Chapter 4

JACOB

The crowd parted as we made our way back to the dressing room. I had pats on the back, and as hands were pushed in front of me, I clapped them in gratitude. I could barely see out of one eye, and I knew it was already closing. But I didn't care. I was where I wanted to be, and to hear punters calling out King in a chant filled me with pride. Danny slipped his arm around my shoulder and leant in. "Hear that mate, that's your name they're calling. The King. That's what you are." His words of praise made me proud. I'd done it.

I nodded as Ethan held my arm up as we walked through the room. The majority of the crowd cheered along. We pushed through the doors and back into where I'd come from earlier. It wasn't a dressing room. It looked more like a cloakroom. I chuckled to myself, but my eye stung and my body ached after being put through its paces.

As the bench came into view I pushed away from the guys and sat down with a thud and breathed out. My legs hurt. My arms hurt, and my head was aching after it had been pounded. I leant back, pressing my heated and sweaty back against the wall, the coldness of the plaster seeped into my skin, and instantly cooled me. "Fuck man." I blew out in exhaustion. "He was tough."

"No, he just used his size to his advantage. You could beat anybody, Jake. That guy was closer to thirty, and you showed him how it was meant to be done." Danny said as he dabbed at my eye.

"Yeah, he hadn't met his match yet. But to see you thunder at him like that, man, you were fucking good."Ethan added, I heard the pride in his voice.

With one eye now closed, I looked up at him through my good one and grinned. All I needed now was to see Phoenix. She could clean me up. I grabbed the bottle of water and guzzled it down in one. My body began to cool down as Ethan produced more water. I swapped the empty one for the full one and screwed off the lid, drank some, then moved it above my head and tipped the bottle. My body jolted at first with the shock of the cold water, but I soon relaxed when the water hit its mark as I'd finally stopped sweating. My heart began to beat at a normal rhythm again.

My hand moved to my head as I rubbed the beads of water through my short hair, gently shaking off the excess. My face hurt like a bitch. "Take me to Nix. I don't think I can drive yet; I can hardly see."

"Yeah, man." Ethan replied, nodding.

"She won't be impressed, seeing you like this." Danny added on a snigger.

"Don't be a prick, she'll be fine." I start to get up, but Ethan stopped me.

"Just sit there for a minute, we can go soon."

With a nod, I stayed where I was, and instructed Danny to grab my bag. "Hey, I'm not your bitch."

"Just fucking get it." I felt the scowl forming on my face, but as my brows pinched, my eye and nose hurt even more. My fingers moved towards my face as I dipped my head. "Fuck. That hurts." He'd pissed me off with his childish comment. Best mate or not, he wasn't going to diss Phoenix. I wouldn't let him.

I pushed to the edge of the bench, unzipped my bag, pulled out my t-shirt and tried to pull it over my head without hurting myself or catching my nose. Gently, I pulled it down my body after threading my arms through the short sleeves, ignoring the pain in my ribs and back. Ethan helped me to my feet just as Rico came waltzing into the room looking fucking smug. "Well, here he is." He clapped. "My hottest new thing," he took my hand and shook it as he stood before me. "How you feeling?"

"Sore. But fucking good."I grinned, still amazed that I won.

"You should. No fucker has beat him yet, but you acted like you were taking candy from a baby."

"That's because he's the fucking King." Danny shouted. I shook my head at him, but it did wonders for my confidence.

Rico laughed as he dipped his hand into his pocket. I kept my gaze on his pocket as he slowly pulled out a wad of rolled up notes. "The punters really must have wanted to see this fight because there were some big gamblers in there tonight," he counted the money out silently and I counted in my head, note by note, one by one. By the time he'd taken his cut from my winnings I had three grand in my hand. Rico closed my fingers around the money. "Well done, lad. Not many new fighters walk out of here with that amount. I knew I did the right thing, putting The Punisher against you." His hand lightly tapped my cheek, the good side of my face, otherwise I'd have put him on his arse, still I grit my teeth. "Stick with me kid, I'll make you rich and the fighter you should be." I nodded and relished in the feeling of the wad of money in my hand. I loved it and I knew he was right. I knew I'd made the right decision. If I earned this every week, we'd have a house quicker than I could've ever imagined.

Now I couldn't wait to get back and show Phoenix.

I shook Rico's hand. "I'll be in touch," he said and walked out of the room.

"Can you believe that?" I asked as my head shook. I counted out a few notes and handed them to Danny and Ethan.

