“Now do you understand how much I don’t hate you?” Hudson let me down onto my own two feet and gave me a sweet smile.
“I guess you don’t hate me?” I asked breathlessly, still holding on to him.
“I love you, Riley,” he whispered against my lips. “I love you.”
“But you hung up on me.” My heart raced as he spoke. I wasn’t sure if I was living in some sort of daydream. He loved me? Could this possibly be true?
“Because you have more faith in me than you should.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Now’s not the time.” He shook his head and took a step back. “I don’t want to see your face before the fight. I don’t want you to hate me before the fight. I want you to still respect me, even if it’s because you don’t know the truth.”
“What are you talking about, Hudson? What truth?” I grabbed his arms. “Please tell me.”
“Do you love me, Riley?” he whispered, his eyes hopeful.
“I love you so much, Hudson.”
“Good. That’s what I want to go into the fight knowing.” He gave me a smile. “I want to know I have someone to fight for. I want to know that you’re rooting for me with all your heart.”
“Why?”
“Why?” He looked sad. “Because you’re the only one who’s always believed in me and loved me. And if I lost that before the fight, I don’t know that I could win.”
“I don’t have a good feeling about the fight.” I gripped his arms. “Please don’t enter.”
“I have to.” His fingers wiped the tears on my face away. “I have to do this for Clara’s mom.”
“But I already told you it’s my fault. It’s not your fault.” My voice cracked.
“It’s all my fault.” His eyes looked so bleak that my heart cracked.
“No, it’s not. If you knew about the text, you would have gone for her. She’d still be here.”
“Shh, my darling.” He softly kissed my lips again. “Thank you for being strong enough to always come back to me, no matter what I say or do.”
“I’ll always be here for you. I’ll always come back to you, Hudson. You’re my candle and I’m your moth.”
“You’re my heart, and I’m yours to do with what you want.” Hudson grinned at me. “Oh how I love you, Riley.” He kissed me again, hard and deep. “I want to freeze time. I want us to remain here in this moment, only knowing what we know now. I want this to be it. I could live the rest of my life just staring at the love in your eyes.”
“I feel like you’re saying goodbye to me,” I said sadly, gazing back into his loving eyes. “Why do I feel like this is the end instead of the beginning?”
“Once you know who I am, what I’m capable of, I don’t think you’ll want to be with me.” He looked away from me. “I’m not the stand-up man you think I am.”
“Hudson, there is nothing you could—”
“Ooh, what do we have here?” Channing’s voice interrupted our conversation, and we both sprung apart as he walked towards us. “Is it my fellow fighter and his little slut?”
I gasped at his words and saw Hudson’s face go red, but neither of us responded.
“Do you need a few minutes?” Channing continued and looked at his watch. “I guess you still have some time to pull your shorts down so she can have a quick suck on your cock.”
“Shut it.” Hudson took a step forward and I grabbed his arm.
“Just ignore him,” I muttered, glaring at Channing’s smirk.
“Or would you rather like a suck on mine?” He laughed and grabbed his cock. “I’m sure you’d like to be with a man who could f**k you long and hard and not run off in the morning.”
“I’m warning you,” Hudson growled and took another step forward.
“You’re warning me?” Channing laughed again and his eyes narrowed. “What are you going to do? Hit me?” He beat his fists against his chest. “Are you going to try and fight me? Over this little whore?”
“I told you to shut the f**k up.” Hudson moved swiftly and pushed Channing back into the lockers. “I don’t care what beef you have with me, but I’ll f**k you up if you talk about Riley like that.”
“Didn’t she tell you that when you left I slipped into the sleeping bag and f**ked her?” Channing licked his lips. “The only reason she knew it was me was because I lasted so much longer than you. Did she tell you that?”
My heart stopped as I watched Hudson slam his right fist into Channing’s eye. Channing didn’t make a sound, but I could see the look in his eyes turning into pure hate and evil.
“Put him down, Hudson.” I ran up to him. “Please.”
“Listen to your girl, Hudson,” Channing said in a sing-song voice. “Or she’s going to have to charge you extra tonight.”
Hudson’s breathing was heavy, and I was scared he was going to hit him again.
“He’s not worth it,” I whispered. “Wait until the fight.” I touched his arm and prayed to God that he didn’t do anything else. I sighed in relief as he released his grip on Channing and stepped back.
“Get the f**k out of here, Channing.”
“Yes, Batman.” Channing stared at us and laughed. Then he looked me up and down. “I’m glad you chose this loser. I was never that into big-thighed sluts,” he sneered at me and then turned away.
I watched as he walked out of the gym and then looked up at Hudson.
“You okay?” His eyes were full of concern for me, and my heart melted once again at how wonderful he was.
“I’m fine.” I nodded and stepped forward to hug him. “He’s a pompous ass.”
“I’ll enjoy beating the shit out of him.”
“Don’t hurt him.” I touched his face. “Please don’t do anything too bad.”
His eyes widened. “You want me to go soft on him?”
“No, but I don’t want you to break anything.” I bit my lower lip. “Don’t stoop to his level.”
“You have so much faith in me.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why you think I can stop myself from beating the shit out of him.”
“Because I know you. I know you and I love you.” I leaned up and kissed him. “Just remember that when you’re in the ring.”