense it was impossible to tell.

  It wasn’t until a man climbed into the ring with a microphone that the audience fell silent. I scouted the room for the ring girls that were at every fight and saw none.

  “Two undisputed champions going head to head, knuckle to knuckle. No gloves in this match, only taped hands. We’ve got Ayden Rhodes…”

  The crowd burst into a round of boos and jeers, interrupting the announcer, and my heart fell to the ground. This had never happened. Ever. I glanced at Brandy whose eyes were locked on Aaron, hoping for some hint he couldn’t give.

  Aaron and Jason stared straight ahead, not making eye contact with any of us, which told me that something was definitely wrong.

  The heckling stopped, and the announcer continued by introducing Viktor, Ayden’s opponent, and the crowd immediately erupted into cheers. I glanced around us and saw the ravenous eyes of individuals waiting for nothing more than to claim their winnings.

  Music exploded from the speakers as the MC extolled Viktor. I looked around the room until I saw a door open and a massive figure appeared across the room. He seemed to be a good head taller than most of the crowd. The spectators parted immediately as he made his way down the aisle toward the ring. The fighter’s head was shaved, and his body looked like he’d stolen it from the Jolly Green Giant as he lumbered toward the square in front of us.

  I saw brute force behind his shoulders, but I saw a lack of quickness. Ayden had both qualities. He was not only quick but, also, strong. I took in a deep breath, watching him climb between the ropes, and I prayed that his fist would never connect with Ayden. The electronic music continued blaring through the speakers as the MC announced Ayden’s entrance. A loud mix of cheers and jeers could be heard around the room, and my chest tightened. It killed me to hear to the negativity, and I couldn’t even imagine what it had done to Ayden. My hope was that he didn’t hear them.

  To my right, doors swung open, and Ayden took a step into the room. His stare was focused. He looked intimidating and determined. Watching him stride down the aisle took my breath away. He was elegant, demanding, and controlled. He was a machine.

  I watched him climb into the ring, and Brandy squeezed my shoulder and didn’t let go as Derek and Mason started giving him instructions as the MC read the rules. My pulse quickened as Ayden’s gaze connected briefly with mine before looking across the ring.

  Before the beginning bell even chimed I saw Ayden’s opponent charge at him, and I knew this was unlike any other fight I’d ever witnessed.

  Ayden lunged from his stool in an instant, his fists in the air. He’d anticipated his opponent’s preemptive attack as if he’d planned it himself. Dodging from Viktor’s left hook, Ayden swung his fist into the abdomen of his opponent. The sound of his fist hitting his opponent’s flesh was a welcome one.

  The glint in Ayden’s eyes was focused as he dodged an uppercut and threw a jab back at his opponent, knocking the man’s chin to the left. Anger flashed through Viktor’s eyes as he returned a fist into Ayden’s stomach. The sweat sprayed onto the mat as the crowd went crazy with the contact, and my stomach knotted with every new swing.

  I gasped as Ayden’s opponent repeated his move and landed another punch into Ayden’s side, more liquid spraying toward the crowd. Ayden didn’t even wince as the man’s fist moved away. Ayden’s feet shuffled around the ring waiting for his opponent to come to him.

  My heart raced as I watched these two men maintain their distance, their control. The cheers from the crowd quickly turned to hungry cries for more blood, more sweat. Ayden’s opponent drove a punch through the air, and I held my breath as I saw his fist miss Ayden’s chin by less than an inch.

  Ayden didn’t let the close call distract him. He bobbed his head and plunged his fist directly into the unguarded side of the other fighter. Ayden’s right fist smacked beneath his opponent’s ribcage, and he let out a wheeze as Ayden swung his left fist to land a powerful crunch to Viktor’s cheek. His skin split, and his head lolled to the side as he took a step backward to gain balance, but Ayden didn’t miss a beat.

  Utilizing the split second advantage, he rammed his left hand into the jaw of his opponent, flooring him almost immediately. I knew better than to think this was the end. His opponent’s eyes were still open, cagily looking around as he thrashed his legs on the mat attempting to get back up. The majority of the crowd began chanting “Viktor” into the air, which overshadowed Ayden’s cheers.

  Warily, I scanned the crowd and saw something I’d never seen before: a place full of people who genuinely seemed to hate the man still standing inside the ring, Ayden. My hands got clammy as I watched them demand that Viktor get back up. Crawling to the ropes, he hung on each and pulled and steadied himself upward.

