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“Thanks for comingby to see us,” my mom said, as Demi said goodbye to my grandmother. “You understand why I can’t be there, right?”
“Don’t give it a thought. I wouldn’t want you there. I know it’s hard to watch me fight, and if you don’t want to watch it on TV, you don’t have to do that either.”
I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was going to be fighting on national television. I hoped I didn’t make a fool of myself and go out too soon.
“I’ll be watching, but I can pace here and keep myself from jumping into that ring with you. Just—” My mother looked away as her hands squeezed mine before her gaze returned to mine. “You don’t need to be a hero, Romeo. You agreed to fight this lunatic, and I know you felt pressured to do so. But if it’s bad, just pretend you get knocked out and stay down. It’s not worth your life, son. We are all endlessly proud of you, regardless of this fight.”
I wrapped my arms around her. “Come on, now. I trained awfully hard. I’m going to be fine. Stop worrying.”
She sniffed, and I knew I had to get out of here. We were heading to Las Vegas the next morning. We’d be arriving a few days before the fight because we’d have the press conference and the weigh-in the day before, and it would allow us time to get settled. I’d tapered off my workouts, and I just wanted to be out of here.
“All right. You get out of here. I love you. Lincoln is flying Tia there from school, so you make sure she stays out of trouble.” She let out a long breath.
“Don’t worry about a thing, Mama. I love you.”
Demi walked up and hugged my mom, and I hustled us out the door. My hand found hers, and we walked the short distance home. The weather had warmed up, and I was grateful for the fresh air. I’d been spending a lot of time in the gym and in the training space next to the coffee shop, outside of my runs in the morning.
“Your mom was emotional, huh?” Demi asked.
“Yep. She gets that way. It’ll be fine.”
“It will be.” She sighed. “I can’t believe we leave tomorrow morning.”
“It’s about fucking time, right? Leo’s got to be exhausted from all his antics.” I chuckled, and she did, too.
He was a piece of shit. Talking about stealing my girl. About humiliating me in front of her. I fucking hated the guy. I’d kept my mouth shut for months, and I was ready to get in there and just fight the asshole. Regardless of the outcome, I was ready to face it.
“Agreed. I think the whole world is tired of hearing him run his mouth.”
We came to a stop in the alley, and I pulled her close. “I need to go pack a few things for tomorrow, so why don’t I meet you upstairs at your place in a little bit?”
“Sure. I’ll get organized, too.” She pushed up on her toes and kissed me before walking backward toward her place. “We’re leaving tomorrow, Golden Boy. All your hard work is going to pay off.”
I watched her step inside the building before I made my way inside mine. I opened the box that had arrived today. Demi and the guys had played a role in designing my fight shorts. They were all black with a white band and gold stitching on the waist where it readGolden Boy. On the inside of the shorts, they’d had them embroidered with a few things that would mean something to me. The inside waistband saidBeans and Beefcake, which still made me laugh every time I read it. My girl and my godson. And then on the backside, the lettersRoDwere stitched there, as well.
I’d taken Demi over to see Cutler earlier today, and she’d given him the RoD tattoo in black Sharpie. He’d strutted through the house like he was some sort of badass. I loved that even at just shy of six years old, he wore those letters proudly. I folded the shorts and the matching black-and-gold robe with my name on it into a separate bag.
Lincoln was flying us all to Las Vegas tomorrow, so we could bring as much luggage as we needed to. I packed up my toiletries and paused in the bathroom to look in the mirror.
I stared at the reflection looking back at me. I was bigger and stronger than I’d been three months ago. I’d worked harder than I’d even known I was capable of.
I’d be leaving it all out there.
I was at peace with whatever happened at this point because there was nothing more that I could do to prepare.
I set my bags by the door, as we’d be back in the morning to grab them. I paused at my dresser and pulled out the letter that I’d written to Demi to have during the fight, just in case she needed it.
She liked to act like nothing bothered her, but I knew differently. I knew she’d been stressed over that fuckface Ronny threatening to come after me. But he had nothing on me. You can’t sue someone for calling you out for a crime that you committed. He could come after me all he wanted, but he didn’t have a leg to stand on.
I tucked the letter into my bag, grabbed my keys, and headed out the door. I jogged toward Demi’s place but caught movement coming from beside me.
A blur of bodies charged at me, all wearing fucking masks, and they swung at me.
Three in total.
One wrapped an arm around my neck as he kneed me in the back.
I elbowed the fucker to my left and heard him howl as I swung and yanked the one on my back off of me. A third dude lunged at me, catching me off guard as I’d prepared for the dude on my right who was back on his feet.
