Lucian

by Dawn Doyle

  I rocked back and forth as he and the other fighter removed their gowns. Lucian in white, and the other guy in blue. My heart was in my mouth as they took their places, Brady speaking to Lucian. He turned to look at me over his shoulder, and winked.

  Charlie was right, Lucian had this, and I just had to keep reminding myself of that.

  “Let’s go!” the ref yelled and the pair bounced around.

  Jonas was fast, but Lucian was faster. He was a blur as he moved effortlessly, punching, kicking, and grabbing the other guy in ways that made my bones hurt from just looking.

  The first round went by, and as soon as the bell rang a second time, it started again the same way. Lucian spun and fell back, taking Jonas with him. He lay on his back, his arms and legs wrapped around Jonas as though hugging him tight.

  “Yes!” Blaine cheered, jumping out of his seat. “Mother fucker went night night!”

  “What? What happened?”

  “Lucian Moretz, winner!”

  He won! I placed my hands to the sides of my face, my eyes open so long they began to sting from dryness.

  Blaine turned me to him. “See, Luca? I told you he’d win. Lucian sent him to sleep in less than two rounds.”

  Space was made for me to walk down from my seat, and I rushed to the cage, banging on it when they didn’t open it right away.

  “Open the fucking gate,” Lucian spat at the guards.

  The second it was open, I ran onto the canvas and into Lucian’s arms. “They wouldn’t open the gate,” I said shakily against his barely damp chest.

  “Look at me, Luca,” he said, pulling back and cupping my face. “I know this fight brought back those memories, but I swear on the lives of our future kids, that what happened in the pit, is never going to happen again.”

  My lips trembled as I smiled. “Future kids?” I was nineteen, and not ready for a family, but I definitely wanted one.

  “Yeah.” He grinned. “And they better have dimples, because I can’t be the only one with that damn nickname.”

  I laughed, knowing Blaine still called him that at any chance he got. I still got the ‘punishment’ for that, though, so I encouraged him, but I was never going to tell Lucian that.

  “Luca, here,” Brady said guiding me away, but not before Lucian kissed me once more. “Watch your man on the road to becoming the champ he is.”

  I gripped his hand tight, and I felt myself relaxing when Lucian took his place beside the ref, and Jonas the other side.

  “Winner by knockout, Lucian…Moretz…!” he said, drawing out his name to the cheers of the crowd.

  His hand was raised high in the air, and in that moment, seeing his smiling face and his dimples on show for everyone to see, I was proud.

  It was going to take a long time to get used to seeing Lucian getting in that cage, but I knew I could do it… For him.

  He was a fighter, he was a star, and he was all mine.

  The End.

  Acknowledgments

  For this book, I want to say a massive Thank You to Pavan Kaur, for pushing me to keep going.

  Lisa Seleska for being an absolutely fabulous beta reader.

  Nikki Merchant for editing my brain vomit, and Kim Villemaire for being such an amazing friend.

  Without all of you, I think I would lose motivation.

  Thank you so much!

  Dawn.