“Hey,” I said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good,” she said with a determined nod. “Just about to get ready for work.”
“Before you do,” I said. My hands began to shake as I stood up in front of her. I slipped my hand back inside my pocket and held tightly to the ring box. “There’s something I need to ask you.”
“Okay,” Piper said uncertainly. “What is it?”
I pulled the ring from my pocket and slowly lowered myself down onto one knee. When I opened the box, Piper’s eyes flew open even wider. She stared at the ring like she’d never seen one before. Her eye flicked back up to mine.
“Piper,” I said slowly. “This past year with you and Lili has been the best year of my life. I never want to lose either of you. Ever. I love you so much. I can’t even tell you how much. Will you marry me?”
The question hung between us for a few seconds. Everything was silent. We were both frozen in that moment. Even the air felt stiff, as if the world itself was suspended just waiting for Piper’s answer.
Tears filled her eyes slowly as she pushed herself away from me. She stood up and paced around the room, not looking at me. Fear flooded my veins as I watched her.
“Piper?” I asked. “Piper?”
“I’m pregnant,” she said, spinning around to face me. “I just found out this morning. I was going to tell you tonight, but after you proposed I thought…”
I didn’t let her finish her sentence. I skipped over to her and picked her up. I kissed her fiercely, laughing and spinning her around in circles.
“A baby?!” I asked.
“Yes,” she chuckled. “Does this mean you’re happy?”
“Does this mean you’re saying yes?” I asked quickly.
Piper didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Of course. Yes.”
My child, my fiancée, and now a baby.
My mission was finally complete.
Fighting Desire
By Nicole Elliot
ONE
DILLON
“Dillon, you’re up!”
I looked down at my bloodied hands and wrapped them tighter with the fabric that was once white. I’d busted through at least three knuckles on my left hand and one on my right. I couldn’t understand why they had wanted me to fight again. I’d already been in the ring today. I didn’t need any more practice.
“Leo, I’m good. I don’t want to bust my shoulder again before the fight tonight.”
Leo put his calloused hands on either of my bare shoulders. His thumb just brushed against my newest tattoo, a quote about fighting.
Push harder, longer
And to me, that’s exactly what getting torn up in the ring was about. “You need all the practice you can get, kid. The guy that you’re going up against tomorrow night, we don’t know much about him. All that I know is that he’s got some underground experience, and you know how those fuckers play. He’ll go right for your face. And by the time you realize what happened, you’ll be flat on your back and he’ll have won all our money.”
I shook my head. “You know I won’t let that happen. Besides those gangbanger fighters, they’ve got nothing on us real pros. I know what I’m doing and I rank better than anybody else you have in this gym. And when I say I’ve had enough, I’ve had enough.”
Leo pulled his hands off me and put them up in surrender. He might’ve been three times my age, but the old man did know what he was talking about. He had been a boxer first and then learned MMA. He had been my coach my entire life. But he also knew that I wasn’t just some little kid anymore. I was starting to get interest from sponsors and other investors. If I didn’t want to fight today because I knew it wouldn’t make me ready for tomorrow, then I wasn’t going to do it. After my shoulder injury two years ago I thought it was going to be completely done with fighting. But it was my passion, my life. I had done enough rehabilitation for five guys just to get myself back in the ring. And finally after another two years, I was in the prime of my fighting career. There was no way I was going to let some gangbanger fighter beat the hell out of me on my turf.
“Fine. But I want you hitting the bag for at least another hour. And then definitely take some time to do some stretching this evening. Your kick’s a little weak. Especially your left.”