"We don't want that." Ethan said, shoving the money back at me. "We're your friends, it's what friends do."

"And I appreciate you both, so fucking take it. It's only a couple of hundred, just have it."

With a slight shake of Ethan's head, he slipped the notes into his pocket. Danny of course had already pocketed his. I bent down to grab my bag, but Danny snatched it up before I had the chance.

"Come on, let's get you out of here," Danny said as he led the way out.

We passed through the corridor and past the big fuckers on the door. The biggest one stopped me. "Saw the fight tonight, you did good, kid."

"Cheers, mate." I smiled. Pride ran through my veins.

"Keep that up, you'll soon have a name for yourself," he clapped my hands in a handshake and opened the door again. The smell of the cool night air hit me as I left the building, breathing it in, I shivered at the drop in temperature. It was only early spring, but the weather had been unnaturally cool for April and the nights were still chilly. But still, I welcomed it tonight.

Ethan took my keys and opened the car for me, before helping me into the passenger seat. Danny got in his car, and we agreed to meet at Nix's. As Ethan started the engine, I stretched the seatbelt across my body, holding it away from my sore ribs, and rested my head back against the headrest. I allowed my eyes to close as Ethan drove.

PHOENIX

Headlights lit up the driveway, and desperate for it to be Jacob, I sat up a little straighter to look out of the window from my bed.

I'd been on edge all night. I never did watch Friends. I couldn't concentrate on what was happening. I felt sick to my stomach knowing he was out there; knowing he might not come home. My hands shook as I fidgeted with anything they could to distract myself. I'd checked my phone for a message or a missed call a thousand times. Every time I'd hoped there would be a text, and there wasn't, I was disappointed all over again.

I watched as the car turned into the driveway and bolted from the bed towards the stairs. My hand slid along the wall as I took each step as quickly as I possibly could. It was a wonder I didn't go flying since I wasn't really concentrating on my feet, just on getting to the bottom. Once on firm ground, I ran through the hallway, pressed hard on the door handle and yanked it open. The cool breeze hit my bare legs as I ran outside, but I didn't care, I knew Jacob was back. That was all I cared about.

When I saw Danny's car behind Jacob's, my steps faltered and waited. "Hey, Nix." Ethan greeted me as he got out of the car and went to the passenger side. I was nervous. Why would Ethan need to drive Jacob's car if everything was fine? My heart sped up, it had almost beat out of my chest before I managed to peer around Ethan and saw Jacob sat in the passenger seat. A loud gasp left my lips, and my hand went to my mouth at the sight before me. Danny had jumped out of his Ford Ranger and jogged over to Jacob's open door to help Ethan with him. They flanked him on each side. I couldn't look away; my gaze was locked on them. Jacob was holding his side, and oh lord, from what I could see of his face from here, it was a complete mess.

"He told us to bring him here."

"Of course," I nodded and smiled at Danny as he walked with him across the drive.

"Hey, gorgeous." Jacob greeted as they reached me. Tears filled my eyes as I quickly scanned his face in the shadows and slid an arm around his waist.

"Jesus Christ, Jacob." I cursed. I hated seeing him like this. Was this going to be a normal look for him now? "Let's get you inside."

We made our way to the front door as Danny asked if I needed any more help. "Maybe if you can help him inside, is that okay?

"I don't need help. I'm just a little beat up, I'm fine." Jacob complained.

"Right, come on, mate. Don't moan, I'm helping you in. Then I'll leave you alone."

I took my arm from around him and left him to Danny and Ethan. They went into the house as I followed closely behind. Luckily, Dad had gone to work already; he worked nights as a security guard, and my sister, hopefully she'd already be asleep. Which would just leave Mum for me to handle. I turned around to Ethan with a smile, "Thanks for driving him home, Ethan."

"Hey, you're welcome."

"See ya later, mate. Call me tomorrow." Danny called out and started moving towards the door. Jacob lifted his hand up slightly as he rested his head back against the cushion on the settee and closed his eyes.

I saw the guys out and pulled the door behind me to stand on the doorstep. Ethan folded his arms across his chest and smiled. "He did well, you know."

"I just think there's so much more to him. I wish he would go to a traditional gym and do it the conventional way."

Danny looked at me and scowled, his top lip curled as though what I said disgusted him. I'd admit as I aired my concerns, I sounded whiny and spoiled, even to myself.

