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She shivered again. W hether it was because of the cold water or my words, I couldn’t quite tell. “You’re spoiling me,” she said like it was a joke. “I don’t know that I deserve this.”
I lathered the shampoo into her hair, scraping my nails gently over her scalp. “Don’t ever let me hear you say that again,” I warned quietly, completely serious. “You deserve everything.”
Julia took a deep breath in and out, chuckling quietly to herself. “You are a walking paradox.”
“Am I?”
“You use your fists for a living, but you’re nothing but gentle with me. It makes me feel kinda special.”
“As you should,” I hummed. “It’s soothing being able to take care of someone like this. You’re right, I spend most of my time preparing to fight. It’s a violent sport. Mercy isn’t an option if you want to win. I… break things. I breakpeoplewhile they try to hurt me in return. All I want is someone who trusts me enough to put them back together.”
Julia turned to face me, her hands pressed against my chest. “And you think that someone is me?”
“If you’ll allow it,” I murmured as I rinsed her hair.
She beamed up at me, her smile brighter than the sun. “I do,” was her answer. It was a whisper, her words meant for only me. Julia wrapped her arms around me and rested her cheek against my chest, her eyes fluttering shut.
“Feeling better, honey?”
“Mm-hmm…” She sighed happily, tracing absentminded circles against my skin with the tips of her fingers. “Are you nervous? Your fight’s soon.”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
I combed my fingers through her hair, then gingerly washed her shoulders and upper back. “I’ve pictured how this match will go down every day for years. I’ve imagined every scenario, every punch, kick, and dodge. This win is mine in every possible way. The only thing I didn’t see coming was you.”
“I’m gonna cheer so hard for you,” she said. “You’ll hear me over the whole stadium.”
I chuckled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