  After a few more se
conds Viktor stood up and straightened his back, focusing on Ayden. Disdain and hatred ran through his gaze as he glared at Ayden and motioned with his two fingers to come forward. Ayden didn’t take the bait. Instead he took two steps back, and Viktor came zooming through the ring, his fist crunching into Ayden’s stomach. The power behind the throw would’ve done most in, but Ayden’s abdomen clenched, blocking the brute force behind Viktor’s punch.

  “He’s a body puncher,” Jason whispered softly. I could barely hear him over the crowd.

  “I’m assuming that was something Ayden trained for with the software.”

  Jason gave a nod, his eyes not leaving the ring. I returned my eyes to the ring and saw Ayden’s gaze become crazed as he threw a flurry of punches at his opponent. It was as if his stamina was refueled, and the energy running through his veins had supercharged with each new punch landing on Viktor’s cheeks and jaw.

  “Ayden’s turned into a headhunter,” Jason muttered.

  “By the looks of it, I’d say that’s a good thing,” Brandy almost yelled.

  Viktor’s head was hanging as he attempted to evade each punch thrown by Ayden, and as I looked into the ring, the voices inside my mind finally quieted. Watching Ayden throw jab after jab at his opponent with such vigor and power showed me why Ayden would win this match and any other match in front of him.

  Ayden had heart. It was Ayden’s heart that brought his opponent down time and again. He was absorbed in the act of fighting. Dynamism drove every punch, every jab, and the intensity only grew as time went on. My pulse picked up speed at the sight of him dodging Viktor’s punches. It was an art form, of sorts, as these two swayed in and out of one another’s range, but it only took a second to realize how quickly it could change.

  Viktor delivered another blow into Ayden’s side, but Ayden took a step back and dismissed the infliction of pain as if it were nothing more than a fleabite. The crowd was getting antsy as it became obvious who was going to win the fight, but I wouldn’t allow myself to get my hopes up. Things could change on a dime. It only took a fleeting second where the smallest distraction could change everything.

  I blinked and opened my eyes to see Ayden hook Viktor in the jaw with such raw force that Viktor spun toward the ropes, bouncing from one to the next until his body slammed onto the mat, but he scrambled to his feet immediately.

  The sparring turned into a ritualistic dance between these two fighters, but the power continued to shift toward Ayden. It was undeniable. Ayden had been a student of the game, always learning, striving to do better, and here he was excelling in a warehouse full of people who wanted to see him fail. Needed to see him fail to get their money back.

  I was engrossed with what I was seeing in front of me and knew I’d made the right choice by letting him step into the ring. If I’d asked him to not to step into the ring, he would’ve respected my wishes, but then he wouldn’t have left the circuit knowing he was truly the best. There was no fighter capable of beating Ayden Rhodes, and now everyone fully understood that.

  Ayden landed a punch across Viktor’s nose, and the infliction of pain could be felt in the crowd as the blood trickled down Viktor’s face. I slowly let out a breath as I watched Viktor unleash a punch with such devastating power that when it landed on Ayden’s jaw, his entire head flew backward. I jumped on my toes as fear pummeled my system. Ayden took a few steps back. It was like slow motion as I watched Viktor soar across the ring attempting to connect his fist with Ayden’s chin once more. Something I’d never done before erupted from my gut as I screamed for Ayden to come alive.

  And come alive he did.

  Ayden arced his body away from Viktor’s fist and landed his own punch right in his opponent’s gut, and it didn’t stop there. I watched a rapid-fire assault take place on Viktor’s already abused body. Ayden landed a right hook, followed by a straight punch into Viktor’s jaw, a power shot like no other. Viktor attempted to steady himself, but it was too late. Ayden landed a haymaker into his opponent’s jaw. The unnerving amount of force behind Ayden’s punch sent a chill up my spine as the pain radiated from Viktor’s gaze. The quick-fire assault of Ayden’s fist as he jabbed and grabbed Viktor to finish him off gave me hope that the fight would end soon.

  Viktor’s stamina was running out. The fight had taken its toll. There was no denying the hazy look sitting behind his expression as he attempted a couple missed swings that resulted in nothing more than slaps. Boxing was a science, and it seemed all the fights leading up to this one were Ayden’s experiments.

  The smacking of skin on skin echoed through the air as the crowd quieted down to an astonished murmur as Ayden threw his final punch. Viktor’s head lolled about before he took one step back and fell to the mat. Ayden had floored him again, but this time there was no getting up for Viktor.

  The world around me fell away as I watched Ayden declared the victor, the MC holding up his arm. Everything around me was nebulous as I watched the man of my dreams fulfill his own, and I was here to experience it. Ayden’s gaze buzzed with excitement as he scanned the crowd.

