Always Yours

by Kennedy Fox

  I imagine you’re rolling your eyes at me right now, but I mean it, Mads.

  I’m going to fight like hell to hold you in my arms again, but if my time comes to an end, please keep living. Dance around the living room in your tiny leotards, practice downward dog in your too-tight leggings, and repeat your favorite movie lines when they come on the TV.

  But never forget how much I love you.

  So damn much, I still don’t know what I did to be the lucky bastard that gets to kiss you every day.

  I’ll love you until the day I die, baby.

  I love you always,

  Liam

  I’m sobbing by the time I finish reading his letter twice.

  How could he leave me this? Was I meant to read it now?

  If I say anything to him, it’ll mess up his focus.

  But it confirms what my heart is telling me what I need to do. It’s New Year's Eve, and Liam is fighting for his life tonight, and as crazy as it sounds, I want to be there to support him. I need to be there. If what Tyler said is true, that he’ll need medical attention afterward, I won’t be able to wait here, not knowing if he’s truly okay. My anxiety spikes just thinking about it all.

  I pull out my laptop and search for plane tickets to Vegas. I don’t give two shits about how much it costs. I just need to be there before dark. Five hundred dollars later, I have a flight booked that leaves at two o'clock. I pack a carry-on suitcase, then walk into the living room and set it by the door.

  Mason is lying on the couch and peers up at me. “Where’re you going?”

  I turn and look at him. “Vegas.”

  He quickly sits up. “Maddie, what?”

  “What?” I play dumb.

  “Why are you going to Vegas?” he questions even though he already knows the answer.

  “You’re not going to Vegas,” Sophie says as she steps off the bottom stair and walks toward me with creased brows.

  I nod. “Yes, I am. I refuse to sit here while Liam is there. I need to be at that fight tonight. I’ve already booked a flight.”

  “Mads, you can’t do that,” she tells me, but I know it’s because she’s worried.

  “I can and will.” I shrug. “If you’re so concerned, come with me. Both of you. But I’m going with or without you. I have to do this, Soph. I know you understand.”

  Sophie looks over at Mason, and they have a silent conversation before she turns to me. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “I don’t care,” I say firmly. “My flight leaves at two. I have a few hours before I have to go to the airport.”

  Mason goes to Sophie and looks at her. “Liam risked his life for you, and he’s always been there for me over the years. I think Maddie’s right. We need to be there.”

  “You’ve both lost it. He’s participating in an underground fight. With mobsters! Fliers won’t be passed around for that. Who’s to say we’ll even know where to go?” She makes really great points, but I’m two steps ahead of her.

  “I’ve already figured it out. As soon as I’m there, I’ll text Tyler and force him to give me the address,” I say, pulling my hair into a high ponytail. All of a sudden, it feels hot in here. Mason laughs at my idea and shakes my head, but I ignore him. Tyler will tell me, right? I’ll be persistent.

  “Whatcha say, Soph?” Mason grabs her hand.

  Her face softens, and she sucks in a deep breath, rolling her eyes. It’s two to one. “Fine. There’s no way I’m letting her go alone.”

  I laugh. “There’s my protective big sister.”

  “I’ll always be.” Sophie wraps me in a hug. “I don’t care how old you are.”

  “Guess we should start packing and searching for flights. Can you send me your reservation info so we can get on the same one?” Mason asks. I pull out my phone and forward my confirmation email.

  “Did you already get a room in Vegas?” Sophie asks.

  “Not yet. But I’ll book something before we leave for the airport.”

  “Perfect.”

  The two of them go upstairs to get ready, and I plop down on the couch as a nervous excitement streams through me. I search for hotels and find one that looks nice and is affordable and make a reservation for two double beds, though we’ll barely be there tonight.

  After Mason and Sophie are ready, we decide to drive to the airport early since we’ll probably run into holiday traffic. On the way over, we chat about random stuff, but my thoughts are in another place as I try to rehearse what I’m going to say to Tyler once we’re there. I already know he’s going to be pissed, but it’s my right to be there.

