“We have a special guest in the audience this evening,” Slade goes on, and CJ curses under his breath. “The legendary Christopher John Carmichael, four-time consecutive champion of Fight Night, has graced us with his presence.”
I look immediately at CJ. “He’s talking about you?”
CJ nods, notably embarrassed.
Slade turns his full attention on CJ. “What about it, champ? Wanna have a go in the ring? I know there are a lot of people who would love to see you fight.”
CJ actually turns red. I get a feeling he’s not one for the spotlight.
“No.” He shakes his head modestly, but Slade and the crowd don’t give up.
“C’mon, man. For old times’ sake!”
CJ still protests, but the demand of the audience becomes deafening.
“Okay! Okay!” he shouts as he stands up and the entire room claps. I’m completely floored. This night has taken an unexpected turn. CJ drops a kiss on my lips right before he takes off his tuxedo jacket.
“Don’t go anywhere,” he orders.
“I am glued to my seat,” I assure him.
“Good.” He kisses me one more time before he climbs into the ring. I think my heart is fluttering for him. I watch riveted as he discards his white shirt and tapes up his hands. By the time he’s done, his opponent is warming up in the opposite corner, shadowboxing the air. A younger man with ginger hair, pale skin, and bulging biceps.
“Excited?”
I jump when Slade whispers in my ear. I didn’t even notice him standing behind me.
“Very. And a little nervous.”
“Why? CJ is going to knock that kid on his ass,” Slade assures me confidently as he takes the seat next to me.
“I suppose you would know.” I throw a glance in his direction.
The bell dings and CJ moves to the center of the ring. My stomach actually drops when the other boxer takes a swing at him. He bobs and weaves, narrowly avoiding getting punched right in the face.
“I would. We have been friends for a long time.”
“How long?”
“Years,” he responds cryptically.
“Did you serve together?” I ask with my attention divided between Slade and CJ.
“We did,” he confirms.
I wince as CJ and his opponent go at it, landing punch after punch on each other. CJ hits the guy with a combination and ends up splitting his eye wide open. Blood explodes everywhere, but the round goes on. If this were a normal boxing match, they would have stopped it to close the wound. I peek through my fingers as if watching a scary movie while the two men go pound for pound.
“What’s wrong? Don’t like boxing?” Slade asks as CJ knocks the guy right in the teeth. It actually makes me jump.
“It’s not that. I’m just not used to seeing him so . . . violent.”
I only know CJ as laid-back and fun loving. Seeing him like this gives me a whole new perspective.
Slade sighs, almost darkly. “Everyone has a public life, a private life, and a secret life,” he muses. “You’d be smart to remember that, sunshine.”
I eye him speculatively. What a peculiar, yet refreshingly honest comment to make. He stares back at me as if he can see right through me. It makes me so uncomfortable, I squirm in my seat. The bell rings, thankfully, breaking our eye contact. I watch as CJ is cleaned up and given water. He glances over at me and winks, communicating he’s got this. Slade chuckles.
“Cocksucker,” he comments flippantly. “You know I saved his ass, right?”