"Oh, come on, Phoenix," Danny scoffed, "you just don't want him to fight, full stop. Do you think he's cut out to be stuck behind a desk tapping away at a computer or playing with numbers? You know, something sophisticated and normal." He turned his back to me. He just didn't want to listen.

"I'm really sorry." I directed to Ethan, because Danny could kiss my arse. "That does sound really selfish."

"Hey, no it's not. That's what anyone would want, but in Jacob's eyes, this is his only way."

I nodded at his answer, because I got what Ethan was saying, but Danny liked status and I'm sure if Danny was getting anything out of Jacob fighting, then he'd back him all the way. Whether or not he did get something out of this, I had no idea.I never much liked the idea of Jacob fighting, but I loved him a lot and I was willing to stand by him through this. Even if I didn't like it.

"Well, I'm not going to be able to change his mind, he's much too set in his ways." A heavy sigh left my lips. "Thanks again for driving him back, both of you."

"I'll give him a call tomorrow," Ethan replied. "He'll be fine, I promise." He started to back away from the door. Danny had already started to walk away. As he reached the end of the drive, he turned back.

"Yeah, stop worrying, he's a big boy…"

"Whatever," I called out and smirked. I watched them leave before I closed the door and went to tend to my boyfriend.

I stopped at the doorway of the living room and took in the sight of him. I hoped it wasn't going to be like this all the time, but I knew if I loved Jacob and we had any kind of future, I'd have to suck it up and go with it. I let out a sigh as I pushed off the door frame. I gently sat down next to him and took his hand in mine, examining the cuts and bruises on his knuckles. Bringing them to my lips, I softly kissed them. His head rolled my way as he opened his good eye and watched me.

"I won." The cut on his lip was deep and I wasn't sure if he needed a stitch. It was swollen and red but there was blood caked to his skin, too, so I couldn't tell. His words registered in my mind, and a small smile graced my lips as I leant in and kissed his cheek. "Nix, I won."

I wanted to be enthusiastic, but I had no idea how to be. I gave him a small smile. "Let's get you cleaned up, wait there." I placed his hand on his thigh and headed for the kitchen to grab the first aid kit. I was hoping this was full of everything I needed to help him. I reached for the top shelf and took in a breath as I opened it to check. Luckily, we had everything. I headed back into the living room and left it on the coffee table while I got water and cotton wool.

With everything ready, I started to wipe his face and clean him up. He watched me closely, with a hiss through his teeth every so often and a flinch when I was a little rough. We got through it until he looked more human again, but the bruising was coming out now, too.

"How am I looking?" I placed three sterastrips over the cut on his eyebrow.

"Well, I wouldn't like to see how the other guy looks, if you look like this." I placed a sterile plaster over the strips to protect them and moved to his lips again. "This really needs a proper stitch or it's going to scar."

"No. They'll ask questions. Plus, it'll add to my hard man appeal if it scars."

I stared at him, not quite believing what I'm hearing, and shook my head. "Hold still. This might hurt." I peeled the strips from the backing paper and stuck the very edge to the back of my other hand so I could grab them easily. I squeezed the cut together and a groan left the back of his throat. "Oh, come on, Jay. I thought you were a hard man." I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling and quickly stuck the sterile strips down on his cut. "That's a good lad," I pressed a small kiss to the other side of his mouth. "All done." I took the water and emptied it down the sink and put the first aid kit away, then went back and helped him to his feet. As he stood, his arm went to his stomach. "Let's get you upstairs, and I'll take a look at your belly."

"Do whatever you want to me, nurse. I won't complain."

I took his hand in mine and thread an arm around his waist to lead him up the stairs. "Honestly, Jacob, you're in no position to complain at the moment." I smiled at our easy banter as we reached the top and made our way into my room. I cleared the things that were left on the bed and helped him lie down. With his t-shirt pulled up as high at it could go, I ran my fingers over the patches of skin that were already discoloured. Purple bruising had already begun to mar his taut body. I pressed lightly against his bruises, careful not to hurt him anymore. "I think they're just bruised, but without an x-ray we won't know."

"Come and lie with me," I looked him over again as my comment about the x-ray went over his head. I wondered whether it was possible without hurting him more, but the need to feel him against me won out. I slid onto the bed and snuggled into his side as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. We lay silently until I realised, he'd fallen asleep. I left his side as gently as I could and turned off the light before I retook my position and closed my eyes.