3 Breaths by LK Collins Read Free Book Online Page B

there’s no one to protect her while I fight and these guys get rowdy. As we walk down the stairs, I look for Ling or Bo, but neither is in sight. The safest bet is to get into the room and one of them will be in to check on things soon.
    The crowd is cheering and Ivy says, “God, it’s loud.”
    “These guys have a lot of money riding on these fights. I’ll get someone to watch out for you while I do my thing.”
    She squeezes my hand and we enter the room that has my name on it. This place is much cleaner than the room where I normally get ready. Thank God, or Ivy might have reconsidered coming.
    Unzipping my bag, I pull out what I need and look for a bathroom. Of course there isn’t one in here. I guess cleaner isn’t always better. Looking at Ivy with my stuff in my hand I say, “Wanna turn around?”
    She smiles and turns her back to me, “I’ve already seen what you work with,” she chuckles getting out her cell phone to keep busy while I change. I turn away too and as I adjust my junk under the cup, my cock is starting to grow.
    What the fuck? Not now.
    I close my eyes trying to think of anything else, but her sitting in here with me while I’m basically naked is making me hard. I pull my shorts up and turn around to catch her looking over her shoulder at me. “Were you staring at my ass again?” I ask.
    “No way. I was just…stretching my neck.” And she turns her head in the other direction.
    I smirk at her lie and sit on the bench next to her, pulling my tape from my bag. Placing a strip over my knuckles first, I begin to wrap them.
    “Is that all you use to protect them?”
    “Fights like this, yeah. The way I used to fight, we’d have thin gloves over our knuckles.” There is a knock on the door and Ling pops his head in.
    “Hey, man, you ready for this?”
    “You know it.”
    Ling looks at Ivy and I introduce her to him. “This is my friend, Ivy. Ivy, this is Ling; he puts these fights together.”
    “It’s nice to meet you,” she says and they shake hands.
    “Likewise. You’re up in five, you need anything?”
    “Nah, man, nothing for me. But I was wondering if you could have Bo watch over Ivy? I know the crowd gets pretty crazy.”
    “Yeah, for sure, I’ll get him now.”
    Ling leaves and I look Ivy in the eyes. My heart is pounding against the walls of my chest and not because I’m nervous to fight, but because I’m worried that something is going to happen to her.
    “You ready?” she asks.
    I nod my head and sling an arm over her shoulder. She hugs me back and as we sit here in one another’s hold, I breathe her in, her scent so familiar, yet so new.
    “You can stay in here, if you’d rather?” I ask her.
    “No way, I wanna see you fight.”
    I nod my head once and kiss her forehead, she holds me back tightly and I get up to stretch, knowing I don’t have much time. Suddenly, Bo opens the boor. “You’re up first,” he says and I look at him confused.
    “Why?”
    “Not sure, it was Ling’s call.”
    Asshole!
    I keep calm externally, because with Ivy here, I don’t want to start shit with any of these guys. “My grand bonus is yours Bo if you keep her very safe.” Grabbing her hand, I lead her out of the room. The crowd chants my name, which gets my blood boiling. Letting go of Ivy, I get myself hyped up as we round the corner and the enormous arena that this is all taking place in. “Don’t take your eyes off of her,” I tell Bo.
    “For sure, man. Get after it!”
    Walking out, the room erupts when I enter. The sound of stomping on the metal risers echoes and it brings me into my zone. I don’t give a fuck who’s in front of me. I haven’t lost a fight in years, so I sure as hell am not going to start now, especially with Ivy here.
    Looking back at Ivy as the ref checks me before I enter the cage, she looks happy. I wink at her and run up the stairs, doing some sprints across to get my blood flowing, then jump up and down as the Resolution makes his