  Just as I expected, we’re nearly bumper to bumper miles from the airport because of a stupid wreck. Traffic slows us down nearly an hour.

  After we park and go through security, we have an hour to eat before boarding starts. I’m half-tempted to order a large margarita at the restaurant but decide against it, knowing I need to be in a good headspace when we land. Eventually, it’s time for us to line up, and I’m anxious about the whole situation. After reading Liam’s letter, I know this is the right thing to do, but I’m still nervous.

  Sophie notices my fidgeting and places her hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “It’s gonna be okay.”

  “I hope so,” I tell her as we walk down the jetway, then find our seats on the plane. We take off, and I watch out the window as Sacramento drifts away, and the buildings below look like Lego pieces. Somehow, I fall asleep, and I’m being woken up when the wheels touch down on the runway. It hits me in full force that we’re here, and all of this is really happening. There’s no turning back now.

  I’ve never been to Las Vegas before, and if I were here for any other reason, I’m sure I’d have an incredible time watching all the shows and walking down the Strip. We Uber to the hotel, and I can’t seem to stop staring out the window. Everything looks like a large movie set with all the bright lights and tall buildings.

  It takes no time before we’re checked in and taking the elevator up to our room. Once we step in, I fall back on the bed and let out a loud sigh. Now comes the hard part, texting Tyler and demanding he give me the info I need.

  Sophie and Mason sit on the edge of their bed and watch me as I sit up and pull my phone from my pocket. “Now or never,” I say.

  Maddie: I need to talk to you, but first of all, don’t tell Liam I’m texting you right now.

  His text bubbles immediately pop up.

  Tyler: Alright. What’s up?

  Maddie: I’m in Vegas. Mason and Soph, too.

  Tyler: What? Why?

  Before I can respond, Tyler calls, and I pick up.

  “Maddie, you cannot be here right now.” He keeps his stern voice low.

  “Well, we are. I want to go to the fight, Tyler. I need to be there. I can’t sit around and wait, hoping he doesn’t die. I need to know he’s okay. I need to see it all go down.” I’m talking a million miles per hour, my thoughts a jumbled mess.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not telling you where it is. I vowed to Liam to protect you, and that’s what I’m doing. It’s too dangerous, Maddie. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb around the goddamn mob, and if Liam sees you, you’ll be a distraction he doesn’t need, and it could ruin his chances of beating this fucker. I can guarantee you that I’ll keep you updated with what’s going on. As soon as the fight is over, you’ll be the first person I call. I promise.”

  I swallow hard, about to break down in tears. “Tyler…” I choke out. “Please. We’re at the Westgate.”

  “Absolutely not. I’m not changing my mind, no amount of begging or crying will work. Stay at your hotel. You’re safe there. Stay that way so then you can be there for him after the fight. We’re leaving in about fifteen minutes, and the fight starts at the top of the hour. I’ll keep my word, Mads. I’ll let you know as soon as it’s over.”

  Sophie and Mason continue to watch me, waiting anxiously.

  “Okay,” I say, defeated, and we end the call after he reminds me to stay put
and out of trouble.

  “What’d he say?” Mason asks.

  “He won’t tell me where the fight is.” I blink away tears. “Says it’s too dangerous, and I’ll distract Liam if he sees me.”

  “Oh, thank God,” Sophie blurts out, holding her hand on her chest over her heart.

  I give her a pointed look.

  She continues, “Tyler knows best. It is risky for us to be there around that crowd. At least this way, if something happens, we’re not far from Liam. We’ll be able to go see him right away.” Sophie searches my face and smiles, and while I know she’s right, I had an inkling of hope I could be there.

  “I probably should’ve known he wasn’t going to crack that easy.” I close my eyes and take in a long, deep breath, then lay my head on my pillow. I’m so fucking scared about the outcome of this fight, and I hate that I have zero control over the situation.

