by Emma Nichole
“What do you say to every single day until we are old and gray? I’ll be a cranky asshole and you’ll be a hot babe with boobs that sag just a little too low, but I’ll still bang you because you’ll be a sexy grandma.”
She tosses her head back and gives me the most beautiful laugh.
“That sounds perfect to me.”
Epilogue
Four months later
Faith
“Baby? Come here for a second.” I hear Marco call from the living room.
Over the past four months, he’s spent one-hundred-percent of his time here in Savannah with me. I think, as much as he hasn’t admitted it yet, he likes it here much more than California.
I come out of the bedroom and slip down the hallway.
“Yeah? Everything okay?” I plop down onto the sofa next to him and he pulls my legs into his lap, sliding his hand up and down my shin.
“Read this.”
He hands me his phone with a news article pulled up and the headline makes my eyes spread wide.
WFC Champion Fighter Braxton White Charged With Sexual Assault – Multiple Women Come Forward.
“Oh my God,” I say under my breath, as I read the article in its entirety before handing it back.
“He’s been fired from the WFC because of all of this. His sponsors have pulled. His career as he knows it is over, and he’s going away for a long time. There is a special place in Hell for people like him.”
“I could see it when I looked into his eyes. He’s a monster, but this isn’t the norm, Marco. It’s so rare men like that are caught. I’m so proud of those women for coming forward and telling their story. That’s what makes other women feel empowered enough to do the same.”
I slide closer to him so I can rest my head on his shoulder.
“Have you ever thought about doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Talking to other women about your story? Telling them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel when everything feels hopeless?”
“I mean, of course I have. I just don’t know where to begin with something like that.” She looks up at me. “Have you thought about the idea I brought to you last week?”
Over dinner with Case, Nora, Amelia, and Grayson, I pitched the idea of him opening up a gym here in Savannah that caters specifically to at-risk youth. It could be a safe place for them to go. To keep them off the streets. He can teach them basic self-defense and how they can channel their energy into something positive.
“I have thought about it every single day since you mentioned it.”
“And?”
“I think it’s a brilliant idea, but now that you mention it, I have an addendum to add to the idea.”
“I’m listening,” I say.
“I want it to be all encompassing. Tutors, computers for kids to use for homework, self-defense classes, a complete safe place…including a safe haven for women to come if they are in danger, and I’d like you to help me run in.”
“Wait…what?”
“You said it yourself. You said that you think things would be better if women felt safe enough to go somewhere to have some guidance as to what to do next if something happens to them. We can combine forces. We don’t have to go through the logistics now, because I’m sure there will be so much to do first, but I want to tackle this dream, and I want you to do it at my side.”
I blink and stare at his face as it all processes.
“You really want to link yourself to me like that?”
“Faith, I’d go downtown and marry you right now, if you’d let me. I want to be linked to you in any way that I can.”
I move quickly, climbing across his lap and kissing his lips.
“You’re an incredible man, Marco Masen.”
I kiss him again and again.
“Is that a yes?” He asks.
“Are you going to move here? Formally?”
“Faith, baby, I’ve been slowly moving my stuff in for months. You’re stuck with me now.”
I have to smile at that, because really, there isn’t anyone else I’d want to be stuck with.
“Then it’s a hell yes. Absolutely. I want to make this happen with you. Let’s do it.”
He laughs and wraps me in the biggest hug I’ve ever felt.
“Tomorrow. The nitty-gritty begins. We’ll make a list and determine what all needs to be done and start taking the first steps.”
“What’s wrong with now?” I ask him.
“There’s something else I’d rather do right now,” he whispers, as he rolls me over to my back on the sofa.
We make each other better, Falcon and I. We make each other the best versions of ourselves. He makes me brave. I make him vulnerable. He picks me up when I stumble, and I hold his hand when he’s unsure if the choices he makes are the right ones.
We are two halves of a whole we didn’t even know existed.
Two halves of a whole, now that they’ve been put together, will never waiver… no matter the storm that blows their way.
The End
Thank you so much for reading! Your support means everything to me!
If you loved my fighter, please consider dropping a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon.
More By Emma
Own the Skies
Sparrow (#1)
Phoenix (#2)
Cocky Hero Club
Brazen Bossman – Coming soon
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I want to say thank you to my husband and my kids. Without their support and their understanding of when we have to eat pizza… again… because Mommy is on a deadline. They never once complained or questioned my need to write.
Of course, I can’t continue without thanking my dear friend, alpha, blogging partner, and the person that listens to my never-ending rants about how much my ideas suck… Dani. You literally have been with me for every single step of writing this novel, and thank you isn’t really enough.
Thank you to Mary Ruth for making a stunning cover. You captured Falcon and Faith beautifully.
Karen, thank you for keeping my manuscript clean and dealing with my overuse of the word “that.” Your patience, kindness, and understanding doesn’t go unnoticed. I promise.
To the ladies at Give Me Books, thank you for pimping this book out and getting it in front of as many eyes as possible.
To Amy for always being a guiding light in my life, through good and bad.
To every single blogger that took the time to read my book and to share any and all images. You are the spine of the book world and without you, we can’t stand.
And finally… to you.. the reader. You keep me and every author moving forward on this crazy journey. You dive into these worlds we create and trust us with your emotions and hearts, and it’s not something we take lightly.
Thank you for reading my words.
I love you all!
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