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The very last brick of the walls I’ve put up comes crumbling down. I’m lost without him too. Somehow, finding Reese was one of the very best things that could have happened to me, and I’m about to lose him for good because I can’t deal with a little bit of heat.
I miss him like crazy. I want him more than I can express. But most of all, I love him.
It’s about time I get out of my own way and try to salvage this relationship, that is, if there’s anything left to salvage.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
REESE
“You know, if you just go talk to her, you might get out of the foul mood you’ve been in lately,” Rhett states as we circle each other in the ring.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I grunt, though I know exactly what he’s mentioning.
It’s been a week since I’ve seen or spoken to Haven. I’ve tried calling and texting her a few times, but she hasn’t answered any of them. I don’t want to admit defeat. The very meaning of that word doesn’t sit well with me. I’m a fighter, and I always have been and will be. I don’t want to lose Haven, but she’s making it pretty clear where she stands with me.
I should be focusing on what’s happening tomorrow. The weigh-in is tonight, and I’ll be seeing Niko there as we prepare for tomorrow night’s event. Corey wasn’t playing around when he said there would be high-end people coming to it. Several have stopped by the gym to speak with Corey about the match.
“Bullshit,” Rhett mutters and tosses a jab at me. “You’re still pissed over the fact your woman ain’t talkin’ to you.”
“She ain’t my woman,” I protest, but we both know it’s a lie. She’s mine, or at least I want her to be.
Never in my life have I wanted something so much. But I don’t want to be the only one fighting for something either. Trust goes both ways.
“You know that ain’t true, Reese,” Rhett says, bouncing back on his feet.
“I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Well too damn bad.”
I furrow my brow and shoot him a glare as I straighten, pulling my gloves off my hands. “Don’t try and piss me off.”
“You need to get your head outta your ass,” he states following suit, removing his own gloves.
Over the past week, he’s been helping me train alongside Travis and Corey. Rhett might box in the lightweight division, but he’s still able to help me. From the footage we’ve studied, I have a game plan for taking on Niko. It’s gonna be a damn good fight, and I’m looking forward to it. It would be even better if I could tell Haven about it and ask her to be there, but with her not speaking to me, I haven’t told her yet. There’s no way I’d leave this type of news in a voice message or text.
“My head ain’t up my ass,” I protest, shaking my head.
“Might not think you have your head up your ass, but you do. If you would just talk to her, you might be able to focus fully on everything rather than thinking about the fact she’s ignoring you.”
Sighing, I tilt my head to the ceiling and pinch the bridge of my nose for a minute to keep myself in check. I don’t want to get into it with my brother. “Look, Rhett, I appreciate what you’re trying to say and all, but I need you to back off. I’m not calling her.”
Rhett doesn’t say anything as I turn from him and hop out of the ring. I’ve got to shower and do a few things before weigh-in later. I take a seat on the stool, drink some water from my bottle, and stare at my brother as he climbs out of the ring, looking at the counter. I follow his gaze and see him staring at Christina as she studies.
“You know,” he starts, looking back at me, “I got with Christina, I knew I wanted her to be mine.”
“Already know this.” I nod, knowing the story.
“Did I tell you about the police officer who thought she was lying when she’d heard I’d been arrested and came to give me an alibi?”
“You mentioned it but didn’t tell me everything.” The fact someone could think Christina was a liar is unheard of. Rhett’s woman is pure gold and sweetness, with a bite of sass to throw in the mix.
“Well, the woman told Christina there’s no way I’d want to be with her, she all but called her fat.”
Anger on behalf of my brother’s woman boils within my veins. Christina isn’t fat by any means. She’s got all the right curves in all the right places. It pisses me off when people talk down to others because they match a certain image.
“I see the anger in you, Reese, so calm your ass back down and listen,” Rhett says coolly. “Anyway, Christina had a hard time thinking I actually wanted her, and I proved it to her. And I intend to keep on doing just that now that she’s agreed to be my wife.”
I nod, happy for my brother. “She is a good woman.”