  “I honestly didn’t think he’d tell you,” Mason says. “So what are we going to do while we wait? We could walk around the hotel, go gamble a bit, keep our minds busy.”

  I look at them. “I’m too on edge to be around people right now. I might stab someone.”

  “Maybe we should get you a tranquilizer then,” Sophie suggests with a laugh.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” I tell her, somewhat serious because I’m anxious as hell and will be until I get a call from Tyler.

  Sophie walks over to me and grabs my hand, pulling me up and forcing me to stand. “Come on, let’s go get a drink and try to have some fun while we’re here.”

  There’s no getting out of it because Sophie isn’t going to sit here and let me sulk. The fight could last ten minutes or it could last an hour; I have no idea. I feel as if I’m always counting down to something when it comes to Liam. First, it was my birthday, then the divorce, and now this, his ultimate fate.

  As we head to the elevator, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and smile when I see it’s from Liam.

  Liam: I love you, baby. I love you so much. I can’t wait to come home and make love to you.

  Maddie: I love you and miss you so much. Kick some ass and be careful, Hulk. I want you in one piece, alive.

  Liam: I will, Mads. I promise.

  We ride down to the bottom floor and go straight to the bar. One shot, that’s all I’ll need to calm my nerves. I send up a little prayer for Liam to be okay tonight, and that this will truly end all affairs with the O’Learys. Liam’s my other half, and I’ll never be the same if something bad happens to him. We’ve been through so much over the years, and now that we’re together, I’m not sure I could survive without him.

  I don’t even want to think about it.

  Chapter Twenty

  LIAM

  The flight to Vegas was uneventful. We were delayed for three hours due to mechanical issues, and as I sat there and waited, all I could think about was the look on Maddie’s face when I left. By the time we landed, I’d asked myself a hundred times if I’d actually lost my mind because it feels like I have. I’m on edge and ready to get this all over with but have to wait nearly twenty-four hours before I can meet up with JJ. That’s when I’ll know where the fight is taking place. It’s hush-hush so the cops aren’t tipped off before the fight starts. The mob doesn’t want any trace that an underground fight ring exists. Tyler has told me how much money is on the line, and if I win, JJ will walk away a very rich man. He’ll make ten times as much as I lost, and we’ll finally be even.

  After we Uber to Tyler’s house and grab his truck, we check into a hotel on the outskirts of town. Tyler takes a few phone calls outside of the room trying to figure out who my opponent is because it’s still a mystery. There are details about the guy, but no name, which has him concerned, given the circumstances of this fight. At this point, I don’t think it matters who it is, just that I beat the fuck out of him. I should be fighting to kill, but I’d rather not take someone’s life if I can win by just knocking him out. After I get in the ring though, and realize it’s my head or his, I’m sure my opinion will change. I’m already wound up so fucking tight that I can barely sit still.

  Tyler’s speaking with someone in the hallway, but I can’t really make out what he’s saying. The call ends, and he walks inside, looking me up and down as I stare blankly at the TV. “You need to carb up, hydrate, then get some rest.”

  “Any info?” I ask curiously.

  “Not yet. I’m working on it, though. I just have a feeling that something more is going on.” Tyler sits on the edge of the other bed.

  “We’re talking about the O’Learys. Of course there’s more going on. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least.” I shrug, and Tyler gets up and walks toward the door. “C’mon, I’m starving.”

  Tyler drives us to a pizzeria and forces me to eat half of an extra-large thin crust. We’re mostly silent as we sit together, neither of us knowing what to say. I load up on pizza and bread. Then on the way to the hotel, we stop, and he forces me to eat plenty of fruit and drink tons of water.

  “Hydration is key so you don’t get fatigued or muscle cramps,” he explains as we haul everything up to our room. Although I’m full as fuck, I do what he says, because winning tomorrow is the only option I’m considering. If Tyler told me to balance on my head for an hour, then do forty jumping jacks in order to be a better fighter, I’d do it.