  His eyes found mine, and excitement ran through me as I saw the look in his eyes. His hunger for the fight had been sated. But truthfully I wasn’t sure how long that feeling would last for him.

  Ayden bent under the top rope and left the ring almost unblemished. His gaze connected with mine as he climbed down, and a flurry of emotions ran through me. I wanted to hug him, kiss him, and never let go. The fight had been grueling, but the victory had made his spirit soar.

  In my haze of staring at the winner, I hadn’t noticed how unruly the crowd had gotten until Mason grabbed Ayden’s arm and shook it. I saw the two trade glances, and my pulse quickened with the realization that a lot of people had lost a lot of money. There was always security at every fight, and this event was no different. I watched the men descend from all corners of the building and quickly create an aisle for us to exit. I glanced behind me toward the ring and saw Viktor, now standing, glaring at us as we left the makeshift arena. We climbed the stairs quickly and guards stood post at each door.

  “You were like a machine out there,” I whispered to Ayden when we reached the top of the stairs. “You were amazing. Incredible, really.”

  “Thank you, babe,” Ayden said. His intense gaze locked on mine as he pushed the door open, and I wished that we were alone.

  The excited chatter from Brandy and Gabby broke our silent moment as everyone piled into the room, amazed at what they just witnessed. Everything we’d worried about earlier was absent, leaving us all relieved and excited for our future, any future.

  “You’ll polish right up for the wedding,” I teased, touching a slight cut above his brow. “Nothing a little Neosporin won’t fix.”

  “My ribs might be a little sore so I might not be able to carry you over the threshold on our honeymoon,” he laughed.

  “That might not be the only reason,” Mason teased.

  I gave him a dirty look but had to agree.

  We wandered over to the window that overlooked where the match had been only moments before. The crowd was clearing out quickly and there was no sign of Viktor. I saw a group congregating near one of the exits, and my stomach tightened as I watched them survey their surroundings.

  “That’s weird,” I said, tapping Ayden and pointing to the group.

  Ayden nodded. “Probably nothing.”

  “It pays to be the underdog,” Mason blabbed, coming up behind us. “Our take is turning out to be insane.”

  Never once had Ayden been the underdog.

  “How so?” I asked.

  “The odds were against us and the pot grew and grew.”

  “That might make the sting of this whole thing hurt a little less,” I teased. I knew he didn’t do it for the money, but come on. Getting some certainly didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

  “And just when I’m ending it all, you get the hang of this promoter thing,” Ayden joked with his brother.

  Mason rol
led his eyes. “Tori’s got our table waiting at the pub.”

  “I’m starved,” I announced.

  “I never would’ve guessed,” Brandy teased.

  “I’m gonna rinse off, and I’ll meet you all there,” Ayden said, pointing at the small washroom.

  “Nah. We’ll wait for you in the parking lot.” Mason shook his head. “Probably not the wisest of ideas to be wandering around alone after you cost a lot of people a lot of money.”

  I nodded in agreement. “He’s got a point.”

  Ayden smiled and shook his head as he wandered toward the washroom. Gabby and Brandy’s expressions were free of worry as they trundled my direction.

  “You look like the weight of the world has been lifted,” Gabby said, reaching for my hand.

  “It feels like it has.” I smiled.

  “Do you believe he’s through?” Brandy asked. “Like really finished?”

  “I’d like to believe he is, but seeing the look in his eyes when he lands those punches…”

  “I know.” Brandy pressed her lips together and shook her head. “But let’s pretend he is and enjoy what’s to come in the next few weeks.”

  “Let’s drink to that,” Gabby said, holding up an imaginary glass.

  Mason and Derek caught my eye over by the window. They were looking down below, talking about something in hushed voices.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, almost shouting to get their attention.

  Derek turned around and smiled. “Just listening to the reports from the security guards. A couple of fights broke out in the parking lot.”

  “Oh, great,” I mumbled.

  I’d been to plenty of fights since I started dating Ayden, and there’d never been one fight in all those times.

  Mason caught the worried expression running through my gaze and smiled. “It’s nothing to worry about. Security has already cleared out most of the lot.”

  Ayden walked out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet, and he looked squeaky clean in a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. Most wouldn’t even be able to tell he’d just been in a grueling match if it weren’t for some pinkness along his jaw, and how he walked carefully, protecting his bruised ribcage. He came over to me and slid his arm around my waist. I immediately melted in his arms as relief flooded through me. My shoulders instantly unknotted, and my body felt like a wet noodle as the tension finally flooded out of my system. I thought I’d done a good job keeping the anxiety at bay, but I was obviously quite wrong about that.