  “I have to meet with JJ around five,” I remind Tyler before I go into the bathroom to take a shower.

  “I know,” he tells me, and it seems he has something more to say but doesn’t.

  The next day, I can’t get Maddie off my mind. I miss her so much and am worried about how she’s taking this. I imagine she’s a mess, and it drives me crazy we’re in this situation. I eat, then rest most of the morning. But all I want to do is call and talk to her, but Tyler has told me it’s best to wait so I don’t get distracted. But not talking to her is distracting. Emotions are high and being in a different place mentally isn’t good for the ring. Considering I had a dream about her last night when I told her goodbye forever, I’ve been knocked off my axis. However, I’m trying to allow it to fuel me to get through this.

  Shortly before five o’clock, Tyler and I head over to JJ’s penthouse, where he’s dressed in a tuxedo and wearing a shit-eating grin. We’re checked for weapons before we’re allowed to fully enter the room. His cocky attitude is still intact, and I’m two seconds from clocking him right between the eyes when he looks at me. The two guys standing in the corner of the room packing guns stop me, though.

  “You ready to make me a rich fucking man?” JJ asks.

  Tyler stands to the side with his arms crossed, observing it all, but the disdain he has for JJ is written all over his face.

  “Just give me the goddamn address,” I demand, my patience waning.

  JJ crosses the room and goes to a wet bar, then pours himself a drink. My heart rate increases, and I can feel my pulse throbbing in my neck. With every passing second, I’m becoming more feral, angrier, and more agitated. After he sips his scotch on the rocks, he grabs a slip of paper and a pen from the counter and scribbles. He walks toward me and folds it in half before handing it over.

  “Losing isn’t an option if you don’t wanna die,” he warns, and I snatch it from his grasp and walk toward the door. Tyler follows me.

  “I fucking hate that guy,” I seethe as we step onto the elevator and go to the bottom floor.

  “Me too. I’m sure there’s a club we can join. He’ll eventually cross the wrong person,” Tyler suggests with a shrug. “Guys like that usually get what’s coming to them.”

  “We can only hope.” We step out and go to the truck. Once inside, Tyler programs in the address. Tyler starts the engine, and instead of putting it in drive, he turns and looks at me.

  “If you’re gonna back out, now is the time.”

  I tilt my head at Tyler. “They’ll never let me be free if I do that.” I’ll always be on the run, and that’s no life for Maddie.”

  �
�You’re right, but just giving you the option,” he says, shrugging.

  “This is my only option,” I tell him assertively.

  During the drive, I text Maddie, wanting her to know how much I love her. Losing means losing her forever, and that thought will be what drives me forward tonight. So much rides on me being able to walk away from all of this. After twenty minutes, we turn into an area with rows of metal buildings. It looks like it’s a bunch of old storage warehouses in an industrial area. Tyler parks as close as he can but is still a distance away.

  “Every single person who walks through the door is being searched, so no guns get inside. We should probably try to enter another way so no one sees you beforehand.” He unbuckles, pulls his cell phone from his pocket, and checks it, then tucks it inside.

  “They’re just going to let us walk in, no problem?” I ask, confused.

  He grins, grabbing the duffel bag he packed with extra towels, tape, and water. “Everyone knows who you are, Liam. They’re expecting you.”

  A chill runs down the length of my spine, and I swallow. “I guess they are.”

  We get out of the truck and walk the distance. On the other side, there’s an entrance that’s being guarded by a dude who looks like he could crush bones with his bare hands. I’m a big guy, but compared to him, I’m small. After a rough pat down, we’re allowed inside, which is nothing more than a long, low-lit hallway with doors on either side. Tyler leads us forward, and I can’t help but randomly turn around and check behind us. It’s creepy as fuck being in this building that smells like engine oil and dirt.